New Home Construction
- Thread starter bmac
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I don't have many interesting interior shots, but I'll throw in a couple. Although it appears that budget over-runs will preclude us from finishing the basement now, I'll share what the plan calls for anyway. This space was designed to become a home theater. A theater was at the top of my "wish list" for family fun space. Sadly, it includes a couple of screw-ups by the builder - one more easily correctable than the other. More on this later.
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Here, I'm standing near the wall that seperates the "livable" basement from the "barn" space beneath the garage shooting toward the opposite end of the house. To my left (not seen here) is the home theater and to my right, the back yard. This space is designated as the "Playroom" with future plans for a pool table, foosball or air hockey, and an entertainment center. The stud wall straight ahead will be the stairwell leading upstairs. Beyond the stairwell is office space for me, a craft room for my wife and storage space.
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This picture is perpendicular to the last one. Directly behind me is the home theater, the concrete wall and doorway on the right leads to the "barn". This shot is directly toward the back yard. There is an electrical outlet embedded in the concrete just in front of the exterior wall straight ahead to power an air hockey table. And, of course, my lovely bride is providing the visual interest to the photograph.
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And now the errors I've identified so far.
Back to the home theater, you can see the drain and vent pipes well within the confines of the theater wall. Well, these serve a wet bar on the opposite side of this wall. In my view, these should have been located on the opposite side where they would not interfere with the theater design and could have been hidden with cabinetry. I don't see this as "fixable". Will take some creative finish work (decorative columns I'm thinking) in the theater to hide these.
<font color="blue"> Edit 8/4/05 I'm sure I'll be demonstrating my ignorance many times during the course of this thread. Here's but one example. I spoke with the builder this morning. He was aware of the error and has already planned to have the plumbers out to remove some concrete and relocate these pipes so they will be within the wall cavity. Nice to know he wasn't going to leave it like that. </font>
Back to the home theater, you can see the drain and vent pipes well within the confines of the theater wall. Well, these serve a wet bar on the opposite side of this wall. In my view, these should have been located on the opposite side where they would not interfere with the theater design and could have been hidden with cabinetry. I don't see this as "fixable". Will take some creative finish work (decorative columns I'm thinking) in the theater to hide these.
<font color="blue"> Edit 8/4/05 I'm sure I'll be demonstrating my ignorance many times during the course of this thread. Here's but one example. I spoke with the builder this morning. He was aware of the error and has already planned to have the plumbers out to remove some concrete and relocate these pipes so they will be within the wall cavity. Nice to know he wasn't going to leave it like that. </font>
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The other error (or maybe just a difference in interpretation of the plan) also involves the theater - in this case, the entrance. The theater design calls for the rear half of the space to have an elevated floor (a riser). My thoughts were that the steps to the riser would be outside the theater door. With this, the door header should have been positioned high enough to accomodate the elevated floor section of the theater. You can see here that it was not. So, either I have them re-frame the rough opening or have the step-up to the riser inside the theater. I'll need to mull this one over a bit before I talk to the builder. It may look goofy to have the door elevated.
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millsnhills
Silver Member
bmac,
I don't see anything that can not be fixed or at least concealed. The plumbing pipe can be easily concealed with some creative boxing and sheet rock. You could actually have that corner done so that its not a 90 degree corner but a rounded corner.
This kinda feeds into my next question which is on the floor. Why were you wishing it to be raised? Was this for wiring perhaps as I noticed the concrete flooring or stadium type seating. Just make sure that prior to all of the flooring and sheet rock work you get every kind of wire brougt in you can think about.
Looks great
I don't see anything that can not be fixed or at least concealed. The plumbing pipe can be easily concealed with some creative boxing and sheet rock. You could actually have that corner done so that its not a 90 degree corner but a rounded corner.
This kinda feeds into my next question which is on the floor. Why were you wishing it to be raised? Was this for wiring perhaps as I noticed the concrete flooring or stadium type seating. Just make sure that prior to all of the flooring and sheet rock work you get every kind of wire brougt in you can think about.
Looks great
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Couple things I noticed.
First was the sheething. They put it on to cover the upper corners of the openings. This is the way it shoud be. On some projects I've been on I've seen it just lined up with the outside opeing of a door or window. With the overlap, you get your strength to tie everthing together. The same aplies with sheetrock. Overlap the inside corners and you wont have any cracking. Just one of those little clues you look for in a good job compared to a bad one.
