24x40 1.5 Story Michigan U.P.

[mgramann]

I have put off starting this thread for awhile, but today seems like a good day to kick it off.  A little less than 1 year ago, my wife and I purchased some property in the Michigan U.P. surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest.  It's a pretty diverse 56 acres, some field, young forest, older growth, rolling hills, etc.  It used to be an old homestead, and our plan is to bring some of that history back.  Here are some pictures from winter and spring of 2012:









The Building Site




Some Artifacts






Trees have grown around this old well pump

An Old Outhouse

[mgramann]

This website has inspired us this entire process, and we ended up purchasing a set of plans for the 20x30 1.5 Story with the intention of extending it to be 20x40, adding dormers, and a 30" knee wall on a full second floor.  We also wanted a full length covered porch on 2 sides to enjoy the views that building on a hill allows.  While sketching floor plans, we quickly discovered that adding 4' of width greatly increased the amount of space available to us.  Using Chief Architect's Home Designer Suite 2012, we put together our plans.

The first floor layout.  We wanted a very open concept with a very large kitchen.  Not shown is the wood stove which will be to the left of the front door.


Here is the second floor layout.  The 30" kneewall allows us to squeeze a triangle tub into the place.  As you can see, there are 4 very large dormers which really open everything up.  The flat part of the ceiling will have a height of 9'.  The wall separating the closets will be adjusted to accommodate the wood stove chimney.


Eventually the basement will be finished, but here is the plan for initial construction.  4' of the basement will be below grade and made of poured concrete, while the top 4' will be conventionally framed and have large windows.  This allows for egress and good ventilation.


Here are some pictures of the outside.  It is a little deceiving in that it shows the basement walls to be fully concrete, and where the porch roof meets the main roof it's a little strange, but the intention is clear.


I'll talk about construction for a bit.  The wider 24' required some additional planning.  I created a thread to discuss some of my planning.  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=12520.0

As you can see from my thread, I ended up opting for floor and roof trusses.  Going through Menards, the cost was not much more, at least in my opinion, especially when one factors in the time saved in construction.  Most importantly, this option allowed us to truly have whatever floor plan we wanted without the need for supporting posts and interior bearing walls, excluding 1 post in the stairway.  There are other advantages with trusses as well, running mechanicals and plumbing without intrusion being a big one.

[mgramann]

Once we finalized the plan, we started the construction loan process.  While I am pretty handy, my job capitalizes a great deal of my time, so we decided that paying for labor to build the shell would be best.  I was my own "General" and pulled all permits, so while there was a certain amount of cost involved, this helped lower the labor cost some.  We were referred to a contractor out of Wisconsin, who was very reasonably priced.  He showed me a garage he built, and the work was top notch.  He was very friendly and seemed like a stand up guy.  It was late fall at this time, and we were in a rush to beat frost, so we put money down to pay for the concrete work-Poured walls, insulated slab with pex, and sonotubes for the porch.  He broke ground in late November, this is where things started to go wrong.

If I'm perfectly honest, this is why I have waited so long to post this project.  I am a bit embarrassed by the fact that we were taken.  I should have known in the beginning, when he mentioned his business was run through his sister, as he was in an accident and was collecting disability.  People go through hard times, and I have many "planks in my eye" so looked the other way.  To tell the truth, it isn't something I am proud of. 

I also should have known when he called saying he had to do a bunch of extra site work, and wanted extra money, but it seemed reasonable as he did improve the driveway which was needed considering the huge amount of rain we received.  We negotiated a price for the work, the footings were poured and inspected, and my wife and I went on vacation.  He sent a few pictures which were very encouraging.






Things are looking pretty good at this stage.  The walls were tarred, installation installed, and drain tile was inspected and approved.  I drove up to see how things were going, and took some more pictures.

[mgramann]

One reason why I didn't fight him too much on the extra cost, was the fact that unlike the rest of the area, the hill we built on was not made of sand, but heavier "waste" fill.  We weren't aware that many years ago, the previous owner had sold the sand to the county for road construction, and waste material was brought in.  This made digging harder, and also meant that what was removed for the foundation wouldn't be the best used as backfill.  I had a sand/gravel mix brought in, and the contractor back-filled the foundation.  Keep in mind, and it is hard to see in the previous pictures, but I never saw what the walls themselves looked like.  The forms were still on the inside, and insulation was on the outside.

