The Studio House

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In 2005 we decided to build another house at Earth Station. It was designed for handicapped access for a senior relative. We wanted the structure to be highly energy efficient like the Quonset so it was positioned facing south and the building material chosen was Tech Block. This has a very high R value. This page shows the construction of the Studio.

June 6 – dig the foundation


The trench in the south west corner goes to the railroad boxcar to bring
in water and computer cables.


The footing trench is 24x24
with #5 rebar.

June 8 – pour footing and set stemwall


Two techblocks without OSB are glued together.


The blocks are set into the wet footing about ½” and leveled to slab grade.
Rebar is set into this course and every other course.


The interior ground is now ready for plumbing and slab preparation.

June 14 – plumbing


The large black conduit carries the hot and cold water from the Quonset.
The smaller black conduit is for computer cabling and other miscellaneous wires.
The white conduits are for the bathroom sink and toilet.


These are the two lines going into the boxcar.
The larger one carries hot and cold water.


The background loop is for the kitchen and the
two front pipes are for the utility room.


From left to right: bathroom shower, bathroom toilet and sink,
utility room, and the black lines for water and computer.

June 16 – water proofing


Two coats of asphalt emulsion are coated on the outside stem wall.

June 21 – prepare foundation


Plumbing lines are wrapped. The shower (left side) will be boxed in with 2x4s before
the interior pour so it can be concreted and tiled later.


Garage on left is 4” below interior slab. Right side front is being framed for a 10”x10” porch.

June 28 – pour slab


Smoothing the concrete.


The finished slab.


Rebar in the garage between the two doors.


Four columns will be poured where the rebar is located when the walls are set and poured.


3 week delay while waiting for the wall blocks to be delivered



July 18 – framing for the walls


Framing is done as support for the blocks. After the grout is poured into the grid channels and hardened the framing is taken down. Screws are used to keep the framing in place. The 2x4s are then used for interior wall framing. The window and door frames are made with treated 2X10s and are inset into the blocks.


A panorama of the completed framing.

July 19 – raising the walls


The columns and headers for the garage doors are reinforced with #5 rebar.


Blocks in place.


The cracks between blocks are filled in with Styrofoam. Larger openings
are blocked to prevent the grout from exiting during the pour.


Supporting 2x4s are removed from the outside and put
on the inside to allow room for the top row of blocks.

July 20 – Pouring the grout


Sunrise – the concrete is pumped into each channel.


Two cement trucks are needed.


Southwest corner of garage.

July 25 – Roofing


The top plate


Trusses


Decking


Tarpaper

August 8-20 – Framing, roofing, septic, electrical


Framing


Septic lines


Outlet box


Metal roof with 3 turbines supplied by soffet vents

August 31 – Wiring, insulation odds and ends


Ceiling insulation 38-R


Garage wall R23


Plating for wires


Electrical Service

September – Exterior and Interior finishing


The second/final coat of stucco is applied. It looks too orange when first applied


But after drying it mellowed out


Rain barrels collect 50 gallons of water each with about ¼” of rainfall.
There are four, one on each corner.
Outlets at the bottom are connected to drip irrigation to water
the trees and yard foliage to be planted at a later time.


Crusher rock was spread in front of the garage and around the house.


You can reach us at jcalhoun@winnovations.com or lgrilli@winnovations.com. Want to give us a call? You can try 505-847-0312.

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