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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 11/1/2008 7:15:02 PM
The first 'storm' of the season has come. Of course, I was procrastinating on doing some prep. With the whole escrow on the new place thing going on, of course with some added delays of it's own. (lengthy drives to sign, sign, sign and jumbling all the reams of paper)
I was feeling frustrated, so I started to mark out the lines of my proposed house's foot print on my lot. I measured and put a stake on each corner, lined out string and used some landscaper's spray paint to draw the lines. I had a lot of energy I needed to burn off.
It looked really cool. Not a surveyor quality job by any means, but it was good for some giggles. As I stood looking at my real physical primitive sketch on the earth, I realized that I hadn't really checked out the roof on my new place in town. I jumped in my truck with the ladder and went and had a peek. Oh #$%$!!!!! I am sure glad I did!!!! There is a section missing some shingles, where obviously someone had 'borrowed' shingles from one section to patch another. What were they thinking??? Arrrrrrgghhhh! So, I formulate a quick plan. Get some plastic or a tarp, use my handy dandy cordless stapler/brad nailer and tack something water resistant over the bad area.
I go to Home Depot, sure enough, everyone else in town had a similar idea and all that is left is some painter's plastic drop cloth stuff. Expensive for how much I need and is really thin. I wonder if the staples will hold it or if the first breeze that comes will just tear it away. I decide that I will appropriate my not-so-nice but oh-so-thick shower curtain and just replace it with a new one in the house. It is heavy and should not easily rip at the staple points. The plan is formulated. I grab my staples, my staple gun and... where are the battery packs? Are you kidding me, in my rush to try to beat the rain I forgot to bring the battery packs (I have four, though I only need one!) and left them sitting on the table at the house in Hell-A, 100+ miles away. No problem, just hammer some nails through the grommet holes and on the edges. I own at least 10 hammers and the only one I can find is a rubber mallet. Now that's fine for nudging in certain items, but woefully inadequate to drive a nail, even a big flat head roofing nail.
It has just started misting.
I don't want to drive back to HD and buy yet another hammer. Then back to the house in town. Arrrrghh! So I look at what tools I had left in my truck. I have a pry bar, a Phillips screwdriver and a flat head screwdriver. Nope, no hammer. While digging through all the collected items that litter the floor and behind the seat of my truck, I find the most reasonable substitute. The tongue and ball assembly of my hitch. It's heavy and there is a flat spot under where the ball is bolted to the tongue. You should have guessed where this is going.
Yep. I climbed up on that roof with a pry bar to borrow loose nails for the project, a somewhat used shower curtain liner and a trailer hitch to hammer them into the roof. It took all of 5 minutes. The curtain was the exact length I needed with a couple of inches of overlap. The brass grommets held the nails nicely and the heavy as hell trailer hitch tongue drove those little roofing nails in with two shots.
No sooner than driving the last nail. I am standing admiring my improvised creation, when... yep. It starts raining. Now not like the hardcore downpours that crisscross the the rest of the US, but for the desert climates of Southern California this is a good one, especially since it's the first of the season and other than a few spritzes, we have not had rain in months. Everything is REALLY dry, so it is welcome, just not before I can fix the holes in my roofing!!!
Content that my little 'Frankenstein" approach worked. (Yes, it was also All Hallow's Eve) I zipped off to take my truck back to the lot and put her to sleep until next time. I get in my car, wonder what this rain is doing to my artwork. Decide to go and check it out. and.... All my stakes are laying in a muddy yellow paint stained puddle. Oh, well... it was just for giggles anyways, I am only disappointed since I did not take a photo of it before it got destroyed.
Now to deal with the time change.
I think I need a beer....
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 10/27/2008 9:37:46 PM
Ok, my last post was 3 months ago plus.
An incredible amount of stuff has happened. My head is still spinning. I am currently swamped as I try to sort through all.
