Front Entry

Wow, amazing how much different the house looks with all the massive cedar beams, gable ends done, and fascia/barge done.

Before picture

 After Picture

Close up of front entry

Weekly Clean Up

At least 1-2 times a week, we all go out and clean up the site.  It is amazing how so many people just think it is ok to throw stuff down on the ground since it is a construction site.  Would they just throw trash down at their house?  I don't like a trashy site and want to give the appearance of a proper and professional site.

We've filled countless contractor size trash bags and luckily have a friend that has a dumpster I can keep putting a bag or two in every week - thanks J.

Besides the trash, we also pick up all the small scraps for the burn pile,

Coals from last bonfire - it was smokin' hot

sort lumber, and restack so it isn't just laying all over.  I used the Dingo to move a stack of 3/4 CDX that wasn't that heavy (maybe 200lbs) but it was sticking over the end of the forks that it made it front end heavy.  Needed to counter act

 

Amazing after how nice the site looks after a little clean up.  Have to stay on top of it though else it goes haywire real quick.

Decking the Roof

Now that the trusses are set (most of them), started the decking on the roof.  I bought 300 sheets of OSB hoping it will be more than enough but they sure do start disappearing quick on that massive open space.

At this point, we are about 1-2 weeks behind schedule and that is primarily because the framer has multiple jobs going .... and one of those is for a job I recommended him for.  When we were discussing prices and duration before giving him the nod, he said they would frame it in four weeks which was two weeks better than the other guys.  Well, it will probably take him 4 weeks on being onsite but it will take 6-8 weeks of actual time based on the rate we're going.  That aside, really like him and he is doing great work.

Looking up to the garage ceiling.  We didn't put any post/beams in the garage, just clear span of trusses so the garage appears so massive.  I will finally be able to park my truck inside.

 Above the dining room looking over to the kitchen/family room area.

 Inside the family room

The front of house seems to go on forever .... although J&Bs house that will be built 10 ac behind us is actually 26' longer.  Crazy

 The cut out will be where the gable roof covering the deck will be

Same shot, other side.

Looking out over the end of the covered porch

Sunset; hanging out on top of the house, nothing better :-)

Rolling Trusses, the start

After the weekend, they didn't get back out until Tue although they were supposed to be out there all week.  They got about 40% set and then called it.  Have been chasing them down the last couple days to get back to finish.  I really want to get OSB on the roof to help protect a bit while we still have another week of sunny weather.

Front covered porch starting to look like something.

View looking out the master bath window toward the front of the house.  I have started terracing the slope and will build rock retaining walls in the future.

Kiddos picking up nails and scrap wood.

Setting Trusses

First there was a delay because the framer wasn't ready and then the truss delayed a day because they weren't ready.  They were scheduled to arrive first thing on Friday morning but someone forgot to get permits in for the oversize load ... so the delivery was changed to 11-12 but actually didn't show up until closer to 1pm.  For some reason, the framer let all his guys go so he was the only one setting them.

I got up there about 3pm and finished helping offload and get them braced up on the walls.

The framer multitasking - talking on cell while directing trusses.

Main Floor Framing

Framing upstairs has started so we no longer have a wide open dance floor with no rails.  The perimeter walls were framed and sheeted which really made it take shape.

Started laying down the drainage pipe that will actually be underneath the front porch.  I seriously doubt water will ever make it that far as the porch is covered and I will have a french drain right in front of the porch as well - I don't want any water making it's way toward the basement even though the drainage out there is amazing.

I installed the sonotubes on top of the 24" pier pads for the front deck support.

I started putting the Delta Drain against the foundation before I backfilled.

Looking at the dining room

Breakfast nook with windows completely surrounding.  Can't wait to eat breakfast and just see nature all around us.

Starting to frame in the dining room

Pit for the alligators when the kids are being not no nice.

After a week, the garage was finished and the interior walls were completed.

Financing Update

After getting verbal approval from the bank, we have been moving along with quite a bit accomplished thus far.  I called to check on the status because the date to pay off land was 1 Jun per the agreement with the land owners.  The bank missed the date and then said by 1 July .... so when that date passed, I was getting a little concerned.

The 'package' as they call it got all wrapped up and sent before loan committee which we thought would breeze through.  Well, one person is being nit picky about silly things and so more back and forth with documents. (they now have like 5 sets of various paystubs so not sure if they think that I'm loosing my job since it is still the same as the previous month).  Other oddball stuff but after about 1.5 weeks, I think we have everything worked out.  Not.  It now has to go before the president of the bank (they have 20 branches so not small).  I was surprised at this because this never was discussed so not sure if a good thing or not.

A few days pass and the loan officer informs me that evidently I have the largest owner-builder construction loan they have ever processed in the history of the bank.  Oh My Gosh!

Finally I get the call from our loan officer that the ExecVP (#2 at the bank) and a Regional Sr VP want to meet me at the property.  Not sure if that is a good thing or not but am thinking positive.  I meet with them about 1pm in the afternoon, I'm in work clothes running the excavator and they are all decked out.  We met for about an hour and they 'quizzed' me about construction and various processes in the permitting area.  I answered all of them and had a good conversation.  Before they left, the ExecVP, Bob, told me that he wants to put my stress level at ease and the bank is going to approve me.  Awesome, thank the Lord!!

He said that we should have the money within three weeks which is just in time to pay my large credit card bills.  I'm hoping all comes through.  Stay tuned.