Building Your Dream Home - Part 2

Razing the Cottage

With new house plans and permits in hand, subcontractors hired and a Septic Design in process, it was now time to raze the existing cottage. I considered employing the local fire department to burn it down, however I chose the demolition route instead. Though I did not contact the Fire Department, I was convinced that this route would have led to multiple delays and pitfalls, as I would have been at the whim of several town employees and weather conditions. The demolition route required only the excavator subcontractor and had less weather related schedule risks. In addition, the demolition cost and effort was very reasonable. Within two days, it was as if the cottage never existed on the land. It is important to note, however, that the cottage was relatively small. It was 22 x 30. If the cottage had been significantly larger, then the Fire Department route may have made more financial sense.

The demolition effort itself basically consisted of three parts. First, all of the furniture and appliances needed to be removed. Most of these item16D0s were old and musty and were not worth saving. Next, the excavator used a large backhoe and tore apart and crushed the building into small pieces. Finally, the excavator loaded the debris into several 20 cubic yard dumpsters, which were then hauled away by a dumpster company. Finding the appropriate dumpster company was a little bit of a challenge, as there are strict regulations on the disposing of certain home construction material. In addition, the dumpster costs can dramatically increase depending on how far away their facilities are from the construction/destruction site.

Breaking Ground

After the cottage was razed, and the stakes were placed outlining the boundary of the new home, it was time to break ground. This was a very exciting time as my dream was about to begin to take shape. I was building a large contemporary home with a wall of windows facing the lake front. Admittedly it was only a hole in the ground, but this hole represented the rough footprint of my future house. Seeing the hole, I could begin to more easily visualize my future home.

Digging out the hole and preparing the site for a foundation is one of the most critical aspects of building a new home. As a result, I spent several occasions with both the Excavator and Foundation subcontractors reviewing the house plans and the site prior to, and during the excavation. It was imperative that all of us were on the same page to ensure that the foundation walls, with all its jogs and step ups/downs would be located and installed per the plans. During these meetings a few adjustments were necessary to the foundation plans, however with all the team members involved the changes were minor and absolutely necessary. The changes helped prevent more serious problems later on and ensured that the outside aesthetics of the home were maintained.

As I already indicated, the foundation is extremely important to any quality home. If the foundation is not built upon a solid footing, nor constructed of the appropriate concrete strength, the foundation walls will crack in short order. These cracks can lead to water in the basement, settling in the framing, and eventually cracks in the finished walls and ceilings. Consequently, it is imperative that the excavation site not only be properly dug out, but also backfilled with crushed stone and sand to provide for a stable base and to enable proper drainage underneath and around the home. In my case I had the excavator dig out sufficiently to enable 18 of crushed stone to be backfilled into the hole and still meet my foundation plan requirements.

Once the site was prepared for concrete, the foundation crew installed concrete footings 18 wide and 12 deep. In addition they installed several cement footings in the middle of the house footprint for lally columns. The footings represent the base of the home and support the concrete foundation walls and the home itself. Due to the fact that it was winter, Calcium Chloride was used as an accelerator to speed the curing time of the concrete. In addition water had pooled in a portion of the hole, so constant pumping was necessary during the curing time.

After a couple of days, the foundation crew installed forms for the concrete walls. A day later the foundation walls were poured. Three days later the forms were removed and the foundation walls were in. I then had my excavator subcontractor return. After tarring the outer walls, just up to the level of where the finished grade would be, he installed a perimeter drain around the foundation and then backfilled the foundation with clean sand and fill. It is important that boulders and clay not be used as backfill material. Boulders can crack the foundation walls while being pushed into place, and clay can lead to improper drainage around the home.

With the foundation in and backfilled I was ready for framers.

The Framing Stage

The framing stage is probably the most exciting part of building a home. In a relatively short period of time, literally days, a house begins to take real form. Within less than a week knee walls were up, floor joists were installed and a plywood sub-floor was down. After a couple of weeks, the first floor walls were up and ceiling joists were being installed. I was so impressed I was convinced my new home was a month ahead of schedule. Boy was I wrong.

