Category Archives: Materials

All Tiled Up

Posted on June 29, 2009 by jeremybell

Worry not, I am still alive. Indeed, this is certainly a record for the blog… It’s been well over a month since I posted an update, and for that I must apologize. I usually spent some time on the weekend … Continue reading →

Posted in Finishings, Materials | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Hardwood Floors

Posted on May 13, 2009 by jeremybell

I must admit, choosing the species of hardwood was actually quite difficult for us. If you haven’t had the luxury of walking into a hardwood store (or looking online for that matter), you’ll quickly discover that there are thousands of … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

And Then There Was Drywall

Posted on April 4, 2009 by jeremybell

It’s been 222 days since we began construction, and we finally have drywall. I’m actually shocked how quickly everything was installed—The insulation and vapour barrier was delivered on March 21st and subsequently installed on the 31st. Drywall was delivered on … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Materials | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Strapped Out

Posted on March 24, 2009 by jeremybell

Our ICF foundation has 2 5/8” of foam on the exterior, which created a minor aesthetic challenge for us. To ensure everything was flush once we added the cladding, we needed to strap the exterior walls out to compensate. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Something Blue

Posted on February 26, 2009 by jeremybell

When it comes to insulating a roof, there aren’t many options… and in the case of a flat roof, the options are even fewer. A traditionally pitched roof has a large ventilated space that sits between the insulation (typically cellulose … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Off To A Busy New Year

Posted on January 11, 2009 by jeremybell

Sure, things slowed down as we approached Christmas, but with New Years behind us, there’s definitely been some action at the house and it appears we’ve fully awoken from the holiday-induced coma. The plumbing is well underway, with most of … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Letting The Sun In

Posted on December 30, 2008 by jeremybell

Things have been a little slow around the house this past week (‘tis the season, right?), so there hasn’t been much progress of late, however I did manage to climb up on the roof again to take a closer look … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Eco / Green, Materials | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Roof Torch Down

Posted on December 4, 2008 by jeremybell

We began weatherproofing the roof this week, despite a continued beatdown from Mother Nature. The sky has been perpetually grey and in between the snow and rain, we’ve been rolling out and torching down a SBS modified bitumen membrane (I … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Eco / Green, Materials | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Fawning Over Foundations

Posted on June 25, 2008 by jeremybell

When it comes to foundation construction in Canada, there are essentially 3 methods to consider: Block, Poured or ICF. Each is made with concrete, they all must be constructed on top of a concrete footing, and proper waterproofing, insulation and … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Eco / Green, Materials | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Under The Garage

Posted on June 23, 2008 by jeremybell

I don’t believe this is particularly common, but we’re planning on building two extra rooms in our basement by excavating the space under our garage. In a typical garage, the floor is simply a concrete slab that sits on top … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture & Design, Construction, Materials | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments