Taking Shape

It has been about a month and a half since my last post...sorry!
Looking back at the photos and the progress that has been made each week is amazing! On the one hand we are disappointed that our "ideal" timeline isn't realistic, but it is exciting to see the new addition take shape! And,  by "new addition" I mean the construction project - not the baby which is also taking shape;) Keep in mind, our "ideal" timeline is driven in part by the fact that we will have a new addition one way or another in late October! Anyway, I digress...

Check this out:

From this...

To this, in just over a month!

And, all this while addressing a significant challenge with the trusses for the breezeway.

When we originally designed this addition, there would have been a step up from the garage into the house. One of our top priorities is that the main floor be barrier free. So, we made the main floor level, which meant that there'd be a few steps up from the breezeway to the second floor of the garage (into the apartment).

Note that the roof truss cuts off the top of the doorway.

Unfortunately, when we made this change late in the game, the architect didn't re-do the plans which show the addition and the old house together... so when it came time to put the trusses on that match the roof line of the house, they cut off the top of the door into the apartment. Huh - that'd be a head knocker for sure. So, after taking some time to consider the options, Ben ended up ordering new trusses to meet/match the old roof line and allow for the doorway. An unfortunate loss of time and money.

Trusses on the apartment involved some heavy equipment. The guys assembled everything they could on the ground and then had a crane lift them into place. It was a grueling day (from what I've heard) but it was a success! These trusses have an 18" heel so that we can have super insulation in the attic. The apartment is designed to be extremely energy efficient which will be important during the long Northport winters!

 Along the way, there have been a few unique rewards, like a random drop in from this Great Blue Heron...;)

 After all that though, we now have a nearly complete structure. Next up: prep for exterior foam insulation, roofing, windows, and lots more;) Stay tuned.