The contractor was not very good at communicating with me, which I attributed to the remote location and no cell service, so I decided I should check out the site to see where things are at.  I came up and found this.





Rock pockets, pour lines, bad ones.  This is what happens when winter mix is setting just a little too quickly, and a concrete vibrator is not used.  The contractor was not onsite, so I tried to call him immediately.  I left some frantic messages.  No call back.  As I mentioned he hadn't been communicating, and we were starting to worry.  I called a general contractor friend who had referred me to him, and he graciously invited me over so he could see the pictures.  We ended up going for a ride to visit his go-to concrete guy.

This concrete contractor is a true professional, and actually poured the slab on our addition to home in Lakewood.  Great work.  The only reason we didn't go with him was because we wanted the main builder to be responsible for what he was going to have to frame on.  One less question mark for the rough in so to speak.  He reviewed the pictures I posted here showing the rock pockets, and decided that it would be best to have his wall expert check out the site.  The next day we drove up with him, to determine what we were dealing with.

The verdict was both good and bad.  It was the worst wall he had ever seen.  Truly an ugly specimen.  Fortunately for us, ugly was the main issue.  Structurally, the wall was just fine.  Our biggest concern would be water infiltration in the future should the grade be wrong and tar wear out.  He suggested I get some money back should I have water issues in the future.  We decided that $3000 seemed like a fair amount, but also that I would be well within my rights to request a tear down and redo.  He also noticed that the footings had no insulation on the inside, and that straw needed to go down right away to prevent shifting.  All of this advise, and the guy didn't want a dime for his time.  I said this was unacceptable, and after some negotiation, a 24 pack was the agreed upon fee.

Another frantic message caused the original contractors girlfriend to call.  Apparently he was sick, and the next day they would be sending someone to put down straw.  Later that week, I laid out the options for the contractor. 
1.  Tear out and start over-the default option should he not like 2 or 3. 
2.  Remove the backfill and insulation, and have a rubberized coating sprayed on the wall.
3.  Give me a 3K discount on the framing cost should there be a future problem.

He reluctantly agreed to option 3.

[Redoverfarm]

Was there an old house site at one time or was it just a country dump for a nearby farm.  I see the remains of an old wood cook stove w/ water jacket.  The water jacket is usually made of copper.  If there was an old site there have you found any evidence of a well?

Looks like a pretty nice piece of land offering a little of everything.   

[mgramann]

After that, the contractor was on thin ice.  Very thin-so when he wasn't getting back to Menards regarding truss setback questions, I had it out with him.  I was on the phone with him on the way to his house to get my money back.  After expressing my frustration and calming down a bit during the conversation, he agreed he would communicate better.  His framing/siding/roofing work was very good after all, which can be hard to find.

He improved significantly for about a week, and while he did approve the wrong set of floor truss specs, it was partially my fault so I let it slide.  You know, telling this story has made me realize I need a little more skepticism in my life.  In any event, all specs were hammered out and approved, and delivery was set.  We left a message with the contractor telling him when supplies were set to arrive.  Then I left another message.  Then another.  Then I received an email requesting that we delay the delivery, as he was injured.  I called him, expressing concern as to the timeline, and he said he would call me back after his doctors appointment, and he thought he would be back to work very soon.  He never called.  We were done.

Not wanting to speak to him for fear of saying something I might regret, my wife called.  We were to get our money back, all of it, immediately.  On the way to get my check, I got a frantic call from him saying he didn't have it.  After some exchanges and talks of collateral, as in him not having any, I told him if he didn't give me a promissory note from the business to repay the full amount, a deputy would be picking him up.  He gave me a note, and I told him that neither he, nor anyone associated with him was to go to the property for any reason, and the camper was to stay until I was paid, even if it belonged to his girlfriend. 

Why was I satisfied with a promissory note?  I mentioned it earlier, but the business belongs to his sister, and while he may be a dead beat, she is a teacher in Illinois.  This means that there is at least some chance at seeing a return of my monies.  My wife and her had a very loud discussion, but she said that if we provided her with a copy of the note, she would repay.  I don't think she believed we had one-but she has 2 copies on the way to her home-(1 certified, 1 not in case she is not there) and another certified copy on its way to the school she works at, as the secretary can certify it was delivered.

