Day after Christmas Update - Click each picture to see Details

Yes, it's been a while since I've updated you, but it gets dark early now and every time I think of running out there and take a picture it's too dark...but here's an update of the four corners of our house. Siding is nearly finished and framing work has started on the garage. The back porch will be screened in the future

It's already dark

Since I can't seem to get out to the house to take pictures before it is dark these days, here is a twilight view of the front and back of the house -- new on the front is the siding on the upper porch, and new on the back, the decking is on the deck and siding on the back all the way up the chimney...looking more like a house every day!

No Leaks

We got 3 inches of rain yesterday and the report is "the roof doesn't leak"

Guess that's good news...wish I could report the same for the rear window in the magic van.

Back Porch Started

The back porch is now underway. The header for the main wall just went up. Will be screened in the future.

More Siding finished

This is the master bedroom end of the house -- siding is finished all the way to the peak!

Stairs are In!!!

By popular request, the stairs are in...Don't they look so much more sturdy than the ladder we've been using to get to the second story!?!

Second Story Siding

If you wonder how you can put up siding on a second story wall that doesn't have a flat surface under it -- here's the way to rig it up. 4 sets of scaffold, two walk boards and a cool "A" shaped thing you put over the ridge of the roof...He didn't even bother asking me to go up there and help. a good man.

Front Door

Front door should be in tomorrow! Hubbie's out there somewhere in the woods up a tree waiting for a monster buck.

Second Door is in!

This is an 8 foot door so it is taller than the other one. This is the one that you see on the side of the house.

First iron door installed.

He put in the first of our "fancy" doors in -- we have four of these. This is the one between the kitchen/mudroom area to the garage. inside and outside view. Also I haven't posted one of the inside in a while, but this is in the foyer, entering into the living room -- a very tall room...there will be a screened porch off the back french doors...not built yet.

More Siding Going Up

The siding is going up on the back of the house...

this is from last weekend.

Starting siding on the back

We got some of the vertical pieces up today on the back of the house -- you can see the big 2x12 that is horizontally across the wall...that is where the roof of the screened in porch attaches. Shaping up!

Front Porch Surface -- Rubbery stuff

I don't know what it is called, but he put this cool rubbery stuff on the floor of the upper front porch this weekend. Had to be 3 days with no rain in a row so we got lucky! It has a layer of something grey then sand and then another layer of rubber...looks cool! It is bumpy, but not scratchy. Feels soft and rubbery. That is my non-technical explanation of it.

More siding going up

First Wall of Siding!!!

Thanks to help today from Derek, we got the first wall of hardiplank installed on the house! Sure looks pretty...many thanks for your help today...and Cooper's too!

Second Story Windows Installed

Thanks to Dad's help, we got the second story windows installed about 2 weeks ago, I believe. Here is a shot of that and the final touches on the Tyvek house wrap. Hubbie tells me that siding is next...he has been working hard on the calculations for the stairs...they have to turn so they are complicated...but he got that worked out on Sunday I think...

Anyway, here is a closeup of one of my bedroom windows installed...it is screwed in all the way around to make it "DP 50" which is supposed to hold up in a hurricane I guess.

And here is the view of the front and back of the house tonight.

Ordering Doors & Siding

We're ordering the exterior doors, and we're doing it a little different. All exterior doors will be the same -- not just a pretty front door...isn't that cool?

Also we are ordering the siding (tomorrow, I think) for the whole house...Hardiplank 8" boards with the "carolina bead" to match the workshop out back.

Forking out the dough this week!!!

First Floor Windows In

Hubbie and I (mostly him) installed all of the first floor windows this weekend -- and also the two sets of french doors that will eventually lead to the screened in back porch. That big picture window by my kitchen table must have weigned a hundred and fifty pounds...and I know it because I was on one side of it.
Looks more like a "real house" every day!

Mid June Update

We ordered windows yesterday -- cha ching!

Here is how it is looking -- it has been too hot to shingle...if you walk on super hot shingles, they tear. So we (mostly he) have been working on Tyvek. Even that has been a pain as it keeps raining every day.

Anyhoo, here is how it is looking, front and back view:

Shingles & Tyvek started

In this one you can see that the Tyvek is started:

In this one you can see he is shingling on the back...can't shingle when it is like 98 degrees outside, so that is why he is in the middle of doing the housewrap...

Memorial Weekend is over

And it no longer rains inside the house! All tar paper is on the roof.

May 25 Morning

I had to call it morning, because by tonight there will be tar paper across the south section roof!

South Section has Rafters

This is the master bedroom side of the house -- Looking good! Front view and back view...Nice bay window in my bathroom, huh?

North Section ready for Shingles!

He's pretty much ready for shingles on the north section and that side porch (on the left). Now he is putting the sheathing on the south section (Master bedroom), and then I think doing all the shingles at the same time. Looking good right?

First picture is the front, second is the back view.

New side porch

It was too dark to take a good picture so I'll just give this preview of our new side porch - it will have these columns, but no railings, I think...I don't always know.

This is the porch that will greet you on the north side of the house as you drive up. He sure did this fast...he is out there right now putting on the last of the sheathing...I think he will be ready to start on the other side of the house in the morning...he sure works fast.

Sheathing on North Wing

Sheathing is on the north section of the house -- also started on the side porch. We won't get rained on while we are unlocking the door on the side of our house! About 5 or 6 weeks ago this north section was just a slab

Chicken Coop

Here is the beginnings of our chicken coop. My hubbie and my dad are building this for me for my birthday last month -- the chicks are excited about getting out there and pecking at the weeds! You see the hubster and kids in the background on the lawnmower -- cute!

Rafters and Facia mostly done

This is still the north wing of the house -- he got the rafters up there and most of the facia work done. Probably get the plywood on the roof within a week!

North "wing" ready for rafters

My how time flies! Already ready for rafters and to think only a few weeks ago this portion of the house was just a little slab.

Ready for Sheating - North & South Sections

Here is one last look before the north and south flanks get their sheating installed -- we passed our "hurricane connectors" inspection yesterday so the hubster is out there installing the bottom row of sheating right now. You can see the first pieces going on the bottom right corner on the last picture -- the pictures are all the way around the house from each of the four corners.

I thought I'd capture it all before it changes it look once again...once all the sheating goes on, we'll begin the roof of these two sections!

North Section Started

As you can see, we have now moved on to the "north" section of the house...It is looking a lot more symmetrical and that pleases me!

Bay window Started

This is the beautiful bay window I came home to today -- It think it will be so pretty -- it is right over my big air jet garden tub in the master bathroom. I can just see a pretty plant sitting on the shelf...