Hanging Out My Shingle

Things seem like they are going so fast now!

Today the framers got started on the siding.  The buttercup yellow is just the color of the primer, but it does coordinate nicely with the forsythia and daffodils and

this cool version of a mahonia holly that has already claimed at least two victim with its thorns.

[Note to self: make cuttings for planting under windows.]

The roofers continued their roofing. (Cue the music: Theme from Fiddler on the Roof.)

I was a little nervous about rejecting my esteemed architects’ advice to put a black roof on, but now that it’s going on, I really like the lighter roof.  It’s soft and old looking.

I felt that the black roof would generate so much heat that it would undo some of the energy saving measures we are taking.  Mostly I was concerned about the radiant heat off of dark metal roofs below the windows.  Although, it would have discouraged anyone from sneaking out of their bedroom windows…

Also, when I was researching how having a vented vs. an unvented attic affected roof shingles, I found the the Building Science folks had determined that not venting the attic raises the shingle temperature about 2 degrees, but that having a dark shingle vs. a light shingle raises the shingle temperature 19 degrees and shortens the life of the shingle. 

Besides, the lightning rods blend right in to these shingles. It was a fashion friendly choice.

Meanwhile, I was running back and forth looking at internet photos of fireplaces to make sure I wanted the degree of arch that Jason the Mason recommended.  Three trips through the filming crew traffic jam and a handful of printed photos later, I decided.

I decided to do it exactly as Jason had planned.  He has a good eye, doesn’t he?

And here I thought he didn’t have a flue.

This is the lower part of the chimney in the open pavilion below.   The loose bricks are where the ash drop will be.

The bricks here looked a little unevenly spaced by color to me, so I spoke to this fellow about it:

He is the chief brick surgeon and brick selector. 

Then I realized that it looks worse in a photo than it does in person.  Oh, well.  As long as I let him know who is boss. 

Maybe I need to get donuts for the masons tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing department, the City of Atlanta thought that it would be a good idea to patch the hole in the street from the water line.

I guess they didn’t get the memo about the street being closed down to one lane for filming (another) tv show.

Or maybe they were hoping to be picked up as extras.  Anyway, here’s the before and then

the after.

Back inside, Allan was getting in my pocket – doors that is.  One more thing that has to be in before the sheet rock goes in.  It is a little hard to put those pocket door frames in after the sheet rock.

Tomorrow the gas guy will run all of the gas lines, we’ll wind up the last few plumbing fixes, and string a little more low voltage wiring.  Then the insulation guys can come.

Every day a little more progress!