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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 4/2/2008 1:56:14 PM
Where do you begin when you have not updated in over 3 months? My last journal entry was 12-22-08. I will give you the good the bad and the ugly. On the good we have been extremely productive. We went through 400 sheets of drywall. We mudded it. We sanded it. We mudded it. We sanded it. We mudded it. We sanded it. And it was about as fun to do as that was to read. We saved a bundle of money, and I can call myself a drywaller now. We primed it. We painted it. We put crown molding in every room. Just a quick note on that. If you have never done crown molding before don't be afraid of it. Just cut it upside down on your miter saw at a 45 degree angle and it turns out fine. (We painted it so painters caulk is my best friend now). Also you can buy an angle tool that shows you the exact angle on a wall if they are not 90 degree walls. I had a couple that were 50 degrees. So you just cut the crown upside down and at a 25 degree angle on the miter saw. (you always divide the total wall angle by 2 because there are two pieces coming together).
We installed slate in 6 rooms. And this weekend we start putting down hardwood flooring. We have 2 months until the construction loan rolls into our regular mortgage, so we are in good shape. Kitchen cabinets are ordered and should arrive in about 3 weeks.
Now about the ugly. We had a pretty large section of shingles blow off in early February. We believe we got defective shingles from Owens Corning. They are Estate Grey Duration shingles. We put them on in the middle of the summer, as you can see from my previous journal entries. They have a wind rating of 110 mph. We only had 50 mph winds at best. So Owens Corning is supposed to come out and inspect the roof to see if it needs to be torn off and put back on. As you can imagine this comes as quite a blow to your morale when you put your own blood, sweat, and tears into the project.
Other than that we are healthy, happy, and working ourselves to death.
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| This is a picture of the section that blew off. We replaced it the next day even though it was about 12 degrees. We had to put tar on every shingle to make sure the replacement shingles did not blow off. |
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| Slate in foyer before grout |
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| The master bedroom became the cut room for the trim work. |
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| Still have a little work to do on the outside. Mainly shutters, and landscaping. |
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| My better half putting second coat of mud on screw heads in dining room. |
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 12/22/2007 7:07:39 PM
If you have ever wondered why some us only update every month or so--you haven't built your own house yet. This is literally the first available moment to update.
Electrical wiring was finished about 3 weeks ago. That of course included door bell wire, phone wire, whole house speaker wire, coax, Cat 5, most of which didn't really cross my mind but added at least a couple days to the project. Another thing that took up time is that we found recessed medicine cabinets from Pottery Barn for dirt cheap. Well recessed medicine cabinets are a little bit of a pain. Plus we have wall sconces that go on either side of them so that adds even more fun. They should look really cool when they are done.
I have pictures of the outside meter base, 400 amp disconnect in the garage, and the two 200 amp service panels in the basement.
After a couple of months basically working alone, I decided I needed a short break so we hired-out the insulation. We went with blown in wet cellulose. It has a few advantages. First of all, I can't believe how few of our wall cavities were actually 16 inches on center. So fiberglass would not have worked well at all. Just about anything blown into the walls has a better r- value, better sound blocking, air blocking, and it only took 4 days. Supposedly the system we went with was about an R-25 because we have 2x6 walls. The only downfall I have seen so far is the stuff is crazy messy. It is on everything in the house. I wasn't too worried though because we will have drywall dust everywhere anyway.
Speaking of drywall, we started hanging it about a week ago. After tomorrow it should be about 75% hung. It always seems like filling in the smaller spaces takes twice as long as hanging full sheets, so I really am about half done on time. We used 1/2 inch 48" x 12' panels everywhere except on the first floor were we used 1/2 inch 54" x12' panels. the 54" is of course 4.5 feet and we have 9 foot ceilings so you only have one joint across the middle of the wall. I have a picture of the drywall truck putting the sheets right into the house. If you have a Best Supply near you they are a no-brainer. They will stock the house by putting the drywall wherever you want it.
