So Far
under each window, a small detail of the bricks was completed (compare to other pictures below) marking the outside virtually finished. the only thing needed on the outside is the sod which they will probably wait to lay in the spring along with blue shutters on the windows. i love the look of the brick. we are very blessed with this home. cindy and i at times wonder whether it's too much or why we deserve this when some have so much less. we have agreed that to whom much has been given, much is required. if there are ways that our home can be used to bless other people, we want to be all over that. as a family, we want to pass onto our kids the value of helping and serving other people so that it's not all about just the nice american suburban dream. but oh, it will feel good to finally move in!
A Winter Necessity
Lighting
outside, the garage door is flanked (is that the right word?) by two lights on either side. they're different than what i thought they may put on it, but they're kinda coppery, i guess kinda cool.
Lighting Fixtures
the lighting in all the rooms went up. one of the upgrades we did choose was to have the lighting and hardware (like the door hinges, door knobs) be done in the silver look instead of the gold brass. and it's nice to know that light bulbs are included!
Vanities
his and hers, although cindy proposed we make it a hers and hers. silly girl.
Kitchen Cabinets
obviously this is the kitchen area with ample shelf, closet, and pantry space.
Cabinets, Fireplaces, and Doors
when we drove by the house today, the cabinets and countertops were being delivered. inside, the fireplace had also been framed with the mantle and tile. also, all the interior doors were sitting in the garage waiting to be hung.
i got a call from our builder who said they are shooting for a homeowner orientation around the 9th or 10th of december, with the final closing date on the 16th of december. the orientation is like a walkthrough to check that everything is finished the way it should. this will then leave about a week to change or fix anything. the builder and lender have been working together on this closing date because we are only approved on our current loan through the 16th of december. not sure what this means if the closing doesn't happen then, but i'm confident everything can be completed in time if not earlier. they do it on extreme makeover: home edition in a week. can't be that hard.
Finished Brick
a few final bricks will be put under each window, but otherwise, the exterior roof, siding, and brick is completely finished.
Even More Bricks
here's a few more pics of the bricks. i just think it's a cool process to watch.
More Bricks
just another picture of the brickwork. inside, the first coat of white finish is being put on the walls.
Bricks
besides the landscaping, the last major piece of the exterior is the brick on the front of the house. they just started the bricklaying today and should have that finished by early next week. we still don't know at this point when the actual completion date should be. we've been told anywhere from the end of november to the middle of december.
Siding
today, siding was starting to be put up on both sides of the house. cindy ran up a little later in the afternoon and said it was mostly completed even more than this picture.
Driveway
just on monday (see the below picture) the house sat on a pile of dirt. yesterday, on tuesday, they poured the sidewalks and driveway. i didn't get to make it up in time to "tag" the wet cement. what it is it about us that makes us want to put our names on things and claim it as our own?
Bricks
the builders said the house will actually settle a little bit after the drywall is hung so they'll want to wait a couple of days before putting brick and siding on. if they reversed this process, and the house settles with the weight of the drywall, then ripples and bending of the siding occurs. so, for settling, we wait.
Taping
cindy, luke, joshua, and i just drove over to the house. as we stepped into the house, the kerosene heater was blowing hot air through the house to dry the mud/tape. i was surprised it was all completed. just last friday they had hung the first sheets and within a weekend, it was all finished?! the drywall really puts some flesh on the bones of the house and the completion of the house from this point goes pretty fast.
Drywall
the drywall is just starting to be hung. in my construction days of helping helping howie, we often hung drywall. those sheets are heaaavy! it can be tough work.
Garage Door
garage door is hung
Fire
every boy's best friend is fire. some of my greatest memories have involved times around a bonfire or fireplace. i think of camping trips, worship times on the beach, holidays at my house with a roaring fire...i'm not a big fan of gas logs that burn just to look pretty. i like the natural fires with some dry wood that snap, crackle, and shoot embers all over. this is one of the things i am really excited about.
Electrical Wiring/Plumbing
the past week or two has been spent on the interior parts of the home that have to be finished before the drywall can be put up. this consists of things like can lights over the fireplace, air vents to the different rooms, pipes for sinks, toilets, plumbing, and of course electrical wiring throughout. it's nice to know that professionals are taking care of those things. wires, shmires, fires
Bathtubs
related to plumbing, both bathtubs are installed
Weather Vane
if we ever get lost, at least we know which way is north. this was added on top of the garage (see picture below)
Case of the Shingles
on the 23rd, the roof was getting prepped. when we drove by on the 27th, the roof was finished. at least now there is some outer protection from any kind of weather that may be coming up.
Raise the Roof!
the roof is getting prepped for the shingles to be put on. that's a tough job although easier to put em on then taking em off. like i have a lot of roofing experience.
Attic Windows
these fake attic windows were added to the top of the roof for effect. in the post on 09/10, you can actually see one of them sitting in the garage.
Windows and Doors Installed
it's hard to tell, but the nice construction man is installing the front door. also, all the windows have been installed.
2nd Floor is already framed
in less than a weeks time, the second story, and roof has been framed. one of the cool things that cindy loved about this model is the side load garage. it will be nice to have an attached garaged. the 2 windows on the bottom left are the master bedroom. the two windows on the upper left are to a private upstairs master study
cindy walking through the front door with a view of the upstairs above her head
this window sits off the living room and looks into the backyard
some of the upstairs
view from the back
Framing
the first floor framing and outside walls are nearly complete.
The Living Room
cindy and emma standing near the front entry foyer and living room
The Foundation
ground has been broken! i won't try and pretend it's as pretty as colorado, but it is a pretty area.
Our New Home
i always heard of people building their own house and i thought that was reserved for people who were attorneys, lawyers, and those with 6 figure incomes. well, building a house really is the same as buying any other kind of house except you can customize it how you want and we are the original owners. with most new construction, they can often start at very reasonable base prices. many of the upgrades is where it will start to add up. the price of the home we're building is less than older homes we were looking at with realtors. also, we are paying only $2000 more dollars than what we sold our house for in chicago. plus, we get twice the sq. footage, way less in property taxes, cheaper overall living, upgrade in school district, and closer to family babysitting. well, i'm not sure how much i will actually be writing about this, but i will be recording pictures to track the construction progress.
under each window, a small detail of the bricks was completed (compare to other pictures below) marking the outside virtually finished. the only thing needed on the outside is the sod which they will probably wait to lay in the spring along with blue shutters on the windows. i love the look of the brick. we are very blessed with this home. cindy and i at times wonder whether it's too much or why we deserve this when some have so much less. we have agreed that to whom much has been given, much is required. if there are ways that our home can be used to bless other people, we want to be all over that. as a family, we want to pass onto our kids the value of helping and serving other people so that it's not all about just the nice american suburban dream. but oh, it will feel good to finally move in!
