Just like at the hairdresser

You know when you get a haircut, how the hairdresser turns you away from the mirror while they do their magic? After your cut, they dry and style your hair just right, making a few extra trims that you can only feel because your back is to the mirror. You know it’s cut; you know it’s styled. But you can’t see it. Then, you know the final touch is made because there’s a pause. And, l'artist spins you around toward the mirror as if unfolding a present. Voila! It’s so exciting for all that change to happen while your back is turned.

the old do

 We picked the color of our house a few days after Peanut was born. Chris from Rising Sun left us a few color swatches, which we held against the bright green construction wrap with one eye closed, trying to visualize our house saturated with each swatch. Although we narrowed the field with that method, it was the name that won us over. Earl Grey or Rocky River: which sounds more exciting to you?

Although the color of the siding was decided quickly, we spent a fair bit of time discussing the most sustainable and economical material choice. One option involved reusing our existing aluminum siding, but the process of removing it for the SIPs took its toll on the already warn material; we’d need to use toxic (and ugly!) vinyl to replace the pieces. We decided against reuse, opting to recycle (for some cash, too) instead. Another option was to repurpose barn wood, already “cured” to use as siding. With such a large supply of old barns in West Virginia and this region, we loved the idea of nurturing a budding green industry. In Colorado and other western states, craftsman are turning pine beetle damaged wood into high end items such as furniture, cabinets, and flooring. I know there is a vast market for aged Appalachian barn wood as a unique and green building material for flooring, cabinetry, or siding. Ultimately, we decided this option was not as easy or as economical as we needed for our project. Although there are likely more sustainable choices, we de opted to use Hardieboard, a super durable fiber cement siding (made of cement, sand, and fiber) that’s considered sustainable. 

It was Chris from Rising Sun’s idea to use soffit (thick pieces that usually are used under the eaves) for a more modern look. West Virginia-based Hartland Planing Mill had ordered the Hardieboard soffit and painted it for us.

You are great, Tyler (5th generation  - his great, great, great granddad founded the company in Clarksburg in 1912!)

As the days grew closer to the day we’d actually see the new siding, we wondered what color Rocky River actually was. I remembered a greenish hue, while Nico was telling folks we had chosen a dark blue. Needless to say, when the siding arrived, we were curious about the color Rocky River. It was all wrapped nicely, and we were busy packing for a vacation, so we just shrugged and remained skeptical of the other’s memory. 

 

While we were out of town on vacation, Rising Sun did their magic, installing unique siding with cedar details. Our neighbors and coworkers watched as we remained oblivious to the aesthetic. Just like at the hairdresser, our home got the last big touch of its makeover while we weren’t looking.

We arrived home in the early morning, after getting picked up from a friend because our car broke down three hours from home. Was that the color we chose? It wasn’t until the next day, sitting together on our porch at sunset, that we relaxed and truly laid eyes on our home's new look. The sun’s rays reflected off the aluminum details, creating a stunning unveiling of our new do. Ah, yes, that’s Rocky River.

Side entrance (the small addition) that gives us a small mudroom (center), pantry (right of door), and dining area (left of door)

Nice finishing touches on electric and window

Before: wrapping the house with SIPs and nailbase

After: repaired and beautified retaining wall, wrapped with SIPs and nailbase , new roof, new siding, windows and doors

Trained and ready (with SIPs)!

Walk to class? We barely had to do that...it was right out our front door in our driveway!

A primary goal of Our Peanut Project and the deep energy retrofit is to showcase SIPs and nail based panels and offer hands-on training to learn proper installation.

SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams  (provider of the panels) and Rising Sun (concept to construction) hosted two day-long workshops at our house July 20 and 21. After a solid week of extreme weather, the skies parted and we were able to get down and dirty, er...actually, up (on scaffolding) and dusty.  

Al describing a nail-based panel while Chris looks on.

