The Log House Project

[NancysToy]

As many of you know, we are building a half-log house. It took a long time to get started, after a number of misfires and delays. We are finaaly making regular progress. I will try to post videos here as we move along.

From the Road
The House Site
Preliminary Grading
Day Zero

[NancysToy]

Day One
Day Two
Finishing the Dig
Day Three

[cuznjohn]

seeing this reminds me of when i built my house in upstate NY over 30 years ago. boy i miss that place. good luck with the place and in the last vid i was laughing because way back than i was paying 500 a day for a excavator and a operator so i was wishing they moved that fast

[SpyderAnn01]

Man you work fast.

[Chupaca]

good luck with the project. Ground is broken can only go up from here...always wanted to build one but am so deep into this house all your equipment couldn't dig me out..will enjoy it through your videos..

[flamingobabe]

WOW...what fun in watching the process.....looking forward to more updates

[Bob Denman]

It's good to see how far you've come along with this!
(Hint: make your garages and storage buildings bigger...)

[mxz600]

Looking good Scotty.

Connie and I were over that way about a month or so ago looking for your property. We couldn't find it as there was nothing going on there yet.

Now maybe I'll be able to find it.

[spydaman60]

five years ago carol and i did the same thing in upstate ny. we love the place and all the time we put into it. somehow, when you do it from the ground up like that, it becomes more a piece of you and therefor you take extreme pride in building it! good luck, and may your days be pleasant and your problems be few!!

[coz]

i was wondering how it was going. interesting to watch. keep posting.

[ARtraveler]

Thank you for posting the videos. Please continue to keep us informed of the progress.

[NancysToy]

Today we set the basement walls. Note that I said "set", not poured. We are using a precast concrete wall system by Superior Walls. These things are slick! High strength concrete with integral insulation and studs. They are set in place on footings of compacted crushed stone...not poured footings. Very high tech, located within 5 mm using infrared/laser locating equipment that has the floor plan downloaded to it. I knew it would be a good day when there was a rainbow over the driveway as I drove up. Unfortunately, I think we supplied the gold.

Here are today's progress videos.





On another note, my cast was removed today! They put on a very restrictive brace, however. I can remove this one to bathe, exercise the hand, and sleep, though. That will be nice! The hand was pretty cruddy after not seeing daylight for so long. I can't bend my thumb or wrist yet due to the six weeks immobilized, plus the surgery, but PT should cure that. Some nerve damage, but the thumb tip still works. I hope to be able to ride in a couple of weeks, as soon as I can ditch the brace, close my hand again, and bend my wrist. I hear that wrist thing is important on a motorcycle.

[Bob Denman]

It sounds like GREAT news on both the home and healing fronts!

[flamingobabe]

I bet cha' you're having a good time watching the process...installation of the walls is pretty cool....glad to hear you are mending well...take it easy and keep the updates coming

[Pennyrick]

Those pre-cast walls are neat.

I'm betting you are wishing for post-cast days, though.

[NancysToy]

This was a busy week! Monday they framed the walkout wall. It is fun to watch the Amish carpenters. They have to have someone drive them to the job site, then when they arrive they pull out the air compressor, generator, and cordless drills and saws. The head carpenter carries a smart phone, and is far more tech savvy than my builder. Frankly, I wish they were close by, and arrived by buggy. I could use a good draft horse to pull some logs out of my woods.



Tuesday they finished up some framing and waited all day for inspections. Nancy and I took the day off to get our flu shots, shop for groceries, Nancy had a doctor's appointment, and I had to go to OT. We were supposed to pour concrete Wednesday, but the late inspections caused us to cancel. We did some site cleanup, installed some drain pipes on the outer perimeter, and then Nancy and I went looking at floor coverings.

Thursday the flatwork crew showed up and started work. We had a couple of problems. The inner drain/radon vent was too high in places, and the lumber company had not delivered enough foam for the entire floor. By the time we worked out solutions, the flatwork contractor was uneasy with pouring that late in the day, so they left and Nancy and I took some time for ourselves, shopping in Saugatuck and eating lunch by the river.

Friday we poured the basement floor. Good crew! They really know their business. We actually benefitted from the delay, as the concrete will have a couple of days to cure before the carpenters build their supporting wall on it Monday. It would have been the following day otherwise. This morning's rain will help the cure, too. No water out there yet, to spray the slab down and keep it wet.



Saturday I hauled a couple of loads of pea stone and covered the perimeter drain in preparation for backfilling. With this wounded hand I couldn't shovel, so I had to buy 50 pound bags of stone and toss them in the hole before spreading them. Much more expensive that way, but it worked well and I didn't hurt myself. If I tear this ligament off my thumb again I will be in big trouble. They would probably have to fuse the joint, because further repairs may not be possible. Nancy drove to Grand Rapids and got her parents, who are in their eighties and can no longer drive, and brought them out to see the property and construction for the first time.

Getting up at 5:30 every morning and hitting the road for an hour to get to the site shortly after the sun rises is too much like work. We are supposed to be retired! Building a house is a silly thing to be doing at this age. I will probably be in a better mood about the commute if I can ride my Spyder there once in a while. I have to wear the brace until Wednesday, but then I may be able to ride again. The flexibility in my thumb and wrist is returning nicely. I still need a great deal of strengthening, but I am ahead of where I expected to be.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that good progress is being made!
Just be careful of that thumb, or there'll be no hitchiking inj your future!

