We started construction right after Labor Day in early September. One of the first things to do was to begin ripping off the roof. The project was risky because without a roof the interior of the house could be damaged by rain or snow or hail. Weather in the mountains is always hard to predict and you have to be ready for anything. Precipitation is important in Colorado, being a naturally dry climate rain and snow are infrequent but welcome. Not welcome for a house without a roof, but for everyone else some rain or snow would help mitigate fire danger, nourish the trees and undergrowth and grasses, and irrigate crops. Selfishly I hoped it didn’t rain or snow until the roof was done.
Luke, the contractor, had a plan – take the roof off in sections, rebuilding as he went along and hope for good luck. Well, someone must be living right because in the 2 months without a roof we had only a brief one hour rain shower. That’s all. Lots of thanks go out to the framing crew who worked efficiently and fast to build the roof structure. In just one day the log-pack suppliers arrived and installed the log beams which support the roof, and then the framers quickly built the joists, attached the particle board sheathing and prepared for the roofer. On November 4th the roofing contractor put on the “underlayment” which is the waterproof membrane that protects the roof sheathing and would later be covered by the final roof material – in this case a standing seam steel roof. The house is now “dried in” and ready for rain and snow. On Saturday November 5th it rained for the second time in 2 months. We were thrilled.
more videos: Bill Westheimer on Vimeo.
Alan Bennett
Is there a spare bedroom?
mountainbill
For you there is!