Final Post?

We have been in our new home for over a month.  Still not "finished", but I doubt we will ever be.  I finished the deck a week ago.  It was absolutely necessary to get us off the dirt.

We recently added a concrete pad and more driveway gravel (desperately needed). 

We really need to work on landscaping next.  I hate having all the mud being dragged in by myself and the dogs.  The house survived our first family get together.

If I get time, I'll post some final photos of each room.  I hope this blog helps someone in their journey to build their "Dream home on a budget".  We ended up coming in a couple thousand over our budget.  We scaled a lot of our dreams back to reality when the numbers started coming in.  And we still have a ways to go before we are completely finished.  But, in the end, it was a wonderful journey.  I enjoyed the ride and now I'm amazed that we were able to do it at all.  It's amazing what determination and will power can do.  

Time for my family and I to enjoy our new home.  Live long, and Prosper.

Dave

Finishing touches

The final push for completion is upon us.  We are finishing all of the things that are required in order to receive our occupancy permit.  We need the stairs and railings for the front porch, the railing from the basement to the first landing, and we need to block off the door to the deck, until we can get the deck built.  The builder still needs to finish up some small plumbing installs and now that the countertop is in, we can install and hook up the dishwasher, stove and refrigerator.

The tile is done and my knees are thankful.  That is one job that I wish I had paid someone to do.  Jen has almost finished her paint touch ups.  She also installed the master closet shelving (amazing shopper, she is).  She needs to buy and install the rest of the closet shelves, install the knobs and handles on the kitchen cabinets, final cleaning and some other miscellaneous things.  

We are planning on moving over the next two weeks.  We will move alot of stuff this weekend, but will probably wait until next week to call for our occupancy permit.  I'm hoping our final day in Shannon will be March 12th or 13th.  

We will be celebrating our new home sometime in the spring.  Everyone who helped and/or supported us will be invited.  Hopefully, Shannon will be sold and we can look toward the basement completion and landscaping.  

Dave

Last Mile

We are getting so much closer to completion.  In the last couple weeks, we've had the stair railings stained and painted (Thanks Joelle and wifey), stair railings installed (Thanks Tom DeSantis), the kitchen cabinets installed (Thanks Dad), all the floor tile installed (Thanks Paul), rest of the hardwood flooring down (GO ME), master shower mudset completed (Thanks Bill Hertel), most of the doors painted (GO Jennie), and all the appliances brought over and set into place (Thanks Paul, Dad, Rob and Mark).  The contractor has almost all the finish trim installed, all the lighting installed and expects to finish his work next week (aside from some outdoor things that can't be done till spring).  We've ordered the countertops (awesome Lowes deal on some granite), and they should be installed within 3 weeks.  We'll be getting the carpeting down on the 22nd and finishing it on the 26th.  If all goes well, we might be able to get our certificate of occupancy around the first week of March.  I was hoping to move on the last week in February, but it doesn't look good.  

Shannon has a second, first date on Monday (or maybe it's a first, second date).  We'll see how that goes.  If we get an acceptable offer, I will feel much more at ease financially.  

Dave

Thanks

I would like to thank everyone that has helped us paint and lay flooring last week.  Robbie, Paul & Joelle, Dave & Tina, Steph and Chuck, and all the kids.  We couldn't have made it this far without everyones help.  Even those that weren't able to be there last week, have helped before or in many other ways.  I know that Jen and I have great families and friends.

As a more complete update, Shannon is officially on the market.  She's had a significant facelift and does not show her 63 years of age at all.  She will make someone very happy and hopefully, very soon.  Jen has been working every evening there getting all of the trim finished and cleaning / organizing the basement.  Not to mention packing, cleaning and such.  I think we're both going to the spa when this is all over with.

Kane is in the home stretch.  At this point, the excitement builds and the money dwindles.  All the grand plans begin to be scaled back, when you realize how much money is really left.  Here is just a small list of the items that were eliminated or scaled back, simply due to our determination to stay in budget:  Geothermal Heat, Concrete walls, Full cavity foam insulation, finished basement walls, garage heat, hot tub, central vac, concrete patio off basement, landscape retaining walls, additional stone veneer.  This list probably isn't complete but just goes to show the amount of compromising you have to do, in order to stay in budget.  We probably could have afforded most of the above items.  But, in the long run, we want to be able to enjoy our lives after we move in.  I refuse to be "house poor".

So far, we are still a bit over our budget.  Some things happened that are outside of our control, and some other things were "no compromise" issues.  For example, we decided to keep one inch of the spray foam in the walls.  This took us over our insulation budget.  However, the long term benefits of comfort and heating bills were too much to give up.  Also, the siding came in over our allowance.  Our estimate was a bit low.  Roofing also was a bit underestimated and cost more.  On the flipside, Jen has been able to save money on fixtures and such so we are doing better than if I were in charge of the money.  :-)  Then again, if I were in charge of the money, I'd be living in a cardboard box.

Here are some more photos for you.  I again thank everyone that has helped us get to where we are.  Talk to you soon.

Dave

Painting and Flooring

I'm too tired to post, but I wanted to upload photos of our progress.  I'll update again soon to explain our progress.

Dave

Halfway home!

When most people see drywall up, they think that the house is almost done.  I know from years of experience that we are truly only halfway there.  So much needs to happen after drywall.  And, most of it takes a long time to complete.  We still have the furnace to install, the septic pump and line, painting, trim, hardwood, tile, carpet, kitchen cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc.

We have finally ordered the kitchen cabinets.  After much debate, we are using a local supplier, as opposed to Lowes.  I like to support the small, local shops when I can.  This guy didn't make it easy.  His customer service left alot to be desired, but when it came down to it, his price was competitive and his cabinets were of better quality.

