porchless

Slow motion time-lapse. The trusses are all up, and more work is done on the porches and interior. The door leaning against the house is one of 3 identical doors that are the front, back, and side doors.
Porch dilemma - there are really only 2 woods you can use if you want an old-timey wooden porch. Southern Pine tongue-and-groove, or Ipe, both expensive. We didn't really realize that we were heading toward flooring that is $4 - $5 a square foot. Brakes on. Now what? I don't want a deck style porch, and I don't want tile on the front. We probably will tile the screened porch, but for now we will have a scrap plywood front porch. It is so hard and tiring to decide to NOT decide. The porch has been an important thing for me the whole time. I really want it to look good, or the whole house will look blah or even bad.
Other than the porch, this morning they were waiting for the inspector so they could wrap the house, and I don't know what they were waiting for before doing the rest of the roof, but that will get done soon. Finish the deck, set the windows and doors... Roberto thinks 2 more days. Then $9000 worth of HVAC, $4500 of electrical, no plumbing bids yet. Brother, can you spare a dime?

a little off the top

Up it goes. They put the sheathing on the outside trusses before lifting them. In a couple of hours, all the trusses were at least on top of the house, if not all upright. Roberto has asked for the sheathing inspection for tomorrow, so he's expecting to get the roof covered today. The porches are framed and will get flooring as soon as the roof is on.
A couple of windows had to be lowered. The kitchen window really should be taller, but it's ordered, so we're just going to lower it. And a bedroom window got raised to match the wall it is on instead of matching the other window in the room, so it's coming down some too.
I found a doggie door that's made for an exterior wall, so we'll install that going out to the deck. Then we can put baby gates on the stairs, and Daisy can get in and out whenever she wants, by golly. I open the door for her a million times in a week...
Here's my new confusion. We asked an electrician to put up the temporary pole, and to bid the whole house. But now I'm thinking, you have to pull a permit to hook up the pole, so it should be the same electrician for both. That would explain why he won't come do it - he's probably confused that we're asking for them separately. Or we can pull the permit and say we're doing the electric. See why I'm getting nowhere on this? Everything to do with the house is like that comedic routine of ordering coffee at Starbucks. What size? Lowfat, whole, soy, or skim? Whipped cream or no? Sugar or sweetener? Decaf, half-caf, or regular? Strong blend or house? Flavored? Blended? Whipped? Iced? Give up? The windows, the doors, the knee wall, electrical...

Where's the cheese?

Rob went this afternoon and cleaned up some of the mess the rain and mud is causing, and set the boys loose. This picture is taken from on top of the screened porch. Although you can't see the crew, the guys were there working today. I went to Chapel Hill for the meeting of the owner-builders from the area. I really enjoyed talking with them about our shared experience, and I learned a few things. We all came away with some questions, and we'll share the answers as we find them.

Tomorrow we are moving the two big glass doors from here to the site, and taking Michael's (the building rep, remember?) very nice wooden table and chairs to Rob's shop to be finished. A small token of our appreciation for all he is doing for us, and as a gift to Molly.

Probably no blog tomorrow. I'll pick it up Monday with a picture of the roof going on. And you can picture me, trying to find an electrician. STILL no temporary pole up...

subtle differences

It's like the game where you have to find 6 things that are different in this picture...
Notice all the interior walls, and the stack of roof trusses to the left. Since none of us knew to order a crane, we don't have one until Monday. Meantime (and that means during the weekend) they are going to frame in the porches and deck. Thanks to Mike (our building rep and new best friend), we got some copper flashing at a good price from a sheet metal place.
After the scattered showers this afternoon, we should get some good weather to dry out the house. The framing will probably be done in the middle of next week. Our neighbor, who recommended our excellent framer, has been working with the framer, but really specializes in finish work. Including having worked for the only staircase company in town. So he will help beautify the porch, and then be around for the interior work, doing trim, floors, whatever. Some good stuff should happen there.
Stay tuned...

"And that is where...