We spoke with the sister again later, where she confirmed the existence of the promissory note, but now she had concerns about her ability to pay it back.  I don't believe it for one second, as she owns a second home on a lake that the deadbeats live in, her wages can be garnished, and I suspect pensions can be cashed in.  In any event, that promissory note is going to make court a walk in the park, which is where we likely will end up, as it removes the need for me to prove their screw up. 

One last thing to mention about the dead beats.  You know that high quality work he showed me?  As it turns out, it wasn't his.  Another guy did the work.  This is why, if we go to court, we will be seeking punitive damages for fraud.  To backup this fact, the disability fraud will also be part of the case, and should the sister be unwilling to pay us back, a letter to the school board will be drafted explaining how she is helping commit this fraud.

I apologize for the novel, but I thought some might find this interesting, and that others might learn from my mistakes.  I know I am wiser for it.

Let's move onto happier times.  A new, very VERY reputable contractor was found, and while he costs a little more, I will sleep much better at night.

This was the building site as of yesterday afternoon!





Framing started today!!!

[mgramann]

Was there an old house site at one time or was it just a country dump for a nearby farm.  I see the remains of an old wood cook stove w/ water jacket.  The water jacket is usually made of copper.  If there was an old site there have you found any evidence of a well?

Looks like a pretty nice piece of land offering a little of everything.

Only one storage shed remains, and that is on the neighbors property.  From what I was told, there were a couple of home sites.  One was in the field, and the foundation was likely removed with the sand.  The other was back in the woods near the outhouse, though I have yet to find the foundation.  There is, what appears to be, a hand dug well near the pump, though it is filled in with leaves and other debris. 

One interesting find not pictured is a very large lightning arrestor.  It is as big as two or three 55 gallon drums stacked, but is made of 1/4" steel.  I have a picture of the tag on it somewhere.  I suspect it was filled with some kind of fluid.

Thanks!

[Redoverfarm]

Only one storage shed remains, and that is on the neighbors property.  From what I was told, there were a couple of home sites.  One was in the field, and the foundation was likely removed with the sand.  The other was back in the woods near the outhouse, though I have yet to find the foundation.  There is, what appears to be, a hand dug well near the pump, though it is filled in with leaves and other debris. 

One interesting find not pictured is a very large lightning arrestor.  It is as big as two or three 55 gallon drums stacked, but is made of 1/4" steel.  I have a picture of the tag on it somewhere.  I suspect it was filled with some kind of fluid.

Thanks!

It's good that you know the location to prevent someone from falling in.  As far as contractors go it seems for every good one there is 5 bad ones in the mix.  Hopefully this one will get the job done without all the aggrevation. 

[germanbird]

Thanks for sharing the pain.  I'm often just as encouraging to hear how others have pushed through difficulty as to hear about their success.  (Although I do hope the rest of the build goes a little bit smoother for you guys.)

[John Raabe]

Thanks for sharing your project and your frustrations. You have worked up an fine project there and things will probably be humming along soon. Going with web trusses and engineered joists make good sense when you want wider spans on the building width.

[JoelE]

Absolutely gorgous property!
Weren't you just building in WI, or am I crazy? I have looked at this forum and read things for years and just now getting to point of joining and hopefully building next summer or fall.
Michigan (UP especially) has some beautiful spots and some of the best value for buck in upper midwest I suspect

[mgramann]

Thanks!

Believe it or not it's been about 2 years since we did our bedroom addition in Wisconsin!  For those who haven't seen it, here is the link(http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=11579.0) 

I live there pretty much full time, with my wife commuting to S.E. Wisconsin for 3 days a week.  Last year, I was able to negotiate full time work from home privileges, so anywhere I have an internet connection, I can work from.  Our lot in Wisconsin is pretty small, only about 1.39 acres, which isn't really conducive to the homesteading projects we would like to start.

Land it the U.P. is pretty cheap.  I would guess we paid about 1100/acre, though we did get a very good deal in that we paid under appraised value.

[mgramann]

On another note, the owner for the business that took our money made it clear that the only way we will be repaid is if we sue them.  My guess is they have some kind of insurance that would cover a judgement against them.  We really tried to work with them, but they wouldn't budge.  Now, should we win, they will have our legal fees to contend with, and, should we choose to go that route, punitive damages.  What a bunch of scammers...

