Starting New House Finally!

[Alan L.]

I learned form my first house on exterior lighting, put your exterior lights up high. Those coach lights next to the man doors do nothing to shed light on a patio. We also went to the lighting houses and got better pricing.

Rox, the porch lights are all in the ceilings, none on the wall. We have 2 landscape lights under windows on the front of the house where there is no porch, and we have lots of floods in eave corners. The designer advised against those coach lights on the wall of a porch as bug attractors to the front door.

We have one coach light on the brick wall between the two garage doors.

 

[Alan L.]

Status report: The plumber just connected the sewer (to the septic) and the water. Electrician is putting up some light fixtures today and hopefully we will get the HVAC running. One the HVAC runs for 7-10 days the wood floors can be finished. Tile guy is laying tile on the floors.

The stair people are coming back to fix a screwup and the resulting re-staining and such will set us back.

The countertop people spoiled the granite slab for the island by cutting the sink opening wrong. Mrs. Alan L. is going to look at another slab that is supposed to be similar to the other cabinets, so hopefully it will match. If not, I guess we start over on the kitchen countertops.

Rock has been layed on the fireplace and the painting is finished, subject to touchup.

Will try to get some pics when I can.

 

[EddieWalker]

Alan,

Looking forward to new pictures. I bet your place is greening up nicely, some outside pics would really be appreaciated also!!!!

Eddie

 

[_RaT_]

Alan,

Looking forward to new pictures. I bet your place is greening up nicely, some outside pics would really be appreaciated also!!!!

Eddie

Eddies right, I would really enjoy some outside shots that also show the land.

 

[sr160009]

Sounds like the move in date is getting close, hopfully everything is working out like you hoped!!!!

 

[jinman]

The countertop people spoiled the granite slab for the island by cutting the sink opening wrong.

My countertop is Silestone. When it was put in, there were two guys doing it. One of them spoke enough English to tell me that they had been doing countertops for two weeks. Luckily, mine was right except for the backsplash and they cut 3/4" off of it with a special jig they had. It all worked out, but I felt pretty lucky. When you are paying $55 per square foot, a mistake gets expensive in a hurry.

 

[rox]

Hope I'm not to late on this. My sister had the same thing happen with the sink hole being cut wrong. The granit countertop people paid for a custom stainless steel sink to be built, which was very very veyr nice bTW. it was less costly than starting with new granit.

 

[Alan L.]

I'll try to get some outside pics. However because we have been so busy with the build, we are way behind on our mowing and cleanup. It is VERY green and the grass is tall, and so are the weeds.

We got about 6 inches of rain tonight and my tank is finally full!

Had an adventure coming home tonight. Water was high on the farm-to-market but I got through it, but I live on a creek and there are bridges either direction to get to it. The way I usually come home was block by water rushing over the bridge. I went the back way and found that the water in the main creek which runs through my property was up to the bridge but not over it. However there was 100 yards of high water before I got to the bridge.

I stopped my Accord and got out, took off my socks and put on some old shoes I had in the car. Raised my britches legs and started into the water to test it for depth and current. About 20 yards out it was probalby a foot deep. It was dark but in the light put out by my headlights I saw a snake swimming across the road about 15 feet in front of me, then there was a huge bolt of lightening straight ahead. My extravehicular activity terminated at that point. I drove the car through the water and it was up to my headlights at one point, but I made it home.

Mrs. Alan L, who is very curious about our creek level drove the (Kawasaki) mule down checking the level and managed to get it stuck right at creeks edge while the water was on the rise.

Figuring the mule would most likely be in lake Ray Roberts in the morning, we managed to get it unstuck and in the shop building when I got home. Thought I would have to use the tractor, but I managed to drive it out using the differential lock.

So it has an exciting, wet night.

 

[Alan L.]

Rox, if the slab they have is not acceptable I will bring up the idea of building a custom sink. I don't know if the hole they cut does not match the sink, or if it does not match the allowable opening in the island cabinet itself. About 8" of the end of the island is used by a bookcase for cookbooks, thus reducing the room for the sink, which is on that end, but on one side.

Its ashame because the slab for the island was really beautiful, with some very interesting movement in it.

 

[sr160009]

Any updates? I know it is really busy times, but I have been checking in every day to see if there are any updates. I would really like to see the finished product.

 

[Alan L.]

