New Home Construction

[bmac]

Here's a shot of the shower floor. Here he ran a perimeter of the 2x2 tile then did the rest on a diagonal. Looks good.

Just a note about the tile guys, Corey and Ian. You won't find 2 nicer fellas. Each has their own seperate business, but when 1 doesn't have enough work and the other does, they help each other out. Corey is the official sub for our builder. He's a fairly young guy who is also a firefighter. He lays tile on his off days. Ian has just recently gone out on his own and does this full time. He's still trying to make a name for himself with the local builders.

My wife and I had some pictures of things we liked, but had no specific plan. My wife and the decorator went to the discount tile place and selected the various tiles for each room. Then, we just said, "Corey, make it look good. Use your imagination."

They are each extremely polite and hard-working. They've made what I think are good suggestions and have been very creative in their design. At the end of each day, their area is clean and neat (unlike many of the other subs who have left a real mess behind). They take pride in their work and it shows.

Corey was getting ready to leave tonight when we arrived. He was so pleased with his work in our shower, he wanted to stay and show it off to us. He had a really big smile on his face when we walked into the master bath. I think he appreciates the confidence we had in him and, therefore, is putting forth some extra effort with this project. He said that he thinks this is the best looking shower he has done. Reading this, you may be thinking "Yeah, right. He probably says this to all of his clients". Well, I'd be thinking the same thing (I'm somewhat of a cynic). But my wife and I both could see his sense of pride and we believe he was, indeed, very proud of his work.

Sorry for being so long winded here and many of you may not see anything special in this tile work. That's OK. I know nothing about tile, design, or home building. But, the tile guys have pleased us and I just wanted to brag on them a little.

 

[bmac]

OK, enough about the tile guys. Here's a few pictures of the kitchen cabinets. You'll notice some pictures have som funny looking spots on them. I don't know if this is some abberation from the sunlight coming in at an odd angle or what. The color of the wood also varies depending on where I was standing when the pictures were made. The sun was coming in at a very low angle as these were made late in the day.

This picture is the left side of the kitchen as you enter from the mudroom. The refrigerator and range will go on this wall. You can see the center island on the right and the doorway straight ahead leads to the butler's pantry, beyond which is the dining room.

 

[bmac]

To the right of the butler's pantry are some corner cabinets. Sink and dishwasher go over here. Family room to the right. A better shot of the center island.

 

[bmac]

Looking from the family room and across the center island.

 

[bmac]

Some center island detail. The corbels will support a breakfast bar higher than the work surface of the island.

 

[bmac]

Cabinets in the butler's pantry. The end units of the upper cabinets have glass in the doors. This one is from the kitchen.

 

[bmac]

And this is from the dining room. Sorry, these didn't turn out too good. I need a wide angle lens.

 

[bmac]

And the last picture of the day shows one of the built-in shelving units adjacent to the fireplace. There is a matching unit on the left side of the fireplace. These will be painted to match the trim in the family room.

The office, bathroom and laundry room cabinets are pretty plain and I did not photograph them. Once everything is dome (paint, counter tops, etc., Ill take a complete set of photos (maybe with a better camera).

Thanks for following along.

 

[tjkadar]

Everything is looking pretty sharp. That is a very fine home you're building.

Your tile guys have done a terrific job. They fully deserve all the kudos you are handing out.

 

[EddieWalker]

bmac,

I think your tiles guys were being totally honest with you when they said it was their best work. Too many jobs are just the same old thing. Allowing them to do it their way and have fun with it, really adds to the quality of the workmanship!!!

Your cabinets are amazing!! All the woodwork looks great!!!

I'm still confused on the order of things with your walls. I've always installed cabinets after the walls are textured and painted.

Since everything is being done so well, I have no doubt your GC knows what he's doing. It's just me who's lost. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for the update,
Eddie

 

[bmac]

Eddie,

<font color="blue"> I'm still confused on the order of things with your walls. I've always installed cabinets after the walls are textured and painted. </font>

Your not confused. We are just trying to keep things moving with the subs who are available. The painters were actually in last week and started working. They did all of the caulking and at least primed the ceilings (we asked that the primer be tinted to the same color as the paint so I'm not sure if I was seeing paint or primer).

Now that the cabinets are in, the painters will cover everyting with plastic and tape it up good to complete their work. This is how they did it at my builder's son's house and it worked out fine. In an ideal world, I think the painting would have been done before the cabinets went in.

Thanks for the kind comments. I know if it passes the "Eddie Test", things must be OK. And BTW, that is a compliment to you. I know I can count on your honesty and suggestions if things don't look right.