[ponygirl1]

I have been through these issues before during a rennovation in Maryland. I cant tell you the things I learned. I hope it goes better for you. WE will be looking at a property on the the UP in the spring that will be outside of Paradise, MI. My spouses parents are from MI so we thought it was natural to build there. I would like to know who your contractor is so we can get some ideas on code etc. WE are looking at the Victoria cottage on a tall pier foundation. I am curious about your experiences there, I am truely sorry you were taken. I makes some of the process bitter sweet. My ex brother in law did the same to me. Windows leaking etc. At least you aren't related to this loser. It was an eye opener. That I think is why we want the contractor to build the exterior pour the piers and pull the plumbing/electric and thats it. My father and Brother in laws can finish the rest so we can save money too. I tell you stay on top of even a good contractor they will cut corners too.

[Ndrmyr]

The easy money flowing in the 2000's brought many an unskilled or underskilled rummy into the building trades to get their piece of the pie.  After a 5 year dry spell, they are desperate even to the extent of ripping off family members.  Often the law is no recourse since they have already bankrupted a business entity or two and won't hesitate to close down another.
Once someone learns to walkaway from debt or liabiliity via bankruptcy, just like insurance settlements, the liklihood increases greatly in the future.  As the old saying went:  "There is only one way to cure an egg-sucking dog".
I don't think one can apply excessive due diligence in screening right now.
One thing about DIY, I may not match the skill of others, BUT, I DO have my best interests at heart!

[mgramann]

I'm sorry to hear about all the problems that you have experienced with the builder. . .    It shows that you need to be right on top of things 24/7

I would be concerned about the concrete-foundation.   It seems to me that water infiltration during the winter would freeze . . .    Leaving you with major problems.   There was not any adhesion between pours . .   The rock pockets and pour lines.     Seems like a potentially weak wall.   

Two separate contractors both agree that while ugly, it is structurally sound and the adhesion was adequate.  Being that the wall is insulated from the outside, the concrete itself is in a conditioned space, meaning it isn't subject to freezing.  Keep in mind it is an 8" solid wall, and I would suspect it is at least as strong as a cinder block wall which is thinner, and is porous.

I'm sorry to tell you that I think your money is long gone, even after suing . . .     They have no money and nothing for you to put a lien against.   (Personal experience)

Good Luck with the rest of the build.

/.

I disagree.  The business seems to be a DBA, and she is a teacher for an Illinois school district.  Pensions and personal property are all fair game since the business isn't separate from her personally.  Wages can be garnished, her vacation home seized, etc.  If it were a Corp or LLC, the business stands alone, but as a DBA, it is literally just herself personally operating under a business name.

[mgramann]

Again . . .    I hope it works out.   I didn't mean any disrespect . . .

Did you have a contract with the business, the sister, or were you working directly with the deadbeat?   A written contract with the business name?

I wonder if the sister knows about the possible legal action . . .    Maybe have a lawyer send a "demand" letter.   

For what it is worth. . .    I never give a contractor-builder any money up front.   Generally I would pay the contractor in installments as the work was completed.   A contractor I had previously dealt with was requesting money up front for "expenses and supplies".   I told him to order the supplies and then I paid the lumber yard myself.   I found paying for materials myself eliminates any possible liens from vendors that weren't paid by the contractor.

/.

No worries Bayview. 

The contract is with the business, with the check made out to the business.  The promissory note also lists the business as paying us back.

The sister is the one that said we need to sue.  She fully admits they are liable for it, she just has no intention of paying.

I really wish we hadn't given the money up front.  We were in a hurry to beat the frost, and didn't want any hang ups.  It's a mistake I won't make again.

[BenB]

Not sure how things can be done in Michigan but in Minnesota they have small claims/concilliation court that can address up to $7500 - maybe its now been changed to $10k at that.
Pretty simple process and its been used to clean the dirty contractors out to some extent. When a judgement is entered its a matter of having a sheriff serve the employers to enforce garnishment.
The losing party CAN take it to District Court on appeal but thats almost a simple pro se matter as one already won once. Let the loser waste more money if he/she chooses. They rarely get reversed.

