14 x 14 Texas House with 8 x 10 addition.

[steve_wolverton]

Hi All.  Here is my little house.

[steve_wolverton]

The house is constructed on 6x6 treated pine posts.  The top of the beams measure approx 42" high.  I used a 7-1/4" circular saw to cut the 6x6 beams, and I used a chainsaw to cut the 6x6 posts to height.  I placed a straight edge board across the posts to make sure they were level, scribed the cut line, and then lopped the posts with the chainsaw. 

[steve_wolverton]

The house floor is 3/4" tongue and groove OSB.  I used Advantech brand flooring.  The flooring has a 50 year limited warranty.  I made sure to run the flooring perpendicular to the joists.  The floor joist and framing is 2x6 pine.  I used metal hangers on all 2x6 boards for extra support.

[steve_wolverton]

The walls of the house are constructed using 10' #2 pine.  I used 2x4 lumber for the framing.  The only windows/doors on the lower level of the house are on the front wall (east) of the house.  I used 24" x 36" windows, and a standard sized metal door, which was later replaced with a full glass panel front door.  The door and window headers are built using #2 2x6 pine with an OSB sheet sandwiched between them to make the headers the same thickness as the 2x4 lumber.  I was able to stand the walls working alone. 

[steve_wolverton]

An extra stud was nailed into the rear wall of the house so I could install a short joist for the staircase cut-out.  A small landing was added later to maximize the upstairs loft area. 

[steve_wolverton]

I used Tyvek housewrap to help seal my house from water/wind.  The Tyvek roll comes in 9' sections.  If you look closely you can see my tiny 2000 watt generator in the bottom left corner.  This saw enabled me to build my house without power.  The power pole was placed next to my house and later had to be moved.  The power company informed me they'd have to install another taller pole to service that one, and it would cost me an additional $1500.  No thanks - I moved it.  The good thing is I didn't set it in concrete.  The bad thing is I had to dig another 4' hole for it.  The soil I built my house on is terrible.  It's caliche clay.  It's as hard as a rock when dry, and it's squishy when saturated. 

[steve_wolverton]

This is the rear of the house.  I still haven't gotten around to putting the siding on the addition yet.  I did create a small balcony on top of the addition.  The plan is to access it through a large casement window at the top of the stairs.  It's just another feature I thought would give my house more interest. 

[John Raabe]

Nifty project. Very handsome with a great sense of scale.

You've probably done this already but be sure to cross-brace your posts and the joist to beam connections. Also, there are collar ties on the roof rafters, right?  (I see this in a later photo.)

[steve_wolverton]

Some interior pictures:

[steve_wolverton]

Nifty project. Very handsome with a great sense of scale.

You've probably done this already but be sure to cross-brace your posts and the joist to beam connections.

Actually, I haven't done that yet.  *scribbles on to do list*  Thanks!

[Sassy]

Hi All.  Here is my little house.

Love your house!  So pretty    And the inside is totally opposite of the outside - modern...  you wouldn't expect that but looks great, too.  I like the way you used the corrugated steel roofing material for your ceilings!  We've used some old stuff from a mine that had burned down - has a great patina, but of course we are very rustic    Still waiting to have my husband (Glenn) put it on the ceiling in the master bathroom - we have exposed beams from the boat docks that we used in there for the roof.  (here is a link to the great room w/the corrugated siding http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.1960  it's towards the bottom).

Seems like more & more people are milling their own beams & boards - we've done that too.  Saves money!

Thanks for posting all the nice pictures!  You must know that we like them  

[MountainDon]

Steve, that is a very nice looking build. Really a nice job.

I do second the thing about some bracing. Those piers are fairly tall and absolutely should have some bracing, both across the width and along the length. How far are they in the ground?

Again, a very nice looking job, but it needs some serious pier bracing.

[TeeCee19]

Welcome. Great project you have there..I am about to embark on my project FINALLY this spring. I am going to purchase the Little House Plans or Enchilada. Hadnt completely decided. Never built anything before. I want to build a storage shed first, to sorta practice on. House is gonna be 14 X 24 or possibly a bit bigger. Depends on how that shed goes this summer.I too, am in Texas..East Texas. Nacogdoches. Where in Texas are you?

[steve_wolverton]

Love your house!  So pretty    And the inside is totally opposite of the outside - modern...  you wouldn't expect that but looks great, too.  I like the way you used the corrugated steel roofing material for your ceilings!  We've used some old stuff from a mine that had burned down - has a great patina, but of course we are very rustic    

Thank you Sassy.  I've always liked modern, so I'm making the interior of the house very modern/industrial.  I didn't want the exterior to be a modern house as it would really stick out in the neighborhood, so I kept it similar to a small country house.