From a failed romance, a few health issues, commuting issues and a whole slew of family related horse-pucky (not really cussing, but you get the idea).
So... I currently live 105 miles each way from my site. This makes for a not entirely unreasonable commute. But after the whole oil price roller coaster, I began thinking that maybe it would make better sense to live a lot closer to my job site. I started looking for rentals in the area and getting pricing information so that I could plan my budget effectively. While jumbling numbers, I began to think about my whole project's time line. I played 'Devil's Advocate' and let Murphy into the equation. I thought about delays. In getting materials. Having Subs arrive and finish on schedule. Weather related issues. The whole mess started to spin. This can happen when you over-think and over-analyze things. It really does separate the body from the mind.
I crunched the numbers, then crunched them again. It was not pretty. While I was meandering around the neighborhoods, I noticed lots of homes that were obviously vacant. Dead lawns and little white or orange "No Tresspassing" signs in the windows are a dead giveaway. I decided to call a few of the agents and see what was up. No surprise when I learned that they were all foreclosures, most of them in the REO (Real Estate Owned, means that the bank is the owner and nobody bid on the house or redeemed it.) category.
Out of morbid curiosity, I asked my bank if it were possible to get a mortgage. I know... shocking. Especially with the current credit freeze. I was just asking a simple stupid question, more of a hypothesis really. Imagine my shock and expression when my banker (Yes, I actually have a single person that I deal with at my bank. The same face and a long standing relationship.) comes back to me and says "Sure... You're pre-approved for a 200K".
The next trip to Tehachapi had me looking at a rental and talking to a realtor. After looking for most of September, I found a great deal on a 3Bd 2Ba house in town. Compared to my numbers on rent and what I am going to pay for a mortgage payment and it was obviously in my better interest to buy. I close escrow this week. It was under $100K, which in California is a rockin' deal.
'But Stan, we thought you were going to OB your own house?'
I still am. I just will not be wasting money renting while I build. This did not touch my budget in anyway. Mom still gets a comfy house to live in, while I build. It is about 30% of the cost of renting for the same time frame. And... this is the best part. When we move into the new place, this house will become a source of rental income. Overall a much better modification to an ever changing plan. It was an opportunity that presented itself and when I did an apples to apples comparison with and without my Murphy list, it was a smarter move. It also takes pressure off of me if things get sidetracked and certain tasks take longer to accomplish than planned. It's now an asset instead of a liability.
'Stan!!! We only read this far because you mentioned some juicy bits at the beginning!! C'mon.... spill!'
Oh... Alright. It was politics. The polarization got in the way. I know people are passionate about their views. Rightfully so. But... when someone asks you NOT to talk about it, the polite reaction is to change the subject. DO NOT use any angle of the day's events or our interaction as a means to bring the damn topic back up. I asked, pleaded and then... I am gone.
The health stuff... too much... too freaky... and too personal for this space.
The family stuff involves a feud. In addition to me reading the Riot Act (metaphorically speaking that is...) to someone who deserved it. Actually a couple of someones. You could paraphrase and say that I put my foot down, stood up for myself, whatever phrase works. I just said ENOUGH of this @#$!@% and it will no longer be tolerated. Try again and face my wrath.
I am normally the happy go-lucky type. Nothing really gets to me. But after a while, no matter what your outlook, you gotta stand and when normal conversation fails, sometimes it is necessary to spell it out and draw pictures for the extremely obtuse.
I will get back to my plan very soon. Moving into the area will make it much easier to get work done and to do it whenever time permits. It will also save money and that is never a bad thing.
Cheers,
Stan
Photos
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| It's the green one. |
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 7/3/2008 2:34:16 PM
Ok, it's been a while since I last posted. Yeah, Murphy has been hangin' around me for over a month. I have had to deal with more distractions, difficulties, drama, distortions, deadbeats and other dimented dilemmas this month than should be allowed. (I hope that was enough 'D' words, I got a few more, but this is a family forum!)
