20x32 1.5 story hillsville, Va

[glenn kangiser]

Yes, and milk and eggs come from the grocery store....

[Jens]

Yes, and milk and eggs come from the grocery store....

No, believe me Glen, they come from cows (goats or sheep, really, you can milk anything with nipples), and chickens (duck eggs are good too, and guinea fowl).

[glenn kangiser]

That could land me in jail, Jens.  What kind of advice is that? hmm

[considerations]

Ok Ok - enough...Glenn, Jens said "can" - not "may".   

Welcome devildog.  If I can build the 14 x 24, you can, really.  I have 10' walls and am amazed at how much walking around room I have in the lofts.  A lot more than I thought, but then I'm only 5'8". 

I am putting an exterior door at one end of one loft, and to have a standard width exterior door, I had to shorten it to 6'3", but I don't have a lot of friends who; 1 would be in the loft and; 2 have to duck to get through it.

Anyway, I started with zero knowledge....which is probably still true, but what you don't know, someone on this forum does. Plus there's a couple of pretty good books recommended especially on framing, that are really worth getting. 

Now it's getting time for me to find a good book on wiring, plumbing, drywall ad nauseum....

14 x 24 Olympic Peninsula is my project.

Grandma had a wooden rack and pulley system over the wood cook stove for hanging laundry to dry in the winter.  I'm planning the same, although a propane dryer is in the plan when I get more solar panels.  The clothes line in the summer is a given.

Hope to see you start your project soon.  One required tool is a camera so you can share your progress with us.

[glenn kangiser]

         

[soomb]

AND there is nothing like the smell of clothes dried on a line!  (pardon me while I have a flash back to Grandma's house)

[devildog]

Ive taken the winter to try and think some things over to make sure I knew what I wanted to do. Im almost sure now that I want to go with the 16x28 vc(Ive even changed it in my subject). using 12' walls, and using the same plan and attaching a shed roof 16x 20 on the side. Ill try to draw a picture later so its easier to understand what Im talking about.
I finally sent all my info today for the well and septic evaluation($560). I ask them to call me 1-2 days prior so i can drive 7.5hrs to watch (take pics) and make sure theres no problems and drive home again that night. and then immediatly take bids to have the work done in july  , while we're there on vacation. I asked the inspector what well and septic costs were and she said septic(3br) was about $3500 and her well about 2yrs ago cost $6500@ 400'. from some of the prices ive seen on your projects it sounds reasonable.
anyway, besides this I eventually need to order plans from john, and before winter attempt to have 10" pier foundation in. Im not in abig hurry this year but if I get the oppurtunity would like to start framing

[glenn kangiser]

Sounds like things are coming together.

[devildog]

I got my well/ septic approval last thursday! I drove 7.5 hrs wed. after work, slept in the car at arest stop in Va., woke up and met inspector at 8:30. Left Va. and 7.5 hrs later was back in Fl. Im still tired!
She didnt have to do any soil test, since it had already perked ,but she had to flag it out. And thats the reason I drove all the way up there. Just in case there was a problem. she said the guy who did the numbers before didnt figure everything right. but she moved some things around and made it work. when I get the paperwork from her ill apply for building permit

If I was going to attach aroom(not real sure what size yet) to the 16x28 ,how do you attach the floors? I understand how to attach the shed roof,but do I leave the floor joist cantilevered or do I slide the post out on the house and delete the ones where the room attaches?
I still havent got the plans yet, hopefully this week.they probably explain all this. It comes with a 12x14 room ,I think id like to make it a couple feet longer and make it shed instead of gable. sticking out 12'.
If I knew more about computers Id draw a pic, scan it and put it on here so it could  be understood. ill try tomorrow

[devildog]

Ive tried very hard to get some drawings Ive done on here. computers are not my thing. but maybe this time ive got it.

[devildog]

I cant believe it worked! I couldnt tell you how many times ive tried that w/failures.
the 12x16 on the side of the 16x28 is the shed roof.I honestly did this because I didnt want to frame 2 gable roofs. but the I also like the look and its slightly bigger room

There will also be a deck 10-12' deep going from french door to front entry door.
what do you think?Im taking my drawings along w/my plans next monthto building dept. Ihope its as smooth a process as he(inspector) lead me to believe

[devildog]

We spent aweek in hillsville on vacation, and finally got some things done. The entire septic system changed. It was supposed to be a 3br, but ended up going with a 2br. The reason behind thisis because the area on my property where we want to build is only about 130'x130' (then it drops off hard for about 100' and there's flat land at the bottom)and the drain field would take over most of my area. so after going around and around with the septic installer and the inspector we finally compromised on 2 65' lines.

here are my costs
1. 2br septic  -$2600.00
2. land clearing  -$800.00
3. well drilling  -$2624.00
4. bushogging  -$160.00

I wasted money on the bushogging. I didnt expect to clear the whole top, but at $85.00 an hour,and  the backhoe was doing such a great job I told him to just keep going.
I think our plans have changed a bit. we're now thinking of going with the 20x30 1.5 story on a crawlspace. now that we're only going with one house we want more room.

