Continued Progress!

This week several things happened. First, the framers finished. Then, the house got wrapped with a plastic type product called "house wrap". Then, felt (tar paper) got put on the roof. Then, the plumbers came and put the rough plumbing in. And finally, the windows & doors came and most got installed.

Next up; electricians start along with the HVAC duct installers. And the remaining windows and exterior doors get installed. Then, after all the roof penetrations are in place, the roof shingles will go on. (No sense putting on a perfectly good roof only to poke holes in it). And on Tuesday we are to meet with the "kitchen design team" on-site for measurements.

Yes, we have assembled a team to help us decide if we need kitchen cabinets or not. I suspect they will recommend we do.

It's Alive!

It's alive! Actually, there are a few pieces of sheathing missing in this picture but they finished today.

So, a productive week. Next up is felt on the roof, house wrap on the exterior, start on the plumbing and install the windows & doors.

As with the pictures in previous weeks, this is actually from the back. The front is looking pretty huge given the basement as mentioned a few weeks ago.

It's starting to look like a house!

Much progress this week and it's starting to look like a house.

This picture is taken from the woods behind the house and is looking at the back of the house.

Hopefully, by this time next week it will have all of its roof and exterior walls.

We have liftoff!

As mentioned in the earlier post, here is a picture of the framing as of today.

The basement is framed and the floor system in place. Tomorrow the framers will lay out the walls for the main level and start putting them up.

Most know the house is on the side of a hill. The old house had views to the north, east and west, but only limited views south. This house is planned to have views to the south, east and west. While the view to the north is pretty, we've seen it a bunch and it also brings some cold winds.

The second picture is looking south, out the end of the great room. You can see the bump out for the fireplace at the edge of the floor.

More updates to come as events and time allows.

More Concrete! And we go shopping for a kitchen!

Much to say about this week.

Last week this time, we had the rough plumbing set under the slab with some stone spread on top. On Monday, the slab guys came and finished getting ready to pour the concrete. On Tuesday, they poured the slab. It took 44 cubic yards (that is, about four and a half trucks). And on Wednesday, the framers showed up and started at it.

So that is where we are at. It’s starting to look like a house. (Due to some technical issue that will require more explaining than I am able to do, I will post those pictures separately).

We also had the pleasure of visiting a kitchen showroom this week.

This was not a Home Depot or Lowes setup. This was a “to the trade only” sort of place, filled with sample kitchens of all kinds, from basic to quite extravagant. We were there to look at a particular brand of cabinets along with some appliances.

While I don’t think either of us are big shoppers, the few times we have shopped for big items it has always been one of our particular strengths to find something we both like in a matter of mere minutes, only to discover we have picked out the most expensive stuff in the store. (This was most clearly illustrated the time we visited a carpet showroom, only to discover we picked out the most expensive carpet in the entire store in less than two minutes. Two minutes!) This trip was certainly no exception, as we both agreed the quarter sawn white oak cabinets with hand hammered hardware that we saw were rather attractive. But after seeing built-in stainless steel refrigerators larger than closets in our first house and granite counter tops that cost more than the first new car we ever bought it dawned on us we were way out of our league, and knew better than to even ask what those cabinets cost.

Oh well, progress continues. Hopefully, by next week this time, the house will be fully framed and possibly dried in (that is, windows and exterior doors in place and felt on the roof).