Ash
I love your house, who was the architect?

Gosh, I can't believe it's already been another month! Ronnatalie & Ash, so jealous of your move-ins! Brutuses, I love those knobs! Thanks for sharing. I actually spent all day looking for decent pics of knobs ON cabinets!

I started laying floor today. The cabs & counters are in, appliances delivered tomorrow, carpeting & vinyl on Monday, as well as trim & doors being delivered on Monday. Have ordered all my lighting fixtures, garage doors, and plumbing fixtures.

Wish I could show you guys. I know how to post pics using photobucket, only I don't use photobucket. Can someone point me in the direction of posting pics in the body of a post? Then I can share! Thank you!

We're making some progress. Heat Pumps and all duct work completed this week. Siding is complete. All shutters have been made. Windows arrived, but not installed. We were fortunate to find an awesome master carpenter who is making all our doors, shutters, railing, moldings, window frames and cabinets on site. Roof arrived this week but installation was delayed due to rain.
Sorry, I'm having trouble posting a pic. I'll go do some research and come back to post.

archie123, the architect is Rick Thompson, he's from western North Carolina, check out his website, he's got some pretty nice houses, most of which have an older look on the outside and a bit of a more modern feel on the inside. My plan was 1403D

Thanks for everyone's complements, I'll get inside shots asap

Here is a link that might be useful: rick thompson

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The brick is done. We still have some trim work on the outside. Drywall will be finished tomorrow, and paint starts Monday. Cabinets are scheduled for May 5-6. Not long now!

Brutuses, love those knobs! Definitely nothing to yawn at.

Ash, your place is beautiful!

Kelbrad, very pretty! Your lot reminds me of ours.

We have rock going up, finally! Yay! We have moved in already. Still have interior trim to finish and the master shower to be tiled. The dormer still needs to be painted and the cedar porch still needs finishing touches. We are DIYing all the finish work. We do have one professional rock layer helping us, but yours truly has hauled almost every rock to the work area. I've also been laying some and doing all the morter joint clean up. I expect my arms to be very buff when we're finished. :)

Here are a few pics of our beach house (see post above).

On the outside the stucco and roof is being worked on. On the inside, its the drywall. Despite the snow a few days ago (?!), we're making progress.

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We are very happy with what has been accomplished in 6 weeks. Basement construction is done (except for concrete floor). 1st floor framing will be done today. And the garage footings are in place as well as the deck footings. Next week will begin 2nd floor framing, underground plumbing & possibly our geo-field.

IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/acd6a0.jpg[/IMG]
This is the back of the house, which faces the lake.

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Front corner & garage footings.

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View from our master bedroom.

Ugghhh, sorry about that. Let's try this again!

We are very happy with what has been accomplished in 6 weeks. Basement construction is done (except for concrete floor). 1st floor framing will be done today. And the garage footings are in place as well as the deck footings. Next week will begin 2nd floor framing, underground plumbing & possibly our geo-field.

This is the back of the house, which faces the lake.

Front corner & garage footings.

View from our master bedroom.

Shamrocks, that's a gorgeous view!

armomto3boys~Thank you, we can't wait to enjoy the view!

Brutuses...love the exterior window trim, and that brick work is looking fine! Kudos to your DH.
Ashevilleian...nice looking house, but then, I'm partial to the A&C style. Please post interior photos! We love the brews at Asheville Pizza and Jack O' the Woods.
Shamrocks...what a view!!
Just for reference, we broke ground Oct. 29, 2007. It's been a longer project than we had anticipated. With warmer weather, we have had some progress on the screened porch. Here's the western elevation which will overlook our pond. Floor is ipe, as is the deck on the south side. Siding and shakes are pre-primed Nichiha on top of Benjamin Obdyke Homeslicker.
{{gwi:1432397}}From Exterior

I got my wish for the outdoor shower! Uhhh...there WILL be a shower surround.
{{gwi:1432398}}From Exterior

Got all of the various and sundry knobs and pulls installed on the drawers and cabinets:
{{gwi:1432400}}From Wood, cabinets, counters

{{gwi:1432402}}From Wood, cabinets, counters

Our GC constructed this handrail from the reclaimed barn wood for the stairway/wainscoting:
{{gwi:1432403}}From Doors, Windows, Trim

And we have door levers!
{{gwi:1432404}}From Doors, Windows, Trim

It's the little things that mean a lot.
As I write this, the hardwood floor finishers are applying the BonaKemi Traffic to the red oak flooring, backsplash tile and Jotul woodstove are on order, and DH continues to work on his cistern with our GC. Still have maybe 2 months of work?

