The EarthCraft Homes program was developed by the Home Builders of Atlanta and Southface to assist residential builders in constructing energy efficient houses and improving the Atlanta enviromnment.
Cruickshank Remodeling has seen limited demand for green building practices locally. In September my Remodelers Advantage peer review group toured the Neil Kelly company, arguably the greenest residential builder in the greenest city in the US. I was profoundly influenced by their commitment, progress and practices. Prior to going to Portland, I'd joined the EarthCraft program and after returning, I was inspired. I decided to make my project our pilot.
In addition to specific building materials and techniques, the Program encompasses construction practices. On the project we have a recycling container for construction crew bottles and cans. We utilized stump grindings from a removed tree, on-site for mulch. We've gone to extremes to control site erosion and top protect storm sewer catch basins from it. We've limited the construction impact area and used gravel over geotextile cloth to protect adjacent trees.
During demolition, we salvaged framing lumber, the bricks from the chimney, foundation vents, and heart pine flooring, all for re-use.
The floor system framing members are all engineered lumber; a more efficient use of our timber resources than traditional dimensional lumber. All scrap framing material is being consolidated into one area to promote using even small cut-offs for blocking and nailers.
Much of the program's focus is on sealing the building envelope, thermal insulation, and moisture control. Techniques we are employing include caulking all exterior wall plates to the subfloor, using housewrap with all seams taped, icynene spray foam insulation, 2-stud corners, and an insulated crawlspace. Moisture control has been addressed with a foundation drainage matt, termite shields, door sill pans, and proper window and door flashings.
All fireplaces have their own outside air sources to improve efficiency.
And of course, building equipment efficiencies are a big focus. We will replace two existing heat pump systems with high efficiency, variable speed furnaces with super high efficiency, two-speed condensing units. We plan on peforming both blower door and duct blaster tests on the house.
Finally, we will insulate the underside of the roof deck in the attic (rather than the attic floor) so as to keep the attic HVAC equipment inside of a conditioned space, thereby improving efficiency. This technique is a radical departure from building tradition but is the current school of thought.
These are only some of the many approaches we are employing on the project. What I've come to appreciate is that these standards are not so much the result of a momentary peripheral approach to residential construction. Rather, they are good building practices designed to improve the longevity of a home, minimize resources used, and lower continuing operating costs; all good things.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Basement
With the fireplace and chimney foundation in, we poured the basement floor.
Wow!! What a space!
While not envisioned as a finished space in the intial concepts for the project, I immediately identified a location for a new (larger) wine cellar, for an exercise room, and for a generous storage closet for christmas decorations/fishing and canoe gear/ etc.
Framing-in these basement rooms has been my weekend project.
Wow!! What a space!
While not envisioned as a finished space in the intial concepts for the project, I immediately identified a location for a new (larger) wine cellar, for an exercise room, and for a generous storage closet for christmas decorations/fishing and canoe gear/ etc.
Framing-in these basement rooms has been my weekend project.
The Masons and Fireplaces
The project is designed to have back-to-back wood burning fireplaces in the living room and family room, and to have a gas log fireplace above in the master bedroom.
I never considered pre-fabs; but considered Isokerns. But with the offset of the fireboxes (first floor to second floor), I decided that traditional masonry construction would allow us to align the flues where they needed to go best. I want a fireplace I can throw a log into, and not worry about cracking a refractory ceramic panel.
All three fireboxes are designed with outside air provided. The wood burning fireplaces have log lighters and ash dumps. The upstairs fireplace has outside air and a gas connection for a log set.
I never considered pre-fabs; but considered Isokerns. But with the offset of the fireboxes (first floor to second floor), I decided that traditional masonry construction would allow us to align the flues where they needed to go best. I want a fireplace I can throw a log into, and not worry about cracking a refractory ceramic panel.
All three fireboxes are designed with outside air provided. The wood burning fireplaces have log lighters and ash dumps. The upstairs fireplace has outside air and a gas connection for a log set.
Building the Addition!
Lumber!!! yeah!!!
For a month my Wife has been saying that we're building a "subtraction"!
With the foundation in, the framing began.
For a month my Wife has been saying that we're building a "subtraction"!
With the foundation in, the framing began.
Shoring and Stepped Footings and Foundation
As we dug deeper, we needed to figure out how to temporarily support the house. We had some steel beams that had been used to stiffen the living room floor system.
First we bolted a long LVL beam to the side of the house at the second floor level. The end wall of the house had been broken by the chimney. This beam tied the house together, as well as gave us something sound to shore up. The beam was sized such that it could be cut in two and re-used in the floor framing of the addition.
Next, we picked the two points we wanted to shore up, and Craig dug two holes as deep as the excavator would reach. James mixed up many bags of concrete in the wheel barrow and dumped them into the bottoms of the holes for temporary footings. Once the concrete had set up, Bill spiked together some 2x10's salvaged from the living room floor system and set them on one footing and shimmed it tight to the beam bolted to the house.
On the other footing, we set a 6x6 timber on top of which we placed one of the salvaged steel beams. It bridged to undisturbed soil behind the house. Approximately mid span of it, we placed a jack post which ran from the beam up to a 2x10 we'd bolted to the second floor level across the back of the house.
