They say it runs downhill

The old saying about water and waste...it runs downhill. Today was the start of our plumbing install. The guys from B&G Plumbing  arrived on the scene and boy did they install some pipe and making sure that whatever goes through it goes downhill.

There were a few questions and some pipe layout to discuss but all in all they had a good plan for the cabin and made good progress for day 1.

Not only were the plumbers here but also the electricians. They have a little more to do tomorrow and they're finished. I suspect the plumbers will finish tomorrow also.

The electricians are a 'neat bunch'. They are careful about cleaning up after themselves BUT the plumbers...now that's another story.

They have to drill a lot of holes and with drilled holes comes shavings. Once they're finished, I'm planning on a thorough cleaning of the floors. I'm the next 'trade' in (trim carpenter) and I like it neat and orderly. I have a bunch of stuff I can be doing but wanted to wait until the electricians and plumbers finished. Anyway, I'd be in the way with all the traffic we've had lately.

We'll get more inspections next week and then on to insulation.

I moved the pressure tank from down the hill near the well up to the cabin and into the mechanical room where it will reside. The pressure tank is filled by the well pump and kept under pressure so when we open a faucet there'll be good water pressure and flow.

That's about it for the moment. I'll be posting more of the interior as it changes.

More coming,
z

Out on the town

Dar came to visit this weekend and we've made lots of decisions about where 'things' go. We built walls for the mechanical room and the divider wall for the master bedroom and closet this weekend.

The weather has been beautiful, but cold. Last night we went to town and enjoyed a pizza and beer at one of our local eateries. Nice to venture out after dark!

We visited Tom at Elkand Handwerke and picked out a slab of hemlock for our dining table. The slab is 11' long by 22" wide by 4" thick. Tom is going to cut the slab in half and then cut a straight edge on the long edge of the two pieces. The two pieces will be joined together and become the top of our dining table. I'll make legs to support the table once I've finished joining the two pieces. The outside edges of the table will be like the edges of a tree...natural. When you join us for supper, you'll see exactly why we chose this timber for our table top.

Several pieces of furniture for the cabin will be designed and built by Dar and me over the next year. Can't wait to get the shop up and running. Can't do it without the proper tools.

This next week will have more going on. I expect the plumber to start. The electrician will finish up Monday.

More coming,

z

Moving forward

The electricians were on the job site again today and wrapped up 95% of the wiring. They'll be back Monday to finish. Dar is coming and we'll make sure all is good with the switches and to see me!

Today is another momentous day...I picked up our 'approved' Environmental Services permit and HAND DELIVERED it to the building inspection department to be placed in our file. A friend told us to make sure the approved permit was in our file because, if not, it could cause a delay of from 2-4 weeks before we can get our 'Certificate of Occupancy'. The 'CO' comes after all inspections and we dont want anything to delay our final approval from the building department.

I spent a good part of today installing insulation in the workshop. This is a tedious job but important non the less. There may be times when Darlene kicks me out of the cabin and I need a warm place to crash! I'll install plywood as the finished wall material next week and the workshop will be 97% done!

Tomorrow I'll finish the insulation and get material for a wall in the bedroom closet I need to frame as well as a wall in the mechanical room that has to be added before Monday. The electricians have to install our panel box on Monday but need a wall to attach it to, that's where I come in...

Looking forward to 'the boss' coming this weekend!

More coming,
z

An electrifying day

Johnny pulling wire to a switch

Johnny and Willy, our electricians, were at the door this morning at 7:15am ready to start running wire and getting us ready for power.

The electrical rough-in, as it's called, will take a few days. Most of the wiring was run today but there's still more to do before we can get our electrical inspection. I'm hoping that all of the switches, lights, etc. are where Dar wants them. We went over it a couple of weeks ago and I think we're good BUT she'll be visiting this weekend and checking my memory.

Johnny said that there's no problem if she wants something moved. He sure knows how to work with the ladies!


I spent part of the day getting material for some of the interior and also picked up a lavatory (fancy word for sink). I looked at our railing system on the deck/porch and will get that material in the next few days.

