Behind the scenes and Porch!

 

 

 

The Plumbers and Electricians having been working like elves to get this house done!  We are very proud and excited that Dale's first attempt at stamped concrete turned out gorgeous!  The Looney family would like to with you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (this is the closest I will come to sending a Christmas card this year! ) 

Plumbing pipes...which way does it go??

Master bath sink plumbing

Down the drain... master shower

Kitchen sink

Laundry Room plumbing

Red hot/ Blue cold  Master shower

Gravel goes in first !

Lots of gravel!

Hall bath tub.... funny how you have to get those tubs in before everything else!

The concrete is stamped and release is applied to stamping to give it colors.

Can't wait for you to come over and sit awhile.  The concrete on ground is foundation for steps

This is a picture of the stamps.  They are rubber and are oddly shaped.  You lay on wet concrete and tamp the design in the porch.

Sweeping off release before sealer is applied. This process takes several days

Electricians arrived!  Thanks to O D Hawkins for doing a great job!

Ceiling - light mounting box

Concrete is cut to avoid cracking and enhance design

Perfect squares!  Good job Dale!

Ready for sealer.

Cool shot...between the floors.

Whoops!  Milo popped in to say hello to you!

With sealer!  Really brings out color in concrete!

Looks great!  Interesting and lengthy concrete process, but it is beautiful and now covered with felt so it won't get paint, gunk and mud on it!  Thanks to Dale, Rick, Dennis and Joe for a great job.

The good folks at Spencer Heating and Air have been here!

Dale Looney modeling his "Fresh Air Attire" while spraying FoamOne Spray Foam Insulation in our house!

Catching up!

View of Living Room...decided to rock to the ceiling on Fireplace! We love our high ceiling!

Master Bedroom Vaulted Ceiling....

Front view of the house...

My new toy... picks up nails! I had a fun time with this.  Looneybirds can you guess what is inside my toy?

Carlos needed a lift to finish the outside!  Dale was happy to oblige in lifesize Tonka Toy!

Undrae spraying FoamOne Spray Foam Insulation to the porch roof.

Peel and Stick protection around the bottom of porch to keep gravel away from house and decrease termite chance.  It is kind of like a thick tar paper that is waterproof. 

Joe cleaning the rafters after insulation is sprayed

Close up of Spray Foam Insulation

Spraying insulation inside on LR roof.  It is way up there... about 18 feet to tallest pt.

Plumbers have started... it all starts with a hole.  1st picture is a toilet hole and the other is a kitchen sink.

Cool shot of the day....  Shows the ceiling and the insulation installation. The wall you see is the dining room it is a partition wall and the ceiling will be open throughout both the living room and dining room.

Lots to catch up on.  I have started a new job and have been fooling with a herniated disk so haven't been blogging as regularly.   The framers have finished for now until the windows arrive and we are ready to put on the siding.  We will use Hardiplank siding.  The plumbers started yesterday and have promised to his it hard next week.  Getting time to make interior decisions - my favorite part.

I am going to spend a little time on insulation since it is near and dear to our hearts.  Dale has decided to do a hybrid house using both closed and open cell insulation.  We will start by spraying closed cell which is what you have seen today.  Next will come a layer of open cell which will further insulate and add to house quietness.  Energywise Structures did a energy analysis and load calculation for our HVAC.  They determined that with the amount of insulation that our heating and air should be around $107 a month!! ( the house is just over 4000 square feet) FoamOne  Spray Foam Insulation is a gift that keeps on giving by saving so much money over time.  You can learn more about this product at www.foamone.net  -  this is great product and worth investing in... even if you can't see it.   Dale has foam and will travel!

PS - as always a shout out to Miss Looney and her Looneybirds, who follow my blog!  She may have some budding builders on her hands! 

Happy Hunting!

The roof pitch of the center was just too low...looked too flat.  

 

Had to tear down and start over!  

The shed roof of the porches.... it is really cool!

 A picture of our water meter... water a must!  Just remember when you aren't in a subdivision that you have to pay for the meter to be dug and stubbed.   A little pricey so include in your budget.

The rear of the house with a GREAT LOOKING Roof!   Hello to the Looneybirds in Bham that are reading my blog!

Decking the front of the house!   The gables with be  windows, looking forward to natural light.

FRAMED

Dale is the front hallway leading to the girls rooms

Sheathing on the rear of house.  Windows haven't been cut out yet

Hard to walk around with all the bracing holding up the walls.  this is the back hall leading to our room and the kitchen .

Perhaps one day I will learn how to put these in order.  

 

 

 

 

Decking - this shows the hole cut for the stairs.  The concrete in the back is the roof  to safe room

Front of the house.... Coming up!

Garages...yes there is one for the boat!

The framing crew is working now.  They are making great progress and now it is easier for me to visualize.  The height of doors, windows and cased openings are the topic of conversation at our house.

Is this your FINAL decision?

In memory of Daniel Foster #13. 

Madeline visiting checking out the construction

Top plates and anchor bolts.  You got to think from the bottom up.  We have 3  boards to make the ceiling and roof the right height. Definitely married the right man!  

Walls coming up in the basement

Wood and roof trusses 

There comes a time that the dreaming has to stop and the decisions become real!  We are at the point.  Final decisions...sounds well final!  Spent time this week on windows - combining energy efficiency, aesthetics and cost!

The framers are doing great!  working away and the walls are coming up.  Next week we should begin the main level..where I live and it is very exciting.   Was excited to have Madeline to see the house.  Hope to work on the interior decisions soon.  Cabinets and flooring, trim, colors, doors.  busy few weeks ahead of us!

Concrete week - plus plumbing!

WOW!  My builder is amazing even with remnants of Issac coming through our area the building continued.  I have been busy picking out things.  I visited Angela at Ferguson Plumbing... it is our third house together and we can click through what I need/want vs.  budget/$$$$ pretty quickly.  She is nice enough to let me dream and look up prices out of my range. Lomax Plumbing was in and out so quickly I didn't even get a picture!  I am working on tile.  TILE one of the hardest to me!  I am just staying neutral so it shouldn't be hard BUT it is.  I went in and made selections but then doubted as soon as I got in the car.   There has been a lot of concrete this week, concrete walls, foundation, concrete slab and concrete block!   I have lots of pics of all of them which may look very much the same. 

Angela... my fav at Ferguson Plumbing

Handicap Commodes a must for the tall and semi aged!

Very important to try on for fit and comfort! 

Pouring foundation and spreading gravel

Forms for concrete walls

and more concrete

Concrete Slab

Issac's gift of rain...I tried not to complain we need it so badly

Forming for the concrete roof of safe room

The important thing in this picture is the SPRAY FOAM INSULATION sprayed on the exterior of concrete walls for energy efficiency!

Love this shot!  Out of the ground!