Update on New Home

[Woody]

Love the view

This is the first post I have seen of your house. The view is awesome. Where is this? BTW, those are some big *ss beams!!!

[ragswl4]

This is the first post I have seen of your house. The view is awesome. Where is this? BTW, those are some big *ss beams!!!

The location is in Southern California near Hemet, Ca. The small town is Idyllwild, Ca with a population of 3000. We are nestled between Palm Springs to the East and Hemet to the west. Our home site is at 6000 ft so we get snow for 3 or 4 months of the year. During the snows the town is overrun with local tourists (called flatlanders by the folks in Idyllwild).

The large granite pinnacle that is off in the distance is called Lilly Rock and is a world famous destination for avid rock climbers. I believe it is about 1000ft from the base to the top. I understand that there are brochures in Paris, France;Tokoyo, Japan and other cities in Europe about climbing this rock.

We have over 500 photos of the house and garage as we have been building it.

[crokett]

Thanks for the update Rags! I was wondering what the progress on your house was. You aren't threatened by the wildfires are you?

[ragswl4]

Thanks for the update Rags! I was wondering what the progress on your house was. You aren't threatened by the wildfires are you?

No threats from the fires just the nail guns and flying lumber. We are having a blast building this. I will post some new pics later this weekend on the current progress, it is going up pretty fast now. Hard part is going to be the roof. Over 200 (2x14) rafters to cut and install, no trusses.

[ragswl4]

Progress as of June 15.

[Hellrazor]

Over 200 (2x14) rafters to cut and install, no trusses.

You are crazy

I don't mind not using trusses on garages or sheds, but a big house roof is a pain to stick frame.

I hope you have your supplies on hand. I just received a letter about pricing increases from my supplier. Here is part of the email that deals with products they don't manufacture themselves:

Roofing Prices
Roofing appears to have been hit the hardest by increases, due to its significant reliance upon oil as a raw material. Costs have escalated 30% year to date, and we have received announcements of another 15% - 20% increase for July. Felt prices are now up 40% and are priced at the time of shipment. Nails are up 25%, and the industry is facing shortages as China is shutting down production in preparation for the Olympics.
. Roofing shingles: prices up 15% (GAF and Tamko prices effective July 7)
. Nails and felt: pricing is dynamic, will change as needed
. Metal Roofing will experience additional price increases through the summer
. Roofing nail sales will be limited to roofing orders

Siding Prices
Prices from our siding suppliers have continued to increase as well.
. Siding and accessories: prices up 4% - 8%

[ragswl4]

July 4th Update, yeah we worked today

Here's the latest pics as of today. I hope I can make some sense out of the pics.

First photo on the left is the second floor, looking south, 2nd photo on the right is the second floor looking north. The descriptions will continue with the left photo then the right. (occasionally there is no photo or the right)
No. 3 is the kitchen, no. 4 is the sunroom (all windows), no. 5 is the entry to the house. No. 6 is the dining room, no.7 is the living room, no. 8 is Master Bdrm, no. 9 is walkin closet, no. 10 is doorway to Master Bath, no. 11, 12 and 13 are different views of the front. No. 14 is the sunroom (right side) and no. 15 the left side is the landing for the curved staircase and the right side is a balcony over the living room that will have the same railing as the stairs.

Tomorrow and the next day we will be building the 2nd floor walls. Once completed we will begin some of the roof rafters.

[dbhost]

You know... With a piece of land like that, I would be completely happy just living in a tent...

[ragswl4]

First Rafters Go Up

After having built the garage with a hip roof (first one I ever did) it is much easier on the house. The second floor is all framed except for one interior wall that is also the back wall of the great room. We put up the first rafters.

We still have 9 glulams to put up to support the roof over the back of the house. I have not yet calculated the height of the posts to support those beams so that is the next task. Installing 40 simpson tie down straps from the first floor walls through the floor to beams and posts on the foundation below. This has taken a lot of time as the straps are 60" long and require 72 nails per strap. Easy to do above the floor but a real bear to do under the house.

I think I am beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. We are still under budget and it appears that our cost will be about 40% of the lowest bid by a contractor. No emergency room visits yet.

[BobSch]

Lookin' pretty good there. I'm getting tired just thinking of all the work you're doing

[ragswl4]

Yeah, and they call what I'm doing, RETIREMENT!!

[footprintsinconc]

its looking great! looking at the pictures is very inspirational. to build my own home one day is one of my dreams.

i have a question about the help that you have hired: did you hire a framing crew (that you hire from a contractor or some outfit) or just individual framers who were looking for a job?

[Tom Slick]

It's starting to look like a house, not just a construction site!

[ragswl4]

its looking great! looking at the pictures is very inspirational. to build my own home one day is one of my dreams.

i have a question about the help that you have hired: did you hire a framing crew (that you hire from a contractor or some outfit) or just individual framers who were looking for a job?

We hired a single framer and lucked out so good its unbelievable. If there is something he doesn't know about building a house, I haven't seen it yet. On top of that we occasionally tell him to build something and then we discover that we told him incorrectly. No problem, he just takes it apart and does it over.

The framer was out of work and moved to our area from Las Vegas. It just happened that his cousin works with my stepson and happened to ask my stepson if he knew anyone who needed a framer. The rest is history.

It took the wife and I and the stepson 6 months to build the 800 sq ft garage. We are now 3 months into the 2800 sq ft house with interior walls as well and we only have 4 more small walls to do and we will be starting on the roof. Fantastic change in speed once we hired the framer. He's working dirt cheap and although he doesn't know it, he's gonna get one heck of a bonus when the framing is completed.

[crokett]

Rags, just curious - are you retired? Do you work full time? If so, when do you work on the house? Does the framer work when you don't?

We looked at building our own a few years ago and opted not to after I did some research and it is basically a full time job even if you only act as your own general contractor and sub everything out.