CABIN 1.4: CRAWL SPACE STRATEGY

 In the last post I noted the excavation of the crawl space had begun.

The reason:  get control of the space below the cabin so all systems can be accessed from below which includes valves, water lines, electrical and communications.

Why is this important?  One of the reasons revealed itself as I was removing the floor sheathing in the bedroom:  damp soil.  The damp soil indicated a leak of some sort that needed to be fixed.  

So, how do you fix a busted pipe if you don't have access to an 80 year old galvanized pipe with a leak in it? You can either dig a new crawl space or you cut the floor out to access the pipe - assuming you have the ability to know you have a pipe leak.

BEDROOM FLOOR W/ SHEATHING

There are several building code requirements that address this situation:
1.  Access to a crawl space; 
2.  Access areas for equipment and the servicing of that equipment; and
3.  Common sense.

The photo above shows the existing floor with a doorway on the right side of the picture.  There are no access points to get to the crawl space.  With water and waste piping at the area under the door and wall at this area, and no access, one will cut the floor up to repair plumbing.

SHEATHING REMOVED

In this photo, the sheathing has been removed.
     1    Damp soil was found under the wall and near the door (plumbing leak of some sort)
     2    Dirt is up to the joists (fortunately the dirt is very dry)

This is a lot of work.  Some would ask if it is worth it.  In my professional opinion, the answer is yes.  

I will be able to add additional structure to the shower area to stiffen the floor for a new tile shower.  I will have access to the underside of the floor to address systems issues.  I will be able to install a new air distribution system that will not cut through joists to get heat deeper into the space in appropriate locations.  I'll get dirt away from the joists.  I'll be able to condition the crawl space with heated air avoiding foundation ventilation systems that introduce cold winter air that could affect water pipes, ie: freezing them - a less than optimal situation.

By digging this space out I will also be able to introduce perimeter insulation to thermally improve the space.  I'll also have room to install a vapor barrier to the space.

Since this is an 80 year old structure I will also be able to observe the framing and determine if any remedial work needs to be done in order to preserve the integrity of the structure.

The reasons for creating this excavated area far outweigh not doing the work - in my opinion.

So, the work continues.  We are close to completing the removal of the sheathing and the ability to complete the crawl space work.

CABIN 1.3

I have been radio silent for a while; primarily due to an enormous amount of work required to price out a new residence for construction, and because some serious infrastructure work is  being and has been done on the cabin.

There has been key structural work being done - will address in a future post - and the focus of this post:  The Crawl Space.

I am a systems guy.  By that I mean I want access to building systems whether commercial or in this case a residential structure.  I want to be able to access plumbing, heating, electrical and the structure without crawling on my belly to do so.  I want to organize and access water valves, electrical connections and any other control points for the building.  Additionally I want to be able to get to the foundation to install insulation to tighten the thermal properties of the foundation element of the building envelope - install new ductwork and visually observe these systems once installed.

In this little cabin there was a crawl space - but not big enough.  In order to bring the new water line in to the cabin I needed to expose the existing ancient galvanized supply line and expose the area in the crawl space to which the new line would come in from the street.

We are fortunate in that the existing sewer line will be abandoned.  We are going to connect to a new city line that will be brought into the NW corner of the site.  From there it will be run into the cabin on the North side to intercept the existing waste lines.  Right now there is no way to access these lines without serious demolition (which we are doing) so we don't have to do this again.

With dirt not far from the bottom of the existing joists - like within inches - this condition required mitigation.

So...with all the above being considered we have excavated a portion of the crawl space.  The dirt was hard and required a jack hammer to assist.  

The first assault was a one day effort that got about four feet into the crawl with two people and myself as the wheelbarrow  operator.  This first round was done with picks, shovels, no jackhammer.  It was dirty.

Crawl Excavation in Process

We then realized it was necessary to prepare a more intense excavation assault to effectively gain on getting control of the space.  A jackhammer, concrete saw and a four man crew for two days took care of the main area, and penetrated into the space under the bathroom / guest quarters.  The dirt was broken up, placed in 5-gallon buckets and hoisted out of the crawl space and moved by wheel barrow to the current point on site.