We move in next Friday! I'm so excited. Thank you to everyone who offered advice along the way.
Brutuses- I put those knobs in my powder bath. I love them too!

Here is a link that might be useful: House Pics

Wow fancy, everthing looks so nice.

sham, that view is a postcard!!

coffee, love that roof.

gee, I'm loving your porch.

Fancy, your home is beautiful! You must be so excited that it is finally moving time. I love your dining room chandelier; would you mind sharing where it came from? Also love the green in your powder room - what brand and name? Thank you.

coffeehaus & brutuses~Thank you for the compliment on our view!

brutuses~Love your hardware!

fancypants2008~Your home is beautiful, kitchen is amazing. Do you mind sharing your stone fireplace manufacturer?

Hi, I'm fairly new to this forum so here is a little background. We're building
a Queen Anne in SW Pennsylvania. We are using fiber cement siding, insulated concrete forms for the basement and geothermal heating and cooling. The main floors are about 2600 sq ft, but the attic and basement levels are going to be usable heated and cooled space (unfinished for now) so the sq ft is really about double 2600. The roof was started last Friday. We are lucky to have a very competent builder.
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Daughter's room, lucky girl!
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Roof materials ready to go. Well digger in the background (we are somewhat rural and will use well water and sand mound septic system)
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View from attic level:
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lilla, nice to have you here showing us your progress.

Your daughter's room looks like something out of a fairy tale. You're right, lucky girl.

Sorry I haven't checked back with you until today!
Thank you for the compliments. I am so excited to move I don't think I will sleep all week.

gee- My dining room light is from Millenium Lighting Catalog.
The dark green paint is Sherwin Williams Privilege Green. I just love the color with the white wood trim. I used it in my mud closet/pantry, powder bath, and dining room.

Shamrocks- My fireplace is by Structural Stone out of OKC, OK. www.structstone.com

Beautiful, everyone! It's so great to read about everyone's progress!

All cabinets are all in, and I love them! Knobs and pulls are on, countertop installation is scheduled for Friday, appliances on the 15th. Tile is done except master walk-in shower -- "somebody" apparently ordered the wrong glass blocks. The two rooms with hardwood flooring will be done on Wednesday. Carpeting is in the warehouse ready to go in. Painters are working on finishing everything except final trim.

We'll be moving out of the apartment April 30 -- hopefully into the house. If not, we'll be sleeping on the floor at DD's house till we can move in.

We're doing Easter dinner at the house . . . carry-in and crockpot, but we'll have ham and the traditional trimmings, maybe even an egg hunt for the littlies.

If all goes smoothly, next month's post will be "We're in!!" From my mouth to God's ear!!

Front of house, obviously, no landscaping!


The view from the back deck . . . last fall. It's not quite this pretty right now, but it's starting to bud!

hosta, you are almost there. That view is breathtaking. Can't wait to see more photo's.

dcolilla- wow, those pics remind me of home! i'm in va now, but i grew up in sw pa...fayette county. where are you building?

Hostagrams...what do you mean, "No landscaping"? You've got some of the most beautiful landscaping I've seen here...from your back deck. I would be spending a lot of time on that deck! What part of the country?

LOL . . . I should have been more specific: "No landscaping IN FRONT!" God Himself has done a great job of landscaping the back! We're actually on 15 acres, some woods and down the ridge from the left end of the deck is a pond -- can just see it from that end. Eventually we'll have a good trail down to it.

We're south of Nashville, Tennessee . . . moved here from northern Indiana a year ago and are establishing a sort of family compound. We bought half of a farm and made a little semi-private subdivision of 5 houses. Ours is the first build; both daughters and their families will build next to us on the ridge. One daughter's BF family has bought one of the meadow lots and we have a 15 acre meadow lot for sale -- but in this economic climate, it hasn't sold yet.

