Multi-phased 1 1/2 story home project in Austin, TX

[phalynx]

AAA, Thanks for the kind words.  The house is a pale yellow (Daybreak yellow) with white trim.  We think it gives us that country look that we were looking for.  As for the interior, pictures will be coming as we progress.  We tend to do a lot of things out of order to get to our goal of moving in and getting rid of our camper that we are living in.  We hope to have electric hooked up and water hooked up this coming weekend which would do wonders for being able to get in the house.  It's amazing, it's been in the 90's during the day and 2 10k btu window units keep the place very comfortable.  There isn't any insulation in yet either.  We did buy some for the roof today though.. We may put that in over the next couple of evenings.

[phalynx]

We did a little work this weekend.  Mostly spent Saturday at Home Depot getting some needed supplies.  Tubs, toilets, sinks, etc.  The rest of the plumbing, $1000.00 worth of 2/0 wire to run from the main panel (GOOD LORD!).  Copper wasn't at it's current price when we did our budget.  Bought insulation to do the roof and attic and a 2nd window unit so we can have cool air upstairs.  Glued up our waste plumbing.  Finished installing the breaking box.  Tiled the upstairs bathroom and installed the toilet.  Dry fitted the tub and cabinet/sink.

[AAA-DAY]

Love the yellow and white color combination. Very fresh and traditional, great choice. Did you purchase the siding prefinished in that color? We used the same siding, only in a prefinished cedar stain. We also have it on our main house "in the city". It was prefinshed in a khaki color, We love the low maintenance and look of it. Thanks for the interior update.

Godspeed on the interior, there is nothing like "move-in" day!

[ScottA]

You're making good headway.  Interesting putting in the plumbing fixtures before drywall. Be sure and put blocking around the tub to help support it. Are you living in the house already?

[phalynx]

The plumbing in the upstairs bath is only dry-fit currently except the toilet which is mounted.  Everything else will move to put the drywall in.  The question of the day for the plumbers out here, on the tub walls, do I not sheetrock at all?  Just put the concrete board right over the lip of the tub and go up the wall leaving the actual "under the tub and sides un-rocked"?

[glenn kangiser]

Minimum behind the concrete board is a layer of felt per a tile forum I read I think.  They said 15lb - I think I put 30.  Fixed also so it will drain into the tub or shower.

[ScottA]

Yes, no rock under the tub. Do the rest like Glen said. Put 1x4" on the back wall on underside edge of the tub to support it. Try to get the tub as close to level as you can.

[John Raabe]

Very helpful to see photos of the plumbing and such. These are sometimes hard for first time builders to imagine.

[phalynx]

John, you are assuming I did it right..   

[phalynx]

Got quite a bit done this weekend.  We took advantage of the Texas Sales Tax holiday on energy star appliances this weekend and purchased the rest of what we needed.  We also purchased everything else we needed to "basically finish enough to move in."  We ran the electric and the water lines to the house and got them both hooked up successfully.  We ran a bunch of electric in the house and hooked up some water.  Even fired up the instant water heater which is VERY cool.  We installed the sink in a temporary cabinet so we can use it while we finish everything.  Everything on it works great.  Love the hot water.  Very cool.  So, we hope to get to move in in a week or so.   We insulated the upstairs roof and attic and it made a huge difference.  95+ degree days and 2 small window a/c's keep the whole place at 75 degrees.  I think we are on our way to moving in.

[akemt]

Phalynx,  Lookin' good!  Do you mind if I ask what the sidewall height and roof pitch are above that upstairs bathtub?  I'm trying to figure out how much headroom is enough for a tub in a 1/2 story.

[phalynx]

akemt,  no problem!  We framed using 14' lumber for the sidewalls.  We didn't but the 14' length either.  So, the 14' + bottom and double top plate gave us a 9' downstairs, and a 4'6" upstairs height.  We ended up compromising on the roof pitch.  Originally, we wanted to do the 12/12 roof pitch.  After seeing how high that was and how much more work it was, we decided on a 10/12 roof pitch.  We lost about 2' of full 8' ceiling height upstairs but ultimately, we thought it was a good solution.  I am a tall man, 6'5" and even I felt that the ceiling heights upstairs with the 4'6" sidewalls and the 10/12 roof pitch was very comfortable.  As it is, the full 8' ceiling height upstairs is 10' across.  That gave the tub a full 8' ceiling height all the way to the near end of the tub.  Then it comes down at a 40 degree angle.  Also, as a judge, I can stand up from the toilet on the 2nd floor and the ceiling will just miss my 6'5" height.  Hope this helps.

[phalynx]

Did more work this weekend.  I HATE sheetrock.  We are trying to get the upstairs done so we can move up there.  Working on getting a usable bathroom.  Sink and toilet are mounted and working.  Shower is almost tiled and I am working on the plumbing of it now. 

[glenn kangiser]

Looks like lots of work going on there to me.

[John Raabe]

"Snugging up"

[phalynx]

Did a little more work this weekend.  Some sheetrocking, some electrical, some appliance work in the kitchen.  I wish there was a faster way the sheetrock.  Especially when you find out that some of your craftsmanship isn't 100% 90 degrees....  oops.  I thought for sure that I was in the clear when the roof went on so smooth.  That's usually where I find errors in my angles.  Oh well,  it's slow but sure.

[glenn kangiser]

That' what knives and joint compound are for.

[phalynx]

Oh yes...  I Agree.  I just up'd the budget for mud a little.  

Any huge gaps, I can just tell people "uh, please don't touch that, it's structural mud!"

[phalynx]

Did a little more rocking this weekend.  Did I mention before that I hate sheetrocking?

[ScottA]

Moving right along. You'll be moved in no time. I think you need a special kind of music to hang sheetrock by. 

[phalynx]

They say a picture is worth 1000 words.  I say, this one is worth about 1000 homemade biscuits... mmmmmmmmmmm.  Kitchen is fully functional now.  No place to put anything, but hey... we can cook now!

[glenn kangiser]

Interesting to find how much you can do without.  Get to the basics -- you can eat - you can sleep and the rest will come along as you get to it.  Going on 7 years now for me and I still haven't got to all of it...

[John Raabe]

I see you have a can of that long nosed dessert topping right on the table for those biscuits.

[FrankInWI]

Thanks for ALL the pictures, and to all for all the posts.  I learn so much from this build in Texas.  Thanks....   

[phalynx]

John,

Yeah that topping really is "great stuff" for biscuits.  A real "stick to your ribs" meal then.   I have often joked about how my wife's biscuits weigh about 1 lbs each.  I wonder what she'd say if I said they were R13

Frank,

It's funny, I am building it and I keep looking at my own pictures to work out my next problems and changes.  I use it as a "looking from a different point of view".  I watched so many projects on here for the last few years and have made so many great choices from these projects.  Some of my favorites were the Cason 20x40 2 story in North Texas and the house in Michigan.  I really like Scott's Deer Run house in OK.  What I hate is that he is behind me in his building progress.  I like so much of his design details and I can't go back and change mine...  Hurry up Scott, get in front of me so I can apply some of your ideas..