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General => Owner-Builder Projects => Topic started by: MushCreek on May 10, 2011, 05:25:43 PM

Title: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on May 10, 2011, 05:25:43 PM
Since clearing has begun, I guess I'll start my build thread. I've agonized over design for four years now, and I'm still tweaking it. It might not look like it, but the basic house is a 20' wide two story, stretched to 36' long. I added an entire section, shown in the floor plan as the garage/Den/Foyer. By extending the roofline, it fit's perfectly under an 8/12 pitch. The addition is 14' wide, and 42' long. The upstairs is one big master suite. I added the den to the downstairs in case we ever find ourselves unable to climb the stairs. I went with a straight run stair to accommodate a lift if needed. I also plan on having a dumbwaiter (labeled 'Lift'). The whole house is Universal design, with 3' doorways and wide halls and stairs. I'd like to live in this house until I'm called Upstairs, so I'm planning ahead.

The land is 7 acres in the SC upstate, near the NC border. Almost the entire property slopes downhill, and the side of the house with the porch and sundeck face a mountain view. The main porch will be about 10' off of the ground; the second floor sundeck about 20'. The view towards the mountains is also north, which isn't ideal, but it's a mild climate, and I plan to build tight and well insulated.

In the picture, the barn will go about where the pick-up truck is, with the house to the extreme left, down the hill a bit past the tree with the birdhouse. All of the property is heavily wooded, with a lot of nice timber trees, mostly oaks. I plan to mill some of my own timber for flooring and trim. The barn is from barnplans, and is 28' X 48'. There will be a loft over two-thirds of it, with a 12' ceiling. The remaining third will be fixed up as a great room. It will have a full bath, so it can serve as a guest house as well.

I'll probably officially break ground in June, starting with the barn. I'll add more info in another week or so.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/may1174.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/110501.png)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/110426-1.png)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/110429.png)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/110314.jpg)
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Southern Steve on May 11, 2011, 09:10:50 AM
Pretty cool; great location.   Given longevity, and since you have planned for this throughout the rest of the house, you may want to expand (widen) the first floor bath.  Getting from a wheelchair to the toilet easily or sliding into the shower on a seat may be problematic.
Love the design and especially,the roof line over the extension!
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: cbc58 on May 11, 2011, 09:23:39 AM
Question:  do you go up the stairs into the laundry room?... or up them and be near the master bedroom ?
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on May 11, 2011, 03:14:21 PM
You go up the stairs and end up by the bedroom. I looked at it both ways, and decided I'd rather wind up in the kitchen first thing in the morning rather than the living room. Under the stairs will be a stacked stairway going down to the walk-out basement.

I know what you mean about the downstairs bath. I might be able to widen it a little- have to keep working at it. The floorplan is still very much a work-in-process. I think if one of us were incapacitated for any length of time, I'd have a stair lift installed. There not all that expensive for a straight stair run. The dumbwaiter will be an easy way to move smaller stuff up and down stairs, such as laundry or suitcases. They're surprisingly expensive to buy, but being a tool maker with the necessary equipment, building one will be a cool project.

The closet marked 'Mech' is for HVAC ducting. The house will have a 9' ceiling, but the bathroom will be 8'. My plan is to put a plenum in that space with ducts aiming into each room. The air handler will be in the basement.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: cbc58 on May 11, 2011, 03:45:59 PM
did you play around with L shaped stairs with a landing??  just a thought..
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: duncanshannon on May 20, 2011, 03:17:58 PM
Hey MushCreek - excited that you are starting!  Pretty cool mods to the 20x34 plans!  [cool]  Ive got 9 acres, mostly sloped downhill.... Will be following your thread closely.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on May 20, 2011, 03:58:22 PM
Quote from: cbc58 on May 11, 2011, 03:45:59 PM
did you play around with L shaped stairs with a landing??  just a thought..

I've played around with a LOT of different stairs- L shaped, U-shaped, and straight. They all take up a lot of space in a small house! I found stairs to be the single biggest challenge in designing a small house. I need a couple more steps, too, because I'm going with 9' ceilings. I decided a straight stairway was the easiest to build, easier to move furniture up and down, and much cheaper to put in a stairlift if either of us ever needs it. The price on those jumps drastically for anything but a straight stair. Since we are getting older, I'm trying to lay out the home as if an elderly or disabled person already lived there.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: poppy on May 20, 2011, 06:45:29 PM
Nice work, Jay.   [cool]

Just a couple of suggestions:

You have a bunch of wasted space over the garage wing.  There's plenty of room for closets, or to make the stairs wider for better handicap access.

There is plenty of room for a closet in the foyer also.

Having had a laundry room in the upstairs bedroom level for the past 7 years, you will like that location.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Don_P on May 20, 2011, 10:07:45 PM
Another thought on long straight runs of stairs. I've done plenty, they are definitely easier and cheaper. I went down a nice glossy oak set in socks as a kid, on my back hitting every step along the way. One of our roofers found his son at the base of a similar set. An L or U does limit the potential fall distance. I can see pros and cons either way, just more to think about.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on May 21, 2011, 05:40:49 AM
I'm planning to use some of that space over the garage for closets. I also did one version with the laundry tucked under there. I left them out to keep it simpler, but I do plan on using some of that space. As designed, I'm treating the garage as an addition, so that is a load bearing wall, which would make pushing the stairs over tricky, plus it would eat up garage space. As shown, the garage is just wide enough for one car with both doors fully open.

