Garage Construction Project

Timeline

50 min read

  • 2025-02-04: Meeting with Integral Builders scheduled (Josh; address/phone captured).
  • 2025-02-27: Discussion with Hershberger (Marcus); scope and features.
  • 2025-03-17: Code enforcement (Terry) OK’d project; begin permits and scheduling.
  • 2025-05-27: Meeting with Marcus.
  • 2025-09-05: Site staking with Marcus and concrete; drain discussion.
  • 2025-10-13: Signed Hershberger contract locking concrete/structure specs; dig/excavation slated to start 2025-10-16.
  • 2025-10-20: Concrete crew completed subgrade prep, forms, and lift bay pads; awaiting Hershberger team for floor foam, PEX loops, and underground conduits before pour. Weather: Clear skies, 45-59°F, ideal conditions for excavation and site prep work.
  • 2025-10-21: Hydronic radiant floor materials delivered to site (110 sheets of 9x4 Creatherm); installation paused due to storms and wet conditions.
  • 2025-10-22: Under-slab Creatherm insulation installation completed (2” foam, R-10); PEX radiant heating loops installed with manifold system; pressure testing commenced at 60-70 PSI; utility sleeves positioned; decided to add ½” PEX conduit for future slab temperature sensor (see Decisions - Slab Sensor Conduit); confirmed floor grading plan with contractor: lift bay level, other 2 bays graded with shared central drain; ready for concrete pour pending sensor conduit installation and pressure test verification. Weather: Light to moderate drizzle all day, 45-51°F, challenging wet conditions for foam and PEX installation work.
  • 2025-10-23: PEX in-floor heating mechanical inspection passed (see 2025-10-23 - Inspection - PEX In-Floor Heating Approval); inspector approved ahead of scheduled October 29th date, clearing way for cement contractor to proceed with final utility conduit installations and concrete pour.

Financial details and loan officer information redacted for privacy

  • 2025-10-29: Exterior perimeter insulation and fiberglass rebar grid installation completed; foundation preparation complete and ready for concrete pour; comprehensive drone documentation captured showing all systems in place (see 2025-10-29 - DJI - Exterior Slab Insulation and Fiberglass Rebar - Aerial View 1.md through 2025-10-29 - DJI - Exterior Slab Insulation and Fiberglass Rebar - Aerial View 6.md). Weather: Clear skies, 45-55°F, excellent conditions for outdoor prep work.
  • 2025-10-30: Concrete foundation pour completed; cement truck arrived at 9:24 AM EDT; all utility conduits installed through slab (gas, water, electrical service, low-voltage/data, sewer); concrete poured and leveled across entire 24’x40’ foundation; finishing work in progress (expected completion end of day); approximately 1 hour of real-time video documentation captured from upstairs window (see Construction Videos); major construction milestone achieved with all embedded systems successfully integrated (radiant heating PEX, fiberglass rebar, utility conduits, thickened lift pads). Weather: Light drizzle during pour (9:24 AM-11:45 AM), overcast 100% cloud cover, 45-50°F—challenging conditions but pour completed successfully; cleared by evening.
  • 2025-10-31: Cement contractor completed post-pour finishing work; control joint saw cuts completed across slab to manage cracking; all wooden perimeter forms removed; dirt backfilled around foundation edges; radiant heating system pressure testing performed and passed, confirming PEX tubing integrity after concrete pour; foundation finishing complete and ready for curing period before wall framing begins. Weather: Clear to overcast, 38-53°F, good conditions for finishing work and pressure testing.
  • 2025-11-04: Call with Marcus (Hershberger’s): framing materials are on the way; framing expected to begin in approximately 2 weeks (~2025-11-18) once materials arrive and foundation cure is sufficient (see 2025-11-04 - Call - Marcus Framing Update).
  • 2025-11-13: Call with Marcus (Hershberger’s): crew availability confirmed — framing will start no earlier than Monday Nov 24 and no later than Monday Dec 1; materials ready and waiting on crew mobilization (see 2025-11-13 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule).
  • 2025-11-17: Compressed Air System Procurement Begins: Ordered Rapidair 3/4” Maxline Master Kit (100 ft) - Order #69210 from Engineered Specialties, LLC for 199.99 + shipping 12.00); excellent sale price at bottom of typical range; ground shipping from Auburndale, WI; expected delivery Nov 20-26; foundation of complete compressed air distribution system for automotive and fabrication work (see Compressed Air System - Order Tracking and Compressed Air System Shopping List).
  • 2025-11-18: Roof Trusses Delivered: Engineered roof trusses delivered to site around 11:30 AM by Letherer Truss Inc. and staged on cured concrete slab; complete engineering documentation package received including 8-page truss design drawings, T.P.I. bracing instructions, and loading ticket (Job #123907); 41 trusses total (5,359 lbs) plus beams and hardware; all framing materials now onsite and ready for crew mobilization scheduled between Nov 24-Dec 1 (see 2025-11-18 - Pixel - Roof Trusses Delivered, 2025-11-18 - Pixel - Truss Layout Schematic (Large Format), 2025-11-18 - Letherer Truss - Delivery Packet, 2025-11-18 - Letherer Truss - Loading Ticket). Weather: Cloudy, 39°F. Good conditions for material delivery.

