Second Window is In!

We took a chance  on getting a window installed today despite forecasts for 60% chance of rain.  We were sprinkled with rain once in a while, but nothing terrible.

Here is a list of what you'll need to install a Marvin window:
Saw (circular and jig)
Flashing
Caulk gun & Clear caulk for windows
Rag for wiping off extra caulk
Wood screws
Drill driver
Razor knife
Shims (in theory; we haven't used any yet)
Measuring tape
Level
Hand brush or broom

In my case, the windows were framed, but then the openings were covered up by 3/4" cedar plywood (my final exterior) for travel.  My first step was to cut out the window opening.  We had thought we would use a reciprocating saw, but Joel & Rudy from Omniview used a circular/Skil saw.  I ended up using a circular saw and a jigsaw.

The first thing we had to do was to mark our cutting lines on the outside wall.  We drilled a hole in each corner of the window framing from the inside of the house out.  A longer drill bit would have been helpful - I had to drill a little diagonally to get into the corner of the framing because the body of the drill didn't fit into the corner close enough.

Once I had a hole drilled in each corner, I drew lines connecting the drill holes using a straight edge.  Those would be my cut lines.

My next order of business was to learn how to do a plunge cut with a circular saw.  We set up a practice piece of plywood between two saw horses.  The challenge is to sink the blade in straight (not tilted) and to know where to stop for corners so you don't cut past the corner. John is a very patient teacher... and I need to do wrist strengthening exercises or something, because I had trouble sinking the blade in straight.

There is a YouTube video on how to make a plunge cut here.

I know - why didn't I go up another step on the ladder?  Because I was almost at the top and I didn't want to stop.

I thought the  vertical cuts would be the most difficult, but as it turned out the horizontal cuts were more difficult because it was harder to see the blade.

I did the bottom horizontal cut with the circular saw - challenging - I needed a third hand!  The top horizontal cut I used a jigsaw, because the circular saw wouldn't fit under the rafters.

I did a little clean up on the corners with the jigsaw, and one half of the window was open!  My mentor was on the other side...

Next we tried the window in the opening to see if it would fit.  The big awning window was tight on the top and bottom.  Would we have the same issue with this one?

Nope - it fit right in!  We took it back out and set it aside. Next we needed to add some flashing.  When we framed the windows at MAGIC Camp, the house wrap was on, but the exterior sheathing was not.  The flashing need to cover all of the layers - inside the framing, to outside the exterior sheathing.  When my house was moved from LA to Dallas there were supplies and lumber stacked inside.  We didn't want the windows cut out for the trip.  Anyway, here's what the window opening looked like after we cut out the window today:

See how the flashing doesn't go over the exterior sheathing?  And, when I cut the horizontal cut for the window opening, I cut the line, and ripped the flashing.  We looked at it, and saw that even the house wrap had been penetrated.  We started to cut out all the flashing...

But then decided that was just extra, unnecessary work, since the window fit with a bit of room to spare.  We decided to add an extra layer of flashing - we had room.

We did that on all four sides.

Next we set the window in place.  We leveled it (with the trailer, which is not sitting level) and squared it.  We screwed in one screw through the fin in the top left corner and the bottom right corner.  We checked again that it was still plumb.

Next was caulking.  We held back the fin along the top edge of the window and laid a heavy bead of caulk.  Then we laid the fin back down and pressed it against the siding, squishing the caulk around, and wiped of the excess.  Then we put in screws all along the fin.  I don't know why we didn't take photos of that, but I didn't.  If you scroll up to the photo earlier in the post when I was holding the window in place you can see the fins.  We did that process on all four sides of the window.

Then I brushed the sawdust and debris off of the sheathing to help the flashing adhere, and we put flashing over the fins (first the bottom, then the sides then the top - you want to overlap the layers like shingles) and it's ready for exterior trim! 

Looking out

And looking in

The rest of the windows "should" go faster, now that I know how to do plunge cuts, and we have done one.  Just one more like this though sure changes the look of the house.  Can you imagine EIGHT MORE??  

Here's the end of day photo today.  Nina taught me to always take an end of day photo.  Today is her birthday:  Happy Birthday Nina!

My Windows are Here!!

UPDATED FRIDAY NIGHT
-----------------------------------
I have so much to blog about that I don't know where to start - I am definitely behind on posting!  There is a lot going on with my house!  John came out and helped me again today.  I LOVE that he makes me do things myself - I love the challenge and he's an amazing teacher.  Thank you, John!

The windows were delivered today.

