Vi's home construction blog: Spring 2011 Update - Landscape Torment

[StageLeft]

There's a been a number of threads on here about how people shouldn't get custom built homes, the contractors never do what they say, it ends up costing more in the long run...I'm assuming you didn't have this problem Vi? Also, where's the house located out of curiosity?

His house isn't done yet. It could still turn into an absolute freaking nightmare.

But, VI IIRC, picked from a guy who had built multiple homes. I would definitely consider custom built if getting a new home. I am pretty impressed so far, I can see his house is well above standard practices at this point.

 

[vi edit]

Yeh, my contractor has been building houses since 1960. My wife works with several people that he built homes for and they were very happy with their home. We also know several other people that have built with them and were very satisfied. Our builder is also very proud about the number of "repeat" customers they have where people/families have built with them several times. They are a really good, hardworking, and honest family run outfit.

Our house is...semi custom. We went with a floorplan he built in the past and switched up about 20% of it for different measurements or layouts here & there. We also had full control on window placements, colors, exterior material, cabinets, floorcovering, ect.

As for the radiant...yeh it was a lot of work. Took about 60 manhours when you factor in me, my Dad, and my wife's efforts. But today we had both the builder and the concrete guy come in and inspect before pouring and both said "you guys did a great job". The concrete guy said that it was even better than a lot of "paid professionals" have done at some sites they poured at.

It's three "loops" of 500 feet. Will be one big "zone" since it's all just one big slab it's in. It's naturally laid out in a manner that will be easy to control. One zone doesn't even need to be turned on, but it's plumbed for it if we want to. I'll be running a second zone up to my master bath on the main floor to keep the tile floor and shower warm.

For those asking, I'm building in central, IL.

 

[Rubycon]

Where's the loop (to cool) your PC?

 

[vi edit]

5/15: Got the floor poured, beams mostly, set, and starting to do the subfloor.

My daughter testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...-KWop0rV_pNj5yCqN6rf5PV2fWjwBZPX/IMG_4194.jpg

Me testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...6Jidqn8f2ctNcugytB1V781u2lq0pV2O/IMG_4188.jpg

Hulk flex:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...--RlQeSNYr1q-IftBEamoBCzb_Gz1oM0/IMG_4195.jpg

Supervisor overlook:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...__or3G_Q5sIOLmeOlxQO8fg56bG4oR5D/IMG_4203.jpg

 

[Born2bwire]

5/15: Got the floor poured, beams mostly, set, and starting to do the subfloor.

My daughter testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...-KWop0rV_pNj5yCqN6rf5PV2fWjwBZPX/IMG_4194.jpg

Me testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...6Jidqn8f2ctNcugytB1V781u2lq0pV2O/IMG_4188.jpg

Hulk flex:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...--RlQeSNYr1q-IftBEamoBCzb_Gz1oM0/IMG_4195.jpg

Supervisor overlook:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...__or3G_Q5sIOLmeOlxQO8fg56bG4oR5D/IMG_4203.jpg

Those pictures make me feel so old. Not so much the fact that you have a daughter or building a house, but the fact that you have a daughter and look to be about the same age bracket as myself.

Also, "Hulk Smash" pics requested.

 

[Rubycon]

Looks like you're happy and having a smashing good time! That's great!

5/15: Got the floor poured, beams mostly, set, and starting to do the subfloor.

My daughter testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...-KWop0rV_pNj5yCqN6rf5PV2fWjwBZPX/IMG_4194.jpg

Me testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...6Jidqn8f2ctNcugytB1V781u2lq0pV2O/IMG_4188.jpg

Hulk flex:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...--RlQeSNYr1q-IftBEamoBCzb_Gz1oM0/IMG_4195.jpg

Supervisor overlook:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...__or3G_Q5sIOLmeOlxQO8fg56bG4oR5D/IMG_4203.jpg

 

[Dubb]

don't know if you have time to get them to fix it, but THIS is a major no-no. You should have min 6" of face stone above and below soil level - If the soil is too close to the siding, you void your warranty (with most siding products, as well as cultured stone)

 

[vi edit]

don't know if you have time to get them to fix it, but THIS is a major no-no. You should have min 6" of face stone above and below soil level - If the soil is too close to the siding, you void your warranty (with most siding products, as well as cultured stone)

Interesting. Never new about that. I think it's too late to fix at this point. Those areas will likely be some sort of stepped retaining walls with planters. I'll just have to expose some of the foundation and stick a plant in front of it to hide the corbel and flashing.

Good catch.

 

[StageLeft]

don't know if you have time to get them to fix it, but THIS is a major no-no. You should have min 6" of face stone above and below soil level - If the soil is too close to the siding, you void your warranty (with most siding products, as well as cultured stone)

Good catch. It looks like his other corners have an extra stone, so where you circled ought to be one additional one instead of that black corner, correct?

BTW right next door they're building a new house and I'm taking a lot of pics. CMU for the walls and the footers they obviously poured using bags of cement and a mixer pulled with a pickup truck as opposed to something poured from a cement truck. Also, they poured the footings AND started putting on CMU that day.

 

[Azraele]

How exciting to build you home. I bet you can't wait to move in.

 

[JS80]

Cute kid!

 

[gaidensensei]

Looks cool on the progress. Definitely a lot since initial post.

Got a question, who did the floorplans and blueprints?
Do you have someone doing that for you or are you doing it yourself?

Noticed it was hand drawn and everything, maybe you wanted to, you could get the architect to design it in Revit or have him give you a copy of the 3d model of it if he hasn't done it already.

I find 3d models easier to use for future renovations and improvements, you can easily slap on something and get an idea how it looks in 3d renders.