Over the two days we had a diverse turnout of students: do-it yourself-ers, university students, a couple of builders, and a code enforcement officer with a keen green building vision for Morgantown. For those who were not with us, here's a recap of the days!

After introductions, Al Cobb with SIPSchool started with an overview of the different types of panels used, what they are made of, needed tools of the trade, safety and logistics.  




Following the overview, Al alongside Chris of  Rising Sun led a tour of the exterior of the house and discussed installation techniques, explained choices Chris made about incorporating panels into our design,and fielded questions from the class.  Learning in this environment is hugely effective and Al is a natural (and enthusiastic) communicator and educator!

Al discussing the importance of air flow between the exterior layers of the house.  Contrary to popular belief, air flow behind your siding is hugely important. Chris and Al discussed various ways to facilitate air exchange to keep moisture away from the house.

 

After the walk around, the class geared up for on-the-job training.   Chris and his Rising Sun crew had previously erected scaffolding on the far side of our house, the final side of house to receive panels from Mid-Atlantic Foams to finalize our retrofit project.

 

preparing to install nail-base

Nail-base panel right on top of house slats

up on the scaffolding

Nail base panel sealed with foam and 2x4 right atop of exiting house walls

Preparing the nail-base panel

Cut, then foam

Add 2x4

secure 2 x 4

Seal with foam

Nail-base panels installed part way up the house wall

By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house is the first deep energy retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.  In fact, now that it's complete, we believe this house to be the most energy efficient retrofit in all of West Virginia. We'll get another energy audit soon and compare the changes...stay posted!

Now for the siding...

To learn more about this part of the project, check out these previous posts:

For the good of peanut’s bare feet

A roof above our heads

Terra cotta touches

My favorite road in the world is a scenic byway to Moab, Utah from my hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado. Much of it parallels the Colorado River as it runs through Castle and Professor Valleys, a desert that lights up the color of tomato soup red at sunset. Driving, peddling, or paddling this corridor at sunset is one of the most sublime color experiences you’ll witness. All colors are variations of the warm, bold color of baked earth, or terra cotta. I am deeply rooted in the desert, therefore by this color. Thus, it’s only appropriate that terra cotta becomes a part of our home here in West Virginia.

Looking to the living room from the kitchen

So, I’ve neglected to make a blog post in a few weeks. Besides the fact that I am a new mother, I’ll blame it on the fact that my French father-in-law visited to meet his new grandchild and paint our living room. We unplugged the internet router for a few days to paint, and then basked in the bold color transition (Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile 2090-30, Sherwin Williams Spicy Hue - SW6342). Since then, Rising Sun added an understated but elegant crown molding to the room. Not the southwest desert sunset, but every morning light rays beam in, painting the living room with a charged glow of baked earth.

Looking into the kitchen from the living room

Amid celebrations, Rising Sun started to install our terra cotta tile in the pantry and entryway of our kitchen.

Pantry and entryway - starting the tile install

Made in Texas by a locally-owned company, Rustico, the terra cotta is the real deal. The tiles are made from the dirt in Saltillo, Mexico. The tiles are thick and rich and natural. Standing on them with my eyes closed makes my heels feel like they’re growing roots like they do when I walk in the desert southwest. I spent hours searching for real terra cotta, only to find ceramic replicates. Not a walk in the desert, but every time we enter the house, we have a glimmer of the natural glow of baked earth.

Installed tiles in entryway to kitchen

SIPS training July 20 & 21!

Want to be a part of the most efficient deep energy retrofit in West Virginia? 

Want to learn more about SIPS? Sign up for the workshop!

  

Our Peanut Project retrofit is being used to showcase SIPs and retrofit panels as well as train contractors in the proper techniques of a deep energy retrofit.  And as a small West Virginia business, SIPschool is really excited to be showcasing this project in Morgantown, WV! See this project in the news here:

 

SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams and Rising Sun, is using our house for education and training purposes. By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house will be the first deep energy retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.

