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RE: My new home is coming along! - 9/21/2012 5:23:15 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5571
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
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I probably should make note that I will not have the cabinet doors built and in place. I did check and learned that I do not need to have trim on the inside to receive an occupancy permit. Of course, I am doing that and painting it all because it is no fun with furniture in the way (Just one more door to paint, the fire door to the garage).
I am also leaving the walls white for now. After a year, when the majority of the nail pops appear, I'll patch them and paint the walls their final color. Also, that will leave me time to figure out which colors I will use. Most likely it will be pastel colors, nice soothing relaxing colors.
Back to the cabinet doors. I will need my shop in service to build them. Currently my shop (16' by 24') is my storage shed for all my worldly belongings. And I buried my router table and 3 HP router in the final push to move my belongings in.
At this point, I have the tile floor to finish, cabinet drawers and slides to put in, cut the sink into the kitchen counter and paint the fire door. Here's how I do it. I work on the floor until my legs need a stand up break. Then I tackle some of the other projects. When I finish those, I'm back on the floor. Slowly, steadily, the floor gets done, I am not crippled, and all the other little things keep me productive in the mean time. That floor work is more of a heartbreaker than the drywall taping was. I was never sore from the taping.
Electrician has a good day's work left. The plumber, who will be here Monday or Tuesday AM has the kitchen sink, dishwasher, and shower sprayer to hook up. HVAC is complete and that geothermal system works just fine. If I didn't know it was geothermal, I wouldn't be able to tell.
_____________________________
Lovin life,
Bob
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RE: My new home is coming along! - 9/23/2012 6:32:35 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5571
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Status: offline
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Well, I have been pretty busy. Yesterday was a 10 hour day. Got the last of the floor tile laid, need to grout this morning, and that's it for me!!!!!! Well.... until I empty out my storage shed and start to call it a shop and can get at my cabinet door tools.... Everything except the cabinet doors is done. And the steps coming in from the garage to the house, I just have a couple 6 by 6's there. I'm sure the inspector will write me up for that, and I'll "have" to put in a proper set of stairs. Anyone who sees this house and knows how I work knows I would do that anyways.
Yesterdays work consisted of putting door hardware back on painted doors, applying the final coat of poly to the faces of my cabinets, laying the last of the tile, gluing the mirrors to the walls over the vanities and installing the under cabinet lighting. I am using LEDs for this. Low heat and low power usage, lifetime on the lights, and if you set a plate down hard in the cabinet with the lights on, you don't break a bulb. I was looking at two different styles, one had twice the lighting as these. These light the counter up good, real good. In fact so good, they may not work as mood lighting. I'm gonna pull a label out of the trash to see if these are dimmable.
Lessee.... grouting today, floor cleaning tomorrow, and some grout sealer. (Yes, I got a roller applicator) Start moving some things in, that I can get away with, not having a CO yet. (Certificate of occupancy). I know I can set up the computer desk and call it my job site office. As well as some file cabinets. After that, I'm really pushing the envelope, but they are pretty laid back in these parts. My town actually does not have a building code. And they just enacted the ability to provide a CO as I started building as many insurance companies like to see a CO if they are going to insure a home.
_____________________________
Lovin life,
Bob
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RE: My new home is coming along! - 9/27/2012 6:36:47 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5571
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Status: offline
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Well, I'm pretty much finished with my new home!!!!! Plumber has to hook up the kitchen sink, dishwasher and water softener, and electrician has to put in the proper timer for my timed outlets ( great for when I am not home), and he's going to put in a power panel in my shop, so that I can build my cabinet doors and actually use my shop.
2 days ago, my brothe came over and helped move the big items in and a bunch of storage bins. My home is a mess right now! Then I got a call. Had to go to Boston, paid for gas, travel and staying at the Marriot, expenses paid!
I need to unpack and move in, but work is also important!
_____________________________
Lovin life,
Bob
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RE: My new home is coming along! - 9/28/2012 6:27:30 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5571
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Status: offline
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Construction started in earnest on June 6, and wrapped up on September 23, about 16 weeks, or under 4 months. I have 889 hours labor in that span, averaging 55 hours a week. Between friends and family, I have another 237 hours, for a total of 1126 hours labor or 28 weeks work done on a 40 hour schedule. Normally, on a home like this a three or four man crew would work this job and be done in 2 months or so, not accounting for subcontractors schedules.
The savings of building your own home can be huge. Carpenter rates around these parts are about $25 per hour. There is also the costs (figured into every job of the builders office, overhead and profit). A little quick math and the savings are into the tens of thousands of dollars. And the house is built my way, the right way! I was able to add in the little things I wanted at a time when it was easy and inexpensive to do so. Lots of positives in this whole picture.
Of course, doing such a project means you are not earning money while you build, so you need finances set up properly and hopefully no debt or other bills to pay. I am glad to be back in the work force, with folks calling me. Just hoping it keeps up.
< Message edited by uphillklimber -- 9/28/2012 6:29:07 AM >
_____________________________
Lovin life,
Bob
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RE: My new home is coming along! - 9/28/2012 10:20:31 AM
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starjazz
Posts: 1405
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Congrats Mr. B. Got my spare bedroom all ready?
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RE: My new home is coming along! - 10/1/2012 6:49:23 AM
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uphillklimber
Posts: 5571
Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Status: offline
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Okay, I found the numbers for the well and the HVAC system. Bear in mind the well was 980 feet deep before they found water, and then they found 30 gallons per minute (I could sell some of it!). Also, the well provides my domestic water, it's not like I could have done without it. You hope for about 300 feet or swallow hard at 600', but 980'.... budget breaker.... Also, the HVAC bill includes an on demand water heater (About 2 grand) and a few extras such as converting my appliances from natural gas to LP, and puting the registers in the wall. This guy does not break his bills down very well.
HVAC is $28.170.07
Well is $20,513.13
Total cost is $48,683.20.
I have heard conflicting percentages, but I have a tax credit due me of either 30%($14,604,96) or 40% ($19,473.28). This is not a write off, this reduces my tax liability for this year, and the next year or so until I use it up (The balance rolls over). So my entire system will end up costing me either $34,078.24 or $29,209.92.
While the HVAC system is expensive enough, the geothermal is priced right up there to where it is almost not feasible. But that tax break is in effect until 2016 (I think). Just as an FYI on my previous home, built in 2003, I spent $27,980.27 on my entire plumbing and HVAC package (Again, this sub didn't do a very good job breaking down his bill, I can't separate the plumbing package out, but it was about 8 grand of that amount).
Both homes are very similar, I adjusted wall layout in this one to improve "flow" so I will be able to determine how much more (or less) effective geothermal HVAC is. I have all the records of my bills, so this winter will be interesting from a utility standpoint.
_____________________________
Lovin life,
Bob
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Happy for you that you are getting work & that you're starting to move stuff!!