[FaranH]

Glad to hear that good progress is being made!
Just be careful of that thumb, or there'll be no hitchiking inj your future!

It's fun watching your house progress. Best of luck with therapy! I'm sure you'll be back at it soon!

[Yfactor]

Looking good and keeping you in our for a speedy recovery.

[coz]

watch out for the Amish mafia. things are moving right along, good for you scotty.

[cuznjohn]

This was a busy week! Monday they framed the walkout wall. It is fun to watch the Amish carpenters. They have to have someone drive them to the job site, then when they arrive they pull out the air compressor, generator, and cordless drills and saws. The head carpenter carries a smart phone, and is far more tech savvy than my builder. Frankly, I wish they were close by, and arrived by buggy. I could use a good draft horse to pull some logs out of my woods.



Tuesday they finished up some framing and waited all day for inspections. Nancy and I took the day off to get our flu shots, shop for groceries, Nancy had a doctor's appointment, and I had to go to OT. We were supposed to pour concrete Wednesday, but the late inspections caused us to cancel. We did some site cleanup, installed some drain pipes on the outer perimeter, and then Nancy and I went looking at floor coverings.

Thursday the flatwork crew showed up and started work. We had a couple of problems. The inner drain/radon vent was too high in places, and the lumber company had not delivered enough foam for the entire floor. By the time we worked out solutions, the flatwork contractor was uneasy with pouring that late in the day, so they left and Nancy and I took some time for ourselves, shopping in Saugatuck and eating lunch by the river.

Friday we poured the basement floor. Good crew! They really know their business. We actually benefitted from the delay, as the concrete will have a couple of days to cure before the carpenters build their supporting wall on it Monday. It would have been the following day otherwise. This morning's rain will help the cure, too. No water out there yet, to spray the slab down and keep it wet.



Saturday I hauled a couple of loads of pea stone and covered the perimeter drain in preparation for backfilling. With this wounded hand I couldn't shovel, so I had to buy 50 pound bags of stone and toss them in the hole before spreading them. Much more expensive that way, but it worked well and I didn't hurt myself. If I tear this ligament off my thumb again I will be in big trouble. They would probably have to fuse the joint, because further repairs may not be possible. Nancy drove to Grand Rapids and got her parents, who are in their eighties and can no longer drive, and brought them out to see the property and construction for the first time.

Getting up at 5:30 every morning and hitting the road for an hour to get to the site shortly after the sun rises is too much like work. We are supposed to be retired! Building a house is a silly thing to be doing at this age. I will probably be in a better mood about the commute if I can ride my Spyder there once in a while. I have to wear the brace until Wednesday, but then I may be able to ride again. The flexibility in my thumb and wrist is returning nicely. I still need a great deal of strengthening, but I am ahead of where I expected to be.

i really think you should drug test this crew working on the house, they are running around like they are on speed. ANOTHER DISCLAIMER i just heard what it does to you not from personal experience

[NancysToy]

Back on the job today. They framed the supporting wall and stairwell in the basement. I had to leave early for PT, but they were moving floor joists when I left and I expect they installed some of them before they quit for the day. Tomorrow we will have the subfloor in place. We are moving right along. I expect we will beat winter in getting the logs up...but not by much.



I cheated again today and went without the brace on my hand, as I also did yesterday. It was rubbing me raw, and using moleskin made it too tight. I was supposed to wear it until Wednesday, so this is only a tiny bit early. To celebrate, I took the Spyder out of the barn, wiped off the cobwebs from sitting 2 1/2 months, and took my first ride since July. I only rode a few miles to therapy, but it sure was nice! I wouldn't have wanted to ride too far. My scar and the nerve damage hurt a bit, especially after my workout at PT. The scars hit right on the hand grip, and that part of my hand is super sensitive (where it isn't numb). I'll see if I'm up to riding a bit farther tomorrow. It's nice to be back in the saddle! It's nice to be able to put on a glove again.

[GloryRyders]

Great progress in a short span of time .....................when's the "house warming" party!

[Bob Ledford]

Today we set the basement walls. Note that I said "set", not poured. We are using a precast concrete wall system by Superior Walls. These things are slick! High strength concrete with integral insulation and studs. They are set in place on footings of compacted crushed stone...not poured footings. Very high tech, located within 5 mm using infrared/laser locating equipment that has the floor plan downloaded to it. I knew it would be a good day when there was a rainbow over the driveway as I drove up. Unfortunately, I think we supplied the gold.

Here are today's progress videos.





On another note, my cast was removed today! They put on a very restrictive brace, however. I can remove this one to bathe, exercise the hand, and sleep, though. That will be nice! The hand was pretty cruddy after not seeing daylight for so long. I can't bend my thumb or wrist yet due to the six weeks immobilized, plus the surgery, but PT should cure that. Some nerve damage, but the thumb tip still works. I hope to be able to ride in a couple of weeks, as soon as I can ditch the brace, close my hand again, and bend my wrist. I hear that wrist thing is important on a motorcycle.

Scotty

That is excellent news I know you have got to be elated ....... House is taking shape

[murphybrown]

Scotty and Nancy I love being able to follow your progress....it brings back all the fond (and a few hair pulling) times when I built my home 7 years ago. I love the process and so nice to "build" along with you guys. Glad the hand/thumb is healing and you got a little ryde time...
Take care and keep posting...