Photo Progress Update

Here's a change I mentioned earlier - the dormers originally went to the peak of the roof:


They have been redone so they come into the roof a little lower. It is a small change overall, but I think results in a much improved look:

Nice to see the house with the windows. The garage is going up now, and the ductwork and electricity is being run, as well as the Modern Home Systems "future-proof" data and entertainment wiring.

I stopped by on the first (rainy) weekend of the EarthCraft home tour and saw the insulation going into the model homes. The first photo is of an exterior wall, with the recycled newspaper insulation. Jamie Spence of Church Hill Homes explained that it is sort of "poured" in wet into the wall openings, with a form held against the studs and moved up as the insulation dries. The foam at the top prevents heat loss through the area of the ends of the joists, where it is difficult to apply conventional insulation. There is also foam (not seen here) applied where the exterior wallboard meets to prevent air and heat loss there.

There is also foam applied around where pipes come through the walls and ceiling...

...and even where wires come through also.

There is foam or caulk at all the window and door openings, and even between studs on the exterior wall. I was impressed.
Here's a look at the crawlspace, where the rigid insulation is foam sealed at the joints as well:

It is one thing to read about the EarthCraft specification and another to see it as it is actually applied.