Wow! It has been a busy season around here. Your last peek at the progress of the home was November 14th! Building a custom home takes a lot of time, detail, and follow up. Since my last post many "events" have occurred, and not just house building. I spent a day out with my grandson to celebrate his birthday at Chucke Cheese on November 26th. Hubby and I have gone to Little Rock twice, November 27, and December 26. A December 12th college graduation, including pack up for our future daughter in law. Our presence for our 6th grandchild's birth on December 17th. A Christmas dinner with the middle son and his wife to celebrate Christmas on December 20th, and with the eldest son and his wife's family on December 25th. I successfully completed 14 dozen Christmas balls. They have been created, fabricated and delivered to homes all over the world, which included two guest appearances in Frisco to demonstrate how the ornaments are made. Our future daughter in law left for Japan December 20 and married our son on Christmas eve in Okinawa Japan, December 24th! I'm due to fly out tomorrow early AM to spend an overdue visit with my parents in Maryland til just a few days after the New Years. So, without further ado, let's get everyone up to date on the new construction!
Thursday, November 20, 2014
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| Finishing Up The Roof |
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| Rough Electrical Work Going In |
Tip: I should have covered this earlier. As soon as the windows are installed the windows need to be protected from the electric cords that lay across the window sills so that the framers and following sub contractors can operate their power equipment. This wasn't so neccesary when a hammer and saw were the main tools of the trades. But now that most every trade uses power equipment, feeding off an air compressor, you will notice that while the electric cords and pressure hoses are vinyl and pliable, the connectors at the ends are made of metal and can do a fair amount of damage to your wood windows. I don't have any vinyl windows in this home, so I can 't tell you how they are affected. But after a long day the trades usually pull their lines from the outside of the house. No one is "dropping" them carefully out the window. So when the metal catches the wood, it does tear up the window. Be aware!
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Damage casued by power/
compressor cords |
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Remedy: Add towel or protective
wrap to sill |
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
With the roof shingles on, the electrical and HVAC completed, the insulation is finally able to get installed. They started yesterday with the underside of the attic roof. We decided to go with the rigid foam. We walked through several homes with this installed and really noticed a difference. We even had the priviledge of seeing some of the home owners' electric bills when we were deciding to build or to purchase a home already built. The electric bills were quite impressive. However, it smells when it is installed. So this is not a place to hang out for the day while the work is being done.
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| Underside of main house attic |
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| Insulation Day! |
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| Interior Wall Insulation |
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| Exterior Wall Insulation- Omni Wall |
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Another visit to check out furnishings for the the gathering room. I'm told there is a sale, and the lead time is 8-12 weeks. Nothing like a little pressure to go along with the rest of the job.
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It is apparently easier to pick out fabrics than
it is to find the right furniture pieces for this
room. Urgh. |
Monday, December 8, 2014
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| Sheet rock install on it's 3rd day! |
The sheet rock is now able to be installed, now that all the insulation is in. What's interesting is that it is one team to install the sheetrock, another team will follow once all the sheet rock is installed and they will do the bedding, and texture where needed.
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| Now you see it...... |
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| Now you don't. |
Today the excavation takes place for the backyard pool. Yes, it's December, and cold. However, it's a good idea to get the large machinery in and out of the area BEFORE the driveway is poured, the irrigation lines are in, and the final grade is done. It was really nice to have good weather for the work these 3 days. The mornings were cold, but once the sun came out the day warmed up, and all the work only took a 1/2 a day, each of the three days because we aren't installing anything too large.
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| Step 1 |
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| Step 3 |
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| Step 2 |
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| Step 4 |
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| Step 5 |
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| Step 6 |
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| Step 7 |
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| Forms, R-bar, and plumbing |
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
The second day of pool work.
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| Early foggy morning |
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| Sun warms up the morning |
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| Locating the equipment |
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| The sheet rock continues |
Tip: Not just for the blog, but try to take pictures of all the plumbing, and wiring BEFORE the work is covered with dirt, or cement. Having pictures could help with future installations, and when needed, repairs. Looking really forward into the future, it would be helpful to the next homeowners.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
The weather is excellent for applying the gunite today!
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| Get Ready...Get Set.... |
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| Go! |
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| Protect the new painted exterior |
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| Have to admire the precision! |
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| Wow! In 3 days! |
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| Next step will be the tile. |
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| Sheetrock is all hung! |
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| There are scraps everywhere! |
Thursday, December 11, 2014
No one is working today, but me, and I don't mind. Today I'll spend the day working on broom cleaning and stacking the scraps of sheet rock strewn all over the second floor. Yesterday I did the broom clean up on the first floor. I like to have the place broom cleaned, especially after and before each of the sub contractors comes in to do their work.
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| Example: Before: Art Room |
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| After: Art Room, after I'm done. |
Sunday, December 14, 2014
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| Art Room |
Here's a better picture of the Art Room taken from the same angle. We came by on Sunday to see the progress. The next team has come today to lay down paper to protect the floors from the "mud" that will be used to tape and bed the sheet rock. Another team does this work. It is not the same team that hung the sheet rock.
Monday, December 15, 2014
The tape and bedding begins! It's a mess outside from all the rain that came in on Sunday night, but once the team get inside, they can get to work. If you look at current construction, you may notice that some walls have rounded corners. Since we are going for a period home I want to use corner beads that will give us a hard 90 degree. If you are not familiar with building, these corner beads not only cover the cut seams of the sheet rock but add additional strength to the exposed edge, which in every day life could take a beating.
Have to pack up and leave town now. Our 6th grandchild is due December 17th. Welcome to the family Hudson!
I'll be back with more as soon as I get back to the property after the New Year, plus a few days.
