We are finished at 821 Meadow Street and will be having our dedication there on Saturday November 17th at noon. If you volunteered on this home, or just want to see what Habitat is about please plan on attending.
In the beginning………
If you have been following this journey you know that in the beginning we had a swimming pool .
After several attempts at pumping it out we brought in a soils engineer who suggested we scrape out the muck and bring in some rock.
Having accomplished that we are able to work with dry feet.
July 7 and 8, 2017
It was a little struggle to get the forms in for the footings this weekend…..rock is a lot harder to move than dirt……but our intrepid volunteers (and Kurt’s tractor’s hydraulics) were up to the task. We will get the footings poured this week and will start assembling the insulated concrete forms after that.
July 14 and 15, 2017
The weather cooperated and we got the footings poured on Friday.
Saturday we stripped the forms and cut (count them) 465 pieces of 2″ foam in various sizes. Next week we will begin assembling the insulated concrete forms( ICFs).
July 21, 22 2017
The ICF’s are in place and ready and waiting for the cement truck. Then it is on to framing.
July 28, 29 2017.
July 28, 29 2017
Friday we braced the ICF’s a little more and got the concrete poured…went without a hitch.
Saturday we continued with a great group of volunteers and began framing.
By the end of the day we had the south wall of the lower level up.
We will continue framing next week.
August 4, 5 2017.
August 4, 5, 2017
We had a fab turnout of volunteers and were able to construct two more walls and form-up and pour the garage foundation.
The forms were stripped on Sunday. We hope to get the foundation back-filled later this week and continue framing this weekend.
August 11, 12, 2017
The foundation has been back-filled, two of the garage walls are framed, and two more main lower level walls are up and sheathed. Good progress! We will continue with framing this coming weekend.
August 18, 19, 2017
Friday we were a little light on volunteers, but between Friday and Saturday we kept moving forward. The garage floor has been poured.
And the engineered floor joists were placed. Looks like it is about time to put a floor on!
August 25, 26, 2017
We worked around and through the rain this weekend and finished all the framing for the garage and entryway, got the rest of the rim joist on, and began sheathing the garage. The flooring has been ordered but has not arrived yet. We are off until September 8th and 9th by which time we assume the flooring will be delivered and the basement floor will be poured.
September 8, 9, 2017
As has been the case for many years the UWSP Womens Basket Ball team volunteered this weekend. Friday they shoveled a ton or four of stone in the basement in preparation for its pour Monday, and worked on sheathing the garage.
Saturday saw two new volunteers and a couple hard core people. We finished up the garage and placed the last of the floor trusses.
Go Pointers!!
September 15, 16, 2017
We had the basement poured on Tuesday. This weekend we built the load bearing wall in the basement and started placing the sub floor for the main level. By the end of Saturday about 1/4 of the flooring was on. Next week we will continue with the sub floor and build more walls in the lower level.
September 22, 23 2017
Friday was the hottest September 22nd on record but that didn’t stop a great group of volunteers from Associated Bank.
(This is just a few of the group)
Associated was able to get all the sub-floor down on the main level and a few walls up in the lower level.
Thank you Associated Bank!
Saturday we had a few of the hard-cores and some new volunteers and we were able to build a few more walls in the basement and get the two biggest walls up on the main level.
Next week we will continue with walls both upstairs and downstairs.
September 29, 30 2017
Associated Bank was in again on Friday and built and erected the two remaining outside walls. Thank you Associated!
Saturday we built most of the remaining interior walls on the main floor, finished the basement framing, and got part of the staircase built. It has been a great couple of weeks.
Next weekend we will work on placing OSB sheathing on the exterior walls, and soon after that we will place the roof trusses.
October 6, 2017
It was a bit of a wash out this weekend with our volunteers only getting a couple hours in on Friday. During that time they did manage to erect a couple more interior walls, and start placing the OSB sheathing and foam insulation. We will continue with the sheathing and make final preparations for the trusses next.
October 13, 14 2017
Another productive weekend in! Friday we finished sheathing the house with OSB and worked on preparing the garage trusses. Saturday we had our usual hard core group, the Key Club from SPASH (who put a lot of exterior foam insulation up) and a few new volunteers. We managed to place the garage trusses, sheet half the garage and get felt down just as the rain started.
This coming week we will get the main trusses ready on Friday and there is a slight chance we will have a crane Saturday. Otherwise we may start shingling the garage.