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  • 2025-11-18: Framing Schedule Updated: Called Marcus (Hershberger’s) at 1:30 PM to notify about truss delivery; new target start date: December 3, 2025 (updated from Nov 24-Dec 1 window); additional material deliveries expected; crew will bring equipment to position materials before starting construction; Marcus noted each truss has QR code linking to exact specifications and engineering drawings; owner will place documentation bin onsite for contractor to save product manuals/materials (garage doors, openers, windows, siding, etc.) (see 2025-11-18 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule Update, 2025-11-18 - Pixel - Truss Identification Tag with QR Code).
  • 2025-11-26: Framing Start Confirmed: Marcus called to confirm framing will begin Tuesday December 2nd (afternoon) or Wednesday December 3rd (morning); schedule confirmed as expected (see 2025-11-26 - Call - Marcus Framing Start Confirmed).
  • 2025-12-01: Pre-Insulation Work Confirmed: Called Marcus and confirmed Hershberger’s crew will complete all critical air/moisture control work: tape all exterior sheathing seams, install Tyvek house wrap, flash all windows and tape after install, seal all exterior penetrations. Roof venting strategy finalized: vented assembly with vented soffits + continuous ridge vent. See Critical Pre-Insulation Requirements for updated checklist.
  • 2025-12-01: Electrical Contractor Outreach: Contacted Axiom Wiring (email) and Mr. Electric of Central Michigan (call + email) requesting quotes for electrical service installation. Mr. Electric scheduled site visit for Monday, December 8, 2025. Two quotes already received: Seiter Electric (3,885 for 100A - not to spec). See Electrical Contractors for quote comparison.
  • 2025-12-01: SLS Electric Call: Steve (SLS Electric) called back to discuss 200A service and generator options. Discussed permanent standby generators (Generac-style with automatic transfer switch) and large portable units (Harbor Freight 50A connection ~$3,000). Will provide two quotes: electrical service (200A) and generator add-on. Site visit scheduled Wednesday, December 3 (same day as framing start) to review scope and take measurements. See 2025-12-03 - Site Visit - SLS Electric Quote.
  • 2025-12-02: House Electrical Panel Documented: Photo documentation of existing house main panel completed in preparation for electrical contractor discussions. Photos capture panel interior with circuit layout, inspection stickers (permits from 2005-2006), factory specifications/legend, and panel mounting with work clearance. Confirms Eaton/Cutler-Hammer 200A load center with available space for 2-pole 100A feeder breaker in top-left position. See Existing House Panel Documentation and photo series.
  • 2025-12-03: Framing Kickoff: Hershberger crew mobilized and stood first-floor walls with LVL garage door headers and temporary bracing; sill gaskets installed; OSB sheathing bundles and joist hangers staged; material invoices captured for records. See photos in December 3, 2025 - Framing Kickoff and status in Framing. Weather: Overcast, 18-24°F. Snow cover on site from overnight accumulation; cold but workable conditions for framing kickoff.
  • 2025-12-04: Major Framing Progress — Roof Trusses Set & Dormer Framing: Gehl RT215 track loader arrived early morning (7:57 AM) for snow clearing and material handling; all roof trusses set with loader assist by midday (9:15 AM-12:13 PM); dormer wall panels framed and stood on roof structure; loft floor joists installed with Simpson hangers and blocking; Titebond construction adhesive applied between joists and subfloor decking (standard “glue-and-screw” method for squeak prevention and structural rigidity). Significant single-day progress transforming the structure from walls to full roof framing. See Dec 4 Photos (11 photos) and Build Progress. Weather: Overcast clearing to partly sunny, then clear by afternoon; 10-21°F, NW winds 5-10 mph; snow cover from Dec 1-3 storms; cold but excellent visibility as skies cleared.
  • 2025-12-08: Roof Sheathing & Weatherproofing: Roof sheathing nearly complete on main roof planes; sheathing lifted to dormer level using skid steer with forks; synthetic underlayment installed across main roof planes and dormer roofs; Tyvek house wrap applied to dormer faces with uncut window openings; black starter course and taped seams at eaves and gable edges; garage bays remain open with temporary cross-bracing. Significant weatherproofing progress ahead of roofing installation. See Dec 8 Photos (2 photos) and time-lapse video. Weather: Clear winter sun to partly cloudy, 20-26°F; full snow cover on site; excellent conditions for roofing work.
  • 2025-12-09: Loft & Stair Interior Progress: Site visit documenting interior framing progress; stair rough-in to loft complete with treads temporarily decked for access, landing framed with blocking under stringer; loft floor fully decked with OSB subfloor; knee walls and dormer sidewalls framed to half-height; dormer rough openings framed with headers, sills, and trimmers ready for window installation; exposed rafters, collar ties, and metal connector plates visible throughout; interior protected by completed weatherproof shell. See Dec 9 Photos (4 photos) and time-lapse video. Weather: Cloudy, 33°F (feels like 25°F); overcast skies with snow cover on roof and ground.
  • 2025-12-11: Metal Roof Installation & Material Delivery: Standing-seam charcoal metal roof installation in progress on main roof planes and dormers; roofing crew working throughout day with panels nearly complete by late afternoon; dormer returns wrapped and ready for window installs; Major material delivery from ABC Supply: 8 windows (7x Premium Designer NC DH 35½”×35½” + 1x egress 39½”×59½”), half-lite exterior door, Versetta Ledgestone panels (Plum Creek), Tyvek HomeWrap, Dupont flashing tape, foam closures, ridge vent materials, and roofing fasteners all staged inside garage. See Dec 11 Photos (26 photos). Weather: Cloudy, 26-30°F; cold winter afternoon with snow cover; good conditions for roofing work.
  • 2025-12-11: Electrical Contractor Selected: SLS Electric LLC (Steve) selected for 200A electrical service installation; Quote: $4,610 includes 200A panel/wire, GFI outlets (interior + exterior), double-gang switch, 3 soffit wafer lights, two 1” low-voltage conduits, and 50A generator plug; main service awaiting scheduling; generator plug to be installed after siding is complete (exterior-mounted inlet box). See Quote Summary and Contractor Records.
  • 2025-12-12: Exterior Shell Complete: Metal roof fully installed on main roof and dormers; all 8 windows installed (7x 35½”×35½” + 1x egress 39½”×59½”); main entry door (half-lite) set at right bay; vented soffits installed along front eave; Tyvek HomeWrap fully covering all wall surfaces. Building is now weathertight and ready for siding installation scheduled for Monday. Roofing crew completed cleanup of leftover metal scraps. See Dec 12 Photos (10 photos). Weather: Partly cloudy to overcast, 30°F (feels like 23°F); snow cover on ground; cold but clear conditions for final exterior work.

