I think that I've got this yahoo photo figured out....hope so anyway :)
This an update of our endevor to build a house.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jann8857/my_photos?urlhint=actn,del%3as,1%3af,0
Great progress! Thanks for the pics.
Judy
That's looking great, Pioneergal! What size is the house? It looks real close to what we are planning on building in Colorado. We are going to add our porch across the front, a little after the cabin is completed. I don't always get in on the first of these conversations, is this your first time to build a house? Good luck, Nanda
QuoteThat's looking great, Pioneergal! What size is the house? It looks real close to what we are planning on building in Colorado. We are going to add our porch across the front, a little after the cabin is completed. I don't always get in on the first of these conversations, is this your first time to build a house? Good luck, Nanda
Nanda,
Thanks for taking a peek at the pictures and for your compliments.
The plans are 44X48.....the house is 38X48 with the front porch being 8X48.
It is our very first build after 30 years .....with the help of some great family and friends! ;)
The plans are a combination of our own ideas and my brothers house plans that he drew himself.
We have received many compliments upon the layout , freeflow, and openess.
The house is being financed out of our back pocket so at times the progress is slow but we hope to be in the house sometime between this winter and next spring.
Sometime in the futurewe plan to either add an 8X48 covered porch or a deck on the back of the house.
If you don't mind me asking what area of Colorado are you planning to build?
QuoteGreat progress! Thanks for the pics.
Judy[/quot
Thanks Judy.
I went to your site and took a peek at your pictures.......looks great!
I read in one of my Farm and Ranch magazines about a family building a straw bale house somewhere in Nebraska.
Is this a more cost effective and energy efficent method of building?
Nebraska's where the idea for straw bale apparently began--combination of sod being removed, invention of the baler, and not much in the way of trees.
So SB is high tech--1880's (or whenever) style.
QuoteNebraska's where the idea for straw bale apparently began--combination of sod being removed, invention of the baler, and not much in the way of trees.
So SB is high tech--1880's (or whenever) style.
Your explaination makes sense Amanda.
Not throwing off on Nebraska but they don't seem to have a lot of trees but neither does Texas compared to the Southeastern and Appalachian regions of the USA.
Although, we do have one huge live oak down by the pond that stands at least 45 ft. tall and has a beautiful spread of branches and several other reasonably tall oaks and elm trees on other areas of our property.
When we first moved from NE Georgia to North Central Texas the first thing I noticed was the lack of nice big beautiful trees.
So, when we walking over what is now our property for the first time I was praying that the live oak was a part of the tract of land we were thinking about purchasing.
I'm happy to say that it was and that sealed the deal ;)
DH had a pond dug and put up a swing under the tree for me and it is one of my favorite places for R&R when we are working on the house.
Hi P'girl. I know about financing out of the often shallow pockets. Have to learn to stret-ch-ch-ch a dollar, huh? I also know about help of family and friends. Don't know how we would have built any of the projects over the past 30 years, without lots of that. Your place is looking just great. Our cabin will be about 800 sq.ft. It will be a summer place, although we have hopes of spending a good part of the year up there in the future. We are building in Navajo Ranch Resorts, about 13 mi. west of Walsenburg, Colorado. We were amazed at how affordable it was. We bought 2.19 acres with a beautiful mountain view. Water, power and phone is available without paying a fortune. We met another couple, when we were up there looking. Talk about true modern adventurers! they spend the winter on their sailboat in Malaysia. Anyway, they were starting their summer cabin. They said that they had looked all over Colorado and had not found anything near as affordable as that area. One thing we really like is that you have good access, practically year round. You still have those majestic mountains, and they say snow rarely stays more than a day or so, even in winter. Ski resorts, such as Red River New Mexico, only about an hour and a half away. Picture is from about 2 weeks ago. By the way, did you post your floorplan earlier? I would like to see it.
Hi nandajor,
That area looks very familiar-it's on the way to Home Depot from Creede! Of course, it's a 4 hour drive but what a drive it is!!
Judy
I just talked to Marshal Matt Dillon and showed him your place, He wanted to say .......
(https://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/casonjimmy/mattdillan.jpg)
That's true Judy. Those are the Spanish Peaks in the background. I am, on the "plump" side, but even my wide behind can't hide those beautiful mountains. :DI have been over towards Creede, majestic is the word for that country. We are looking forward to someday, when the work is done (does that ever really happen?) to go over that trail from Lake City...I think?...to Ouray.
