Building our retirement home

boggen · Aug 30, 2015

KiotiKowboy said:
True. We have 2 sets that will be 4 units across. And, of course, fixed windows don't run into the same limitations as casements.

We'll have "some" fixed windows but we're trying to get 42x78 pushouts throughout and that is where it all went awry. I think we found them but the sticker shock may prove to be too much. We'll see.

just catching your thread again.

had 3 front windows (2 on one side, then then directly around corner an other window) i think measurements were 43'ish inches wide, by about 70 to 80 inches high. originally they were a large solid window on top, and then about 12" crank out window on the bottom.

sticker shock also hit me. it was coming down to simply cutting a bigger holes in the house and installing say a sliding glass door (2 windows side by side measuring approx 90" wide by 70 to 80" tall) and then a glass door around the corner. i ended up going with 6 double hung windows (1 on top of another with a little trim between). i like this setup pretty good. more so little edge at bottom and middle to set a cup/glass of something or rest my arms on when looking out side. i have dogs. so opening up bottom is a little edgy at times, they ran through back screen door a couple times already. but i can slide the things up and down. to get nice air flow coming in through the windows. when it is raining i can adjust what windows to open to keep splashing rain out.

i almost got single hung windows but to much of a pain to clean. double hung seem'ed so much easier and is easier.

casement windows i shook my head at. i hate them with a passion. they do not bring in a whole lot of wind. even when open correctly so wind blows right into them. they still block a lot of air flow. example basement windows in same corner are crank out casement windows. the wind coming in or out is just not there. over years most casement windows i have seen all seem to have problems with the crank on them. or the outside edge of window that goes out will begin to "fall some" making them harder to open / shut.

single and double hung windows that slide up / down. while a tad annoying when browsing windows in store. i never even notice anymore. with the little area that gets blocked in middle of window. took a couple days to get use to. and never looked back since. the only exception i did go on cheap. and didn't pay attention. some double hung windows for the top window on them have "little" pull down or push up tab areas to make it easier to open/shut them. these 6 windows do not have those tabs. so result = me opening the very bottom portion and pushing the upper window up so i can lock the windows in place.

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if you want large single pane windows, see about contacting local glass cutting companies. you might find them via aquarium glass, to window glass, or perhaps local company that builds custom green houses and like.

KiotiKowboy · Aug 30, 2015

cat fever said:
... Not a rock to be found, I was 7' deep.

Nice to see you are making progress though, hope it stays dry so you can start framing and get it dried in.

About 1000' to the west, I can go about 4' in the clear. The amount of rock on the building site was a bit of a surprise to be sure.

Once the floor goes in the basement, the potential for hassle begins. I'll be out there with a water pump every time it rains - until we get a roof.

cat fever · Aug 30, 2015

KiotiKowboy said:
About 1000' to the west, I can go about 4' in the clear. The amount of rock on the building site was a bit of a surprise to be sure.

Once the floor goes in the basement, the potential for hassle begins. I'll be out there with a water pump every time it rains - until we get a roof.

I wish I could trade weather with you for a couple weeks. My place is like an old Clint Eastwood movie---The Hot, The dry and The dusty!:laughing:

JRobyn · Aug 30, 2015

For the rocksaw, call your local municipal water authority and see if you can get ahold of one of their "plant" engineers, then find out who they use to run their municipal water lines. That's who we wound up hiring to rocksaw our waterline. They were the same contractor that the county used. Got the name from the county health department guy that issued septic permits. Certainly not cheap, but not really too bad.

- Jay

KiotiKowboy · Aug 30, 2015

JRobyn said:
For the rocksaw, call your local municipal water authority and see if you can get ahold of one of their "plant" engineers, then find out who they use to run their municipal water lines. That's who we wound up hiring to rocksaw our waterline. They were the same contractor that the county used. Got the name from the county health department guy that issued septic permits. Certainly not cheap, but not really too bad.
- Jay

Good suggestion. I'll probably hear from my excavator tomorrow on his luck with this. I pass along your suggestion. Thanks!

Got2BTru · Aug 31, 2015

Interesting thread. I especially got a kick out of your basement pics. We'll hopefully start next year, but I can have the basement dug about 4-5' and then it becomes a wet mess because of the high water table. I'm considering 7' for the basement...not sure at this point!

KiotiKowboy · Aug 31, 2015

Got2BTru said:
Interesting thread. I especially got a kick out of your basement pics. We'll hopefully start next year, but I can have the basement dug about 4-5' and then it becomes a wet mess because of the high water table. I'm considering 7' for the basement...not sure at this point!

I had so many people tell me not to build a full basement because it would not stay dry in this area. I always figured, if I could put in a pool that doesn't leak out - someone should be able to put in a basement that doesn't leak in - LOL. We've had several big rains during construction, one of 6", and there has never been standing water in the basement hole. Of course, after today, with the floors in ... it could get ugly! Here's hoping for a month of dry weather.

So here are the pics from today. The floor was poured and finished this morning. It will have to set a few days before the cap can be put over the safe-room area.

jk96 · Sep 24, 2015

Bump.......Any progress to share?

KiotiKowboy · Sep 25, 2015

I've been meaning to update for several days. Things are moving along - slowly

We've been picking our rock & wood siding, shopping for granite and bath/kitchen fixtures and still trying to get a final on the window package. It's all a work in progress - very frustrating at times and very time consuming.

The safe/media room in the basement has been capped with concrete and the beams are over the open area. House footings are down, plumbing is underway and gravel fill for the slab is being put down.

I've got to take an overnight run to Houston tomorrow but will post some updated pics when I return.