Archive for April, 2008
Week 4 – Foundation In Forest/Slag
The foundation is sitting in the woods, awaiting a home. I can’t wait to see it. The warehouse has sheet rock hung and by the end of the week a level 5 smooth wall. The home is scheduled to leave May 21st. See you soon!
Brian chiming in here. This is probably a good time to go over the concrete slag that made up 50% of our concrete. We will be earning LEED points from slag and based on all the benefits of using it with no drawbacks I think it should be used in all projects. From the slag cement association slagcement.org
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“Slag cement is a byproduct of an iron blast furnace, part of an integrated steel mill. When molten slag is separated from iron in a blast furnace, it can be rapidly quenched with water (“granulated”), dried and ground to a fine powder. At this point it becomes slag cement (or ground granulated blast furnace slag)
Slag cement is one of the most sustainable construction materials available because it:
- Recovers anindustrial byproduct through beneficial use when incorporated into concrete or other construction applications.
- Avoids disposal of blast furnace slag, when beneficially utilized.
- Reduces portland cement in concrete, resulting in:
- Reduces the urban heat island effect by increasing the reflectivity of concrete.
- Increases structure life by improving the durability of concrete to various types of degradation such as corrosion of reinforcing steel, external and internal chemical attack, and cracking due to thermal stress.”
Week 3 – In Factory – Insulation
Yesterday the foam crew from Burnham Insulation was up to the facility applying 2 inches of spray polyurethane foam. This is going to give the home a tight building envelope allowing no air penetrations and thus increasing energy efficiency.
Coupled with the blown in cellulose that was applied today the home is going to achieve a R value of 25.
I am amazed that we are only 3 weeks into the building process and will be hanging sheet rock tomorrow. We have completed rough electrical, rough plumbing, insulation and all framing and the foundation was just poured this past Monday. On top of that everything is bone dry inside the home and we’re on schedule. Actually witnessing construction take place has made me even more a believer in factory built homes than I was already and that is saying a lot. We are on schedule to build the home in 7 weeks which is incredible to me since I am now finishing a site built home that was started in August.
In business news I’ve been working hard forming strategic partnerships with product suppliers and am happy that we are working with Yolo Colorhouse for paint, KlipTech EcoTop for counters, TimberPro Coatings for low VOC exterior stains and several other companies that I’ll list later.
We also sent out our first press release and hopefully there will be some new people reading this after we receive some coverage. Launching a startup is equally exhilarating and exhausting but I love and believe in what we’re doing so it is gratifying as well.
Week 2 – Framing Signed Off, Foundation Poured
Hello everyone. Today we finished framing as we were signed off by Labor and Industries on Sheer and Framing. Rough electrical started today. Tomorrow we will be setting windows as well as rough plumbing. And on site, progress is being made as the foundation has been poured.
Week 2 – Day 8 – Factory Prefabrication – Framing
The Method Cabin is coming to life. All ext. walls are up and ready for shear inspection. Tomorrow, our mechanical sub will be on site to install the Pex tubing in our Warmboard. When he is finished we can move on to the interior walls. Looks like a few more days of framing on the interior walls and warm roof…all in all I think we are ahead of schedule.
Week 2 – Bamboo Cabinets & Architect Meeting
Today we finalized a partnership with Seattle company Bamboo Hardwood to be Method Home’s preferred supplier of cabinets and flooring. They are going to build us very cool solid core bamboo cabinets, vanities and armoirs that I’m quite excited about having in the Method Cabin.
Week 2 – Factory Prefabrication – Walls & Insulation
The construction of the walls bring concept into reality
Foam insulation is applied
Bamboo flooring and walls
The modular units are almost ready
Week 1 – Factory Prefabrication – Framing and Floors
Framing Begins
1st day and already lots of progress
FSC certified lumber
Warmboard is placed
Week 1 – On Site Construction – Home Site Before Construction Begins
Week 1 – (Day 1) Factory Prefabrication – It’s On!
Framing Begins, Day 1 of Factory Contstruction
Building in the Method factory started today, exactly one day before the forms for the footings get set on site. It is fun to get a head start on construction and see all our hard work go from concept and pre-construction to actual building.
The framers, all of whom are very skilled and good friends of Mark and mine, made good progress for the first day, getting the floors of the main house framed. It’s good to have the A team on board and fun to watch them work. I even glued the TGI hangers and did some sweeping. I joke that I am the owner and sweeper since I have less hands on construction experience than Mark who will put his bags on for this house. I am good at talking on the phone and scheduling subs though.
Tomorrow they’ll finish floor framing , we’ll have our first inspection and sheeting the floor with Warmboard, (warmboard.com) the radiant sub-floor will commence.
I am very pleased with the layout of the home. I have looked at it a thousand times on the prints but standing on the floor made me realize what a functional floor plan Balance has designed and how unique it is in the market of contemporary prefab houses.
Our Factory in Northwesrtern Washington