Several setbacks, nothing too difficult to overcome, but frustrating little roadblocks (sleeping policemen as my auntie calls them) none the less.
What have I accomplished? A redesign of one wall to a 'prow' style. This gets me some strange angles for solar thermal transfer coefficients, this means that the Title 24 calculations will take a couple more pages. lol. I like that for the simple fact that someone will earn their paycheck and not just fill out a form with some simple numbers. I tied up several 'loose ends' that were not really all that serious, but I felt that these tiny things might seem and feel a whole lot bigger once the mayhem actually begins. I think the stress levels will be high enough on their own and I should get rid of the 'little things' before I take on this thing full time. (There is a line in a song from a band called 'Bush', it says "it's the little things that kill"). I got Mom through a rough spot with an infection, that was real fun. My server let out the 'magic digital smoke' and I haven't had the presence of mind to crack open the box and fix her. I need to, as most of my subs are requesting copies of stuff and I am getting a little tired of going to Kinko's to make copies. Plus, the stuff I have copied and have out for bids, is not accurate now that there have been some changes. The server will make keeping everyone up to date with changes much easier and cheaper for both money and time.
Now, that my plans are mutating, I have got to get some more of the prelim stuff done. Greg, the engineer, has lots of good contacts. No other engineers have wanted to actually 'walk the ground', they just want a copy of the plat map and approximations of where I want the house. Greg wants the survey (finding the original is proving to be as daunting as something from 'National Treasure' films) so that he can check and verify elevation changes. Probably gonna have to hire a new surveyor and redo it, burns me a bit when it already exists, but the previous owner has lost or thrown it out and cannot remember the name of the surveyor. Greg also has a soil guy doing his thing Pro-Bono and has recommended a hydrogeologist (well man) that he says will work with 'us' on the budget. Greg likes the ideas that I have presented and plans to use this project to showcase his work in the local area.
The biggest thing I have learned in the last month is actually a pleasant surprise. Don't dismiss anyone you contact on your project out of hand. You might just get a surprise or two when they know someone in a key spot that you need, they talk to them and get them to work with you for a great discount. Some of my 'help' has been haggling and negotiating some great stuff on my behalf. (The 'free' soils test is one great example! It's not actually 'free', I will be 'trading' a photo essay and a 'testimonial' for the services. He needs something to show the 'how' of what he does.)
Been skimming over the whole solar/off-grid posts recently. I know, I promised to write up solar and wind power, but I have been spread a bit thin lately. I will just comment and say that the quotes are REALLY high. My system is RETAILED out at just under $20K (multiple purchases from the same supplier gets a better discount!), that includes the panels, junction boxes, controllers, breaker boxes, dual inverters with 120/240V capabilities, remote monitoring and a battery bank that will provide 4 days of continuous run at full draw. Mind you that nobody runs their stuff at full draw 24/7 and you should never discharge your battery system below 30% of capacity. (typically, you design to a 10-20% depth of discharge for a normal day cycle.) I will do the install. Not at all difficult, actually a bit easier than a car stereo system. Now, if there happens to be 4 days of no sun or wind, I can still hook up my little cheap PepBoys genny and charge the battery bank in a few hours time. There will be no difference in my power usage or the perception of our usage and we will still use an air conditioner during the summer and central heat when it snows without any penalties.
I will break all this down more when I can free up a little time and am not 'shorting out'. When you are off-grid, you do not qualify for rebates, only the Federal tax credit. Most of the 'sales experts' that you will deal with, only know how to quote inflated pricing for Grid-Tie systems that must be installed by 'qualified' installers to be eligible for the rebates. A prime example of when rebates aren't necessarily the best deal or option. Grid Tie also has to have an auto-cut-off circuit for when there is a major system problem (blackout, brownout), as your solar system will continue to provide power to the grid and could possibly kill the lineman trying to repair the major outtage.
Electricity is your friend, but will bite you if you give it the opportunity to do so.
