Started New House

[saltman]

Well I finally decided to hire a GC and start the new house. They are off to a good start, dug the footings last week, finished the rough plumbing today and get the first inspection tomorrow. This home will be 1728 sq feet with a 670sq foot wrap around patio, 12x12 pitch, metal roof, Hardi siding and 100% off grid with propane and solar power.

I did the Well about 4 years ago and just had the septic put in before the foundation guy started.

Kind of scary but exciting as well.

 

[teg]

Looking forward to see how it turns out. We want a house off the grid some day. Was the plan designed by you or did you have an architect? Doesn't look like sunlight will be in short supply...

 

[saltman]

I found a house I liked on the internet and then printed the floor plan and elevation photo and took it to an Achitect who added all the local code stuff and expanded the plan a bit.

Here is the original photo. My house will be almost the same but with a Metal roof and a stamped cement patio rather than a deck, otherwise it will be almost he same.

50,000 to run electrical to the house and 20,000 minus 30% in tax credits for solar so that was an easy decision. In 20 years when I am retired all I will have is a property tax payment! No water bill, no electricity bill..

 

[dave1949]

50,000 to run electrical to the house and 20,000 minus 30% in tax credits for solar so that was an easy decision.

That is a no brainer. Looking forward to watching your house project grow. It's really interesting to see construction in areas so different from my own.

I envy you your solar elec. capabilities. You probably get three times as much sun insolation as I would here. Plus you won't have a problem giving your batteries a good place to be installed. Last I read, lead-acid batteries function best/live longest around 70 deg.
Dave.

 

[teg]

I see in the second photo that you have water spigot, is that from a solar powered pump?

 

[saltman]

No the solar will not be in place for a few months. I use my generator to fill my 10,000 gallong tank that sits about 100 feet higher than my house site on top of a hill, so all of my water is gravity fed once it makes the 700 foot trip from the well to the water tank.

The fire department requires the storage tank here as well as fire hydrant and a fire srprinkler system in the house.

We got the first inspection out of the way today so they will be pouring concrete next week!

I'll be using my tractor this weekend to get my 3,000 foot driveway in order.

 

[saltman]

Lot's done last week, all the forms are in re-bar is in and they are pouring some 40 yard of concrete tomorrow.

I ordered my inverters from Backwoods solar yesturday and hope to get the county approval on my off grid solar plans soon.

I will post some photos this weekend when I go out to check out the slab.

Derik

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks for posting. I always enjoy seeing homes being built. As a contractor, it seems like I'm always going the same thing over and over again, so it's fun for me to see what others do, and how they do it around the country. I also find it very interesting to read comments on what the contractors do right, and what they get wrong.

What does concrete cost there per yard?

Eddie

 

[firefighter jim]

Saltman, Where s the trees?

 

[kebo]

Firefighter jim, you beat me to it! I don't think I could live somewhere that had no tree's closeby. Just me, but I am sure the OP is OK with it. To each his own. Good luck with your house, hope it turns out just like you plan for it!

 

[saltman]

The didn't pour today, I guess the couldn't get the inspector out there until tomorrow.

Eddie not sure about the price of the "mud" they didn't give me that detailed of a bid but my neighbor said about 110 a yard is what he's used to paying. As you know everything is more in California. I do know it's taken them a while to do the "fine grading" and setting the rebar. The plumbing inspection was done last Friday and the forms were in, and all this week they did the re-bar and the "fine grading".

I have planted about 50 trees since I bought the property in 2004, I plan on planting more once I get up there full time. No native trees other than Yucca tress in this part of the high desert. I do have a lot of Junipers on the far end of the 175 acres, but I would hardly call them trees more like bushes. It's what your used to I guess I get claustrophobic when I visit family in Washington State but a few nice shade trees sure would be nice.

 

[saltman]

Here are some photos from Friday and Sat. They got the ok from the inspector to go ahead and pour.

 

[dave1949]

This is interesting. It looks like a vapor barrier, then some concrete? below the rebar grid? I bet the guy on the phone is looking for the next concrete truck

Quite a view you have there. I bet 50-100 acres looks like a postage stamp in that terrain.

Dave.

 

[EddieWalker]

The only place that I've seen straps like that was in CA before leaving there. I heard that in my area, they were changing it to a continous length up to the rafters, but I've never actually seen them that long. They also wanted them every four feet, so I'm a littel surpised that you don't have more of them.

The bolt holders are something new that I've never seen before. Looks like a smart idea that keeps them right where you want them.

Same with that form out into the middle of the slab. Is that just to get the bolts lined up? Then it comes out when the mud is graded?

Is that gravel over the plastic? What's the reason for it? Never seen that either.

Thanks for the pics,
Eddie

 

[saltman]

The material over the plastic is Sand. They called it "fine grading". They were happy I have unlimited amounts of sand on site in a near by wash.

The majority of the straps only seem to be on the wall without the double spread footing. The front of the house has a big porch that runs it's length so it has two big footings running the length of the house, one for the house and one for the porch which carries part of the load for the roof. The long straps tie into a "strong wall". All new to me it's been 20 years since I framed a house and we didn't pour slabs in WA state.

The board in the middle comes out when they pour, I guess it needs extra bolts since it's a plumbing wall?

The framing will be interesting, it's all 2x6 with a lot of strong walls. I have been told it's over engineered but the winds out there in the winter can high. The house was designed to have a 700 sq foot 2nd floor, but due to costs we took out the "walk in attic"

They are droppping lumber on Wed.

 

[saltman]

The poured the slab yesterday. The finish is super smooth, I had told them I planned on having them stain the concrete later for the finished floor, so maybe that's why they finished it this way. Looks really good, took them about 9 hours to pour. They still need to pour the wrap around patio.

Starting framing on Monday.

Derik

 

[ruralruss]

The poured the slab yesterday. The finish is super smooth, I had told them I planned on having them stain the concrete later for the finished floor, so maybe that's why they finished it this way. Looks really good, took them about 9 hours to pour. They still need to pour the wrap around patio.

Starting framing on Monday.

Derik

That is a beautiful location.

When we moved to CA many years ago form the Midwest I thought everything was such a boring brown. Four years later when the job took us back East I realized how much I missed the desert.

You are going to have a great place there.

Russ

 

[saltman]

Thanks Russ, I think you have to be here at least once to appreciate it. I am from Washington State and the high desert at my place here reminds me a lot of Eastern Washington without the cold cold winters. CA is one screwed up state but it's one of the most beautiful and diverse states I have been to. I can drive 12 miles east and drop from 3,300 feet to sea level and go from 70 degrees to 90 degrees or I can drive 40 min and be at 7,000 feet in the woods or drive 70 miles west and I am at the Ocean.

 

[saltman]

Started framing on Thursday, moving right along, four framers camping on site and working until the project is done.

I found out when the architect changed the plan from two stories to one he added a vaulted 16 foot ceiling throught the house, it already has 10 foot walls so your looking at the interior celing height in the photos trusses will be added to this which will be 12 x12 pitch.

 

[dave1949]

Looking good.

I suppose 16' vaulted ceilings are a good thing in a warm climate. Around here, folks build a lot of 1 1/2 story 'Cape' style homes. They often leave the second floor unfinished until they really need it or sometimes never. The standard Cape has a bathroom at the head of the central stairs and a bedroom at each end. Usually a dormer for each bedroom. It can be fairly inexpensive space.

Dave.