I know a long run of stairs is potentially dangerous. Whatever layout I use, they will have a securely fastened runner!
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on June 02, 2011, 03:58:13 PM
Ruh-Roh! I told my boss today that I will be leaving soon. We didn't set an exact date yet, as I offered to stay on until the transition is complete. I'm figuring on a month. Meanwhile, we're heading back to the property the last week of June to stake out our building locations, and turn loose the excavator. I've kinda gone past the point of no return now!
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Grimjack on June 03, 2011, 09:37:02 AM
I really like the layout as well. Is there a way to tag the thread so Ican come back and check progress?
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on June 03, 2011, 03:42:44 PM
Grimjack- I think now that you've responded to the post, you'll get notified every time there is an update, unless you have that function turned off. It does for all of the threads I respond to.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on July 04, 2011, 07:04:52 AM
No new pictures as of yet, but some stuff is happening. We pulled the permit for the barn, $igned  up to have a water connection ($$$), and decided on the site plan. We spent the last week on-site, meeting with the contractor and a friend who is a landscape architect. After seeing how it looks now, the decision was made to keep many of the mature trees. They won't be hanging over the house, but there won't be 2 acres of bare ground, either. That being said, I realized there won't be enough timber harvested to justify sawing my own flooring. I can buy local rough-cut oak for less than the cost of driving to CT to bring back the sawmill, and it will give me more time for the actual build.

The contractor will pour the barn slab this month, and I'll be on-site for good in early August. My last day at work will be July 29- I can't wait! Now all I have to figure out is what to use for a roof over my head while I build the barn. I might throw together a quick-n-dirty 8X12 as a temporary cabin. I can always use another shed on the property once I move into the barn.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: duncanshannon on July 04, 2011, 07:47:48 AM
Quote from: MushCreek on June 02, 2011, 03:58:13 PM
Ruh-Roh! I told my boss today that I will be leaving soon. We didn't set an exact date yet, as I offered to stay on until the transition is complete.

Sounds like you are quitting to go work on your place. Is that right?
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on July 05, 2011, 04:00:26 PM
Yes- I'm really stepping off of a cliff here! I'm quitting my job to devote at least a year full-time to the build. After that, I'll find some paying work, as we're in no position to retire yet. My wife will keep working (and keep the health insurance!) to pay the bills. I tell everyone this our last great adventure, as we plan to live our our final days on our little homestead.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: yankeeredneck on July 26, 2011, 06:39:16 AM
Mushcreek...... great start on the build. It has been a while since I was last on here...(long story), but I am glad you have started. Looks great and I will stay tuned for more updates as you post them.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on July 26, 2011, 07:16:47 AM
Good time for an update-

I left my job last Friday! Right now, I'm trying to get my act together so I can start building soon. I bought a hard-side pop-up camper that I'm trying to make livable. I've got most of the tools I need together; just a few more things to fill in the gaps. I only recently started to address what I need to live on-site for months. I might actually have to be able to eat!

They should be pouring concrete for the barn today. Site work is done, pipe stubs are in, and the forms are ready for concrete. The barn will be 28X48, with two-thirds of that having a loft. Once the barn is dried in, at least I'll have better living quarters while I build the house. Here's a pic of the barn site-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/DSC_6689.jpg)
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Tickhill on July 26, 2011, 10:48:05 AM
I envy you. Seems like more and more I would just love to chuck the rat race and cash out the 401k and live in our barn on some of our other property we have. It is like a long lost wish that I want to come true, live on/off the homestead. God's richest blessings on your endeavour.
Tickhill
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: yankeeredneck on October 06, 2011, 06:46:14 PM
Just wondering how the build is going?
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Bob S. on October 06, 2011, 10:15:20 PM
I too have been waiting for any updates. I love your floor plans.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on October 13, 2011, 11:40:33 AM
Well, the barn is up and essentially dried in. I'll be putting the tin roof on next week. I have no internet out here, so I don't check in much. I have lots of pictures in the camera, but can't figure out how to download them to the computer- When did we ask for Windows 7???

I'll be back in FL in late October for a much-needed rest, and I'll post some pictures and stories of my adventures. It's 'interesting' camping for months at a time!
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MountainDon on October 13, 2011, 11:49:24 AM
Quote from: MushCreek on October 13, 2011, 11:40:33 AM
download them to the computer- When did we ask for Windows 7???


Every Win7 machine I've used has had a slot for the card, if the images are on a card. Stick it in and Win7 does the rest, at least on ours it does.

Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Tinga on October 13, 2011, 02:17:48 PM
Easiest way for windows 7 is just open up your card reader on your computer and Drag each picture to the My Pictures folder label on the left
The folder will highlight blue so you don't accidentally drop it into another folder.OR...make a folder on the desktop and drop them in that way.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: MushCreek on October 28, 2011, 03:14:28 PM
Well- back to civilization. I'm in FL for a week before heading back to the hills. It was literally painful to leave the woods for noise, traffic, and crowds. It really has changed my perception of a lot of things living in the woods (alone) for 3 months! If this project doesn't kill me, it will certainly leave me a changed man. I'll have more to write soon, but here's a picture of the nearly completed barn. It's 28' X 48', over 12' tall on the first floor, with a 32' long loft with 8'+ headroom upstairs. I need to finish the bathroom, paint, and finish the trim to complete it. For some reason, the barn looks much bigger in person than it does in the pics. To get an idea, the sliding doors are each 6' X 12'. The roof is 27' to the peak. It was an interesting engineering feat hanging those 400 lb. (each) doors by myself.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/SCfall2011132.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/SCfall2011130.jpg)
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: yankeeredneck on October 28, 2011, 04:32:12 PM
Looking good Mush. It is a great start to the property.
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: Alan Gage on October 29, 2011, 08:31:25 AM
That's one handsome looking barn.

Alan
Title: Re: 20X36 in SC
Post by: archimedes on October 29, 2011, 09:22:14 AM
Nice    [cool]