Oh! We See Some Green!

We Call It Home Now

More on the house. This is Dad's "work" room. Not much work goes on though, just more of Dad's stuff.








We call this the "Great Room," even though it is in the basement. You can see the two bedrooms in the background. The double doors are a closet for storing games.






The fireplace in the "Great Room." Remember Craig's bookcases? The doors on each side lead to more storage areas.








The basement stairs. You can see the 3/4 bath to the right.







This the foyer and front door as viewed from the dining room. The door to the left leads to Grandma & Papa David's wing.

Oh To Be Settled

Grandma's kitchen.














Grandma's dinning area/sitting room with laundry and pantry in the background.

Grandma's new bedroom furniture.

Sun room.

Main dinning room.

Main kitchen.

It may not look like it, but we moved in on May 30. Half the driveway was "placed" on May 29, and the other half was "placed" on moving day.

And here's the back yard.











Look closely and you'll see Bambi and her mom grazing in our back yard. We see them often--like every day and sometimes several times. Turns out that our house was built in their path to the woods across the street.

We're In!

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

Fireplace in the great room with the new flooring nearly done.









Lower level family room fireplace looks like a great place to gather at Christmas time. First thing we'll burn is that box behind the screen (just kidding, Silas). The mantel has not been stained yet and get this, it was installed first and the stone was then placed around it. I thought that was the hard way but then I don't build fireplaces often.
















Grandma & David's new bath. And we have a nice mirror ready to hang below the light (and it's for our newly weds --room for two :-).

Home Plate

Some semblance of a front yard is appearing.

The start of the retaining wall.












We even have an A/C unit. Well, it's actually a heat pump.

Screen It

Here is a shot of the back of the house taken on April 1, showing the deck and screened porch. The pressure treated wood will be "stained" white as this is the style of neighboring houses. As of this posting, ceramic tile has been laid in the kitchen, sun room, laundry room, and most of the bathrooms. Cabinets are about 80% installed, the interior trim is about 90%, electrical work is about 95% complete, painting is about 95% complete, the gas meter is installed, but electricity is not on yet because of issues getting the conduit buried that holds the wiring. We are looking at a May 15 move-in date. The builder was hoping for May 1, but the flu bug caused some key items to be delayed, including the gas line installation, where the gas company fell more than 2 weeks behind. Many people had some version of the flu 2 and 3 times.

Fit 'N Trim

Outside trim and siding being installed.








Those ladders look too tall from me.








Trim in the sunroom.








Trim in the basement is done and is now its final coat of paint before the walls get their final coat.








Furnaces are ready to go. This one is for Grandma and David's wing.

Dry Walls Are Dry-Walled

Brick work is done except for power washing. The scaffolding belongs to the masons and I'm sure they'll come by soon to take it home.






The garage floor is scheduled to be "placed" on Tuesday. The garage doors are scheduled for installation on Thursday. Water, sewer, gas and electric hook-up are underway. But there sure is a lot of yucky mud around with all the digging going on.





Here is the start of the screened porch. The door in the back goes into the master BR.







The sunroom looking out toward the screened porch.

Grandma's living room. Monday the ceilings will be textured and the painters will begin painting on Wednesday (not just Grandma's living room but the rest of the house). It was interesting to watch the dry-wall guys walk around on industrial-grade stilts, ducking low to go through doorways. One guy quipped that if the dry-wall business gets any worse he'll join the circus.

Brick Tossing

Here's a shot from the back. The basement rec. room and two bedrooms have been drywalled. Sheetrock on the main floor will start on Tuesday, February 19.

The front is where the action is. A video here would show some real brick slinging.

A bull dozer pushed some dirt (mud) around.

Ton of Bricks

A small army of brick masons have been working. This was taken Saturday. Looking at the back of the house.

Northwest side of the house.









View from the foyer, looking through the Great Room, through the Sun Room to the doors leading to the deck.

Bee Hive

Windows and doors are in. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC will be done by tomorrow or Friday. Sheetrock starts on Monday, January 28. Brick started today.

Boy, that first step is a big one up to the front door.

Busy Place

I took attendance today and found 16 people working today. Plumbing and electrical rough-in work appears to be over 50% complete. Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) is starting tomorrow. Roofing is complete. Backfilling around the basement walls should be complete tomorrow. Exterior doors and windows will be installed on Thursday. The word for today is: "Stay Out of the Way!"

Taking Shape

Building inspectors have arrived on this cold, cold New Years Day, with shivers and chattering teeth. The youngest inspector found the snow flakes falling to be much more interesting than a bunch of boards.

The roof structure is taking shape. The framers worked Saturday, Monday (New Years Eve) and New Years Day.