wendy's house

 

Wendy will be a teacher at Carl Junction Schools this fall after completing her degree in Special Education. Of course a school marm can not afford to buy a house, so the two of us are building one instead. We hired the basement concrete and excavation, but everything after that we hope to accomplish ourselves. Well, not sheetrock because frankly that job sucks. Our plan is to complete the upper floor so she can move in by 1 September. Weather permitting I have been working alone since we got back from Florida, but Wendy worked on weekends. We will be a full time team starting 15 May.

 

From time to time I shall add pictures documenting our progress. Stop by for a visit. We have extra hammers.

 

Concrete is done by the end of March:

Foundation forms Basement View West Basement

 

Mid-April: Frame the basement and begin the floor joists:

Framing lower floor Full header Hallway Floor joists

 

May: Install sub-floor and frame the first floor:

 

Decking begins Decking complete Framing Begins End of long day

 

Then pour concrete pillars for the porch and roof beams. Jaevyn helps Aunt Wendy.

Pillar form Pillar Infamous porch beam Looking north Wendy & Jaevyn

 

June:  Install scissor trusses. Deck the roof. Hire roofers to shingle. Box in the exterior. Add the porch floor joists and complete the interior partitions.

Scissor joists Front door end Roof deck goes up Porch end Shingles start

 

Shingles done Porch takes shape Interior framing liv Rear view

 

July: Its looking like a house. We began installing the log cabin siding, which required us to use a three tiered scaffolding. The decision to complete the downstairs adds some extra work and the tub made it into the bathroom with only one stud removal.

Back view Back porch view Front Siding detail

 

August: Now we are really cracking, working 7 days a week. We hire an electrician and have the insulation blown in. Sheet rock, both hanging and finishing, is sub-contracted. We learn first hand what a pain some hired help can be. During the 10 days they take to hang the sheetrock we complete the siding and install soffets. Cedar flooring was laid on the porch. As the month closes we have permanent electricity, water, and the air conditioner is running. Labor day weekend is a big primer party so the final texture can be put on the ceilings and walls.

City Water line Insulation porch roof

Insulation Driveway view Sheet rock Sheet rock 2

 

Wendy wants to move the weekend of September 21. Will we make it?

 

September: September was a confusion of coordinating sheet rock finishing, painting, carpeting, appliance delivery with hard wood flooring and bath room tile laying, electrical trim-out etc. Perhaps a one armed paper hanger with poison ivy knows more peace of mind than we had. Still as these pictures show, its essentially done.

 

Yes, I would do it again. Not for a while.

 

L to R: Master bedrm, Master bath, Kitchen

Master bedroomMaster Bath  Kitchen   

 

Living room, Downstairs Den & Hall to bath & 2 bedrooms

Floating floor begins Den

 

Finished exterior. Great porch.

Porch Rear porch Front right Entrance

 

The answer to that August question was "Yes", but there are still things to do. She has no door knobs, no base boards, no suspended ceiling in the basement and lacking a part the wood flooring needs completion at the stairwell. When those are done the bank will listen to our pleas for a loan.

 

So the house takes a hiatus until Turkey time. Marvin and Martie are on the road again!