Before I elaborate on my misconception I should jump back for a minute. While the excavation work went on, I was also engaged with the Framing subcontractor. The Framing subcontractor needed to order framing material including lumber, doors and windows, shingles and siding. Inevitably there were issues with the availability of material and delivery dates, and as a result, we spent a fair amount of time resolving these issues. Fortunately, due to constant communication and quick problem solving we were able to have the initial delivery of lumber arrive on the site within a day after the backfilling of the foundation.

It is important to note, that it is at this time of the project that the large outlays of money begin to occur. Lumber costs for a home construction are quite large, and final payments are due to the Excavator and Foundation subcontractors. Excavation/Sitework and Foundation installations are a significant portion of the cost of building a home. In addition, the Framing subcontractor requires a portion of his labor to be paid in advance.

Also, it is very important that Homeowner Construction Insurance be obtained prior to the construction phase. This insurance protects the Homeowner/Builder against material theft and job injuries. All of your subcontractors and their employees should be insured but dont count on it. During any building project, su5B4bcontractors are bound to hire extra help for short stints and I would be surprised if these temporary employees were added to the subcontractors insurance policy. The homeowner/builder insurance policy is small change compared to the risk of theft or the threat of injury lawsuits.

As I indicated earlier, I was in for a surprise with the framing phase of my home. As mentioned, the initial framing moved quickly. However it was still winter and frequent snow storms and extremely cold weather began to hit. This dramatically slowed progress. In addition, with the fresh supply of snow it quickly became apparent that my framing crew had an affinity to snowmobiling. So even on the sunny days my framing crew was frequently absent. No matter my level of complaining or prodding I was unable to control my framing subcontractors work ethic.

Consequently, I had to contact my plumbing, electric, and fireplace subcontractors to inform them of the delay. This was extremely painful to have to do, as I had no definitive date on when I would actually need them and each of them had very full calendars. As a result, to be able to call them at the last minute and expect for them to drop what they were doing to come to work on my project was highly unlikely. Again, through regular communication with these other subcontractors I was able to mitigate some of this problem, however my project did experience significant schedule slips due to m584y framing crews shenanigans.

In retrospect, I am not sure what I could have done to have prevented this problem. Reference checks on the Framing subcontractor had been positive. I guess I should have asked what his hobbies were and made sure they did not correspond to the season I wanted the work done. It is also a fact that unexpected things do happen on any project and one should expect it and plan accordingly. For example, put some contingency dollars and schedule into your project for events such as mine. Also, I can not stress enough to establish a rapport and regular communication channel with all of your subcontractors. Do not assume anything during a project of this size.

To Be Continued .

In Part 3 of Building Your Dream House, the Framing continues and Rough Electric and Plumbing begin. Stay tuned

Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. Mr. Donovan's formal education and profession have been as an Electrical Engineer and Marketing Manager.

Me_Donovan@comcast.net
2D0http://www.homeadditionplus.com
http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com

Small White Fence With Paint Peel

Sanding Hardwood Floors

There are certain hardwoods that are vulnerable to weather and climate changes. Some woods contract or shorten when it is hot. Others expand when there is moisture. When this happens, the floor becomes uneven. If left unchecked, it could ruin the look of the room and even become hazardous enough to cause accidents.

You1C26 do not have to take out the planks and replace them. The more practical solution is to sand them. Sanding your floor is a project that needs your dedication and time, whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor for it.

Sanding It All Away

For the initial sanding, you will need to use the coarsest sandpaper- the 20 grit. There is a sanding machine that you can use to make the whole ordeal easier and faster.

For efficiency, you will need to sand the floor at a 45 degree angle to the grain. It may take several rounds before the surface evens. It really depends on the precision of the tongue-and-grove milling of the hardwood.

Another technique is pushing and pulling the sander as it moves. The pressure is strong as it moves forward. You will need to lift the sander at an angle and apply pressure as it moves back. Continue this method until the diagonal scratches are not visible anymore. You must be careful that the traces of the sandpaper are eliminated. The slightest pattern will show after you apply a coating.

The process may take a long time. Be prepared to change the sandpaper form time to time. Stock up on 20, 36, 60, 80, and 100 grit sandpaper. For wood that is coated with aluminum oxide, use a commercially available softening solution before sanding. It may be hard to sand if you do not do this. Sandpaper also contains aluminum oxide so scratching the two surfaces against each other will take more force.

