I was my own "professional" designer, but it was a full time job and no one paid me! Luckily I was "retired" so I had the time. I had done many remodeling projects during the ten previous years, so I was able to build up my skills and confidence over several projects (bathrooms, kitchen, large guest house, hardscape, landscape, etc). I actually enjoyed being the designer for our build, except for the part where it coincided with covid! We picked our builder partly because I knew he would work well with a very involved client. One of his references was a client that was even more involved, so I knew we would have a good work process. I was ahead of him on nearly every step and made his job easier!

I would not recommend a large custom build as your first project, specially if you have a day job that is supposed to pay your bills.

No photos, Worthy?

No photos, Worthy?

Only the latest aggro. Photos from the drywall and painting contractor.

Just throw it up against the wall. But don't damage the flooring.

A key tradesman's rule: No trade cares much about any other. Just wet your thumb and wipe it over. Cures everything!

I scrounged my rag bag--for a sock behind every pile.

mrs. worthy visited in the morning and the flooring contractor boasted. "We protected the wall with the socks "No you didn't," replied mrs. worthy." Honesty above all, eh!

June is HVAC and Hydronic month at the Skyking job.

My brother and I have worked two solid weekends putting up aluminum extrusion heat transfer plates. We came up 28 pieces short and those are on the way today, along with the air hammer for installing the PEX tubing. Time for a big Shoutout to Radiant Design and Supply in Bozeman MT. Everybody has been so nice.

They make their own extrusions and are top quality and effective.

When all is done, we will install 2850 feet on a 2720 SF home, at 8" OC.

That is due to the stair cases, elevator shaft, and all those places we omitted on purpose.

You don't want heat under kitchen cabs or islands or vanities, or the storage portion of a closet.

I opted for 3/8" tubing. It is the same price for the extrusion, you still do 8" OC, the only difference is shorter loop lengths than the 1/2". I will have to buy more manifold ports. The payoff is much easier to handle.

It fits so securely that you need to drive it in with a rubber hammer. Luckily they loaned me an air hammer gratis for being a good customer.

I made a tool with a piece of 1/2" dowel to hold one end so I could work it by myself.

Daylight basement with lots of daylight.

1. We have a water meter, the estimate on my barn design was over budget and we have a huge pile of tracing paper design revisions for the house. We spend free weekends ripping out prickly pear, and poison Ivy, chopping out mesquites and cedar while trying to figure how to not have to remove too many oaks for easements and building site. Then there are all the fix ups to make our current house market ready.

@worthy which model of combo toilet?

I have been looking at Duravit sensowash U.

I will put power at every toilet for that purpose.

Recommended by our plumber, who, very nicely, gave us his trade discount.

We were going to go separate bidet/w.c. for the principal suite. This is priced equivalently and much more convenient to use. (Especially compared to the outhouses I remember from childhood and even our cottage in the 1990s.)

Pretty and pricey potties and I am watching You Tubes on digging your own outhouse and composting toilets LOL. We are "value engineering" the Luxury spa my Architect hubby has designed for our master suite but I need something besides the trees while we are doing site prep so an old fashioned outhouse would be a step up right now. But I prefer a tree to the average porta potty.

Wonder if we dig an outhouse near the Barn site, we could skip the builder's fee for the construction crew porta potty??

Framing is done..started sheathing, feeling grateful and looking forward to windows & roofing.

Nice hand cut rafters. My framer specializes in designing those in software and providing all the cuts.

First picture shows the drawing of the mantle design I made for the trim carpenter to use. Second picture shows the mantle I dreamed up come to life. Stone is just about done around the surround. Third picture is mudroom looking to the front of the house. Last picture shows some of our paint colors, which I am so happy with. Benjamin Moore Georgian Brick, Benjamin Moore Twisted Oak Path, Sherwin Williams White Raisin

Trim and doors are Sherwin Williams Paperwhite.

@agbhw

Your house is beautiful! I'm sure you are frustrated with the anount of time it has taken, but it looks so wonderful, once you move in you'll be glad you took the time to get it right. Your mantel design is lovely, and I love the stone. I’m a big fan of bell jar lanterns too and have several in storage waiting for my house to be done! If it makes you feel any better, we hired our architect almost 5 years ago, signed off on the plans in April of 2021, and due to backups, and other frustrations, we have just finally cleared our lot!

we have hammered in 3200' and 4 difficult loops to go. I am pulling out service loops for heated towel racks in both the bathrooms with roll in showers.

It will get routed into that wall on the right and through 1 or 2 towel racks. We have not picked a product yet. The shower pans are Kerdi foam and there is no point in trying to heat those.

I'll use 4x4 linear drain wedges and then dry pack the 2+ feet on the shallow end to get 6+' long showers.

Continued here.