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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... |
| Why is this photo here? As a reminder that the "Y" in DIY house building usually means paying for materials as construction proceeds, which means finding the time to work for a living around the demands of housebuilding. The play I'm currently appearing in has chewed up the last 3 weeks of house building time. As for this photo, I'm appearing in costume with my harmonica belt in front of one of the stage props. At least this gig will finance the rest of the roof construction, even if it means wearing a derby hat... |  |
| We continue to sheath the roof in 3/4 inch insulating foam board. The foam board will act as a substrate for our lightweight ferrocement roofing as well as provide insulation.From the barrel vaulted thermal chimney, we build out along the west wall towards the corner with the south wall. |  |
| We turn the corner and build along the south wall, turning the corner again and building up to the smaller varrel vault over where the recording studio will be. Much of the east wing already has ferrocement roofing over it which we use as a staging area and work platform for the rest of the roof. |  |
| We start laying sheathing again from the opposite side of the barrel vaulted thermal chimney and proceed to build along the west wall towards the north wall. Note the roofing nails with the orange plastic collars, which mark out where there is a joist (and secure footing) for the rest of the ferrocement roofing construction. |  |
| We turn the corner and the sheathing for the north wing is finished off. I have some odd-sized pieces of foam board to cut and nail in, but the roof is basically ready for us to lay out our wire and start making arrangements for the cement work for the roof. The prospect of finishing the roof within the next couple of weeks, and the advent of April weather here, are enough to put a spring in this DIY builder's step. |  |
| 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 installment: Getting Wired Click HERE |
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