Drowning in Details

September 2018

It's been a whirlwind at the cabin.

I can honestly say that I will NEVER build a house. I have quickly discovered much of the minutia of this remodel is draining. There are a 1001 decisions to make and some just seem much more complicated than they should be.

Ok, maybe I'd build a house if I didn't have children. Or pets. Or a job. Or a budget.  I digress.

On the flip side, I will also say that I've learned quite a bit about taking things in stride, what's really important, and not getting worked up over changes, delays, and details. Maybe I've become a Zen-Master-in-training or maybe a Master-of-not-giving-a-hoot? Only time will tell.

Let get to some updates.

We picked siding! You might expect a cabin in the Colorado Rockies to be sheathed in logs or cedar. Oh not ours, dear reader.

We HAD wood plank siding and it was an absolute nightmare to maintain. Knots popping out and leaving holes for critters to setup camp. The 300 days of sunshine, combined with high altitude where the UV rays are stronger, does a serious number on the stain and sealer. Add in cold temps and snow and you've got wood that shrinks and expands more than Ant Man.

Not horrible on this side but a few knots waiting to pop



This side is worse with exposure & knots.

We have accepted that we will get "older" someday and want something that is low maintenance.
We want to enjoy our time AT the cabin, not spend our time ON the cabin.

We discussed various options with our architect: steel siding,  James Hardie fiber cement siding, and Trespa fiber-resin rainscreen cladding (her recommendation).

After looking at all options and their costs, both financially and maintenance wise, we decided on Trespa. It's been around for decades and is often used in commercial buildings but residential as well.
We saw a sample off one of the first buildings and compared the color with a new sample - seriously over 30 years old and did not have any fading. No painting? Ever? Sign me up.

I wish the decision was as easy as that sounds. We (and I mean Babe Vila when I say we) worked hard for over a month with the Trespa rep to get the costs down so we wouldn't hyperventilate at the bill. The main points of interest are probably:
  • Initially the design had horizontal siding on the original A-frame sections and vertical on the dormer sections (see this post).  By using all horizontal installation we saved about $2000.  
  • During demo, we discovered that the condition of the concrete foundation (the basement/crawlspace shown in the wood pics above) looked great. Not putting siding over the concrete would save about 500sq.ft. of siding. We are considering staining the concrete or just leaving as-is.
We picked a wood-look finish called Slate Ebony. I love it. It's modern yet has a rustic feel to it.  On the left is a pic of the siding next to the concrete stain swatches.  On the right is a house that uses the color we picked.

    


After choosing siding, came more painstaking research, measurements, and decisions. Let's just say there were spreadsheets involved with multi-color highlighting and you get the idea.

Let me explain.... No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

We're going with VaproShield house wrap, black trim, black flashing around the windows, clear cedar soffit, and more I'm sure my subconscious has blocked out.

And because this post needs more pics, here are the exterior lights we chose:



Electrical and plumbing rough-in inspections have passed.
Framing is done and inspection is this week.

And then things REALLY start flying. Roofing going on, porch deck being framed, siding beginning, and insulation & drywall starting.

...And bank account dwindling.

....But excitement ramping up!


Comments

  1. Your Ant-Man analogy is legendary. By the end of this you will be a well seasoned project manager/decision maker/(last, but not least)zen-master! All of this hard work will be well worth it in the long run. You’ll appreciate the details so much more.

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