 

[rox]

bmac,
Nice tile!
Is this the tile your wife got on sale?
I should have posted this in your earlier photos of the kids baths, the tile as I recall is similar.
~rox

 

[bmac]

rox,

With the exception of my son's bathroom, I can't see much difference in the tiles she selected. My son's is much darker than others (we've convinced him its more "manly" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

And, yes, all of the tiles purchased so far have been from the discount floor place. I've lost track of how many square feet of tile we've bought, but its been a ton. She bought super cheap stuff for the laundry rooms ($0.79 / sq ft.). Most of the other stuff has cost $1.00-$2.00 / sq ft. I think she said the most expensive was $2.79. Now, for comparison, the tile at our local tile place is $5 - $7 per foot. I do know she saved about $1600 on the kitchen tile alone. And I know that there is about 380 sq ft of tile in our shower. I figure she saved about the same amount on the master bath shower tile. She is enjoying the bargains and makes a point to remind me at every opportunity how much money she has saved us. Of course, I have to bring her back to earth and tell her that she has spent these savings many times with all of the upgrades she's requested. We're having fun with this little game. All kidding aside, I do appreciat her efforts in cutting costs.

Now, she has 2 areas where she is not using the discount stuff. The tile installers have cautioned us about buying stone products from them - too much variation in size and thickness on the natural products at the discount place. She's looking for slate in the powder room (small space so won't cost too much) and on the screened porch (about 400 sq ft = expensive). But, with what she has saved us on the other tile, I figure she's earned it. At this time, however, I don't know the price of slate and I don't think she has finalized her selection of product yet. May burn up her savings real fast.

Good to hear from you again, rox. Thanks for checking in.

 

[rox]

A butlers pantry, one of my dream items. I always thought if I built another home I would defanatly build a butlers pantry. They are jsut so handy.

Does that mean in your dining room you are not havng any built in cabinetry?

I also should have said this earlier as well, the posts on the outside of the house make a huge huge difference. They add a lot of charm and class to the curbside view. I really couldn't believe what a difference they made.

Many thanks for sharing, I continue to enjoy watching from afar, the consturction of your family's new home.

Side note- ever wonder why I have so many tyops? Especially letter reversials? I had an injury when I was a child and a couple fingers on my right hand don't work. They drag on the keyboard, and one hand types faster than the other, it takes forever to do spell check allt he time that I jsut quit doing it with people that I know. If everthing you wrote out on a keyboard you had to spend twice as long to do, because you did it twice, once entering and once for spell check, you would get pretty sick and tired of it as well. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[bmac]

Hello, again, rox.

<font color="blue"> A butlers pantry, one of my dream items. I always thought if I built another home I would defanatly build a butlers pantry. They are jsut so handy. </font>

I just wish there was another name for it. Butler's pantry. Like we'll ever have a butler. Just sounds a little too pretentious.

<font color="blue"> Does that mean in your dining room you are not havng any built in cabinetry? </font>

That is correct. We have dining room furniture that includes a china cabinet and side board (or at least that's what i think its called). It was given to us by my parents and we like it. Recently had the chairs restored as a former family member (Lucy the bulldog) tried to eat them. So, now everything is in good shape, so no need for built-ins.

<font color="blue"> I also should have said this earlier as well, the posts on the outside of the house make a huge huge difference. They add a lot of charm and class to the curbside view. I really couldn't believe what a difference they made.
</font>

Thanks. The columns do help the appearance of the front elevation. I think we are losing the original "farmhouse" look that we originall wanted. But, I also think it is looking better than it was at the time of framing. You may recall we had some concerns about proportionality of windows and other things. Maybe I'm just getting used to it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

<font color="blue"> Many thanks for sharing, I continue to enjoy watching from afar, the consturction of your family's new home. </font>

And I thank you for coming along with us, asking questions and sharing your ideas. This would be no fun without audience participation.

<font color="blue"> ever wonder why I have so many tyops? </font>

rox, I'm a "hunt and peck" typist. It takes me forever to put my thoughts to word and than another lifetime to go back and correct the typos I can find. And I don't have a hand injury to blame it on. It doesn't bother me to read posts on forums that have typos, but it bugs me when I have them. Go figure. I need to lighten up a little and adopt your attitude.

Have you seen the studies where the documents have deliberate and severe typos, yet they are completely readable and understandable? Has something to do with the way our brains process the written word. Amazing. If my kids learn about that, it will take away all incentives for them to learn to spell correctly.

