Things are happening... fast!

Despite some rain we made a lot of progress this week; more is happening in parallel, and quickly!

This week the flexible underlayment for the metal roof was installed, which will keep everything dry from above. The finished roof itself will be installed later, once the siding is up and painting is completed.

Contractors for various trades are starting to appear and prepare for their respective work ahead. The "HVAC man" marked routing locations for all of the air-handling ducts, and now the electrician and plumber will map their plans. We're meeting with both on Monday to discuss things like switch and light locations, and whatever plumbing-related questions may need to be addressed at this stage.

Paint markings on the floor show location of air ducts and registers. This view is from our bedroom, looking across the master bedroom hall, past the closets, and through the bathroom. Eventually a freestanding tub will sit beneath the window, shaded by Bahama-style shutters.

The other big area of focus late this week is the porches. Today crews simultaneously began work to install the permanent porch posts, lay out the decking boards for the main level porches, and prepare the upper balcony and porch floors for a weatherproof flooring system that will protect the main-level porch ceilings below.

Columns for the main-level porches wait in a staging area in our kitchen! These are pressure-treated laminate wood construction, rated for 24,000 pound loads (tested to 110,000)... each!

Here you can see that a few upper-level porch posts have been installed. Note the metal strapping hanging down... this strapping is part of a system of protections against uplift in hurricane-type winds. It will run through the posts on both levels, and be well-secured to the roof framing above and foundation level framing below.

This afternoon the main-level decking boards were being laid out. Our builder showed us the new system he's using to allow for a screw-down application without any exposed fasteners, so it should be a pretty clean install.
 

It looks like we have quite a bit of rain in the forecast for next week, so it will be an interesting one! The crew needs a streak of good weather to complete the upper level porch floors, as it involves a six-coatings process that is carried out over several days.

Last, siding was delivered to the site today, so along with the porch work we expect to see window and siding work begin soon after the holiday.

That's it for our update this week, as well as for 2016... Happy New Year to all!

First days in South Carolina

We arrived in South Carolina on Wednesday after a cross-country jaunt that covered nine states in all, including a 500-mile diversion to avoid a fight with winter storm Decima! We turned south from Albuquerque on Sunday, allowing us to complete the journey hugging the southern coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

No matter the route, there's no lack of scenery... from Pacific coast, to desert, tall pines, badlands, prairies and hills, bayous, forests and, finally, the South Carolina lowcountry, we have a beautiful country!

In addition to a successful road trip, this week proved to be very productive for our construction project. The roof structure has been framed, and great progress was made on the porches and balcony. 

We discovered one issue today that will require re-framing window openings that flank our kitchen rangetop, but otherwise everything looks good!

Being the first we've seen the house in-person since Thanksgiving, we're including an extra healthy dose of pictures to share this week.

Merry Christmas!

This is about all you can see clearly from the road. The overall view of the front elevation is filtered through our landscape buffer of saw palmetto and other native plantings.  

This is more or less what you see as you approach from the street. The staircase is temporary -- our builder had it built for us to use when we arrived.

The rear porch and balcony above were being framed on Thursday.

Work on framing details continues throughout; some being pretty complex...

This jigsaw puzzle of lumber is the framing for the ceiling in the study!

The wraparound porches on both levels require a lot of lumber and hardware, with seeming endless rows of rafters, joists and metal hangers and rafter ties.

This is the floor framing for the front porch, main level. Here you can see where the permanent staircase will rise up from ground level from underneath.

Finally, the views are looking good; we're quite happy with what we see...

Kitchen window view encourages dish washing!

The master bedroom has a great view of the community pond in one direction, and a more distant view of the marsh surrounding the island in the other.

Guests staying in this room will have a view of the marsh in the distance, while the other guest room provides a limited view of a pond across the street.

Bonnie can keep an eye on the neighbors from our bedroom balcony!

Here's the view from the side porch off the guest bedrooms. 

We were pleased to see this peek-a-boo view of the intracoastal waterway from our balcony; you have to look through the pines to see the water, but a pleasing view all the same!

Leaving California...

Today we left California and many friends behind to start our eastward journey to Charleston. We departed on our road trip in a downpour, but were treated to a beautiful rainbow by the time we reached the desert!

