Standing column

Concrete has been poured, the steel anchor plate has been embedded, and it's firm enough to work on. It's actually level enough that the column, having come from the shop with nicely square saw-cuts, can stand perfectly plumb. However, just to be safe I'm using a temporary 2x4 clamped to a nearby tail rafter for bracing while waiting for the welder. He'll have a tiny job welding it down, then come back to weld the column tops to the long beam once I have that in place.

But getting the long beam in place will be the biggest challenge of this project. It's a 25-foot, 310-pound I-beam. Hoisting it up there will take some ingenuity -- or brute strength. Then bracing it will be another trick. The columns, as strong as they are being embedded in concrete, can still get pushed over without the rafters tying them to the house.