NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME ON CATAWBA COURT

We are starting a new home in Hide-A-Way Hills. There are a few important things to consider when building in Hide-A-Way Hills which may be different than when building in other areas.
1) The building lots in H-A-H are much smaller than lots outside of the Hills.
2) The building lots in H-A-H tend to have a much more aggressive terrain than in other areas.
3) There are no public utilities in Hide-A-Way Hills.
4) Hide-A-Way Hills is an hour away from a large metropolitan area.
5) Hide-A-Way Hills institutes vehicle load weight limits during the winter months.

After looking at several different lots with myself and their Realtor, my customers decided on a half acre lot on Catawba Court. Before purchasing the lot we had a soil evaluation done to assure that a septic system would be approved for the size home they wanted to build.

The next step was to select an area on the lot to build the home and driveway, and to clear the trees. In Hide-A-Way Hills there are regulations regarding the removal of trees.

Square Foot Building Costs

I am asked from time to time "How much does is cost a square foot to build a new house?" This is a very difficult, if not impossible, question to answer with a standard square foot cost.

There is no "true standard" in building, and the prices of materials and building styles can vary wildly. Smaller homes usually will cost more per square foot than larger homes, and homes with several bathrooms and/or large kitchens can increase costs.

Building in Hide-A-Way Hills can sometimes have variables that might not be found in other areas of the state. The terrain or steep slopes of the lots in this area can dramatically affect the cost of building, as can finding contractors willing to drive the distance from the city without a travel charge.

I use several different cost estimators to help determine the final costs in an estimate that I provide to my customers. By using computer estimating software, cost books, and years of experience I can provide a free accurate custom estimate for each customers project.

Please feel free to contact me for an estimate for your new home, addition or project.

Shawnee Lane New Build

It rained today so while I had some free time I took the opportunity to take some pictures of a home we built a few years ago on Shawnee Lane in Hide-A-Way Hills.

The owners on this project had a cabin on Lake Eagle Claw that they wanted to tear down and build a new home closer to the water.

With the new house located closer to the water, we had to design a switch back driveway because of the steep angle of the lot.

Left Side Front

The house is sided with T-111 siding and roofed with 30 year dimensional shingles.

We used oak spindles, handrails, and trim to complete the twin stairways that lead to lofts on either end of the house.

Twin Stairs

Down From Big Loft

Back Doors

Back Deck

Shelter House

Over the Weekend I headed up a volunteer project here at home in Hide-A-Way Hills. The Golf Committee aproached me with the idea of building a Shelter House at the Golf Course. As an avid golfer and customer of the Club House I thought it was a great idea. With the help of several volunteers we were able to erect the 24'x32' Shelter House on Saturday and Sunday, and roof it on Monday.

Back Porch Roof

We installed the Roof on the Back Porch of our Nelsonville new build. We wanted to use the same tongue and groove pine that we had used throughout the project. Because the pine would be both the ceiling and roof, we installed it from above. Before the metal roofing could be applied, the pine had to be covered with a layer of plywood. With this process, we were assured the screws would not show through the ceiling.

Back Porch

We have begun work on the Back Porch in Nelsonville. To continue the theme from the post and beam front porch, we again used rough cut lumber from an Amish sawmill. 2x8 rafters along with a tongue and groove pine ceiling will be completed with the same green metal roof as the rest of the house.

Bath Room Tille

April 15 Tax Time! Lately I've been buried in a mountain of receipts trying to get through my taxes. Now I've got them done and have some time to get back to my blog.


We installed the ceramic tile in the first floor bath of our Nelsonville new build. The tub surround was finished in a 12"x12" Terracotta tile with a multi colored mosaic accent. On the floor, we laid 12"x12" antique white tile and grouted them with the same linen as the walls.

Pine Floor

Recently, we installed the floor in the living room and kitchen at our Nelsonville new build. The material is Southern Yellow Pine in a seven inch wide tongue and groove plank. The owners decided to tackle this project themselves over the week end. They installed the floor unfinished and will sand, stain, and finish later.

