Alan L.
Elite Member
The foundation crew just showed up, laying it out right now!!
Starting New House Finally!
- Thread starter Alan L.
- Start date
- Views: 28706
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Pictures, pictures and more pictures!!!
Congratulations,
Eddie
Congratulations,
Eddie
Jagmandave
Veteran Member
Yes please, pics - lot's o pics...........
NSBound
Platinum Member
Alan L. said:
You are living my life about 1-2 years ahead of me! Congratulations, and a new request - pictures! And some details!!! Size, style, special features???
I got finished with my house two years ago and have lots of fond memories. I have never built anything before, this was my FIL, BIL'S and several friends that did the actual building. I was basically there for cheap grunt type labor. I was ecstatic after the basement was complete and we had the shell up. I believe the term they used was "dried in". Thats when the real fun started. I had no clue how much work was involved in wiring, plumbing, painting, flooring and drywall. I contracted out the insulation after I did some figuring of footage and priced buying it and self installing. My BIL told me to call an Insulation contractor and it was only $200.00 more for them to do the whole job. They were very expensive on soundproofing the interior walls so my wife and I did that ourselves. I never had a house with the interior walls soundproofed, what a difference. We had the kitchen done by an Amish gent that came highly reccomended. I also had him do the interior trim so I could get it done a bit faster as the Fed was raising interest rates and I wanted to convert my construction loan to a fixed rate before they raised the mortgage rates. The kitchen wasn't much different in price from me ordering the cabinets from a lumber yard and we got all solid wood. I couldn't imagine me trying to install it from a truckload of boxes. I would still be living in my trailer. Get ready for multiple trips to the building supply as you will be there alot. I used to have the guy's think for a bit before I went after materials and as soon as I'd get back therewas always something else they had to have.It bothered me at first but I started finding it amusing. I guess I'm trying to say there will be lots of surprises and it really pays to shop around on price. We saved alot of money doing that. I didnt realize the price of lumber fluctuates dramatically and you have to catch the last one to raise their prices. I learned alot and wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Maybe the ceramic tile experience I would trade, that is tons of work. Wouldn't be so bad on a slab but over a basement you have to install that cement board, screwed and glued. Almost like putting two floors in!
Sorry, I have been overwhelmed with decisions, decisions, decisions. I got my windows ordered today, we're going with Marvin Ultimate clad.
The decision of the day was whether or not to drop the slab floor down to accomodate 3/4" solid wood flooring and the 5/8" plywood that goes under it. After making the window order, we spent the rest of the day looking at engineered hardwood which is OK for concrete. Some discouraged us from using solid wood on concrete because of moisture problems, but frankly we have not been able to find any engineered flooring we like. We wanted a stressed floor, and the machine produced stressing doesn't look that good in our opinion.
So we ended up back at the local shop that does only solid wood floors. They did one on slab for my sister a couple of years ago and its worked out great so far. I like the fact that we can get the exact stain color and exact amount of stressing that we want, not just what is on the shelf. They put down plastic, then plywood, then felt. They also say don't lower the slab floor, the exterior doors can be raised and the interior doors trimmed to fit. There is actually only one door that would have to be trimmed - a closet, the rest open the other way.
And, the cost is about $10 a foot with installation, stressing, finish, and everything. The same or less than engineered flooring.
So, we at least learned that we don't need to lower the floor, and we can decide on the type of floor later.
Here are some pics of the forms after one day by the foundation crew. They still have some beams to dig, piers to drill, and plumbing to rough in.
To the left is the front of the house, the protrusion is a 6' by 42' porch. The protrusions on the back (right) are also porches. At the far end is the garage with opens at the front (right).
Not alot to go on here, but at least a start.
The decision of the day was whether or not to drop the slab floor down to accomodate 3/4" solid wood flooring and the 5/8" plywood that goes under it. After making the window order, we spent the rest of the day looking at engineered hardwood which is OK for concrete. Some discouraged us from using solid wood on concrete because of moisture problems, but frankly we have not been able to find any engineered flooring we like. We wanted a stressed floor, and the machine produced stressing doesn't look that good in our opinion.
So we ended up back at the local shop that does only solid wood floors. They did one on slab for my sister a couple of years ago and its worked out great so far. I like the fact that we can get the exact stain color and exact amount of stressing that we want, not just what is on the shelf. They put down plastic, then plywood, then felt. They also say don't lower the slab floor, the exterior doors can be raised and the interior doors trimmed to fit. There is actually only one door that would have to be trimmed - a closet, the rest open the other way.
And, the cost is about $10 a foot with installation, stressing, finish, and everything. The same or less than engineered flooring.
So, we at least learned that we don't need to lower the floor, and we can decide on the type of floor later.
Here are some pics of the forms after one day by the foundation crew. They still have some beams to dig, piers to drill, and plumbing to rough in.
To the left is the front of the house, the protrusion is a 6' by 42' porch. The protrusions on the back (right) are also porches. At the far end is the garage with opens at the front (right).
Not alot to go on here, but at least a start.
Attachments
The house is 2,163 square feet of air conditioned space (we tried in vain to keep it under 2000). There is a second bedroom and a loft/bedroom and a bath upstairs, plus a 23 by 6 exterior balcony off the upstairs bedroom and loft.
