Appliances Rolling Down the Hill

Anaco delivered the appliances today. LG Refrigerator, Range, and Microwave Hood. Bosch Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer. The delivery man (Quinn) was a little surprised to find no stairs, but our general talked him in to rolling them down the hill (on the dollie). In the end it worked out pretty well because the door in back is larger. It must have been a site to see five guys steering a refrigerator down the hill like that. The Fridge and Range are installed. We were expecting the Washer and Dryer to be installed too, but the pedestals where somehow forgotten. Oh well, next trip.

Macy's let us down and failed to deliver the couch.

The other picture shows the wood stove in action. It's just so cool. That small stove is so efficient that it could heat the whole house.

Ivan was busy installing the remainder of the floor today.

Next week, we expect major progress on the decks and stairs.

We're getting close.

Driveway, Tanks, Septic, and Cross-braces

Orcas Excavation sculpted the driveway and dug the septic tank location and storm water well. They did a great job and are coming in on budget. Folly farm also got a little beat up with the construction traffic. So, they fixed that up too.

Ken Blair also completed the installation of the water tanks and filter system. All that's left to do there is back-fill around the tanks and a walk-through of the system.

The septic tank was poured last week and the drain field will be installed soon.

Other than that, the electricity is on in the house and the cross-bracing was installed on the metal posts.

I'll have pictures of the inside next week. ...

Visitors

Our friends, the Firestones, ventured to Orcas Island on the 21st - the Shortest day of the year. After lunch at Roses, we visited the house, wandered over to Olga, and stopped at Rosario - before we wisked them back to the Ferry. Fun was had by all ... I'm sure.

Interior Progress

Progress on the interior also continues. All the wall-board is installed and taped. The Morso wood stove is also installed. It looks really cool when it's in use, and it's super efficient. The three inside doors have also been istalled.

The finish work can now start.

We are expecting to have mechanical and electrical systems in place on the week of the 13th.

I'll be out of town for awhile, but perhaps I can talk Anne into taking a few pictures and updating the blog as the excavation finishes. We do expect a great deal of progress in the next few weeks.

Exterior Progress

Method has made some significant progress on the outside of the house in the last week. The Insulation was corrected in the floors and the Hardieboard is installed under the house and on the mechanical room. We did have a few glitches with the Rain Catchment system and lost some water, but Ken Blair from Rainbank is rectifying the situation and will replace the lost water. Ken's pride in his work and integrity is really shining through. We appreciate it.

Who'll Catch the Rain?

After an excruciating amount of time passed (a few weeks), the correct gutters were delivered and the roof was finally connected to the catchment system. The slope of the roof makes it rather simple. A gutter is only needed at the back and four down spouts cover the need. The water is then routed to the tanks as seen here.

When I checked it on Sunday, there was about 1 foot of water in each tank (2), which is roughly equivalent to 700 gallons. It's rained quite a bit since then. So, I'd expect there to be much more by now.

The white above the tanks is a radiant barrier that covers the insulation (R-38) which will in turn be covered by cement board and painted dark brown. Once that is done and the mechanical room is sided, the remaining two tanks will be installed.

Outside, the final grading and the septic dig will begin soon. We can get the permanent electrical trench dug then too. Then they'll tackle the stairs and decks. Inside, there's plenty to do. Still targeting a end of year move in -- I hope.

Siding, Mechanical Room, and Interior

The panel siding has been completes on Spline. Ivan did a beautiful job matching the seams and caulking the gap. He did such a good job that Anne and I are discussing a lighter color such that the seams will be more noticeable.

The mechanical room is also complete along with the floor insulation (on the second try).

The team is also making progress on the interior. The doors are installed and the sheet-rock in the spline is in progress.

They are getting close.

Progress

The progress on the house continues. The standing seam metal roof is all but complete, two rain catchment tanks are installed below the living room module, the siding in the back is complete, and the siding in the front has started on the spline. In addition about a linear mile of sofit was installed - the part below the 6 foot over-hang must have been fun.

The mechanical room is framed-in and Mitchell Mechanical is also working through the week-end.