Things are hopping during the day but my evenings quiet down a lot. I spend most of my time learning about new stuff. I'm learning some new moves using Photoshop (software for photo editing). I wanted to share one I'm working on right now. Our dog KD has three eyes and I'm going to remove the center one and post the corrected image soon.

Wish me luck!

KD, the wonder dog!

More coming,
z

Sad or Happy Day...not sure!

Today was a monumental day. It's day 100 of the building of our cabin on Big Tree. As you may recall, we laid the first block of our foundation on October 14, 2011. After 100 days, we have completed the exterior of the cabin*.

This photo shows my good friend Tim and me at the end of day 100. Tim has finished 99% of his assigned task and done it above and beyond the call of duty. He has been the best in helping keep this project on schedule and has worked with the highest degree of quality. We owe him a lot. Many thanks to James as well for his hard work.

We are now starting on the interior work. That includes plumbing, electrical and trim work. The electrician will be by tomorrow to begin roughing in the cabin for electrical service. The plumber will follow once the electrical work is complete.

As soon as the electrician and plumber complete their work, we get another inspection then on to insulation.

We'll be installing all of the interior trim after the insulation inspection. Well not exactly...remember Tim's 99% level? He'll be back to help us with the ceiling installation then he'll be 100% complete.

Stay tuned because the interior is going to start taking shape!

More coming,
z

* There are a few exterior elements that still need to be completed. I'll be finishing those over the next few weeks.

Battens and inspection

Little bit overcast today but still productive non the less. As you'll recall, we called in for a framing and hvac inspection. The inspector(s) showed up before lunch. Our regular inspector and his boss came to take a look at our progress so far. After a 45 minute visit, they only found a couple of minor things that we'll easily take care of in short order. This inspection was actually called in out of sequence. I'm used to having a rough-in framing inspection, then a rough-in plumbing inspection, followed by a rough-in hvac inspection and then an electrical rough-in inspection.

Ashe County does it differently...you rough frame, then get havc installed, then plumbing, then electical, THEN you call in a rough-in for all four. Problem is, if there's something that needs to be corrected, it could be a major problem because all the other trades have installed and might have to move hvac lines, plumbing, etc in the event of a framing issue.

We came out smelling like a rose. Our next trade in is plumbing. Today was a major hurdle.

The battens are being installed and will be completed by early next week. The photo to the right shows the battens (vertical strips) that are spaced at about 16" apart. The battens and the background siding will be painted the same color and blend to create a pleasing effect.

I suspect that we'll complete all the exterior work next week and then start the interior trim work. I'll have more photos of the process.

More coming,
z

Crackling fire and the high wire

Today was another beautiful day in the high country. Not a cloud in the sky. Tim, James and I finished adding the last parts of the chimney piping. It's not rocket science but does take some care so as to make sure the fireplace works properly and safely.


This photo is at the top of the vaulted ceiling where the chimney piping exits the cabin and aims skyward. James is handing one of the 4' long sections to Tim (way up in the rafters).

We had to add support brackets to the pipe about half way up to keep the weight of the piping to a minimal on the stove itself. Good thing the instructions for the stove spell out each step in detail.

Once most of the piping was in place, Tim made his last accent of the roof. Our roof ridge is about 40' from the ground and has a steep pitch and dangerous to navigate. The last piece of piping had to be lowered from above and set down carefully on all the other pieces so as to made a secure and tight connection.

Once the last pipe was in place the rain shield and chimney cap were bolted in position. Thank you guys!!!

I must tell you that I appreciate the efforts of both Tim and James as they continually go above and beyond the call of duty. I'm just really glad that Tim has made his last trip to the summit 'on the high wire'.

Tomorrow we have our framing and hvac inspection. Once signed off we head to plumbing installation and electrical wiring. There's a bit more to finish on the outside and then Dar and I take over to complete the interior.

More coming,
z

Bark and trim

Today was one of those gorgeous days in the mountains. Absolutely deep blue sky but on the cool side...beats rain any day!

The top inside of the viewing porch is almost complete except for a few pieces of poplar siding. We ordered and used 100 sq.ft in three locations on the cabin and came up short BUT a stroke of good luck found us the pieces we need at our local lumber yard. They had some left over from another customer order. Now those missing pieces will be filled in tomorrow.

