New Home Construction
- Thread starter bmac
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<font color="blue"> I've been posting most of my projects for the simple reason that just one right comment or idea could save me money, improve my project or solve a problem. </font>
But Eddy, you've (a) done the construction yourself and (b) built unique stuff. My project is more routine and will be done by a contractor. Hopefully, most will enjoy the pics and, of course, learn from the many mistakes I'm sure to make along the way.
But Eddy, you've (a) done the construction yourself and (b) built unique stuff. My project is more routine and will be done by a contractor. Hopefully, most will enjoy the pics and, of course, learn from the many mistakes I'm sure to make along the way.
<font color="blue"> You've missed the best part, the clearing. </font>
I have a few photos of the freshly cleard land. It's hard to get perspective from a photo, but I'll post them soon.
A pre-clearing picture would have been essentially a picture of trees and brush. The land is densely wooded so a pre-clearing pic wouldn't have added much to the discussion. Now, if I had gotten an aerial view, that would have been cool to see the before and after.
<font color="blue"> I would really like to see how they dealt with the clearing and how you chose to put your home where you did. </font>
Well, they just drove their dozer in there and knocked down everything that was standing. Not really, but pretty much. They initially left a number of trees at the building site but I had them removed. My goal is to have no tree close enough to hit my house if it were to fall over.
We selected the site initially to get the house as close as we could to a small stream at the rear of the property. The land also has several ravines going from the front to the rear of the property and we had to consider these in establishing the location of the house. As it stands, we had just enough space between 2 of the ravines where the slope of the land was gentle enough to have a relative flat front yard and but also allow for a walk-out basement.
I have a few photos of the freshly cleard land. It's hard to get perspective from a photo, but I'll post them soon.
A pre-clearing picture would have been essentially a picture of trees and brush. The land is densely wooded so a pre-clearing pic wouldn't have added much to the discussion. Now, if I had gotten an aerial view, that would have been cool to see the before and after.
<font color="blue"> I would really like to see how they dealt with the clearing and how you chose to put your home where you did. </font>
Well, they just drove their dozer in there and knocked down everything that was standing. Not really, but pretty much. They initially left a number of trees at the building site but I had them removed. My goal is to have no tree close enough to hit my house if it were to fall over.
We selected the site initially to get the house as close as we could to a small stream at the rear of the property. The land also has several ravines going from the front to the rear of the property and we had to consider these in establishing the location of the house. As it stands, we had just enough space between 2 of the ravines where the slope of the land was gentle enough to have a relative flat front yard and but also allow for a walk-out basement.
<font color="blue"> Anything special about the new house in terms of materials or technique?
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Not really - pretty much standard construction technique and materials. I guess the one feature that is unusual for our area will be the basement under the garage. I did this to eliminate the need for a seperate barn structure to house my tractor and set up a small shop. Cost-wise, I think it will come out cheaper to do this than to build a barn and everything will be accessable from the house. I guess we'll see later if this was a good decision.
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Not really - pretty much standard construction technique and materials. I guess the one feature that is unusual for our area will be the basement under the garage. I did this to eliminate the need for a seperate barn structure to house my tractor and set up a small shop. Cost-wise, I think it will come out cheaper to do this than to build a barn and everything will be accessable from the house. I guess we'll see later if this was a good decision.
I went to the building site at lunch today and found that they were about 60% done with the excavation for the basement. Should have it done by the end of the day. I'll try to get out tomorrow and get some photos. There won't be much done for awhile once the excavation is complete as I haven't gotten the final figures from the builder to take to the bank. Then the banker has to get an appraisal, etc.
I was impressed that the tractor operator was kind enough to move the top soil into separate piles before he began digging. Here in Georgia, hard red clay is the predominant soil so having a nice stockpile of good stuff for the surface will be nice. Good Man!
I'll post what few pictures I have tomorrow.