The plumbing issue is a pain, but doable. They will cut out the concrete, dig down into the dirt and replumb the lines. Then they will patch the concrete. Since you'll have some sort of finish on the concrete, you will never notice this. It's why they put in that plastic box for the shower drain. It's almost impossible to get those drains lined up exactly right from the rough in stage. What happened with you isn't uncommon at all.
The headers aren't what's normal for me. Using the 2x4 on the bottom works, but I like plywood sandwiched between the boards. Did they use plywood? Again, it's not a big deal, just a personal preference.
The archetect issue isn't unique at all. The mistake you made was listening to her excuses. When that starts, it's time to move on. Most people don't want to offend others, but when you hire somebody to do a job and they don't do as they said, they they are insulting you and if you allow it, they will continue to do as they please. I only give somebody one excuse. When I hear a second one, I won't use them again.
As your finding out, balancing your subs and suppliers is one of the biggest headaches your GC has. Getting people to the job after the materials are delivered can be quite tricky. Especially when deliveries are late. I'm working around a window issue myself right now. In about an hour I have a meeting with my supplier to get it all straitened out. Sometimes you have to go to them and have a face to face meeting. It puts you on a priority for getting your stuff. Otherwise you fall down on the list of when they will get to you.
The house is looking really good so far. One thing to watch for is how straight the walls are. Just stand along side them and look down the length of the wall. If you notice any bending or twisting, address it now. Good framers will work with the lumber they get and use the bad stuff for cut offs. This is especially important in your kitchen and any room with cabinets. I've seen some very expensive homes with walls so twisted they had to use one inch spacers to hang the cabinets. This can really add to the finish price of a home.
Same goes for that door you mentioned. Talk to your GC now about it. The quicker you bring it to his attention, the sooner he can address it. Even if your unsure, talk to him. He's built allot more homes then you have and can probably come up with a solution faster and better then you can. This is what your paying him for.
Thanks for posting all the pictures, it's fun to follow your progress,
Eddie
First was the sheething. They put it on to cover the upper corners of the openings. This is the way it shoud be. On some projects I've been on I've seen it just lined up with the outside opeing of a door or window. With the overlap, you get your strength to tie everthing together. The same aplies with sheetrock. Overlap the inside corners and you wont have any cracking. Just one of those little clues you look for in a good job compared to a bad one.
The plumbing issue is a pain, but doable. They will cut out the concrete, dig down into the dirt and replumb the lines. Then they will patch the concrete. Since you'll have some sort of finish on the concrete, you will never notice this. It's why they put in that plastic box for the shower drain. It's almost impossible to get those drains lined up exactly right from the rough in stage. What happened with you isn't uncommon at all.
The headers aren't what's normal for me. Using the 2x4 on the bottom works, but I like plywood sandwiched between the boards. Did they use plywood? Again, it's not a big deal, just a personal preference.
The archetect issue isn't unique at all. The mistake you made was listening to her excuses. When that starts, it's time to move on. Most people don't want to offend others, but when you hire somebody to do a job and they don't do as they said, they they are insulting you and if you allow it, they will continue to do as they please. I only give somebody one excuse. When I hear a second one, I won't use them again.
As your finding out, balancing your subs and suppliers is one of the biggest headaches your GC has. Getting people to the job after the materials are delivered can be quite tricky. Especially when deliveries are late. I'm working around a window issue myself right now. In about an hour I have a meeting with my supplier to get it all straitened out. Sometimes you have to go to them and have a face to face meeting. It puts you on a priority for getting your stuff. Otherwise you fall down on the list of when they will get to you.
The house is looking really good so far. One thing to watch for is how straight the walls are. Just stand along side them and look down the length of the wall. If you notice any bending or twisting, address it now. Good framers will work with the lumber they get and use the bad stuff for cut offs. This is especially important in your kitchen and any room with cabinets. I've seen some very expensive homes with walls so twisted they had to use one inch spacers to hang the cabinets. This can really add to the finish price of a home.
Same goes for that door you mentioned. Talk to your GC now about it. The quicker you bring it to his attention, the sooner he can address it. Even if your unsure, talk to him. He's built allot more homes then you have and can probably come up with a solution faster and better then you can. This is what your paying him for.
Thanks for posting all the pictures, it's fun to follow your progress,
Eddie
millsnhills,
The riser is for a "stadium seating" effect. Although this is a relatively small space for a theater it is desireable to have the back row of seats elevated to provide an unobstructed view of the screen. Or so I am told on the home theater forum.
As mentioned before, it looks like I'll be finishing he basement later. this will allow me plenty of time to have all of the speakers, components and lights pre-wired before the sheetrock goes up.