Excavated Crawl Space Dirt

Because the dirt was so close to the floor joists in the bedroom area a second effort will be required.  The strategy for that effort includes removing the floor sheathing in the bedroom / bath area and executing the completion of the excavation from above.  This will be more cost-effective and will allow for a complete discovery of existing conditions that may need to be addressed.

Those discoveries will be addressed in a coming post.

RESIDENCE 1.1

Spring is here and construction season is upon us.  The winter season - and darned cold it was - is slowly being moved out of the way for warmer construction weather.  The garage was re-organized this weekend in preparation for structural work in the cabin and then work on the residence.

The winter was spent designing and studying a residence concept for construction on the site.

So here is where we are.  The concept for the residence has become developed to the point where pricing is being executed for the construction.  We have looked at multiple options for the design and structure.  The photo below illustrates the model I built to study massing and siting options and one roof option we looked at for a single level 1600 SF option.  

EARLY DESIGN OPTION - RESIDENCE

The first pricing study that was done was for modular construction under the assumption it would be reasonably cost effective and craning in the modules would save a lot of construction time.  A concept was developed that met modular widths, heights and shipping concepts.  It was sent out and the pricing returned was surprisingly high.  The concept was rather small - approximately 1700 SF with a second level space for a studio and possible guest room.

The second study was for a single level straw bale wall construction.  I did not get into detailed pricing, and did create a design for straw bale walls and construction.  I sent the concept to a Colorado straw bale company that has done really good work and came recommended to me.  That concept, too, came back a little higher in cost than I was looking for.  I did get really good information from the company - Solarwise, Salida, CO - and appreciate their candor and input.  

As an interesting side I was doing technical research on straw bale construction and uncovered several articles that indicated thermal testing on straw bale wall indicating the thermal performance of the walls is lower in actual performance.  The anticipated R-value of straw bales was approximately R-45 and the actual tested performance level in several articles was R-21 to R-25.  This particular fact got me wondering about other options - particularly SIPS (Structurally Insulated Panels) construction.

The equivalent R-value for the 10" SIPS wall panels we are looking at is R-37 to R-39.  

As I write this we are pricing a SIPS panel building - walls and roof.  When constructed, and sealed correctly the envelope will be very tight and efficient.  I have sent the envelope package out for pricing and the panel package has come back favorably.  That pricing element has to be added to the other pricing line items, so the entire cost is not yet known.  I am encouraged.  I realize other pricing elements are still required to develop a complete cost picture...never-the-less we move forward.

On a side note I have installed two data loggers on the site: one interior and one exterior.  These devices are inexpensive tools to help accurately measure temperature and humidity climatic data.  The graph images from the loggers for the interior and exterior are noted below:

The upper graph is the exterior climatic log and the lower graph the interior log.  For a currently uninsulated structure the cabin performed reasonably evenly.  The upper (exterior log) indicates the temperature swings we would anticipate from November to December here in Colorado.

I found a the humidity line at the graph to be the most interesting.  The humidity at the graph was a lot higher than I expected.  The swings in humidity at the exterior were interesting also.  The exterior graph shows the humidity at 60% when the temperature was down to 20 degrees and humidity at  +/- 15% at a 60 degree temperature.  Similar performance is illustrated on the indoor graph.

Colorado is known for its dry climate.  I would not be surprised for increased humidity in the evening (thus frost on our car windows in the morning).  The degree of upswing in the humidity was a surprise. Upon further discussions with various folks it turns out that a lower temperature has a tendency to increase humidity which is reinforced by the performance indicated at the exterior graph.  

In addition to the climatic data I am studying heat gain / loss, solar gain, shading options, window performance, ventilation options, efficient heating and natural ventilation strategies toward a final construction solution.

More to come.

