Meanwhile, Elsewhere on the Job Site…
… we were also doing work on Sylvia and Aron’s house – and finishing up the last few things on Carolina’s house during the months of October, November, and December while we were framing Carla and Amber’s houses. In September we had focused on the interior of Carolina’s house – drywall, painting, trim, cabinets, countertops, and even finishing touches such as hanging mirrors and installing lighting – but it was during October that the exterior was complete.
Callahan painting the exterior of Carolina’s house
Local volunteer Virginia painting the parapets
Local volunteers Bill and Richard cutting metal awnings on Carolina’s house
Tom and local volunteer Richard working on the awning on Carolina’s shed
Homeowner Carolina changing the lock on her back door
In November we began allocating time to Sylvia and Aron’s house, finishing the air sealing and preparing for drywall, which we hung in December.
Virginia sealing the bottom plate with foam for additional insulation and air sealing on Sylvia and Aron’s house
Alexander and Callahan drywalling Sylvia and Aron’s house
Daniel rotozipping around a receptacle for light fixture in Sylvia and Aron’s house
This is what happens when you rotozip things above you – you get a gypsum shower
Callahan rotozipping an outlet receptacle in Sylvia and Aron’s house
Peeking over the tub/generally being creepy while Alexander is drywalling the master bath
Late in December, after we’d dried in Carla’s house we began the electrical rough in. This process involves running the wires for all the outlets, light fixtures, and smoke alarms which need to be fished through the truss webbing to terminate at the breaker box and/or run through holes drilled in the wall studs. Callahan and I had assisted for a few hours in this process on Sylvia and Aron’s house a couple months ago but now we learned how to read the electrical plans and about what wire is for what kind of fixture/outlet.
Pulling wire in the electrical rough in at Carla’s house
Joyce and Callahan pulling wire through the trusses from the receptacle boxes to the breaker box
Referencing the electrical plans as we learn how to pull wire
Joyce labeling wire
The last week before Christmas break we also began air sealing in the interior of Carla’s house, a process I talked about in this post. We caulked along the top and bottom plates of the exterior walls, foamed any wall penetrations, and also foamed and/or caulked around windows and exterior doors. My hands were covered in spray foam and so I didn’t take any pictures during the process but I did get a funny picture of all our caulk and foam thawing out in front of the heater — it was really cold the day we did this!
When you’re caulk and foam is freezing: place directly in front of electrical heater
