Day 23 - Second Floor Joists Complete & Sheeting Started

The final couple of interior walls were put on hold in favor of lots of bracing on the walls to prepare for the addition of the second floor joists.  When I arrived mid-morning (it always seems I arrive after the "party" has started!) the guys had already hoisted up about 10 joists to ensure there was a place for the plywood to rest once the crane arrived.  Just after lunch in the early afternoon, the crane arrived again and hoisted up another, shorter steel beam, the rest of the second floor joists and the whole lift of plywood.  We most certainly do not want to be hauling those items up the ladders to where we are needing them.  Since the crane was there anyway, we made him do all the heavy lifting.  Saves us a tonne of time and energy.  Once those joists were up, the guys were quick to spread them out and attach them where marked.  Jay actually stayed up in the joists from just after lunch until about 7 pm, when he came down to come home for supper!  Needless to say, he was glad to be back on the ground.  It gets a little tense working on joists all afternoon, being extra careful about your every move to ensure you are safe! 

I felt considerably unproductive today since I stayed on the main floor for the most part and either cut joists or rim boards and handed them up to the guys.  Even the kids got into the mood and helped carry shorter joists.  I also made a quick trip out to pick up additional supplies.  I did a lot of standing around and watching the guys working but it was important to have someone available to run and get this or that item.  I was that person - better known as the gofer!  The guys worked long and hard and were able to get all the joists for the second floor installed in one day!  That is a good feat for an unseasoned crew of workers!  But, this is the second time around so we are trying to improve on our performance!  Mr.W was around all day so that may have also helped on the productivity.  He made sure everything ended up where it needed to be and did all the more technical parts, like the stair opening.  He also took the time to mark out the locations for the garage piles and the front and back deck piles.  Originally our plan had no back deck but we now decided to add one that is about 18' x 12' which would be surrounded by a ground level patio.


In the living room looking towards the kitchen

After a late supper, we went back out and started sheeting the second floor.  Once again we worked until it was dark so we were forced to come home.


In the entrance looking towards the kitchen

A lot of people ask what the kids do when we are working.  They play.  They help.  They play.  They yell at each other.  They get mad at each other.  They tattle.  They scrape their knee.  They eat lunch.  They play.  They get mad at each other.  They tattle.  They scrape their knee.  And on and on and on.  When we go back after supper, we bring along a movie and the portable DVD player and allow them to watch a video.  They deserve it after a long day of playing (and yelling and getting mad at each other).  They are fantastic kids and we love how they have become such a part of the process.  They love to run into the various rooms and look forward to the framing of the upstairs so they can go into their own rooms!  Even though there is a lot of tattling and hurting each other and yelling, there is a lot of playing and having fun, too!  We are so blessed to have them in our lives and enjoy making this house-building journey together.