Downstairs is the master, living room, connected dining room, kitchen, and mudroom/utility room/bathroom.
We wanted a log home. Couldn't afford it, and was afraid of settling, bugs, insurance, maintenance, and tightness for energy efficiency.
We wanted a metal roof. Too expensive, so we are settling for standing seam metal over the shed roof of the front porch, the rest asphalt.
We wanted an all rock exterior. Too expensive, we are settling for brick, except cedar under the rear porches.
We are getting foam insulation in the walls, and good quality windows (Marvin wood with aluminum clad), hardwood floors on about 800 square feet. Andersen french doors, and solid knotty pine doors and trim inside. We are also getting multiple Trane 2-stage HVAC systems (XL16i) with humidity controls and variable speed air handlers. These are air heat pumps, as geothermal is too expensive. Heck this system is running about $18,000 for two sytems, plus an ERV system (fresh air exchanger) and an auxiliary mini-split system for our master bedroom (we like it very cool in there at night, so the rest of the systems can be shut down and only this one run. Its typically 59 in our bedroom when I wake up in the morning - we have a window unit that we are spoiled to.
The front view is of our pond, the rear view slopes down into a bottom with lots of trees, mostly elm. We did most of the design ourselves, after going through thousands of plans not being able to find what we wanted. We paid a plan designer about $1400 for the drawings, and we also got some good ideas from them (a husband and wife team).
We have given up some things but frankly everything has gotten so expensive we are just having to pick and choose what we can have.
Every time I see a a good sale price on something there is always a catch. Yea, there is hardwood floor you can get for $5 a foot, but the wood is about 1/16" thick on a 3/8" backing. I could put vinyl windows in and save $5000, fiberglass insulation would save $4000, and we could have saved alot by not have the balcony, and all the porches.
This is our last house, and while it has been stripped down somewhat from what I would consider a dream house, I think we will be happy with it. The fact that I'm 52 years old means I need to have it paid off in 15 years or less, so that makes it harder to afford more house.
We love the land, and love living on it, even in the 880 square feet we have now (which we will still have available - 2 bedrooms and 2 baths for a guest house). So, the new house should be wonderful.
Downstairs is the master, living room, connected dining room, kitchen, and mudroom/utility room/bathroom.
We wanted a log home. Couldn't afford it, and was afraid of settling, bugs, insurance, maintenance, and tightness for energy efficiency.
We wanted a metal roof. Too expensive, so we are settling for standing seam metal over the shed roof of the front porch, the rest asphalt.
We wanted an all rock exterior. Too expensive, we are settling for brick, except cedar under the rear porches.
We are getting foam insulation in the walls, and good quality windows (Marvin wood with aluminum clad), hardwood floors on about 800 square feet. Andersen french doors, and solid knotty pine doors and trim inside. We are also getting multiple Trane 2-stage HVAC systems (XL16i) with humidity controls and variable speed air handlers. These are air heat pumps, as geothermal is too expensive. Heck this system is running about $18,000 for two sytems, plus an ERV system (fresh air exchanger) and an auxiliary mini-split system for our master bedroom (we like it very cool in there at night, so the rest of the systems can be shut down and only this one run. Its typically 59 in our bedroom when I wake up in the morning - we have a window unit that we are spoiled to.
The front view is of our pond, the rear view slopes down into a bottom with lots of trees, mostly elm. We did most of the design ourselves, after going through thousands of plans not being able to find what we wanted. We paid a plan designer about $1400 for the drawings, and we also got some good ideas from them (a husband and wife team).
We have given up some things but frankly everything has gotten so expensive we are just having to pick and choose what we can have.
Every time I see a a good sale price on something there is always a catch. Yea, there is hardwood floor you can get for $5 a foot, but the wood is about 1/16" thick on a 3/8" backing. I could put vinyl windows in and save $5000, fiberglass insulation would save $4000, and we could have saved alot by not have the balcony, and all the porches.
This is our last house, and while it has been stripped down somewhat from what I would consider a dream house, I think we will be happy with it. The fact that I'm 52 years old means I need to have it paid off in 15 years or less, so that makes it harder to afford more house.
We love the land, and love living on it, even in the 880 square feet we have now (which we will still have available - 2 bedrooms and 2 baths for a guest house). So, the new house should be wonderful.
I can't believe the way prices have went up in just the 2 years since we built our house. Our place is 2150 sq and we have a buddy in the A/C biz. We got the geo set-up for 12k, what a deal. My FIL is an excavating contractor and he did all the trenches, 5 of them 7' deep an 150' long. He hit some VW size limestones and tore up a ton of bucket teeth moving them.
Wait until you go to buy the copper wire, talk about sticker shock! What kind of insulation did you go with, expanding foam? We put this stuff called Nu-wool in the walls and I put 1" ridgid foam over all exterior walls. We ended up with an R-25 wall and R-38 in the attic. The place is all electric and highest bill has been $108.00. I was after an energy efficient house
Have fun and good luck.
John
Wait until you go to buy the copper wire, talk about sticker shock! What kind of insulation did you go with, expanding foam? We put this stuff called Nu-wool in the walls and I put 1" ridgid foam over all exterior walls. We ended up with an R-25 wall and R-38 in the attic. The place is all electric and highest bill has been $108.00. I was after an energy efficient house
Have fun and good luck.
John
