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

[phalynx]

Floor is Plywood.  Sides are OSB.  The top edge of the osb is swelling.  Fortunately, I get to cut that part off.  Tomorrow, I start to tackle the rafters... We'll see how that goes...  aweful high up.

Sassy,  thanks!,  they clearly take after their mother....

[phalynx]

We were only able to work 1 day this weekend so we tried to get a lot done.  Didn't work out that way.  We got about 1/2 of the roof framed and 1 sidewall framed.  We were able to install a window and a door.  I guess we just got excited and wanted to see it . 







I hope to get some more of the rafters cut this week.  It stinks coming home from work when it's dark outside.

[glenn kangiser]

Looks good.  Seems the plywood should hold up better on the floor too.

[John Raabe]

It may not always seem like it to you but your progress is quite extraordinary!

You're going to have a nice looking house. And all will dry out... 

[Redoverfarm]

Once you get a water tight roof the pressure will ease considerably. Looking good.

[phalynx]

Got quite a bit done this weekend.  My brother and his kids came out to help.  Can't ask for anything better than that.  We separated into groups and accomplished our tasks.  The steel roofing shows up on Tuesday.  Here are some pictures




Of course, we were sitting down when pictures were taken..





Built the front porch.

[ScottA]

Looking great!  You're on a roll.

[teacher2]

Where in Texas are you?  Also, is your home the 1 and 1/2 story, 20 by 34?  Or the 2 story?  We have been debating which one to go with.  Really great work in a beautiful wooded area.

[phalynx]

We are 45 miles ENE of Austin, TX.  Our home is the 1 1/2 story, modified.  We extended the home 4' after seeing the benefits of the Michigan home in this forum.  We bought the 1 1/2 story plans and the 2 story plans.  Both are very well done.  Ultimately, the 1 1/2 story won because of the look it gave  and how well it works with porches.   We also modified the 1 1/2 story with 9' ceilings on the 1st floor and 4 1/2' 2nd floor walls.  We also ended up with a 10/12 roof pitch as the 12/12 scared me too much..

[teacher2]

We are in Malakoff, close to Cedar Creek Lake, which is between Corsicana and Athens.  Your area looks very much like it does around here, mostly oaks, not many pine trees until you go further east.  What is your soil like there? How did you choose which foundation to go with?  We have only been in this area less than 2 years, but what seems strange to me is that everything that is being build around here is seemingly right on ground level.  Our house NW of Fort Worth had to be 8 inches above. Around here:   One foot deep footing with a 4 inch slab, from our observations of four houses being built in our area, 3 of which are very expensive homes right on Cedar Creek Lake.  I haven't talked to a foundation professional as of yet however.  I really do love the modification you have made.  Your pictures are great in that it allows one to really see the size of the rooms, especially upstaires. You floor plan is very nice, too.  I know people are always asking this question, so I will, too.  What are you cost projections? Thanks for your reply.

[phalynx]

What is your soil like there?   It's sandy loam.  On the top there is "sugar sand" and then some thicker dirt mixed here and there.  About 12-24" down, it goes to red clay. 

How did you choose which foundation to go with?  Lots of discussion on that one.  I asked quite a few questions like others.  I have poured concrete on a shop project at my former house.  Concrete is TOUGH work.  It's also getting expensive.  Ultimately, price and availability proved to make a post and beam construction the best choice for us.  We would have had to put in a "real driveway" to get concrete trucks back here.  With the post and beam, we can do all the work ourselves.

One foot deep footing with a 4 inch slab, from our observations of four houses being built in our area, 3 of which are very expensive homes right on Cedar Creek Lake.  Very typical in that area.  Monolithic slabs are simple for professionals and quite stable.  They just cost a bit...  It would have been $5500-6500 for a slab for us.

I really do love the modification you have made.  Thanks, this plan was our (k) plan.  We nixed and modified a-j to create k. 

What are you cost projections?   We were hoping the whole project will come just under $20.00.  Unfortunately, that was only a few 2x6's so we had to be a little more realistic.  Right now, my wife is trying to figure out the total costs to date.  I am estimating 12-15k to date with all of the materials we have paid for.  Really, we have another 2k in siding and then we'll be completely dried in.  I suspect 15-17K but I'll update that number with details shortly.

This forum has been invaluable for building our home.  I would NOT have been able to successfully get as far as we have without them.  There are so many helpful people on here with so much knowledge, it's amazing.  John's plans are great, the support he and others provide are great.  The do it yourself part is great.  We hurt at the end of the day but I can assure you, the pain goes away when we just sit back and look at what we have done.  In reality, it's just my wife and I building it.  My brother and his family helping were fantastic and made a nice dent in the work.  But, it's basically a 2 person job.  If we can do it, anyone can.