Its been slow. They finally finished the island countertop only today. Cut out the cabinet work for the sink where they screwed up and then put granite on the side (back of shelves under island) to cover it up. Mrs. Alan L. approved the job - she likes it. Now the light fixture does not hang directly over the sink like its supposed to.

They are scraping the wood floors today and will have stain and 2 coats of poly on them by Saturday. Once we are ready to move in they will put one more coat.

Carpet is supposed to go in next week, the tile guys are still working and the trim and paint people stil have small stuff to do. Outside flatwork formed but not poured yet because of the rain.

We should be able to close end of next week and move in a week later. With no furniture (!!!). Who has time to shop for funiture when building a house. We still have to purchase the door hardware, which will be all oiled bronze.

I will get some pics on here this weekend.

We can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[Alan L.]

Here are some pics of the tile backsplash in the kitchen and tile in the master shower (no grout yet). Also granite in the kitchen and the large piles of shavings from the hand scraping of the oak floors done today.

 

[Alan L.]

Somes pics of the fireplace and tankless water heater. Today I ordered a 250 propane tank which we will purchase (used) for $300 rather than rent for $65 a year. We are going to get it filled up although our only uses for propane are the water heater, fireplace (starter only) and outdoor propane grill.

 

[jinman]

Its been slow...We can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I can see that light at the end of the tunnel too, Alan. I think it's the twinkle in your eyes from almost being able to move in.

The countertop color is terrific and things in general look like they are coming together. I know exactly what you mean about having a house with no furniture. It took me six months to get the minimum and another two years to get things like I really wanted.

 

[EddieWalker]

Alan,

Your home looks amazing. I'd sure like to see more pictures of the trip work around the windows and the stairs!!! I love the shading of it and was wondering what stain they used? Do you know any of the details?

It's nice to see it almost done and ready to move in. I'm sure you're very exited.

Congratulations.

Eddie

 

[gsganzer]

Alan,
You're going to love the hand scraped wood floors. They really look impressive when they're finished. Have them scrape some scrap flooring and stain it just to double check your choice of color. It will look dramatically different (much darker) on the scraped floor then on any smooth store sample.

We get a ton of compliments on our scraped floor.

 

[Alan L.]

Eddie:

The pine trim and alder cabinets, beams, and mantel all have Cherry stain and flat lacquer. The oak stair trim is special walnut, as will be the oak floors.

I'll get some more pics of the window trim and such. The picture showing back into the dining room shows the walls above the beadboard not finished. They are putting wallpaper there, but the living room and everything else is painted/stained. The walls in the living room turned out lighter than we had hoped, but its growing on us.

 

[Alan L.]

Alan,
You're going to love the hand scraped wood floors. They really look impressive when they're finished. Have them scrape some scrap flooring and stain it just to double check your choice of color. It will look dramatically different (much darker) on the scraped floor then on any smooth store sample.

We get a ton of compliments on our scraped floor.

They scraped a section and stained it ahead of time and we decided on that. Overall it was not too dark, just the distressed parts took on the darker color. We'll see how it turns out.

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Alan, any pics of the guys scraping your floors? As a retired woodworker who has never ever dealt with scraping hardwood floors, I'd sure enjoy seeing the implement used.

When we moved on our place, the 250 gal. propane tank said 25 on the gauge. I thought, oh my, better get that filled. The only things in our house that use propane are the cooking range and oven. I recently checked and it's down to 25 again. Don't know where all that propane went. It was just filled in July of 2003. The propane delivery guy said we had about 55 gal. left at 25, so maybe I'll wait till this July to fill it again.

Mike

 

[Alan L.]

Alan, any pics of the guys scraping your floors? As a retired woodworker who has never ever dealt with scraping hardwood floors, I'd sure enjoy seeing the implement used.

When we moved on our place, the 250 gal. propane tank said 25 on the gauge. I thought, oh my, better get that filled. The only things in our house that use propane are the cooking range and oven. I recently checked and it's down to 25 again. Don't know where all that propane went. It was just filled in July of 2003. The propane delivery guy said we had about 55 gal. left at 25, so maybe I'll wait till this July to fill it again.

Mike

Unfortunately we did not get pics of the guys scraping the floors. But it was 2 guys, each equipped with a tool that had a convex blade about 2" wide at the end of about an 18" steal handle. They would put the left hand on top of the blade and pull it back toward them with the right. They did 900 square feet like this, all on their knees. They appreciated the 62 degrees I had the thermostat set on for the purpose of reducing the humidity before finishing the floors. LOTS of work, but they said they love doing it.