Window woes

I spent a lot of time trying to get the right windows for the cottage. The first priority and problem was trying to find a window/glass that would allow heat in. Most windows today are designed to keep heat in the house and use the title E2 ('E-squared') to indicate the efficiency. The problem with E2 windows is that in addition to keeping heat in they keep heat out while I'm counting on the sun to warm up the concrete floors.

So I called lots of companies; retailers, window manufacturers, and glass manufacturers to try and get the right window characteristics - one with good solar heat gain (SHGC or solar heat gain coefficient) and good efficiency (as measured by u-value or the rate at which heat transfers through the material).

I thought I had reached a reasonable solution with Milgard's Hardcoat Low-e product but I was disappointed when, after already ordering the product, I found the SHGC numbers to be moderate at best. But, what's done is done and we'll see how they perform.

Roof sheathing on before first rains

Still had to cover with plastic to avoid getting the sheathing too wet.

Roof on!

Mike Wright's crew moves very quickly

Framing

Well, a lot has happened since my last post. Most significantly, in the week after Thanksgiving Mike Wright and his crew framed the house from floor to roof in one week!

Slab maintenance

We were lucky to employ our good friend Adam Kaiser to drop by and water down the slab while we were away.


A man who takes his job seriously.

Slab pour

The pour begins. Eva says it looks like brownie batter.


Steve Ramirez and crew screed the concrete.


Then, after the concrete has set-up, Steve and partner trowel the surface smooth


Randy, the pumper, and his dog Cody


Steve, on the right, and one of his crew after the job is complete.

The foundation coming together.

After the footings were poured we added about 6" of gravel


Then a layer of plastic to keep moisture from coming up into the slab


Then a layer of insulation


Then sand and rebar


Contralo and Samuel did most of the inner slab work at Mike Wright's direction


Then I added the radiant floor tubing


Rick Wilson came by and helped pressure test the tubing and on Friday afternoon we received approval from the building department to proceed with the slab pour, scheduled for Monday.