Also, to anyone reading this... If you know of a way to repel rabbits, please share it with me. (Other than #4 shot or poisons) I have set a few snares, but the little buggers still cost me over $600 in electrical wiring repairs to my truck. I hate to say it, but Elmer was right! It's Wabbit season...
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/22/2008 1:41:47 AM
After my meeting with the local engineer, Greg, I have gotten a few other calls from the Constructionbargain.com ad and found a couple more leads to check out from Craigslist for engineers looking for gigs.
I need to get back to work on my drawings, but my body decided to rebel over the last week. My back went out and has been a constant source of pain and amusement. This has left me a bit on the grumpy side of life. Today is the first day I could actually focus on the computer screen. It was also mom's birthday. We had a nice steak for lunch and Chinese for dinner. Tough to be cheerful at a birthday party when no seated position is comfortable for longer than a couple of minutes, and I could not sneak off to go lay down. I tried.
Did more research for the plans this evening. After reading about some of the experiences that folks are having with SIPS and finding a few log home companies that use them for roofing, I am debating on redesigning my plans to use them for my entire roofing system. Just scraping the ideas that I already have. My design is pretty much the same kind of layered sandwich that SIPS are comprised of, just my design is hand built layers and the SIPS are factory laminates. The idea of my roof going up in a few days versus a few week$ is very attractive for a few reasons. I am half way through The BOOK, and I am already rethinking some of my approaches. I totally agree that my time would be better spent hunting down deals and managing people on the onset and during the dry-in. But I think I will still do much of the finishes myself. There are a few things that I want to do from a more artistic sense, than a just get-er-done approach. I know that if I do too much during the dry-in phases, I will probably be a bit burnt out by the time it comes to do the finishes. Those are the surfaces and textures that my family and guests will interact with the most, so I want to exercise my control freak there.
Got some other business to get started too. In CA, anyone who does any kind of construction labor MUST be covered by SDI and WC (State Disablity Ins. and Worker's Comp). Very HUGE fines and jail time if you get caught. You have to register as an employer with the state (and Feds) for the SDI payments and for the state WC fund. The only way around this is to hire a contractor that carries his own insurances or turn your immediate family into forced laborers. Anyone on an hourly wage with a set start time is considered an employee now, if they use any tools you provide, they are an employee. The new definitions close the old independent contractor loopholes. This is pinching the film biz I am sure. I used to do some work on studio lots as an independent contractor, but now I would be considered an employee according to the stuff I have got from the State's website.
More complications. More amusements. Now, what to call my new litle company? I will have to design a business card and other assorted paperwork so the illusion will be complete. Should make setting up Net 30's around town a little easier.
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/14/2008 9:55:20 PM
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 8:50:43 PM
Just got back from the site visit with the local engineer. All things considered it went well. He looked at my images. Walked the ground with me. We talked about the basement and foundation, the framing plan and what hardware to use. (We both said "Simpson" at the same time, kind of funny, guess you had to be there). I showed him the roofing design and the overall lot plan. Of course, I have several versions of the files and opened a few of the wrong ones. He was VERY patient. He was also surprised at how much I had done. When I explained some of the finer details of this madness, he nodded respectfully, even made a few suggestions. Lots of information to share both directions, this could be a good fit. But then again, he is my first. lol. I must talk to at least 1-2 more at least to know if I do have the right person for the job.
I was planning to burn him copies of the files on CD to take after the meeting, but I realized that I still have a bit more tweaking to do on the images. He said they were fine, but I want a last shakedown to make all the changes ripple through each version. Less work for him to do, and hopefully will be reflected in a lower bill. He told me he was going to do a proposal that will have stages of the project. He said it was a place to start and that we would modify it as we apply it to my situation. He does need the original survey or a new one, so I will be burning up the phone lines to track the original down. I really don't like the idea of paying for work that already exists somewhere. Since we can't do anything until a water source is in existance, I do have a little time and wiggle room. He said he will contact the local office of the building inspector and see about any special requirements. He doesn't think a soil test will be necessary, but the county may require it, even though the county gave me reports and type information when I went to EHS for the septic information. He has a soils guy and THE Title 24 guy. Literally, the guy who wrote the codes. Thi$ make$ me think it could get expen$ive, but he said they were friends, so you never know. This is a rural place, the good ol' boy network is alive and kicking out here.
