When we arrived at the site today, the west side of the roof had been partially sheathed. The plywood had been fitted and tacked down, but with only a few nails per sheet. (Notice how it's warping up rather badly in places.) Our main job today was to sheath the east side of the roof, and to sink nails every eight inches on every sheet of plywood, into each truss. That'll keep it from warping! Also, before we finish the sheathing on the east side, there are a few framing details that have to be completed, especially where the back porch roof intersects the main roof.

Mike sent Glenn and myself off to install the rear porch brackets. I'm beginning to think that Mike trusts us with some of the more difficult projects. I must confess to getting a bit too involved in my project to take any 'before' or 'during' pictures. Here is the 'after' picture of my rear porch roof bracket, as installed. Installation required removing the styrofoam, notching the wood top plate, drilling down into the concrete wall for the bolt, epoxying the bolt in place in the concrete, and finally bolting the whole thing together. The nut isn't driven down yet because the epoxy holding the bolt into the concrete wall needs time to set up.

Glenn ponders finishing up the installation of his bracket. Mine was done! To be fair, he had a roof truss right in the way, making it difficult to trim his top plate. We finally had to ask Mike for ideas to get it done right.

Framing a house is pretty simple in concept and execution, it's adding all the systems that makes it complicated. Look at all the wiring, plumbing (smaller copper pipes), gas lines (larger black pipe, going down to the water heater), and exhaust/ventilation pipes (large pipe, also going down to the water heater). The attic in a modern house is a very busy place! And we haven't even installed the furnace, which will be located on the platform in the background.

See, Mike, this is what a scaffold is for. I don't think that guy knows how to NOT smile.

There are two trades, plumbing and electrical work, that Habitat doesn't allow the volunteers to work on. That's as it should be; these are critical and even dangerous systems that have to be done right. Sometimes they'll cheat a bit and allow someone like myself (an EE) to do some simple wiring and such, but even then the work is ALWAYS checked by a professional, and then of course inspected by the inspector. This gentleman (I didn't catch his name) is a professional electrican who generously volunteers his time and knowledge to the cause.

It was a beautiful day to be up on the roof, pounding nails. It's fine in the middle of the roof, but can get a little nervy near the edge. That's why Mike is on the ladder pounding nails near the eave.

I was up on the roof pounding nails for a while, and I found it to be an excellent vantage point to check out the neighbors. No, I didn't take the picture just to prove I was up on the roof!

The roof was clearly the best place to show the view, so I'll just shut up now and let you check it out.

"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." -- Arthur Ashe

September 22, 2004: A frame rises from the rubble

September 28, 2004: Finishing the roof framing

October 5, 2004: Roof sheathing goes on

October 6, 2004: More finish framing

October 12, 2004: Framing the back porch

October 26, 2004: A slow, wet day

November 2, 2004: Bricks on the roof?

November 30, 2004: The walls get sticky

December 7, 2004: Plumbing and wiring the pump house

December 14, 2004: Paint goes on