Steve and Cheryl's 3800 sq. ft. home

 

1 The building site is marked off

 

2

 

3 The foundation work has begun, after the design has been completed.

 

Preparing the foundaton to pour the concrete

 

 

17  A 2" x 6" wood is nailed on the side to build for the brick ledge

Pouring the foundation

18	19	20	21

22	23	24

 

Putting in the rebar for the exterior walls It is much easier to mark the "bull's eye" and insert when the concrete is wet

25	26	27	28

29	30	31

 

Dry-stacking VOBB

32 Start the first corner

33

34 Dry-stacking the first two rows

35

36

37

38

39 (We strongly recommend to use a pallet jack and not to move blocks by hand - much more cost efficient. Every time you pick up and move VOBB by hand, it costs money.)

40 Bringing in the scaffolds.

41

42

43 Putting in an electrical box

44 One VOBB at a time

45

46

47

48

49 The plans are the most important part. We strongly recommend that a person who knows the plans be on the job 100% of the time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

50

51

52 Blocks cut to use to build a lintel above a door or window

 

53 One wall full height and no weak mortar joints

54

55 Putting in the window frames

56 The form for an archway has been built and is now inserted in the VOBB wall. A piece of cake.

57

58 interior view

59 Another archway is being formed to pour in the concrete. A sheet of plywood is used to build the archway which will be six inches wide.

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77 Pouring in grout

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

84 The garage

85

86

87

88 The owner on the job for complete inspection

89 The engineer checking out the work

90 The engineer inspecting the archways for the garage doors

91 An archway for the front

92 An archway for an interior door

93

94

95

96 Seventeen (17) feet high and not one weak mortar joint

97 The building contractor making a custom cut as needed

98

99 Building an archway

100

101

102

103 An archway with VOBB is so simple

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116 Building Materials by STINE - Crowley, LA 337-783-4192

117

118

119

120 Bolt to fasten the VOBB block to the top plate.

121 Bolt to fasten the VOBB block to the top plate.

122 Bolt to fasten the VOBB block to the top plate.

123

124

125

126 Almost all rafters are installed.

127 An 18-inch "L" bolt to anchor the top plate to the VOBB block

128 The "L" bolt is put in the top VOBB blocks on a vertical basis

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141 All of the VOBB block are now dry-stacked

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151 Normally, the sheetrock is nailed directly to the VOBB concrete block. In this case, it was decided to add some electrical outlets. As such, stripping was added to allow for the electrical wires to run on the outside of the VOBB blocks. A very thin electrical block was used which fit in the space of the air gap and the sheetrock thickness.

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

Insulation on the exterior - The isnulation can be on the exterior or on the interior of the exterior wall. It makes no difference to the VOBB block. Some engineers think you should just heat/cool the air space. Some engineers think you take advantage of the thermal mass.

200	201	202	203

204	205	206

207	208	209	210

211	212	213

214	215

Putting up the brick

NOTE: The owner/engineer states you need to be very careful that if the insulation is on the outside of the VOBB block, then the contractor needs to use long nails for the brick ties or the brick ties will not be properly nailed to the VOBB block.

220	221 see brick tie	222

223	224	225

226	227	228

229	230	231

 

250

251

252

253 Electrical box

254 Sheetrock is directly nailed and glued to the VOBB block

255

256

257 The kitchen

258 This is a thin electrical box nailed to the VOBB block

259

260

261

262 The sheetrock is nailed directly to the VOBB block.

263

264

265 Electrical box

266

267

268

269

270

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

287

288

289 Using VOBB block for foundation of brick column - so simple

290

291

292

293 Interior brick for kitchen area

294

295

296 Front door brick work

297

298

299 Brick work completed for the front

300

301

302

303

304 interior door

305

306

307 The owner is working on the roof.

308 The front door is hung.

309 The entrance

310 The kitchen

3131

312 Bedroom # 2

313

314

315

316

317 An example of the huricanne tie-downs

318 An example of the water line in the attic

319 A tankless hot water system was used to save on the cost to heat the water

320 A view from the side to show the roof lines

We are very honored to have had Theroen and his wife from the Baton Rouge/New Orleans, LA to inspect quality VOBB. Theroen is a building contractor. They have seen the result first hand from the destruction of hurricane Katrina and now want to improve the quality of the construction.

We are very honored to have had David and Stella from the Longbeach (Gulfport), Mississippi area to inspect quality VOBB. They want to build with quality.

In the kitchen	In the family room	In the attic	At the front door

 

We are very honored to have had Louis and his building contractor friend from Summit, Mississippi.

 

We are very honored to have had A. J. from Canton, Georgia. A. J. had some most interesting ideas on how to build with quality and on a cost effective basis using a dry-stack system.

 

 

We are very honored to have had Marty and his beautiful (pregnant) wife from Gautier, MS. Marty and his wife will be building a VOBB home. See http://www.vobb.com/CP-MS-McGrath.htm

 

We are very honored to have had Tony A. and his beautiful wife from New Iberia, LA. Tony and his wife will be building a VOBB home.

 

We are very honored to have had Tony D. from Lafayette, LA. Tony is looking to build with VOBB due to recent hurricane damage.

 

We are very honored to have had Lee, April and their family from San Antonio, TX to inspect a quality VOBB home.

 

 

Finished We compliment Steve & Cheryl on their exquisite looking and safe home (a)

(a) Photograph is courtesy of Virtual Showcase and the Builder's Journal.