Steel

The beams for the first floor are on site now.  Beam pockets have already been formed or cut in the basement walls and the structure calls for three beams to support the ICF floor. These beams need to be in place before the ICF subfloor can be setup.

Here's where they deposited four of the beams. I think these are going to be used for the first floor supports.  There's one span that holds up the rotunda and stairs, so that will probably need to be welded together.  Still a pretty mild winter so far.

Numbers written on the beams.  The framer says that once they're in place, they'll be coated to prevent further oxidation.

Some of the plates that will be welded to the posts and beams.  Bolts are driven down into the concrete footers so the posts don't shift.  The tops of the posts will be welded to the beams.

 Two more beams and two diameters of posts.  Steel beams will also be used to support the wrap around porch.  The thicker diameter posts are used inside the house, the thinner diameter posts are used to support the porch on the side of the house.

Here you can see the concrete footings for the side porch posts.  Once completed, the side porch will be about 10ft off the ground, overlooking the forest and the "front" yard.  It will be an awesome place to sit and enjoy a nice spring rain.

Beam in place.  This beam goes from the elevator shaft to the back of the house, sitting somewhere between the kitchen and mudroom.

This is how the beam sits in the pocket.  Rebar will be drilled down to peg the beam in place.  I'm pretty sure concrete will be poured to trap the beam.

Beam span under the kitchen.

Ground level shot of the beam.  You can see the pocket for the next beam on the left of the elevator shaft.  The third beam will span across the visible footings in the middle of the picture.

Just a little grading and fill dirt.

Still under a little bit of a slow down on the construction front.  Winter is a little mild this year so far in terms of snow fall, but temperatures are a little inhibiting for pouring flat concrete.  The walls are more or less okay to pour since the concrete curing process is exothermic.  You just need to protect the top of the walls from freezing, since you don't want the water in the concrete to crystallize.  It causes the concrete to powder and you end up with a weakened concrete matrix.

We paid out of pocket a bit and got some fill dirt laid out so that building will be a little easier.  Our fill budget was broken since we moved the house location a bit forward and went with a 10ft deep basement.  This means that the house was out of the ground more and less was excavated.

 Back porch and gazebo, with the walkout on the left.  We'll probably have to re-excavate this area since we're thinking about cutting and installing some doors to the area underneath the back porch.  This area will be tricky to landscape since there's a walkout just off the frame to the right and the backyard grade is at the height seen at the left.

 A few from the rear walk out up to the back yard.  You can see the gazebo and where the concrete pad for the outdoor fireplace will be.  We'll probably need to terrace this and have steps or something.

A view from the tip of the peninsula at water level.  You can't see the house yet, but I imagine when the first and second floors are added, you'll have no problem seeing it.  We're estimating that the house will be really, really tall since we're having 9ft ceilings on each floor plus the thickness of the ICF floor.  Combine that with a high roof line, and this house will look tall.

View from the peninsula just before the grade change down to the lake.  This is basically a shot of the back yard.  Future plans include a pool where the logs are on the right of the frame.  Amazing there isn't much snow yet.