Hardwood Floors provides detailed information on Hardwood Floors, Engineered Hardwood Floors, Solid Hardwood Floors, Long-strip Hardwood Floors and more. Hardwood Floors is affiliated with Install Hardwood Flooring.

Frozen Water Lines

Bathroom Counter Top And Bathroom Vanity Countertop Choices

Bathroom Counter top choices are almost infinite it seems. With new materials and technologies your selection has not been made easier. However it has never been a better time for creativity in bathroom design, since for almost any bathroom decorating idea you may have there is certainly a countertop surface material, pattern and color to fit your needs. One factor that will determine your choice of bathroom and vanity countertop besides appearance and cost will probably be durability and maintenance. Here are some of the more popular bathroom vanity counter top surfaces you'll encounter:

Laminate Bathroom Countertops
A popular choice for years due to its versatility and affordability. Available in so many colors, patterns and textures that it's a breeze to coordinate with your other bathroom design elements like wall covering or fixtures. When installed on counters plastic laminate resists moisture superbly and is easy to maintain. Laminate is available in different grades, but basically affordable so don't buy the cheapest, get your moneys worth.

Ceramic Tile Bathroom Countertops
Impervious to water, durable and easy to clean tile bathroom countertops offer a great opportunity to bring individual style and personality to your bathroom. Available in many colors, shapes and finishes. Even hand painted. Very versatile. Don't select a fragile tile and you must use a grout sealer in areas exposed to water. Tile comes in two finishes, glazed and unglazed.

Stone and Concrete Bathroom Countertops
Granite, marble, and slate will probably be the most expensive choices for your bathroom countertop. They are have a rich, elegant appearance and are natural stone that is extremely durable. Becoming more popular are two other materials, they are limestone and concrete. Limestone has more of a textured appeal compared to granite and the other stone countertop surfaces. While concrete offers flexibility. It can be shaped, carved, inlaid with objects or colored. Though it offers many new creative possibilities concrete tends to crack easy.

Solid Surface Bathroom Countertops
Man made and very durable this synthetic made of acrylic or polyester is easily maintained. It comes in varied colors and textures, even faux stone. Solid surfacing material is used to fabricate counter tops, shower enclosures and even floors. It is not cheap, as a matter of fact it can cost almost as much as marble or granite. It is impervious to abrasions, water and dents that could occur over time. And it is easy to repair if necessary. Solid surface materials possess a lasting durability requiring minimal maintenance.

As you can see there is a counter top surface choice that should fit your maintenance requirements, decorating and bathroom design ideas as well as your budget. Regardless what your personal preferences are, your bathroom remodeling project will benefit from the flexibility of your counter top choices. Your bathroom can have a updated new stylish look that reflects your style based on your bathroom vanity countertop material choice.

Get more in depth vanity and bathrooom countertop ideas and information go to Bathroom and Vanity Countertops and Cabinets.

Also go to http://Countertops-And-Cabinets.Com which is dedicated to providing quality information on bathroom, vanity and kitchen countertops and cabinets.

Upper View Of Brown Exterior Stair

Friendly Remodeling Tips

Making home improvements adds to the aesthetic appeal and value of your home. Many homeowners are becoming more environmentally conscious and are searching for "green" ideas to beautify and improve their homes. Here are some "green" remodeling solutions for homeowners including bamboo products, zero-VOC paint, reclaimed wood flooring, and 140EFSC certified lumber.

What exactly is "FSC certified lumber" and why would you choose to use it? Lumber that has been FSC certified originates from sustainable forests. Sustainable forestry considers the health and well-being of the sensitive ecosystems and is based on the idea that the amount of goods and services yielded from a forest should be at a level the forest is capable of producing without degradation of the soil, watershed features or seed source for the future. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification when you or your contractors buy lumber. The FSC certifies that lumber bearing its symbol originated in a responsibly managed forest. Many retailers stock FSC-certified products including The Home Depot and Lowe's Home Improvement Centers. If you are having difficulty locating a specific product, go to the Forest Stewardship Council web site for assistance at the URL listed at the end of this article..