RESIDENCE 1.1

Spring is here and construction season is upon us.  The winter season - and darned cold it was - is slowly being moved out of the way for warmer construction weather.  The garage was re-organized this weekend in preparation for structural work in the cabin and then work on the residence.

The winter was spent designing and studying a residence concept for construction on the site.

So here is where we are.  The concept for the residence has become developed to the point where pricing is being executed for the construction.  We have looked at multiple options for the design and structure.  The photo below illustrates the model I built to study massing and siting options and one roof option we looked at for a single level 1600 SF option.  

EARLY DESIGN OPTION - RESIDENCE

The first pricing study that was done was for modular construction under the assumption it would be reasonably cost effective and craning in the modules would save a lot of construction time.  A concept was developed that met modular widths, heights and shipping concepts.  It was sent out and the pricing returned was surprisingly high.  The concept was rather small - approximately 1700 SF with a second level space for a studio and possible guest room.

The second study was for a single level straw bale wall construction.  I did not get into detailed pricing, and did create a design for straw bale walls and construction.  I sent the concept to a Colorado straw bale company that has done really good work and came recommended to me.  That concept, too, came back a little higher in cost than I was looking for.  I did get really good information from the company - Solarwise, Salida, CO - and appreciate their candor and input.  

As an interesting side I was doing technical research on straw bale construction and uncovered several articles that indicated thermal testing on straw bale wall indicating the thermal performance of the walls is lower in actual performance.  The anticipated R-value of straw bales was approximately R-45 and the actual tested performance level in several articles was R-21 to R-25.  This particular fact got me wondering about other options - particularly SIPS (Structurally Insulated Panels) construction.

The equivalent R-value for the 10" SIPS wall panels we are looking at is R-37 to R-39.  

As I write this we are pricing a SIPS panel building - walls and roof.  When constructed, and sealed correctly the envelope will be very tight and efficient.  I have sent the envelope package out for pricing and the panel package has come back favorably.  That pricing element has to be added to the other pricing line items, so the entire cost is not yet known.  I am encouraged.  I realize other pricing elements are still required to develop a complete cost picture...never-the-less we move forward.

On a side note I have installed two data loggers on the site: one interior and one exterior.  These devices are inexpensive tools to help accurately measure temperature and humidity climatic data.  The graph images from the loggers for the interior and exterior are noted below:

The upper graph is the exterior climatic log and the lower graph the interior log.  For a currently uninsulated structure the cabin performed reasonably evenly.  The upper (exterior log) indicates the temperature swings we would anticipate from November to December here in Colorado.

I found a the humidity line at the graph to be the most interesting.  The humidity at the graph was a lot higher than I expected.  The swings in humidity at the exterior were interesting also.  The exterior graph shows the humidity at 60% when the temperature was down to 20 degrees and humidity at  +/- 15% at a 60 degree temperature.  Similar performance is illustrated on the indoor graph.

Colorado is known for its dry climate.  I would not be surprised for increased humidity in the evening (thus frost on our car windows in the morning).  The degree of upswing in the humidity was a surprise. Upon further discussions with various folks it turns out that a lower temperature has a tendency to increase humidity which is reinforced by the performance indicated at the exterior graph.  

In addition to the climatic data I am studying heat gain / loss, solar gain, shading options, window performance, ventilation options, efficient heating and natural ventilation strategies toward a final construction solution.

More to come.

RESIDENCE 1.0

It is almost the end of February.  It has been cold.  From around December 21 thru middle of January (30 days or so) the morning temperature each day was below zero; anywhere from -1d to -20d consistently.  Needless to say no construction work was done.  Snow shoveling occurred and there were a couple of fires in the fire pit.

So now we move to the residence.  Planning has begun in earnest.  Cost estimating will begin in earnest next week.  

We are not unlike anyone else.  We have a budget.  A rather tight budget.  So cleverness, re-purposing of materials, efficient use of materials and smart planning are the order of the day.

