An Average Acre
A year ago we decided to get out of the rat race and create a more simple, sustainable life for ourselves. We bought a rural property here in BC and plan to build a house all on our own, as owner-builders while we live in our travel trailer. We're designing a small (not tiny) ICF home that will be net-zero, although not fully off-grid.
We are learning as we go and want you to share this adventure with us....and learn from our mistakes.
The GROUT Gatsby: A Tale of TILE and Error
365 Seconds of Home Building- 1 Second Everyday as We Build Our House
Our Solar Saga: Solar Energy System Install for Grid-Tie/Net-Metering
A quick update on what's new and what's coming next!
Goodbye, Summer. Hello, Drywall.
Another DIY project: HRV and ducting- HVAC installation.
ICF is for the Birds!
All You Need is Shingles, Roofing Nails & High Kicks!!
A belt-and-suspenders kind of roof. Our big day of laying asphalt shingles.
Doing it the owner builder way- Spray Foam, Faschia, Soffit, Windows, House Wrap (not it that order)
Windows are a Pane: Making sure our window installation (nailing fin) is waterproof for ETERNITY.
Falcon Pump Jack Scaffold- Figuring out how to move our Pump Jack. (Winter makes everything harder)
Our First Window Install: ICF Fox Buck (Fox Blocks) + Jeld-Wen Vinyl Window.
Basement Reveal- Master/Owner's Bedroom Layout
Soffits, Soffits, Soffits. Say that three times fast.
Building a Deck. In the Winter. While Sick with Covid.
Just 2 People Building a House- A Recap of Our First 6 Months as Owner Builders.
Almost a real house! Roof sheathing and waterproof membrane on our ICF house in a Canadian winter!
The race to get dried in: Getting plywood roof sheathing up on the roof and installation.
Raising the roof! Porch post and 2x12 header beam install (then finishing our trusses and blocking)
Trusses! Spreading out the trusses for our single-slope skillion roof.
Truss me, we'll get this roof on soon! But first: Sill plates and airtight envelope (passive house)
Last concrete pour- HYPERLAPSE- capping ICF skillion/shed roof and anchor bolts
Our LAST ICF blocks EVER!! (ICF blocks to the roof, cutting slope for shed roof/mono pitch trusses)
Onwards and Upwards! ICF Floor Joist and Subfloor Installation-Joist hangers, I-joists and Subfloor.
Framing loadbearing walls- NOT as easy as we thought
Can 2 People Install Ledger Boards (heavy LVL Rim Boards)? Using Simpson Strong Tie ICF-VL System
Basement Slab- What lies beneath the concrete. Underslab rigid foam insulation, rebar, poly and rock
Was our ICF bracing good enough to prevent a blow-out??? Our biggest concrete pour yet.