Drainage Test and More

This week saw some heavy rains where the drainage plan and construction was put to the test. Even though the ground was graded to follow a drainage plan there was still some puddling. Mateo suggested we put in another drain in this corner where the water is puddling. There is a drainage pipe below.The rainy weather also shows the reason for the house sited on the lot the way it was -- the great room has views of downtown . . . and on the other side of the room it has views of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Framing also started on the garage shown below. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but the tall shaft is for an elevator. It took me a long time to figure that one out. The ideal position for a garage is for it to be next to the house. To do that on this site would require extensive and expensive retaining walls for a long driveway. After two years it dawned on me that for a quarter of the cost I could construct an elevator. However at this time it is not in the budget. Additionally, although with the windows it looks like there is a room above the garage, actually there is not.

Just in time for the rains, roofing materials went on the garage. The final roof will be a standing seam metal roof.

Inside the house I changed the original idea for flooring that was illustrated in a previous post. Instead I chose this black bamboo wood shown in the master bedroom. This room is now completely finished.

Another view of the status of the exterior.