Chris & Kay

The Rock is In

Chris — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:41:22 +0000

I just came from the rock yard (Big Country Stone) and got to see the rock we ordered. It’s called Autumn Blend and the style is ‘chopped’. That means that instead of cutting them into squares they ‘chop’ or break them into squares giving them a rough look.

Two Hands Are Better Than One

Maggie Kay — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:18:31 +0000

When it comes to house building, I’ve learned that two hands are better than one…but twenty hands are certainly better than two! After a lull in progress due to rain complications, the building process has definitely picked up this week. This burst of progress is due in part to the sheer number of workers who can be found at the lot on any given day. Here’s the run down of crews we’ve seen (or noticed work from) thus far this week:

Roofers - The roof is almost completely covered…FINALLY! After several weeks of staring at tar paper…its exciting to see shingles!
Painters - Exterior paint on the trim has been completed.
Framers - Small framing additions have occurred throughout the interior of the house including the corner fireplace, stair wall, and storage nook under the stairs. Also the windows have been installed everywhere except for the large living room window at the back of the house…its taking a bit longer to be delivered.
Mason - Brick!!! The brick is beginning to crop up all over the house…as of now…the right side of the house is mostly done with smatterings of brick completed on the back, left side, and front of the house as well.
AC Crew- Air conditioning installation has begun…vents, return vents, and ducts are being placed throughout the house. Since we are having two AC units, one for downstairs and one for upstairs, there is an amazing configuration of AC equipment in the attic complete with suspension wires. You gotta see it!
Plumber - The tankless water heater has been installed as well as the manabloc for the PEX system that will run throughout the house. There’s red tubes, blue tubes, copper tubes, white tubes…who knew there were so many colors lurking behind the walls. Also, the guest bathroom tub has been installed!
Cleaning Crew - Oh wait…maybe in my dreams! The piles of equipment, tools, materials, sand, and trash seem to have doubled this week…I hope these guys are as good at cleaning as they are at making a mess!

With the way progress has been going lately, check back soon for more pictures and updates! November (our anticipated move-in month) is just around the corner!

Going Up…

Maggie Kay — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:52:51 +0000

We now, officially, have a two story home complete with upstairs bonus room! Once again, I’m in awe of the house that Chris and I designed. I will be the first to admit that I had my doubts…especially with regard to the second story gable. I have been anxiously waiting for the framers to complete this part of the house, for it was the only section I couldn’t semi-visualize based on the floor plan. My wonderful husband, however, with his uncanny ability to transform lines on a paper into a three-dimensional home in his mind has assured me countless times that the house including the second story gable would be perfect. Why did I ever doubt him?

So, the second story bonus room is even bigger than we originally planned. The room is 27 feet long by 14 feet near the gable and 19 feet near the back of the room. We plan to use the space near the gable as an office for Chris…I just hope the amazing view of Abilene doesn’t hinder his creative genius. The remaining space will make a cozy theater room…we are even thinking of adding a bar area for close proximity of sodas and movie snacks. (Note: these are our dreams at this point…perhaps one day they will be reality.)

The framers have also begun to create the forms for the stairs leading to the bonus room. Enjoy the pictures of Chris and I climbing the stair frames…16 steps took me 5 minutes to climb….I’m such a scaredy cat!

We also have tech shield installed on the interior of the roof to reduce attic heat and lower home energy costs.

Yesterday, Chris and I met with the builder to make final window and roof selections. Informally, our builder mentioned that the brick layer may begin bricking the house in 3 weeks! Today is Monday, August 25…let’s see if that prediction comes true.

Beautiful

Maggie Kay — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:13:58 +0000

Beauty like this deserves its own post!

Progress Despite the Rain

Maggie Kay — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:06:06 +0000

Seven days of rain: farmers get excited (I love you Daddy!) …builders get worried…and future home owners…well, let’s just say the framing crew is amazing! Even with 4 inches of rain over the past week, the building process has not stopped. Chris and I have been pleasantly surprised with the progress that has taken place.