We are investigating multiple construction options.  We have pursued modular construction and have gotten some pricing back on it. I need to go through the numbers.  We priced a two-story option of about 1800 SF.  I'll provide an approximate cost / sf in a future post.

We have looked at straw bale construction and have coordinated with a real good group out of Salida, Colorado - Timbo Scursso with Solarwise, LLC.  He has been a wealth of information.  Interestingly enough one of the reference books I reviewed was co-authored by David Eisenberg whom I had the good fortune of meeting during the development of the International Green Construction Code. David heads the Development Center for Appropriate Technology in Tucson, Arizona.

I am also looking at SIPS panels and will be pricing those out soon.

In developing the design of the residence I have constructed a model and we are now investigating different massing options and roof lines.  The design has progressed from a two story option to a single story option that is approximately 1630 SF in its current form.  We like the single story option and are counting on the guest room concept in the detached existing cabin to help out.  We are getting closer.

So now we get to cost estimating.  This is a challenging aspect.  As an architect I rely a lot on contractors to get all the elements of the pricing of a project into pricing.  In this case I get to draw on my over 30 years experience to make this happen.  So there is a lot of thinking, a lot of lists, a lot of conversations and now we will get to some specific line item pricing to determine where we will be.

Spring is coming...construction season is coming...I'm getting ready to develop the project further. 

In warmer weather.

RESIDENCE 1.0

It is almost the end of February.  It has been cold.  From around December 21 thru middle of January (30 days or so) the morning temperature each day was below zero; anywhere from -1d to -20d consistently.  Needless to say no construction work was done.  Snow shoveling occurred and there were a couple of fires in the fire pit.

So now we move to the residence.  Planning has begun in earnest.  Cost estimating will begin in earnest next week.  

We are not unlike anyone else.  We have a budget.  A rather tight budget.  So cleverness, re-purposing of materials, efficient use of materials and smart planning are the order of the day.

We are investigating multiple construction options.  We have pursued modular construction and have gotten some pricing back on it. I need to go through the numbers.  We priced a two-story option of about 1800 SF.  I'll provide an approximate cost / sf in a future post.

We have looked at straw bale construction and have coordinated with a real good group out of Salida, Colorado - Timbo Scursso with Solarwise, LLC.  He has been a wealth of information.  Interestingly enough one of the reference books I reviewed was co-authored by David Eisenberg whom I had the good fortune of meeting during the development of the International Green Construction Code. David heads the Development Center for Appropriate Technology in Tucson, Arizona.

I am also looking at SIPS panels and will be pricing those out soon.

In developing the design of the residence I have constructed a model and we are now investigating different massing options and roof lines.  The design has progressed from a two story option to a single story option that is approximately 1630 SF in its current form.  We like the single story option and are counting on the guest room concept in the detached existing cabin to help out.  We are getting closer.

So now we get to cost estimating.  This is a challenging aspect.  As an architect I rely a lot on contractors to get all the elements of the pricing of a project into pricing.  In this case I get to draw on my over 30 years experience to make this happen.  So there is a lot of thinking, a lot of lists, a lot of conversations and now we will get to some specific line item pricing to determine where we will be.

Spring is coming...construction season is coming...I'm getting ready to develop the project further. 

In warmer weather.

SITE 1.3: WINTER SOLSTICE

THE WINTER SOLSTICE SUN SETS

I watched the sun set at the summer solstice...at about 8:30 pm, so I made a point of watching where the winter sun sets around 4:15 pm.  It was cold and the fire pit was initiated to warm frosty hands and toes...did I say it was cold?

Some would consider this a ceremonial observation, and in one sense it was, however it was also a true site observation to not exactly where the sun sets.  I verified the location that will help in the study of sun studies in the computer models for cabin windows, solar gain and the future residence.

It is a beautiful site with great down valley views and this particular evening was cold, clear and as the sun disappeared the stars and milky way were revealed as the fire burned down.

I have now observed the full solar cycle.  We get great solar exposure and it will be really great to begin to plan for the construction of the home, take advantage of the solar opportunities and move to the site.