On our last visit with Corey at Purcells Cove we saw him finishing and straightening the framing on the first floor. The pictures do most the talking; After crafting the massive 60ft LVL's at ground level, in came the crane to lift these one tonne beasts onto the second floor. The team promptly laid the floor and late last week with a gathering of MRB teammates the 2nd floor grew walls! ...
Perched high on the hilltop overlooking Purcells Cove and exposed to the adverse weather elements Mother Nature has thrown at us the past few weeks, Corey and the team continue to make great progress. First floor framing is now complete. Both exterior and interior walls on this floor have been straightened; -each corner is meticulously checked to ensure it is plumb -string lines between the corners are run down each wall Although time consuming, this step is vital to the success of the next floor. What might begin as a mere 1/2" discrepancy now, can wind up being a 3" problem further along. The second floor of this build will be constructed at ground level, and craned into place. The frame for this floor is 4 x LVL wide and 60 feet long and will weigh 2000 pounds per section. Building it on the ground is safe, and enables the team to more easily ensure it is straight. If you look closely at the first photo, you can see an orange string line marking the 8 degree angle that this floor will sit at. A similar idea to the new Halifax Library. The birds eye view over the treetops and down into Purcells Cove below is awesome! ...
I love doing updates on the work sites in their early stages of construction. As walls go up and floors go down the building form drastically changes and begins to take shape. Corey and the team at Purcells Cove have the first floor down, and have started framing. As the frame goes up it helps you to visualise how this build will sit in the landscape. It also gives you an idea of the complexity of the structure and support this architecturally designed home requires. Like the bones beneath its skin! ...
As finishing work continues on the inside, there is exciting work commencing outside. In collaboration with designer Sue Sirrs 'Outside Planning and Design Studio', the team marks out the deck and puts in posts. The deck will be constructed with hemlock posts and framing, and decked with cedar, then finished with a timber stain in keeping with the buildings cladding. Sometime in the 1960's pressure (chemical) treated pine, CCA, became the choice of materials for decks and constructions exposed to the elements. 'Not only are the chemicals used in this process toxic, but overtime, it has shown that pine decking is not as durable as cedars in an outdoor environment.' The beautiful tall Hemlock posts will become support structure for a shade sail. This deck will provide the homeowner with extended living areas from inside whilst tying in the landscape outside. ...
Beautiful bright sunshine has been a great motivation for Scottie and the team to get to work on the Black Point build. 'Its a dream job site!' Working on a site like this with it's stunning panoramic views and amazing backdrop commands immediate and ongoing respect for how this home is going to settle in the landscape. While the building commences, excavation work continues to create the final grade of the land. The sequence of photos demonstrate the pace of progress over just one week. ...
With the electrical complete, spray in insulation done, and a finished concrete slab the team from MRB set back in action. Photos show what was the external wall of the home demolished and framed, and give you an idea of the space and open plan living concept that this addition will provide. In floor electrical heat will make this family space warm and welcoming in even the coldest Halifax winter! ...
With the framing complete at Clifton Street the next stage was wrap the entire building tightly in Wrapshield, a Water Resistive Vapor Permeable Air Barrier Membrane construction by Vaproshield . Along with its energy saving and cost reducing benefits for the life of the building , Vaproshield boasts 'All Climate Construction'. Just as well!- as the team bravely continue work outdoors through ongoing Halifax wintry weather and sub zero temperatures. The team have added strapping around the exterior of the building in readiness for cladding. Windows are temporarily covered to allow access for sub trades to make a start. Plumbers have roughed in, and electricians were on site yesterday. Full steam ahead and bring on spring! ...
A couple of weeks ago we started chronicling our latest North End renovation for Amos Wood. Since the last update the guys have been working hard re-framing some of the structural elements of the building. Temporary walls were erected to put in new LVL support beams. 2x6 studs are used to straighten and re-frame the interior walls. Often with old homes like this one the walls are curvy and out of plumb. Aside from the aesthetic problems, crooked main walls will affect everything from interior connecting walls to finishes, so this step is key. It's always interesting to see the old bones and the touches that previous owners added to the place. This purple fireplace door is no exception. Another view of the old walls. Here you can see the plaster seeping through the lath. This old doorway is still standing, but not for long. A view of the backyard from upstairs. Our lumber rack is full and the beams and floor joists are ready for installation. The neighbors pet owl keeps an eye on us. ...
At MRB we strictly use plywood over OSB (oriented strand board) for all wall, roof and floor sheathing applications. As part of a new “materials” series on our blog we’ll be discussing building materials and why we choose certain products. A quick Google search on the use of plywood vs. OSB provides and array of anecdotal and evidence-based information. A University of Massachusetts study published in 2005 by Paul Fisette delves into great detail in comparing plywood and OSB. He states that OSB and plywood share the same performance and span ratings. While both products may perform the same in lab tests, that is not the case in real world applications where OSB consistently underperforms when in contact with moisture. OSB is a less expensive product and perhaps because of this it has become a standard in construction applications over the last few years. However, cost savings in the beginning don’t always equal cost savings in the long run. A few reasons why we choose plywood over OSB: OSB off-gasses higher levels of carcinogenic formaldehyde than plywood - making it more of a health hazard for homeowners. Plywood is much more stable when in contact with moisture. OSB’s density allows for greater absorption and expansion...
After the long Thanksgiving weekend it was time to get back down to Kingsburg. Both projects are moving along nicely. The guys have sheeted the walls and part of the roof on Kingsburg 1. Today the rafters were installed. The place will be completely framed in a few days. The shot above is from the field. If you go back three weeks in our build timeline you'll notice a big difference. This is a closer photo from the same direction. The room on the right side of the photo will offer the homeowners a gorgeous ocean view. Below you can see the big beam the spans the length of the house. You can also see that some of the hangers for the rafters have been installed at the top of the roof line. A view from inside looking out towards the ocean. This photo was taken just outside the kitchen area of the home. The living room will be fitted with big windows -giving the residents the feeling of being outside. Below is the profile of the home as seen from Beach Hill Road. Bossman Smitty takes a moment after lunch to review the progress. It's been cold and rainy the last few days hence the...
Rain can definitely stall outdoor projects at this time of year. And with the flooding that's been happening in parts of the Province it's clear that we've had plenty of it. And yet at MRB Contracting rain is not a deterrent to getting things done. The guys have been busy with beginning the framing at Kingsburg 1. [caption id="attachment_1126" align="aligncenter" width="510"] ...