So that is where we are. Everyone have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
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| Drywall delivery Truck |
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| Drywall going into breakfast nook window |
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| Standing in Kitchen looking toward foyer |
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| standing in dining room looking through courtyard into living room |
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| 400 amp disconnect in garage |
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| Master Bath recessed medicine cabinets and lights rough in |
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| 320 amp meter base on side of garage |
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| before hooking up |
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| after hooking up |
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| Full Power!!! |
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 11/15/2007 6:30:25 PM
I feel like I have pulled a couple miles of wire. Oh yeah, I have actually pulled a couple miles of wire! It's gone a little slow because it can only be done after work and on the weekends. I don't regret doing the electrical myself though, because I probably saved about $15,000. I probably still have about 2 weeks of electrical and then can start insulation.
Fireplace install is complete and my framer is coming back this weekend to frame around it. This is really good because we have heat. Also, our Geo-Thermal contractor has loaned us a 15kw electric furnace for job-site heat. Both of these are not a minute too soon as winter is upon us.
Exterior is completely done for construction loan purposes. Next year, probably after closing, we have a deck to build, patios, and of course sidewalks and landscaping. Least of my worries right now.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 10/26/2007 9:45:31 PM
It feels like things are moving slower now. I have been working on the electrical for almost a month. I have it about half done. We have to have 400-amp service disconnect and then two 200-amp service panels. I have two Cutler Hammer 40-slot breaker boxes. I should never want for power! I should also have about 20 spare slots. The reason for the 400-amp service is each geothermal has a 15 KW electric heat strip in it which has a 30-amp and a 60-amp requirement. then the compressor and fan of the furnace have a 40-amp requirement. So each furnace requires 130 amps. I hope I am not running on full power for very long or very often! According to WaterFurnace it has to dip below 7 degrees before the electric heat strips kick on so we shouldn't be using that much power very often.
I finished stoning the chimney. That was a hard weekend. My buddy John and I put the stone on and then I did the mortar between the stones by myself. I have no idea how much I saved doing that task, but I am guessing it had to be a couple thousand.
Meanwhile the fireplace company came to install the Regency fireplace. They didn't have the right elbow with them so they left. They ordered the part and should be back soon to finish.
Well was drilled and pump and pressure tank are in. We went with a 20 gallon per minute pump and a 62-gallon pressure tank. They drilled 100 feet deep. We have a really great water table where we are building. Cost for everything was $4,442.
Septic system was installed. 1,500-gallon tank and 900 feet of leach field. Curtain tile around the leach field for drainage. Total cost $6,300. Can't complain about that.
So that is about it for now. My plan is to have electrical done by mid-November and have it insulated by the end of November.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 9/26/2007 7:36:32 AM
Well, first of all, Julie drug me off to Maine on vacation. That was really nice. We drove up the coast to Acadia National Park. Of course we were enjoying the New England architecture as much as nature. If we had taken this trip before building we agreed we would have incorporated some New England style in it.
So the siding is finally done. We had to rent a man lift to reach the top of the big gable on the front and the back. Here is a bit of advice to anyone crazy enough to put 58 square of siding on themselves: Save the gables for the end of it and rent a man lift. It cost $200 for the weekend. But I saved that because it was only me and one other guy doing it. Normally on the tall stuff it takes at least three people and four is more like it.
We also got started on the chimney stone work. This is hopefully going to get finished next weekend when again we rent the man lift.
Garage doors are in. We found it cheaper to have a local company who does nothing but garage doors cheaper than if we had bought the doors ourselves and installed them. So there was a no brainer.
So the house is dried in. Locks are on all the doors. Now the real fun begins. finishing the inside. I have been hammering up outlet, ceiling, and switch boxes, as well as can lights for about a week. I should begin pulling wire by the weekend.
Two 4-ton geothermal furnaces are totally installed, ducted, and the loops are in the yard. They ran into major drainage tile issues. 50 years ago my grandfather installed a lot of field tile. Well needless to say when the geo loop is 4 feet deep they broke it in about 25 different places. so they ended up fixing everything as far as we can tell for now. If the front yard ends up full of water we will know they didn't.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 9/8/2007 10:37:56 AM
Plumbing rough-in is done and health department approved. That was by far the easiest part of this project. Our plumber is amazingly good.
Wenigs Heating and Cooling is installing two Water Furnace brand geothermal furnaces. The ductwork is done for the one serving the second floor and master suite. The first floor and basement one will go in on Monday. We went with two four-ton units instead of one 6-ton which was about $4,000 more, but I think zone heating and cooling is going to work much better. $36,900 is the final cost for it. The horizontal ground loops should start next week as well.