I have compiled this list of framing developments that have occurred since my last post:

Front porch archway and rock columns
Twelve foot ceiling in entryway
Additional one foot frames on top of the living room and hallway walls to create ten foot ceilings
Tyvek covering for exterior of house
Preliminary framing for breakfast bar in the kitchen
Delivery of ceiling beams and floor trusses
Second story floor trusses over master bedroom and kitchen
Framing for roof gables on the front of the home
Beginnings of roof over second story bonus room

The Beginnings of a Roof

Maggie Kay — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:30:43 +0000

With no more walls to construct, the framing crew decided to go up rather than out. We have the beginnings of a roof over the master closet, master bath, and patio. Check out the ladder in the second picture…the framing crew constructed it and have since been using it around the house. Quite creative if you ask me!

When Chris and I decided to build, high ceilings were on my “Can’t Live Without” list. With a little extra effort, that wish became a reality. Our house will have a 12 foot entryway and 10 foot living room with 9 foot ceilings in all other areas.

Maybe I’m trying to compensate for my short stature.

2×4’s…Need I Say More

Maggie Kay — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:55:00 +0000

We drove out to the lot on Monday expecting to see subtle signs that the framing crew had arrived on-site to begin the long process of framing the house. What we found was anything but subtle!! After just two days of work, the framing crew had completely constructed every wall in the house. See for yourself…I’m still in shock!

I can’t describe the feeling of being able to walk through the house, knowing that Chris and I had a hand in its creation. Every room, every wall, every door, and every window is placed there because we decided that’s where it should be. Although exciting, that thought has haunted me for several weeks now as the house has taken shape. Did we make the right choices? Should we have made the dining room larger? Is the linen closet in the right place? Is the hallway too much wasted space? Are you sure the living room is large enough?

I know that building a house comes with a world of unknowns. I know that building for the first time is a recipe for mistakes. But, after walking through our house for the first time…after seeing the plan we developed months ago take shape…I can honestly say that I couldn’t be more pleased.

Operation: Foundation

Maggie Kay — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:02:01 +0000

At 9:30 PM on Thursday night, we received an exciting phone call. It was our builder calling to inform us that the foundation would be laid the following morning! Finally…foundation.

At 5:30 AM on Friday morning, our builder arrived at the lot to do some last minute electrical work before the foundation crew arrived. Electrical wires had to be run through the foundation to the kitchen island.

At 6:15 AM, the work began. It took a crew of at least six guys, two cement trucks, two truck drivers, one builder, and one wonderful husband to create the scene below.

At 8:30 AM, Chris went to document the experience hoping to catch some action. Needless to say, the cement guys are quick! The crew was almost completely done; only one corner of the garage was unfinished.

At 7:00 PM, we went back out to the lot to document the completed project. Here’s a few pictures. Notice that the wood frames are removed in most places and metal bolts have been placed around the exterior of the foundation in preparation for the framing crew.

At 7:25 PM, we drove home with a smile!

Pipes, Pipes, Pipes!

Maggie Kay — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:48:38 +0000

The foundation is coming right along…the most recent development is plumbing! Although the majority of our pipes will be in the walls, a few pipes have to run through the foundation itself. These pipes include the main water line, septic line, drain pipes for all the bathrooms, water line for the kitchen, and utility pipes for the washer and sink. One thing is for certain, we are going to have plenty of sinks in our house…I think the count is up to 7. You are all welcome to come by and wash your hands anytime!

More Wood, More Sand

Maggie Kay — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:43:08 +0000

More wood and more sand…that basically describes the changes that have taken place lately. We now have completed forms outlining the entire house and patio. It is amazing to be able to stand literally inside the foundation of our future home! The house has begun to take shape…all those weeks spent deciding on the perfect plan are now paying off, for we can now visualize where each room of the house will be! Because of the change in elevation of the lot, the forms for the back left corner of the house had to be specially constructed. Also, more sand had to be brought in to help offset this elevation change. I have a feeling the sand trucks will keep rolling in for days to come. It’s going to take a lot of sand to fill the almost four foot change in elevation from the left back corner to the right front corner. Because of this somewhat unexpected need to build up the foundation and surrounding area, we have had to say goodbye to two cedar trees we were hoping to keep on the left side of the house. Oh well, they will just have to be replaced with oak trees from Ehrkeville!