Anyone with good advice on building a house?

Lucky, you moving in tonight? 8am tomorrow? What's the status? lol...

"cuchulainn wrote:

Lucky, you moving in tonight? 8am tomorrow? What's the status? lol...

We've been taking stuff over to store in the basement the last couple of days. Total move Saturday and Sunday for our stuff.

But....were still crossing our fingers that the last few things get finished tomorrow. Meeting with the builder there at 630pm tomorrow night. Well see!

Nice. Bout damn time.

If your builder gives you any flack buy Cash a 6 pack of PBR and tell him the builder hates God, guns, Van Halen, gold chains, and Firebirds. :shifty:

Lucky, you guys all moved in? Status? Pics?

Lol....

"cuchulainn wrote:

Lucky, you guys all moved in? Status? Pics?

Lol....

Moved in and exhausted, yes after working on it since Friday night, We've got most of our stuff put away. Sadly , I can't figure out how to link pics without a pc. No home internet at the moment. I'll put them up when I can. Working on my phone exclusively right now.

Lucky, where ya at with those pics? lol...

"cuchulainn wrote:

Lucky, where ya at with those pics? lol...

I'll let you know as soon as comcast feels like hooking me up, lol.

My yard is a mudhole too. Tons of rain, and more on the way. Makes it tough to walk around and take more pics. Still putting stuff away to boot. But I promise I'll have them eventually.

Lol... just giving you hard time. That said, sup with Comcast? They should've been ready to connect you a week ago.

"cuchulainn wrote:

Lol... just giving you hard time. That said, sup with Comcast? They should've been ready to connect you a week ago.

The good news is that we've been told that were defiantly able to get connected. But apparently were down the list and have to wait our turn. I'm calling tomorrow to politely pester them again.

How's the new house, Lucky? Does it feel like home yet?

We broke ground last week. The basement is all dug out and they will be pouring the walls starting this week.

Things are good. We've been in the house for almost four months now. For the most part, everything is really solid and exactly what we wanted. My contractor finally sent guys last week to cut a window in the basement that they had forgotten when the poured it. We'd been waiting on that for a long time. But the weather in our area has been wetter this year than almost any on record, and he's been behind in all of his jobs.

We still have a punchlist with about a dozen things left that need to be done, but we're patient. The house is totally livable without them. My next project is going to be seeding the lawn again so that we hopefully have some real grass in the spring. But since its rained 2-4 times every week since about March, that mud makes that hard.

Good luck with yours, and I would keep a close eye on the guys as they do the foundation to make sure that it turns out the way that you want it! Its hard to get them to alter it after the fact.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Things are good. We've been in the house for almost four months now. For the most part, everything is really solid and exactly what we wanted. My contractor finally sent guys last week to cut a window in the basement that they had forgotten when the poured it. We'd been waiting on that for a long time. But the weather in our area has been wetter this year than almost any on record, and he's been behind in all of his jobs.

We still have a punchlist with about a dozen things left that need to be done, but we're patient. The house is totally livable without them. My next project is going to be seeding the lawn again so that we hopefully have some real grass in the spring. But since its rained 2-4 times every week since about March, that mud makes that hard.

Good luck with yours, and I would keep a close eye on the guys as they do the foundation to make sure that it turns out the way that you want it! Its hard to get them to alter it after the fact.

Awesome. Sine the day they broke ground I've been out there over my lunch every day. lol...I asked the guys if me being there looking over their shoulder bothered them and they all said it was great and they all did the same thing when they built their houses...lol

"danmarino wrote:

Awesome. Sine the day they broke ground I've been out there over my lunch every day. lol...I asked the guys if me being there looking over their shoulder bothered them and they all said it was great and they all did the same thing when they built their houses...lol

While we were building ours, we lived next door with my in laws, so I was on site all the time too. I caught a number of things that I wouldn't have otherwise, had I visited once a week or less.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

While we were building ours, we lived next door with my in laws, so I was on site all the time too. I caught a number of things that I wouldn't have otherwise, had I visited once a week or less.

Friends of ours built a house a few years ago. After everything was framed my buddy was walking through the house with the plans. He noticed that something looked weird between the garage in real life and the way they were drawn on the plans. Turns out that the garage was 6 FEET shorter than it was supposed to be. The contractor had to tear down half the house and change the foundation. lol....It was a HUGE screw-up.

