My Mom and Dad treated us to the washer and dryer...it's so much better than the ones I have now...I need to learn to use these!!!

Pam - it's really beautiful! Wow! So much to enjoy. Post the houzz link once it's ready. Thank you for sharing and continue to do so. :)

The stained ceiling...

Love the metal stools....

Grande living room

We chose Clopay garage doors - insulated aluminum in walnut finish...a great look and easy to clean...won't fade or chip.

Another angle of the front...

I will take more photos this week....I missed some rooms and I didn't get any of the exterior rear of the house....

We have 2 weeks before we move...our builder is doing all the punch list items before we move in! So, I am packing and hosting a yard sale next weekend to get ready for the move!!!

Our builder is actually an author of 2 books. We read his first book and knew he was the builder for us! Our home was completed in 6 months and 8 days! We had 90% of our selections made before he started building our home. This allowed him to schedule trades very tightly and order items in advance so there were no delays.

Thanks for looking!!! Now I can sit back an enjoy all of your homes "come to life!" I had knots in my stomach in the process...fear of what I selected wouldn't look good....fear that my kitchen was too small (was I every wrong!!!!). So, all those feeling are real and natural..enjoy the ride and trust your gut instincts! Choose where you spend money and where it isn't worth it....We will certainly miss all the wonderful people who worked on our home!

Pam

Thanks Autumn...keep posting your updates!!!
Pam

Our cabinets are here!

There were a couple things they had to take back to resize, but I love what we've got. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Our House Blog

So exciting and beautiful pictures there Spotty, would love to see the garage doors in the daylight. Which product line of Clopay? That's not their clad product like Fatezzi is it?

Pam, Just beautiful. I have really enjoyed following your journey. All the details have come together so well. Please do post more pictures and share the houzz link once it is posted. Looks like you had a wonderful builder and crew.

You house is beautiful, Pam! How exciting about parade of homes and houzz! And, I'd also like to know about the Clopay garage doors. We did about the same as you with making all our choices before we bid. I hope ours come out as well as yours did!

Zone4, what wood are your cabinets? They look hickory. Very pretty. Love the finish. How exciting!

Spotty your house is gorgeous. I know you must be so pleased with the way that it turned out.

Ok well I might have led you astray a bit on the roof....
I meant the trusses are going up. :)

Pam!! Wow! :) love love love, parade of home & houzz... we are among famous people here! :)

I love your water spigot knobs, and you will learn how to cook on that gas range soon enough! I refuse to cook on anything but gas. So we're putting a propane tank in specifically for that, and my dryer... :)

The big wall is just framed a bit right now, so that we could see how the windows would go. Not more really, just bigger!

I still have yet to figure out how to do more than one picture in a post, so here's the front view as of Saturday, and the next post will be the big wall :)

ok here's the part they have framed. The ceiling will be flat across the top of this and slope down to the side walls. I originally wanted it open all the way up, but we decided not to heat/cool that peak.
So starting from that header, down to the 8' wall below, there will be a bank of windows. :) it faces north/east. So no direct sun to blind, but lots of natural light most of the day. yay!!! (cloudy & rainy this particular day)
I believe the plan is to continue the roof structure from the garage to this wall to tie it in, then they'll frame it along with the roof... But I could be wrong lol
We did go ahead and make it 2x8" to support all those windows. The rest of the exterior walls are 2x6". I love my builder/framer for this. He's a thinker. lol

And here is a very fuzzy (sorry!) inspiration picture of the windows....

zone4newby,

I love your cabinets. I went to your blog and it said that they are custom hickory cabinets. They look like a medium brown in your photos so I was wondering if you have a certain type of stain on them or if they are natural and just look darker in the photos. I love the look. I will be going with hickory cabinets also but I am scared to stain them because I don't want to hide any of the different colors of wood if that makes any sense. Your house looks awesome BTW and I love your interior wood doors too.

Spotty,
I have been silently keeping up with your build since I joined this forum and I just wanted say that your house looks beautiful and I can't wait to see it on houzz. Congrats!

zone4-read the blog and I think seeing the cabs go in would make me want to move in right away too. Very nice! We have chosen a hickory floor - so much character - love it!

lori-ah, now I get what the 'big wall' is. Very nice and all that light will be so good to have all year round. It looks like things are moving right along.

Framer out today. I can't wait to scoot over after work and see something...anything. :)

Yay Autumn! :)
Can't wait to see pictures!

Zone4, Just looked at more pictures on your blog. The cabinets look great and I like that you are going with wood interior doors and wood molding around the windows and doors and baseboard. We are also currently sharing one bathroom and can't wait to go back to more :).

