Update on New Home

[TB Roye]

Rags

When you are finished with the house and all move in. How are you going to find time to do traditional woodwork or pen turning. That view is spectacular I would be sitting there all day looking at creation. Maybe put you lathe in front of one of the big window or out on the deck.

Tom

[Hellrazor]

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.

I help do project management at work. I don't know if I would like doing it for a house project AND working fulltime. I am used to dealing with contractors and subs, but we still spend a decent amount of time babysitting, following up, riding them in order to keep them on task/on the projects, etc. Doing that for all of the subs required on a house, along with issues with one sub screwing everyone else up are a bit over the top for my patience.

[ragswl4]

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.

Yes I am retired, since 2005 due to health issues. I was 58 at the time. I work 4 to 5 days a week now and the framer works only when I am there. The wife and I started out working only weekends for the first 6 months and we could tell that it would take us at least 2 years to get to final inspection at the rate we were building. The framer has increased our progress at least 3 fold. I would not attempt to build without at least one framer (a good one). The only issues we have had were with the foundation sub-contractor and we did not discover the issues until late in the framing process of the house. At that point it was easier and more timely to just fix the problems ourself.

I will not do this again, although I do not regret building this house. I think my wife works harder at it than any of us. One big thing is that even when I am not on site working, I am running around getting material, trying to find answers to questions, reading plans and laying out work for the framer. It is a FULL Time job, no question.

[ragswl4]

I help do project management at work. I don't know if I would like doing it for a house project AND working fulltime. I am used to dealing with contractors and subs, but we still spend a decent amount of time babysitting, following up, riding them in order to keep them on task/on the projects, etc. Doing that for all of the subs required on a house, along with issues with one sub screwing everyone else up are a bit over the top for my patience.

We only had one sub, the foundation folks. All other work is done by our family and the framer. We learn every day and tempers sometimes get the best of us. At least we know who made the mistakes when we find them. Its usually me. We have built a numer of walls and then taken them partially apart due to errors. This house is very complex with a lot of extra earthquake, wind and snow loading features. Many of these features are 4 and 5 ft metal straps that tie to the foundation. We have to retrofit a lot of it as we didn't think of it when we were framing. Its just wood so removing and replacing a few studs for strap installation is no big deal. I'm getting pretty good with a sawsall.

[ragswl4]

Rags

When you are finished with the house and all move in. How are you going to find time to do traditional woodwork or pen turning. That view is spectacular I would be sitting there all day looking at creation. Maybe put you lathe in front of one of the big window or out on the deck.

Tom

Out on the deck for sure. Just have to figure out how to keep the shavings out of the Merlot.

[ragswl4]

Here are the latest pics. Starting to look like it might turn into a house. First long rafter goes up. Three small walls left to build on the 2nd floor then its all rafter work, Yuk!

[JR]

Rags, that's a beautiful peak on the photo on the left. I don't think I've seen that perspective on your view before. It just keeps getting better!

It looks like you'll be snug against the weather this winter. Hang in there, man!

JR

[ragswl4]

Here are the latest pics on the house. Been working 10 hour days, 5 days a week now. We have only one difficult part of the roof left to do. It is in the front on the second floor. A hip roof with the two hip rafters being 5"x16.5"x24' glulams (another crane day). After that its full speed ahead with the plywood on the roof and the house will be totally framed. While there will still be a ton of work to do the biggest piece (the framing) will be behind us. This roof has been a real Bi**h.

[Kristofor]

Wow, great looking house, and better looking scenery! I would love to be sitting where you'll be when that place is done.

It's fun watching it come together when you're having one built, and I imagine even better for you getting to put in the time to build it yourself (well, maybe not the knees, or the back, or the... whatever else is aching these days)!

Kristofor.

[jussi]

Looking good Rags. Where is this exactly? Big Bear area?

[cgallery]

It is taking a very nice shape. I'd help you w/ drywall if you weren't so far away.

[ragswl4]

It is taking a very nice shape. I'd help you w/ drywall if you weren't so far away.

Oh, its OK!! Take your time getting here, we should be at that stage in about 2 months. I really appreciate your offer. Free coffee and donuts every day and a light lunch. We really need your help on that 25' cathedral ceiling in the living room.

[pelligrini]

Getting closer to being dried in.

Looks like there are going to be some really dynamic spaces with some great views. Intresting window design on that room.

[ragswl4]

Getting closer to being dried in.

Looks like there are going to be some really dynamic spaces with some great views. Intresting window design on that room.

There are a total of 62 windows and 5 sets of french doors in the house. We are now concerned about wall space for pics, tv, furniture, etc.... LOML added 3 more windows last week. Engineer said thats it, any more and we will run into structural problems and problems with the inspector.

[pelligrini]

That's a lot of glazing.

I understand about the structural & energy code problems. The architect that owns our firm loves to wrap corners in windows and butt-joint glass. Great views and some really impressive spaces, but it's hard to get it to work somewhere else than a sketch. I had a house recently that failed an energy code analisys by 350%. When the structural engineer asked how I was going to hold that corner up I told him to use a number 2 sky hook. They don't make helium beams either.