The well driller only had to go 140' and hit water. I was so happy that I told him to go to 200'. they said I was getting about 5 gallons a minute. I was very worried about this Id heard horror stories about people in the area going a 1000' and coming up dry. the cost does not include pump or other well parts. I wont do that till later.
here are some pics.






my little girls first fish

[Redoverfarm]

Making good progress I see.  A little word of advice regarding your septic.  Yeah you know where it is but triangulate measurements from a couple permanent fixtures to the Septic tank lids.  You will eventiually have to go there some day and it makes it alot easier to find before it is covered up.  I took mine from the corners of the house to the lid.  If you haven't got the house yet take it to a couple of trees for now.  Then later you can go to that spot and then from the house corners if you decide to remove those particular trees.  I even went so far as to take measurments evey 20-30' of the drain going to the septic to find the line easier.  Make you a little map of the septic layout and include the measurements and put them with your other house papers.

[muldoon]

looking real good, especially the fishing part   no feeling on earthy like taking a lil one fishing. 

A note on costs, from your statement above, that you "wasted money" 
2. land clearing  -$800.00
4. bushogging  -$160.00

worth every penny.  I'll be honest - I am stubborn and a bit pig-headish.  My land clearing costs have been in sweat and blood, and probably number in the gallons - and the timeline costs in doing so has been almost two years.  you very likely made a very good choice there !   Dont look back and dont second guess yourself, your doing fine. 

Cant wait till you get further along on your project, looking forward to it. 

[devildog]

thanks redover, I did map it out, they also put apiece of 4" drain pipe sticking up at the d-box and a 4" piece of schedule 40 sticking up in the center of the septic box that I could also ue as an RV drain.

I also wanted to mention for those who might want to compare pricing that I paid $8.50 a foot for well drilling. Everyone else in the area was $10. and I didnt know this, but they also charge you for casing(I paid $8.95ft@80') and grouting($150).This was all in the total.

[devildog]

muldoon,
Im terrible at typing and even worse at making sense. I paid a guy to bushhog and as he was finishing he got stuck. the backhoe pulled him out. and then after he left Ihad the backhoe clear the area he just bushhogged. my only excuse is,I really didnt plan on doing all that but when I saw how easy he pushed over trees and ran over brush.Ijust kept clearing more and more.I could've skipped the bushogging.

[Mike 870]

It sounds like you did really well on those prices, just looking at well and septic alone, I've been told the best I can hope for in my area is $6,000 each (includes casing pump etc. 

[considerations]

Wow look at that pretty red dirt....

[poppy]

Look forward to watching your progress.  You have a nice start.

[devildog]

went to property this weekend. hand graded alarge area, mainly where the septic system is. put down tall fescue 31 and strawed it. did alot of burning, but as you can see I still have alarge pile left. I also put in and concreted 2 6x6 post where I will aventually put a12' cattle gate. but put 2 4x4 posts to try and keep people out. I also put post in front of my well head to protect it, because its right beside the drive way
                                                    Darrell

[devildog]

I got let go from my job today. Im not really down about it, I kinda knew it was coming for some time,we've been really slow. I actually cant believe my boss held on this long. He was pretty tore up about, so I prayed with him and assured him that the Lord God will take care of me and family, he'll provide for my needs.

I am still going to go forward with our house,but with caution. Im going to spend some time praying before I make a decision on which way to go.Chances are with the economy the way it is,I couldnt get a job right now in a town of 2500 population. I live at my church for free,so its silly to make a move without a finished house. I still havent even got the foundation done yet. They put up the batterboards the day after thanksgiving, and its done nothing but rain,snow, or freeze ever since. when spring gets here I hope to go full blast, or at least till I run out of money.

Im bored and just felt like writing this,and ask if your a believer keep my family in your prayers.
Thank you Darrell

[John_M]

I'm the type of person who believes that everything happens for a reason.....the Big Guy has something planned for you and your family....just hang in there.  It certainly sounds like you have the right attitude!!

[soomb]

I will second that.  Tough times don't last, tough people do.

[Redoverfarm]

Darrell sorry to hear of your layoff.  The whole country is feeling it.  I believe that you are probably a little better off in a larger community in regards to picking up something to tie you over.  Smaller communities are bad as there are just so many jobs and not much turn a round.  Be strong and keep the faith.

[devildog]

thanks guys, for the encouragement. Im going to sign up for unemployment today just in case I cant find a job. I hear it takes like 4 weeks to go into effect. And im going to take at least 3 days to pray and seek Gods will. I dont want to go in a direction im not supposed to. Ive done that before