Surviving Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

So DW and I have had time discuss the outcome of all of our meetings and home building information gathering. We are disappointed to find building costs to be about 30% higher than we were anticipating so we are starting to wonder if we will plan on building this year or not. We still need to sell our rental house when the lease comes up and that really adds some stress to us with the time frame we need to commit to building and stuff. When people come out talking about hundreds of thousands (yes plural, hundreds) to build it really makes your head reel.

We are just worried that we are rushing and dont want to get in over our heads or get so underwater building a new home that we can't afford to live in it.

 

[Lelanae]

I just noticed as i was logging in to my laptop that even though this thread has only 3300ish posts, it has over 20,000 views! sounds like we have lots of lurkers

I see different names in the 'who is viewing this thread' box all the time that i havent seen post before. We must attract a crowd when we get rolling haha

Ok, I admit to lurking! You make me feel that it is warm here in southeastern Pennsylvania!

 

[KlopKlop]

Ok, I admit to lurking! You make me feel that it is warm here in southeastern Pennsylvania!

I wont be one to judge if you enjoy our banter about chickens and everything else under the sun, more power to you!

Not everybody is so blessed as to live up here in the promised land!

 

[duluthralphie]

Ok, I admit to lurking! You make me feel that it is warm here in southeastern Pennsylvania!

Well. HI, Feel free to join in...as we whine about our cold weather.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Iglooed up my coop for tonight. The snow is so light and powdery though it likes to slide off. But managed to get it up on that west window and the nest box area that juts out. At -13 real temp I had 2 degrees in the coop. I pulled out the fount tonight. May as well. It would have been an ice block in the morning.
-31 windchill. DH is ice fishing and poker night in the ice house. I got chili on the stove and I'll make beer bread again. That stuff was so good last weekend.

Kloppers if it doesn't feel right with the builders then maybe it isn't the time yet. If I were you I'd ask for references from these builders as well. Or if you have friends that have built recently ask about their experience. Our first home we loved our builders out of Kimball, MN- Froehling brothers construction. Our second build up here suffered in comparison. The subs were not focused, lackadaisical. And the finishing carpenter made our general look bad. Ugh I know that guy wasted time on trips to town and farting around and I'm sure his hourly wage was reflected in our cost. I still get po'ed thinking about it.

It can be very stressful.

 

[KlopKlop]

Iglooed up my coop for tonight. The snow is so light and powdery though it likes to slide off. But managed to get it up on that west window and the nest box area that juts out. At -13 real temp I had 2 degrees in the coop. I pulled out the fount tonight. May as well. It would have been an ice block in the morning.
-31 windchill. DH is ice fishing and poker night in the ice house. I got chili on the stove and I'll make beer bread again. That stuff was so good last weekend.

Kloppers if it doesn't feel right with the builders then maybe it isn't the time yet. If I were you I'd ask for references from these builders as well. Or if you have friends that have built recently ask about their experience. Our first home we loved our builders out of Kimball, MN- Froehling brothers construction. Our second build up here suffered in comparison. The subs were not focused, lackadaisical. And the finishing carpenter made our general look bad. Ugh I know that guy wasted time on trips to town and farting around and I'm sure his hourly wage was reflected in our cost. I still get po'ed thinking about it.

It can be very stressful.

one of the contractors we spoke with we would go with hands down if/when we are ready. I know 2 people i work with that they built for, but also they are very transparent and have a good method on top of just being very personable. I just am not ready to drop $150-180 per ground floor square foot without us being really ready financially.

How does that compare with your building costs?

 

[duluthralphie]

I am sorry I can't help you on building costs. I would assume there are a lot of variables involved. Finishes, ceiling height materials.


I put on my big boy undies and dressed up to go see if I could find my rooster. It was colder than, well you know. I walked around the area I had last seen him, saw his tracks and that was it. I then went over amongst the breeding pens. Nothing,

I went towards the pen he had come out of and saw a blob lying in the snow, I went and checked out the blob. It was my rooster dead. Something took him in the neck. The head was still attached but there was a spot 2-3 inches below the head something had been eating on him. There were tracks that looked like rabbit or squirrel tracks. I doubt it was a rabbit. Whatever is was, I wonder if I scared it off.

I know we have some tough squirrels but I have some lagging doubts they did it either. I am going to have to set life traps, and see if I can get whatever it is. The tracks were too large for a weasel. Mink?? Maybe. I am trying to think what would be out on a night like this. There was one feather on the tracks about 4 feet from the rooster.


I am now worried about the Susex's, creamettes, and Bert's bunch. They all live right in that area. Dang,,,

 

[KlopKlop]

I am sorry I can't help you on building costs. I would assume there are a lot of variables involved. Finishes, ceiling height materials.


I put on my big boy undies and dressed up to go see if I could find my rooster. It was colder than, well you know. I walked around the area I had last seen him, saw his tracks and that was it. I then went over amongst the breeding pens. Nothing,

I went towards the pen he had come out of and saw a blob lying in the snow, I went and checked out the blob. It was my rooster dead. Something took him in the neck. The head was still attached but there was a spot 2-3 inches below the head something had been eating on him. There were tracks that looked like rabbit or squirrel tracks. I doubt it was a rabbit. Whatever is was, I wonder if I scared it off.

I know we have some tough squirrels but I have some lagging doubts they did it either. I am going to have to set life traps, and see if I can get whatever it is. The tracks were too large for a weasel. Mink?? Maybe. I am trying to think what would be out on a night like this. There was one feather on the tracks about 4 feet from the rooster.


I am now worried about the Susex's, creamettes, and Bert's bunch. They all live right in that area. Dang,,,

dang! sorry for your loss. What rooster was this?

 

[duluthralphie]

This was one of those barred roosters, that are Bert's brothers. It was the one I was going to keep for Bert Backup. I am now without a back up, Fingers crossed Bert keeps living!


I went back out and set a trap. I figure it must be in the area, so I set a trap using the dead rooster as bait. Only took about 15 minutes, BUT it is dang cold out there Nearly froze my hands setting the trap.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Sorry Ralphie.