Lori, your framer is doing a great job already done with the trusses :) that is cool. In our case they are building roof trusses on sight so taking longer.

Autumn, Can't wait to see pictures on your end with progress..

I have not yet shared any pictures but here is one and our crew is no where as neat as Lori's. I also do not know how to post more then one picture yet so only one picture at a time.

This post was edited by akshars_mom on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 16:05

Zone, I sure wish I'd done what your husband did and took a picture from the same place everyday...
I told myself I would from the beginning, but then got busy and didn't :(
I love the time lapse!!

Thanks everyone for your nice comments...I always get nervous posting pictures....I want to write more, but time to get the kids from school and then sports...I promise I will be back...and I see lots of housing getting taller...foundations done!!!

For the garage doors...

Clopay Gallery Collection GD2L/SPW4
2" thick polystyrene insulation
3 layer construction - exterior and interior is steel skin
Nylon rollers - Liftmaster Elite Series 3/4 hp belt drive, battery back up, remotes and keyless entry, iphone capatible
Our color is walnut ultra grain
we added the spade hinges and hardware

We are in the 130mph plus windzone due to being on a lake...we have a few miles of fetch and the winds can be strong...so, that limited what we could do with doors. We were lucky our rear Windoors didn't have to be upgraded!

I will be back....

Pam

Pam-1st 'big' vacation for our family this past February in Orlando (Kissimmee) - had a BLAST! Such great memories and such beautiful weather. Missing those palm trees. I think many of us can relate with all of that busyness but be sure to stop back! Love your pics.

Zone-I didn't catch that pic from same spot time lapse on your blog. I'll have to go back further. What a great idea! We are in 1 bathroom here right now too and I know exactly what you are saying. Cannot wait to have my own bathroom again!

akshars-open up a photobucket account. Super easy to post multiples that way. There are other sites but that is the one I am familiar with. If you have questions let me know. It really is as simple as uploading them and then a click to copy the html and then paste and viola, done.

So here is our progress from today. So happy to see wood!
Facing North West - Rear - Dining Room screened porch side:

Facing South West - rear other angle:

Facing south - this will be our master bedroom side of the house:

I can't wait to see what we get in tomorrow. Rain is coming later this week but not until late Wednesday. Sky track finally showed up tonight...after dark. I am feeling more at ease now that I've seen some change. :)

Zone4.... I love your trim and doors! We picked out the same doors and I've been hoping that we did the right thing. Seeing yours makes me sure about our choice. And seeing your trim gives me ideas. We want something very plain and flat to go with the doors. Is your trim flat? I can't tell from the pictures.

loribug... we are almost as far along as you, the trusses are to be set Wednesday. Our house is smaller and all on one floor. It was so exciting to actually walk through for the first time!

Autumn.... glad the framers finally showed up! Things will go quickly now.

Spotty.... gorgeous!

Thanks for all the nice comments!

JDez- The cabinets are stained-- I *think* it's a walnut stain, but I could be wrong. It's a fairly dark stain, but there's still lots of variation in the finished cabinets.

Carol.33-- I love the doors. We do have flat trim. Our builder called it "ranch" trim, if that helps at all.

Fun to see so much activity here!

Spotty, your house is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it!

Lumber was delivered in three deliveries yesterday.

First up - trusses

Then a truckload mostly containing 2x6 for exterior walls and sub floor material

Then late yesterday afternoon two more trucks with all the rest

Everything is covered for the rain chances this week

When the lumber started arriving, my DH said it was the first big smile he saw from me since we started this! The framer is supposed to start today. Can't wait.

Spotty, gorgeous home! I'm glad to hear that you made almost all your decisions before beginning the process, adn that all came out so nicely. Can't wait to see the Houzz pics. Did you work with your designer to select items or was the designer just for the Parade interior decoration? I'm thinking of working with a designer to choose paint colors and help me with some of the furnishing choices. I'm looking at our floor plan and I'm afraid if I paint what I've been envisioning I may end up with a checkerboard feel to the interior.

Zone4 those cabinets are beautiful.
Akshars and Autumn, so excited for you framing. Lori, that window wall will be glorious!

Dh is going to meet with another landscaper on our site today. Turns out the ARB doesn't like the landscaper we'd initially met with and drawn up a basic plan with so they didn't approve the landscape plan. We've decided instead of trying to fight we'll switch. So we'll come up with essentially the same plan with a landscaper they like and it'll be approved. We love the development, the developer is a character, but very likeable and he really has the best interests of the community as a whole at heart, so we'll deal with some of the vagaries.

