Getting Ready for Rough Framing Inspection

    There's a lot going on here....There are quite a few requirements to be met since this is a high fire danger (Wildland Urban Interface) area, high earthquake danger area, and high wind/weather extremes zone.  Add to that it's built on a slope and is taller than it is wide.  To satisfy all the inspectors, there has to be radiant barrier everywhere higher than the ceiling.  All the timbers have to be oversized.  I spend more time putting in the required steel reinforcement strong ties than the framing----note the steel strips above and below the windows running the entire wall width---they have one 3" nail per inch.  That's a lot of hammering.  Plus you have to provide the blocking to nail the strips to.  There's another row of blocking studs just behind the top of that sheer panel, so the ledger for the porch roof has something to attach to later.

   Here's the tallest wall.  I tried to put up the sheer panel just using a ladder but after falling I decided that was stupid.  Actually if there wasn't any wind I could probably do it.  So I made four braces I can screw to the wall temporarily to have something to stand on to work safely.  (as of this writing they are on the other side of the house so I can finish the sheer on that side when I get back home again)

  The upstairs picture window......Ugh.  When framing that wall I realized part of the window's view would be blocked by the interior chimney so I just scooted the window over a little.  Now from the outside, it isn't centered with the gable roof peak.  So far no one I've pointed it out to seems to think it looks bad. 
   There are two solutions---option One is frame in and eliminate part if the window on the left so it's visually centered----but losing the best of the view from inside.  Option B is a stone veneer on the outside, to the right of the window opening, continued on the porch wall, all the way down to the foundation.  Added benefit is, water coming off the roof from the gable would run down stone instead of siding. 
   Before the inspection I have to install the fire sprinklers, all the windows, and doors.  I could put the roof on too.  Right now I'm working 10 days straight (the two other HRM's took vacations) but I'll get time off with good weather soon so work will continue.  The wood pile is down to almost nothing.  AnnaMarie likes the idea of having her whole driveway back again.