New House Progress Report #6

Sorry I didn't update last week like I said, but there wasn't really much happening anyways. The past two weeks seem slow compared to the framing week, but they have gotten a lot done, now that I look back. Most of the HVAC is now in place, and they've started the plumbing and the electrical. They also installed windows and shingles. Now we don't have to worry about weather as much. I had an electrical walkthrough on Wednesday to place light switches and outlets. We got the "Christmas Package" which unfortunately is not a free Christmas present from the builder... but still pretty cool. Every window on the front of the house will have an outlet underneath, and all of the top plugs will feed to one central switch in the downstairs hall closet. Considering we have 15 front-facing windows, four of them in the attic(s), that should work out nicely around Christmas time.

I met the neighbor and have talked to him a couple of times now. They seem nice, and have two daughters ages 5 and 13. This is their third house they have built, and he makes it seem like it won't be a long-term home. They are from Canada and eventually want to move back.

Time for pictures.

April 6th, 2013 - The stairs were finally built, and then removed... and then rebuilt. The builder didn't like how the handrail was going to look with the triangular stairs on the landing. They ended up shortening each tread by 1/2" so it wouldn't take up any extra space. 

April 2nd, 2013 - Family room with fireplace... I still don't understand why it costs so much to get a real fireplace built these days. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to have bonfires in the backyard.

April 2nd, 2013 - Rachel and Joe stopped by for a walkthrough, and were greeted by 17 deer.

April 6th, 2013 - Shingles... and not the itchy kind. Also, windows and doors! Hopefully next update we'll see some siding... and figure out what to do with that hideous vent coming out the top of the chimney (it looks worse in person).

It's a....

Girl :)

New House Progress Report #5

We'll this was the week I've been waiting for, glad I wasn't out of town. It's ridiculous how much they accomplished. So no need for chit chat, let's get to the pictures. Be sure to read Rachel's post under this one if you haven't yet.

March 19, 2013 - It was drizzling on Monday, so I never went out to check on the progress. I guess I underestimated them because they definitely got started. This is what it looked like on Tuesday. The single window was still framed on the lower garage front, but we had successfully made contact to get it changed.

March 20, 2013 - 2nd floor started. Double windows on garage, check please. One of those things that probably would have bugged me forever if they hadn't been able to change it reasonably.

March 21, 2013 - 2nd floor finished.

March 21, 2013 - I was excited to finally get a chance to walk around inside the house. I got to the house right as the crew was leaving, so I still had an hour of daylight. I pretty much stayed until it got dark, just walking around all the rooms. This is the view of the kitchen/breakfast room area. 

March 21, 2013 - Here is the view of the main living room. This room and the kitchen are connected to make it a pretty open space.

March 21, 2013 - The side porch. Unfortunately the view won't be spectacular from this porch, unless the neighbor's driveway turns out to be a mosaic work of art lined with flowers and a large fountain. 

March 22, 2013 - It just keeps going up, and the weather was cooperating nicely. 

March 23, 2013 - Finally Saturday rolled around so I could actually get out there and watch some progress happen real-time. I stayed out there for over two hours and pretty much saw the dormer windows go from start to finish. The crew probably thought I was strange.

March 23, 2013 - As I was sitting there for 2 hours, I noticed a problem. The bottom window is in the wrong spot. In fact, I doubt there is enough space to get a shutter on the right side of it. I checked the plans and it's definitely supposed to line up with the top window. I notified the proper authorities, so it should get taken care of pretty quickly. 

March 23, 2013 - Working on the dormers and the porch roof. 

March 24, 2013 - It rained all day here, but I wanted to get out and take my ladder, so I could finally check out the upstairs (they haven't built the staircase yet). I also wanted to see where they finished up on Saturday. 

March 24, 2013 - Luckily they got all the tar paper up on the roof before it started raining. There still are a few puddles of water inside the house, but I'm guessing its not the first house that's been rained on during construction.

March 24, 2013 - Here it is. I think we move in Tuesday. 

