Deer Run- 16x26 in Oklahoma

Started by ScottA, October 11, 2007, 03:41:32 PM

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ajbremer

Tuesday Morning - February 1st, 2010 @ 4:07am

Hi ScottA,

I really appreciate all of the time you've taken with all of the great pics of your progress, I'm about ready to start my own house using the 'Little House Plans' that I've already purchased from here.

My piece of land is about 80 miles south of you in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Actually it's Checotah but I'm 1/4 to 1/2 mile as the crow flies from the lake. I have a small lot which is only 134x75 but it's nice. My perc test passed a few days ago and my septic and water will go in right after this little bit of weather. I bought a 12x32 Derksen building (Derksen is the largest manufacturer of portable buildings in the US) and had it brought in as a temporary place for me and my wife to be while we build the house right in front of it. Problem is, I'm starting to spend a lot of money turning the portable building into a temporary home - oh well, it'll be worth it in the end.

I've been constantly on countryplans now for about a month and find it to be invaluable. I am a very 'green' builder and have barely made a wall or two in my whole life so I need all of the help I can get.

My first inspiration came from the Nash cabin here at countryplans (http://www.countryplans.com/nash.html) - yours is great too. It's so cool to read through these 'Owner Built Projects' like a book and learn from all of you pros! (Some of you guys may not think your a pro but as I look at what you've accomplished, your a pro in my eyes). I did go out to Lowe's and purchase those main books that John suggested here - the one on Framing in particular.

I'm going to start my main posting in 'Owner Built Projects' any time now. I have been documenting my whole process with many videos and pics. Here's a few starters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLmwJFtS6MQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9WfqUFbQx0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8y3OP_N2MQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pdaE0GDXa0

My main question to you now is about the blocks you've used for footings/piers. I really like the way you did it, it looks like it might be easier for a beginner like me to handle. It looks to me like you dug pier holes, layed in rebar/threaded rod, filled up and leveled with concrete, and then added blocks which you filled with concrete while letting the threaded rod protrude at the proper locations? (How'd you do that?) From looking at your foundation pics, it looks like the threaded rods are going through pieces of wood that nail to 2x6's that act as the main beams. Then you put 2x6 floor joists on top of that? I'm I right in my thinking? Maybe when I get to that point, you could help me and answer a few questions I'll have?

You've done an awesome job sir. Kind of reminds me of what Mr. Magoo used to say, "Oh Magoo, you've done it again!"

(http://www.hark.com/clips/rxzlqxhxvd-youve-done-it-again)

Thank you ScottA and all others!
Click here to see our 20x30 and here to see our 14x24.

ScottA

 w* ajbremer

I'm not sure I understand your question but it sounds like you are describing it right. If your asking how I got everything in the right place I put up string lines to measure off of. Be sure to pour a footer under each pier. I don't know what your soil is like so you'll need to size for your soil conditions not mine. So far as I'm concerned this block pier and beam system works great. Remember don't copy what I've done without making sure the sizing is correct for your own build. You may have longer spans etc. If you have a specific question I'll try to help.


ScottA

#902


Deer run doing it's Colorado impression today.



This was a week ago.

Two record snows in less than 8 days.


ScottA

#903


View from the veranda.

Sassy

Looks beautiful but glad we don't have that here...

We have sun today - no snow since December...  yesterday we were totally socked in with cloud cover - 41 degrees, the day before it was around 70... 

http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free


Texas Tornado

How's the weather? Still got that white stuff on the ground?
TT

glenn kangiser

Crimoney, Scott... that looks like California snow.... [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

ScottA

We thawed out finaly. We ended up breaking the all time low temp record -28, and the all time single snowfall record 16", and the most snow on the ground at one time record, 26".

John Raabe

Jeez, you could move to central Canada and be warmer.
None of us are as smart as all of us.


Sassy

Scott, you say you're in Oklahoma?!  Whew, that is cold!
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

ScottA

An author contacted me toady about doing an interview concerning Deer Run for a new book about building small houses.

