Crane is Coming

Today, the crane comes to install the roof beams. There will be three huge horizontal beams that run the length of the main part of the house. The top beam is the longest and will be installed at the crest of the roof. The other two beams will be installed over the front and back porches, respectively, and work with the top beam to hold the roof up. These beams will work with seven external columns to hold all of the weight of the roof, so that the roof’s weight does not bear down on the original house. Only the new floor will bear weight on the original house walls and foundation. (This turns out to have been a misunderstanding on my part. These new support beams help carry some but not all of the weight of the new roof. Much of the weight of the dormer will remain on the old house. But, this is a sturdy house and the engineering report says the foundation can take the weight.)

I want to be there today to see the crane swinging the beams into place. It should be one of the most exciting phases of the project. I plan to take many pictures.

One bit of bad news is that after the roof was completely removed and the new sub floor was put into place, we started to have a lot of rain. Heavy rain. After all, it is Portland and it is October. Despite wrapping with tarps, the rain water got in. We woke up early one morning to the sound of loud dripping in the living room and discovered several leaks, pealing ceiling paint, and water all over the old oak floors. We put all sorts of buckets and Tupperware in place to hold the water. Later that day the contractors brought a new larger tarp and cleaned up all the water in the living room. Since the new tarp has been in place, we have not had any more problems, but the damage has been done. We are left with a terrible ceiling in the living room, slightly warped floors, and an additional stain in the bedroom ceiling. I guess it could have been worse. I can’t wait for the new roof!

Oh, I forgot to mention that the builders decided not to cut the hole for the stairway before the new roof is in place. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have had all that heavy rain and had a giant hole in the ceiling. It probably would have been a whole lot worse!