Congratulations, phoggie, that is wonderful! I am so glad your build went well. Let's hope more of us share your experience! We would love to see some photos when you move in!

That's awesome! I've been rooting for you - I became widowed during the design process and your positive attitude has been an inspiration for me.

Phoggie, Congratulations! I'm so happy your build went so smoothly. It's so nice NOT to read horror stories for a change. I hope you will post a few pics when it's complete.

Congrats! I have been following your story as well, I can't wait to see all the pictures of your finished home! Promise you'll do a big reveal and share photos with us?

Phoggie - this is the best news of the day! Congratulations to you and your Amish crew. It is good to know there are great people out there in this world. Please post pictures!!!

Good for you Phoggie! Hey, I've lived in 1800 sq ft for years and years. Good size and easy to keep clean.

I hope you enjoy your new home! It's good to work with people who appreciate a good lady. Please, do share photos with us.

Congratulations Phoggie! Such a blessing to read your post!
Thanks for sharing your good news :)

Yay Phoggie! That is wonderful news all around and inspiring for those of us yet to embark on the homebuilding journey.

I hope you are able to share pictures soon and enjoy that new home of yours!!!

Wonderful news!! Enjoy that fabulous "new house smell!"

It makes me smile to read your post- thanks for sharing your happiness!
:)

Record build. You deserve to be excited.

I can't wait to see pictures. I'll bet you were a pleasure to work with.

Congratulations on taking lemons and making lemonade.

A great way to end one's construction project--congratulations. You're an inspiration for everyone who is designing and building. Well done!

:-) Makes me smile!

Oh thanks for all of your well wishes...it makes me smile to think that so many total strangers from "who knows where" have been with me through my building process and were always there to offer your encouragement on some days when I was down and lonely....a big heart-felt thank you to each of you. I am computer challenged, but promise I will get some pictures taken soon and have my DD post them for you to see... It is not fancy...just a home for me to finish out the days I have left on this earth. Blessings to you all for a great building experience and wish you could all have my crew!

phoggie-fancy is not what makes a house a home (if it was many of us would be in serious trouble). I think it already has much character from the love that has been put into it by your thoughtful time spent designing it and your great crew that built it. :) Wishing you the best in your new home.

Your home sounds very beautiful and just right for your needs. I look forward to seeing your pictures.

Congrats!!! Looking forward to seeing photos when it's all done!

Your house is filled with so many warm fuzzies it's already a home by any definition. As difficult as the early part of this process was, you went into this build with an open mind and heart and the result is you have been cared for by people who felt your respect. I can't wait to see it.

wow, congratulations! hope you will share some photos!

Phoggie-I've been following your build on the 'small house' forum, and it looks beautiful. We are set on building a 960 sqft house in Iowa and using an Amish crew. They live right next to the family farm where we'll build, and I hope it goes as well as yours does! Congratulations!

Best wishes, IowaCommute, I hope you have the great luck with your Amish crew as I did mine here in Kansas. I feel so blessed to have them and they were certainly well worth the wait to get them. I'll be glad to watch your "story"...so keep us posted.

I went up over the week end to the house and just sat and enjoyed the peace that is there....so anxious...just hope the guy who is supposed to be hauling in fill dirt will get his job done....he is not as realiable as my builders!

Phoggie-I live in KS now and will move to IA soon. There are many groups of Amish where we will be and the predominant group is the strictest sect in the country. So I worry they will not want to deal with me (since I'm a woman they don't know, and I will be acting as the GC). Although my father in law has agreed to be my mouthpiece if that happens. How strict is the sect you worked with, and did you know them beforehand?

Fantastic! I am so happy for you--enjoy it!!!

IowaCommute~~ Where in KS do you live?...heck we might not be so far apart. I live a little over an hour from KC now that I have moved.

Well, yes, I did know Dan (sort of)....when DH was alive, we met Dan on one of his jobs....DH was a retired architect/contractor, so he wanted to check out some of the projects that were going on in the town where I now have built.....and DH made the comment, that when we ever built, Dan would be our builder because of his workmanship.

So you are a woman undertaking a build by yourself also?...good for you....you can do it! If at 71, I did...so can you~~~ just know what you want...change it only on paper...changing on the site is too expensive!

I will be anxious to watch your build....so do keep us posted on this forum. When do you expect to start? Do you have your lot yet? I am excited for you :-)

Phoggie-I grew up in downtown KC, and now we live just East of Ottawa KS or 45 minutes down I35 from KC. We're currently trying to sell our house (we have ten acres here), and for some reason people want to live in the country but don't want the land.

My husband grew up on a hog farm in NE Iowa and has finally decided he wants to go back. Now that we have a kid (she'll be 2 on Friday!) it sure sounds like a nice place to grow up. So I have finally agreed to go to the farm. His family has 500 acres, but I don't want to build on their property. I tend to think of worse case scenario, and I'm not sure if we would stay up there if something happened to DH (all of my family lives here in KC).

Probably the biggest reason I want to be the GC is I know exactly what I want. I've been researching everything for months now. Once we sell this place we plan on moving to IA and renting a small place in town. Then we'll wait a year or so to make sure my husband will like working from home (his company is very nice for even considering to let him work long distance most of the time). Then we will start to build.

We're hoping to buy a couple of acres from someone right around his family's place. The problem is trying to find a nice place to put a house. The soil is so rich land is very expensive (for the Midwest that is). We may end up buying a couple of acres in the corner of his family's farm. My husband doesn't want to drive anymore (unless it's close enough he can just hop on his ATV).

I'm really looking forward to this process. All of the men in my family are tradesmen, and both of my grandpas built their own homes. I've helped my dad with remodeling projects in our house (including but not limited to drywall, electrical, and plumbing). DH is very handy and we have remodeled our last two homes. I'm just handy enough I can lay hardwood flooring, tile, and hardwired lighting. Did I mention I want to learn how to weld (it runs in the family).

I have found a house plan I really love. I've built the house in Google SketchUp, and I'm very happy with it. It looks so charming, and I really wanted something with character to 'blend in' with all of the wonderful old barns and farmhouses up there. I've posted it in the Small House forum too.

I will be sure to post about the build (and leading up to) in the forums here. I've seen what the wonderful people here have done, and I have no doubt in my mind our house will be richer for it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer Run House Plan

Iowa Commute.....Oh how cute will that be! I go by or near you often, every time I make the trip to Olathe up I-35...I am 15 minutes south of BETO Jct. Do you know where that is? I hope you enjoy farm living...although it is a good place to raise a child, I did not like the years we used to live on one and when kids get older and are in sports, it is a constant running back and forth. Good luck!