Windows

One of the jobs Markus wanted to complete before we left was the installation of three windows and a door into the living room. The living room is extremely out of square, which requires significant cutting and fitting to install the braces necessary for the insulation and the windows. In this photo you can see the lack of insulation (the lathe is all that separates the living room from the elements) and Bob and Markus working on sistering and adding beams. The wall is so out of square that the boards were about 6" wide at the floor and 4" wide at the eave.

We had previously installed the two west-facing windows. The living room has settled around the chimney significantly, so the window frames looked completely off horizontal. Markus used a water level to make sure the windows were at the same height. This is a very clever way to make sure things are on the same level over long distances. We used excess PEX pipe, filled it with water, got rid of the air bubbles and then would hold the ends at each window to make sure they were level. We used the same process to make sure the south window (in the first picture) was level with the west windows. This is the first real work on the Cottage this summer (or so it felt), though we did do the basement and the subfloor. It will also allow Markus to have a slightly insulated living room in which to live during the fall and winter. The area covered by Tyvek is filled with insulation. I put the insulation in and Tyvek on while Bob and Markus did the skilled carpentry.

On the morning we left Markus and Bob installed the south window, though Markus has since had to take it out as it sticks too far into the living room.