progress

but, man, is it slow...... So this week, we started out with a concrete pour! They came on monday and poured the footings. Then they had to dry a day before they came back and took off the forms.

After that, there was NO activity (AGAIN) until friday, when they came back and started building forms for the foundation. Those are all done now and they'll probably pour again sometime in the middle of the week. Now we're waiting for the inspector.

It's SO frustrating to see some progress and then NOTHING for 2-3 days, because, I'm assuming, the contractors are on another job. I'm not sure exactly when our job becomes the "other job" that they leave their current job to go finish. FRUSTRATING! After this next pour, there will be a bit of time with seemingly not much progress, but this will be a critical step as they will be putting in the infrastructure of plumbing, electrical conduits, and heating system that will go under the slab. It's anticipated that step will take about 3 weeks. (at the rate we're going, 6), and then we're off and running with the SIP walls. Our acquisitions this week included the sun door. I'm going to love waking up to this amazing bedroom door every week! I also spent a bit of time filling out forms for the local gas and electric entity. I have to tell you they don't play well with others and have too many chiefs and their very own strict rules about everything, some necessary, some not. Next week, another concrete pour (keep your fingers crossed), and they'll start filling in the inside of the foundation in preparation for all the other stuff. They'll also dig the holes for the cistern and dry well and possibly start smoothing out the rest of the dirt around the house. Wish us luck!

A whole lotta hurry up and wait

Building a house is really about waiting.....for the money to be approved, for the permits to be approved, for the bulldozer guy to come (and finish), for the foundation framers, and, most importantly, for the inspector. This week, the footings were framed, in the pouring rain. Honestly, I though we'd have a swimming pool before we were done. The (poor, bedraggled) framing guys hung in there though, and the beginning of a house was built.

We passed that inspection, too, our first one, so they'll probably be doing the first concrete pour on monday. I also met with the kitchen designer to finalize the plan before a large price increase on May 1, and we got the kitchen faucet, instant hot, and a couple of nice wall mount soap baskets for the showers. The electrician stopped by too to find out what kind/color of outlets and switches we want and where plus a million other little electrical details. It was a whole lot of thinking, and, I'm sure, a whole lot of money! Next week, more foundation, I'm sure. Oh, and we got this: It's officially a job site now!

progress!

from this..... .

to this:

in really, one short week. See that stick with the pink? the one right in the middle? That's about where the front door will be. This week the rest of the faucets and the instant hot were ordered as well as a very cool custom glass door for the bedroom. Wednesday they'll start building the foundation and digging the footings, with the idea that the outside foundation will hopefully poured by the end of the week. I'll also meet with the cabinet designer on friday to finalize the kitchen cabinet plan so that they can be ordered before a large price increase on may 1. Things are happening now! When this guy goes away, I'll be estatic! Think if we leave the keys in it, someone will steal it?

a dose of reality!!!!!

So, on tuesday I posted about the bulldozer. Well, yesterday things really cut loose. The guys brought in 2 very large pieces of equipment and the chips began to fly. It's really amazing how much they can do in one day, and the property is nearly cleared. There's just a few more trees and a bunch of digging to do. (their big-boy toy broke down, so they had to quit). Here's the before:

and a couple of during. (after to come later)

We are well on the road, and feeling the reality of it all. Next week, we'll be meeting with the contractor to have our say on the radiant heat floors and SIP's, and hopefully get a bit of a tentative schedule of the process. The excavators will continue their work by removing all the brush, digging the trenches for the utilities and also starting on the foundation. They'll also dig out my rock pile and root out the car. (YEAH!!!!!!! after nearly 20 years, the car will be gone!) This week on the shopping list was some really cool rain chains, (sense a theme starting here?), and security cameras. Next on the shopping list, kitchen faucets and interior doors. Sound like fun?

It's bulldozer day!!!!!

We're SO excited to finally see some movement on the house. Things will FLY now. The city was even out yesterday to check out the water lines that go under the road to the main. Looks like we're in good shape. Pics to come.