I had to ask him if the idea was feasible or was I just following a crazy figment of my imagination. He said it was elegant (Engineer speak, translation: Cool, good design) and that not only is it feasible, but a classic choice with a timeless appeal that will bring a good resale value for the area, should I decide to ever sell. He said my tech upgrades and plan for the building envelope were in line with what needs to happen. The tech upgrades were something that he really liked. A lot. He said that I was definitely 21st century in my thinking.
Huge sigh of relief on my part. Now I can detail out my drawings. Something I was holding back on so that I wouldn't have to do it over, and over, and over... That is my normal status quo on the day job. Got to love movie people, they spend other people's money like it's water and like it's their own. I don't mind multiple revisions on my day gig. But now that I am the one controlling the purse strings, I want value for every dollar spent. I need progress. I have got to try to kick Murphy out of the game. Never going to happen, but maybe I can delay the next guest appearance.
On another note:
The California Poppies are in serious bloom right now and the hillsides are splashed with 1/4 mile long streaks of orange. Also, Spanish Broom is blooming and there are several larger ones that are spectacular (we are talking humongous, 25' diameter and 15' high, thankfully not touched by our recent wildfires.). Huge explosions of electric yellow line the roadways and ridgelines. The trip up and back was visually stunning. Thought about having lunch at the Poppy Reserve but the temperature was climbing still at 3:00PM so I scrapped that idea in favor of air-conditioned bliss. (I'll add a few pics later, too tired to dig out the camera dock).
Think I will sleep better tonight. I will definitely be more confident when I talk to/show the next candidate my plans. The initial "Dog and Pony show" jitters are gone. (D&P shows are basically pitch meetings, don't know how much the slang is used outside of the movie biz, we love 'em and we hate 'em, depends on what day it is!).
Stan
PS: I went caffeine-free this morning, but I was still wired while waiting for the meeting to begin. Once we were done and Greg took off for his office, my whole body sorta just relaxed and I found myself needing a Starbuck's drive-thru stat.
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/14/2008 2:28:23 AM
Ok, so... tomorrow at 2pm I meet with the local engineer on site. At least he is the only one of 10 that responded to my little ad that actually wants to meet at the site. I placed a request on Constructiondeal.com for a civil or structural engineer (which I may use again for some of the trades). Gave a brief, very brief description and the responses started rolling into my mailbox. Some close, a few that were a 200+ hundred miles away. Talked to a few on the phone and a couple by email. With fuel prices what they are, and the interaction level I would like, I think the closer guys will get the consideration. Not that doing this over the internet would not be possible. I am a visual person, I got to show what my ideas are. It would take hours to describe verbally and volumes if I actually wrote every single thing down. It's definitely a 'boots on the ground' thing. If I can show the drawings, show the spot on the ground and babble coherently long enough, then maybe he will get what I want to do and it might make this whole process go smoothly.
This is my first real step. Someone else other than me is getting involved. I have got to talk to a professional and get the feedback. This is the first person to get the whole thing in one blast. I have rambled a bit here, but I haven't really shared all my plans with anyone. As I have only just started attempting to make the dream a reality and this poor guy will get the whole spiel. Gotta watch the caffeine tomorrow. Once I am assured that my idea will work, then I can get started on the well and water system. No water, no permit issued.
It's on! And I don't think I could stop now, even if I really wanted to! Uh... what kind of cheesy quote can I end with... oh... Never give up! Never surrender!
... really need more sleep....
