Frazoo's 16x28 Build n VA

[frazoo]

Well we broke ground yesterday ( ), so I guess I can start my build thread.  That was the good news.  Bad news is that we had to take out more trees than I wanted to for the drainfield area.  The pooh nazi's want it c-l-e-a-r and that was that!  Soon as I get time I'll post some pics of the excavation.

frazoo

[Bobmarlon]

Awesome welcome to the forum!  Yes we love pictures even of dirt!

[frazoo]

I know, not very exciting, but after a record winter for us, we are chomping at the bit to get going.  Driveway turns right at the trackhoe, then down twenty yards, then left for another thirty yards.

frazoo

[devildog]

Frazoo, Im sure yiu mentioned it before,but I cant remember, what part/town in VA? and could you add it under your personnal info to the left? Its just makes it easier to keep up with. Thanks.

Its great to see you getting started. I'd like to ,but really dont want concrete poured until temp. stays above 40 deg. And besides that the ground is so saturated from the snow,they'd probbably slide over the hill.

Looking forward to seeing your progress!
Darrell

[frazoo]

Excavator made his way to the house site, warm temps dropped the bottom out of the saturated ground so he stopped. 

DDog, I know what you mean about waiting for better temps and conditions, we probably won't be ready for a pour for weeks at least.  I fixed the location thingie, thanks for the heads up on it.

SWMBO is making me move my canoe I'm building in the living room out to the workshop.  They just don't understand .

frazoo

[pocono_couple]

another boat builder?  canoe in the living room, eh?   sounds like a great place to work as far as i am concerned.   when i got married 3 and a half years ago, i had a motorcycle in my den.. it was in the process of being rebuilt..  good thing that i got that done before starting on the house!   what kind of canoe?

[frazoo]

Pocono C, it is a little plain jane 14 footer made the stitch and glue method w/ fiberglass.  Free plans off the internet, great support site for building boats (reminds me of this site, just different genre). Boat building is a disease.

frazoo

[ChuckinVa]

Frazoo,

I can remove those logs for you for a small fee...

[frazoo]

 

[frazoo]

Last tree going down.  Everything drying out nicely now.  Met with the pooh nazi today.  He turned out to be a very nice person, was very professional and helpful.  He redesigned the drainfield from what the soil engineers had come up with previously and saved me over 1k.  To top it all off my excavator didn't charge me anything to come out and meet with him and dig the two perk holes.  Turned out to be nice day.  Snow forecast for Tuesday night though.



frazoo

[poppy]

Good solid start to your build.  You'll have a nice photo journal as you go along.

Look forward to watching the progress.

[frazoo]

Hello All,
Back at it after 6 months delay with health, layout changes, %&*#@% engineers and inspectors!  Last i posted was regarding using a garden tiller for the footing.  I was a lucky sonofagun on the first two sides, no rocks, no roots in a previously wooded lot.  Murphy came calling the next day, i finally ended up renting the track hoe a couple days ago to finish the footing dig.  Gotta point up the corners and bottom of the footing, set my grade rebars and call for the inspection.

Have lurked some from time to time, very impressed with the progress on some projects (can you believe that Kentucky A Frame?  WOW!)

New pics in near future.

still plugging and plodding, frazoo

[ChuckinVa]

Good to see you are at it again ! We bought a house in Gladstone in foreclosure and are working on it a piece at a time. I have to believe we are close to you as we are right off of RT 60. While we don't have near as much to do as someone building a new cabin or cottage, think of a shell with everything needing to be repaired or renovated and you'll get the picture. I'm getting pretty good at running PEX and redoing plumbing fittings. I have a operating shower and water closet and once I get the upstairs bath refloored I'll have a working tub ( clawfoot ).
Looking forward to seeing your progress.

[frazoo]

A lot accomplished this weekend (at least my back feels like it was a lot!).  Finished the footings and called for inspectins this a.m. .  Now wait and hope.