October 20, 21 2017
It was an action packed weekend. Friday we sheeted and papered the back half of the garage and finished preparing the main gable trusses. Saturday we had a great turn out and shingled half of the garage, placed the ground break, placed the rear main gable truss, and got the remaining trusses up on the walls.
Next weekend it we will continue with the trusses and roofing.
October 27, 28 2017
We put in some extra time this week (to try and stay ahead of the weather) working Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Our hard-cores were able to stand the remaining trusses and sheet most of the main roof.
By the end of the day Saturday we had most of the garage shingled, and……
…….had a good start on shingling the main roof. We also managed to place the remaining foam insulation, start placing the house wrap, and installed most of the blocking for the drywall.
We will continue and hopefully finish the roofing this week, then we will get ready for windows and siding.
November 3, 4 2017
We had hoped to finish roofing this weekend, but the weather had other ideas. We did manage to finish the stairs to the lower level, get most of the house wrap on, and install the lower level’s windows.
We hope to finish up the roofing this week and start on siding soon.
November 10, 11 2017
Earlier in the week……before that white stuff arrived…..we managed to finish the roof.
Friday and Saturday we finished the house wrap, the piers for the deck, installed two more windows, prepped some more for siding, and framed a couple more interior walls.
Next up is finish installing windows, a bit more framing, and get going on the siding.
December 1, 2, 2017
We had a great turnout of volunteers and took advantage of the “warm” weather.
Friday we formed and poured the front sidewalk (thanks Thomas Masonry).
Saturday we built the deck and installed the door off the dining area, and…….
…….installed the starter strip, hung the corners and began siding. We also finished up more framing on the main floor.
We will continue with the siding this coming weekend.
December 8, 9 2017
Decembrrrrrrrr it is. But that did not slow down our intrepid gang of volunteers. Bundled up like Ralphie we managed to place the F-channel and prep the eaves for soffit and get some siding up on the garage and the front of the house.
We will continue with siding, soffit and exterior doors over the next several weeks.
December 15, 16 2017
We had a great group from Sentry Insurance in on Friday, and with another enthusiastic crew of regulars on Saturday we were able to get a fair amount of the siding on, and got spindles ready for the deck
We will keep at the siding and soffit as the weathers allows.
December 22, 2017
Working a couple days during the week, and a little extra on Friday we were able to finish the siding, soffit and fascia above the garage roof before the snow came. We also all but finished the siding on the south side of the house.
This week, and possibly next week is way too cold to work. We will update the work schedule when able.
January 19, 20 2018
We took advantage of the balmy weather this weekend and managed to install the front door, get most of the railing on the deck, install the garage access door, and finish siding the back of the garage.
The weather looks good for this coming weekend, so we will continue with siding, soffit and fascia.
January 26, 27 2018
We were able to get started on siding the front of the garage, we finished the railing on the deck, we tweaked the inside framing and got our final inside wall up. The ice skating rink around the house wasn’t conducive to getting the extension ladders out, so the higher siding will need to wait a bit.
February 16, 17 2018
It was great to finally catch a break in the weather and get back to work. We all but finished the siding on the front of the garage and got most of the wall insulation done upstairs. Hopefully the weather will allow us to keep working on a more regular schedule.
February 23, 24 2017
We worked inside this weekend as we have suspended work on the siding (read on the ladders) until the ice rink surrounding the house goes away.
We placed the remaining wall insulation, built two walls for the tub surrounds in the bathrooms, and completed framing out a small storage place.
March 3, 2018
Some of the Great Meadow Street Glacier melted so we were able to get the ladders out and work on siding.
The plumbers and electrician (thank you IBEW Local 388!) have most of the rough in done so we were able to get started on the vapor barrier. We also place the Proper Vents for attic ventilation.
March 9, 10 2018
Friday we had a great gang from UWSP and got most of the ceiling vapor barrier up.
Saturday the volunteer electricians from Local 388 were out in force pulling wire, placing outlets and getting us ready to start with dry wall. The ice was gone in the front and we managed to complete that siding and it looks great.
Next weekend we will finish the vapor barrier and hopefully be able to continue the siding on the back of the house.
March 16, 17 2018
The City Inspector said “you are good to go for dry wall”. So Friday and Saturday we unloaded a couple of tons (it seemed) of sheets and started hanging. We had three members of the UWSP Women’s Softball Team helping Saturday…….and coach…….. these women can skip the weight room for a day. By the end of the day Saturday we had one bedroom nearly done and a start on the bathroom and kitchen.