As for siding, I am beyond happy to say it is almost done. Probably another two days and it will be finished. Doing it myself was an unbelievable savings, but It did turn out to be an extremely large job -- 56 squares. I did it for under $3,000 in labor and about $5,000 in materials.
I built our own front porch deck and wrapped the post and headers in cedar. We are painting all the trim white and probably staining the floor almost black.
The wife is dragging me semi-unwillingly on vacation this week. I have no idea where we are going. I guess I will find out when I am at the airport tomorrow morning. I have been working on this house 7 days a week for about 6 weeks so I guess I need the break. And it is my 30th birthday present from her. Ironically, we have not really been on vacation since our honeymoon 7 years ago. This is really odd timing with the house under construction. I will feel much better about it if we have rain here and good weather there (wherever there is).
Next thing on my plate when I return is: finish the siding, soffit, and fascia. Stone the fireplace chase. Build a deck off the living room. This will complete drying in the house. And then I am the electrician. Yeah.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 8/23/2007
It looks like we are going to be on siding for a while. The worst part is the necessary prep work. The soffit, fascia, J-channel, F-channel, inside corners, and outside corners all take forever to put up. Luckily our windows had built-in J-channel which saved a ton of time. I think it just feels really slow because this is only day five of actual siding even though almost two weeks have passed since the roof went on. Hopefully the weather turns mild soon.
Yesterday we finished the front porch deck. I just need to get cedar to wrap the band and headers and then bead board for the ceiling.
I believe we may be a little over budget on materials at this point, but way under on labor. The reason is, at this point we have not scrimped on the materials. And good materials are a lot better to use which saves time.
The only thing we are not totally happy with is our windows. The Jeld-Wen rep is coming on Tuesday to look at a couple issues with the windows. There were a couple of quality control issues that should have been caught before they left the factory. Mostly cosmetic stuff, but a couple are a mechanical issue. All of it, I believe, is fixable.
At this point I am never going to run out of things to do. Just the time to do them.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 8/21/2007
Framing wrapped up on Sunday. Just one guy put all of the hurricane straps on the trusses. Siding is going slow as it has been raining cats and dogs here the last few days. Sunday my brother one of my friends and myself nearly got the front porch decked. We decided to build it out of wood for the look. Julie and I don't like how concrete looks on a porch. I should be able to finish it tomorrow.
I can honestly say I can't believe how well our framing went. I could not be happier with the job they did. They did so many extras I would not have even thought of. For example, blocks of wood on either side of window headers for curtain rods to be hung on. Our kitchen is full of blocking so we don't have to try to hit a stud when we hang cabinets, plus they Tyvek'd the house even though it was not in the bid. I ended up paying exactly what the estimate was. $23,000 for the framing, windows and doors installed and Tyvek for a 4,300 sq. ft. house.
Plumbing rough-in started today. And geothermal begins next week. As far as we can tell we are ahead of schedule. I just hope to get the siding and stone work done before the HVAC is in so that I can begin rough-in of electrical when HVAC is done. I am doing the electrical rough-in myself so that is going to take quite a bit of time.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 8/12/2007
Wow what a difference a couple of weeks makes. Today is two months from groundbreaking. We have the roof on. Tyvek is nearly finished. I have a few pieces to put on while I side it. Started siding last night for a couple hours. I did the roof myself with Julie's grandpa, uncle, cousin, and one of my friends. $1,300 in labor, and about a week to put down about 45 squares. Hopefully the siding goes as good as the roof.
Rough-in of plumbing, and septic start in about a week.
One thing is for sure, when you are one of the subcontractors as well as the general contractor it makes things a little difficult. We have had to spend any spare moment of time making general contracting decisions, because of how much time we spend being the roofing and siding subcontractor ourselves.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 7/29/2007
Amidst rain showers Friday they put the trusses up and sheeted them over the 2nd gable roof. These guys appear to be afraid of nothing. They were walking on wet OSB on the roof.
Julie and my friend John continued the stone work around the foundation Saturday. The worst is yet to come on that. I believe stoning the chimney chase will be the hardest thing we do ourselves.