[Shawn B]

Very nice layout, interior and exterior. Are there more interior pics? I was looking for the range and refrigerator. Is the metal used inside galvanized steel or is it the new lighter aluminum product ?

[steve_wolverton]

Steve, that is a very nice looking build. Really a nice job.

I do second the thing about some bracing. Those piers are fairly tall and absolutely should have some bracing, both across the width and along the length. How far are they in the ground?

I believe the top of the post measured 32" tall.  The posts are 24" in the ground. 

[steve_wolverton]

Welcome. Great project you have there..I am about to embark on my project FINALLY this spring. I am going to purchase the Little House Plans or Enchilada. Hadnt completely decided. Never built anything before. I want to build a storage shed first, to sorta practice on. House is gonna be 14 X 24 or possibly a bit bigger. Depends on how that shed goes this summer.I too, am in Texas..East Texas. Nacogdoches. Where in Texas are you?

Thanks TeeCee!  It sounds like you are in a very similar situation that I was.  This was going to be my practice house too.  This was my first house, and I was going to use it as a guest house.  After building it, I decided not to build the larger house because I had everything I needed in the little one.

I'm about an hour south of Houston.  Brazoria, TX - 77422.

[steve_wolverton]

Very nice layout, interior and exterior. Are there more interior pics? I was looking for the range and refrigerator. Is the metal used inside galvanized steel or is it the new lighter aluminum product ?

Thanks Shawn B.  The interior of the house is far from finished, and that's why I haven't posted many interior pics.  I'll snap a few more tonight.  As for the fridge - it's built in under the stairs on the right side of the house.  I'll snap a pic in a few minutes.  I don't have a cooktop yet.  I've found a nice GE stainless steel 2 burner cooktop, just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. 

The interior metal work is regular galvanized corrugated metal.  I'm eyeing the aluminum stuff with clear coat for a custom shower though. 

[MountainDon]

I believe the top of the post measured 32" tall.  The posts are 24" in the ground. 

32" above ground, 24" below. The very next thing you do should be extensive bracing, in my opinion.

[Sassy]

We're going to use the aluminum corrugated stuff in our bathroom downstairs - have had the material for a few years, just haven't gotten around to finishing the bathroom - it's all plumbed in & will be a round shape.  

[steve_wolverton]

32" above ground, 24" below. The very next thing you do should be extensive bracing, in my opinion.

No problem - It wouldn't hurt.  What do you guys use for crossbracing?  2 x 6?  Seems like a project I could get knocked out in a few hours. 

[steve_wolverton]

Are there more interior pics? I was looking for the range and refrigerator.

Here's the layout of the house and a picture of the fridge.




I just bought a pocket hole jig so I'm having a lot of fun with it now.  I'm going to tear all the equipment out from under the stairs and open that up.  I'm going to build a small equipment rack that will slide back against the wall rather than having all my equipment flush with the stair edge.  I'm also working on drywall and doorway arches.  The screen on the right above the stairs is a 92" television screen for my projector.  The left/right speakers are getting built into the walls. 

[John Raabe]

Very nice floor plan. Good use of space.

For braces 2x6 would be fine - brace to post and beam and then joists to post. You want to counteract sway from wind or earthquake from either direction. Triangles do this. You can also use metal straps and clips to strengthen these connections.

[archimedes]

I think your place looks great!   Great job.   

I would take this advice though,
[/quote]

32" above ground, 24" below. The very next thing you do should be extensive bracing, in my opinion.


[/quote]

You might want to look at this thread,   started by a gentleman with a soil type very similar to yours.  He had very shallow posts,  well above ground and unbraced.  You can read the whole thread if you like,  but the pertinent part starts at reply #205
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=4952.200

Good luck.

[steve_wolverton]

You might want to look at this thread,   started by a gentleman with a soil type very similar to yours.  He had very shallow posts,  well above ground and unbraced.  You can read the whole thread if you like,  but the pertinent part starts at reply #205
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=4952.200

Good info.  I will read through the entire thing tonight, but I did skim it.  It looks like he built on a slope (my land is flat) and his posts are WAY taller than mine.  My house has managed to stay level in the year and a half I've been here, but bracing is cheap and wouldn't hurt.  Also, it doesn't freeze here, not sure if that had anything to do with his problems.  The bracing photos did help.  Thanks!