ChuckinVA, we're not too far from Gladstone.  After you posted, I tried to remember where I had seen Gladstone, so went a-looking during a shovel break.  Saw a really nice little cabin/cottage with board and batten siding, front porch and addition on rear of house.  Looks very much like the small homes with a loft here, only 50+ years old.  Wife was thrilled to see something "real world" close to comparison to what we are building.  A local was telling me that Gladstone used to be some kinda railroad worker layover/layup community?  I'd like to read some of the history of the place, looks interesting.

frazoo

[frazoo]

A major milestone (or not  ) today.  Passed our first inspection .  I know, it's just a hole in the ground but it's OUR hole in the ground!  It meant a lot to wife and daughter, they really worked hard this past weekend.  Turned in to one of those life lessons for daughter, apply yourself, work hard and get rewarded (best part of lesson was learning that not all rewards are of the monetary type but can be very gratifying).  Next days off to work at site is next Mon. and Tue.  Will post pics once I'm out of the ground.

frazoo

[TheWire]

Congrats on your first inspection and good luck with the rest of the build.

[ChuckinVa]

Frazoo,
I know the place you are talking about.It is on Gladstone road. We bought one of the railroads old houses in the town of Gladstone. They are in the 100 year + years old range. There is some history and pictures at the C & O railroad historical society web site. The house was flooded in 1969 and 1985 so it has withstood a lot in it's 100 years. We are slowly starting to get things done but is is a long process and I keep finding new things to put on my list.

[frazoo]

didn't get much done this week, rained several days, but I'm not complaining, it's been VERY dry here (local reservoirs are down to 68% of their capacity.  I did get stone put down for the driveway and cleared up the problem with the ridge beam, collar ties and ceiling joists (some may remember this from a different post).  And the great thing about it was it did not cost me anything for an engineer.  The local building supply has a deal worked out with an engineering firm to provide the building supply's customers with any recommendations/calculations and documentations as might be required (within reason) for free, as long as the customer buys from the building supply.  The other good thing about this is the local building supply is beating the crap out of the big box stores prices on everything I've priced with them.

So, in VA., building a 16 X 28 building with loft, using  2 x 6 walls and 2 x 12 rafters I need two LVL's 1.75" x 18" and can leave the cathedral ceiling open. Engineering firm said to let them know if the pointy-heads had any questions about the documentation  .

frazoo

[frazoo]

First photo is finished rough driveway, it will be as wide as the cottage.  Second photo is the small house I mentioned previously.  It appears to be about 22' X 14 or 16' wide before the add-on at the rear.

More pics of footing pour today, but took me 3+ hours to upload and post these two.

frazoo

[ChuckinVa]

Frazoo,
What is the local building supply you are using? And yes that is the house I was thinking you were talking about. I like the looks of is as well.
Thanks,

[frazoo]

ChuckinVA, I am using two suppliers as my primary sources, just depending on the quote they give me for a particular order.  I approached both prior to beginning and explained what I was building and gave them an estimated total materials package of 35-40k for the building materials.  The best price, taking into consideration the quality of materials from each gets the business for that order. I'm using Blue Ridge Building Suppy near Crozet (it's on my way to the site) and Hill Hardware in Amherst.  Both (so far) are beating the crap out of Lowe's on pricing and quality of materials with BRBS coming in as the leader of the pack so far.  BRBS's price on the two LVL's I will need was almost 2 hundred less than HH, but HH has been very competitive on all the rest. HH is closer and will site deliver for free if your purchase makes it worth their while.
I haven't checked in Appomatox for a supplier yet, they are pretty close too.

The only thing I don't like about that little house is the gingerbread on the gables.  IMO, that house is too small to carry that off, looks a bit busy, but that's just me.  My wife likes it, says it dresses it up a bit.  We'll see who wins (or am I fooling myself thinking there is really a contest or decision to make).

frazoo

[ChuckinVa]

My dad lives in Amherst so I do buy from Hill hardware when I can. I know the guys at BRBS in Crozet. Glen Parsons used to work at Lowes before he opened BRBS almost 30 years ago. In Appomattox there is J E  Jamerson Building Supply. They are an old family business much like Hill Hardware but they have just about anything you need.
CHUCK

[frazoo]

Ready to pour!



Footings twelve inches thick minimum

[nathan.principe]

+1 on your opinoin of the "ginger bread house", too busy for me   and this is an exciting time for you as you broke ground in the foundation, keep up the good work!

[frazoo]

Made a little progress (yahoo!!) this weekend.

This is my wife Sherrie at her corner pier



This is daughter Heather at her corner pier.  I have been warned on pain of death not to post her pic!



My corners are finished, Heather and I mixing and pouring concrete mix



Four corners set