Photo Sections:
Work July 2011 -
11. Inside & Outside work:
Work is really slowing down since I've found some part time work, maybe full time if the firm gets more of the work it was hoping for to actually START. Still, a good job.
Been doing a tiny bit of freelancing too!
Here's what I've squeezed into a couple of long weekends.
INSIDE
Floor in bathroom with tub.
Toilet in bathroom with tub.
Built up header over window in bathroom with shower.
Insulated and trimmed out window in bathroom with shower. Started wrapping with water proofing underlying all tile work.
Cut wood for built out shower walls and laid out fittings for final risers to shower bodies.
A bunch of product research for roofing / flashing materials, shower body / valve, garden path paving............
OUTSIDE
Took delivery on two pallet loads of Gravel Mix along with a bit of Mortar Mix and raw Cement. 42 sacks each, 6,800 lbs, ekk... Moved one pallet load over to pond (friend loaned us a heavy lawn tractor to team up with out trailer), Wish I had a video of out of shape me lifing 80 lb sacks of Readi-Mix, very funny I'm sure. Laid a dozne sacks to repair one of the two large deck areas that have washed out. One step closer to that Ground Source Heat Pump system.
Along with all the usual moving tons of stuff one foot to the right to get at something, store someting.
Got a dozen 2 x 8 foam panels too, mostly for walkway in attic over east wing. $20 ea for 2 x 8 - 2 inch thick sheets!!!! Ekkkkkk! I know inflation continues apace despite massive unemployement and wage stagnation, but that much????
The planters atop the Frost Protected Shallow Foundation enclosures are doing great. Trying pole beans instead of ornamental sweet potatoe that did so badly last year, along with carrots, that just get eaten by moles in the garden. Both are doing great.
Scope of Work:
1. Inside Work:
Most of the inside work is for the new toilets and distribution for the GSHP.
Eco-friendliness is helped alot by being adaptable, flexible, and willing to work "outside the box". For starters the project has been nearly waste free. Then the very tight budget has mandated efficent material use and locally sourced (at least from local supply houses) materials and equipment. Which in some cases has cleared out old stock otherwise destined for the waste dump.
2. Outside work:
The real work is the GSHP ground loop, which will be a big hole, then not a big hole, no big deal.
However, I'm hoping to get two experimental ground loops in the job too.
The idea is to get some loop installed as part of other work. Work that is very low level, cheap to hire out, little to no heavy equipment. Get two for one, open the market for GSHP's.
One is for the pond. The pond is too small and too shallow, by the rules, but I know some of the rules are a bit extreme, like allowing for 4 to 6 feet of water drop in a drought. The incoming water is never over 50 degrees, and not under a gallon a min. Will it provide for the whole load, nope, will it help, think so. I also want to try covering it and insulating it, with a reflecting pool on top. Easier to clean, less of a drowning hazard, and at 50 degress, no one ever went swimming.
The garden. I plan to use some foam insulation under pavers I'll line the paths with, to stop all weeds, make a nice level surface for the pavers. I'm going to raise the beds to 16 inches. Everything gets dug up and reset, beds, aisles, to suit a new design / spacing. Between the insulation and higher beds I'm betting if I put some ground loop 18 inches under the paths, it'll do some good. Only one way to find out. At the least, I end up with a nice garden.