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  • 2025-12-16: Christmas Break Schedule: Called Marcus (Hershberger’s); crew taking Christmas break; earliest return date: December 29, 2025 to finish exterior siding work. Building is weathertight so no urgency. See 2025-12-16 - Call - Marcus Christmas Break Schedule.
  • 2025-12-18: Electrical Trenching Attempt — Frozen Ground Delays to Spring: SLS Electric (Steve) arrived ~3 PM to begin trenching for 200A house-to-garage underground power line. Ditch Witch successfully trenched and buried wire in section along house foundation where ground was thawed from building heat transfer (~6-8 ft of wire left above ground at house meter for panel connection). However, open area between house and garage had ~10” frozen ground — unusually early and deep freeze for December. Rented largest available backhoe but made only 3 feet of progress in 30 minutes. Decision made to halt work and resume in spring 2026. Wire spool stored at terminus for spring completion. See Dec 18 Photos (6 photos). Weather: Cloudy, 50°F — warm day but deep ground frost persisted in open areas.
  • 2025-12-20: Loft Interior Documentation: Site visit to document current loft interior condition during Christmas break pause. Photos captured: loft floor (OSB subfloor installed Dec 4 with Titebond glue-and-screw method), dormer windows from interior, knee wall framing, stair opening, and overall loft layout. Loft Flooring Plan documentation created with LVP product research and acoustic underlayment recommendations for future home theater use ($2,300-3,300 budget). See Dec 20 Photos (8 photos) and Loft Flooring Plan. Weather: Clear to partly cloudy, 28-35°F; good conditions for site documentation.
  • 2025-12-22: Crew Return Schedule Confirmed: Marcus called with updated schedule: crew will return Monday, December 29 for one day of work, then take New Year’s off and return Wednesday, January 1, 2026. From January 1st forward, crew will work each day continuously until the project is complete. Exterior siding work to resume.
  • 2025-12-28: Severe Winter Storm & Generator Purchase: Major winter storm brought high winds (gusting to 60 mph) and heavy snow to central Michigan. Power outage began ~4 PM affecting home; approximately 52,000 homes without power near Clare, MI. In preparation for the storm, purchased Harbor Freight 11500/9000W TF Super Quiet Inverter Generator (SKU 72614) from Bay City store #3102 for 2,398.72 total). Generator provides immediate backup power capability ahead of planned 50A inlet installation. See Receipt. Weather: Winter Storm Warning active; heavy snow with 2-7” accumulation, winds gusting to 60 mph, dangerous conditions.
  • 2025-12-28: Electrical Trenching Plan Update: Spoke with Steve (SLS Electric) regarding underground power line completion. Plan: after garage construction is finished, SLS will place cement blankets on the frozen ground to thaw the trench path; estimated 1-2 weeks for ground to thaw sufficiently. Once thawed, they will proceed with trenching and complete the 200A house-to-garage power installation. This approach avoids waiting until spring 2026.
  • 2025-12-29: Power Restored; Crew Weather Delay: Power restored ~6 AM after approximately 14-hour outage. Hershberger crew did not work today as expected due to unsafe conditions from ongoing winter storm — Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 7 PM with wind gusts to 60 mph, light snow, 28°F (feels like 14°F), and poor visibility. Crew expected to return when conditions improve. Weather: Light snow, 28°F, winds 21 mph gusting to 33 mph; Winter Storm Warning in effect.
  • 2025-12-25: Rafter Documentation for Insulation Planning: Site visit to document interior roof truss structure for future insulation planning. Photos captured truss spacing (24” on-center), gusset plate locations, ridge area geometry, gable end details, and cavity depths. Truss job tag #123907 confirmed matching Letherer Truss delivery documentation. See Dec 25 Photos (7 photos). Weather: Cloudy, 21°F; cold Christmas afternoon.
  • 2026-01-01: Siding Progress - Near Completion: Site visit documenting siding installation progress. West wall and north wall siding 100% complete; front and south walls partially complete with upper gable sections remaining. Light gray vinyl siding with white trim; Versetta Ledgestone (Plum Creek) stone veneer columns flanking garage door openings and service door. Cracked stone panel delayed stone column completion today — crew will pick up replacement panel tomorrow. Crew will leave siding gap for exterior outlet above stone between entry door and third bay. Electrician (SLS) will install soffit fixtures and lights. Crew reports siding will be finished tomorrow (January 2). Garage door installation scheduled for January 6 — final construction task remaining. Crew renting dumpster for cleanup after build complete; owner to collect useful scrap materials before disposal. See Jan 1 Photos (10 photos) and Builder Conversation. Weather: Cloudy, 21°F (feels like 11°F with wind chill); snow cover on ground.
  • 2026-01-02: Front Siding Delayed - Material Shortage: Crew unable to complete front siding due to replacement stone panel not in stock. Since siding must be installed from bottom to top, the front wall cannot proceed without the stone panel. All other areas complete: side walls, rear wall, both dormers fully sided, and exterior outlet housing installed (ready for electrician). Outstanding items for return visit: (1) stone panel delivery and front siding completion, (2) snow guards on roof above entry door, (3) sewer vent installation. Crew chief confirmed they will return once the missing stone panel is available to complete all remaining tasks. See Jan 2 Photos (4 photos). Weather: Clear skies, 18°F (feels like 8°F); snow cover on ground.
  • 2026-01-05: Garage Door Installation Canceled - Sizing Mismatch Discovered: Garage door installer arrived Monday morning to install the three garage doors. Upon unloading, he discovered a sizing mismatch between the doors and openings. Initially believed to be a door ordering error, it was later determined (Jan 13) that the doors were ordered correctly at 8 feet tall but the framing crew had been given incorrect prints showing 7-foot openings. Installer loaded the doors back onto his truck pending resolution. Installer left the three Genie 6170H-B Professional Line garage door openers on-site, staged inside the garage for future installation. See Installer Visit Notes and Jan 5 Photos (2 photos). Weather: Overcast, mid-30s°F; cold winter morning.
  • 2026-01-13: Front Siding Complete & Door Opening Modifications: Hershberger’s framing crew completed all remaining exterior work: (1) Front wall siding and Versetta Ledgestone stone veneer panels installed (delayed since Jan 2 due to missing stone panel), (2) Snow stops installed on roof above entry door, (3) Sewer vent stack routed through roof, (4) Garage door openings modified from 7 feet to 8 feet in height to match correctly-ordered doors — resolving the January 5 issue. Root cause: contractor received incorrect prints during build phase; doors were ordered at correct 8-foot height all along. Framing crew work essentially complete pending only site cleanup (dumpster rental). Only remaining task: garage door installation (~1 month out). After garage doors installed, Hershberger’s contract will be complete. See Jan 13 Photos (3 photos). Weather: Overcast, 30s°F; snow cover on ground.
  • 2026-01-15: Electrical Trench Ground Thawing Begins: SLS Electric deployed concrete curing blankets (passive insulation, not electrically heated) to thaw frozen ground between house and garage for electrical trench completion. Blankets laid in continuous path from garage toward house, covering the route where the December 18 trenching attempt was halted by ~10” of frozen ground. Passive thawing approach relies on solar absorption (black blankets), preventing further frost penetration, and allowing geothermal heat from below to warm the soil. Estimated timeline: 2-4 weeks depending on weather — target completion late January to early February 2026. A warm spell (40°F+ for several days) would accelerate thawing. Once sufficient thaw depth is achieved (24-36” needed for code-compliant burial), crew will return to complete the trench and bury the 200A wire connecting house meter to garage subpanel. See Jan 15 Photos (1 photo). Weather: Clear skies, 18°F (feels like 7°F with wind chill); cold conditions causing ground freeze that necessitates blanket thawing.