Shannon will be listed for sale by the first week in January.  I am going to take some time off work to finalize the small details that need done there.  The builder expects to turn over keys by the end of January.  I'm expecting it to happen mid February.

Dave

Foam 'n Fiberglass

We are rapidly approaching the drywall stage of the project.  The foam guys spent all day prepping and installing the 1/2 pound and 2 pound foam.  The budget restricted me from insulating the entire wall with foam.  

My goal has always been to build this house and stay within our modest budget. My original goal was to build the house with insulated concrete forms.  Concrete costs prohibited that.  I then looked into structurally insulated panels.  While much more budget friendly, finding a contractor willing to work with the wall panels was impossible.  I finally settled on standard wall framing, but wanted to use foam for the insulation.

As the budget numbers started coming in, my hopes of using foam were getting bleaker and bleaker.  In a last ditch effort to save the foam, I found an installer that offered a decent price, and agreed to spray a minimal coating (1") to the walls(The Insulation Guys - Bill Heimlein).  Bill also suggested that we switch a couple areas to half pound foam to bring the costs even lower.  

So our final insulation number should come in at, or below our initial budget.  Bill sprayed the first and second floor today, and will finish everything up tomorrow.  I spent the evening putting the fiberglass batts up in the second floor.  I'll try to get back over there some night this week to start the first floor batts.  Drywall is coming fast.  The contractor has placed the order for Wednesday.

Our kitchen needs to be ordered very soon.  I'm getting one last price on monday.  If there is no significant savings, we'll be heading to Lowes Monday or Tuesday.

Our garage is overflowing.  With the flooring, kitchen appliances, lighting, interior doors, washer and dryer out there, not to mention the crap from this house, and Rob's stuff, we absolutely are ready for finishes.

Oh, if I don't get back to the blog before the holidays, I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Dave

Hurry up and wait

My apologies in the lack of updates.  I've been on overtime at work and trying to polish up Shannon before she goes up for sale.  We are anticipating early December to list the house.  The builder recommended that we list Shannon right about the time that Kane gets drywall.  He's expecting that to be in the next couple weeks.

My dad came up last weekend to help with the insulation prep.  He assisted me with the installation of the ventilation baffles at the soffit.  We are saving money by installing the blown-in attic insulation ourselves.  The baffles keep the insulation from getting into the soffits.  Insulation has been a pain in the rear, actually.  We are way over our budget for the spray foam (which I really want to use).  I think I have a solution, but I need to get an installer to cooperate.

We have rough electrical completed and rough plumbing is almost done.  As you can see, siding has begun and should be done by the end of the week.  The septic tank is onsite and should be installed this week.  The well pump is installed and the gas line was just recently completed.  Everything is moving fast, but it has all been "under the hood" stuff.  Once drywall is up we should be halfway home... literally.  

Dave

Little gains

There haven't been many "pretty" things going on right now.  The contractors are installing the rough electrical, plumbing and HVAC right now.  Things will move fast for us, but with not much visual change.

The doors were installed and we are waiting for the garage door, to finally be able to lock up the house.  Once we get there, we'll be able to start clearing out our garage, and moving the tons of stuff that we've accumulated over the last year.  Of course the doors came in wrong and / or damaged.  The double door for the basement came in with a manufacturing defect.  The manufacturer is coming to look at that.  I ordered one door wrong, and the wall manufacturer made the opening for the front door too wide.

We received the stairs and, surprise, they were wrong.  The stairs from the first floor to the second floor had to be modified.  I think Shannon and Kane are ganging up on me.

Actually, Shannon has calmed a bit.  We're almost finished with the upstairs bath.  Just some finish trim to go.  We have already met with our realtor, who is currently investigating our competition and the best price to enter the market with.  We'll probably list near the end of November.

I'll try to remember to post more often.  Just maybe, I'll talk Jen into giving her insight.  Talk to you soon.

Dave

Windows - Check

We have officially reached the almost ready to be called "kinda dried in".  The roof is done, the house wrap is on, and windows are in.  As soon as the doors arrive, we will officially be weather tight.

We've also just released our second draw.  Which now means we have two mortgages closing in on us at a rapid pace.  Thankfully, we are on interest only for both, until Shannon finds a new owner to call her own.

Not much time for a long post, I'm afraid, but I'll update again soon.

Dave

Roof on the Ark

Rain, rain, more rain.  We've been trying to get the house under roof all week.  The weather turned a week too soon.  We have half a roof and the contractors are working on a Saturday to get the house dried in.  Next comes windows and doors.  Then we can officially call the house "closed in".

I'm so busy right  now at work that I've had to hire out work at Shannon also.  A friend of ours is finishing up the bathroom remodel that I started so many moons ago.  It's less expensive for me to pay someone to finish it, especially with me being on overtime.

I'll post further once the roof is fully completed.

Dave

Small Details

There have been alot of little things being done right now. All of the walls are up and have now been squared and leveled. The roof trusses are onsite and should be going up tomorrow. I've had to put some of my sweat equity in by installing the insulation I bought. Putting that stuff up is very itchy. The foam itself isn't itchy but the black facing is made of fiberglass.

I'm ready for the Shannon problems to stop. Every time I think I'm getting close to finishing, I'm thrown another curve ball. This week it is the upstairs bath. Just as I'm trying to finish the tub install, the new water valve starts leaking. I'm officially done with Shannon. I'm hiring someone to finish the bathroom and possibly other things. I need to focus on Kane and work.

Dave