Today the guys continued to install exterior trim around the windows, corner boards, etc. Tomorrow they'll start the battens that add the finishing touch to our 'board and batten' look.

We have one more side of soffit to finish and the exterior is pretty much complete and ready for inspection. Speaking of inspection, we've scheduled our framing and hvac inspection for this Friday. The plumber has been notified to start the rough in plumbing. Probably next week is my guess.

I mentioned, in a previous post, that the underside of our walkway and viewing porch will show the slats and tin to resemble a barn interior. This photo gives you a better feel for the look. Remember, painting of all the exterior wood will be completed early spring once the temperatures moderate.

More coming,
z

Another big day on the mountain

It was another productive day on Maple Lodge. The guys finished the tin roofing and it looks great. We're leaving the underside open (so you can see the tin from underneath. This will make it feel more like you're standing in an old barn.)

Our vision is to create a year around liveable cabin with as many natural and unique amenities as possible. Any ideas are always welcome!!!

The view to the left if actually the front entrance of the cabin. You'll notice the simple 4" x 4" posts that support the porch. These will be replaced, after we get through final inspection, with two character cedar posts. Character cedar posts have all sorts of interesting texture and branches. The cedar logs are not 'graded' for strength (but they are very strong), etc. so we'll add them after all of our inspections are complete.

We are planning rock steps from the parking area to the front door entrance. The front door will be crafted from native North Carolina woods like walnut, oak, poplar, etc. The front door is in the design stage at the moment and won't be completed until the workshop is finished (soon). I can't build if I don't have access to the tools. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

More coming,
z

Cedar trees and tin roofs

I had a special visitor from Raleigh this weekend and missed getting a post out...hope you'll for give me. The boss dropped by to make sure all was going according to plan.

James has been out sick a few days but work continues. The photo to the right is of the cedar tree that's being installed. The bottom trunk supports the floor above. The top of the tree then extends toward the ceiling to create the feeling that a cabin has been built around the tree.





The weather has been a bit cold lately but today Tim started to install the tin roof on the viewing porch and walkway around the cabin. Thumbs up for the first panel being installed.

I'll have some more shots next post with the porch complete and a good chunk of the walkway finished as well.

Things are taking shape. The exterior will be complete in the next week, depending on good weather of course.

More coming,
z

They call me the cut man

We couldn't work yesterday because it rained ALL DAY LONG! Today was at least dry but cloudy so Tim came up this morning to start the ribs on the wrap around porch system. This is the last step before tin is installed. Once the tin is on, the cabin takes on a new look.










I drove to Sugar Grove this morning to pick up a clawfoot tub for our master bath. I got back around 12:30 and strapped on my tool belt and became "the cut man". Actually, I really enjoy working with wood, smelling the scent of pine and giving Tim a hard time. Tim is one heck of a hard worker both alone and with "the cut man". For those of you that don't know what "the cut man" does, then let me explain. He keeps a sharp ear out, while on the ground, for measurements hollered out by "Tim" who is hanging on for dear life on the wrap around porch. Needless to say but "the cut man" is crucial to the process!

It also goes without saying that once "the cut man" arrived on the scene, the process leaped forward at warp speed!

I suspect we'll be installing tin on Saturday. Tonight and tomorrow look 'snowy'.

More coming,
z

 Winter still hasn't dropped the bomb upon us but everyone is telling me..'just wait'. So while we're waiting, the fireplace is framed and almost ready for rock.

You're looking at a high energy, wood burning fireplace. It's the kind that you can start up, turn a few dials and knobs and create a slow burn to your wood. It also has an internal blower system that captures as much heat as possible and sends it into the room.

Just in time...we hope!


Today was a good day (before the rain and snow) so we finished framing the viewing porch. You're looking at several different angles. This porch is probably where you'll find us most of the time.

The next step will be to add the tin roof. The weatherman says the next few days will be rainy/snowy so it might be a few days before the tin is installed.





The photo to the right and below left are different views of the porch. The handrails will be installed soon.