And yeah - I know first hand how the whole stinking thing works only to well. Been in your shoes twice. A PITA but a few hours time and I was made whole legally.
I think most of the garbage folk been run out but there are always these leeches hiding.
Sorry to hear this - and hope you have easy route to "get 'em" as they have it coming.
Good luck

[ponygirl1]

I too hope it gets resolved.  I could have been there too. we had a roofer put the roof on but before he tried to do that he wanted money. I paid everyone as work was completed. I bought materials and delivered them to the work site. I saved me money and the contractor couldnt jack up the materials costs.

[JoelE]

I can see where a contractor also wants money at signiong, on delivery and balance on completion.
I have several friends who are or were GC's and also way to common story to have the HO's stiff them on back end pmts. They usually have a pre-lien notice in contract but what good is a lien in many cases when the HO is upside down and could care less. This is especially an issue in insurance claim work. Then the HO gets it done and atually pockets $$$$

crazy world

[MountainDon]

To me insurance claims are just about always a "scam".

I don't follow what you mean.   We had a water damage claim a few years back. The insurance company gave us a check. It was a fair amount in our judgement. They had nothing to do with the repair work materials or contractor selection. We did some work ourselves. We bought the new floor tile ourselves and found a contractor to do the tile installation and grout. Everyone was happy; us especially. Maybe I just don't understand your perception.  Careful shopping on our part, plus the DIY labor, left money from the insurance company to pay for most of the replumbing which was not covered under the policy.

[MountainDon]

Did an insurance agent come out to your home, do an inspection, and then cut you a check? 

. . .   How does the insurance company know that the work was completed, completed properly, and to quality standards?   Did the insurance company do an inspection when the work was completed?   

My point was that here in NM at least, it seems that all the insurance companies do is assess the claim and issue a check to the homeowner / policy owner. Over the 28 years living here we have had two claims, one on a rental we own and one on our home. In each case they sent out an adjuster and they assessed the damage. They wrote a check on the spot. In the case of the rental unit I did not think it far and after a couple weeks of wrangling, after I sought independent estimates, they took that check back and issued one in a higher amount. That was it. They never asked for any proof work was performed.   With the water damage here at home it was similar, except they offered more money than we expected. I knew what it had cost to do originally and had a good idea of the replacement costs. So when they gave us the check, we spent a couple days verifying the replacement estimates, then cashed the check and started repairs. Again, that was it as far as the insurance company. Never saw them or heard a thing until the next renewal when the rate increased slightly; under 5% IIRC.

Having the work done properly???  I guess the same "rules" that apply to every other aspect of repairs and remodeling, contractor selection are in play... you have to look out for yourself and choose carefully. My responsibility, nobody else's. That is unless a service that requires an inspection is performed. The re-plumb portion was permitted by the contractor and inspected by the local city inspector who actually did crawl into the attic and go from one end to the other as well as look at all the in wall connections for the supply lines. In August heat.

Does this procedure of estimate and check writing vary state to state? I have not had any experiences anywhere else with homeowner insurance claims. Lucky I guess.


Myself, I don't think I would ever use a contractor who rang the door bell on speculation.

[mgramann]

Time for an update!  I finally took a vacation day Friday.  The plan was to dig a trench to install a continuous footing and sonotubes for the porch, but the frost beat the backhoe.  After two broken teeth, we decided it would be best to wait until things thaw.  The trip wasn't a complete waste-I got some pictures!  I'm really excited to get working on MY portion of this build!

A view from a distance.


From the base of the hill.


The sky-trak...quite a machine.




The front.


East side.  There are 2 windows on the lower level that are currently covered by OSB.


South side.  The window height on the dormers is going to be adjusted.


The basement-still full of snow.


The west side.


1st floor looking west.


1st floor bath, stairwell.


1st floor looking east.


1st floor view out northern window.


2nd floor master bedroom, northern view.


Other pictures of 2nd floor.


A little gift to help the workers to enjoy their weekend.

[SouthernTier]

Quote #1:

This was the building site as of yesterday afternoon!


Framing started today!!!

Quote #2:

Time for an update! 
From the base of the hill.

I count 17 days between these posts.  I think it is going to take me a whole lot more than 17 days for similar progress on my much smaller cabin. 

[mgramann]

The crew worked very quickly for sure.  When I start working on it, things will slow down significantly, as I'll be limited to weekends.

I was able to visit today to get some update pictures.


























The 9ft ceilings really open things up.