Like a Hollywood Movie Set

We have a facade.

Both 2nd floor ends up, with some trim and exterior insulation already installed.

It's hard to believe that 10 days ago, we had a couple of cement walls. Now for the first time, we can see the full height of the house. It seems huge, particularly from the back where it is 3 stories.

It was a snow day for Jody and Natalie- interesting (but to our benefit) that the folks that work outside didn't have a snow day. The faithful builders spent a good hour today clearing snow from the house, yard, and lumber. I'm just not sure why they didn't do the driveway of the rental house as well.

- A & J

A Job for a Kindergartener

Back in December we lamented the fact that we were going to miss our house demolition (See posting "Just Like That"). We hoped that our neighbors or friends might capture it for us. As we watched the footage for the first time we realized that our awesome neighbors, the Lovell family, not only captured the teardown, but the kids also got to help!

Here is the highlight reel from the day:

Funny that the LONG version of our demolition still comes out to just 12 minutes 36 seconds. Here's a link to it for any enthusiasts with some more time on their hands: Teardown Full Version.

-J

Another Day, Another Delivery

It's cold out...it's snow-rained (much worse than snow, I'd argue) two days this week...the basement 'floor' is a skating rink...but framing continues. Our 'just in time' wood supplier, the Falmouth Lumber Yard, seems to be able crane in the supplies right to where they need it.

I think this is one reason they can move so quickly.

Craning it in...curiously, Zippy doesn't seem to mind the lumber truck any more, after announcing its presence of course. Now if we could just get him to do that with this arch-nemesis, the postman.

For the decking in our house, a band of 2" OSB (oriented strand board) sits on the exterior of the deck, and the joists (20 to 24' engineered I-shaped beams) span across the walls and support the subfloor (also OSB). Some dislike OSB and engineered products because it contains glue, but would you rather cut down a big old tree to source the 20' spans we'd need? I think that 'green' is in the eye of the beholder.

Framing in the 2nd floor decking in action.

Anyways, we ended the week with a snow/rain storm on our 2 story wooden box.

- A

Booyah - Walls!

Even though light was failing us - being the end of a long day away from home - we came home to see  walls up and the first floor finally taking its shape.

 I think we both had the same thought...
"Huh, we could actually live here."

-A

If It Wasn't My House, I Might Be Mad

Jody, Natalie and I had been planning to catch up on some sleep this morning, being a holiday and all.   So, when were we were woken up at 7am by the sounds of beeping trucks and banging hammers - as well as Zippy announcing their presence - we were not very amused. After a quick glance out the bathroom window, we realized that we couldn't really be mad since it was our house they were working on.

The joist on the 1st floor level. The hole is where the stairs will go.

While I have no concept of 'building time' and will fully admit this is a small house, these guys were making quick work of the framing, likely because it was 19 degrees this morning.

The rest of the basement rear exterior framing and all of the first floor joists and decking were on by 2pm, soon enough to still get another load in from the lumberyard.

I still think cranes attached to trucks are the coolest thing ever! Zippy agrees.

8 hours later, they were done and ready for the next day. For the first time, the structure is visible from the street.

View from the street...

... and from inside the basement (still no slab) looking towards the pond.

Hopefully the neighbors are as excited about 7am holiday racket as we are.

- A

We've Got Lumber!

...and snow in the basement. We were going to do radiant floor heating, but snow is apparently all the rage these days. It's like your feet will be so cold they'll *feel* hot...

Zippy finally got inside of the house for his own personal inspection.

I think he's wondering where his room's going to be.

The framers arrived Friday and quickly began getting things ready for the first floor to go on next week. Lots of measuring and DD coffee. Good thing they brought the 'Bouse House' with them.

They even took delivery of the joists and decking today (Saturday). As you can imagine, Zippy quite enjoyed the lumber truck and its giant crane. I think he thought at least the weekends would be peaceful.

-A

We (and the neighbors) Like to Call It Improvement

Today we finally closed on a construction loan to help us pay for the hole we've (*literally*) dug ourselves into. Some might wonder about the wisdom of tearing down our house before fully securing the funds to rebuild it. I'd encourage these individuals to meet our mortgage appraisers to understand why this happened. What is bewildering about appraisers, the people who assign a value to your house (or potential house), is that the enormous sway they hold over the loan process is matched with near-zero liability. Couple this with the fact that they have completely no idea what they are doing...I think I've found my next career.

Speaking of 'value', as we were signing our lives away today, the attorney remarked that all mortgages have a clause that stipulates that the 'owner shall not act in such a way that decreases the value of the house' and that we likely violated this clause on our previous mortgage by tearing down the house. I, respectfully of course, disagreed and countered that, according to said appraiser, the land itself was worth more than the house and the land.

However, Jody later reminded me that metal stakes are holding up our new mailbox at the front of the lot... classy!

- A

A House With a Moat- Does That Make It a Castle?

Just before the weekend, the foundation people removed the forms and sprayed the exterior with waterproofing. This left an actual basement foundation and walls that we could climb around in, albeit one with a waterless moat around it.

The view from the back of the house. We are sitting in the future back doorway.

The moat actually served to keep Zippy out of the structure. Something he wasn't entirely happy about.

-A

Guest Author Day - We Have Walls!

Grandpa & Grandma are visting the Cape, expecting to witness the rising of the walls.

Grrr!!!! Monday – nothing happens. Grrrrrrr!!! Tuesday – nothing happens. Then…..late

Tuesday afternoon, it all begins.

So much is happening all at once – after months of waiting, decisions and delays – Jody is back to school, Natalie is adapting to day-care, Zippy is exhausted from so many walks and runs with Grandma and Grandpa and Anthony is grateful for a job that lets him start work at home and pick up later to head for the office… and … the cement truck is currently pouring the foundation around the pre-existing/non-conforming hole!

Late yesterday afternoon, a large truck with a hoist backed in and lifted the cement forms into place. Being late in the afternoon, we thought that would be it, until we noticed one of the guys with his level and the roll of plans and they began to set the forms. Darkness took over and they quit for the night with 3/4 of one wall up. This morning a crew of 4 showed up and finished the lego-like support structure.

Poised on the edge of the hole, the giant cement truck oozed cement into the forms down long troughs. Very exciting with good views from either bathroom at the rental house next door!

- Mom & Dad a.k.a. Grandma & Grandpa a.k.a. Carol & Jim

Out with the old, in with the new...feet.

Someone somewhere probably said,"It's all about the feet." or perhaps something less thoughtful like, "If you don't have good feet, what will you stand on?" Well, to welcome the new year, we got new footings for our house.

All in one day the forms arrived, the workers came and arranged the footprint and the cement truck came to fill them in. It's exciting to finally see the footprint of the new house take shape on the lot. Of course, from the 2nd floor perch of our rental, the house foundation looks freakishly small and unfit to support even a fence post let alone a three story structure (...but I'm sure they know what they are doing).

As expected, Zippy thoroughly enjoyed the cement truck with its cadre of noises. He made every attempt to get outside to watch, and comment, on the activity.

If he gets smart enough to jump up on the chair to see out the side window, its going to be a long spring.

- A