Building a house is very satisfying.

On a big picture level, it seems very authentic….like growing your own food or fixing your own car (back when that was feasible). It also fosters a sense of independence, especially since we are doing most all of the work ourselves. Being able to get along (and even thrive) by ourselves was a big part of moving here for me. Knowing how a house is built and being familiar with every detail of the construction means that I will also know how to fix things when they break. (And I have learned how to use several tools and do many tasks that will be useful in other contexts.)

The smaller details of building are even more significant. I like the physical work. It is straightforward and honest. Every day, I get sweaty and tired. At the end of the day, the tangible proof of my work is obvious. There is a new wall; a ditch is filled; the floor has a new finish.

It’s also good to be working with my hands and doing real physical work. It’s different somehow than moving bits and bytes around. The evidence of accomplishment is much clearer than with my other work. Many days, I feel more capable in this kind of work than in my “real” job.

When I do something wrong, like hammer my finger or drill something in the wrong place, it is generally something I can fix myself. (There really aren’t a lot options, though I do sometimes ask Brad for help. Most often it is help in how to do it better myself that I am asking for.) And I am learning new things every day. Sometimes, they are things I am not very good at, and it is frustrating. Other days, I pick up new skills quickly and feel as though I have found my niche. Either way, the activity of learning and trying new things is good.

We got the first part of the parapet up today.

Looking kind of like an old west saloon facade right now, but it will look great once it’s all stucco’d.

After the other two walls are up, we’ll cover the whole thing with OSB.

Today, we also got trenches dug for plumbing and electrical to the house and greenhouse.

Thankfully this was done with a trench digger not by hand. :)

We have also been looking for “green” alternatives to traditional formaldahyde-processed fiberglass insulation (which, as Brad tells me, every house we’ve ever lived in has had). We found a cotton insulation that is well reviewed and carried by our favorite green building product store, but it is several times more expensive than regular insulation (and there don’t seem to be other similar products). Another alternative is Johns Manville, which is fiberglass but is not processed with formaldahyde. We’re checking on pricing and availability. If anyone has any experience or advice, let us know.

By the way, this is our 100th post on this blog. Wow.

We got all 32 I-joists up today.

The joists arrived on a truck on Tuesday. (Thank goodness they brought a forklift…unlike the panel folks…video of the cool 4WD forklift to come.)

Before we put up the I-joists (beams that span the width of the house to hold up the roof), Brad put up a 2×6 sill on top of the panels. He also had to level it a bit with a belt sander to even things up. (The panels were not all cut perfectly even.)

Then we put up hangers all around the top of the walls.

Then for the joists…First, we had to trim the joists to be the right length. Then we carried them into the house and walked them up a ladder, one end at a time. (They’re quite heavy but manageable. I think we’re both going to be in better shape at the end of this all.) The beams dropped into the hangers and were pushed down. A couple were a bit too long and had to be trimmed again on top of the roof. (That was fun.)

There is a slight slope to our roof to allow for drainage. The next step will be to put panels on the roof. Then building a parapet, putting on the roof, windows and doors, etc.