Firstday Cottage

[williet]

I haven't talked to them about the connection of the two house sections, but I have done it in log houses, and seen it done in an old barn turned house. There are a couple of ways depending on whether or not you want to use the goalpost that comes with the kit or frame the middle section in a traditional way.
I think what I'm leaning toward is tying a beam between the 5th and 7th goalpost. (Cutting the front leg off the 6th and placing the floor joist atop the beam). This will allow the weight of the floor and the rafter to be supported by the beam(triple 2"x12") and allow the front door to be centered in the facade. If you desire an off set for a dog trot look ... you can frame the door back a couple of feet from the front wall. As the center section is only a hall the space restrictions are controlled by having enough distance to allow for the stairs and the doors leading to the living area and master bedroom. From the front wall back, you need about 5' for a door and another foot to the bottom step. In a 16' house this will leave 9' for the lower stair footprint if you have a 2' setback. If you don't set back the door, you will have 11' for the stairs. There's plenty of room in the 18' plan, but the cost is greater and the house is harder to build.
The set back (dog trot effect) is nice looking, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble and money, since it's covered by a porch anyway.
These are just some ideas that you might want to discuss with the folks at FirstDay. There's not alot of modification to the kit and the result is nice.

[Daddymem]

Amazon compressor nail gun deal has gotten sweeter if anyone is still looking:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DCBKX/ref=nosim/102-9793087-6732960?n=228013
$285.74
Take $50 off $250 with BUYERSAVEMMM (til 12/21)
Total: $235.74

-OR-

Amazon compressor nail gun deal has gotten sweeter if anyone is still looking:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DCBKX/ref=nosim/102-9793087-6732960?n=228013
$285.74
Get this sander free:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000256RVO/ref=nosim/102-9793087-6732960?n=228013
The rebate:
http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/00/10/00/13/57/61/100013576141.pdf

Try both at your own risk, YMMV..."not to be combined with other offers" clause on rebate form.

[Dustin]

Thanks! This clinched the deal for me. I just ordered it. What an awesome deal, and I get a free sander too!!
In case you're curious:

Subtotal of Items:        $285.74
Shipping & Handling:        $9.99
Super Saver Discount:       -$9.99
Promotion Applied:       -$50.00
       ------
Total for this Order:         $235.74

Now I have to go find a used framing nailer. Those suckers are expensive! Hmm, a check at harbor friegght shows some chinese brand available for about $80.
I'll have to think about it.

[Daddymem]

I've been told that the Porter Cable framer uses an odd angle that may be difficult to find.  Bostich or Paslode would be good.  I'm tempted on the offer too, but I'm not sure there is enough umph in this one to be useful for non-building tasks in the future (auto work).

[Dustin]

Still haven't been able to get ahold of David yet. Hopefully will soon. I was also thinking about the design: You could make it a bit more "open" by moving the top section over to the right and making the house more of an "L" shape. You could open up the wall between the kitchen/dining and the living room, thus not isolating folks in the kitchen so much.

What do you guys think?

[williet]

Thanks! This clinched the deal for me. I just ordered it. What an awesome deal, and I get a free sander too!!
In case you're curious:

Subtotal of Items:        $285.74
Shipping & Handling:        $9.99
Super Saver Discount:       -$9.99
Promotion Applied:       -$50.00
       ------
Total for this Order:         $235.74

Now I have to go find a used framing nailer. Those suckers are expensive! Hmm, a check at harbor friegght shows some chinese brand available for about $80.
I'll have to think about it.

If you do any woodworking, the sander is a good one. I don't know about the nail guns. For furniture, I just use a hammer.

[glenn kangiser]

The Porter Cable FR350 is the one I have  --- it uses standard angle nails- I use the Senco galvanized ring shank nails in mine -- the Paslode is the odd one- uses their nails - this applies to the gas actuated one - I don't know if they make a standard angle one or not.  I had an old gas actuated Paslode - I liked it but it quit working - I heard that the newer ones are much better --No air hose or compressor tofool with.

I think the Paslode is 30 degree angle nails and the others are 21 degrees-- from memory- to lazy to go look.

