Final interiors: (photos by Dan Cutrona)

Photoshoot in the Living Room

Sneak peak of staged photographs: Master Bedroom

Interior Finish

The past month has been installing ceramic tile in baths and entries, vanities from Privy Pine (these are a nice way to capture the Cape Cod feel in a bathroom, the company is from CT and does a wonderful quality product for a reasonable price), Corian countertop in kitchen, install Maple wood flooring from Stonewood Products in Harwich, MA and finishing with a quality low VOC clear finish. Interior paint is about 90% on the interior. The plumber has installed all fixtures in baths and kitchen. Rinnai instantaneous HW was installed and the laundry area and kitchen are ready for appliances.

Drywall Complete - Interior Trim start

Final weeks of March and the Drywall is complete. Lightening Bolt Drywall completed hanging, taping, spackling and prime paint on walls and ceiling finish paint in 10 days. Great work and beautiful job, Rob! Tim from SCC Group, LLC is handling interior trim. Tim was also part of the shell crew. Presently he's on door hanging and window and door casing. We are using primed pine, 1 x 4 flat stock with 5/4 head stock with federal cut. The base will be 1 x 6 flat. Window sills are milled on site from 1x8 pine with round edge. The recycled pine paneling from the Donovan's old house has been planed down and will be used for wainscotting in first floor living areas, stairway, and second floor hall. Chair rail milled from 5/4 with 1 x 4 apron.

Energy Star inspection

On Monday March 1st we had our 1st of 2 inspections by our local Energy Star rater, Building Diagnostics,Inc.
www.buildingdiagnosticshelp.com

The inspection consisted of a visual inspection of insulation installation.  Job well done!
Also, the ducts were pressurized and tested for leaks. We found a gaping hole as a round duct was attached to a square hole without being air sealed.  We are adding mastic tape at all return registers so that warm air won't escape into the subfloor. Finally, we are adding some more air sealing around the entire first and second floor bottom plate.

We are targeting a HERS rating of 65.  This is an Energy Star tier 2, and comes with a rebate incentive of $1250.  HERs (Home Energy Rating) is a system of rating a home's energy performance ranging from 100 (code built) to net zero (a home that produces as much energy as it uses) 0.  An Energy Star home has to achieve an 85, which is accomplished with additional air sealing.   HERs rating of 65 represents a 35% energy savings over a typical code built house!!  We'll get our final HERs rating when the home is complete.
http://www.energystarhomes.com/

These diagnostic tests during construction are INVALUABLE.  We caught several mistakes yesterday that are hard to see, but cost owners major money in heating bills.  

Insulation is completed.

Passed framing inspection on Friday 02/28.  Insulation started that afternoon and was completed by Monday March 1st.  We used all cellulose insulation between the bays for a number of reasons:
1. It is a very cost effective
2. Cellulose is blown into the bays wet so that it fills all spaces and acts as an air barrier
3. Cellulose has a high recycled content, made of recycled newspaper.

With the 1" of rigid insulation on the exterior the walls have an r-value of 23 as opposed to the typical 2x6 wall which has an actual r value of more like 17 (when you account for studs + insulation in bays)

Shell Complete; Rough-in In Progress

First week in February and the shell is finished. PLF Construction moved off site today after blocking interior walls for bath accessories and clean up. Inventory of extra materials and calling the lumber vendors for return of some material. The exterior trim, which was Bodyguard, came in higher than expected by 30%. Tough nut, but we don't want to sacrifice in this area due to our salt air climate. Primed pine gets eaten alive in this area. There are other products: XO trim, KLEER trim, AZEK trim, but they all are pretty much in the same price range.
The Plumber is ready for rough-in inspection, the HVAC contractor will be done on Friday and the Electrician is in progress and probably looking at a week from Friday for rough inspection. We are shooting for Monday February 22 for Framing Inspection with the Town of Chatham. Insulation and Drywall can then begin.
So looking at our numbers we're at $170/sqft. Not bad for good 'ole Cape Cod.

Closing In Shell

Windows, Trim and Siding all getting down before the end of January.
The PLF crew has been really gettin it down.
The clapboard will get painted at the end.
Plumbing has started inside. (Pleasant Bay Plumbing & Heating)
The weather has turned cold, cold, but not before we poured the basement slab.
Hard Rock Concrete rocks!!
Rough-ins should be done the month of February. Drywall and Interior Trim in March-April.
90% of the selections have been completed with the Owner. Alison is designing kitchen and Lynda is coordinating Plumbing, Electrical fixtures.
Ahead of schedule so far!!

Rigid Insulation - Jan, 6-8

The rigid insulation arrived and in the meantime we had reviewed with the framing subcontractors how there can be no thermal breaks with any framing. So ledgers for porch roof have to go up after the rigid and rafter tails need to be trimmed in order for the rigid insulation to fit under and up to the edge of top plates. I also had a meeting with the insulation contractor and reviewed details for basement rim joist area and the soffit blocked area. Later after the framing inspection the inside framing will be air sealed. This will help attain our HERS Rating and Energy Star compliance.

Happy New Year !!

As we bring in the New Year, it's been unseasonably cold and two snow storms have dumped the white stuff. So snow plowing as we continue to frame. Strapping over the hip beams tieing into the wall frame. Sheathing the walls and roof and wrapping the perimeter with Typar before the rigid insulation goes on. There is an issue with our building supply vendor as to delivery date for rigid insulation. So I'm calling our insulation contractor for their help. It seems the big lumber companies on the Cape are not stocking inventory as in days passed. The New Economy ? Ughh!