The Week of 7/13-7/20

Let me start off by thanking all of my friends and family who came out to help when they could over the last week and a special thanks to Shawn who on his own free will is pulling 6-8 hour days. The past week hit some major milestones in the progress sense of the word though there is one major setback which needs to be worked through carefully. Victories include the 90% gutting of the upstairs including plumbing, electrical, ceilings, walls, and the bathroom. Very little remains except clear out of the rubble and detail work really as far as tearing things out is concerned. In the next few days there will probably be a construction dumpster added to the landscape to dispose of everything in one swoop (carpet, plaster, wood, old insulation, lath, as well as the people who I don't really like). It is a bit pricey, but I think that in order to not get bogged down that everything just needs to get dumped out.
The project is far, very far, from being over but the light at the end of the tunnel for stage one. Its about time too...I mean as much fun as it is ripping things apart I really do enjoy putting them back together more.
I decided that the addition of the house had ceilings that were too low for the space so they proceeded to get kicked out in order to be lofted. Once the space was opened up I notice the first major problem with the house structurally. After taking measurements and running some analysis on the trusses and how they are tied together I found they don't meet the criteria for a "stable" structure as is defined by current codes. It worries me a little since this is a major section of the house, so the first order of business after tear out is done is to double the truss thickness, add cross bracing between the trusses, put in various bracing in both directions . So the game is now figuring out how to put in support columns and cross bracing in such a way that provides an aesthetically pleasing space as well as a sound set of rooms while keeping the existing structure standing. I guess its a good think I know a pretty good and partially licensed civil engineer...