Don't remember if I mentioned this before, but last Saturday Julie and I went to Newark and bought our claw foot tub. It is 5 feet long. Cast Iron, built by the Standard Sanitary Corporation in 1938. We plan on refinishing it like we did a pedestal sink. $250 for the tub, about $30 for a refinishing kit and about $200 for a new faucet and we should be good to go.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 7/26/2007
Thursdays seem to have a pattern of down time on the job site. This is only the 2nd rain day. Hopefully we can pick back up tomorrow. The trusses are up and sheeted on the south side of the house. The house has three gabled roofs. One down, two to go. They have half of the second gable trusses already set. I don't think I could have found a better framing crew. I offered to get a crane to take the trusses up. It would have been about a $1,000. They said forget about it. They carry them up by hand. They stand them on end and hand them up to a couple guys standing on the top plate of the second floor walls who then lift it over the wall. I can honestly say I have been going over their work with a fine tooth comb and can't find many mistakes. Mostly just minor stuff that wouldn't matter anyway. They have also been remarkably concerned with saving on material. They will search for scrap to use before they cut a new board or sheet of plywood. And this is a bid job. I'm not paying them by the hour.
In other news, my roofer (Julie's Uncle) is really excited about roofing it. He is ready to start at the drop of a hat. I think we may start roofing this weekend on the gable that is already set.
I have ordered all my windows and doors. Jeldwin windows and doors. Fiberglass on the doors. Windows are vinyl.
I just need to order our siding and we should be good on materials for a while.
And I can't resist sunsets. I grew up out in the country and moved into town almost 10 years ago, so I miss seeing them.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 7/19/2007
We broke ground a little over a month ago and we had our first rain delay. We have been in a mild drought here. Yesterday the framers finished the 2nd floor deck and started putting up the master suite walls. One word of advice to all those future owner-builders out there, it really pays to be on the job site as much as possible. It really helps to catch small errors before they become huge. I have arranged for a crane to be on the job site toward the end of next week to set the roof trusses. As long as the walls are up, which I think they will be.
And in case anyone was wondering, the old barn and the old shed in the background are going to be fixed up after we get the house done. We don't want to spend any money on anything not essential to the house being completed.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 7/18/2007
The first floor walls are up. Master suite is on its own level and it is decked. 2nd floor deck is half done as of last night. So today, weather permitting, we will start putting up master suite walls and 2nd floor walls. So far it has been extremely important to be on the job site. Our prints had some errors on them that caused some confusion. But nothing major. They start every morning at 6 a.m. sharp. I have only been able to beat them to the job site once. Usually, I have to stop at Lowe's and pick up materials. We had a no interest no payments for a year promo so I have been buying quite a bit from them.
While I am on the materials subject, I should mention that again I wasn't able or didn't want to break a load apart and count every piece. We fell about 10 pieces short on band board Monday. I called the structural company where we purchased all of our I-Joists, LVLs, and band board. They said I had everything I needed. I said no way, you didn't deliver any band board with the second floor load. I finally said I don't give a s*#% why it isn't here I just have to have it to build my house. So he said he would call me back. Sure enough, he called back and said it would be "re-shipped" on the first load out the next morning at no charge.
So far we feel everything is going pretty good.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 7/5/2007
Our framers started promptly at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, July 2nd. They had the sill plates bolted down in about an hour and had the garage walls framed by the end of the day.
One thing I ran into on my first day of framing was not having all the materials I needed on the job site. Between myself, Carter Lumber, and my framer, we were not communicating efficiently. The result was I had to make three trips to Lowes on Monday and one on Tuesday. My biggest downfall was assuming the right materials were on my Friday delivery. So I learned my lesson on assuming.
We started to put on the stone veneer on our foundation walls. We had talked to and read a lot on how to do it. We tried to follow the salesman's advice from the stone supplier and attach metal lath to the foundation first. Well this isn't happening. Hammering nails into the concrete would have taken a year. So we went with option two which is where you etch the concrete with muriatic acid. This gets the form release oil off of the concrete surface and makes the concrete absorb the cement better. We love how it looks.
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Posted to Wheres-Waldo by Mike in Marion, OH
on 6/27/2007
Since my last post, Williams Concrete brought in about 13 dump trucks of stone for around the perimeter, inside the garage, and inside the front porch. Then Monday, they did the rough grade backfilling. And yesterday, they poured the concrete for the basement and garage floors. My framer doesn't think he is going to be able to start my house for a couple of weeks so it is just going to sit there awhile. My plan is to put the stone on the exterior foundation walls while we are waiting for him.
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