  • 2026-01-21: 🎉 GARAGE DOORS INSTALLED — INITIAL BUILD COMPLETE: Garage door installer returned and successfully installed all three 8’x9’ insulated white garage doors with window panels, plus three Genie 6170H-B Professional Line openers with battery backup. Doors tested and operational using battery backup (no grid power to garage yet). This marks the completion of the Hershberger’s construction contract — initial build phase is complete. Hershberger’s will return with a dumpster for scrap pile cleanup. Remaining work (owner responsibility): electrical service completion (ground thawing in progress), interior finish, HVAC installation. Temporary power plan: extension cord to charge backup batteries until permanent electrical service complete. See Timelapse Video, Battery Backup Demo, Jan 21 Photos (8 photos), Genie Opener Manuals. Weather: Cloudy, 28°F (feels like 16°F with wind chill); snow cover on ground.
  • 2026-01-22: Garage Door Weatherstripping Complete: Installers returned to add exterior weatherstripping seals (rubber gaskets) around all three garage door openings — garage door installation now fully complete. Prior to visit, owner connected extension cord for temporary power; observed 2 of 3 opener backup batteries had fully drained since Jan 21 installation (no LEDs lit). Third battery retained some charge. After charging, all doors operational via temporary power. Minor issue noted: Bay 1 & 2 doors shudder during first few feet when closing from full open; Bay 3 does not. Possible causes: reduced power from extension cord/low batteries, slight misalignment, or extreme cold. Installers will research; can return for adjustments if issue persists. Battery note: SLA batteries can be damaged by deep discharge; Genie manual shows battery state monitoring but doesn’t confirm low-voltage cutoff protection. Recommend connecting temporary power promptly for future installations without permanent electrical service. See Installer Visit Notes. Weather: Cloudy, 19°F (feels like 5°F with wind chill); very cold.
  • 2026-01-27: Building Inspector Visit — Passed with Requirements: Building inspector conducted site visit; passed inspection with requirements noted: (1) Guardrail at stairwell opening in loft required for fall protection (36” min height, 4” max baluster spacing), (2) Stairway handrails required but can wait until after interior finishing is complete. Inspector recommendation: If planning future apartment conversion, install a separate subpanel upstairs (e.g., 100A) so tenant can reset their own breakers; homeowner can self-install if space is general-purpose first, then converted to apartment later. Electrical plan: Main floor circuits to 200A panel; loft circuits (outlets, lights, HVAC) to dedicated upstairs subpanel. Guardrail solution: Frame full-height wall now (future bathroom wall), sheath lower 42” with scrap plywood for code-compliant guardrail; add blocking for future bathroom fixtures; becomes permanent wall when bathroom is built. See Annotated Photo showing required railing location and construction plan. Weather: Cloudy, 19°F (feels like 5°F with wind chill); cold winter afternoon.
  • 2026-01-29: Electrical Trench Thawing Delayed — Extreme Cold Persists: Weather analysis of the 14 days since cement blanket installation (Jan 15) shows no significant thawing progress due to sustained extreme cold. Daily highs ranged from 10-31°F with lows reaching -2°F (Jan 20) and -10°F (tonight). The passive blankets rely on solar absorption and geothermal heat from below, but these mechanisms cannot overcome temperatures 15-40°F below freezing. Compounding factors: Blankets are currently buried under several inches of snow (reflecting sunlight rather than absorbing it), and most days have had complete cloud cover — minimal solar energy reaching the ground even if blankets were cleared. The original 2-4 week estimate assumed a warm spell (40°F+ for several days) — no such warming has occurred or is forecast. 7-day forecast shows continued cold: highs 10-28°F, lows -10°F to 11°F, wind chills to -19°F. January 2026 is running 14-23°F colder than normal (normal high 28°F, normal low 13°F). Revised timeline: Late February to early March 2026 (realistic), or March if cold pattern persists. Action item: Clear snow from blankets with broom to restore solar absorption capability when clear days occur. Options: (1) continue passive approach and wait, (2) discuss heated blankets with SLS Electric, (3) wait for natural spring thaw. Weather: Partly cloudy, 14°F high, -10°F low; wind chill to -6°F overnight.
  • 2026-02-06: Electrical Trench Thawing Update — Coldest Week Yet, No Progress: The week since the last update (Jan 30 - Feb 6) has been the coldest stretch of the entire winter, driving frost depth even deeper. Temperatures dropped to -9°F on January 30 with wind chills to -18°F, and overnight lows hit -1°F on Feb 4 and Feb 5. Daily highs ranged from just 12-27°F — never approaching freezing. Light snow on Feb 2 added additional insulating snow cover over blankets. Cement blankets have now been deployed for 22 days (since Jan 15) with zero thawing progress. The sustained extreme cold has almost certainly deepened the frost line beyond the original 10” measured on Dec 18, working against the passive thawing strategy. Current conditions (Feb 6): 16°F, clear, wind chill 0°F — 16°F below the normal high of 33°F and 12°F below normal low of 17°F. 7-day forecast (Feb 7-13): Weekend remains cold (Sat high 17°F, Sun 21°F with light snow). A brief warming trend arrives Tuesday-Wednesday (Feb 10-11) with highs of 35-37°F — the first above-freezing temperatures since blanket deployment — but drops back to 29-31°F by Thursday-Friday. This 1-2 day warmup is insufficient for meaningful thawing of deeply frozen ground; sustained periods of 40°F+ for multiple consecutive days are needed to reverse weeks of deep freezing. Revised timeline: March 2026 (most likely). The original “late Feb” estimate is now optimistic given the additional frost depth accumulated during this extreme cold stretch. Ground temperatures lag air temperatures significantly — even when consistent above-freezing weather arrives, thawing 12-18”+ of frozen soil through passive blankets alone will take additional time. Recommendation: Continue passive approach for now; the Feb 10-11 warmup should be used to clear snow from blankets and restore solar absorption capability. If March temps cooperate (normal highs reach 40-45°F by mid-March), trenching could resume by mid-to-late March. Consider contacting SLS Electric to discuss timeline expectations and whether powered ground thawing equipment would be worthwhile if March remains cold. Weather: Clear, 16°F (feels like 0°F); wind gusts to 29 mph from NNW; overnight low expected 5°F with wind chill to -12°F.
  • 2026-02-11: Cement Blankets Removed — Ground Still Frozen, Spring Thaw Required: SLS Electric (Steve) visited the site and removed the concrete curing blankets that had been deployed since January 15 — 28 days of passive thawing with zero progress. The ground beneath the blankets remains frozen solid. The historically extreme cold of January-February 2026 (daily highs 10-30°F, lows to -10°F, persistent snow cover burying blankets) completely defeated the passive thawing strategy and likely deepened the frost line well beyond the 10” measured on December 18. Electrical trench completion is now deferred to natural spring thaw. Revised timeline: ground thaw sufficient for trenching expected late March to April 2026; 200A service energization targeted for April-May 2026. The partially completed trench section along the house foundation (wire buried Dec 18) remains intact; wire spool stored at terminus for spring completion. See Post-Removal Photo (Feb 12) and Blanket Deployment Photo (Jan 15). Weather: Mostly cloudy, ~30°F; snow cover on ground.
  • 2026-03-08: Fire Extinguisher Order — First Safety Equipment Purchase: Ordered 2× Amerex B456 10 lb ABC fire extinguishers (4A:80B:C) with wall brackets from WebstaurantStore for $200.32 total (Order #122780704). These are the first units of the fire suppression plan — intended for the FE-1 (mechanical room) and FE-2 (east workbench/welding area) locations per the Fire Extinguisher Plan. The plan calls for 6 main floor ABC units + 2 loft units + specialized lithium and blanket stations; remaining equipment will be ordered as interior buildout progresses. Free ground shipping from Lititz, PA.