The trailer was really huge, considering the cargo...lol

I simply can't say enough things about OmniView's employees.  They are so professional and polite, and knowledgeable, and, and, and... they've earned a brass plaque in the house for sure.  : )

Kenny & Michael unloading the windows

Busy day... lots of folks around

Rudy & Joel may not have been dressed for a construction site, but they swooped in with a plan and the tools necessary to execute...

Rudy (L) and Joel (R) marking cut lines

Cutting out window (framed behind sheathing)

They drilled a hole in each corner (from the inside where the framing was visible) and then marked (on the exterior) lines between the holes.

Joel was a master with the circular saw.  It was tricky to cut out the windows and not damage the flashing that was already in place.  He didn't even nick it.

Initial set of the window

I have a WINDOW!!!

The installation is easy:
Cut out the sheathing with a circular saw.
Place the window, center it, square it, level it. (Make note - is the trailer level?)
Apply a heavy, continuous bead of caulk where the fin will be.
Affix screws in the fins in two diagonal corners.
Confirm square.
Use screws to affix the the other corners.
Flash* it: bottom, then sides, then top (layer like shingles to keep water out) Not done yet.
Install exterior wood trim.

Daniel has since suggested that I flash over the existing flashing to cover the edge of the exterior sheathing.  In tiny houses on wheels, weight is a consideration.  The exterior wall layers are, from the inside out: studs, house wrap, (window flashing), sheathing.  That leaves the edges of the exterior sheathing vulnerable at the window opening.  If I cut the windows out, then flash again, then those plywood edges are sealed.  (I'll take photos to show this when we install the next windows.)

There is more to add to this post, but I've gotta go to bed - I've hit a wall - I'm literally falling asleep typing...   Back out there tomorrow morning at 8 am. -- my ROOF GOES ON TOMORROW!!

IT'S COMING!!!!

Huge news!!  I booked the transport of my house today - LA to Big "D".  I am over the mooooon.

A huge shout out to James & Angela for helping me get it nailed down!!  We are using a service called uShip.  You post what your freight is, and then haulers (of many kinds) bid on your cargo.  In the end I had four bids to choose from.  Who knew?

We (okay Angela) posted that the house would be ready end of day Sunday.  We have a guy scheduled to pick up Sunday or Monday afternoon and he'll be in Dallas Wednesday.  But, he doesn't really want to dangle around from today (Friday) until Sunday, so he said if he can grab another load in between he may not pick up until Wednesday, and arrive here Friday the 20th or Saturday the 21st.  He is going to let me know when he knows.

As soon as I knew who was going to be hauling my baby across the country I emailed him, and almost simultaneously he called me.  I did my best to form a bond with him - to let him know that this may be the most precious cargo he's ever hauled.  Yeahhhh  I'm not sure he gets it.  LOL  BUT!  He will send me a video of a walk around of the house before he pulls away from the school.  That will be super cool.  And then I'll chew my nails for three days.  I know I'm gonna cry like a baby when he pulls into the drive.  Yes, all of you people who know me from MAGIC Camp, my house still makes me cry with happiness. : )

Meanwhile, since I have a date for arrival, I called my awesome amazing friend Rudy at Omniview Window & Door to check on my window order.  My windows are slated to be in his shop sometime around the 24-25-26th.  I told him I think I want the windows in before the roof (total procrastination on plumbing decisions) and he advised against it.  "Roof before windows" he advises, so the roofers don't break any windows.  Oh.  Hmm.  Well okay, that's logical.  Roof first it is.

Then I emailed the already living tiny Jim at Alltex Roofing to let him know the status so he can order the materials and line up a crew.

You know what I have to do now?  I have to figure out where in the heck my two plumbing vent pipes are going to pop through the roof.  I'm such a visual person that in my mind I think I have to stand in my house to do that.  Do I?  I don't know.  I also have to order my skylight (that's singular now, instead of plural due to recently gained insight.  That's another post.)  I need to get the skylight installed and the venting pipes installed before the roofer comes.  Monkey on my back.

Daniel is doing the design/build/install of my front door this week - THERE'S a thought that makes me giddy.  He does such beautiful work - I am SO lucky.  (And I know it.)

When the house arrives I cannot WAIT to fling open my front door (er, um, I mean quietly admire my front door and then gently open it with the respect fine carpentry deserves) and lay down and roll around in my house and say hello once again.  "Hello, tiny house, I have missed you so!"

I should be weather tight in two weeks.  OH MY GOSH!!!