 

[Dubb]

Good catch. It looks like his other corners have an extra stone, so where you circled ought to be one additional one instead of that black corner, correct?

Personally, I like to see quite a bit of extra stone/brick below grade level - I would want all the corners to have a little more, if the soil settles/compacts a bit over time and freeze/thaw that gives you more room before it starts to look odd.

But that one corner I circled is the only one where there's a potential for water issues if the grade is brought up to that level. That should never happen from a decent mason.

Leaving the grade lower and exposing the below grade system might not fit withing the installation guidelines / warranty for the waterproofing, insulation, or drainboard. Not sure how much that would matter, but the more I think about it, the more I'd be inclined to request they fix it.

 

[BoberFett]

Just out of curiosity, any particular reason you didn't go with trusses?

 

[vi edit]

Just out of curiosity, any particular reason you didn't go with trusses?

Contractor comfort and he also says that joists don't bounce and squeek as much as trusses.

 

[meltdown75]

5/15: Got the floor poured, beams mostly, set, and starting to do the subfloor.

My daughter testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...-KWop0rV_pNj5yCqN6rf5PV2fWjwBZPX/IMG_4194.jpg

Me testing the beam strength:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...6Jidqn8f2ctNcugytB1V781u2lq0pV2O/IMG_4188.jpg

Hulk flex:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...--RlQeSNYr1q-IftBEamoBCzb_Gz1oM0/IMG_4195.jpg

Supervisor overlook:
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...__or3G_Q5sIOLmeOlxQO8fg56bG4oR5D/IMG_4203.jpg

supervisor? i don't see your wife in the pic :hmm:

your daughter's hulk pose is ADORABLE

 

[TraumaRN]

My in-laws have radiant heat through their floors, best invention EVER.

 

[StageLeft]

My in-laws have radiant heat through their floors, best invention EVER.

Air Conditioning is the best invention ever. Think on it for a moment and you cannot deny.

 

[vi edit]

They worked on Saturday and sheathed the subfloor. Just in time for a couple of inches of rain last night and today

I'm sure it will be fine...I just hate the idea of water sitting on that stuff. Rest of the week after today is supposed to be warm and sunny...just wished they had waited till tomorrow. Oh well. I did email off a picture of the block stepdown to my contractor circling the questionable returns. I'll probably hear back from him this morning to see what he has to say.

http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...d-OfILgBgefIwe6GvTcOnwg4ryyQBZYD/IMG_4204.jpg

http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...2RAzfMjsrueb79qo9d8_ViSXCLAaPItO/IMG_4208.jpg

That big "hole" is where the stairs and my offset den & theater rooms will be going.

Good thing my daughter looks more like her Mom than my ugly mug.
http://whlv4w.bay.livefilestore.com...cXOhMaPS1if9a1WDvLlk0SDqoQjINmV4/IMG_4211.jpg

 

[StageLeft]

Did they glue, too? I'm not sure everyone does that now or not. I hear that advantech is the best OSB-type subfloor and withstands construction moisture (like sitting out in the rain) better than normal OSB, but getting some water during construction should be no problem anyway and is certainly common.

Did you say when this will be finished?

 

[vi edit]

Yeh, they glued to each joist and the t&g seams on the OSB as it was put down. I've been doing some reading and it sounds like standing water can sit on that stuff for a couple days with no real significant issue. It's more resiliant than I gave it credit for. I hope to be dried-in in a couple weeks. Probably looking around Labor Day'ish for a move in. Losing a month to the road embargo sucked.

 

[StageLeft]

Yeh, they glued to each joist and the t&g seams on the OSB as it was put down. I've been doing some reading and it sounds like standing water can sit on that stuff for a couple days with no real significant issue. It's more resiliant than I gave it credit for. I hope to be dried-in in a couple weeks. Probably looking around Labor Day'ish for a move in. Losing a month to the road embargo sucked.

Yep, unless they ah heck off for the summer and let it sit through some more storms you're fine. I think it's probably a lucky few houses that go from subfloor to a tiled roof in between two rain falls.

I think OSB is more resilient to water than ply. Ply on the edges can absorb moisture and go to pot whereas OSB's glue all throughout it helps significantly with this (although its edges are still more open since they are cut).

 

[bonkers325]

Yeh, they glued to each joist and the t&g seams on the OSB as it was put down. I've been doing some reading and it sounds like standing water can sit on that stuff for a couple days with no real significant issue. It's more resiliant than I gave it credit for. I hope to be dried-in in a couple weeks. Probably looking around Labor Day'ish for a move in. Losing a month to the road embargo sucked.

Joist hangers weren't an option? Also, I never heard of noise/creaking being an issue with steel vs. wood joists - the noise is usually due to the subflooring. Working on a townhouse right now with steel floor joists and I don't notice any noise at all, but the flooring isn't complete and they're still putting up the facade.

Standing water shouldn't be an issue on the plywood, but when you put in the rest of the subflooring you'll want a roof over your head or a tarp over the floor. I've seen floors warp like crazy because of a few days in the rain.

 

[Aharami]

awesome...simply awesome! cant believe you did all that piping for the radiant heating yourself. That looks like a mST of work!

 

[Dubb]

Yep, unless they ah heck off for the summer and let it sit through some more storms you're fine. I think it's probably a lucky few houses that go from subfloor to a tiled roof in between two rain falls.

I think OSB is more resilient to water than ply. Ply on the edges can absorb moisture and go to pot whereas OSB's glue all throughout it helps significantly with this (although its edges are still more open since they are cut).

There are various quality levels of OSB, mostly due to various glue formulations and concentrations of bark. Some of it is so bad it goes spongy in high humidity. I haven't seen anything that beats glued + screwed advantech.