  • 2026-03-24: Electrical Trench Complete — Wire Buried: SLS Electric (Steve) completed the underground trench from house to garage, resolving the months-long frozen ground delay that began December 18, 2025. The trench carries the 200A feeder wire from the house SW corner to the garage foundation. Trench was backfilled same day. Tomorrow (March 25): SLS crew will return in the morning to (1) connect the wire to the house breaker panel and (2) install the 200A panel in the garage. Electrician estimates the job can be completed in a single day — if so, the garage will have permanent electrical service by end of day March 25. See Open Trench Photo (before backfill). Weather: Cloudy, 43°F (feels like 36°F); excellent conditions for trenching after months of frozen ground.
  • 2026-03-31: Electrical Service Nearly Complete — SLS Electric On-Site: SLS Electric crew arrived and completed the majority of the electrical service installation. Currently energized: Interior GFCI outlet near panel — one live circuit powering garage door openers (replacing 100’ extension cord from house). Installed and wired: 50A Reliance CS6375 generator inlet on garage exterior. Installed but not yet connected to breakers: Exterior weatherproof GFCI outlet, 3 soffit wafer lights (romex routed to switch location). Also completed: Breakers installed in garage 200A Eaton panel, romex routed for soffit light switch circuit, two 1” conduit penetrations sealed with expanding foam at house basement wall. One item remains: a single switch box near the entry door is unfinished — SLS did not have a light switch on hand. Wires are run but unterminated. SLS will return to wire the switch during the electrical inspection visit, which could be as soon as Thursday, April 3 (inspector only conducts inspections on Tuesdays and Thursdays). House panel connection (Eaton BRPSF225 lug block kit) still pending — part staged at house panel. See March 31 Photos (25 photos total — 12 earlier + 13 evening). Weather: Overcast, 46°F, light rain earlier; wet conditions.
  • 2026-03-08: Ground Thaw Timeline Update — Conditions Dramatically Improved: Weather analysis of the past 3 weeks shows significant progress toward natural ground thaw after the brutal Jan-Feb freeze. Three distinct thaw periods have occurred since blanket removal: (1) Feb 15-21 delivered the first sustained above-freezing stretch — 6 days with highs of 33-45°F, four consecutive days (Feb 17-20) where temps never dropped below 32°F; (2) Feb 27-28 brought another warm spell with highs of 46-52°F; (3) Mar 5-8 produced the strongest warming yet — highs of 41-66°F with overnight lows staying above freezing (33-53°F). March 7 hit 66°F with a 53°F low, the warmest day since before the freeze began. 16-day forecast is very encouraging: Mon-Tue (Mar 9-10) forecast at 66°F highs, followed by heavy rain Tuesday night-Wednesday (0.5-0.75” expected) — warm rain penetrating the soil will dramatically accelerate subsurface thaw. Remainder of the forecast stays 40-47°F with lows in the low 30s, still well above the climate normal high of 41°F. Revised timeline: ground likely workable for trenching by mid-to-late March 2026 — approximately 2 weeks ahead of the previous “late March to April” estimate. The combination of sustained above-freezing temperatures, warm overnight lows preventing re-freezing, and incoming heavy rain should thaw the 12-18” frost layer that accumulated during the historically cold January-February. Action item: Contact SLS Electric (Steve) to schedule a test probe of the trench route during the warm spell this week; if ground is workable to 24-36” depth, schedule trenching immediately. If still partially frozen, the continued above-normal March temperatures should finish the job within 1-2 weeks. Weather: Partly cloudy, 66°F high, 45°F low; 20-25°F above normal.
  • 2026-04-06: Dumpster Delivered for Scrap Cleanup: Hershberger’s delivered a roll-off dumpster for post-construction scrap removal. The debris pile (insulation offcuts, drywall pieces, foam scraps) has accumulated since initial build completion in January. Marcus stated the construction crew is working in Harrison this week and will stop by after 4 PM sometime soon to pick up the scraps. Owner should sort through pile for reusable materials (metal roofing offcuts, etc.) before crew loads dumpster. See Dumpster Photo. Weather: Cloudy, 44°F (feels like 41°F); overcast with slush on ground.
  • 2026-04-08: Electrical Work Complete — Awaiting Final Inspection: SLS Electric finished all remaining electrical work. Soffit light switch installed and wired (unterminated since March 31 visit), completing the 3-wafer soffit light circuit; exterior weatherproof GFCI outlet now energized; all garage lighting operational. Crew dug an inspection hole to expose the underground feeder wire between house and garage for inspector verification of burial depth and routing. Electrical inspection scheduled for tomorrow (April 9, Thursday) — inspector conducts inspections Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Once inspection passes, SLS Electric’s scope of work will be fully complete. See Photos. Weather: Clear skies, 56°F; excellent spring conditions.
  • 2026-04-17: SLS Electric Final Invoice — Scope Complete: Received the final invoice from SLS Electric LLC ([[Email Imports/2026-04-17 - SLS Electric - Final Invoice|Invoice #2449]]) totaling 3,885 base 100A subfeed/panel/GFI/switch/wafer lights/conduits + 725 200A upgrade & 50A generator inlet + **200 insulated blankets (reimbursement for the 2026-01-21 frost-pull attempt) + 440 (+9.5%) over the original $4,610 quote, entirely explained by the mid-job frost blanket addition and the card surcharge. SLS scope of work is fully complete — panel, subfeed, generator inlet, interior/exterior GFCI outlets, entry-door switch, and 3-wafer soffit lighting all installed, terminated, energized, and inspection-passed. All remaining electrical work (interior lighting circuits, workbench/lift bay/stairwell wiring, Shelly relay installation, outlets throughout) is now owner DIY unless a particularly challenging task warrants calling Steve back. See Scope of Work for the DIY/contractor split. Weather: Morning fog (46-52°F) clearing to sunny skies by late morning, high of 73°F, light winds 5-13 mph; beautiful mid-spring day.
  • 2026-04-22: 🎉 Garage Network Live & First DIY Smart Relay Installed: Three interlocking milestones completed the same day. (1) Garage Wi-Fi online: new Ubiquiti U6+ access point mounted and powered via PoE from the home server rack; coverage verified as strong throughout the building. (2) House-to-garage Cat6 run: pulled a new Cat6 through the 2” conduit SLS Electric installed during the underground feed (house-side terminus pulled 2026-04-19, photographed at the NW-corner junction box); also left a pull string in place for future low-voltage runs (second Cat6, fiber, etc.) without re-fishing the conduit. (3) First Shelly installed: wired a Shelly 1PM Mini Gen 4 behind a garage switch with Wago 221 lever nuts and commissioned it onto the new AP — the first owner-DIY device in the building and the first validation of the switch topology plan decided April 20. The 1PM Mini Gen 4 replaces the originally-specified Shelly Plus 1 at this location: same behind-the-switch fit, smaller form factor, and adds per-circuit power monitoring for no real cost increase. See photo. Weather: Clear, 58°F, 8 mph east winds; calm spring evening.
  • 2026-04-20: Interior Lighting Switch Topology Decided: Finalized the physical switch layout and Shelly smart-relay placement for all interior lighting zones. 3-way hardwired switches at two walk-through paths: (1) vehicle bay lights between the entry door and the stairwell bottom, (2) the stairwell light between the top and bottom of the stairs. Single-pole switches at point-of-use for task zones: workbench, lift bay, loft main lights — with whole-floor on/off handled via Home Assistant scenes through the Shelly relays rather than ganging switches at the entry. Shelly Plus 1PM mounted at the load (fixture-side) on both 3-way circuits for per-circuit power monitoring and always-works physical fallback if Wi-Fi/HA is down; Shelly Plus 1 behind the switch on single-pole zones where monitoring isn’t worth the price premium. Hardwired 3-way on the stairwell is a safety requirement — stair lighting must work even if the network is down. All lighting circuits verified under the 8A target (largest zone: vehicle bays at 3A on a 16A-rated Shelly — 5× headroom). Bill-of-materials updated: +$226-312 for Leviton toggle switches, Shelly relays, 12/3 NM-B traveler cable, and deep 1-gang boxes. See Switch Topology & Smart Relay Placement, Physical Switch Locations, Decisions Log, and Shelly Wiring Reference. Weather: Partly cloudy, 42°F (current conditions 10:55 PM), calm winds, 47% humidity; clear spring evening.