If you are planning to install hardwood floors, consider using hardwood made from recycled or reclaimed woods because they make use of timber that was cut decades, or even centuries, ago and the weathered character of the wood can be gorgeous. You may also want to ask your flooring contractor about bamboo which is an attractive, eco-friendly, renewable resource alternative to hardwood flooring. Bamboo is actually a grass rather than tree and grows back quickly when harvested, as fast as a foot a day! Bamboo flooring is available in a number of different finishes and shades to complement your dcor. Adhesives used in bamboo flooring sometimes contain a urea formaldehyde resin, although products that contain minimal or no formaldehyde are available.

Surprisingly, bamboo is also becoming a popular option for both countertops and bed sheets. Sheets are usually made from cotton, but now you can buy sheets and pillowcases made using fibers of bamboo plants. The fibers are soft and fine and the sheets have a silky feel without being slippery. Bamboo countertops are constructed from bamboo plywood and offer a look similar to butcher block. Bamboo plywood is available through flooring suppliers or retailers where you can find bamboo flooring.

Installation of both bamboo flooring and countertops can require cutting, sanding, sealing and adhesive application. It's important to consider how much these installation activities may affect indoor air quality in terms of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), dust, and particulates. VOCs are the chemicals emitted into the air when adhesives, coatings or paint dry. Water-based adhesives contain less VOCs and you will want to look for an adhesive that meets the standard of 150 grams of VOCs per liter as a safe maximum. Choosing tongue-and-groove flooring can minimize the need for adhesives.

VOC levels will also be a concern when choosing paint. These chemicals are added to paint to keep the paint from freezing, to allow the paint to dry slower so it maintains a wet edge, or just to provide the pigment necessary to color the paint. A number of paint suppliers offer environmentally safe paints and coatings with low levels of VOCs. Sherwin-Williams offers eco-friendly latex paint product lines that have the highest indoor air quality ratings for low VOCs and low odor. Their Harmony line features zero-VOCs. Look for the Sherwin-Williams GreenSure symbol and for more information check out their web site at http://www.sherwin-williams.com/

By building with FSC certified lumber, choosing reclaimed wood or bamboo for flooring, and using low VOC adhesives and paints we can all do our part to improve and preserve our precious environment. Homeowners who make the extra effort to utilize these eco-friendly products will both beautify and improve their homes and feel good about living "green".

Linda Hunter is a top-producing real estate professional and mortgage loan consultant in Long Beach, California. For more information on California real estate, mortgage loans and home improvement topics, visit her web site at http://lindahunter.com/

A resource for bamboo flooring products approved by GreenHomeGuide's editors can be found at http://www.greenhomeguide.com/index.php/product/C115/

Visit the Forest Stewardship Council web site at http://www.fscus.org

Ceiling Beam With 4 X 4 Post

Kitchen Renovation Contractor

Our whole homes should be a reflection of our personalities, our kitchens are no different. They are very personal rooms that are considered as the heart of the house. In order to i5B4mpress people with your kitchen you should make sure you get exactly what you want.

There are two ways to get what you want when you are having your kitchen renovated. The first is doing it yourself, now this is obviously very difficult, but you are guaranteed to get exactly what you want. The other easier way is to hire a contractor and guide him closely. You could even use kitchen design software to lay out your kitchen and help to make sure your contractor knows exactly what you want.

Discussing Your Choices With Your Contractor

Before you rush out to buy some software to remodel your kitchen you should decide what you want to gain from your kitchen remodelling project. Carry out some research to find out what would work well for your kitchen, investigate all of the current trends and see which you like. You can research these things in magazines and even on the internet. There are lots of websites where you can get this information for free which will save you the price of a magazine!

There are many different designs of kitchen available, you should start by making a list of everything you need in your kitchen. Do you need a dishwasher? Do you need a microwave? Continue in this fashion until you have listed all of these things. You will need to make sure you leave enough space for these appliances when you are fitting your new cabinets and remodelling your kitchen. Try to cater for everything that will be fou5ABnd in your kitchen, even including somewhere to store your utensils.

If you are renovating your kitchen using home renovations software I should warn you it can be contagious! Just watch you don't get carried away and do the whole house. You should try to make the house design flow, and this can be done by renovating the house in stages. Your contractor should be able to offer you valuable advice on your renovation projects so make sure you ask your contractor for their opinion.