On the home front, work began on the roof structure. The weather was mixed again, so not as much progress as hoped, but the report today from our builder Ryan was upbeat. He took this photo from the area that will be our rear balcony on the second floor, which highlights how the angle of the house gives a nice elongated view of the ponds.

We're in Phoenix, Arizona tonight, and plan to be in Charleston around Wednesday after a leisurely cross-country drive!

Upper level framing is good to go!

The weather finally turned against us this week, and two days of rain resulted in a slow start. By mid-week the weather improved, though, and we ended the week with the second story framed and ready for the roof above. More lumber is scheduled for delivery early next week. In the meantime, framing for the upper porches is under way.

Things still look good for having a roof overhead by year end, if not sooner, and window and door installations will soon follow. We need to make a final decision on the front door, but we're leaning toward this mahogany 4-lite door with sidelights...

2-over-2 pattern on the window and door glass lends a casual coastal element.

Window selection is complete and our order placed... we specified hurricane-resistant impact glass, rated for 172 mph winds!!! Check out this manufacturer video if interested in seeing how these windows are tested in the laboratory. Viwinco OceanView window impact demonstration.

That's it for our update this week. If you'd like to see what the end result will look like, check out the new tab above that links to our exterior elevation drawings. They include a couple of 3D renderings to help give an idea of what the home will look like from ground level when finished. Enjoy!

Onward and upward!

After a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday the crew is back to work in full force. Most framing for the first floor was completed this week, and trusses for the second floor were delivered on Tuesday.

These 18" trusses will allow for running of HVAC, electrical and plumbing through the floor structure, and should prove to be a strong and stable platform for the rest of the house above.

Second-story floor joist being installed mid-week. That open section toward the back of the photo will be completed once a design change is taken care of around the interior staircase.

Today, the crew is framing second-floor walls, while an unanticipated challenge around the staircase is being resolved on the first level... different interpretations between design and engineering require adjustments and a couple of days to resolve, but no show-stopper!!

Above are the beginnings of our guest bedrooms, and in the foreground is the area being left open while new trusses are made to accommodate an engineering change.

All in all, terrific progress this week. Our beloved oak tree will need more pruning sooner rather than later, but with continued excellent weather we may have a roof overhead by Christmas!

Great weather continues to cooperate

Just a couple of days since the last update and the first floor wall framing is done. Today the sheathing is being applied, along with a weather barrier where the porches will attach to the exterior walls. Framing for the porch floor has started, too. Nice, sunny weather and cool temperatures are really helping move things along!

These openings will lead to the first story porch through a pair of narrow french doors.

Gaining momentum -- framing has begun!

We arrived in Charleston last night and can finally see the progress on our home up close and in person. Things are really picking up speed! This week the laminated beams, i-joists and sub-floor were placed, and construction of the first-floor wall structure has begun!

A nice surprise when we pulled up -- framing has begun!

Here's the back of the home from the southeast corner. That's the kitchen in the middle of the photo, and family room along the back wall, to the right.

A view from below -- that open area above is for the stairwell.

Bonnie is checking placement of french doors in the dining room, and imagining the staircase that leads up to the front porch, as you walk under the tree canopy.

Looks like it passes inspection!

Oh yeah, pay attention to where you're walking!!

The Tree

Here's our Grand Oak tree after pruning this week. See the "before" picture below. We had to make room for the southwest corner of the house, which will be built right into the edge of the tree canopy.

This beautiful tree is quite a monster -- the trunks are 33" and 35" in diameter at chest height, and the canopy spans 80 feet across. To get to this size we estimate it's about 175 years old - Abraham Lincoln would have been about 30 when this tree took root!

Foundation piers complete!

This is what a boat-load of concrete piers looks like! Hard to get a sense of the foundation footprint without being there in person, but we'll get a first-hand look in about a week.

Week 2

November 4, 2016 - Week 2; the footers have been poured and the block piers are being built (41 in all)... these will keep the first floor of our home elevated at around 18' above sea level when finished.

Breaking Ground!

October 28, 2016 - Week 1 of actual construction... exciting to see some earth moving. Trenches for footers have been dug and rebar is in place. The weather has been dry since Hurricane Matthew blew through a couple weeks back. No sign of rain to come for the next two, so hopefully we can make up some lost time!

Welcome

Welcome to our blog!

After months of planning we are finally breaking ground for our new home on Rushland Island. We will use the blog to document the home building process and share our experience with you.  Enjoy.

Ron & Bonnie