[teacher2]

Thanks so much for your info.  Cute kids, BTW.  I teach 6th grade, I really like the "tween" age kids.  I agree that this site is wonderful, so many helpful people and experiences.  I will definately keep up with your site.
Thanks

[phalynx]

Ok, I guess I am no good at math. Here are the actual costs:

concrete/rebar                                        180
post/beams                                         610
metal strapping                                      112
1st floor subfloor                                      1500
outside wall framing                                   720
rafters, stairs, 2nd floor subfloor, sheathing   2046
windows/ tyvek                                      1188
purlins/interior walls, siding trim, ceiling joists   1525
front deck                                         760
doors/locks                                        700
metal roofing                                              1669

total                                                 11010

need 4 more windows @ 130ea, more trim, and then siding @ 1700.  We'll be dried in then.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for the pricing info.  Always lots of interest in that.  Numbers are hard to get ...unless your name is Don. 

[phalynx]

We installed some tyvek and windows last night.  Here are some updated pics.







I have NO idea how I am going to attach the tyvek to the 2nd floor.  That is not something I am looking forward to.

[CWhite]

That's looking great. 
I know how exciting it is to get so close to being dried in.  Keep the pictures coming.
Is the whole downstairs going to remain open?   
Christina

[phalynx]

We have gone back and forth about leaving it open.  Since this will be the place that we live in until we're old, I don't want to climb stairs to the 2nd floor to go to bed.  So, alas, we will have a small master bedroom downstairs.

In the view with the stairs, you can see the 2x4's laid out on the floor.  This is basically the bedroom, closet/hall, and master bathroom.  The rest will all be open.





Here are some small pictures of the floorplan.

BTW,  we keeping looking at all your pictures.  The details inyour home are amazing and inspiring......  (staring at a blank piece of wood right now..    )

[John Raabe]

I like the floorplan you have come up with here. Lot's of usable space.

John

[davidW]

Keep up the great work. It surely is an inspiration. 

[phalynx]

We had a somewhat productive week.  Installed stairs on the front deck.  We can now get up and down everywhere without ladders!!!!  whoohoo.  Also  started construction of the fireplace.  We also got about 1/2 the roof up.  This has proven, by far to be the biggest challenge yet.  We are going to have to rent scaffolding to finish this.  I hope I can get a deal on a 1 month rental. 

[Willy]

Wow looking good! Your right there are some tall walls for a cabin to deal with. It is more like my home I live in. I see a lot of pulled mussles hanging those sheets of plywood and not done on windy days!! The way you are doing your tin is the way to go. Completeing one sheet at a time from inside the ceiling. I would hate to go up and screw off that roof later as steep/high it sits in the air. Having fell once off a roof I know I would be tied off doing it. Just a thought you might want to install a ladder right on the roof to get to the chimney stack for cleaning it later. I had a problem on my roof doing it so I used a aluimin ladder bolted into the roof but spaced up for snow melt reasons. It sure is nice to go up on the roof now just steping out the second floor window and climing a perminet ladder to the stack! I heat only with wood in my home so if it clogs up in the winter I have to get up there even if the snow is on the metal. At first the ladder bugged me but now it is just part of the building. I also have a 3/8" ring to tie off on bolted into the roof. My stack is in the middle of the side with a porch overhang below so it is hard to get a ladder right off the ground. Mark

[phalynx]

Well, what a pain in the neck week.  Lots of rain.  We installed scaffolding on Tuesday evening on the back wall (had to learn how).  Then it pretty much was not cooperative with weather until Sunday morning.  Saturday was thunderstorms like crazy.  So, of course,  I sat in my house on the top floor under the 1 side that has a roof to determine it's loudness.  I was very pleased with the noise level.  I can only assume it was due to the gauge of metal (24) that made it quieter than I expected.  Since the weather was bad on Saturday, the neighbor to was helping with the roof was unable to make it out.  We didn't make any progress on the roof.  We did get the OSB up to the roofline on the back wall, get some tyvek up and then do some siding.  Here are a couple of pics.


Had some visitors come running through our land

[Redoverfarm]

phalynx what type of siding are you using?  Is it Hardy board? The weather can really play havoc on your construction but once you have a roof overhead and dried in it doesn't play that much of a factor.  Work inside on bad days and outside on the good ones.

[phalynx]

it's Hardeplank.  It's the 12" wide Cedarmill Select.  1/3" thick.  I am not sure if I have a bad batch or if it's the way it works, but I am having an interesting time with the siding splitting it's layers.  It looks like it's 3 equal layers thick and I see it splitting/separating a lot.  I don't recall this happening with my little cabin.  I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Also, I never understood why Asbestos is not allowed, but this stuff is.  Right on the label it says, can cause cancer...  nice.

[ScottA]

Looks like you're making good progress. I usualy don't question other peoples motives but I'm a little concerned. Shouldn't you have some kind of bracing on your foundation posts? I don't think I ever saw one done like yours.  Are you relying on the depth of the post in the ground to keep it from shearing? Just wondering.