I thought about creating a new thread, but it seems Lucky's house is pretty much done, and this is the same topic. Lucky, if you want me to start a new thread just let me know.

Anyhow, I think with what Lucky has written and what I add could potentially help someone else if/when they decide to build their own home.

My wife and I purchased our lot a number of years ago. About 1 year ago we started the design process. The plans were finalized about 1 month ago. We would think we were finished and then we'd brainstorm and decide that something wasn't right. A year is relatively long, or so we are told, in regards to designing a house. However, I think it was a good idea for us to not only take our time on the design, but also own the lot for awhile before building. I think we had time to work through any what-ifs and (currently) there is nothing we feel like we would do differently.

We had a cold snap here so the builders thought it would be best to hold off on the footings and foundation pours last week. They are finishing up the footings today and pouring concrete tomorrow.

[ATTACH:full]

[ATTACH:full]

[ATTACH:full]

Yeah, man. Totally cool with me! I started the thread so that I could have a conversation about the topic with others who have done the same thing, so please!

That's one heck of a big foundation hole! And your dirt is a hell of a lot better than the orange garbage we have here, lol.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Yeah, man. Totally cool with me! I started the thread so that I could have a conversation about the topic with others who have done the same thing, so please!

That's one heck of a big foundation hole! And your dirt is a hell of a lot better than the orange garbage we have here, lol.

Thanks dude. Yeah, this soil is nice and rich. We even have a natural spring on the back line of our property with a larger creek about 300-400 yards back further. Tons of deer and turkey. Kids are going to love it. And we've got 5 kids so a big house is kind of needed. Well, maybe not needed, but greatly appreciated. lol

I'm about to drive out to the lot and watch them pour the footings. Should be pretty interesting.

All the footings are poured. Walls should be going up today through Wednesday.

Wow! That sure is such a pretty area you live in!

"Surfs Up 99 wrote:

Wow! That sure is such a pretty area you live in!

Thanks Surfs. Our lot backs up to a 1100 acre nature preserve so it, hopefully, will always be that way. :)

"danmarino wrote:

Thanks Surfs. Our lot backs up to a 1100 acre nature preserve so it, hopefully, will always be that way. :)

Same here. Our property is bordered by hundreds of acres of woods and farmland, with only three other houses along a stretch about a mile long.

"Unlucky 13 wrote:

Same here. Our property is bordered by hundreds of acres of woods and farmland, with only three other houses along a stretch about a mile long.

Awesome...Got to love the privacy and the woods for the kids.

These were taken on Friday. These are the basement wall forms being placed. They should be completed tomorrow and then cement poured on Thursday.

[ATTACH:full]

[ATTACH:full]

Pouring the walls today!

[ATTACH:full]

So I talked with the owner of the concrete company today.

He said that they will blanket the walls and keep the forms up until Monday. He said they usually don't keep the forms up that long, but this will help retain heat (it's in the high 30's right now) and ensure that the concrete gets to the required 500 psi before the weather gets below freezing. I think he's doing this to ease my mind a little. I've been pushy with my questions and the demand to not pour if we don't have to. That 500psi mark should happen before dark.

I also requested another company come out and do random sampling of the concrete before they poured it (It took about 15 trucks) to ensure that each truck was filled with concrete at between 65- 70 degrees F and that each mix was consistent with the additives etc. Also, they will take random core samples after it's poured to ensure that the temps etc are proper. It cost me a little extra money, but I think it will pay for itself in me being able to relax and not have to listen to my wife. lol

Once they remove the forms they can start framing. They will wait until the roof is on before they pour the basement floor foundation. The owner said that with the plumping and electrical for the basement still needing to be done that it will just be too difficult to pour the slab before it gets really cold. He said that since it won't hold up progress to wait, it would be better to wait until the spring/summer. I agreed.

So, starting next week I should start seeing some framers out there. My builder said it will take them through the Spring and into the Summer to finish (weather depending). Then it will be another 8-10 months for the electrical, plumbing, and finishes throughout.

My wife and I, along with our builder and his wife, are going to Vegas in February for the International Builder's Show. Our builder said that he goes every other year or so and he thinks my wife would really enjoy it and get some great ideas for interior stuff. I agreed because I want to gamble...lol