The detail to the right is of the open gable end of the porch. The end is made of 4" x 8" timbers and topped with a decorative gable element made from dried mountain wood found on the property.









All in all, it was a good day. Our wonder dog, KD was so relaxed at lunch that she decided to take a snooze...right after she had part of my sandwich!

More coming,
z

Gloomy but busy

More going on today...the last of the walkway and front porch rafters were installed. The photo to the right shows what is really the front door and porch area. We plan on extending the front porch tin out a bit (you can see from the little jut out). The front door is being designed, as we speak, because it's 42" wide, not your normal 36" width. I'm researching sources for cherry, oak and walnut that will be used in the construction of the front door.

I got a chance to install the cross member for the front drive post today. The little fork to the left will have a 4" drop chain with a hanging light. That will be installed after we complete our final inspections.

Our neighbors from across the street dropped by today. I gave them the 'cook's tour'. Needless to say, they loved the cabin. Actually, they looked from our living room and said, "our cabin looks tiny from here". 

The view to the right is of the view side of the cabin. The guys will be installing the viewing porch rafters Monday and starting the tin installation. If you visit, you'll be able to sit out on the viewing porch, with wine in hand, and feast upon the mountains of NC and listen to all the stories about the wonderful mountain folk we've met!

We're just moving around the cabin to show the walkway porch that wraps the cabin...don't want to get wet when it rains!!!

Here's a view from the garage side showing the wrap around walkway covered porch.

We're getting close to finishing the exterior...another major milestone.

More coming,
z

Great way to end a Friday

Most Fridays are good for a number of reasons like it's the end of the week and we get to go home or TGIF or we got a lot done this week. This Friday was a celebration on how much we got done!

As you can see, our cabin number is officially on the property. The numbers are laser cut from 1/4" steel and I'm hoping they'll turn a neat rust brown before too long. The background is a piece of roof tin. Of all days, I didn't have the address up and here comes the FedEx man to deliver a package.






He bought this vessel sink and a faucet that we ordered online. These are for the guest bathroom. We're giving some thought to what it will sit on...maybe a column of stacked stone or a hollowed out log. We'll report back when it's installed. We had a vessel sink at our home in Raleigh and loved it. Nothing but the best for our welcome guests.

The cabin is beginning to make a dramatic change in appearance. The locust log posts to support the walkway and viewing porch are all installed. Some of the walkway rafters are in place as well.

The viewing porch is to the right in this photo. I took an old bucket and sat there, after the guys left, and just spent some time looking over the mountains. I'm sure glad we picked this place to live.

The photo to the right is looking from near the front door entrance toward the view. The locust logs have bark remaining and make a 'rustic' statement. This walkway will be covered with tin.













This photo is from the corner looking toward the viewing porch. You can see the bark better from this photo.

The photo to the right is an example of what cold temperatures can do to standing water. This column of ice was in a 55 gallon drum that I turned over and pulled the drum up and away. It was frigid this past Tuesday and Wednesday but you know what? It's part of winter and even though you might think we're a bit 'crazy' it is a beautiful season to enjoy... tell that to my toes!

One last note: if you're just joining us on the blog there are a bunch of posts since our start in August. You can visit any month by clicking on the column on the right of the blog.

More coming,
z

Rockin' and rollin'

 Lots going on today...the stairs to the loft are complete. This is a welcome addition because we've been using an extension ladder for weeks to access the loft. You can see the thickness, 4" for each step. This is pre-planning. As I get older I expect to get heavier by at least three fold (I'm 130 lbs now). I want to make sure that the stairs can take my heavy butt up and down. Darlene, on the other hand, will no doubt maintain her perfect weight vs height and not be concerned about how sturdy the stairs are.

 Tim attached our gable element today. This was made using natural, dried wood from the mountain. I have another one for the gable of the viewing porch (the porch that face the view). Together, they'll compliment the poplar siding already in place.

Tim and mostly James are setting the first of 10 locust posts to hold the viewing porch and the wrap-around porch as well. These locust posts were harvested from an old widow's farm without her knowing (just kidding). They were harvested near where NC and Tenn meet. Each post weighs in at about 150-200 lbs.

