Hearthwood Dome

We're so close! We just about finished running wire and finishing it all for inspection.

On Saturday, the Princesses came over in the morning to celebrate Jean's (early) birthday by helping out. Krissy came over early and made us waffles! Then Krissy and I went over to Hearthwood, Meagan and Angie following a short while later. Meghan went with Jean to Home Depot to get supplies.

The Princesses were a real help, stripping wiring, stapling wiring and much more.

This past weekend we finished out the electrical wiring.

On Saturday, my dad gave up a bike ride on a beautiful day to help me out at Hearthwood with wiring and beginning the duct that vents the range hood outside. He also helped with the framework around that duct.

Sunday, I finished the duct for the stove vent and framing around another duct. so now, even our non-essential framing is mostly done and ready for drywall.

Wow. So we've been super busy and haven't had much time, but here's an update.

This past Saturday, we powered through about half the stuff we were required to do to pass our framing and electrical inspections. It was absolutely beautiful that day, letting Jean and Lucas come out as well.

We bonded all our ground wires together with copper collars, stripped insulation from wires inside electrical receptacles, added framing around ductwork and more. Kathy and Marsha filled in webbing material behind Joist hangars.

We had a scare when Ron, our septic field contractor, popped the circuit when accidentally dropping an extension cord into the water in the septic tank cavity-while also himself in the water! We figured we fried the circuit. No more power that day without the generator.

The inspections are actually scheduled for today! Our plumber called yesterday and let us know their work was done and inspection was for today, so Jean went ahead and scheduled our framing and electrical inspections today. Wish us luck!

We PASSED! That's right, our plumbing, electrical and framing (for concealment) inspections passed!

Jeano was out on site with Lucas and got the great news.

That means that I'll be wiring speaker and co-axial tonight and tomorrow night, and we'll be insulating this weekend!

Jean will be buying the insulation tomorrow with Bob, and get some disposable masks. Be sure to wear long sleeves and a hat if you like-I will. We have gloves for most everyone, but if you have a pair of cuffed ones, you might prefer those.

Absolutely incredible. Thanks to everyones' help this weekend, we completely insulated the first and second floors and are ready for our insulation inspection today!

We still need to insulate the basement, but that's only before we move in, since we're not finishing the basement and aren't putting drywall up there.

Jean gave me the good word a little while ago. We passed! That means after I finish data/phone wiring this week during the evenings and a little insulation stuffed in cracks here and there, Victor can start the drywall!
WOO-HOO!

Good thing Victor talked with Linda Boothe of Oregon Dome. It turns out that we need plastic strips (we should have used unfaced insulation and plastic sheets but this will do) over the seams between triangles and wall sections to keep our drywall from cracking.

So I will be putting in some labor this evening at Hearthwood, doing the remaining data wiring and our dryer vent as well...

I went over to Hearthwood this evening and stapled black plastic over the seams in the dome. I finished the roll of plastic and got about 40% of the dome done.

Tomorrow night Jean and I will continue and hopefully finish it. Then we need to run the data and phone wire for Lucas's room, our room and install the dryer vent. That will probably be on Thursday evening.

Jean is at Home Depot today, buying paint and clear plastic sheeting.

Turns out we really can't use black plastic sheeting, but I only spent two hours putting it up last night, so I can't complain too much. We'll have to take it down and replace it with clear plastic though.

We've spent some time picking out paint colors and Home Depot is having a $3-off-per-gallon sale on Behr paint today, so Jean is buying our colors.

We had a repair fellow install our new window panes this morning. It only took an hour! Very professional.

If you didn't hear the story, I happen to be clumsy. I broke the first story one while bellying in the triple unit in installation, and I broke the basement one when hammering in the first (!) nail.

Jean swept the insulation remnants from the loft and straightened a bit. Last night we took down the black plastic strips and replaced them with somewhat transparent strips. We still have an evening or two's worth of work there.

She also bought our paint and dryer vent and pipe, which we took over last night.

Rising Sun was out working on our drainfield more today. We have at least 5 runs (probably more by now) done.

Jean and all saw our friend the black snake. He's about 4 feet long and likes to hang around our dome. A sure sign of no rodents now.

I spent about two more hours putting up another 25% of the plastic strips last night- the most difficult 25% at that. It was a real jerry-rig: one level of scaffolding and the ladder on top of that. Real maneuverable though.

I should get out of training early enough today to start in the early afternoon and put up the remaining plastic and get the dryer vent done. Then perhaps I can start on the data wire.

Tomorrow we'll do siding as long as the weather allows. If it begins pouring and siding is definitely out of the question, we'll put up the remaining insulation in the basement and work on building the master bath cubbies. Maybe even saw out the tub drain hole or something.

There's always something:)