It'll be a few more weeks before I'll be able to update the blog again. By then the outside should be closer to completion. We'll have some water in the tanks by then and we'll be closer to final grade, if not there. ...

This is Our Beautiful House

Ready, Set, Set

There was some drama on the day of the set (22-Oct). From my perspective, the crane had a difficult time getting into position and wasn't in place to accept the first module until 2:20pm.

None the less, all four pieces of the puzzle were set before dark, barely.

I hadn't anticipated running out of light on the day of set. So, day one will show the first comprehensive pictures of the house.

Four companies (Method, Berrett Module Transport, Ness Crane, and the company that works the set) collaborated for a very successful day. Approximately four hours of crane time was needed to set modules.

We're grateful to everyone for their professional approach.

Module Transport

Anne and I met the module in Anacortes for the 7:40 am ferry on 22-Oct. The transport team arrived around 7:00 for their reserved spot on the ferry. Everything went as planned an I was able to get some good pictures of the transportation team in motion. See the new transport slide show to left for more pictures.

Staging the Spline

The architects referred to the connection hallway as the spine. So, Anne and I started to lovingly call it the spline (as in spline interpolation).

So, the spline made it's way to the island on Thursday and the other two modules will arrive tomorrow. The modules will overnight in Burlington, WA. Anne and I are on our way to meet them now. Wish us luck.

A few more pics were added to the site slides.

I kind of Miss the Orange

This will be the last time that we see the house in the factory. Actually, I do kind of miss the orange, but I'm sure our neighbors will appreciate the Eclipse color that we chose.

The floor and ceiling of the living room module are in as are the cabinets and countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. Smith and Vallee did a beautiful job on the cabinets and the craftsmanship on the interior and exterior continues to be top notch.

In four short days, the modules will make their journey from Ferndale, WA to Orcas Island. I'll try to keep the slides updated with the site work during the week.

Weekly Update: Q&A

Patrick: Do we have a schedule for remaining work on the modules?
Mark Rylant: We are well into interior finishes with your cabinets installed (looking spectacular), tile half-way done (also looking great) hemlock t & g pre-stained and ready for install this week and final paint complete (minus touch up) also complete. On the exterior the siding is complete up to where we want it and should be getting preliminary paint coat this week. I’m happy with where we are at with the modules in the shop at this point. We’ll work as hard as possible over the next couple of weeks in order to ensure we have done all that we wanted to do prior delivery.

Patrick: Do we have a schedule for remaining work on the site?
- excavation?
Mark Rylant: The excavation is beginning again today. We are planning on back filling the main lower area with rock and gravel in order to install the slab for mechanical room later this week including the final layer of rock for the water tanks, which I want to wait on install so that we have a dry area during site finishing to work and stage material. One good point Ken Blair made was to install the tanks asap so that we may begin collecting October rain. We discussed installing at least one or two of the tanks so that the collection may begin.

So we should be working on excavation for a few days this week. This will get us ready for crane and modular delivery. Then, there will be one final return from Orcas Excavation for site clean up, shaping the drive/parking and final grading. At this time they may or may not be able to install septic...if not soon there after.

Patrick: - foundation?

Mark Rylant; The foundation is complete at this point with only the small mechanical slab needed to be completed. So that will hopefully happen this week. I am taking final measurements for steel fabrication today, which will be done by the end of this week, with steel and wood framing to begin on Monday the 18th...which should take a few days and be ready just before set.

Patrick: Are we still on target for 22-Oct? Mark Rylant: Yes.

Patrick: - what's the schedule for module transport?
Mark Rylant: I believe one module will be leaving as early as the 20th.

Patrick: - at what point will our neighbors be inconvenienced?
Mark Rylant: I’ve met most of the neighbors and from here on out they should only be inconvenienced on the day of set, minus a delivery truck of material here and there. Let me know if you have any ideas on that and the trimming of the trees up and down the drive that will need to be dealt with.

Factory Update

The factory update may appear subtle this week, but a great deal of preparation and detail work has been completed. The modules are ready to accept the hardy board siding. The interior walls are almost ready to accept paint.