 

Two workshops—July 20 and 21—will offer hands-on training to learn the techniques used to fabricate, install, and seal a retrofit project using nail-base panels. 

  

Why attend? 

It’s local. For once, you don't have to travel out of state to get training on this cutting edge product! It's in our very own Morgantown, walkable from West Virginia University’s Evansdale campus, a few minute walk from the Towers PRT!

It’s a value. How often do you spend less than 100 bucks on training? Not only that, but if you're a WVU student or faculty in sustainable design and other similar fields, SIPSchool is offering some discounted or free attendance opportunities for WVU students or faculty.

There’s options. Observe or participate in construction (depending on your expertise). Or just walk by to see what the hub is about. 

 

For more information or to register, visit here (click this link) or 

contact annie@sipschool.org or 304-876-8494.

And, check out these previous posts:

For the good of peanut’s bare feet

A roof above our heads

Kitchen before and after

We’ve made a few changes to our kitchen. So Peanut can see what it was like while before she was born, we decided to organize a little before and after. Here’s a few of the major changes:

A tad more space. Before  Rising Sun, we had shown our kitchen to a few professionals. Each kitchen planner who drafted plans suffered the same challenge of improving such a small and awkward space. Then, Chris came in and said, "you just need to change the space," and proposed adding a mere 126 square feet. Suddenly, we had a plan that would totally improve our kitchen.

The outer walls of the kitchen were built on concrete piers with Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPS) provided by Mid-Atlantic Foams. SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams and Rising Sun, is using our house for education and training purposes. By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house will be the first Green Retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.

BEFORE - outside of house

Glad we decided to add on. Although it doesn’t sound like much, the new space made us a pantry, entry way, and a dining area. Now, the ceiling beams trace the old outline of the house, but it’s difficult to even remember how it looked before…

AFTER - outside of house / kitchen

BEFORE - wall and bumper pool doorway

Goodbye wall. A wall once separated the kitchen and the living room; a narrow doorway that I deemed the “bumper pool” walkway provided entry to the living room.

Although we’re both athletic figures, we still had to pay attention not to bump into the doorway each time we went though. One attempt to pass in the doorway left us stranded for days. Now, the door is a new wall, and the old wall is a wide opening between the kitchen and living rooms.

  

BEFORE - battling doors

The end of the battling doors. Our old kitchen entry was marked by battling doors; the former entry to the house aligned with the door to the basement. Oft heard in the Zegre household: “Love, [insert sound of smashing doors] ouch! I’m home!” If either caution or luck prevented you from slamming the doors into each other, there was one additional obstacle: the stove and sink were positioned so you had to carefully slide between them to avoid hitting either. The challenge was heightened when pots were boiling on the stove and/or knives were drying on the edge of the sink. Now, although there’s not much of a challenge in getting in the door, our entrance is more Peanut-proof.

BEFORE - ceiling cabinets

Trading ceiling cabinets for an island. Awkward cabinets once hung from the ceiling separating the cooking from the dining areas. While in the kitchen, the cook would have to hunch under the cabinets, turning an ear to the counters to be able to talk to talk to anyone in the dining area. The configuration made the cook feel like a slave, but offered the diners the “breast” view of the cook. 

AFTER - the island

Venting the smells of the kitchen. We love cooking. Blindfolded, I could identify our old kitchen by the lingering smell of eggs and curry – and maybe the spray painted cabinets. Kitchen smells would linger in the kitchen for hours, sometimes days. And, often our entire house would smell like the last few meals. The new kitchen has two sources of central air, as well as a dream kitchen component: a hood. Now, those wanting to smell last night’s dinner have to stand on the roof.

