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The Project: A 2,163 square foot house utilizing dry stack concrete block construction with a central courtyard and based on the Spanish colonial-era missions in San Antonio. The Challenge: Can a forty-something married couple design and build an attractive, efficient and mostly paid-for house while remaining sane, solvent and married? With no actual prior construction experience? Hmmmmm - let's check in on our Contestants and see how they're doing... |
| Work continues this week on getting the roofing set up for the ferrocement work. A bead of adhesive along the top of the parapet blocks secures the 6 mil plastic sheeting which lies on top of the fencing panels and is stapled to the joists. Extending the plastic over the top of the parapet blocks helps seal the roof and the tops of the walls from rain. |  |
| Agoraphobia just ain't on the menu as we tapdance our way along the joists while spreading the plastic out over the roof support structure. Fortunately, the only falls I've taken from this height have been onto the grass - definitely a more forgiving surface than the slab. |  |
| After spreading out the plastic, we get out the deluxe $23 knee pads ("Luxury is in the eye of the Beholder...") and get to work with the staple gun. The plastic is fastened down onto the roof joists. |  |
| As long as we're up here, take a look to your left and check out the drain block for this section of the roof. The metal panel is cut in the appropriate places, bent to shape and will be secured with wire ties and supported from underneath with a piece of 2x6. When the concrete for the roof is poured, it will be troweled into the openings of the block to make a seamless surface for the drainage area. |  |
| Having spent a 90 degree morning on my knees on a piece of black plastic, I think the better part of valor calls for quitting around noon when the temperature is hovering around 97. Good thing it isn't the hot part of the summer yet! A quick look over towards the right lets me survey my partially erected but completely paid for kingdom. At this point, I could have the house ready to move into in 60 days provided I can find the last $20,000 to finish her up. Hope stinks eternal... |  |
| Want to see a rough floor plan?Want to be notified when we post new pictures? Just e-mail us! Want to see the rest of the story? Click on Gimme Shelter Home Page. |
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| Next week's installment: Workin' The Floor Over You Click HERE |
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