Studying Abroad in England

Recently, I completed an application to study abroad in England. I was required to complete an application for NC State's abroad program, write four essays for the program offered through Surrey University, and interview for a scholarship that pays for most of the costs.

In my interview, I was told that over 40 people applied and they would only be able to take 20. I received an email yesterday informing me that I have not only been accepted to the program, but I have been awarded one of the scholarships! This means that I am only required to buy my plane ticket (and bring money for dinners, souvenirs, etc.)

The trip will be from July 19- August 3. I have to attend a few Saturday classes at NCSU before I leave because I will be receiving 3 hours graduate credit for the course. While there, I will be living in the dorms at Surrey University, attending classes, and participating in day excursions.

We will visit:

Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)

Dicken's House

King's Cross (Platform 9 3/4)

and......Austen's Chawton Cottage

Amongst other excursions! We will have 6 days to explore London on our own. I will be traveling with other teachers from different grade levels in the surrounding counties.

New House Progress Report #4

Here are some pictures from this week. They've made some good progress, and I'm guessing by next week there should be some walls up. Hopefully they'll be able to accommodate my latest change request... I noticed on the plan this week that there is only one window on the front facing garage wall, which seemed a little odd. I drove around for a while on Saturday looking at houses, and I couldn't find one house with only one window on the garage wall. I sent a note to the builder to see if we can add another window, but I'll be surprised if it happens. 

March 16, 2013 - Deer all over the place. We see them almost every time we are out there. 

March 15, 2013 - Since the last update, they've filled in the areas around the footings and flattened out the dirt in the front and back yard.

March 15, 2013 - They also poured the garage floor. 

March 16, 2013 - They framed the floor joists on Saturday morning. I didn't get out there until lunch time and they had already finished. I guess I'll have to start getting out there earlier on the weekends. 

March 16, 2013 - Somebody left a jacket.

New House Progress Report #3

So it seems things are moving fast enough that posting monthly will leave a lot of stuff out, so I'll just post whenever I have some new pictures. They finished the foundation wall in a day or so, and I'm guessing they'll start framing by the end of the week.

March 11, 2013 - Lindsay supervising the crew. We went out there around lunch time and about 10 guys were sitting around talking. As soon as we got out of the car with camera in hand they all got up and started working again... interesting. 

March 12, 2013 - I was walking around the woods and found this... Someone's been hunting deer on our land! Maybe I'll use it to do some undercover supervision of the crew. 

March 12, 2013 - It rained all morning, so I don't think they did anything today, but I got to see where they left off Monday. I think they are finished with all the walls. There is supposed to be stone around all the columns for the porch, but I think the cinder blocks look great, so maybe I'll tell them not to worry about it, save a few bucks... ;)~

March 12, 2013 - What are they thinking parking that monstrosity in front of my lamp post shot?!? It's bad enough I have to stand next to the port-a-potty to take this picture.

New House Progress Report #2

Well, nothing else happened in February, but it looks like things are about to take off. This past week the weather finally cooperated so they could dig and pour the foundation. They still have to do the posts and foundation walls, but the footings have been poured. Framing could potentially start next week! Here are a few pictures:

February 7, 2013 - This is where we left off last time, and it stayed this way for a good month. I probably made 8+ trips out there during this time hoping for some progress but there was none.

March 7, 2013 - After a few rainy weeks, it finally calmed down enough to dig the footings. I didn't get any action shots, but since they had already finished for the day I got to walk around and do some inspection. In this picture you can see the footings that will hold the columns for the side porch.

March 9, 2013 - Me and Linz went out to the site on the 8th, but they had not poured the concrete yet. There was a crew there waiting for the truck to show, but I had to get back to work. I drove out this morning and got to see the results of the pour. In this picture, the breakfast room is to the left, the master is front center, and the outline of the garage to the right.

March 9, 2013 - Lamp post shot. One day there will be a house back there, and maybe a wardrobe to  Narnia.