3R Home and Barn Project

[3RRL]

Eddie thank you.
It's just great to hear you say that knowing how much I admire your knowledge and skills as a contractor and builder like so many of us here on TBN do.
PS...I had a lot of help and a lot of luck too.
Tell Steph it's not so bad out here yet. Wait until July when it eclipses 110F! But it's beautiful nevertheless, at least to my eyes. That's when the rivers and lake start looking especially good!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Rob,

Looks great.

Must be nice having two tractors to help with clearing and landscaping!! .

My wife did ask me the other day when I was going to show her how to drive the tractor...some day soon dear, some day soon .

 

[bindian]

Rob,
I am constantly saying WOW, while looking your house photos over. I keep drueling and wanting to start building mine.
hugs, Brandi

 

[3RRL]

David, thank you.
You might as well teach your wife now. I found many, many times where Loretta had to drive the big Kama while I was hooking up chains or a trailer or an implement for instance. It's just handy in case you need the tractor and she can get it and knows how to operate it.
Now she's got her own and you're right, chores go pretty fast and we spend a lot of time doing stuff together where before it was a solo affair.

Brandi, thank you for your great comment.
Sure wish you could've come up and seen it during the Ag Fair or after like Brian and Eddie did. They keep telling me it's better in person than the photos show. I see it all the time so I'll have to take their word for it. Loretta and I picked out some wild stuff like those colorful sinks and wildlife lights, but I think it all works.
Oh, and drooling is a good thing.

 

[tommu56]

Rob
Not that Loretta has become proficient on here tractor!
I'm sure she would like you to become proficient on the kitchen with the meals and dishes!

tommu

 

[3RRL]

I'm sure she would like you to become proficient on the kitchen with the meals and dishes!
Hahaha, oh sure Tom, you are just full of good ideas!



One thing I wanted to touch on was that the solar power is and has been working great.
Secretly, I've been sweating that.
Those are older photos when we were installing the system. It's given the contractor all the electrical power over the last year +. If I remember right, it's set up to make 21.7kW total. The back up generator has rarely kicked on except a couple times during the Winter last year. That was mainly due to the rain and no sun conditions when the batteries were not getting their full charge.
We were so jazzed when we flipped on the lights, fans and air conditioning unit to see everything working. No doubt we will have to watch what power we use, but it appears from first glance that the system is designed robust enough to handle what we intended. This week the solar contractor is coming to move the controls and check panels into the house. We will be able to monitor from inside.
I can't wait to set up my machine shop and see what happens.

 

[PAGUY]

Rob - I have really enjoyed reading your posts and that of Michael and David. It has been very entertaining. Looking forward to final pics of inside (with furniture ) and outside (with landscaping) from all three of you.

I have one suggestion for your wish list and that is a dozer like Davids so that you can make a fire break around your beautiful home knowing how scarey California brush fires can be. Maybe it is overkill as I realize you have that big poly tank but it can't hurt and besides it would make a grand addition to those toys excuse me I meant machines you and Loretta own. You can really figure up some new projects for around the property too.

 

[3RRL]

Rob - I have really enjoyed reading your posts and that of Michael and David. It has been very entertaining. Looking forward to final pics of inside (with furniture ) and outside (with landscaping) from all three of you.

I have one suggestion for your wish list and that is a dozer like Davids so that you can make a fire break around your beautiful home knowing how scary California brush fires can be. Maybe it is overkill as I realize you have that big poly tank but it can't hurt and besides it would make a grand addition to those toys excuse me I meant machines you and Loretta own. You can really figure up some new projects for around the property too.

Thanks so much for your interest in this and those other threads.
I turns out we might go up midweek after all, since our contractor just called to let us know the home is ready for final. That means the stairs are done, the granite counter tops are in along with the sinks, and the flooring should be done too. They want us to do a punch list walk through.
I'll share some pics if they are interesting enough.
I'll be taking the last 2 large pieces of machinery up with me too, and then I can pack all my precision tooling. After that, we can start moving our personal belongings, I suppose? My golf buddies although sad to see me leave after 25 years, will be happy to see me go, if you know what I mean. They kid me about having financed the new log home.
Your last paragraph may be the single most important piece of advice I've gotten regarding the fire break, but more importantly, to get a bulldozer (and an excavator while I'm at it). I'll be sure to show Loretta this and emphasize how badly we need those other toys ... er tools.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Rob, good luck with your final inspection. I can't remember anybody ever getting signed off on the first call. ( down here anyway) The inspector always finds something wrong, even if it is some little piddly thing. I think that they do that just to let everybody know who's boss.

 

[bones1]

Ok Rob, I'll start packing too.You two have picked out MY room correct?. Just kidding...... maybe, but I am curious to see if the solar system will handle the power requirements for the machine shop.Are your machines single or three phase?. I suppose you could always install a separate system just for the shop$$$$.