GAME ON.

Dark Bronze

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a color for the roof and window trim!  The winning color is dark bronze.  I really struggled with the copper option, but after looking at a LOT of copper roofs and awnings that were 1-5 years into patina, I realized that the finish was too dull for me.  I've opted for standing seam metal instead.   Roofing materials and windows are being ordered today!

 Here is a photo of Jay's Gifford with the roof photoshopped brown:

But the front door and window trim is still the colonial red, so for me it's still a bit difficult to visualize.

Here is a color photo of the Gifford with my window trim color chip over the front door, and my roofing color sample set on top of the gable.  It's primitive, but I can sort of see what the color will look like:

 

I plan to stain my front door to match, and "age" it like I did the big Tuscan style cedar dining table I had built in my backyard of my Patricia house.  I beat it up with a heavy chain and a hammer, and then stained it.  It turned out just beautifully.  (You can see a photo of it here.)

I've got to attend to a few remaining related loose details and I can turn my focus to the interior design of the house.  SO EXCITED for the next stage!

I need to speak with my roofer about skylights and order those.

I need to figure out if I have any other roof penetrations that need to get in place.  Mostly what comes to mind is my bathroom exhaust fan...

Another huge step forward - yippee!!

Minnesota Summers

Window Relief

On Friday afternoon I loaded up in my Mini Cooper and headed West.  Far west.  West past downtown Fort Worth, and further west on Camp Bowie Boulevard than I even knew you could go.  My destination?  Omniview Window & Door.  I needed to meet Rudy, with whom I'd been emailing about windows for my tiny house.

I'd spoken with him on the phone and he had an amusing outlook on things - we hit it off - and although he offered a Dallas location that was closer to me, I really wanted to meet HIM.  I am doing business with him, and I wanted to meet him, look him in the eye, shake his hand, and form a relationship.  Honestly I wanted to make sure I liked him - it's important to me to like the folks I'm in business with.   I am so glad I took the time to make the trip!

First, of course, it was good to feast my eyes upon the windows that I'd chosen after just a glimpse at the Marvin windows installed in Jay's Gifford, and some Internet surfing.  I love them - they are gorgeous and high quality.

And I got to see the window hardware in person - super important - and I'm really glad I did because I had immediate and very strong opinions about the colors and finishes!  I couldn't tell that from looking at images online.

Also, I didn't understand the window screen had an option - aluminum frame or a wooden frame.  The wooden frames are crazy beautiful - and they make the edges of the screen just "disappear" into the window.  The wood is a lot sturdier than the aluminum as well.

It was just so nice to deal with people who are knowledgeable and love what they do.  Aside from the materials to frame in the house, the windows are the biggest ticket item in construction, so I really want to be comfortable with the company I'm dealing with, and all of the decisions I'm making.  Rudy was so patient with me, answering all of my questions and walking me through all of the options.  And each and every time I've called or emailed him, he's gotten back to me very quickly.  That's soooo nice.  Really nice.   I heartily recommend Omniview to anyone who needs windows.  I've struggled with windows for many weeks and to hand it off and say it's done?  WHEW.

So, order-wise, I'm amending my order to have the oil rubbed bronze hardware, and the wooden screens.  That alone made the trip worth while.  But THEN --

I befriended another employee there who is  totally a tiny house groupie!  His name is Joel, and while Rudy was re-running my estimate, he and I were talking about window features.  He was referring to some extra feature that could be added, and he said, "But, you know, probably not really worth it unless the window is really featured in the room -- " And I started laughing and I said, "Well, I don't really have rooms - my entire house is only 112  square feet."  Joel wasn't facing me when I said that.  He whipped around and looked at me and said, "You.  Are.  Not.  Building.  A.  Tiny. House."  Me, laughing, "Ohhhhhhhhh yesss I am!"

Seriously I thought he was going to strip naked and run down the boulevard, he was so excited.  Fortunately instead he just gave me a high five.  He kept asking me questions and I was answering, and finally Leslie shouted to him, "Joel!  Too bad you are married - she is the perfect woman!"  Ohh we all just laughed!   And then Rudy, Joel, Leslie (she runs the place, you can just tell) and I all hung out in the showroom and talked about tiny houses - it was so fun!  You just have to love Fort Worth... everyone is so friendly...

They are all really excited about the project, and are really taking ownership of it - the tiny house phenomenon continues...people can't help but want to be a part of it - it's so fantastic and I am so grateful!  Window retailer identified?  Check!

So now - color selection must. happen.  LOL