STan
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/12/2008 8:44:57 PM
I need a break from the tech drawing and research. Some of the features are fighting with me and I am just too tired to read the help file.
So, I thought I would blog a bit. This is cheap therapy. lol.
Below are a couple of real quickie drawings done in Microsoft's Visio. Not a really cheap solution (about $200 if you shop), but... you can download a free 60 day trial version that is fully functional from the Office 2007 website. It has templates and objects that you simply drag and drop then use the handles to adjust size and shape. The appliances have a section in the object properties to add all the pertinent data like price, model, make etc. The really cool part and exactly the part I am arguing with, is that it has a magnetic glue function that ties the walls and other objects together. This feature is great when you resize rooms as all the glued items come along for the ride without needing to reposition. It has some caveats though. If you group some objects and structure and one end of an object is free floating and not anchored or glued to another part of the structure, you get some funky angles on your interior walls. The first one I goofed up looked kinda cool and for about a minute I thought about leaving it that way, then I came to my senses.
The first is a work in progress, I am redrawing my previous work using the templates and objects. This is about an hour's worth of work. No, I did not read the manual. It is fairly simple to use. Note the butt and pass of my corners to represent the log style. Visio fought me hard on that one, but I triumphed. It outputs in every format you would need including AutoCAD and HTML.
The second drawing is of a flow chart for a typical solar and/or wind system, extremely simplified. I was thinking about writing a semi-rant/edu-torial on off-grid solar power and how to properly size for your needs. After a few conversations with some vendors, I was shocked at how I was treated until they found out that I know quite a lot about electricity. It actually felt a bit slimy on more than one occasion, sort of like a used car sales approach.
Would that appeal to this group? How much detail would be enough? I would share a couple of approaches, and my own system and why I chose it. I am a big fan of low-maintenance, heavy duty bullet proof systems. (A dream, I know...but I can still try).
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| This is the WIP. I love how the window objects allow orientation of how you want them to open. Makes ordering the correct version easier. |
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| This took about 45 seconds to create. Visio is almost a no brainer for this stuff. |
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| Same WIP file about 30 minutes later. I am really starting to like Visio. Wish I would have played with it sooner. |
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/12/2008 2:31:20 PM
Ok, ready to go, got the car loaded up with some stuff to transport to storage. Got my keys, got my DVD-Rom, got Mom ready, laptop... check! Just about to load Mom up and hit the road and... my cell goes off. It's the engineer. He has a family emergency and asks me if it is alright to postpone. I tell him that it is not a problem. My schedule is flexible, since I have yet to actually plot a timeline for the project (I got the scheduling DVD to watch yet,) and there is no loan or other clock ticking. He thanks me and we reschedule for Wednesday the 14th at 2pm. He told me he went and looked at my lot, I figured he would when I gave him the approximate address so he could Google it. It is kinda fun when you don't actually have a street address yet to use the satellite map of Google or Yahoo! and type in approximate addresses until the little marker sits in front of your lot.
He told me the street sign is gone. I kinda knew that it might disappear. We get some pretty high winds and the last time I saw the sign it was already dangling. It's in the unincorporated area of the county, so I wonder how many years until it is fixed. This means I need to make an accurate map for subs and others to be able to find my place and get some temporary signage like I would do for a location shoot. I don't want delays caused by people getting lost when the actual work starts.
It's almost like the "Magical Mystery Tour" tailor made for my foray into OB. lol. Yes... a Beatles reference, but something that gets a chuckle out of my circle of friends. And Murphy has already made a guest appearance.
