Vinyl Versus Metal Windows

The insulation and reflective values of windows make a huge impact on the overall performance of a home. Don had gotten a really good quote on metal frame windows (around 3300), and he has had good success with them because they have a 1" flange around the perimeter that makes it easy to seal them up properly. The more expensive vinyl windows don't.

We had gone to Direct Buy, hoping to get a quote on vinyl windows that would at least come close to the metal. However, the guy giving us the price didn't check on different Direct Buy vendors, only on one with a very prominent name. We can't reveal the quote because that's part of the deal when you join DB, you agree not to reveal the prices. Let's just say it was orders of magnitude higher.

So, we had given up on vinyl windows. However, Don contacted me yesterday because one of his other clients put him in touch with American Window Systems, a supplier for Energy Star windows.  They quoted 4600 for the windows. So, for 1300 more, we get vinyl windows with Argon instead of air as a filling. And, the performance ratings (lower is better) are UV Value of .53 and SHGC of .32 for the metal windows compare with a UV Value of .30 and SHGC of .25 for the vinyl. This link explains UV and SHGC. We decided to go with the vinyl, even though it adds to the budget. The energy savings should make up for the difference over the life of the home. The energy star site estimates somewhere between 90 and 300 dollars per year. The higher savings is for energy star compared to a single pain window the lower is compared to a clear double pane.

First Pour

They poured the lower support posts, lower slab, and garage slab today. The cement trucks emptied into a pumper on the street. The pumper had a long boom that reached down the hill.



Pedro and crew are busy smoothing out 70 yards of concrete. Pedro said it was a good day for the pour, at about 50 degrees--not too cold, not too hot. And, the weather calls for rain, which will help it cure slowly.



The concrete contains fly ash, which makes it more environmentally friendly. http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Foundations/fly-ash-concrete. Don says that after it cures a while, they will tighten up the tension posts and it will make a really strong slab.

Here are Don and Pedro, checking the plans.

After this concrete sets up, Pedro will remove the forms and reuse them for the upper slab.

Driveway Turnaround and Pre-pour Progress

We had record-breaking cold here over the weekend, with the airport registering 12 degrees. On Sunday, the sun was shining and a bit warmer, so we ventured out to check the progress. The drive has been graded some more and we have a turn-around:

The garage and part of the house will sit on post tension engineered slabs. Here is a picture of the cables that are used instead of traditional rebar:

They are covered to avoid corrosion and sit on little black cups that hold them at the correct height. The HGTV website has a nice article on this type of slab: http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/bp_foundation/article/0,2617,HPRO_20146_3745450,00.html.

Before pouring, this prep work was inspected by both the town and an engineer. Don has called us a couple of times to change the ETA of the first pour because small things came up. We expect it to be tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8.

Mystery Solved!

We've not been able to get to the site while they were working, so were imagining what type of equipment would navigate the steep terrain. Even with the driveway cut in some, there are few places you can stand without leaning to balance your weight.

Today, we finally saw the mysterious Bobcat. We hope to get out someday to see it in motion. You have to respect the brave operator!

They've cut further into the hillside and staked out the perimeter of the garage.

Here are the forms for the retaining wall that will keep the rainwater tanks from sliding down the hill:

 

Hopefully, the winter rain will hold off a bit.

Last week of 2009

Cold weather and rain again this week. We even saw snowflakes in our back yard! More forms have been constructed, but I didn't get any new pictures.

We're thinking about colors and finishes. I had my eye on a simple Delta faucet for the master bath, but the lowest price I could find was near $200. So, when I came across these sink and faucet sets on Amazon, I thought I would give them a try. For $145 a set, they include the faucet, sink, and all of the hardware. I wasn't expecting a lot because of the price. But, when they arrived, they are much bigger than I expected and they are beautiful!

We got 2 of these for the Master Bath:

And, one of these for the powder room:

The bowls and faucets appear to be of excellent quality, so I ordered another for the downstairs bath:

I'm thinking of buying a sewing machine for draperies and pillows. I haven't sewn in years, but drapes are super expensive and it is hard to get them in fabrics that are natural and won't give off VOCs. I found a website that describes how to remove VOCs by soaking fabrics in baking soda and/or Borax and rinsing them in vinegar: http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/02/removing_odors_.html.

Guess that's all for today.

Rain Slowdowns

We have had a couple of rains and it takes a long time for the soil to dry out. So, this week, progress was slow. The concrete will be poured in three stages, with the lower one first. The plumbing has been roughed in for the lower slab.

The driveway also got a load of fill so we can walk down in from the road now.

We were fortunate while walking around to hear and see this little guy (photo from http://www.laspilitas.com/California_birds/Kinglets/Ruby_crowned_kinglet.html).

We don't expect that a lot will happen until the holidays are over, but now that we can more easily walk onto the site, we will probably be spending some time there. With the area cleared, we can plan for the landscaping and future pool. 

First Two Weeks

A lot has happened and it is exciting to see the lot take shape!

First, the trees and shrubs that would be in the way were removed. The picture makes it look much flatter than it really is. You can see three lines and changes in color, they indicate sharp drop-offs in elevation. This shot is looking west from the street.

Next, the equipment came in, sorry we don't have any pictures of that. Don's plan made the best use of the land with the least amount of excavation. This picture shows the driveway looking south, toward the area where the garage will be.

 And this one is looking north, up toward the road.

Now, a step further down the hill, an area has been leveled for the slab that supports the entry and part of the living room. Then a drop and the area for the billiard room and lower deck.

And, finally, we believe these are the forms for the piers that will support the west end.

You can get a better idea of the size from this one. He is standing somewhere near the east wall of the billiard room.

And, with some of the trees gone, we can get a better idea of the view. The other basin of the lake, to the south west, is quite visible now, even from the lower level.

Walking the Lot

On Tuesday, we met Pedro and Alex, the foundation contractor and his assistant. With Don they started marking important spots on the lot, in spite of the threat of rain. At about 11:30, when we arrived, it was already drizzling, so we didn't get any pictures. They showed us where the front porch, deck, and garage will be. They were troopers because it was pouring by the time we left!

They had already marked trees that would have to come down. The front porch will be very near one of the trees we want to save. It has three trunks, one of which leans toward the house and would be too close to the roof, so we decided to remove it.

Trees on our second lot will probably have to be removed to clear the view, but Don suggested waiting until the framing goes up so that we can stand at floor level and see what will really be in the way.

We're out of town for a few days, and can't wait to the see the progress when we return. Some are predicting a really wet winter and we're hoping it doesn't slow the project down.