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  • 2026-05-11: Driveway Pour Gated on Utility Trench Sequencing: Called Terry at All American Concrete about the driveway. Terry raised a sequencing question: should the house-to-garage utility trench (sewer, natural gas, water) be installed before the driveway is poured? Owner did not know. Terry referred a plumber (Brian McJames) who can clarify both the sequencing and which portions of the trench install require a licensed plumber. Owner called Brian same day — no answer, voicemail left. Driveway pour is now gated on Brian’s input. Also reminded Terry about the still-outstanding floor coating contractor referral (polyurea/polyaspartic); Terry has still not sent the link. See 2026-05-11 - Call - Terry Utility Trench Timing, 2026-05-11 - Call - Brian McJames Plumbing, and Plumbing Contractors. Weather: Clear, 54°F, 5 mph NNW winds; pleasant spring afternoon.
  • 2026-05-11: **SLS Electric 240 credit-card processing fee that was billed on the final invoice ([[Email Imports/2026-04-17 - SLS Electric - Final Invoice|Invoice #2449]]) but does not apply to check payments. Owner tendered 4,810 — $240 overpayment. Awaiting Steve’s response on refund vs. credit toward future work. See Electrical Service Installation — IN PROGRESS. Weather: Clear, 54°F, 5 mph NNW winds.
  • 2026-05-26: Morning-After Electrical Documentation + Layout Clarifications: Eight follow-up photos of yesterday’s first DIY electrical day. Resolved several layout questions that hadn’t been captured cleanly the night before: (1) Three separate perimeter circuits, not two. The north wall has two distinct circuits (16” AFF floor line — currently energized; workbench-height ~46” AFF — not energized yet, needs more receptacles), each with its own GFCI lead device. The west wall is a third separate circuit (16” AFF only — no workbench planned on this wall — also not energized; no outlets installed yet). The 16” energized circuit’s GFCI lead was raised to workbench height near the loft stairs so the rolling tool cabinets that will sit on that section of the north wall don’t block access. (2) Workbench is central on the north wall, equidistant from both garage bays, with rolling tool cabinets to the east of the workbench against the same north wall, near the future 2-post lift and the loft stairs. (3) 5 workbench-height 2-gang boxes total on the north wall — one is the raised GFCI lead for the 16” circuit; the rest are on the workbench-height circuit. (4) The single GFCI device with incoming live power from the new breaker has its second slot empty (no duplex installed) and will be retrofit later in series with the 16” AFF chain. (5) Loft stairs are on the east side of the garage, starting at the back (north) and turning south to ascend to the loft. (6) Wire slack at the panel was left intentionally long while the team evaluates whether to bundle all first-floor cables into a single conduit up to the rafters (kneewall area is excellent for running along the long edges of the garage) vs. keep them inside the kneewall — a second conduit will be needed later for the future loft 100A subpanel feed. (7) Garage door openers initially appeared to all be working via the Aladdin Connect app, but a side-by-side comparison of the three Bluetooth safety light fixtures showed two glowing blue and one glowing green. Firmware confirmed identical across all three openers (v6.3.1), and the green LED turned out to be a fault indicator — Aladdin Connect subsequently reported an interlock error on Door 1 (door disabled because the opener head cannot see its Bluetooth light fixture). Resolution is to re-pair Door 1’s safety light fixture; tracked on the To-Do list. (8) Labeling plan: use sharpie to mark all Romex at the panel within a day or two, then proper printed labels before any insulation, vapor barrier, or drywall goes in (label maker is misplaced at the moment). 8 photos in index — north wall both circuits in one frame, workbench-height circuit’s GFCI close-up, 16” circuit’s GFCI lead raised near the stairs, panel with 50A generator backfeed + new branch breaker, panel-side wire slack, and the Door 1 Bluetooth light interlock fault. Weather: Clear, 82°F, 38% humidity, 9 mph SW winds; bright direct daylight through the still-empty north window — excellent in-frame documentation conditions.
  • 2026-05-25: First DIY Electrical Day — Rear Wall Outlets Energized: 11-hour install day with Uncle Ed on the tools alongside the owner (and Conor, the owner’s son, drilling stud holes). Roughed in three perimeter circuits on the rear (north) and west walls; only the rear (north) wall 16” outlet chain was fully terminated, breakered, and energized today — the first owner-DIY circuit in the garage. Workflow split: owner pre-assembled outlet pairs on the bench (two 20A duplexes + three WAGO 221 lever-nuts per 2-gang) and Uncle Ed installed them into the boxes. Rear wall (16” AFF, energized): 12 outlets across multiple 2-gang boxes chained with 12/2 NM-B, lead box holds the GFCI device protecting the downstream chain; new 20A BR breaker landed in the garage Eaton panel. Used all 12 outlets on hand — no more devices in inventory. West wall (16” AFF, not energized): boxes mounted and romex chained through the stud bays, but the panel-side home run was not yet pulled and no breaker added. (The west-wall home run does not wrap the north wall — it later went up from the southernmost west-wall outlet, through a hole into the kneewall chase, across, and down to the breaker panel.) North wall workbench-height (between the two north windows, not energized): 2-gang installed at ~46” AFF, also unconnected at the panel side. Both remaining circuits also need additional outlets (next Menards trip). Rough-in status: wires are routed but not yet stapled to studs — tidying-up pass deferred to a future day; the install is electrically complete and tested. Labeling and detailed circuit-position photos also deferred to tomorrow. Family record photos captured of Uncle Ed’s tape measure and his father’s Estwing hammer alongside the owner’s. See rear wall wide view, bench-assembly technique, panel before new breaker, and the Estwing companion shot (12 photos total in index). Weather: Morning fog clearing to clear skies; 50°F dawn warming to 82°F mid-afternoon high, evening 78°F partly cloudy; light winds 0-15 mph. Garage is still an unconditioned shell so ambient = working conditions — comfortable jeans-and-T-shirt day for the full 11 hours, no need to chase a heater or break for heat.
  • 2026-05-15: Loft Door-Closed Comfort Plan Decided — Pre-Roughs Added to Stage 3: Designed comprehensive HVAC strategy for keeping all future loft rooms comfortable when interior doors are closed. Three linked decisions: (1) Air-pathway hub approach — the 12k common-area zone serves as the donor for every other closed-door room via Suncourt TW108 transfer fans + return grilles, the same pattern already specced for the bathroom. Bedroom keeps its dedicated 9k head. (2) ERV pre-rough now, install later — Panasonic Intelli-Balance 100 duct chases, exterior wall caps, condensate stub, and capped 120V outlet roughed during framing (~45-60) preserves transfer-fan options as future rooms emerge. Stage-3 roughing tasks added to To-Do; orders updated in Mini-Split HVAC Order; full rationale in 2026-05-15 — Loft Door-Closed Comfort Approach, 2026-05-15 — Loft ERV Pre-Rough Now, Install Later, and 2026-05-15 — Loft Interior Door Specifications. Weather: Clear, 47°F, calm winds; cool spring evening (overnight observation).
  • 2026-06-07: Ceiling Lights — 3 Boxes Installed & First Run Lit 🎉: Uncle Ed and Chris helped for a few hours installing the three vehicle-bay ceiling-light boxes (one per bay) and pulling cable over to the switch box near the loft stairs (the stairwell-bottom 3-way location). A single chain of 5 linked Barrina LED shop lights was hung over Bay 3 (the east/lift bay) and tested off an extension cord — works perfectly. Each fixture hangs from two small single-screw clips, so the run pulls down and goes back up quickly — the team deliberately put the lights up now to work under real overhead light during interior buildout, judging that worth the minor inconvenience of removing/reinstalling the run when the ceiling gets drywalled. This is the dedicated 20A vehicle-bay lighting circuit (separate from the May 25–26 perimeter outlet circuits), 3-way switched per the switch topology (entry door + stairwell bottom). These fixtures double as construction lighting for the remaining build phases per the construction-phase lighting strategy. Remaining (owner hopes to do after work this week): (1) run 12/3 from the stairwell 3-way to the entry-door 2-gang box (which already holds the exterior-light switch + Shelly), (2) install the bay-light 3-way switch there, (3) run 12/2 from that box back to the panel and land a 20A breaker, then energize and test. Mud/cover plates ordered from Amazon arrived and fit. Better close-up photos of the new ceiling boxes to follow next visit. See June 7 photos (3). Weather: Clear, ~67°F; garage still an unconditioned shell so ambient = working conditions — comfortable temps for the session.