John Raabe

The author contacted me wanting to do interviews with people who have built their own houses. I mentioned the forum and Gallery projects as possibly being of interest.

I don't know the author personally but have seen a preview copy of her book (so, so... some good stories could improve it.)

Please make your own choice on this.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

Texas Tornado

Any new stuff you done to the guest house?

ScottA

I got the wire pulled last week. Sorry it's going slow due to me being busy working on our other house.

We have a rental property that is vacant at the moment. I'm using this chance to fix it up a little.


Jens

how have you dealt with pests behind the siding due to the spaced rain screen design?  I am thinking about doing this on my house with hardiplank, but i see bugs being problematic.
just spent a few days building a website, and didn't know that it could be so physically taxing to sit and do nothing all day!

ScottA

So far their have been no real problems. The wasps haven't built any nests inside the wall only on the overhangs of the roof. There where some dirt dobbers making a nest by the front door last summer but I sprayed it and they never came back. So we'll see I guess, but so far so good.

Sassy

We have problems w/mud daubers down at the valley house.  I also see a lot of wasps in mud puddles up here but haven't seen any nests around the house.  Those mud nests are really tough to break off the eves.
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

ScottA

I got all the spacer boards put up on the guest house. I picked up the guttering for the main cabin today and will start on that tomorrow. Maybe I can start making some progress again now that I'm caught up. I spent the past 2 months remodeling our rental. All new siding, paint in and out, replaced 2 exterior doors, tore down the car port that the snow killed last winter and put up a garden shed in the back yard. That was a project, and it's a 45 minute drive one way so lots of driving every day. I'm glad that's over.

ScottA

I finished the guttering and started the second coat of stain on the house. I finished 2 sides this week before the heavy rains hit. I also wired my brothers cabin yesterday. He's hoping to move in by fall. I'll try to get some pics soon. Super busy.  :P

Sassy

You sound like you've been busy!
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free


ScottA

Yup, busy busy. All safe and sound here. The twisters didn't get us last night. Joplin, Mo wasn't so lucky. 30% of the city is gone, 89 dead. We are about 90 miles from Joplin. Scary!

Sassy

Glad to hear you're ok - guess there were twisters all the way up to Minneapolis...
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

IronPatriotTN

Latest news out of Joplin is 116 dead. Sad. Sad.

We just had a bad run of tornados here in Southern East TN 2 weeks ago.

We had 5 waves of storms through the day produce 6 tornados, 2 which were EF-4 in Bradley County (Cleveland) alone.

Very very unheard of in these parts.  :o

duncanshannon

Quote from: Sassy on May 23, 2011, 03:29:39 PM
Glad to hear you're ok - guess there were twisters all the way up to Minneapolis...

Yup. We were lucky... some passed pretty much overhead of my place before developing into the twisters. Some hit about 5-10 miles north of here on saturday.

Similar situation, however it was about 10 miles to the east on sunday.

Worst damage was in NE Minneapolis (pretty poor part of town) in the sunday storms.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/05/23/weather-service-north-mpls-tornado-was-ef1-or-ef2/
Home: Minneapolis, MN area.  Land: (no cabin yet) Spooner, WI area.  Plan: 20x34 1 1/2 Story. Experience Level: n00b. 
Build Thread: http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=10784.0

ScottA

Sorry, not much to report lately. I've been swamped with other projects. I purchased the material for the soffits on the guest cottage and hope to get started on that in a week or so. We are sheet rocking my brothers cabin this week. I've been slowly building that since last year. It's a tiny 14'x16' with a kitchenette and a 3/4 bath. He plans to live in that while he(I) builds a larger house over the next few years. We are having a hot summer this year which is taking it's toll on my energy levels. My wife was diagnosed with melanoma a couple of months ago and we have been dealing with that as well. Hopefully in the fall I can get this finally wrapped up.