The Front Porch Swing

[dpenning]

So this is sorta chicken related but not really. We have finally decided to move to our country property full time. This means I will get to be with my girls every day! I have started a blog to document the journey. It is pretty dry, I'm not a writer but I wanted to have the journey outlined in one place. I will be sneaking in chicken plans since we are moving out there in order to sell our current primary residence I'll be able to add some new layers and maybe get some meaties in the fall! Woohoo!

There is currently a double wide that we are moving into and we have plans to build our dream home. The blog will document the build process over the next year. I've built a home before but only in a developed community with a builder that had set plans and design centers to pick cabinets, paint, flooring etc. This is a totally different process. We don't know what we don't know but hope that by building a good team of experienced peeps we can get through it fairly unscathed. Things I want to look into are rain water capture and solar but we will be learning about septic requirements, permitting and much more!

Anyhoo, if anyone is totally board and wants to watch the process the blog is http://blueridgebuild.blogspot.com. Any comments or input is welcome!

 

[Blooie]

Oh, how exciting! I'll be following as I can! And you write just fine - you tell your stories very well! If I had a place out in the country I'd be building my dream straw bale house so fast it would set some kind of record.

 

[dpenning]

Oh, how exciting! I'll be following as I can! And you write just fine - you tell your stories very well! If I had a place out in the country I'd be building my dream straw bale house so fast it would set some kind of record.

Thanks Blooie, we are very excited. I've seen those straw bale houses but there is no way I could convince my beloved to do that. I'm not sure our climate would be a good fit for that type of construction but they are very cool!

 

[Blooie]

Oh, I don't know, my dear! They build them everywhere from New Mexico to Maine....even Washington state has lots of them going up. The concept actually began in the Sand Hills of Nebraska, where the weather is extreme and there weren't enough trees to build with. There are several here SB homes in Wyoming. We toured one where the gentleman ran out of money for an elaborate heating system. He cut transoms into the tops of the doors between the rooms and put ceiling fans in each one. He put in a pellet stove. They still haven't needed a furnace and they've live in that place now for 8 years.

 

[dpenning]

That is awesome Blooie! I would never be able to convince DH it was a good idea tho. I don't know why I thought they had to be in dry climates.

 

[tntchix]

So this is sorta chicken related but not really. We have finally decided to move to our country property full time. This means I will get to be with my girls every day! I have started a blog to document the journey. It is pretty dry, I'm not a writer but I wanted to have the journey outlined in one place. I will be sneaking in chicken plans since we are moving out there in order to sell our current primary residence I'll be able to add some new layers and maybe get some meaties in the fall! Woohoo!

There is currently a double wide that we are moving into and we have plans to build our dream home. The blog will document the build process over the next year. I've built a home before but only in a developed community with a builder that had set plans and design centers to pick cabinets, paint, flooring etc. This is a totally different process. We don't know what we don't know but hope that by building a good team of experienced peeps we can get through it fairly unscathed. Things I want to look into are rain water capture and solar but we will be learning about septic requirements, permitting and much more!

Anyhoo, if anyone is totally board and wants to watch the process the blog is http://blueridgebuild.blogspot.com. Any comments or input is welcome!

wow what gorgeous property view and floor plan. Blooie's right, you're doing just fine.

 

[perchie.girl]

That is awesome Blooie! I would never be able to convince DH it was a good idea tho. I don't know why I thought they had to be in dry climates.

OH MY GOODNESS I absolutely love the floor plan with the exception of a second floor. But this is your house....


I am with you on the straw bale They have an incredible R value. Though the water isnt an issue because they are either covered with stucco or actual siding. I know how bales of straw begin to disintegrate over time... I can just picture those lovely walls and the bales gradually sinking into powder. But this is my gut feeling so i have no documentation or even anything I have read.

deb

 

[dpenning]

OH MY GOODNESS I absolutely love the floor plan  with the exception of a second floor.  But this is your house....


I am with you on the straw bale   They have an incredible R value.  Though the water isnt an issue because they are either covered with stucco or actual siding.  I know how bales of straw begin to disintegrate over time...  I can just picture those lovely walls and the bales gradually sinking into powder.  But this is my gut feeling so i have no documentation or even anything I have read.

deb

Thanks Deb. The second floor is mostly for weather watching but it will also be our indoor gym and. Extra guest room should we ever need it. I'm going to have it wired with 220 so if we ever need to add a chair lift we can.

 

[bruceha2000]

So this is sorta chicken related but not really. We have finally decided to move to our country property full time. This means I will get to be with my girls every day! I have started a blog to document the journey. It is pretty dry, I'm not a writer but I wanted to have the journey outlined in one place. I will be sneaking in chicken plans since we are moving out there in order to sell our current primary residence I'll be able to add some new layers and maybe get some meaties in the fall! Woohoo!

There is currently a double wide that we are moving into and we have plans to build our dream home. The blog will document the build process over the next year. I've built a home before but only in a developed community with a builder that had set plans and design centers to pick cabinets, paint, flooring etc. This is a totally different process. We don't know what we don't know but hope that by building a good team of experienced peeps we can get through it fairly unscathed. Things I want to look into are rain water capture and solar but we will be learning about septic requirements, permitting and much more!

Anyhoo, if anyone is totally board and wants to watch the process the blog is http://blueridgebuild.blogspot.com. Any comments or input is welcome!

I don't even want to know how much that is going to cost! (Not that I would ask anyway).
I count roughly 45 angles in the foundation and every angle is $$$.

And every foundation jog transfers up to a roof line jog, more $$$.

Sorry, I tend to jump to the functionality of things. Architects don't build and don't always design things that build well. For instance, it looks like it is 100'+ from the master bath to the bath for BRs 2 & 3. That is going to take some serious plumbing thought to get the drain pipes all connected especially if you can't site the septic tank and leach field somewhat centrally. Maybe they are planning for 2 or 3 tanks and fields but I doubt it.

I agree with your plan to live in the double wide. It may not be the nicest house around depending on its condition but you are way better off financially living there and selling (as you plan) or renting your current house. Plus you will be on site when the building is happening. Nothing is more important because you can catch stuff that the builders might sweep under the rug as it were if they miss a detail. And if they have a question, they might answer it themselves rather than call you and wait for a call back. For example, at our prior house we had a full foundation built under the small enclosed front porch (SMALL house, any extra storage a plus). The porch door was on a 45 but before the concrete guys did their thing I looked at it and it didn't seem right. The "house jacking and foundation" contractor was fine with that, claimed the angle on the foundation under the house probably wasn't 45. Well it was, he had screwed up his 3-4-5 string and the result was bad angles. Simple fix, slide the piece of string marking the angles to the right places and move the stakes. The marker strings had probably just gotten pushed by the wind or something. But you know the concrete guys aren't going to measure all that, they put the forms in where the markers are. We weren't living there but thankfully caught that one on our daily "after work" site visits.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I can't see the images of the house plans but 45 angles - wowser!
And bruceha2000 is right, each angle is an added cost. Especially if there will be a foundation.

Oh, I forgot to say CANGRATULATIONS!
and good luck on your project.