6th in 2014 Vienna House Project Series
If you haven’t seen the extra photos yet then I recommend you check them out (link below) because the framers have been working fast and using a lot of wood.
Going Up!
Yes, it’s the exterior walls get the 2″ x 6″ lumber which adds more strength… as well as room for insulation, wiring and. sometimes waste lines.
Also notice that the interior walls are also being laid out and built. These allow for the joists that support the second story and eventually the roof truss system.
Like almost all new construction in Northern Virginia, the roof truss system is designed and built off site in ideal conditions. Not only are they at the exact pitch (like dropping 4 inches every foot – noted as 4/12), they are engineered to carry the load of the future roof spreading out the load for maximum strength.
Engineering for weather extremes
To be lifted into place
Northern Virginia experiences all four seasons and any new roof needs to be designed for 15 degrees and 100 degrees, and be able to endure the weight of 2 feet of snow, or hurricane force winds. If you are relocating to Northern Virginia, understand that hurricanes like Isabel in 2003 hit the region as a Category 2 hurricane with 105mph winds. Or in 2012 the region was hit by the famed “Derecho” when a calm evening was disrupted within minutes by 75 mile an hour winds that crippled the D.C metro area for days. Read more here.
Installed LVL
Those may seem like extreme examples to someone who doesn’t live here, but lessons were learned by the construction industry like when after Hurricane Andrew demolished parts of Miami. Essentially, it is important to over-engineer something as simple as a roof truss because extreme weather happens here too.
Something is Missing
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I started this series because my clients were relocating to Vienna from California and were back in LA. Sending them photo updates was fun, and putting together a series and publishing it here was okay with them. Basically, anyone considering custom built homes will enjoy following along and seeing all the extra photos.
Um, some windows are missing!
But when I took this photo I noticed that something important was missing. Like any custom built home, the designs may change slightly and the architect may revise the drawing a little if something is changed… like when windows are added.
Look at that wall at the end of the room, there were actually two windows added to the plan… but that revision wasn’t given to the framer. Luckily, he was still building the upstairs so the crew was able to add the window framing easily.
The two windows will actually be on either side of a gas fireplace, and they will really make the room feel special (wait and see).
I am planning to upload even more photos into the Google+ photo page. Since the framers work fast, it really is impossible to give you every photo in a blog post, and their format allows you to see everything in a high definition. Yes, that’s cool!
Click here to see the Vienna House Construction photos
This part of the construction comes together quickly and probably will involve the most dramatic change day to day… especially for the neighbors.
Hope you will follow along by signing up above and have some fun.
Have questions? Let me know!