For those that don't know, locust is extremely dense and bugs don't like it. Ours have the bark in-tack which adds to the rustic charm (sounds like I'm trying to sell the place).

Thank you James, you are the man!!!!

I ran to Boone to pick up some beams for the face of the viewing porch. When I got back, the guys were gone but they set 3 post and are starting on the support beams. The beams I brought from Boone will span from the right post to the left post. Then, we'll add a vertical beam and two beams set at a 45 degree angle. Don't get all caught up in that, I'll post the photo tomorrow and it will make perfect sense!

More coming,
z

The stairs are getting some stares

 The stairs are in the process of being built and probably will be completed by tomorrow. They're built with locally milled 4" thick x 12" wide pine. The stairs come down from the loft to a landing and then down to the first level of the cabin.

When the guys finish with the steps I'll use an axe to rough up the edges to look more like hand hewn lumber from yesteryear.

While Tim and James were busy with the stairs, I started to install the rafter vents. They're styrofoam baffles that run from the eaves to the ridge to allow air to flow through and serve as a cooler for the roof system. Insulation will be placed over the baffles in the next month. No it's not high tech, it just helps the roof shingles to last longer...the cooler they stay the longer they last.

I'm heading to town tomorrow to pick up the ordered piping for the fireplace chimney. I'm going to get the piping for the workshop stove also.


More coming,
z

C-O-L-D!

 Tuesday was brutal. Very cold, blowing wind and flying snow. We got about an inch but it mostly spent its time in the air being whipped around by a westerly harsh wind. The mountain peaks about 400 yards above our cabin and then drops facing northwest. That's where all the wind comes from. Fortunately, we're facing south and the wind hits the peak behind us and shots right over the cabin.

I ventured out yesterday for a peek and was amazed with how the roads fared. Not much accumulation on the roads except powder in places. Very much like our side deck.

Even on a cold day, our view is beautiful.

Today, Wednesday, I'm off looking for a 6" x 6" x 8' post for our stair system to the loft. The guys most likely will have a delayed start. They have to travel 2 miles up our road to get here.

Moe coming,
z

Snow is brewing...

We watch 'Ray's Weather' faithfully and the word is that we'll get between 1" and 3" of snow by tomorrow. Any other time I'd be thrilled but we've got a cabin to finish and snow slows down the process.

I love the phrase "it is what it is" and that's exactly right...it is what it is!

Even though 'it is what it is' the guys worked today. Tim and James were moving forward with adding the stair system from the main level to the loft level.

They are routing out the slot for our stair treads to fit into. Notice the thickness of the piece of timber that Tim (timber sounds like a cold Tim) is routing. It's 4" thick. James is following up with a chisel to clean out the corners so the tread will fit snugly.

They installed the wall pine for the area where the stairs rise to the loft area. This had to be done because the stringer they are working on will rest against that wall and it's easier to install the wall now than after the stringer is installed.

The guys from Yadkin Well Co. came by to finish the geo-thermal connection from the well hole to the cabin. What you're looking at is the piping coming out of the well hole (340' of pipe in the earth in an 800' well hole). This pipe is filled with water and recirculates from the cabin down the hole 340' and back up again and returns to the cabin where it's core temperature (55 degrees year round) is transferred to the hvac system in the cabin.

The pipe from the well hole makes its way through the basement wall and into the mechanical room where it's processed. In conventional hvac systems, in the winter the system is constantly trying to take cold air and make it warm while in the summer it's trying to take hot air and make it cold. With geo-thermal, the system only has to deal with 55 degree input which makes it much more efficient both during the winter and the summer.

On a totally different note, this sink we bought several years ago to one day be used in our cabin. That day is fast approaching. It looks dirty because it's been stored but it's an old farmhouse kitchen sink that will make its way into our kitchen on the mountain.

Darlene asked me to measure it so she can layout the kitchen with the sink in mind.






I wanted to end on a beautiful note...this sunset was shot from the deck of the cabin where I'm staying. It's just around the corner from our cabin. We are so blessed to enjoy God's creation on a daily basis.

More coming,
z