Oh yeah, We have Walls!

What an exciting week! I can't believe Kyle had to be out of town for work this past week while so much was happening! I updated him everyday, sometimes several times with photos so he could enjoy all the progress too.

So to recap this week, we now have... framing in interior walls in the basement and the first floor. We also have exterior walls up for the entire first floor and the start of the second story. It looks like a house now. I know that may sound like I am stating the obvious but for the first time, I could picture my self in it, living in it. It was a pretty powerful moment to realize that I was looking at the walls that will keep us safe and warm. I was walking in the room that will one day (soon please!) be my kitchen.

So lets check out the photos...

This is actually just the first day of framing and SIP installation. A four man crew got almost all of the first floor exterior walls up and prior to that they had to put the floor joist in.

This is the morning before the walls went up. First the crew framed the basement interior, then they installed the floor joists. This is my favorite vantage point to take photos from (on a giant dirt pile at the back of the house)

You are standing in the basement of the house for this view. Looking up you can see the floor joists that support the first floor. Off to the left of the photo you can see the opening for the staircase to the main level.

Half of the flooring joists are in for this photo.

Then later in the afternoon, the walls were already up! This photo is looking at the back of the house. Towards the left we can see part of the dining room door opening. Continuing to the right we have the office with two windows in the corner, then the laundry room, the the bathroom.

The framing crew setting the SIP exterior wall in place for the living room.

This view is from the side of the house looking at the dining room and the office on the corner. You can also see the daylight windows at the back of the house.

Close up of the SIP "sandwiches". You can easily see the ridged foam for the middle and the OSB for the exterior and interior of the wall panels.

Look at all our wall panels! The panels were labeled with our job number and also the panel number for where each panel would go. The plans come from the company with a master plan and all the panels fit like a well insulated puzzle.

See panel number G7? That panel is going to be the exterior wall at the back of the house in our master bedroom!

View of the dining room french door opening. To the left will be the living room and to the right, the office.

My mom and I stood back to admire the progress on the house.

Now the house is all wrapped up and waiting for the second floor and roof.

Another view of the dining room, now with the exterior wrap on.

In the forefront of the photo you can see the 2nd floor wall panels waiting for installation next week.

Some of the interior framing has started as well. That was a surprise to us, we knew the exterior walls were going up but we didn't realize the interior framing was as well. It makes sense that the interior would happen then as well for the flow of the job.

View from the living room towards the kitchen. No roof yet, should be up in 2 days.

This is a view of the kitchen windows looking out on the most beautiful green wildflowers and trees. Makes me almost excited to wash dishes with a view like that.

How the house looks as of this weekend. Tomorrow the second floor with go up and the house will be transformed again. Always changing and everyday looking more like a home.