[glenn kangiser]

Note that the compressor in the above package is on the low output side-- 2.6 cfm @90 psi-- It will work for most DIY projects but there are better small compressors out there with about 6 cfm @ 90 psi -- needed for impact wrenches etc -maybe texture guns too - the option is do a little then wait for the compressor to catch up.  The larger compressor may cost more than this whole package though.

[Dustin]

Well, it's something I can afford, and it's an investment for building my house. If I need more, I'll buy more. I saw how much time having a nailgun save you, even though they can be dangerous, so I think they're worth it.
I just talked to my employer last week and found out they would be interested in keeping me on as a consultant/on-call employee even though next year I'm moving out of Arizona to build my new house on 2 1/2 acres in Cedar City UT. This means that I will have the time and flexibility to build my own house probably 75% of the time, instead of commuting to work every day.  Talk about a load off my shoulders.
Now I have to pray that wireless internet makes it to my home site, otherwise I have to go with satellite. Think I can get it though...I have seen little patch antennas around the area.

I've got some challenges, like putting in a septic, pulling power 1000' (if it costs too much I think we may just do solar), fixing the dirt "road" to our lot, grading a drive way, drilling a well, putting in a water system, getting the basement done, all before I can start working on my house.
Whew.

I also found a very cool place out here in Phoenix called "Construction Lots!", which seems to be a closeout constuction materials depot, with clearance plumbing fixtures, tile, doors, ovens, cooktops, hardware, etc.  Some pretty good deals. Once we sell our house and I'm flush with cash, we plan on doing some shopping.

[glenn kangiser]

No question that it's a good deal even just with the air tools for that price - you can't lose.  

I have one Harbor Freight brad nailer - it works okay with an occasional annoyance - c-clips fall off trigger pin - contact safety trigger bends - metal a little soft so it goes out of line once in a while - as PEG says - the best tools are worth the investment - usually not many problems with them, but if it means having something  to do the job you couldn't afford otherwise, sometimes it pays to do it then upgrade as you can afford it.  I do it myself.  If you can find a good quality used tool and get it cheap enough -Ebay etc - then rebuild it as necessary you can sometimes come out ahead.  I got a Skill 77 worm drive at a yard sale for $30- contractor selling off old and extra tools after a big casino job.  Well worn but works great.  I was quite sure it wasn't stolen -I won't buy from a thief as I wouldn't want someone else to buy my tools that way.

[Dustin]

Ok, I was up late last night working on plans. Tell me what you guys think of them.
Go to my weblog to see them at:
www.hollishomestead.blogspot.com

[Daddymem]

I like it.  Are you working with David already on how the two houses attach? (rooflines, posts at marriage wall, etc)  I'm interested, not that we would build two abutting right now, but we are going for a two bedroom that we will expand into three in a few years and the location for our future addition would work similar to your layout...just pushed down to a corner instead of the middle.

[John Raabe]

Dustin:

Some thoughts on your plan...
Upper floor - Reverse the door swing Bdrm-1, closet for MstrBdrm?
Main floor - The stair will likely need to be longer (14R @ 7.5" = 8'-9" floor to floor and means 13T @ 10" = 10'-10"). More if you need another riser. Is the room behind the office a utility room? (too narrow for that use, could be pantry).

[Dustin]

I talked to John and he said there was no problem with it. I forwarded the plan ideas to him and he said he'd have David get back to me. Hopefully we can work out something.
John did say that the best stair, if your region/code authority allows it, is still the straight staircase, since doing any other way is much more difficult. So I put that in, since it takes up the least square footage.

[Dustin]

I forgot to label the room on the first floor behind the office in that plan. It's a mudroom/pantry. It doesn't have to be very big, and I figure I'll put in lockers and shelves, and tile the floor. I figure I could have my garage on the side of the house with a little covered walkway to the porch and our main exit/entry would be that side door. Since we're moving to snow country, my wife insists on a mudroom to dump off coats, boots, gear, etc before tromping about the house.  We have 2 young boys and a baby girl, so I think we'll have heavy use of it.
Good thought about the stairs. I will add a foot. I thought I made them 8', I'll make the space 9'.
The lower right part of the master bed is the closet, I think. It may only be big enough for one of us, and I'll have to build something else on the south side, too.
I may also squish the upstairs bathroom a bit and move the bathtub downstairs, I haven't decided yet.