BEFORE - view of the entry way

AFTER - view towards entrance

BEFORE - "view" of the living room

AFTER - view towards living room

The kitchen sink

There was a flurry of great progress on the house and kitchen on the days before and after our little Peanut emerged into the world. Although the due date is based on 40 weeks gestation, there’s wiggle room of a few weeks before and after. So, once Peanut turned 37 weeks and I started having a bit of prelabor, the crew from Rising Sun pushed the window installation into high gear (as if they weren’t moving quickly already). 

Hartland ordered and delivered our windows in super speedy fashion, and Rising Sun cut, installed, and trimmed all the windows where SIPs were installed. Were Peanut to arrive early, we’d have light and ventilation, not to mention the end of cutting holes in our bedroom and kitchen. In a token of sweet understanding, the crew attempted to install a temporary kitchen sink: “my wife would have killed me if I did this to her kitchen when she was 37 weeks pregnant," said River Rat from Rising Sun.

In the kitchen, we were waiting on the countertops before the sink could be installed. The quartz material counters were ordered from an Ohio-based company, Granex. Although Granex said they could measure, cut, and install as quick as 7 days, they said it may take as many as 12 days (still a quick turn-around for stone counters). Wood floors were installed, cabinets were assembled and trimmed, electric and plumbing was set, appliances delivered, and the island was in place. Things were really coming together – if Peanut arrived, we’d be ok. Just waiting on the sink.

The evening of May 2, I entered final grades…just in case. Before I went to sleep, I emailed my folks the latest pictures of the kitchen. I just want them to know how good things were looking so they don’t worry in case I go into labor. That night, I fell asleep to Peanut kicking differently, and I said, “Be careful, Peanut, you may kick yourself out of there…”

Early morning (1 am) of May 3, I woke to the sound and feeling of a waterbed breaking under me (but we don’t have a waterbed…). Our birthing process had begun. We called our midwife, who agreed that we rest and labor at home until daylight. Before things got too intense, I called Granex and left a message telling them my status, urging them to move up our scheduled countertop install date. If I once thought telling subcontractors I was 37 weeks pregnant may move things along, I wondered what a 2 am labor call could do! (Turns out that some of their equipment broke, and they needed the full 12 days...it could have been worse!)

Around 7am, the prompt Rising Sun crew arrived for work. Needless to say, they started a little late that day, quietly waiting outside while we gathered our things – between surges—for the hospital…We arrived at the hospital at about 7:45 am, and Peanut emerged at 8:21 am. If only kitchens can be “birthed” as quickly.

lovin' the new windows from Hartland

The kitchen sink

We stayed at the hospital for a few days while Rising Sun finished up work. We returned to a peaceful house until –a few days later—our one functioning sink decided to back up on us. As Nicolas did a load of laundry at 4 am (normal, right?), he noticed our ceiling leaking below the backed up bathroom sink. It was after this realization that the washing machine stopped working. Our amazing plumber arrived at 7 am, having to saw through the ceiling below our bedroom to fix our mess. 

It was a big day, but by the end of it, the broken pieces were repaired and the countertops installed. Then, we had our kitchen sink and a functioning kitchen. 

Oh, the stories little Peanut will hear when she is older…

Let there be light!

Although windows would normally be installed with the SIPs, we had a difficult time deciding on a few details...needless to say, our delayed window instillation became a dramatic ray of sunshine!

first window cut above future kitchen sink

Thankfully, we worked with locally-owned, West Virginia-based Hartland Planing Mill to supply our windows at a great price and with a fantastic turn-around time. Thank you for making it happen so well, Tyler (5th generation  - his great, great, great granddad founded the company in Clarksburg in 1912!)

As soon as the windows arrived, the weather cooperated and Rising Sun started cutting and installing!

view of cuts to come in the future dining room

preparing SIPs for kitchen window instillation

closeup of prepared SIPs - windows tuck right in

there's some holes in my kitchen, Dear Lisa, Dear Lisa...

Rising Sun crew installing 8 windows in a day...

Let there be light!
(Just in time for Peanut to get some first rays of May sunshine...)