The Vehicles Take Shelter


               Filtered sunlight, numerous bird and wildlife visitors, spectacular snow
               scenes and melodic wind songs as well as sunrises, sunsets and moon 
               shows are some of the benefits in living at the edge of a forest. 
 
 
 

                                            

                            

                                      

 
 
 
 

 
 

 


 
                                       
                 Dumps of pollen in Spring, showers of tiny male pine cones (resembling 
                 rice krispies) in early Summer, conifer sap drips in the heat of Summer, 
                 pine needles rain down 3-4 times late Fall, pine cones plummet 365 days 
                 and nights, broken branches hurtle down in wind storms and of course, 
                 rain and snow arrive seasonally.  
                 A handy rake, wheel barrow, garden hose and snow shovel can deal with
                 most of the "fall out" on the ground. 
                The impact on the vehicles is a different story.

            With the motor home gone,  a large empty driveway stood vacant and we 

           decided to erect a garage.  Chris ordered a "Garage Kit" which as the name

           suggests, did not come in a very large box with many tubes of glue.  There

           were many steps involved to completing the building and we were very 

           satisfied with the commitment and skill level that each group of workers 

           hired for the project.  Thanks Tom Sinnet and his team Jim, Clay and Sean   

           who applied their great skills in completing the bulk of the work.

                The shed was too close to the garage site so the construction crew pushed 
                it over a few feet.  A week later, we learned that it had to go over another
                meter so Chris, Linda and I moved it using a hydraulic jack, blood, sweat
                and tears.

             Chris began the project by making a 3D, scale rendering of the garage using
             the  "Chief Architect"computer program.
             After the building permit was acquired the decision making began: choosing
             size, design, siding and roof colour, door design and colour, addition and
             placement of windows, lighting and heating, to insulate? to drywall? to paint
             the drywall?  
             Chris spent hours on the internet and phone "You-Tubing" designs and advice,     
             touching base with the various contractors and tracking down essential tools 
             and parts from "Covid-locked down" hardware and building stores in the area. 
 
                                        
                                           December 8, the Bobcat pushes the shed over.
                                        
 
                                        
                                           upper driveway asphalt gets broken up
                                       


 
 old asphalt is removed



Chief Supervisor looks on



                                           December 9, Bobcats begin hole for support wall
                                                  Chris tries to speed things up and helps dig
                                                  Tirelessly Chris digs on through the night

                                 When I take him his morning coffee I am amazed at the progress!

                                                   Here is how the dig actually happened...
                                          Dec.11 trough of dirt was removed for the footings


                                             frames are constructed for the concrete footings

                                          Dec.11  the pour goes well and was fun to watch

                                               surface was quickly and expertly made smooth




                                          support wall frames are built


                                           Dec.13 support walls are poured


                                            December 14, wall frames are removed
                                           fill is placed in all the hollows


                                               fill is tamped down, now ready for the build
                                            December 28, garage framing wood arrives

                                            Chris and I tarp the wood to protect it from snow

                                            December 31, roof trusses are delivered

                                            January 4 & 5 walls begin to go up









                                            January 5, exterior plywood goes up



                                            January 6 & 7 roof trusses are installed


                                            Tom and his team


                                           
                                                   Inspector Bull gives his approval

                                           more wood arrives

                                                      I pretend to help
 
 Chris expresses his joy with the project so far.
 
January 7, roofing sheets up



 
Jan.8/9 tar paper & shingles completed

insulation delivered
Jan.10 ceiling insulation goes in

vapor barrier attached Jan.11

soffits installed 


 
Thanks to the team: Jim, Clay and Sean
                                       Sean spends a few days sanding and painting the drywall



February 1-3 siding goes up (wolf whistle please)

February 22
 
Home Hardware team install the garage door




March    floor pour


concrete ballet

                 Throughout the project, Chris was the electrician, installing receptacles 

                 for interior and mounting the exterior lighting, power panel, timer

                 switches, attic access, door openers and locks.







               Jeff from Wise Energy installed a gas heater and ran a line from the garage
               into the crawl space under the house.  The line is now buried under the new
               garden, and future walkway to the backyard.  


                                      Love this, Chris sent me a photo of our first garage spider!

               Charlie Greidanus, self employed, installed a gutter and downspout along 
               the roof edge next to the house to divert runoff away from the house
               and walkway.  It is great to be in a small community where contact 
               with reliable and expert tradesman are easy to find.

               We have both been busy moving earth around in preparation for the
               completion of the garage ramp and new garden. The vacant area between
               our current backyard garden and the back of the garage will eventually 
               become a new garden.  

               Chris struck a deal with neighbour Dave to chop up and remove the top
               section of the driveway's asphalt to prepare for the ramp pour. Thanks Dave!



 

               Numerous emails and phone calls were exchanged to set a date to pour
               the ramp from the driveway's end up to the garage floor. That would be
               the final step and allow us to actually use our new garage.  Replies were 
               slim to none and Chris began getting other quotes to have the job 
               completed.  As June approached, Chris decided that he would wait no
               longer.  He proceeded with a lot of research, purchased a few tools and
               began, first sawing a straight edge on the asphalt, then drilling and 
               installing rebar supports into the garage floor.  After building frames, 
               putting up protective plastic he lined up the hose and the tools and set a
               date for the cement pour. 
 
                                 Chris's hours of preparations for the pour
                                         June 14, concrete arrives
Great friends and helpers Mike#1 and Mike#2 at the ready
                                                     heavy heaving begins

concrete gets directed for an even thickness
the crew get exhausted messing with the heavy mass

                                     

                                          a 2 by 4 is dragged across to level everything  

"Mr. Concrete" cleans up his rig, thanks!
                               Chris worked two hours after the crew left, smoothing the 
                             surface with the flout and creates a broom finish to even
                                 out the top layer.
 
                             A special thanks to Mike and Mike for their excellent help
                             without which we'd be up you-know-what creek!
 
                     The following day, Chris removed the boards and was pleased
                     with the results.  A few days later he cut relief joints to control cracks.
 
 

                            June 22, we are slowly grasping the the reality that...
                           THE GARAGE IS FINALLY FINISHED! 
                            In 30 days, we will be able to drive the vehicles inside! :):)