So progress has seemed slow although we continue to get work done. Inspections on the new power panel are complete (and approved). Still waiting for Xcel Energy to come and switch our main power from one panel to to other. This will be a fun day because we lose all our heat and lighting until I rewire the old panel (good to have a generator and a wood stove). Now have the stairs installed so can access the house through the garage. Work now is aimed at getting the rough electrical, plumbing and mechanical complete so we can get the next round of inspections completed (then we can start to do some insulation). Windows should show up on the 18th. Garage doors should be about the same time. Pictures are of stairs, utility room in garage, and the new table saw.

Well, just got closed in before it snowed again. Got about 4 inches last night. Roof is covered with rubber ice and water shield although windows are just covered with plastic. Hope to get the windows in a couple of weeks.

Good progress, and none to soon. 50% chance of snow for Monday. Roof is not completely sheathed but better than nothing. The framer hoped to be done today but just taking longer than estimated (nothing new). Pictures of tubing are the radiant floor heat we are retrofitting into the existing house (in the crawlspace).

Great weather has allowed good progress on the framing. A 3 man crew has been working for 8 days now and is about 60% complete. Weather looks good for another week so hope to have the roof on and covered.Timber framer is complete except for some sanding and touch up work. Probably won't get the windows in till mid December.

Starting to get some walls. Hope to have the roof on in about 10 days, none to soon. Have had pretty good weather but see the one picture of snow on the timberframe.

Timber frame raising is complete. Here is a picture of it all put together. Material was delivered today for the walls and roof. Framers start on Tuesday. Forecast is for another 8" to 14" of snow tonight and Sunday. Oh well.

About half of the timber frame was raised today. Looks really big! Here is a short video of the raising of the center bent.

Progress continues on the timber frame. The "raising" is scheduled for October 17th and 18th. We are going to have a barbeque and anybody interested is welcome to come watch. Here are a few pictures of the frame construction. The log will be the center post in the greatroom.

I've been a bit delinquent at updating the blog. Progress is being made but is not that visible. The excavator is finally complete backfilling the foundation. We had to bring in 7 trucks of fill (after hauling out over 30 since we had no place to store). The timber framer is about 50% complete preparing the timber frame. He is hoping to raise it around October 15th. We did get the power lines, well power, comcast, quest, and the propane lines buried as well. Propane tank will be delivered on Wednesday. The material for the radiant heating system will begin showing up so we can retrofit the existing house. Overall have had great weather. Did get about 2" of snow one day but was gone the next. We are also trying to contract to get the roof and remaining walls framed so that we are closed in before any big snows.

Timber framer starts on Tuesday (I hope). Here are a few pictures showing some details of the garage level framing including cantelevered deck over garage; utility room area; steel beam, post, and joist hangers in garage; stairwell framing;

Starting to finish the garage level. Hope to get the timber framer started this week. Got some snow this week (winter is coming)!

Thanks alot to my brother Jeff for helping get the 24ft 2x12's up on the deck.

Finally starting to look like something. Installed the main beam today. Renee became the reach fork truck driver. Will be framing the rest of the garage level this week.

I've been a bit slow on updating but that is good news since we have been busy. We now have a foundation with walls!! Plan to get the concrete slab inside the garage poured next week. Should be backfilling this weekend.

Footers are in and now the crew is forming the walls. Will take them about a week to complete. Expect to have the walls poured by the weekend.

Finally some progress. Redesign is compete and approved by county Excavation is mostly complete. Concrete contractor to start on Monday or Tuesday. Weather is holding hot and mostly dry.

More water and mud slide problems are causing a delay. We are not comfortable with the safety of the situation so we are going to take a step back and move our addition 6 ft to the west. This will make the excavation easy from here out and will also improve the long term drainage issues. Of course every change costs $. Hot tub is looking iffy.

We have been struggling with the excavation part of the project. We have run into quite a bit of water seepage which has been causing the dirt to sluff off into our work area. Lots of mud as well. I think we have cut the bank back far enough now and added a plywood barrier for the dirt to fall against. Also had to cut our real big tree down, something we did not want to do. Fortunately it fell the direction we wanted it to.

Excavation has started. Took some time to get the big stumps out. Used quite a bit of dirt to backfill along the west side of the existing foundation and widen the driveway but still will need to truck out a lot. Hope to finish with the excavation by mid next week and then start with the concrete.

Lots of progress with week with my dad and brother up here. They actually came to ride their ATVs around but also used them to move wood around. Got the two big trees cut up and hauled off. Also got the deck removed and taken to the dump. Silt fence is complete and inspected by the engineering department (thanks Jeff for the last 30 ft of trench). Lastly installed the temporary support under the house so it does not fall down during excavation. So, we are basically ready for the excavator.

Now have taken down most of the trees. The two big ones were pretty exciting to see fall. Site prep continues with the installation of silt fencing and construction fencing to protect the wetlands.

Bought a trailer to haul material, equipment, and stuff to the dump. Got a good deal on a 10,400# PJ Trailer in Parker, Co.

Also found a new way into the crawl space from the outside. It had been covered over with insulation. This will eliminate the need to go through the house for the work that must be done down there.