stucco start

Yesterday the stucco contractor began to prep the house. The photos show the scaffolding and the bottom half of the house being lathed with paper and chicken wire. The stucco is one of the most critical trades in making the house look the way I want it to. I've stressed to the contractor that I need his corners to be crisp and clean and the surface to be a smooth sand finish. We'll see what they actually are able to produce. I'm skeptical to say the least.

This week was also a big week for inspections. We had mechanical, electrical and plumbing roughs inspected Monday along with the framing rough. Unfortunately only the electrical passed. The mechanical failed because the inspector said a strap was missing on the chimney flue (it was there all along, just up in the chimney where he couldn't see it). The plumbing failed because the plumbing contractor is using a new style of washing machine drain box that the inspector had never seen before and didn't think it was up to code. It is. Framing failed because the framers forgot to nail half of the truss hangers to the glu-lam over the kitchen. needless to say, I'm really glad the inspector caught that one. Wednesday we passed roof sheating and shear wall and gas piping. So yesterday I called the mechanical, plumbing and framing roughs again and again they failed - stupidly for the same reasons. This morning the fireplace contractor was out there putting ANOTHER strap where the inspector can simply look up and see it. In the meantime, I need to call the inspector and explain to him that the other items are allowed, just new to him. Hopefully I'll be able to call new inspections for Monday and finally get everything passed off.

The roofers should be starting today as well. I'll post pictures of their progress as soon as they make some.