The cabinet interiors have also been delivered and are ready for installation.

For more factory pictures, click on the slides to the right.

Ready, Set, Pour

At the site, prep work is nearly complete for the concrete pour on Monday. It's really starting to take shape. On the left is an example of one wall that is base of the columns on the front of the living room module.

Another inspection is scheduled for Monday before the pour.

For additional site pictures click on the slides to the right.

Factory

The work in the factory is progressing to plan. The insulation has been installed to our specifications and much of the wall board is up. While there's much to be done, the progress continues to be amazing. See the updated slides to the right for more pictures.

Foundation

The foundation work has started. The re-bar is pinned to the bedrock to keep everything in place. See the updated slides to the right for more pictures.

Factory Work Is Humming Right Along

On 7-September, Anne and I inspected the framing for the modules in the factory. It was surreal to walk though the modules and image how difficult it would have been to build it on our lot. Both the progress and craftsmanship were impressive. We took the chance to nail down some nagging last minute decisions as well.

Stay tuned. See the slide show to the right on this blog, as well.

Ready, Set, Dig

Anne picked up our permits on 31-Aug, after about 10 weeks of waiting. The site work began on 8-September, which also happens to be our anniversary. Sadly, one large tree was in the way and needed to be cut down. We will incorporate parts of the tree in our home in various locations.

The excavation will be done soon and then the foundation work will begin.

Stay tuned. Also see the slideshow on the right side of this blog.

Let the Building Begin

We received L&I (State Permit for the Factory) approval last week and work on the modules has started in earnest. See http://methodhomes.net/blog/2010/orcas-island-prefab-home/.

Interior Finishes Chosen

We met with the cabinetmaker, Wes from Smith and Vallee http://www.smithandvallee.com this weekend. Smith and Vallee will provide the kitchen cabinets, desk spaces, and media cabinet. We have also chosen the appliances so that the cabinets can be custom fit.

We have made the final decisions on interior finishes. The picture shows the materials which includes black walnut veneer (cabinets, desk area, and vanities), hemlock vertical grain (ceiling and sils), Teragren Synergy strand bamboo flooring http://www.teragren.com/, Polar White Eco by Constentino (counter tops) http://www.ecobycosentino.com/, Fondavalle Pietra Dura 18x18 tile, and black river stone accents http://www.vasqueztile.com/.

Architecture and Design (2010)

Anne is an energy efficiency specialist (and a designer and a physicist and a engineer) and I am an engineer (and a photographer and a writer). So, needless to say, we have some creative bones in our bodies. We tried our best to make sure everyone knew that we wanted collaboration throughout the design phase.

In the February and March timeframe we had a few visits with the architects and builders, including one on-site meeting. At this time we made the final decision to separate the modules, and shortly after I suggested a simplified connector that we came to loving call the “spine”.

The design at the top of this blog entry is credited to balance associates architects. If you’ve looked at Method’s website, you’ll note that we ventured pretty far away from the standard cabin 3. The front and back module, along with the roof, will be build in the factory, while the spine will be site-built. So, while we are doing some site building and we got to permitting later that expected 21-Jun-2010, we are still targeting a move in date of 15-Dec-2010. This is predicated on receiving the go-ahead from the county permitting folks by mid-August. Still, that’s impressive.

Water availability was also interesting for this project. When we purchased the property we were “promised” water rights – in writing. The quote from 2006 was that water would be available in three to six months. Funny part is that when we asked for a water availability certificate in 2010, we got the same answer. Luckily, I had made the executive decision to get a water catchment design from Ken Blair at Rain Bank. He’s the foremost authority on catchment on the San Juan Islands. He had the paper work ready in two weeks and it was approved in ONE DAY. That was money well spent.