[Dustin]

Speaking of mudrooms:
It's wierd, but our family has gotten in the habit of always going through the garage to go in or out of the house. We have a typical suburban house with an attached garage and a really tiny laundry room leading to the garage.  I HATE this room, since it becomes the default drop off point for everything (which equals mess, since there is no storage or organization there, nor room to put any) and since it's really small it becomes a choke point for coming in the house. Anyhow, I hope that having this mudroom will fix that problem, since I'll build some shelving and lockers and a bench so everyone can drop off thier junk before getting in.  We'll see.

[williet]

Anything new on these houses? You guys still out there?

[Daddymem]

I'm meeting David on the 27th to draw up our floorplans.  Septic design is at the BOH, meeting for variance on the 3rd.

[Daddymem]

Yet another nailer deal at Amazon:
Porter-Cable CFBN125A Brad Nailer/Compressor Combo Pack
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004NS0J/ref=nosim/102-9793087-6732960?n=228013
$197 with free shipping, but hold on....
buy some more things to bring your total to $250 total and take $50 off with code BUYERSAVEMMM

From Amazon:
It produces 135 psi and has a 6-gallon capacity, enough to support heavy use of brad and finish nailers or moderate use of framing nailers.

[glenn kangiser]

The above one only includes the 18 gauge, 1-1/4-inch brad nailer - no finish nailer.  Note that brad nailers are available to 2" log.  I like the longer brad nailer because I don't have a finish nailer so use the brad nailer on a lot of things.

Any kind of power tool is helpful but I like the longer capacity.

[fritz]

Speaking of mudrooms:
It's wierd, but our family has gotten in the habit of always going through the garage to go in or out of the house. We have a typical suburban house with an attached garage and a really tiny laundry room leading to the garage.  I HATE this room, since it becomes the default drop off point for everything (which equals mess, since there is no storage or organization there, nor room to put any) and since it's really small it becomes a choke point for coming in the house. Anyhow, I hope that having this mudroom will fix that problem, since I'll build some shelving and lockers and a bench so everyone can drop off thier junk before getting in.  We'll see.

I give you an "A-MEN Brother!"

it would be awesome to move an extra hundred square feet into ours!

[Dustin]

I haven't heard back much from David. I have only been able to get ahold of John. He says, with a few minor changes, we could do the plan, even though they have never done one with a vault before, just a 1 storey bump-out add on. I like the 2 storey vault much, much better, becuase I can easily expand that space by putting walls and a floor down, say if our family grows any more..  Hopefully we can finalize plans soon. I need to get those before I get serious bids for the house.
So far, much of my estimating has been done by talking to folks and tools like building-cost.net.
I notice house prices around here have dropped a significantly. Urg. It means I won't get as much to escape with. I wonder if they'll continue to go down or back up again after Xmas?

[Daddymem]

I wonder if there will be racking issues they will have to address with the full 2nd story loft?  If there are and the fix is expensive or you lose the feeling you are trying for, what about creating a bridge to a small loft section at the end of the addition?  Walk through the loft area down the middle of the floor along a 3'-4' wide bridge with rope (or other) railing to a small sitting area over the kitchen.  I love cathedral ceilings (most of my current house is cathedral), but preffer the feeling of a ceiling in a kitchen, it just feels a little cozier. Might add some interest to the view up from the dining room, and create a cool little place you can hide in and still be in the middle of the action.  Just dreaming outside of the box....

[Dustin]

Ok, in the latest iteration of this plan, I moved the vault over the living room and put the master over the kitchen. This looks a lot better to me, and somehow saves me some square footage.  I think I may also shrink the top half from 18'x20' to 16'x20', to save money. To see it, check out my blog under "Still Waiting":
http://hollishomestead.blogspot.com

I may be wrong, but I understood that this type of  house gains it strength not so much from the floor (which would be the only thing missing), but from the bents, rafters, and especially the interior/exterior sheathing (I really noticed the difference in how it all tied together once the sheathing went on when I walked around one without any sheathing and one with- the one with sheathing didn't "wiggle" at all). I'm not structural engineer, I'll have to rely on David's opinion on that, but they did say it was possible to do.

[Daddymem]

I have no idea on the structural either-I'm a site guy myself, just taking some pot shot guesses.  Nice looking layout you have there.