Pennsylvania Game News - February 2010 - 53

NEGOTIATING the narrow road up to the Bontas’ homesite was challenging for many of the delivery and construction workers. was facing a major operation, although he did his best to help and advise whenever he could. Paula searched the Internet for house plans they could modify and finally found one she thought was ideal, from Sun Plans Incorporated called “Jersey Scape.” But it was designed for the warmer South and had no basement. We needed an architect to modify the plan, not only adding a full basement but making other design changes as well. It took longer to change our plan than we figured on. In the meantime, cold month followed cold month. Would it ever warm up? Would it ever stop raining? While we waited, Troy lined up sub-contractors to dig the foundation and pour the concrete basement floor after Bruce carefully calculated the precise direction the house should face to obtain the most solar heat. Specifically, “the south wall was to face due true south,” according to the plans. “The primary goals” [of an energy efficient home] the plan continued, “are to let in sun in winter and keep it out in summer,” so the south side of the house has to function as a passive solar collector. Furthermore, the land south of the house was supposed to be cleared of trees. Paula, however, didn’t want a single tree cut, especially not the three huge old spruces in Margaret’s backyard on the southwest side of the house site. After all, this was to be a house in the woods, not in a cleared development. Luckily, the rest of Margaret’s old yard was reasonably open, and the spruces were saved. Of course, brush and small trees had to be cut, especially for the septic field above the house. Getting the septic system designed and approved took several more weeks than we anticipated. That, in fact, became the theme of the year — nothing ever happened as quickly as we hoped. At last, in early June, the rain stopped, the earth dried out, and excavation of the FEBRUARY 2010 basement began. Bruce had had his operation in mid-May and was slowly recovering. Every day he walked the quarter mile over to check on the progress of the house and to take photos. Sometimes I joined him, especially for the more interesting (to me) aspects, such as the laying of the concrete basement floor and the delivery of the roof trusses. The man who made the turn on to the one-lane county bridge across the Little Juniata River with those trusses hanging out the back of the truck was one impressive driver. By then we had learned how inadequate our road is for the delivery of large items, such as those trusses, and for the hauling of heavy excavating equipment. Troy and Paula had to repair portions of the road every time another large truck dug deep ruts into it. Buying more and more road gravel was just one of many expenses we hadn’t counted on. Slowly, sometimes painfully, housebuilding proceeded through the summer months and into the fall. Already, it was obvious that the house would not be finished by November, despite the help the Scotts gave in their free time. An early snow the last day in October sent our first contractor home to New Jersey. Then a local contractor, Tim Shaw, who had constructed the basement, took over. Once winter set in, he obtained tire chains for his pickup truck. Ice and snow were not going to keep him from finishing the house.

Pennsylvania Game News - February 2010

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