I had modeled the worst 3 year period of rainfall over the past 125 years and determined that based on our water usage we would need 12,000 gallons of water storage to get us through the summer months of the worst drought years on record. All of our appliances will be super water and energy efficient, and we’ve incorporated other water saving ideas in the home: circulating water back the water heater until it gets hot, instead of letting it flow down the drain. The four three-thousand gallon tanks will fit under the forward module with very little excavation. The water from the roof will be filtered for large particulate before it goes in the eves. Then further filtering occurs before the tanks. Once, the water comes out of the tanks it goes through two more particulate filters and a UV filter. This will be far cleaner than any water from a utility.

Feasibility (2009)

When my wife accepted a job on Orcas Island in November of 2009, the sense of urgency became real. We had had a few casual conversations with Method, but it was time for a feasibility study. Mark Rylant (co-owner of Method Homes) ventured to the island to ensure it was feasible to build the modules and roof in Bellingham, transport them down the road on specially designed trailer, load them on the ferry, transport them from the island ferry landing to the land, and finally crane them onto the foundation. Needless to say this was a little more complicated than the standard build.

Turns out it was feasible and not all that expensive for the transportation.

Builder Choice (2009)

Originally, at the time we purchased the land, Anne and I had chosen the Glide-House, designed and built by Michelle Kauffman. She is an excellent architect in the sustainable realm. Alas, by the time we needed a builder that company had gone through several changes, and we were no longer comfortable with the product. Of note, it was a modular home created and built by an architect.

After a little more research, Anne found Method Homes (http://www.methodhomes.net/). One key difference is that the owners of this company are builders. That practical aspect was key to our decision. The design itself was created by balance associated architects (http://www.balanceassociates.com/). They are known for their open and sustainable designs.

Anne and I chose the Method’s Cabin 3 design as the starting point. With the finish choices, we’re confident we can create the home we want. As it turns out, our lot isn’t suited for a standard Cabin 3. So, we made changes in collaboration with the builder and architects while preserving the 2 main modules.

Why Modular (2008)

Anne and I knew we would choose a sustainable way to build a home. The energy used and waste generated by typical stick built homes was unacceptable. Additionally, projects on Orcas Island tend to get drawn out over long durations, subjecting delicate parts of the building to the elements.

In modular construction, much of the building is done in controlled environments in a factory. Not only is the building protected from the elements, but work is easier because jigs are used to ensure level and square construction. It’s also remarkable how quickly the modules can be built in a factory.

The modular style we chose creates sections of the home and installs sheet rock, cabinets, windows, some floors, and some siding in the factory. The bonus is that the home is built stronger in order to sustain travel.

To this day, I still believe that it will also be cheaper to build a modular home due to the timeframe of the build and process for the decisions.

The Search for Land (Apr-2006)

Now that we’ve established we belonged on the island, we thought we’d plan for the future. Being the resourceful individuals we are, we researched the web for listings on Orcas Island and found the prices to be rather agreeable. Of course, we got a dose of reality when we started to view the properties with a realtor.

Despite the relatively small size of the island, there is quite a range of quality in the land that is available for purchase. First, location is key for several reasons: water availability and rain fall varies wildly, building restrictions are sometimes too tight and sometimes too loose, and distance from the ferry landing (this may seem odd on an island, but the highest speed limit is 40mph and it can take over an hour to reach some properties). So those lots we had researched were not desirable for one reason or another.

Needless to say, sticker shot set in. After two trips to Orcas to specifically look for land, we came up empty. Along the way we found a realtor we trusted (who's no longer on the island) and that turned out to be the key. A piece of property in the Rosario area ticked down in price. This was unheard of in 2006. So, the realtor gave us call, described the property to us, and we ended up buying the property sight unseen, with the contingency that we could back out after a site visit. It all worked out and we became the proud owners of Orcas Island property in April of 2006.

The land we purchased has a slope to it and that will come into play when we start to describe construction planning and site costs.

First Visit (2002)

Anne and I visited Orcas Island together for the first time in September of 2002. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Otter’s Pond. The owners did a great job welcoming us to the island and immersing us in Island life and what it had to offer. Subsequently, we stayed there many times over the next seven years as our plan came together.

We were immediately drawn to the island and people we met there. Beyond a basic sense of well being, we felt like we belonged.