Roof Completed!
Finally after two long, challenging weeks our roofing is complete! Through days of alternating 40C/104F temperatures and rains we persevered and made it through. Our old house/new house is no longer, it is all one house externally.
I’ve already shared the ‘chronicles’ and now for the conclusion.
Beams In Place
Demolishing The Front Of The House
Walls Go Up, Roof Comes Down
Trusses Are On!
First Stretch of Iron On!
Monday thru to the following ThursdayÂ
In other words a further week and a half
After installing the ‘straight stretch’ of iron sheets on the front of the house on the Sunday, PC then had to return to work. He now had only a couple of hours each afternoon after work to complete the job.
Monday afternoon he finished installing the sarking over the back section of the house. Then we handed up the sheets to him and the race was on to complete before the storm broke. He finished screwing down the last sheet just as the thunder began.
Storms were to be the afternoon pattern that week and it was of great concern as the end of the house wasn’t even sarked, though it was covered by tarps. Tuesday afternoon saw a wild storm with winds, where we prayed mightily, the storm swept around and we were blessed that we didn’t lose the roof.
Wednesday through till Sunday the focus was on completing the sarking, in between the storms.
To add to the pressure on Wednesday Michelangelo(16) headed to Adelaide for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival this meant all help now rested on the girls and I, this was a little daunting and certainly made it harder for PC.
It resulted in me having to conquer my fear of the drop saw and I took over the task of cutting the battens, rather proud of that achievement. When I was a pre-teen my father cut of his thumb with a bandsaw (they sewed it back on) and I’ve had a ‘healthy’ respect of power saws since, so major victory.
Once the sarking was completed, it was then time, Sunday morning to turn our attention to cutting the iron. We had intended on using a nibbler but a chance conversation led us to researching on cutting iron with a circular saw. This was the way we went and it was so much easier, though we put strict safety measures in place.
Whilst ‘us girls’ didn’t have the same strength as Michelangelo (he is exceptionally strong for a 16 year old) we solved our challenges with some ingenuity, albeit rather unconventionally. Princess (14) took all the weight, Anna Maria and I only needed to balance and direct.
As PC measured and cut each piece of iron for the front roof, I was astounded to discover the ‘off cut’ was to be used on the end roof, fitting perfectly there. PC assured me it was all mathematical, I’m still uncertain of the formula behind, suffice it to say it did all fit just like a jigsaw.
Once the front was completed we turned our attention to the back sloping sheets, once again each ‘cut off’ being put aside for the other half of the end roof. Â Working out the back was a challenge considering the distance from the ground to the roof, but with the help of the tower (left foreground) we managed to complete the back roof.
The end roof did indeed fit together smoothly and by dark we had completed all but a couple of pieces.
The next few afternoons were taken with finishing touches, finishing the ‘screw lines’, adding the ridge caps, still not quite finished.
But we can now rest easy as the summer storms hit us.
It is such a pleasure to walk up from the paddocks and see the one streamlined roof,
to stand at the edge of the front of the house and see an unbroken line of roof.
(next task is to install windows and weathertex sheeting on the walls)
The old house/new house is no longer
I realise anew just how long the house is. What a view, one house 🙂
14 Comments
Gail
Well done…it is just wonderful to behold. Congratulations!!
Erin
Thanks Gail!! 🙂
suzanne
Looks fantastic, enjoy your hard work.
Erin
Thanks Suzanne, we’re pretty excited. This is our last external construction project.
Now to work on gutting the ‘old’ house section.
Karen @ Pieces of Contentment
A job well done! You will relax more with our unpredictable summer weather.
Erin
Karen
Thanks:) Will have to have you out in the hols to see how it looks. Certainly relaxing (of sorts;) now it is behind us.
Marijke
I’ve found you again, I had quite some catching up to do!
Well done guys, it looks great! So nice to see your projects getting done bit by bit. Gotta love a handy man, and kids too. They must love working side by side their parents. Such great life experience for them.
Will you have all the kids home for Christmas? It will be great having some quiet time in the shade of the new roof. Enjoy! x Marijke
Erin
Marijke
You did! We are blessed indeed that our husbands are so handy, and I’m certain your children will be just as handy as they grow older, even now they are helping. It is a wonderful experience, they are learning so many skills and PC’s can do attitude.
We headed to the city for Christmas to celebrate with the boys there
Nicole @ The Builder's Wife
Wow, that looks amazing! Congratulations to the whole team! It is such a daunting job, how wonderful to be able to stand back and say you did it together as a family. Storms and weather in general is such a difficult factor in the building game, it looks like you had luck and good management on your side. xx
Erin
Thanks Nicole! It was a daunting task, I think the roof, both times was the biggest project we tackled, far more daunting than the walls. But we triumphed, our last major, major project. Think the kitchen will be easier really. Certainly blessed that we weren’t struck harder by the storms.
Mary
What a job! Congratulations and enjoy. I bet the sounds of rain are incredible.
Y’all are amazing!! To deal with heights and power tools and huge sheets of metal- wow! Impressive!
I am so exited to catch up on these posts, I hadn’t updated my link to your new page!!
Erin
Mary
We’ve still got to put the gutters on! Though with three tanks and this huge roof expanse we won’t have to worry as much as in the past.
Yeah the heights I didn’t do and I prayed constantly they were all safe. Well it was mostly PC and Michelangelo and my brother up there. Not the younger children, much to their disappointment.
I did climb the tower to pass up the iron, conquered my fear a little and used the drop saw, that was major and feel quite confident now.
Yes the iron sheets were long, PC amazed me how he cut so exact.
You’ve lots to read to catch up on! Glad you’re enjoying:)
Ana
WOW!!! how amazing – the house looks wonderful 🙂 well done H Family
Erin
Thanks Ana 🙂 So pleased to see you over here 🙂