Elkhart House Project - 

June 12, 2004

Framing starts on the garage.  I worked solo until the rest of the family came up after a swim meet on Saturday afternoon.  Blake was a huge help with the outside trim.  Morgan and Michelle were great inspirations on the job we were doing.

 

This about 2 hours after I got started.  The walls were no problem.  I had to install the 2x12 headers after the walls were up, no way to lift that.  A neighbor walked down in time to help me plumb it.
Next morning I got the 2x8x24' joist in and bridged.  Not to bad since there were only 6 of them.
Another side view.
This was the hardest part working by myself.  My first plan of supporting the 22' ridge worked good but I couldn't push up the bird mouths to the plate AND nail it at the same time.  Plan B worked and I didn't have to call for help.
After that all the rafters were cut and went up pretty quick.  About an hour to cut 28 more, maybe 15 minutes to nail them up.
All done for the weekend.  Blake was a huge huge help on the long fascia and overhangs. I really got more done than I expected.  I've got a little arched vent to go in the gable above the doors.
This is how we left it.
Just a look at the inside, passage door is on the left side.
The 2x8 joist.  I bridged them and strong-backed them.  The bridging was first to keep them from rolling over and to help support the plywood I stood on while nailing up the roof.
I'm still missing 1 overhang rake ladder and some fascia.  The power wire is close to the roof but it doesn't cross over it.  The COOP had to come out and move the pole.
I meant to get a closer shot of the birds mouth.  I laid out the roof at home in Houston.  No changes were needed.  Once the outside rafters were up the middle ones jumped into place and were a perfect.  All the tail cuts were also good so I can avoid the extra work of putting up fascia lookouts.  Sweet!
Morgan, Mischelle, Blake and even little Bailey just before we headed back to Houston.  Bailey is that little black spot at the corner.
A view back from the road (need to trim that tree).  First thought was a high pitched roof like the house with another room build out upstairs.  I could have gotten 2-3 more nice size rooms up there.  But to much cost and work.  The there was much debate on the ridge facing the front or side.  I decided to have it face to front to break up the roof lines.  Then there was the decision on the pitch.  I really wanted it lower to not block Blake's side window.  Then one day it jumped out at me that it needs to match the dormer pitch...7-12 and that's what it is.