UP, UP and AWAY...

The Canuck and I spent last Friday at the lot watching the crew, with the help of a big crane, set the trusses on the house.  We sat up our chairs under a shade tree - it was hot and sunny - and watched the progress.  Our grandson, Layne, was with us, and my dad joined the fun. We bought lunch for the guys and set up chairs in the shade for them too.  It was fun to talk with them about the house and get to know a few of them a little better.  They are hard-working guys, who are helping us make our dream come true.  And we appreciate that.

As soon as we rounded the corner down the road, we saw the huge crane in the air.  They'd started early so we missed the setting of the first truss, it was so exciting to see the roof framing up, that we didn't mind.

After the hectic, crazy few months of full-time jobs, coordinating the construction as the general contractor, buying and ordering materials, etc, it was GREAT to just mosey around the lot, sit back, and just simply enjoy watching all the progress on the house. The trusses gave the frame a completed look, we can now see exactly how tall it will be, where the cathedral ceiling begins, and we can  better visualize how everything will come together with a few shingles and some siding.  Simply put, we absolutely love the house.  And seeing it all framed in just confirmed that it's going to be perfect for our family.

Here's a view from the front and back with the trusses near completion. There were still some small trusses left that the crew will set, but the crew will do that themselves.

We've also been doing a lot of buying for the house:  lighting and plumbing fixtures, tubs, and showers.  Because of some really good sales and to take advantage of the deals, we've already ordered our cabinets and purchased appliances.  It's a crazy time, and we're couldn't be having any more fun!

Thank you for stopping by.

Well, it's definitely time for an update. The crew has been busy framing the lower and upper floors and we are now almost ready for trusses. It's been so interesting to watch the progress day by day. There have been some lapses (a bit of rain, waiting on some materials to be delivered, or replacement materials for some bad lumber, etc.) but on most days, the guys are hard at work building the house.  I love that. 

These first pics are of the framing process. The bottom floor framing was first, of course, and it was wonderful to walk through the framed floor seeing where walls and rooms will be, contemplating the size of rooms, etc. The books all say the rooms look small when just framed, but I thought the opposite.  The rooms look big to me!   Maybe I just understand the true dimensions having measured, pondered, contemplated, and studied like-size rooms for months before finalizing the plans.  I know exactly what size they will be, so that's probably what I'm picturing in my head.  :)

Top floor framing and pouring the garage floor came next. They poured the concrete and constructed the exterior walls first and that's where we hit a stall. First a little rain, then Memorial Day weekend. At this point, we could really get a good feel for the cumulative size of the house. And it's big but not huge.  When just the bottom floor was framed, the Canuck and I walked around thinking that floor alone probably would have been big enough for just the two of us, so it was surprising and humbling and to think there would be another identical size floor above it. Yikes! What are we doing building a house this size?!?!?!  With five children, and six and counting grandchildren, and with lots of out-of-town Canadian friends and family, we'll need all that room when folks come for visits.  Size-wise, I think it's going to be just perfect for us.

One of the best things about our little building spot on the hill, we imagined, would be the view and when the top floor was framed, we got the chance to see how right we were. The first pic is a view of the front, with driveway and the road. The second is a photo through the front room window of the pond and woods.   Love!



And now move ahead to this week.  Both floors are framed, wrapped, and building has begun on the two-level back deck/porch.  They'll need to add the column on the front porch, finish the deck and we'll be ready for trusses.  And those may go up today.  My grandson and I are packing a picnic lunch and going out to the spend the day at the lot, watching the crane and truss installation.  Here's what it looked like last night.  More to come.