I am not really bothered by this, actually I am relieved. I get two more days to tweak my art. I get two more days to scribble more data into the meta tags of the objects. Things like manufacturer, model number, pricing, sizing and color information. I already redid my decking from a straight vanilla into a modified herringbone and diamond pattern. It looks great on the screen, definitely adds character and gives a strange sort of mystical like feel to the overhead. My plan is literally oriented to the compass points just like Giza (Actual true North, not magnetic N). This makes it fit into my weird-but-cool requirement for my dream home and gives me optimum orientation for my roof mounted PV panels. I also cut 2' off of the N and S porches and the W deck. I did the math and will save a fair amount in materials and will not need the additional support that the larger span would require without losing the functionality of any of the areas. The W deck alone saved over 150 sq' and the porches saved another 168 sq' they also require less roofing material in the same sq' as well. The E deck remains unchanged, though the stairs from the porches are now on each end of the E deck and the wheelchair ramp has been rotated 90 degrees to face E and the parking pad. The symmetry of the overhead led to the changes, including the deck pattern.
I got up early, I actually did sleep. some. I did get some stuff done, I wasn't twiddling my thumbs. lol.
Oh.. While I was playing with the calculator, I did some numbers for my little lighting plan. I will be able to light my entire house, including exterior accents and interior accents as well as task and safety lights for around 210 watts total. These Luxeons are so incredibly bright that I had to put a frost diffuser over the kitchen fixture (my prototype), with the clear lens, if you look at them directly, you can't see for about 5-10 minutes. Minor miscalculation, my mistake. My kitchen fixture has 4 3W units, for a total of 12W @ 12Vdc or 1 amp. About 10 times brighter than a CFL of comparable wattage. They are a bit more expensive, but the 100,000+ hour lifespan sorta negates the cost. If I left them on, 24/7/365 it would take about 11.4 years to burn out, and then only maybe, since they like to be on. It's the on/off current spike that actually shortens their life. They also come in .5W, 1W, 5W and the new 10W. The 10W actually includes a heatsink since it tends to generate a bit of heat. The cool factor about these is just that. They are cool to the touch. The higher wattage modules do get warm, but not like a CFL or Incandescent and definitely no where near Halogen. And... clear, clean, artifact-free illumination with no flicker at all.
Kitchen lighting was on my list of things I was not satisfied with in other places I have lived. A lot of thought went into what I would do to solve some of my pet peeves. The fixture I built is probably a little over-kill on the brightness, but a gloomy kitchen was something I hated. Makes it hard to keep clean when you can't see all the little splatters and things. I also have under cabinet lighting that is more direct but those are still only sketches.
I will babble on more about lighting and some of the fixtures I will be using. I will organize my supply links and provide them in a future installment. This is one of things I am most adamant about in my designs. Lighting can make or break a room. Can make it comfortable and functional or no-mans-land. I may even put together some kits for the DIY types that don't want to meet minimum order quantities. It is really not that hard to assemble a fixture. Took longer for the glues to cure than for actual assembly and it was another excuse to play with power tools. lol.
Stan
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/12/2008 2:02:50 AM
Monday, May 12, 2008 12:54:00 AM
12 hours till my meeting.
I can't sleep. My mind won't shut down. I keep thinking about my artwork and wondering if it is good enough. It will be the first time a professional will look at my scribbles and tell me if my fantasy can be made real. A little un-nerving as I am allowing someone to look into my mind's eye.
I know that it will all be changed in some way. All projects of large scale are destined to be changed.
I think I approached it the right way, I hope I did,
I started with an outline of the basics. I took some notes on things I didn't like about the places I have lived. I took more notes on things I liked from other peoples houses and places I have visited. I thought about conveniences and how to conserve energy. I did all this without ever looking at an actual floorplan design. I did not want to influence these decisions by becoming enamored with only one specific design.
I drew on my skills as a filmmaker to draw up a budget. I approached it like I was making a movie. I just substituted electrical, plumbing and HVAC for things like makeup, sound and visual effects. I used a previous budget I had done and started hacking and slashing until I had something that looked reasonable for my purposes. This was before I discovered this site and it's file section. And it was only something to play with until I could plug in real numbers for an actual plan.