Nanda
Hey Jimmy,
I am a HUGE Gunsmoke fan! ;D
You could not have used another character ......Matt Dillion..... or compliment that would have made me any happier.
Happy Trails
Dang it, Nanda. That's not plump. It's energy efficiency. Shade in the summer, heat in the winter. :)
Thanks, Glenn. I always thought it was better to be useful, instead of just decoration ;) In this day, with fuel prices, that would make me downright priceless.
We finally have made some progress on the house and hope to be in it by January '08
Its been a while since my last picture post so here goes......
http://www.kodakgallery.com/MyGallery.jsp
I can't get to the gallery without a password :( :'(
ditto :'(
Sorry guys :(
I'll try to have them up this p.m.
Lets see if this works :)
(http://aycu25.webshots.com/image/25544/2002914116475707623_th.jpg) (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002914116475707623)
Just click on the image and it should open up 3 pictures.
If it works I will upload more later today.
Jackie
That worked. Thanks, Jackie.
Beautiful, Jackie!
Thank you! :)
We have not yet moved in .....hope to move by January.
The house is finished on the outside except for DH making the new front steps and a few odds and ends.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention the sreening in of the back porch vs. the present back deck.
https://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e362/pioneergal/
I hope the link works!
Looks good, Jackie.
(https://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e362/pioneergal/GS3.jpg)
Looks mighty perty, Pioneergal!
Thanks Glenn and Sassy!
I am sorry that it took so long to get some news pictures to the forum but my camera program would not cooperate.
Mike said it had been so long since we had put up any new pictures that everyone probably thought the house was just a figment of our imagination. :D Ours bodies tell a different story.
We will be at the house tomorrow and start on the living room which is the last room to be "rocked".
Hopefully by the middle of September we will have accumulated enough funds to have the walls and ceilings taped, bedded, and textured.
Our goal is to move in by Christmas when it will be habitable but not be completed.
This old MH is leaking like a sieve and we really don't think it will make it through another rainy and cold winter.
God Bless,
Jackie
Just an update.
After several delays we FINALLY finished hanging all of the sheetrock in the house.
I do not EVER want to do that again!
We will spend the next week or so clearing out all the tools and etc so the finishers can come in and tape, bed, and texture the ceilings and walls.
Our goal is to have them come about the 15th.......maybe the money tree will have something on it by then :)
Jackie
I am not fond of sheetrock myself. Being able to do it doesn't make it any better. [crz]
Quote from: glenn kangiser on August 29, 2008, 12:46:37 AM
I am not fond of sheetrock myself. Being able to do it doesn't make it any better. [crz]
I can't say that we wasn't warned by several on the forum about what to expect should we decide to do the job instead of contracting it out to a pro.
Figuring that we have more time than money we decided on sweat equity and use the little bit of money that we would save on another project that we would need to hire out.
After hanging 6600 sq. ft. on ceilings and walls I must say that if I
NEVER see another piece of sheetrock, screwgun, rasp, or knife again I'll not be offended.
My hat is off to you guys that do this often !
Oh well, tomorrow will be another day and by next week the aches and pains will be only a memory.
All that being said, it
is very rewarding to look back and be able to say "I did that"!
If anyone has ideas about what design to use for the front steps we would like for you to share them with us.
The porch is 8 x 48 ......8 feet between the post that are to the left and right of the door.
Hi there!
I live in Denton and might be building after college in Midlothian (30 minutes south of Dallas). Are you in the Denton area? I recognize all of the mesquite trees in your pictures! What plans did you use? My husband and I are having fun looking at everyone's work and dreaming...!
w* penn.
We have a lot of Texas people. I think Jackie (pioneergal) will drop back in shortly.
Jackie -- I was thinking you might want to make full width steps - for the 8" section - are you thinking wood or maybe rock or something different?
Jackie this is what I did on my steps to the porch. The width of the steps is just under 8'. The porch is 8'X 32' . I think your elevation was higher than mine but you could add the apprioate # steps to achieve it. They are poured steps with a 1-1/2 lip on the steps. That allowed for faux or cultured stone to be applied to the risers. No great expense in the stone as the risers only took one course about 7 sq ft per each step. Just something to consider.
Poured steps before stone on the porch piers and risers
(https://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/redoverfarm/hightop/100_1907-1.jpg)
Completed with stone on the piers and risers
(https://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/redoverfarm/hightop/100_1911-1.jpg)
(https://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/redoverfarm/hightop/100_1914-1.jpg)
Yours is the one I had in mind, John. Looks great.