Below are the latest construction photos.

This is a photo of what Spancrete looks like. Once the sections are put into place, they are tag welded together. Then a waterproof membrane is put over the panels, followed by 4" thick concrete poured over the top. In this project, before the concrete was poured, pex tubing was run so the garage could have in-floor heat.



The Icynene foam insulation was chosen by the homeowners. They liked the fact that it creates a continuous barrier and helps buildings achieve U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) credits. Golden Eagle Log Homes supplies R-38 fiberglass ceiling insulation and R-19 fiberglass wall insulation as a standard in their complete package.



The dormer loft elliptical casement window adds a touch of class. This photo shows how tightly the Icynene seals up the home.



This photo shows the basement bedroom. The ceiling height is 9 feet. The sill box is very well insulated with spray foam. The window is large enough for egress (an emergency fire escape.)

This photo shows the basement prow wall. The big dark object is the hot tub spa set on edge. It needed to be put in the home's basement before the home was done or else it wouldn't have fit.



The unevenness of the foam will be shaved smooth once it's dry. The family is hoping the extra investment (about $15,000) will pay for itself with energy savings.



This photo shows what is under the Icynene foam on the vaulted ceiling. The pink and grey foam baffels are venting the roof. They are continuous from Golden Eagle Log Home's standard maintenance-free aluminum soffit up to the ridge vent.



The garage walls are insulated with Icynene and the ceiling will have R-38 fiberglass batt insulation.



This is a view of the ceiling. The black spot is where the ceiling fan will be attached. Golden Eagle Log Homes designs a small flat area in the peak of the ceiling for a number of reasons.
1. For extra roof strength.
2. Energy efficiency using fiberglass batt
3. A stable and straight surface for mounting the ceiling fans and future trimming out.



Here is a nice view of the rooms under the garage. Notice the Spancrete ceiling. For an extra $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the size of the garage, you can increase the square footage of the home very economically.

Progress on the family's lakehouse is continuing. Below are some of the latest pictures.

This is a photo of the loft bathroom. The round top window is in the bedroom area. The bathroom vanity will be on the wall straight ahead.



All cleaned up and ready for the insulation to come in.



Great room fireplace framed in. After insulation is complete the ProLine Baileys Harbor Stone will be applied. Note the two openings on the left of the fireplace unit. The one on the bottom is for firewood storage; the top arched opening will be for a decorative lighted display shelf.
Note:  The hearth is tall enough for sitting comfortably and warming yourself.



This is the prowside windows being installed. The walkout basement below will have two patio doors.



It might not look like a tub shower module but under the protective cardboard it is. Before the home is insulated, all the rough wiring, rough plumbing and rough framing must be done.

Here are the latest pictures of the construction. The entire structure is now taking shape.


The family was reassured by Golden Eagle that they design all of their homes to meet or beat local codes for wind and snow loads. This is especially important because of the recent weather in Wisconsin.



The house has 2"x12" rafters. The garage has regular roof trusses.






Note the large LVL main ridge beam. It is supported in four places, the front/back walls and two log posts in the loft. The front and back posts are built into the wall.



The worker's ladder is leaning on the loft floor. The loft floor is 24" thick and clear spans 28' wide. Wiring, plumbing, lightin and speakers can all be hidden in it.



Roof rafters with overhangs. Remember this house is a Golden Eagle log home with 10" split log, meaning its half log siding will be put on later.



This will be the loft bathroom.



This is the view of the house from the lake. The black silt fence along the lake is new code to keep sand from eroding into the lake.



This is the view standing in the middle of the loft facing the loft bedroom and bath. The hole in the floor is where the log stairway will be.



This is the loft view of the big lake.

Thankfully the contractors are experienced. They had the forethought to cover the building site with hay and then a very large tarp. This prevented the ground from freezing. Had they not taken these extra steps some recent snow storms in the area could have halted the ground breaking until spring. Their advanced planning however allowed for excavation to begin in late November. Below are pictures of their progress.

 

The family decided early in the process of creating their lakehouse that they wanted a garage, but the father saw an advertisement for something that has sparked his interest. The family is looking at the possibility of using a product/company called Spancrete for the garage floor so a basement/workshop can be constructed below the garage.

The family should also hear from the bank/appraiser next week on financing and appraisal of their lakehouse. The family is anxious to move past this phase of project and begin excavation of their lakehouse.