Thanks for the tip
The riser is for a "stadium seating" effect. Although this is a relatively small space for a theater it is desireable to have the back row of seats elevated to provide an unobstructed view of the screen. Or so I am told on the home theater forum.
As mentioned before, it looks like I'll be finishing he basement later. this will allow me plenty of time to have all of the speakers, components and lights pre-wired before the sheetrock goes up.
Thanks for the tip
Eddie,
Thanks for the reassurances on the plumbing. Exactly what my builder said. Also, nice to know they are doing they are doing things "by the book". I have all the confidence in the world in my builder. But, being the skeptic that I am, I still want to check up on things regularly and bring to his attention anything that doesn't look right to me. Of the few things I have noticed, he has had the same solution you have had. And, since you have been dubbed the "building god" by another TBNer, (an accolade I wholeheartedly agree with) your confirmation means alot to me.
<font color="blue"> The headers aren't what's normal for me. Using the 2x4 on the bottom works, but I like plywood sandwiched between the boards. Did they use plywood? </font>
Eddie, I meant to check on this today but forgot. I had a quick visit to the site and was busy working out some window, door and room layout issues. Maybe tomorrow.
<font color="blue"> The mistake you made was listening to her excuses. When that starts, it's time to move on. </font>
Amen to that. Of course, with the architect MIA, now we're finding discrepancies and omissions in the plans that the builder and framing sub are having to work out on-site. Things they are capable of doing but shouldn't have to.
<font color="blue"> Same goes for that door you mentioned. Talk to your GC now about it. </font>
Already did. He knew we had to make a decision and just told the framers to do it this way until we could get together and choose which way to go. At this stage, no biggie to change it.
As always, Eddie, I enjoy and look forward to your comments along the way.
Thanks for the reassurances on the plumbing. Exactly what my builder said. Also, nice to know they are doing they are doing things "by the book". I have all the confidence in the world in my builder. But, being the skeptic that I am, I still want to check up on things regularly and bring to his attention anything that doesn't look right to me. Of the few things I have noticed, he has had the same solution you have had. And, since you have been dubbed the "building god" by another TBNer, (an accolade I wholeheartedly agree with) your confirmation means alot to me.
<font color="blue"> The headers aren't what's normal for me. Using the 2x4 on the bottom works, but I like plywood sandwiched between the boards. Did they use plywood? </font>
Eddie, I meant to check on this today but forgot. I had a quick visit to the site and was busy working out some window, door and room layout issues. Maybe tomorrow.
<font color="blue"> The mistake you made was listening to her excuses. When that starts, it's time to move on. </font>
Amen to that. Of course, with the architect MIA, now we're finding discrepancies and omissions in the plans that the builder and framing sub are having to work out on-site. Things they are capable of doing but shouldn't have to.
<font color="blue"> Same goes for that door you mentioned. Talk to your GC now about it. </font>
Already did. He knew we had to make a decision and just told the framers to do it this way until we could get together and choose which way to go. At this stage, no biggie to change it.
As always, Eddie, I enjoy and look forward to your comments along the way.
Now the bad news. I did not educate myself well enough about the type of system the builder would be using for the garage floor. My original idea for the garage was pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete panels like you see in parking decks and other commercial applications. My builder had never done this type of installation before, but had done the steel-supported slabs. I made some assumptions that I shouldn't have, mainly that the end result would be pretty much the same. WRONG.
I lost alot of headroom in the "barn" below the garage with the trusses hanging down. They leave about 8.5" from the floor to the bottom of the trusses. Hardly the 10 ft I had envisioned when I planned the the space. There will still be ample heigth for my tractor and I'll still be able to do probably every thing I had planned for this space. But, I'm afraid I'm going to feel a little claustrophobic in there with trusses hanging down like that. Live and learn.
I lost alot of headroom in the "barn" below the garage with the trusses hanging down. They leave about 8.5" from the floor to the bottom of the trusses. Hardly the 10 ft I had envisioned when I planned the the space. There will still be ample heigth for my tractor and I'll still be able to do probably every thing I had planned for this space. But, I'm afraid I'm going to feel a little claustrophobic in there with trusses hanging down like that. Live and learn.
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Last one. Again from the rear, just a different angle showing the barn end of the house.
Found out today that the framing crew works from 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday through Thursday. So, not much will happen tomorrow. Should get the steel in the garage completed. That's about it.
Found out today that the framing crew works from 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday through Thursday. So, not much will happen tomorrow. Should get the steel in the garage completed. That's about it.