...my room will be." Says Chase, down there in the corner of the picture, pointing to his bedroom window.
This picture was taken yesterday afternoon. (I actually posted it last night, but lost it) They worked hard yesterday in anticipation of missing work today, and the roof trusses coming tomorrow. There were more walls up last night when Rob when to see it. He caught them just as they were going to cut boards for a wall where we had changed a door, but had not told anyone. "Lets move this door over here, and make it a pocket door, and NOT tell the framer or the materials rep. ha ha" Joke would have been on us.
I can't say enough good things about this framer and his crew. Roberto knows his stuff, checks before making changes that he knows need to be made, and they are working long and hard. Even today, with a mini-hurricane in the area and heavy rains predicted, they were on the job, getting up as many interior walls as they can before doing the roof.
Saturday I'm going to Chapel Hill for a meeting of other owner-builders from the state. It should be very interesting and informative.
Here's a truth - HVAC companies prepare bids quickly because they have outside sales reps. Electric companies are slow, because they are all out working. Siding installers call you as soon as you apply for a permit.

Another double joist where?

Today's accomplishment - passing the open floor inspection. That's Roberto up top. I didn't mean to cut his head off, but I'm trying not to bug people when I take pictures, and its hard to see what you're doing with the phone. The guy with the plans is the inspector. Harried, but nice enough. Our shared moment of 'dang, that was close' was when the inspector actually broke a block to make sure there was concrete in the hole with the bolt. If you look at yesterday's picture, you see mr. concrete filling the holes at the last minute before the floor was started. Roberto said he has never seen an inspector do that.
The water company came today also, and was setting the meter as I was leaving, so we should have water tomorrow. Temporary electric should happen any day now.
Tomorrow's picture should be exciting. There should be a floor, and the Wonka truck will deliver the concrete for the posts for the porches. Walls might even be started.
A friend at the boy's school is going to give me a number for a goat vet. Bosco just is not getting over his stuffiness.

Proceed

This morning, our first wood order was thumped onsite (shocking to see it just plopped off the back of the truck), under the direction of our framing foreman (in white), and our incredibly helpful building supply rep (in green). To the right is the foundation guy, finishing up the filling of the holes where Rob had to run the bolt extensions. The foundation ended up being a complete exercise in how to handle a sub to your disadvantage. money money money. sigh. But it got done, to code (only just), so there you go. I just can't honestly say I would recommend this guy.
Since the time this picture was taken, the floor has been completed. I called for the open floor inspection tomorrow, then they move on up the walls. I'll post another picture tomorrow, and you will be amazed.
The surveyor came back today to do the foundation set-back verification. While he was there he also verified the flood line (40' away), and then he took the survey to the permit department for me. Above and beyond the call of duty, and a pleasure to do business with. Thompson Surveyor in Burgaw. Him I recommend.
Also today, the windows and doors got finalized. It has been like doing a complex puzzle or rubic's cube. We bought 2 amazing doors with transoms at the Habitat Homestore, and 3 great big windows from Godwin's yard. That left the french doors from the dining room to the screened porch, and the windows in the bathrooms which I insist on being open-able. Both of these items are really expensive to buy new. Really. So our rep and I are cruising the yard, going building to building, trying to find a door and windows that will work, so he can give the rough-in sizes to the framer. We found the door (it matches the 2 we have,and gives us a double opening front door), and were puzzling the window. We joked about buying a regular sized one, hanging it upside down, and covering half of it with tile. Or turn it sideways. Aha! There were 2 windows that had actually been ordered with the dimensions reversed, and they came out 40" wide and 30" tall, AND they open! That may not sound like much now, but it made my day. Puzzle solved, HUGE dollars saved. yay!
Busy busy day. Tomorrow the inspection, maybe have the Wonka truck back to fill the holes for the porches and deck, call the vet for Bosco (he's a hoarse goat), and hopefully have time to run. Then Rob takes the boys to their scout meeting... cute...

