Truss Tales

Living with the construction crew on a day-to-day basis was close-up and personal in the mini-house (i.e. a cozy one bedroom home with a futon and some floor space). I think that now it's time that you get acquainted with them too.

To the left is Bob the Architect standing in his studio roof stepping down from the ladder and scaffolding to the North East corner of the main structure. He is happiest when he's on the job, everyone is at work, and coffee is ready soon.

Next is Rock from Oxford Mills, a carpenter and general contractor. Rock grew up in this area on a traditional mixed farm, is quiet, gentlemanly and equipped with a dry wit as well as his own foam cot for this rough camping operation, although the rolling up operation is a tricky job.

Alongside Rock is Andre also from this area and a carpenter who is widely skilled in the trade taking on exterior carpentry jobs from roof trusses to basement rough-ins and interior kitchen and bathroom renos. He is also a trained luthier (one who builds stringed musical instruments) and is always on the lookout for a fine piece of wood for the next instrument. He is known to observe the mini-house cooking very carefully to suggest the important ingredient of garlic to be used in almost everything.

Last is Mile who took on many tasks while carpenters did their skilled trade. He is a young Macedonian Canadian whose skills as a visual artist in the County are widely known. He is also part of Small Pond Arts where the creative team works in an interdisciplinary way to create events and festivals. These 'community-based art' projects inspire local artists and participants alike. He pitched in to skilfully make a special brew of coffee that was much favoured on the job site.

The team carefully skirted around each corner of the main section of the netzero home to form the elaborate corners that you see taking shape in this view.

Finally the south roof castellations were built on the last day, their indentations designed to accommodate the moveable solar panels that will be placed there later.

On their final walk home to the mini-house, the crew was very pleased with their efforts having closed in the structure so making it secure for the winter months that lie before us.