Then I decided on what things would I ultimately live without and things I just had to have. That was a real mind twister. Arguing with yourself could be a sign of mental illness or extreme need for a vacation! Maybe both. I had to balance cost with anticipated use. For example a sauna had been on my list of cool things I would like to have in my house, but cost and the technical requirements made it unreasonable to accomplish. Maybe a portable unit at some later date. But not for now, as I figured that after the initial Wow! factor wore off, it might become another dust experiment.
After all the pre-plan stuff, I found the domes. I liked domes from the first time I saw one. It was a futuristic vision that appealed to the sci-fi nerd deep in my heart. I envisioned connecting several in a sort of moonbase configuration. I know, not very conventional, but I just don't care. I wanted what I wanted and that was that. But I am also a realist. I know that the stuff I get paid to do is really just illusion, fun to play with, amazing to get paid for and not something that is easily summed up in a title and that my imagination can get in the way of 'the rules'. I also know that if I should decide to sell at some future date the funky moonbase might not go over so well. Then, after talking to Hans about his problems with the dome, I knew that I had to find another style that was still different from what I see being built in tracts. (Hans has proved to be a great neighbor and a wonderful asset to my team). Something that had a timeless appeal,
I know I am probably just nervous about nothing. The engineer will look at my stuff and probably tell me it's fine. I just hope he doesn't fall over laughing. I also hope that his fees will not put a damper on my quest.
The other guys gave some very interesting figures that had a wider than anticipated range. Not jaw-dropping, but knee-jerk for sure.
One thing I know, is that things happen on their own timeline when they are ready to happen and no matter how detailed my plans are Murphy will show up eventually.
Wow... that feels better... now to try to sleep.............
Stan
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Posted to StansTLH by Stan in Tehachapi, CA
on 5/11/2008 10:49:53 PM
<WARNING- This is REALLY long>
Sunday, May 11, 20087:26:27 PM
Hello,
Let me introduce myself and give a bit of background on my project.
My name is Stan S. and I am going to start building my own custom log home. The TLH in my blog title is for Tehachapi Log Home. I figured it would be easier than spelling it out, what a long URL that would make.
Anyways, I started out on this journey, and what a ride it has been so far, about November of 2004. I remodeled and sold my childhood home and moved out in July of '05. Since then I have been checking out areas that I have been interested in living and going there to rent for a while to see what life is really like there before I commit to buying land and investing my funds, blood, sweat and tears into my dream home.
Due to some unforseen circumstances, health problems and other life events, my plans were put off for a while as recovery became the first priority.
Then, in December of 2006, while looking at some auction lots that I was thinking of bidding on, I stumbled across it, the exact piece of land that fit my needs and that felt like it could be home. It wasn't for sale. I found another that was even more breath taking, then I got sticker shock and began to get disgusted. So I go to bid at the auction, turns out I only have one competitor. By coincidence, I happen to know the person. He is a former employee of mine, actually my first one. He and I play catch up and I find out that his plans have a more urgent need than my own, so I stop bidding and he wins the auction. I figure that I will find something that will appeal to my insane standards.
Off I go to look at more property, I go back up to the area (Tehachapi, CA) and start looking around again, this time for signs on vacant land. I go back to my little dream lot just to take a peek. I find something nearby that looks cool, but will need quite a bit of site work, my dream lot is still not for sale. Then... on December 26th, I am surfing on Craigslist and stumble across a listing for land in the area of my dream lot. It has a link to an Ebay listing. The listing has photos. So I go and look. Something is interesting about the photos and grabs my attention immediately. The pictures are of MY DREAM LOT and it is for sale on Ebay!!!
Aaaaaagggghhhhh! My credit card limit is not high enough to even place a bid!!! No! This cannot be true. So I drive up to the lot and sure enough, there is a for sale by owner sign and an email address and phone number. I write it all down and go home and look at the auction again. Drat! His opening bid is $45K with no bids. This is not a bad price for 2.5 acres in Southern California!! So, I wait as the auction e |