We're really happy with how the house ended up being sited. We'd hoped to optomize the view, and it couldn't be more perfect. The deck is large -- a real splurge -- but even in hot weather it has a breeze, and I know we'll live out there a lot. I couldn't show it on Porches & Decks because it's (shudder, horrors) plastic! The same material we made our lake pier out of and we loved the no-upkeep aspect of it. The second photo below is the living room, looking out at much the same view as above, but in winter. And with scaffolding!

We gave up a dream house on a large lake to move here and be next door to kids and grandkids, and I'm glad we did it . . . but must admit to a twinge of envy when I see pictures posted of lake views. I'm still a little homesick!

Wwo, look at that view and those windows. BTW, love the wall color too.

brutuses: lovely, you must be thrilled to be IN finally - and anyone would be ridiculous to scoff at that brick job!!

hosta: just breaktaking. I love the porch, the view from the FR? wow.

dicolilla: welcome, and cool looking architecture!

coffeehaus: love the cabinets, they are gorgeous.

fancypants: hooray for you! congrats. everything looks great

shamrocks: nice view from the master - I'd never leave :)

milz: what a beautiful home. I love the exterior - is that a slate roof??

armomto3: I love the stones!

I kept delaying my response here hoping I'd have more to share...alas...the weather here in Chicago has been AWFUL, so we haven't been able to pour concrete. praying for a break this week. maybe, just maybe I'll something to show you guys in May!!!

mairin I'm not in yet. Still have to finish the outside before we can get a COO as required for that subdivision. It won't be but a couple of months now. I'm starting to move in already though. LOL

Hi dixiedoodle, we're building in Washington County, on the western side of the City of Washington. I'm the opposite of you. I lived several years in Virginia, Maryland and DC. . .now I'm builiding on the family homeland.

Very excited I finally have someting to post - in a month we went from nothing (actually, an old house that was torn down) to this:
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buildinginva, I'm getting a red x. Did you copy the HTML code from photobucket?

Shamrocks,

That's a lovely setting for your lake house. Of course, I'm a little bias as that is very similar to my lake lot. I'm curious as to what house plans you're using. Or is this a custom plan? I'm trying to design our plans and your master bedroom as well as the rear elevation looks like what I have invisioned.

So much has happened that I just HAD to repost! Yesterday we locked in our loan. We close on May 17! Everything has to be finished by then! EEEEKKK! It's so exciting, but also slightly terrifying, since we are OB. I say "we" loosely. DH has built 98% of the house himself, with a little help from our brothers and me. However, in an act of bravery on my part last week, I, all by myself, installed the laminate floor (I know, not rocket science, but out of my comfort zone nonetheless)! It's gorgeous, and I love it, and now it (and all of the painting), are my little mark on house.

In addition to the flooring and the finish date, I had something else pretty exciting this week. Some background first: DH and I have lived in a 285 sq foot cabin with no indoor plumbing for 4 years. Fortunately we are about a mile from my mom, so I do get to shower! Today, the toilet was installed. I cried. It even flushes!

BTW, everyone's pics are so inspiring! Someday I'll post some...

Arewethereyet...we want to see pictures of that floor!
What on-line photo site do you use? I like Picasa and it's easy to upload, organize, and embed photos in a post...and it's free. You just have to download the program from Google.
Your story about living in the cabin and now having a toilet (that flushes!) is incredible. I imagine that your first days occupying the new house will seem like a dream come true.

visions_of_texas: Thank you for the compliment, just so excited to wake up to that view each morning! This was a semi-custom plan. We tried to take advantage of our view & used A LOT of windows across the back.

update, finished the rock on the front and sides! Woohoo!

Thanks Shamrocks. What part of the country are you building in? Would you mind sharing the floor plan as well. We will be incorporating tons of windows along the back wall of our house as well to take advantage of the awsome views!

Shamrocks, your view makes me homesick . . . through your bedroom windows, it looks a lot like the view we exchanged for the hills in my previous post. I miss living on the lake every day!! You're going to love it . . . your house looks beautiful!

