XXXXX: Finally

So many delays, but it’s done (mostly)!  There are a couple of punch list items that will carry over after the move: added shelves in the pantry and linen closet, replacing imperfect surfaces (the bar in the kitchen and master bath vanity), and FINALLY getting that generator in.  But none of those things keep us from moving in.

The county assesses for occupancy today (which should just be a formality), and tomorrow we move!

Over the weekend we got bed frames placed, since those are a bit tedious, having to take them down and put them back up.  We were told so long as it’s clear no one is living there, we could take some things over early.

The bunk bed is a bear!  Friends gave it to us when their daughters grew up.  We’ve put it up a few times, but it’s always an event.

Katie got a new headboard.

Gabby will be bed-less the first night (she’ll use a mattress from the bunk).  After that it will be a bit before she and Justin get her frame made.  She wants a canopy, so they will build it.

It will be a long week, and then the younger girls an I head off to camp!  Here goes nothing.

XXXXIX

Slow progress as we had been waiting for the electric meter to go in, but it was finally there today!

In the meantime some lights went in:

(still waiting on can lights, closet lights, and those over the bar)

And the vanities and mirrors:

We are now supposed to be receiving daily updates…. Lots of inspections to go.

XXXXVIII

We were expecting lights in and vanities placed, but that wasn’t what we got.

There were closet racks and shelves, but three closets weren’t quite right—only 4 shelves in the pantry and linen closet (instead of 5), and our deep closet for tech and games was set as a coat closet.  (Sigh)

We did pass the next (not final) electrical inspection last week.  We are caught up in that someone failed to send the guy at the electric company a picture showing that they added stand off brackets at the pole.  I took those pictures over the weekend and sent them on.

Hopefully we’ll get placed on the list for connection now.

While that’s been disappointing, I did finish my quilt.  It was sort of a race in my head to see who finished first, me or the builder.  I guess I won, sort of. 🤷‍♀️

I sketched in water soluble fabric pen

It’s a lot of yard sticks!

Guess-timate is 150 hours and 56,000 stitches, but that’s a very rough estimate, and doesn’t include the design, layout, untangling thread or tying knots (based on stitches per minute and the number of stitches in each shape or inch in the straight always).

XXXXVII

 

Our room—repaired wall and carpet

Lucy doesn’t know what to think

Front room (library for us)

Dining room

XXXXVI

The next weekend, we took the three younger kids (Katie was at work) to see the house.  They hadn’t been out in awhile.  We got pictures in each of their rooms for them.  Other than lights, final paint, and the covers of vents & outlets, those rooms are done.

Katie’s room

Here you can see the kitchen tile that was set in that week

And here is what the other flooring looks like—they covered it to protect it, but this little bit was visible.

XXXXV

With the theft of the generator, I had to make an extra trip out looking for serial numbers.  Unfortunately the one I got from the transfer switch did not find a match in a database somewhere with the enclosed generator itself.  (sigh)

Here’s the tile—it’s in the laundry room (here), all the bathrooms, and will later be in the kitchen

The carpet was going in that day—here’s Ellie’s room, since it was done.

XXXXIV

We made our way out just over a week ago to see the progress of the past couple of weeks and meet our building superintendent.  He needed a list signed before corporate came out and allowed the carpet pay out.

The driveway and sidewalk had been poured.

The trim was in (except quarter round, since flooring isn’t complete).  The counters and backsplash were in the kitchen along with the sink.

The flooring was almost complete in the family room, dining, hall, and front room.  I’m not sure if they ran out of time or materials, as the floor for the last of the front room and in front of the door was actually in the kitchen.  It looks lovely there, honestly, but we chose tile because it will stand up better to everything that gets dropped in the kitchen.

There are quite a few steps left before the house is complete, but several of the largest are waiting for the septic inspection. After that there will be the final grading, which cascades into back stairs, HVAC, and generator placement (once it is found or replaced—it was missing on Saturday and the builder is checking to be sure no one moved it).

In the house, the mantle needs to be placed, lights hung, screens installed, door levers, the final painting (which I was told it the very last step), plumbing finished (the bathroom sinks I originally chose are no longer available, so I chose new ones).

A few things need tending—a broken window, the garage door keypad hasn’t been installed, an odd drawer that doesn’t match the others (?!).  All of those are on the list.

Hoping to see a finished house next month!

XXXXIII: Planning & Zoning

We have been trying to figure out the ideal location for a shop for Justin as the house building goes on.  He’s met with a contractor about the foundation, who recommended coming as far forward as possible, where the land is most flat.  This means passing closer the the road than the allowable set back.