For the next several weeks we will be hitting the dry walling as hard as we can.
April 6, 7 2018
Ok, it looks like a mess but we got most of the attic insulation in this weekend
and wrestling with the blower was big fun…..she is moving so fast she’s a blurrrrrr………
We also finished most of the upstairs drywall and with the help of the SPASH Key Club we finished the downstairs insulation.
We will continue on with the drywall next week.
April 13….then the April Blizzard….. 2018
Turns out Friday the 13th was a lot luckier than the 14th!
On Friday we finished up all the upper drywall except for a closet or two.
Saturday found one intrepid volunteer parking three blocks away and using a team of huskies to get to the house. Other than resting the dogs not much was accomplished Saturday.
This coming weekend we will dry wall the entry way and start on the lower level.
April 20, 21 2018
We finished the dry wall in the entryway, closet and steps. We also got started on the ledge downstairs atop the ICF foundation wall.
This coming weekend we expect the HVAC and plumbing to be completed and we can begin the lower level dry wall.
April 27, 29 2018
We had a group in from AIG this weekend and managed to get most of the ceiling dry wall in the lower level up, prep the HVAC ducts in the hallway for drywall,
get some of the walls covered, and secure the ledge on top of the ICF foundation wall.
More dry wall this coming weekend.
May 4, 5 2018
We continued with the drywall, finishing one bedroom downstairs and getting quite a bit of the other bedroom and the family room also.
We plan on having the dry completed this coming weekend so the finishers can cone in that next week. While they are working inside we will continue on the outside.
We would like to complete the home in the next 6 – 7 weeks, and with Memorial Day weekend in there it will be a push.
May 11, 12 2018
We managed to essentially complete the dry wall this week thanks to our volunteers that worked Monday evening, Friday afternoon and a longer than normal Saturday…….Thanks!
This Friday and Saturday we hope to “form-up” the driveway and continue working on siding, fascia and soffit.
May 18, 19 2017
We finished the dry wall in the garage, got some soffit and fascia done, knocked off some siding on the back of the home and formed the garage apron this weekend. We are looking forward to the dry wall finish contractor getting in this week.
We will not be working Memorial Day weekend. When we resume in the first weekend of June we hope to begin interior doors, trim and cabinets, and continue with the siding, soffit and fascia.
June 1, 2 2018
Friday we poured the garage apron, and the stoop off the back of the garage. Saturday we completed the stairs off the deck, installed the door from the garage and finished the siding, soffit and fascia on the south side.
We hope to have the interior ready for doors and trim by the end of the week. We also need to complete the siding on the back of the house, and the soffit and fascia on the front and back.
June 8, 9 2018
We finished the siding on Friday, but we still have soffit and fascia to complete.
Saturday we finished the steps on the deck, and formed the driveway.
If the “drying of the mud” goes as expected the drywall will be finished this week and we can start with trim and doors Friday or Saturday.
June 15, 16 2018
YAY! Z&Z Painting, working overtime, finished the drywall Friday afternoon. Thank you! Then our family got in there and got most of the painting done this weekend.
Friday we completed the soffit, and Saturday we placed sub-floor for the vinyl, put the treads and risers on the stairs, got most of the closets ready for shelves, and put lock-sets on the exterior doors.
We have a ringer coming in during the week to give us a leg-up on doors and trim. We will hit it hard on Saturday, continuing the finish work.
June 23, 2018
The cabinets, the vinyl, and most of the doors are in. The baseboard is coming Monday (we hope) the counter tops, carpets, plumber and HVAC by week’s end, and the electricians are working overtime by donating their time Wednesday evening. If the stars are aligned, and the moon is in the seventh house…….we MAY get our family in this weekend…which would be grand as their lease is up on their current apartment on Saturday. We may have additional workdays available during the week. Please stay tuned.
June 30, 2018
We pushed to get our Family in this home by June 30th, and with the help of many volunteers working “overtime”, Kurt and the Family working evenings, JG Plumbing and the City Water Department getting the water going(with 5 minutes to spare) and the City Inspector being “on call” for a late Friday afternoon inspection (thanks DJ)…….. we got it done. There is still some work to do, please stay tuned for the work schedule.
August 12, 2018
Well….we are fitting more pieces in the puzzle. The rough grading of the yard is done. Tomorrow we will place the lower bathroom vanity so the plumbers can finish. Then it is a matter of toe-kick and backing of kitchen cabinets, finishing the driveway, and planting grass. The odyssey continues.