What lies beyond those doors?

Take 6: Come on IN!

What lies beyond these doors?  Well, come on in and I'll give you a peek!

My last update included progress on the exterior finishes of this house.  Much has been happening on the inside as well!  Our last trip through the inside looked much different than it does now.  The framing, rough plumbing, rough electrical, and rough HVAC had been completed, and the house was ready for termite treatment and insulation.  I didn't take any pictures of the insulation stage -- not intentional on my part -- just a matter of time limitations.  So, in essence the house has gone from a shell, to an enclosed structure, and is now looking much more like a defined space.

Welcome in!  This is the same space (picture above) I originally posted as my first interior framing picture.  It's the opening to the living room within the foyer.  The foyer is not a typical entry area, in that it runs parallel to the width of the home verses vertically.  To the right you have the Master Suite and "her" room, and the left leads to "his" room/formal office space and a wing containing 2 guest bedrooms.

The picture above is within the foyer looking to the right (see front door in right side of picture).

The picture above is looking through the foyer to the left.  As you can see, the hardwood floors have been installed.  They are 5"solid hickory planks.  Gorgeous!

A view from the kitchen looking out to the living room with a fireplace straight on.  The dark wood on the ceiling in the living room is the framework for future beams.

"His" office -- library. :)  Note the future window seat and beams on the ceiling.

"Her" office -- reading room. :)  I love the windows -- tons of daylight!

And... down the stairs we'll go... another time!  There's too much house to share in one post!  Be on the lookout for more details in the finish processes of this house.  I can't wait to continue sharing -- we'll watch as this house becomes a HOME. :)

Exterior Details Part: 2

Take 5: Exterior Details TOO - or 2!  

I'm not quite sure what prompted the use of "takes" while posting the updates on this house build, but now that I've started the trend, I must continue it. :)

My last update concluded with (some) exterior progress.  The brick veneer had been added to the exposed areas of foundation at the base of the house.  Exterior finish details are beginning to come together now!  Here's a look at the most recent exterior finish details:

Can you see the changes?  The picture is taken from a distance, so details are more difficult to see!  Here's another picture -- closer to the house (right side, front):

Yes!  That's Board and Batten siding you see!  The material used as siding is called James Hardie Board.  It's a cement product, and offers comparable durability and longevity to brick.  You can purchase James Hardie Board in pre-finished color pallets, but the cost for material is significantly higher.  

(above picture: left side, rear)

The next exterior phase will include the installation of cedar shake on the eves, and stone on the facade.  Can't wait to share more pictures with you!

Making Progress!

Take 4: Exterior Finish Details 

That new house is moving right along!  Unfortunately, once the framing and roof have been completed the progress might not seem as obvious from the outside.  That being said, there's still much to be done -- outside and in!  Curious as to what's been done since my last update?  Here's a look at the exterior of the house:

Look VERY closely... do you see any changes??  This picture isn't the best for purposes of detail spotlighting, so I'll help you out.  The foundation is now covered by brick.  See it?!  This house will be finished with James Hardie (board and batten) cement siding and accented with natural stone.  Board and Batten shutters with wrought iron S-hooks will be added as a final detail at the end.  Here's a picture of the rear elevation:

And, yes -- that's my builder/husband Jim... :)

The inside is in the process of being insulated right now.  Once the insulation has been inspected, Jim will be free to move forward and into the final phases of construction.  Sheetrock will be next, and the rooms will look like separate spaces, not a bunch of 2-by-4s in a big space! :)

Stay tuned for my next update!

Houzz that House Coming Along?!

Take 3: The Roof... the roof is on...

No!  The roof is NOT on fire!!! :)  But, it's ON the house!  Take a look!

A bit more than the roof has been completed since my last update. :) Let's see... the house was still in the early stages of framing when we left off.  Since then, the roof has been framed, dried-in with felt paper and shingles, plumbing boots and ridge vents have been installed, and the windows have been installed.  All of these things are visible from the OUTSIDE, but what's been going on INSIDE?

  

Let's take a look at the INSIDE of the house at this stage:

Might not seem like much has been accomplished, but really, MUCH has been done.  Take a close look at the picture above.  It's the entryway to the house.  If you look directly up, you'll notice a little blue dot.  That blue dot is the beginning of what will house the foyer chandelier.  The black lines behind, are the ductwork for the HVAC (heating and air) system.  The white pipes are plumbing pipes, and white wires -- additional electrical lines, and wiring for the AV (audio/video) system.

Below is a picture of the Master Bathroom.  The Throne Room is directly ahead, tub to the left, and double sinks on the right.  The shower is behind me -- didn't fit in the picture.  

I believe I can conclude my project update for now!  The inspector has been called, and we are now awaiting the Framing Inspection.  Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC will be inspected by Trade Inspectors, and the Primary Framing Inspection will include the structural framing and roof.  Be on the lookout for Take 4!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like a... ?

Take 2: Framing

 Yes!  It's beginning to look a lot like a house!  The foundation was inspected and passed.  The foundation was then treated for termites.  Following the termite treatment, the housed passed a termite inspection.  Finally free to move on with production!

The picture above is taken from the front right corner of the house.  On the far left you can see the opening for the 3 car garage.  This will be a craftsman ranch-style home with a walk-out basement.  The majority of the framing is complete -- minus the roof, of course.

I zoomed in on the right front corner so you could see more of the foundation and framing up close.   This house is built on a hill that leads down to a lake.  The back decks will have gorgeous lake views!

The picture above shows the back of the house from the right corner (would be left corner if looking from the front).  You can see two door openings in the foundation.  Those are 8 foot (high) door openings -- to give you some idea as to how the camera fools the eye!  It looks so tiny in pictures!  The ceilings throughout the house are 12 feet high, where an average home has 8 foot ceilings.

Coming up next: The Roof!  Maybe I'll post some pre-insulation interior framing pictures too.  This will be a fun journey from start to finish.  I'll include more details as the details become more detailed.

Ground ---> UP!

Are you ready to begin this journey called building a house with me?  If you're not, feel free to tune out; if you are, welcome aboard!
  I'm going to give you all a little sneak-behind-the-scenes peek at how it's done!  Pictures don't really capture the intricacies, and definitely downplay the true size and scale of the project, but they'll have to suffice for now! 

TAKE 1: FIRST PHASE OF FOUNDATION  

(Btw, a few steps have been skipped purely out of lack of interest on my part... figured if it was boring to me, it would be to you too.)

 A side profile view of the basement (left) and the front of the house/first level (right)

View of the front (L) corner of the house looking across and back at basement

At this point, you are looking at the block walls of the foundation.  The land had to be cleared and excavated, and footings were then dug.  Rebar reinforcements were placed in the footings, and the footings were then poured solid with cement.  What you see in the above photos is the phase that followed.  Cement block (rebar reinforced) walls and piers (those gray columns sticking up in the basement) were installed along and within the footings, and cement was poured into each opening in the top of the block walls for support.  The foundation was then "water proofed", inspected, and back-filled.

Coming Soon: TAKE 2: Framing... the house will LOOK like a house. :)