We filed all the paperwork and fees and went off to the meeting in the old courtroom at the county seat.  It’s a very pretty room.  The meeting opened with the Pledge to the flag and a lovely prayer.

The woman before us was granted her variance—she had already put in a driveway and septic system and only learned she need to apply when she requested her building permit. 😬  Happy for her!

Then it was our turn.  We made our request and then one set of our newest neighbors had their say.  To say they were mad would be a bit of an understatement. 😳

Our house is a monstrosity the belongs in [a fancy neighborhood—we couldn’t even afford the land in the county of].  She would need to put shutters on her porch, and she could see our house from all side of hers.  We’ve disrupted their forty years of peace and quiet, and we can’t have one more inch.

The commissioner then showed them that the outbuilding would be on the other side of the house, and placing it where we wished would keep it completely from view.  Also, we could put it back a few feet and have it without permission anyway.  Then they said they were fine with it.

The, I assume, county attorney reads off the passages pertaining to this, as he did with the previous request.  One that topography can only be taken into account under certain situations and the other that accessory structures can’t be in front yards.  We had assumed this location would be considered the side yard (since it isn’t directly in front of the house).  The panel hemmed and hawed and searched for a way to let us have it without causing problems down the road.

Finally, one of the fellows asked, “What if it was connected to the house.?”

The attorney said, “Well, it wouldn’t be an accessory structure anymore.”

The first fellow smirked.

Justin told them he wasn’t sure he could join the two, but then fellow one tells us, “You know a breezeway is connected.”

The attorney tells them they can’t pass it without a set of plans, so they defer that until the next meeting or when we can get back to them.

I’m not certain their solution will be the best one, but I sure do appreciate them trying!

XXXXII

 

The side of the house with the transfer switch for the generator and the spot just waiting for the electric meter.  We are awaiting inspection.

Here is that mess of wall in our bedroom 

Door frames and base boards are in

And all the doors except to pantry are in too.  I saw the bifold pantry door in the garage.

Slow, but steady progress.

XXXXI

Last weekend we went, hoping again for flooring, fixed paint, and counters, but not yet.

We did find…

Interior doors

Siding

Outlets and switches—this is especially exciting because once the electrical inspection is complete then the septic system can be inspected (it required a pump and an alarm).  That’s one of the big hurdles because it can take a bit of time to get that taken care of.

The transfer switch for the generator was also in, much to the destruction of our bedroom drywall—I should have taken a picture. 😬 

I’m hoping to see some of those last minute (month) things in soon!

XXXX

Last weekend we found that not too much had changed, but the garage door was in.

That was good to see, as our generator is sitting in the garage waiting to be installed!  The boxes are the outside trim, which must be waiting on the siding to go up.

We also did some measuring (we know where the corner of the house is due to the survey) because we are asking for a minor variance to place our out building a smidge closer to the road (where the ground is a bit more flat) than fits in the setback.  The building inspector seemed amenable, but we have to meet the commission at the end of the month.  We placed the notice for our neighbors who may wish to have a say, and the county mailed the four closest notices too.  We’ll see!  We can set it further back, but it requires more excavation to do that, so we’re trying this instead!

XXXIX: Paint, and cabinets, and ditches, oh my!!

On Tuesday I got an early morning text that a delivery I needed to sign for would be arriving that day (instead of Friday).

I left the kids a note and took off.

I found the cabinet guys installing the cabinets!

The rooms had a preliminary coat of paint—most of them were right.  Gabby and Katie’s rooms were paint swapped, so hopefully that can be remedied quickly for them.  As I looked back over the pictures, I can still see the mud through the paint in some photos, so I’m certain the painters are coming back anyway.

I had to run out to get a battery for the generator for the electrician to install.

When I came back, the masons were finishing the fireplace hearth and clearing their messes.  The cabinet guys were finished and heading out.

Then I met the septic/grading crew to pay for a couple of loads of dirt.  It was cold, but thankfully sunny to spend the better part of the day out there looking things over.

We paid the drywall draw last week.  This week we authorized the cabinet draw.  I *think* I have propane worked out.  Our last financial obligation on the house is at the end of the build, plus an overage we know will be coming to cover the extra stairs for the back door (only 4 steps are included, and we’ll need several more).  We’ll still have the outbuilding, but that’s a whole ’nother ball of wax!

It’s actually a house!

XXXVIII: Walls

The drywall is up, so there are actually rooms!

The living room even has the brick work for the fireplace

All kinds of natural light in our room