Kurt Schefken's papers can be found on different web publications with reference to kitchen cabinets. His observations on wall mount faucets can be discovered on http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com

4 X 12 Stair Stringer Trip Hazar

Underground House Floor Plan

If you happened across a home built from an underground house floor plan you could be forgiven for thinking the owners might be Hobbits because the only things visible might be a door or window set into a foliage covered hill. This type of home is actually a series of small, interconnecting domes made from cement and partially or completely submerged into the earth.

Such unconventional house floor plans are actually a step in the right direction for those persons thinking outside the box in terms of energy conservation and environmental benefits. Living underground in such earth-sheltered housing has its merits and takes a very conservative view in energy usage.

When considering an underground house floor plan, look for the following applications:

1. The house floor plan should blur the distinction between indoors and outdoors. The purpose is to exist in close harmony with nature.

2. The windows should be honeycomb style to harness solar energy.

3. Since the windows for this type of floor plan don't open, an intake vent system with filters should be installed to draw fresh air from outside. The filters help keep out unwanted pests.

4. Air should be fanned from a solar collector through the home duct work into a rock store beneath the main living space. The store system maintains an efficient heat-exchange which works with the insulating soil to maintain a comfortable temperature year round. A good system would require no additional heating or cooling.

The dome shaped rooms give rise to maximum floor space and minimum wall area. Floor areas do not to conform to traditional housing expectations and and the living spaces are defined with curved walls with no sharp corners. Natural sunlight can be channeled into the house via the use of a skylight lined with natural reflective materials

Underground house floor plans got their start in the 1970s from an Austrian architect named Eisenhofer. Sadly, most dismissed his energy efficient and unconventional house plans as nothing more than a hippie experiment. It has only been within the past few years that interest in earth-sheltered housing is attracting some interest. As people become more environmentally conscious, the popularity of underground house floor plans as an energy efficient alternative can only increase.

Get fantastic ideas for your new house! House floor plans come in all shapes and sizes. Find the right house floor plan for your family today!

Buying and Renovating Tips

With property prices spiraling out of control, many home buyers have found that the only property they can afford are those needing renovation. Perhaps that's the situation you're in, too. While such a tactic will get you into a home, it still is a decision that must be entered into with eyes wide open.

If you're considering buying and renovating, here's some advice designed to keep your plans on track and within budget.

Create a separate budget

Before you even start looking for property, it's crucial to put together a separate renovation budget. And because you never really know what you're in for, always factor in additional funding to cover those 1C84unexpected costs that almost always crop up.

Knowing how much you're able to spend on renovation really helps when it comes time to choose a property. If a home needs major structural work and that's not within your budget, the property may not be right no matter how low the asking price.

Do your research

Always be suspicious of a property with an unusually low asking price, especially if it's been on the market for a while. There's usually a reason for that low price and you need to know what it is. Unless you have a sizable budget and a lot of patience, it's probably best to avoid property requiring extensive renovation.

But that's not always the case, especially if the property is located in a desirable neighbourhood. If you can buy a home, make the required renovations and afterwards still sell for a profit, then the property might be worth a closer look.

The bottom line is this: Always know the full extent of the necessary renovations. Once you know what's needed, determine the work you can handle and what you'll need to contract out.

Seek expert advice

If you're unsure the extent of renovation required or the costs associated with a certain type of renovation, you can always obtain quotes from area professionals. Besides obtaining a more accurate estimate of costs upfront, you may gain some "insider's" knowledge which is almost certain to help later on.

Check permitting requirements

Don't forget to check local permitting requirements before considering any type of renovation. Permits can add unexpected costs and time delays; two problems that can drastically alter your budget as well as your renovation plans.

Remember this isn't television!

When you watch those popular "do it yourself" home renovation shows such as Property Ladder you might think the work looks easy. But what you don't see are the many hours of footage that have been edited out. While it appears to take the homeowners just 30 minutes to tear apart the bathroom and put it all back together, in reality that renovation probably took many days and involved many hands. Always make sure you can commit not only the money but also a substantial amount of time to complete the necessary renovations.

Buying and renovating property is full of challenges and isn't right for everyone. But if you're up for a challenge, the results are often well worth the effort.

For up-to-date information on UK property currently available for sale, visit:
http://www.propertyflaunt.com