Welcome Marji!! Hope your landscape plans are approved soon. I'm so glad I didn't have to worry about that. On our 22 acres, the corn doesn't care what my landscaping looks like!! Yay! :) lol

I hope that window will be glorious. It's what I've gotten the most "do you have two heads??" look about. Which makes no sense to me, b/c people do window walls all the time.

I think my framer/builder is just trying to be sure it doesn't get messed up, which I highly appreciate. He seems more comfortable with it since going to the 2x8" wall, so hopefully we're all on the same track now!

Hoosier, Autumn - YAY FOR WOOD!!!!

Jennybc should be a part of this thread too, but they are DIYing a lot of it, so she's soo busy!! I chatted with her last night on email. Things are moving right along for her!

Autumn, Thanks for the tips on doing multiple photos. Now that you gave the procedure I remember trying it out before. I will give it a shot. Great to see progress on your end. Looks like your son is having fun exploring :)

Hooiser, Good luck with framing today.

Marji, You are taking the ARB and landscaping issue very well. We do not have a HOA or a ARB so we did not have to worry about that. We have not yet given much thought to landscaping and may do it after we move in.

Lori, I think the window wall will be great. We have smaller scale window wallin our great room. It is basically an entire wall filled with Sliding door with two windows on each side.

We are getting closer to rainy season here and I would really like the house to have roof and windows and door soon. We should be getting the front entry door some time in the next two weeks and I am getting excited to see the stain color. We choose the stain based on small sample and hope it turns out as we expected.

Trying more then one picture now but you nothing special

ceiling

It's so beautiful Spotty!

Everyone is making great progress. I love all the pictures.

I guess it's our turn for some weather though because we are stuck with just a pad and form boards right now. It rains, it starts to dry out then more rain. 4" forecasted for tomorrow. They need to drill the piers but can't get in there without getting stuck in the mud. This is Texas! Just our luck the dry spell ends right now. Sigh. On the bright side our pond could use a fill.

mlweaving...we worked with a designer from day one. She assisted with every decision in the house...lighting, paint, appliances, granite, faucets sinks etc...we also contracted with her to do ceiling designs and entertainment center designs...then the trim guys built what she drew. I also purchased furniture through her and window treatments...just about everything in the photos I now own..met with her today and just about bought everything!

Everyone is trucking along...lookin' good!!!
Pam

Thanks for the answers and encouragement.
Akshars, is the chain link fence to secure your build site?
Pam, you're going to have a lovely environment to live in. So far we've made all our own decisions, but I've just contacted a designer. This is our forever house - I like to say we're going to go out of this one "toes up", so I'm thinking I don't want to do it piecemeal, and I don't want to make mistakes. I know that decisions about each element affects other decisions. Rugs can affect paint color and future furniture choices, so I'd like a comprehensive plan going in.
I'll be going to our site this afternoon, hope to see progress on our foundation.

Marji, The fence is more so to prevent "curious neighbors" walking into a site and getting injured. We are building in a city lot so the houses are very close by and this is very child friendly neighborhood so do not want any kids playing around or riding bikes to go into the construction zone. If it helps in security in any way that is just a added bonus.

We are also hoping to decide on a designer soon. Previously when we remodeled our old house I did the research/design decisions. Now with the whole house having to make so many decisions in a short time I feel more comfortable if I can consult with some one on the overall picture.

1-2" of rain expected today. The basement was completed yesterday - sheeting on. I think they are having the main floor lumber delivered on Monday morning to avoid having it sit outside in the rain, I am good with that.

Pictures from Tuesday (I didn't get any yesterday but with the sheeting on you can't see anything). :)
Standing in the garage looking down - mechanical room - main 'rec room'. We will not be finishing the basement for a while but it's framed out anyhow.

Terrible but it took me a second to figure out what side of the house I was looking at, geesh, lol! Spare bedroom downstairs and a bathroom - main floor this is the kitchen and dining room side. The furry head at the bottom is the one that is MOST excited to move out to the woods. All sorts of stuff to sniff out.

Hoosier - did you get a couple of dry days to make a dent? I have to say M-W of this week it was actually very nice. Today and tomorrow a wash out. The first part of next week looks good but then we are back to daily rain. Ugh!

How is everyone else coming along?

Where is carsonheim???

Autumn, your basement is looking good!

The framing crew finally started bright and early yesterday and worked until 5:00 pm. We avoided rain and temps got up to 75! Today is a total washout. But at least I have some attached wood to show!

I took these photos several hours before they finished for the day. DH said they just about got all the floor joists done. Friday is suppose to be nice and sunny. I hope we see some rooms forming soon. DH has to have the block guys come back to correct a small section. And he has to contact the HVAC guy about wrong position they placed their box - right where a joist comes into it. But, otherwise it's coming along.