 

[bmac]

I think that we are in a position with the home building process where continuing the incremental updates will become increasingly boring to many. The finish work is slow and progress seems to take weeks to appreciate. Therefore, I think that I will withold additional photos until everything is done. As it stands now, most of the "hammerin'" has been completed. The painters are working on the interior. The tile guys have some more work to complete as do the trim carpenters. Still need to get carpet installed in the upstairs bedrooms and have the wood floors finished. Electrical and plumbing fixtures need to be installed as do the closet rods & shelving, bathroom mirrors and bath accessories. We have to finish the screened porch and deck on the rear of the house, set and hook up the outside AC units and hang garage doors. Driveway, patio and walkway still have to be formed and poured and the landscaping done. Oh, yeah, we still need to set the propane tank.

I think that's pretty much everything. Its alot of stuff, but I think I'll hold off on more pics until everything is done unless someone wants to see something in particular as we finish up. We are guessing about 6 more weeks to complete this.

Our biggest challenge right now is budget. I met with the builder on Friday and the budget did come up. It looks like we're going to have to make some last minute changes to keep from going over our limit. I refuse to go back to the bank for supplemental funding. Shows a lack of dicipline. We'll be looking hard at some materials changes, landscaping and the amount of concrete we pour. I think we'll get there, but some decisions will be difficult and compromises will have to be made as we go down the home stretch.

However, if problems arise, I'll be back lookin' for help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will withold additional photos until everything is done. )</font>

bmac,

NO, NO tell your just kidding!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Don't forget us little people living our lives through your progress!! Concrete forms, Counter Tops and Stair Railings are things I live for. Not to mention grading the ground for landscaping !!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[rox]

bmac,

I think it will be kind of fun to wait for more progress, especially since you are working during the day and don't have a chance to take photos every few step alsong the way of a particular project.

Know what you mean about budgets, there has to be trade offs. I suggested this to you before but since you are looking for ways to complete the house and really watch expenses I'll remind you of this. On our home we built a very very nice screen porch simply by using inexpensive storm doors. The storms door had a thumb latch and we took out the storms and put in the screen. All the builder did was not drill out the hole for the door knob. Here I found something that might work for you and shows you what I am describing (I ahve photos of the screen porch on another computer in USA /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif, I wish I could jsut show you a photograph of how nice the porch came out).

I found this website that even had prices, which is hard to do on the internet becasue so many fo the sites show a price that includes installation. Take a look at these screen doors

http://www.spiritelements.com/ProductDetail.aspx?c=1246&p=2088&clk=relprodimg

Our builder simply put in studs and then boxed them in so that we had about a 6' board between storm/screen doors.
It is hard to describe in writing I wish I had a phototo.

Okay here goes you have the wal of the porch balnk-
Install one combination storm/screen door
Have a post about 6 inches wide
Install another combination storm/screen door
Continue around the room.

This is nice because int he winter you can swap out the screen for a storm and have a glassed in room. And the link I provided has kind of fancy ones, ours were on the first floor so we didn't need anything on the bottom part of the door like you do because yours is on the second level, so ours were jsut a plain screen/glass door.

Your builder probably has better suppliers and prices than the link I am showing and possibly he can come up with a door that meets your code and is low priced.

We really liked being able to put in the storm door in the winter and taking out the screen, it made the room usefull ost of the year as we also had 2 skylights and well into the fall with the windows in we used a little electric heater and used the room. In your climate which is better than Wisconsin you would be able to use the room probably all year long, if instead of plain screens you do the doors where you can pop out the screen and put in the glass pane.

I think 13 years ago we paid $35 a door, for just a basic door with a pop out window glass not low e glass jsut plain old window glass and a pop in screen, so your builder should be able to get better pricing than is shown on the link, hopefully.

Some day if you want to upgrade the glass to a low e glass for better insulation it is no problem as you ahve a standard door size you are working with.

FWIW....

 

[rox]

Continued...
Ours was like this model
http://www.spiritelements.com/ProductDetail.aspx?c=1246&p=2087

It is priced at $255 but that includes hardware which you don't need since you will not be using it as a door. You would want to get a model where the screen pops out so you can put in the glass....

 

[bmac]

Eddie,

You kill me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Seriously, other than the concrete forms, I can't think of anything else to be done that won't show up equally well in photos after everything has been completed. Furthermore, I won't have to make excuses about all of the trash in the photos if I wait until the final cleanup has been done.

But, hey! You want pics, I'll take pics. As Rox has observed, by the time I get out there, oftentimes the job is done. For example, I don't know if I'll be there between the time the forms for the concrete go up and the day they pour. It was easy last Summer with the long days to go after work and still have enough light for pictures. The days are kind of short now (but getting better). You guys have been so helpful, how can I refuse a request for more pics. I'll see what i can do.

My son made an interesting discovery today. Seems like they installed the side lights to the front door inside out. I pretty much ignore stickers. And he pretty much focuses on little details. He pointed out the error to me. I'll bring it to my builders attention tomorrow.

Rox,

I'll repond to your post later. Gotta go eat supper.