My beloved (former) lake view . . .

visions_of_texas, sorry did not have time yesterday to post the floor plan. The upstairs lists 2 unfinished bonus rooms which will be finished after occupancy, we have 5 kids & we'll need all the space we can get! Plus we have a lower walk-out level that will be completed too. We are building in Southeast Michigan.

hostagrams, wow you had a great view also. Looks like your lake was a little larger than ours, very nice! Can't wait to get our dock in & we are going to look at pontoon boats tomorrow.

shamrocks, the images are so tiny I can't see them. When I click on to enlarge, it brings me to the photo site and asks for login information. Can you resize and repost? Thanks

Shamrocks - from what I can tell (very hard to see) your floor plan is amazingly similar to what I have hand drawn. The difference are, I will not have a second story (had 6 kids and all are grown now)and I will have 1-2 bedrooms on the main level. The garage will have a slightly different placing. We'll also have a walk out basement.

Hostagrams - Your once upon a time lake view is very similar to our not soon enough view. We don't plan on building for another 7 years, but I get excited every time I bring out the plans and make revisions.

This site has been so informative and has given me a lot of ideas. I won't have a real plan to show for a while yet, but when I do, I will most definitely post for all to critique.

We have siding and exterior trim about finished, with stucco going on the basement exterior until we can afford to do the stonework, which is quite expensive. Unfortunately as you might see from one of the photos, we've had some land movement issues behind the house so we have to do another wall and some additional grading. The site work is about 300% over budget and counting. Drywall is finished with painting this week, Ipe deck going up, cypress ceilings, then flooring, fixtures, trim, etc. Looking to finish in about two months. We are so ready. Here are a few pictures.

We've benefited so much from all of the experience and input from this community. The best resource on the internet and it's been invaluable to us!

Deck looking south

HardiPlank w/Sherwin WIlliams "Dusty Green" + Miratec stained trim + cedar shakes + landslide behind house

Dining area + Sealection Agribalance foam insulation

Small porch off of bedroom w/Marvin Integity french doors

Waterfall back in the holler on the deck side of house

Door to deck and part of kitchen w/Doug fir posts & beam

Correction to my post above: The "Dusty Green" finish on the HardiPlank is by Bulletproof, not Sherwin Williams.

MTNL your views are absolutely gorgeous! It makes my house building seem so average! WE are only in our second week of building so not much to show we only have a form right now. Hopefully when the kids are grown I will be able to buy or build a house with the breathtaking views that some of you have on this thread.

Our roof is on- siding to commence next week. Insulation and sheetrock are up and the interior trim/ flooring/ tile will begin in the next few days. Looks like a war zone- the roads are posted so large trucks aren't allowed up there to empty the dumpster.

You'll have to forgive me, I have ALOT of pics. I havent posted in since framing I dont think. We just got paint! Less than 2 months and we should be in...

our garage doors just got their hardware...

some of the stone work

front door, not stained yet

our knotty alder doors just arrived, still need stained

foyer

great room

stack stone woodburning fireplace

kitchen

dining room/bonus room space

dining room

bonus/family room

office

master bedroom

door goes out to screened porch (not built yet)

master bath

baby's room

main bath

laundry room (not as gold as it looks)

mudroom

and the most exciting room of all, the girls room! color picked out by the princess pictured here...

Thanks for looking! :)

twogirlsbigtrouble - I absolutely love your bold use of color in many of your rooms! Also, even older girls like a room that color of pink. :-) In our last house, we had a teenage daughter that had that color and did all of her accents black and white with just a hint of red. So if your princess still likes that color when she's older, there will still be lots of ways for her to make her room fun.

kcthatsme - Thanks! I love the bolder colors I picked. I tried to stay within an arts & crafts palette. The only color Im not to sure of is the mass amount of beige in the living areas. Im hoping that once we get furniture and accessories in, it will begin to take on some character. I let my daughter pick from the swatches and she kept asking me the names of the colors. She chose "Lady's Slipper". Cracks me up lol! She is ALL girl!

twogirls- everything is beautiful! Love the colors, love the garage doors, stone, etc.

Twogirls - Love the house. Looking awesome. I also have a girl that picked a very similar color. It will tone down a bit once the other elements come in.