Hoosiers-yay! It does feel good to see wood doesn't it? :). We had unseasonably warm temps yesterday and today also. We have had an oops as well. Last minute change to 8' basement ceilings and forgot to adjust the windows so the headers needed to be reconfigured. At least it could be dealt with without a major additional expense.

Happy Halloween everyone.

zone4- your kitchen is really coming together...I agree with others...love the natural wood...

loribug - wow...going up so fast...maybe 5 months ago I was at that stage....before you know it, you will have a roof and doing the inside! I really like how you posted your inspiration picture of the windows...we will be able to see it come to life!!

Autumn - It was nice that they delivered your wood so it wouldn't get wet...ours got wet and it gets a silvery sort of color...it doesn't look as "fresh cut" as yours! I vote it cleanest construction site!!!

akshars - the fence idea is a very smart move...I am sure your neighbors appreciate it too...we found dog prints on our wood floors one morning...as if someone walked through with their dog! Geesh! Don't stress over the stain...remember, you can always darken in...start light and then darken..it will be fine!

Hoosier...your house is just popping up too! So pretty to see the leaves changing...your wood is fresh, neat and tidy too!

Happy Halloween everyone!!! Keep posting..it's fun to see all the houses going up! I feel like I didn't enjoy that stage as much as I should have...so, it's fun to see your photos!!!

We built over the rainy FL summer...soooo much rain...but everything does dry out...so, don't worry about that! We had a few roof boards that had to be replaced, but for the most part, the afternoon breezes really dry everything out...I remember just stressing over puddles on the foundation before we had a roof...and how the wood got wet! I had never built before so I didn't know what to expect!!!

Pam

Ok....
I've uploaded to photobucket.

My first attempt at multiple pictures...

OMG it worked!!! These were taken Tuesday. They did work all day yesterday, even though it was a very dreary & foggy day. I didn't get over until after dark though :(

Pam-glad to hear you made it through the rainy season. It is pouring here today and I doubt I'll go over because I can't bear to see the 'floor' soaking wet with rain rain rain!

lori-are those TRUSSES I see - with dormers??? Yahoo and love love love dormers. :)

Yes Autumn!!! :)
I love love love dormers too :)
They've started framing them in on the inside, but I couldn't take pics b/c it was too dark. If it ever stops raining, I'll get some. :)

Pam, Good to hear you made it out ok after the rainy season. It is our first build too and my husband is so nervous about wood getting wet.

Hooiser, Are you doing crawl space and not full basement. We have crawl space also. Floor joists are looking good ans soon you will have the walls framed.

Lori, Looking good. I never knew what dormers until a few years ago :) but I always loved the look just did not know what thy called them.

I love dormers too! Shed or traditional....dormers ROCK! If you have "fake" dormers to jazz up the house, have them hang Waverly Outdoor black fabric in the windows so no one can see the wood on the inside. The fabric should last many years....

Oh, I love dormers, too! Grew up in a house with them.

Yes, we are doing a crawl space. No steps for us in our retirement. :-)

Very rainy windy day here. Tomorrow is suppose to be a great weather day. I hope that means more framing!

Figures. I battled rain last winter, spring, and summer. Now that I'm working inside, it's been very dry, of course!

I just passed a huge inspection- framing, rough electric, and rough plumbing, all in one. When you do your own work, you sweat the inspections a bit. Nothing to take pictures of yet, but there may be drywall for the November thread.

Speaking of threads- we've had a ton of action this month! Everybody's houses look so great! Our little house is quite modest by comparison, but it's all ours, and all paid for.

Jay (flgargoyle)

flgargoyle - why the name change? Just curious. Good to see your post and glad to hear you are still at it! Congrats on passing your inspections. I am sure it is a bit more intense when you are the contractor/home owner. Can't wait to see more pics.

We have a shed dormer in the front that is the small open area upstairs. I like it but sometimes wish we had 2 for bedrooms instead. :)

So dh drove by the property this morning - 3 inches of rain in the basement. Rained all day long but a slight reprieve for trick-or-treat. It's back raining again now though. I cannot wait until we've got it boxed in - weather tight!

Autumn4- I couldn't access the site under my old account. I started a new account out of frustration, and it works fine, so here I am. The new name is more appropriate anyhow, since we have officially moved here, and have the FL house on the market. Mush Creek is the general area around our place here in SC.

On to November!

Jay (flgargoyle)

I haven't posted updates in months. We are moved in now. here is the exterior pic.

here is the kitchen

a shot of the great room. Ignore the furniture, haven't bought new yet! Still shopping.