The Wonka truck

I had never seen a concrete truck that mixes onsite, so this was entertaining. When its running, it makes all these chugs and whishes, and blows little bits of cement dust while churning out the concrete, like something in a Wonka factory. Sweet. The driver said the concrete we got was extra strong and quick-drying. It was supposed to be for a septic system, but that job canceled. So supposedly, a superior mix of concrete for the same price.
The block was late in being delivered yesterday, but it is onsite, and should be all set today. Rob will paint the inside with a sealer, and line the ground with plastic. We have a pile of dirt from the clearing that we can put around the house to create a slope.
Tuesday night we had a hugely productive meeting with Roberto, who is our framing crew leader, and Michael, our diligent building supply rep. Michael had a bunch of questions regarding methods and materials, and Rob and Roberto had all the answers. 2 x 10's here, 2x 6's there, 5/8ths plywood for the roof, not 1/2" as called for. 1 box of nails to start, and they fit a Hitachi 22 degree gun. Stuff like that. We finalized the deck and porch designs (except for the porch railings, which is my special concern), including stairs. Roberto's crew will do the porch footings also. So I think the roof trusses and first lumber are being ordered today.
I had two surprises yesterday. First was my trying to order temporary electricity. I thought from my readings that the foundation had to be in before I could order, and from ordering water hookup I thought the electric company would do all the temporary work. So, you know, just call and request, and it would be done. duh. I have to find an electrician to set the pole, per code, and have it inspected by the county, THEN the electric company will connect it. Luckily Roberto has a generator that will run the saws, and ours will run the compressors, so it shouldn't delay things to not have electric on site yet. My other surprise was that the inspection department is going to stand on their insistance that all the windows be DP 50. That means our windows will exceed the standards for even New Hanover county, which is closer to the ocean and experiences higher winds. I was able to get an exception for some glass doors we had bought at Habitat Homestore, which are DP 47. They don't make doors any higher. So luckily we only had 2 windows we had bought that don't meet the standard, and we bought 2 more that do.
My goal today is to contact as many of the mechanical trade subs as possible to request bids. Oh, and get the temporary electrical pole in.
And here's your entertaining thought of the day - Rob volunteered to be an assistant cub scout leader. Picture him in a blue button-up shirt and neckerchief, surrounded by 6 year-old boys...

a good man is hard to find...

...especially if he builds foundations!
So here is our ground-breaking. This picture was taken Saturday, and this Monday morning I am waiting for the inspector to call with a time he can come inspect the open foundation. Then the concrete and blocks, up 4' with split-face or whatever its called. All for the very reasonable price of $8800, which frustratingly enough does NOT include the footers for the porches. I don't know why, but our guy here doesn't want to do them. No one does. So Rob and I might end up doing it. Not that WE want to, either...

Our invisible house

The land is clear. And in this picture, so is our house. This is taken from what will be the front yard, looking towards and through where the front of the house will be. I took the picture at 9 am, so the sun is just coming over the tops of the trees into the house site. Beyond those trees is the pond-becoming-meadow, and the view will be great when we clear out the vines and creepy prickers. With as thick as the trees were, and as tight as a couple of the corners are, I only saw one tree with any damage from the clearing process, so I now enthusiastically endorse and recommend Evergreen Mulch. Chris did the detail work, and had a guy helping him with the excavator. He was careful and considerate, and over all did a great job. And the price was good.
So there it is. And can you believe we still don't have someone to do the foundation?
I talked to my friend who is a real estate agent today. She is going to list our present house for us, so she is advising us on what repairs and upgrades to do before we list. We're hoping to get enough for the house to pay back the mortgage and then finish the new house in style. So if you are looking for a nice house near Wilmington, you know who to email. (me).
Oh, and the goats are doing great...

What's that in the trees?

Omigosh, its an excavator! I never thought I would be so happy to see trees being ripped up and cut down. It's like watching a tame dinosaur trying to eat a tidy meal. Bite up these bushes, put them here, then move the whole pile over there. Set the trees in to the side, nudge this tree, then try to rip it up. They started this morning, and it should take 2 or 3 days, mostly because it's tight in there, and I'm picky about some of the trees. I'll take more pictures this afternoon.
We seem to have found a framing crew, so I need to order the roof trusses because they won't start framing until they have a delivery date.
I'm having a hard time finding a foundation guy. It's a secret underground network... I need the password.