  • 2026-06-08: Bay Lighting & North-Wall Outlets — Device Install & Bench Pre-Assembly: Short ~3-hour session continuing the vehicle-bay lighting and north-wall outlet work. Bench pre-assembly: built receptacle modules ahead of install — three dual-gang outlet assemblies (paired 20A duplexes on WAGO 221 lever-nut pigtails for fast chaining) plus one single-duplex module for the Bay 3 ceiling box, per the project’s Wago-exclusive splice plan. North wall: installed receptacles in two of the workbench-height boxes (remaining boxes still need devices), and completed the single workbench-height outlet at the rolling-tool-cabinet location — wired into the 16” AFF row but raised above tool-cabinet height so the planned 72” rolling cabinet won’t permanently block it. Switching: added a new empty 2-gang box near the loft stairs for the bay-light 3-way + stair-light 3-way; documented the existing service-door 2-gang (left gang = exterior-light switch installed by SLS, right gang open for the interior bay-light 3-way). The always-on (unswitched) leg the electricians ran above the service door — feeding the exterior-light switch + exterior receptacle — is the intended constant-hot tap for the planned UL 924 battery-backup egress light. Ceiling: all three bay light boxes in; Bay 2’s cable is properly stapled but still needs a mud ring (installed before the Amazon mud rings arrived 2026-06-07), while Bay 1 and Bay 3 cables are not yet secured within 12” of the box (NEC 334.30) — owner-acknowledged miss from the short session, both fixes added to To-Do. Circuit status: the workbench-height outlet line and the vehicle-bay ceiling-light line are not yet energized — both being finished before the home run is pulled back to the panel. 7 photos in index — bench pre-assembly, Bay 1 unstapled, Bay 2 stapled, no mud ring, and the service-door switch box.
  • 2026-06-19: West-Wall Outlets + Full Garage Lighting Energized; GFCI Testing 🎉: Big DIY electrical evening. Energized two more circuits: the west-wall outlet line and the 3 ceiling-light outlets — the latter on a temporary 20A breaker (a 15A replacement is on order, and becomes required once the 14/3 stairwell lights join the circuit). With the earlier north (back) wall 16” line and bench-height 42” line (both energized in prior sessions), that’s now four owner-DIY branch circuits live, each on its own 20A breaker. Lighting complete: hung the remaining 10 Barrina LED bars to finish the 3 rows × 5 = 15-fixture initial garage lighting; all three rows switch together on the garage-floor 3-way (stairwell ↔ entry-door, white re-identified as a switched hot per NEC 200.7(C)(2)). Conor flipped the switch and called it “like being flashbanged” — the brightness target, hit. GFCI verification: tested the first and last outlet of every circuit with a new Klein Tools RT250 GFCI outlet tester — wiring read correct in all cases, and the TEST button tripped each GFCI in 0.08–0.09 s (well within UL 943’s allowance — a healthy result). The ceiling-light circuit has no GFCI, so it was verified for correct wiring only (correct). Planned: a systematic pass testing every receptacle with the RT250 and photo-documenting correct wiring (added to To-Do). Open item caught for the pre-drywall list: a not-fully-latched Wago on the hot-white at the stairwell switch box. 8 photos in index — incl. the all-15-lit ceiling view, the west-wall rough-in, both 3-way switch boxes. Garage visitors: a chipmunk 🐿️ made a tunnel system of the staged PVC pipes (caught on camera), and the neighbor’s grey-and-black tabby wandered in for a look before moving on. Weather: Clear, ~78°F daytime high cooling to ~60°F by the 9 PM wrap; unconditioned shell so ambient = working conditions — comfortable throughout.
  • 2026-06-24: South-Wall + Garage-Door-Opener Outlets — Wire Pulled & Sharpie-Labeled: Short ~1-hour session, rough cable-pull only. Ran all the wire for the south-wall outlet line (4 south-wall 16” AFF 2-gang boxes) and the garage-door-opener outlets (3 metal ceiling boxes, one per opener). Wire is run and labeled with sharpie only — no terminations, no cutting-to-length yet (the same sharpie-now / printed-labels-before-drywall plan noted on May 26). Next session (~1 hr planned): prep for install — cut the sheathing, cut each run to final length, label every run with the P-touch (proper printed labels), and strip the conductors to the correct length for the WAGO 221 lever-nuts. Then: install + energize — set the pre-assembled outlet modules, add the mud rings on the 3 ceiling boxes, pull the home run back to the Eaton panel, and land the breaker. Milestone payoff: once the ceiling outlets are live, the extension cords currently powering the three openers get retired in favor of the dedicated ceiling receptacles. Remaining 120V after this: only the mechanical-room wall outlets (an easy run). The 240V drops are still outstanding — owner is still deciding exactly where those should land. See Electrical Planning.
  • 2026-06-25: SLS Electric 240 credit-card surcharge that was mistakenly included when the final invoice ([[Email Imports/2026-04-17 - SLS Electric - Final Invoice|Invoice #2449]]) was paid by check rather than card. This closes the overpayment first flagged on 2026-05-11 — net cost to owner is back to the correct $4,810. See Electrical Service Installation — IN PROGRESS.
  • 2026-06-25: South-Wall Outlets — 3 of 4 Installed & Fully Labeled; Ran Out of Devices: Short ~1-hour evening session continuing the 2026-06-24 south-wall + opener rough-in. Installed receptacles in 3 of the 4 south-wall 16” AFF outlet boxes — the runs that drop down from the garage-door-opener ceiling boxes (the opener feeds tap down to the wall outlets). Ran out of outlets before the 4th box could be done — the shortfall that prompted the same-day 20-outlet top-up order (below). Labeled the wall studs, boxes, and wires as he went — slowed the pace a little, but the south-wall rough-in is now very well documented for the pre-drywall record. No photos this session — owner plans to shoot the labeled boxes/studs/wires tomorrow or this weekend. Remaining on this line: install the 4th outlet (pending the new order), then terminate, pull the home run to the panel, and energize. See Electrical Planning. Weather: Clear, 63°F at the ~10 PM wrap; unconditioned shell so ambient = working conditions — comfortable evening for device work.
  • 2026-06-25: Outlet Top-Up Order — 20A Kept, Mistaken 15A Order Cancelled: Ordered another 20 receptacles to finish the main-floor outlets (HD order WH36265506, 20× Leviton T5820-WS 20A TR duplex @ 84.38**; overflow earmarked for the loft). Briefly placed a second order thinking the 10-pack option was the same outlet 75% cheaper (21.16);** kept the 20A order. Receipt retained as [[Email Imports/2026-06-25 - Home Depot - Leviton 15A TR Outlets x20 (Order WK30153040, CANCELLED)|cancelled-order receipt]] until the AMEX cancellation confirms. See order record.
  • 2026-06-25: Interim Loft Cooling Sourced — Four A/C Units Borrowed, No Purchase Needed: Coworker Dan Riehl (whose father ran a construction business) offered to lend four room A/C units for the summer — 5,000 / 8,000 / 12,000 / 18,000 BTU (some older but working). This covers the temporary construction-phase loft cooling for $0, retiring the buy-used-then-resell-on-Craigslist fallback — the plan’s “ask coworkers first” step paying off. Only the two south dormers take window units at once, so the likely pairing is 12k + 8k in the dormers with the 5k as a tent spot-cooler; the 18k is held pending a voltage check (≥18k units are commonly 240V and wouldn’t run on the planned 120V dormer circuits). Pickup + condition-check pending. See decision.
  • 2026-06-25: Utility Trench — DPW Depth/Separation Guidance from Luke Potter: Called Luke Potter (Clare County DPW Superintendent) about the house→garage utility trench; he called back with informal pointers (driving, so written confirmation still wanted): sewer ≥3′ down (deeper better), water 5′ (60″) down to avoid freezing, water above sewer in a shared trench, else separate trenches ≥10′ apart. The 60″ water depth was a surprise — deeper than the generic ~42–48″ frost table — and removes the hoped-for 4′ wiggle room for stacking the sewer beneath the water while still sloping ¼″/ft to the house stack. Raises a basement-depth question: with the basement only ~5′ below grade, the sewer stack may not tie in low enough to keep water-above-sewer in one trench — the separate-trench option is the likely out. Measuring the basement blocks 2026-06-26 to find the lowest stack tie-in + max sewer drop. On permits: Luke stated several times that water & sewer need no municipal permit (surprising); he didn’t mention gas, which the owner expects will need its own permit. Owner will email Luke a measured/photo/drawing package early next week for written approval of the layout. Construction-question + excavation help comes from coworker Dan Riehl (runs excavators since childhood; figures the dig is ~an afternoon; can also borrow a Topcon RL-H5A rotary laser + grade rod from his brother when needed to hit exact depths and the sewer’s ¼″/ft slope — a dig-day tool, not on hand now). For the planning measurement, a water level (hose level) compares garage-vs-house elevation without it. See DPW record.
  • 2026-06-25: Backyard Grading & Drainage Plan with Terry (All American Concrete): Working out fixes for the backyard sloping toward the house (surface water driven at the foundation). Plan: use excess dirt from the driveway excavation to build up the grade around the house out to ~10′ from the back door; remove the sunken ~10′×5′ back-door porch slab (cracked, unlevel, 60+ yrs, long side against the house) and pour a new one pitched away from the house — bundled into the driveway pour (decided 2026-06-25; cheapest with equipment on site + concrete already ordered); and arrange the driveway so runoff drains to the road or to the side, never toward the house. The toward-house slope also confirms the garage sits slightly higher than the house — the favorable direction for a gravity sewer. Utility correction: gas = DTE, electric = Consumers. See grading plan.
  • 2026-06-29: Two vendor site visits — insulation + plumbing. Midstate Spray Foam Insulation LLC (the Hershberger-referred insulator — owner Eli Coblentz; this note originally read “Mid Michigan,” corrected 2026-07-01 from the quote letterhead — a mishearing; same