I was impressed that the tractor operator was kind enough to move the top soil into separate piles before he began digging. Here in Georgia, hard red clay is the predominant soil so having a nice stockpile of good stuff for the surface will be nice. Good Man!
I'll post what few pictures I have tomorrow.
Highbeam
Super Member
"Well, they just drove their dozer in there and knocked down everything that was standing. Not really, but pretty much. They initially left a number of trees at the building site but I had them removed. My goal is to have no tree close enough to hit my house if it were to fall over."
I know that's what it looks like but I have tried this and there's a little more to it. Or maybe they had a monster dozer.
I am currently trying to decide whether to leave any trees around the house site for shade and aesthetics and also which direction to face the home in regards to wind and sun. These are the kinds of decisions that aren't expensive but you may regret. On the trees, I also have to consider that by clearing most of the trees, the remaining trees are more likely to blow down.
I know that's what it looks like but I have tried this and there's a little more to it. Or maybe they had a monster dozer.
I am currently trying to decide whether to leave any trees around the house site for shade and aesthetics and also which direction to face the home in regards to wind and sun. These are the kinds of decisions that aren't expensive but you may regret. On the trees, I also have to consider that by clearing most of the trees, the remaining trees are more likely to blow down.
Yeah, I was simplifing the process, I'm sure. I was not present when they cleard the site, so I can't say exactly how it was done. I do know that I had a heavily wooded site, they showed up with a dozer and when I returned I had a cleared building site. I also know that they also had a chainsaw as the larger trees were cleaned up, cut to manageable lengths and stacked off to the side. I didn't see how many of the trees were felled with the chainsaw vs knocked over w/ the dozer.
<font color="blue">I am currently trying to decide whether to leave any trees around the house site for shade and aesthetics and also which direction to face the home in regards to wind and sun. </font>
I definately was concerned about sun direction but the slope of the land pretty well dictated the general orientation of the house. A rough estimate places the house facing southeast.
<font color="blue">I am currently trying to decide whether to leave any trees around the house site for shade and aesthetics and also which direction to face the home in regards to wind and sun. </font>
I definately was concerned about sun direction but the slope of the land pretty well dictated the general orientation of the house. A rough estimate places the house facing southeast.
Boone
Gold Member
I guess the one feature that is unusual for our area will be the basement under the garage.
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It is rare to have a basement under the garage up here in Wisconsin, but my uncle built his with the basement under the garage. He has a trapdoor in the floor of the garage (located like a grease pit at the oil change place would be under the car.) The room under the garage is for firewood storage. He uses the FEL to dump the wood. I thought that was a slick setup.
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It is rare to have a basement under the garage up here in Wisconsin, but my uncle built his with the basement under the garage. He has a trapdoor in the floor of the garage (located like a grease pit at the oil change place would be under the car.) The room under the garage is for firewood storage. He uses the FEL to dump the wood. I thought that was a slick setup.
Jagmandave
Veteran Member
"Would you tell the contractor(S) that they are being watched at all times?"
I guess the contractor will know, since it will be me! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
But there will be times when I can't be there, so it might come in handy for night security or something. Other than that, I guess it's just the geek factor! Nowadays you can do so much with computers, they have cameras that only record motion, and some that you can set to only record motion in certain areas, so you don't get lots of videos of blowing tree branches or leaves. One guy I know has this setup on his house at Lake of The Ozarks, his camera emails him the vid whenever it records, and he got one the other day. When he opended it, a deer walked across the screenview - pretty cool actually!
I guess the contractor will know, since it will be me! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
But there will be times when I can't be there, so it might come in handy for night security or something. Other than that, I guess it's just the geek factor! Nowadays you can do so much with computers, they have cameras that only record motion, and some that you can set to only record motion in certain areas, so you don't get lots of videos of blowing tree branches or leaves. One guy I know has this setup on his house at Lake of The Ozarks, his camera emails him the vid whenever it records, and he got one the other day. When he opended it, a deer walked across the screenview - pretty cool actually!