Now all we had to do was dig to our footings which were calculated to be below our basement slab level.
First we bolted a long LVL beam to the side of the house at the second floor level. The end wall of the house had been broken by the chimney. This beam tied the house together, as well as gave us something sound to shore up. The beam was sized such that it could be cut in two and re-used in the floor framing of the addition.
Next, we picked the two points we wanted to shore up, and Craig dug two holes as deep as the excavator would reach. James mixed up many bags of concrete in the wheel barrow and dumped them into the bottoms of the holes for temporary footings. Once the concrete had set up, Bill spiked together some 2x10's salvaged from the living room floor system and set them on one footing and shimmed it tight to the beam bolted to the house.
On the other footing, we set a 6x6 timber on top of which we placed one of the salvaged steel beams. It bridged to undisturbed soil behind the house. Approximately mid span of it, we placed a jack post which ran from the beam up to a 2x10 we'd bolted to the second floor level across the back of the house.
Now all we had to do was dig to our footings which were calculated to be below our basement slab level.
Demo and Digging
The master bedroom was gutted to the framing. We saved the old windows and doors.
The living room flooring was removed, and 2 walls of plaster were removed.
The brick chimney was removed, brick by brick. The bricks were stacked for re-use.
Craig ran the excavator, and Bill loaded the soil to be removed, into a roll-off container. digging was slow going, and we didn't have time or room to use tandem dump trucks to haul off the soil.
The living room flooring was removed, and 2 walls of plaster were removed.
The brick chimney was removed, brick by brick. The bricks were stacked for re-use.
Craig ran the excavator, and Bill loaded the soil to be removed, into a roll-off container. digging was slow going, and we didn't have time or room to use tandem dump trucks to haul off the soil.
Trees and Protection
September 2008
A large pine tree needed to be removed due to its proximity to the addition. A City of Atlanta permit was obtained to cut it down.
Orange tree barrier, and #57 stone on top of landscape fabric were installed in front to protect the remaining tree's roots from construction damage.
In back, more orange fencing allow us to turn out the dog, without her escaping thru the addition.
A large pine tree needed to be removed due to its proximity to the addition. A City of Atlanta permit was obtained to cut it down.
Orange tree barrier, and #57 stone on top of landscape fabric were installed in front to protect the remaining tree's roots from construction damage.
In back, more orange fencing allow us to turn out the dog, without her escaping thru the addition.
Getting Started
August 2008
Our house lacked a large family room. We spend all our time in a small seating grouping at the end of the breakfast room. Our house also lacked an appropriate master bathroom and closets.
Since the house sits on one and a half original lots, the obvious place for an addition was to the side of the living room. The master bedroom and bathroom stack immediately above it.
So the concept is, a first floor family room which will connect to the central hall of the house via an open gallery along the back of the living room. The gallery will be designed such that it does not compromise the integrity of the living room and you can walk to the family room without going thru the living room.
A new master bedroom will stack above the family room. It will have a small porch overlooking the back yard.
The former master bedroom will be turned into his and hers baths and a laundry room.
In addition, since I love basements, I wanted some decent basement space. Houses are easier to work on if they have basements and I knew we could use the space. So I decided to put a basement under the addition.
I was never happy with the bounce in the living room floor. The original joists suffered termite damage. And although the termites are long gone, and the joists were sistered with new lumber, the floor just didn't feel sound to me. So we took this opportunity to tear out the living room floor and replace the floor structure and flooring. In doing so, we gained access tot he crawlspace under the living room in order to dig it out and expand the basement.
Due to adjacent footings of a garden retaining wall and the existing house, we adopted a stepped footing and foundation wall design.
The task at hand, was "how to hold up the house, while we dug a basement under it?".
Our house lacked a large family room. We spend all our time in a small seating grouping at the end of the breakfast room. Our house also lacked an appropriate master bathroom and closets.
Since the house sits on one and a half original lots, the obvious place for an addition was to the side of the living room. The master bedroom and bathroom stack immediately above it.
So the concept is, a first floor family room which will connect to the central hall of the house via an open gallery along the back of the living room. The gallery will be designed such that it does not compromise the integrity of the living room and you can walk to the family room without going thru the living room.
A new master bedroom will stack above the family room. It will have a small porch overlooking the back yard.
The former master bedroom will be turned into his and hers baths and a laundry room.
In addition, since I love basements, I wanted some decent basement space. Houses are easier to work on if they have basements and I knew we could use the space. So I decided to put a basement under the addition.
I was never happy with the bounce in the living room floor. The original joists suffered termite damage. And although the termites are long gone, and the joists were sistered with new lumber, the floor just didn't feel sound to me. So we took this opportunity to tear out the living room floor and replace the floor structure and flooring. In doing so, we gained access tot he crawlspace under the living room in order to dig it out and expand the basement.
Due to adjacent footings of a garden retaining wall and the existing house, we adopted a stepped footing and foundation wall design.
The task at hand, was "how to hold up the house, while we dug a basement under it?".
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