Collar Tie and King Post

Finishing the Collar Tie and King Post was one of the final things we had to complete before we removed the scaffolding from the living room of our Nelsonville new build. The Collar Tie is a beam located about halfway up in the cathedral ceiling. The King Post connects the center of the Collar Tie to the ridge beam of the roof. By covering the structural lumber of the beam with rough-sawn ply wood then staining we were able to match the beams in the kitchen.

Decking Installed

The 5/4"x6" pressure treated decking has been completed on the back of our Nelsonville new build.

PEX

Manablock manifold

After much consideration, the home owners and I chose PEX Tubing for the water suply in our Nelsonville new build.
There are several good reasons for using PEX tubing for water supply.

1.High temperature capability, pressure-rated up to 200° F
2.High pressure capability/stability (reduced creep)
3.Smooth wall, excellent flow characteristics
4.Quiet operation
5.Reduced heat loss and condensation
6.Flexibility for design
7.Proven long life, rigorous certifications, highly tested


A PEX installation requires fewer directional fittings. Since most plumbing problems occur at joints, fewer fittings reduce the chances of leaks. The homeowner saves in the cost of the installed system, fewer callbacks, and reduced utility costs when home-run manifold systems are utilized in conjunction with PEX.

Manifold or home run plumbing systems are much like a breaker box for the electrical system in the home. The manifold provides a common location from which all the plumbing fixtures are supplied. Some high-end manifolds also feature fixture shut-off valves allowing the user to shut off the water to individual fixtures from one location. Others are semi-home run manifolds or termination manifolds, which may feed the plumbing requirements for a room or set of rooms and reduce the number of fittings required in the plumbing system.

Back Deck

Today we began the framing on the Back Deck. The deck will be 12' x 42' with 12' x 22' under roof and screened.

Cricket

When building a chimney on a house, a major consideration is in diverting the water running down the roof from the back of the chimney. On a house where the chimney is located on the side or near the top of the roof, flashing is all that is required. However, to divert the water on a house where the chimney is near the bottom of the roof, we build a small roof called a cricket. The photos show how the water will be shunted off to one side and away.

Chimney Completed

The weather has finally broken and spring is here. With the rise in temperatures our masons have been able to complete the block on the chimney. The masons poured the concrete cap on the top of the chimney and removed their scaffold so now we can start to build the decks and the screened porch.

D W V

Today we completed the majority of the drain waste vent pipe (DWV) system.

The drain waste vent pipe is part of a home's plumbing system that is specifically used to carry waste water down and away from the home, and allows sewer gases to be pushed out through the roof. Drain waste vent pipes are typically plastic.

A specialized building code strictly regulates plumbing systems. A specialized plumbing inspector checks the installation when the pipes are being put in, and again when the home is finished, right before closing, to ensure all codes are followed and the plumbing is safe for the occupants.

Kitchen Beams

Today we applied the stain finish to the rough-sawn pine beams in the kitchen of our Nelsonville new build. Before we stained the beams we wanted to distress them to give an older hand-hewn look. Carving on them randomly with hand planes, chisels and sandpaper gave the pine more character, and will make them look like they've been there a long time.

Odds and Ends

Over the last few days I haven't posted because we've been working to finish up some of the various stages that I've already talked about. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some pictures for those of you interested. The Wall Sconces came in and were installed, the drywall in the kitchen has been hung and taped, and we've began to install the siding on the back of the house.

Porch Ceiling

We have not been truly satisfied with the look of the post and beam porch ceiling since it was built. The design called for the underside of the metal roof to show between the purlins, but the underside of the green metal is white and does not fit with our color scheme.

The tongue and groove pine on the inside exceeded our expectations so we decided to use the same material on the porch.

Ceiling Day 11

The tongue and groove pine is virtually completed on the inside of the house. Tomorrow we will begin installing pine outside on the porch ceiling.

Ceiling Day 10

The tongue and groove pine was completed on the bay window and the gable above it today. One more day of installation should finish up this portion of the project.