    _[Content redacted for privacy]_

    outfit    ) walked the loft and recommended spray-foaming the entire roof — in their opinion the only way to insulate this roof to code (the 2×8 top-chord depth limit) — and keeping the kneewall triangles as conditioned storage. That’s the full-foam (unvented hot-roof) variant of the still-open Conditioned-Triangle decision; quote to follow by email. ⚠️ Full-deck foam reverses the confirmed vented assembly → re-confirm with inspector. Separately, a Gladwin plumber (Advanced Plumbing Service Inc.) stopped by: indoor/tie-in work only — won’t dig the trench, but would hook up the lines once the trench + pipe is in (partial-scope candidate, must pair with an excavator). See 2026-06-29 - Site Visit - Midstate Spray Foam Insulation, Insulation Contractors, and Plumbing Contractors.
  • 2026-07-01: Midstate Spray Foam quote received — 6,590 + gable ends & dormer walls **2,000–2,800 slopes-only flash-and-batt Option B; weigh it on total assembly performance + the conditioned-storage gain, and get ≥1 competing full-roof quote before committing. The letterhead also corrected the vendor name to Midstate (owner Eli Coblentz), settling the old “Mid Michigan or Mid State?” question. Feeds the still-open Conditioned-Triangle envelope decision (a pre-insulation gate). See quote summary and Insulation Contractors.
  • 2026-07-01: Midstate follow-up call — Clare accepts the 5½” foam; flash-and-batt ruled out. Eli (Midstate) reported that Clare County accepts the quoted 5½” closed cell (≈R-38) for this cathedral roof under the depth-limited exception — no hard R-49 here (unlike Traverse City) — so the /board-foot drops as foam thickness increases**. Leaning toward accepting 5½” as-is; still want the building official’s confirmation on the record. See 2026-07-01 - Call - Midstate Spray Foam R-49 and Flash-and-Batt Guidance.

Projected Timeline (Winter 2025 - Spring 2026)

Status: Dependent on contractor scheduling and decision on construction strategy. See: Winter Construction Strategy for detailed analysis and alternative approaches.

Concrete Curing & Framing Phase

  • 2025-11-06 to 11-18: Foundation concrete curing (7-28 day cure period from Oct 30 pour); cure complete Nov 18 (19 days).
  • 2025-12-02/03 (Confirmed): Wall framing (Stage 3) start date — Confirmed 2025-11-26: Marcus called to confirm framing will begin Tuesday December 2nd (afternoon) or Wednesday December 3rd (morning). All trusses delivered Nov 18. Mechanical room walls/layout finalized; boiler vent route confirmed with equipment specifications; electrical service and gas line termination points planned. Owner will place documentation bin onsite for contractor to save product manuals. See 2025-11-26 - Call - Marcus Framing Start Confirmed.

Utility Installation Phase (Lead Time Item - Start Immediately)

  • 2025-11-01+: Contact licensed electrician for service installation quote and scheduling (target date: late Nov-early Dec). — stage:: 3
  • 2025-11-01+: Contact licensed gas fitter for gas service installation quote and scheduling (target date: late Nov-early Dec). — stage:: 3
  • 2025-11-01+: Apply for electrical service permit and gas line permit. — stage:: 3
  • 2025-11-23 to 2025-12-06 (Estimated): Electrical service installation: licensed electrician pulls 200A wire through conduit, installs panel, energizes from house feed. Inspection and approval required. Lead time: 2-4 weeks; high-demand season may cause delays. UPDATE (2026-03-24): Underground trench completed 2026-03-24 after months of frozen ground delay (Dec 18 - Mar 24). Panel install and energization scheduled March 25, 2026 — electrician estimates completion in one day. UPDATE (2026-03-31 PM): SLS crew nearly finished — breakers installed in panel, interior GFCI outlet wired, exterior GFCI outlet installed, 50A Reliance CS6375 generator inlet installed, conduit penetrations foamed at house basement. One switch box unterminated (no light switch on hand). SLS will complete switch during electrical inspection visit — possibly Thursday April 3 (inspector does Tues/Thurs only). House panel connection (Eaton BRPSF225 lug block) still pending. See photo documentation (25 photos). — stage:: 6
  • 2025-11-23 to 2025-12-06 (Estimated): Natural gas service installation: licensed gas fitter pulls PE pipe through conduit, buries line from house to garage, pressure tests. Inspection and approval required. Lead time: 2-4 weeks; high-demand season may cause delays. — stage:: 6
  • 2025-12-07 to 2025-12-13 (Estimated): Boiler and radiant manifold professional installation (pending electrical and gas service completion); system purging, leak testing, venting verification, and commissioning. — stage:: 6

Radiant Heat Operational

  • 2025-12-14 to 2026-01-15 (Best Case to Realistic): Radiant floor heating system operational; assists VEVOR diesel heaters for garage heating during interior completion. Note: Actual date depends entirely on contractor availability during high-demand season. Early January more realistic than mid-December. — stage:: 6

Generator Installation & Backup Power

  • 2025-12-14 to 2026-01-15 (Estimated): Generator inlet box (50A 240V NEMA 14-50) mounted on exterior garage wall; manual interlock installation at electrical panel; 4-wire feeder conduit run. Requires electrical service to be energized. Depends on electrical service completion milestone. — stage:: 6
  • 2026-01-01 to 2026-01-31 (Estimated): Natural gas quick-connect port installation for generator (coordinates with gas service line already installed for boiler). Portable tri-fuel generator tested and operational for backup power. — stage:: 6

Interior Completion Phase

  • 2026-01-01 to 2026-02-28: Mechanical room insulation and drywall completion (if not already complete); remaining garage wall insulation installation; continued interior work with radiant heat operational.
  • 2026-03-01+: Roof completion, siding, windows, doors, remaining interior finish.

Timeline Notes

  • Critical Path: Electrical service and gas service installations are the longest lead items (2-4 weeks each). Contractor scheduling during Dec-Jan may cause delays.
  • Decision Required: See Winter Construction Strategy to decide whether to pursue boiler operation this winter (aggressive timeline) or defer to spring 2026 (relaxed timeline).
  • Concrete Cure: Foundation pour occurred 2025-10-30; cure will be sufficient for framing by mid-November.
  • High-Demand Season: Dec 1 - Jan 31 is peak season for electrical/gas contractors; expect longer scheduling delays.
  • Contingency: If contractors unavailable for Nov-Dec, spring scheduling (Mar-Apr 2026) will be faster.

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