Third Week Most Productive So Far

The third week, starting 7/24/17, was great in spite of the rain.  The slab was poured on schedule on Tuesday.  Although we worried about the approaching rain, everything went fine.  The rain did not damage the pour at all.  And soon afterward, the guys were able to smooth it out with their big power trowels.

The following day they removed the forms.  And we were able to walk around on it trying to make sense of where walls would be and furniture would go.  It was really exciting because for he first time it actually felt like it was becoming a real home.

Thursday, the workers cleaned up the site a bit by stacking the form boards for later disposal, and grading down the huge pile of dirt they removed to put in the fill dirt under the slab.  By spreading the dirt like they did, it also made ready the perimeter for the next concrete pour (sidewalk, uncovered patio and driveway) scheduled later on.

And while walking around taking photos I decided to mosey on down the hill across the green space and into the tree line to see what was down there.  I was surprised to find a sizable creek.  It wasn't a creek formed by the developer for drainage but one that had obviously been there a few centuries.  I told Judy that we can now claim to live on 'Waterfront Property.'

Friday, about all that was done was the installation of the power meter on the construction pole. That's a sure sign that framing will start soon.  We can't wait for that so we can actually walk from room to room, mentally sizing it up for furniture and art.

And Saturday, they brought the lumber to start the framing.

Here are some pictures showing the week's progress:

And here's the creek down back of the lot.

The framing lumber was delivered Saturday

Second Week of Construction

This week things started to happen quickly.  For one thing, the plumbing drains and vents were installed and tested.  Passed.  And it progressed up to the footings/beams being dug, reinforced and lined with plastic, and laced with re-bar just in time for another rain to close out Friday.  They are planning on pouring the slab Tuesday next week.  Here are some photos of this week:

The contractors seem to be well organized and know what they are doing, so all we do is watch and take photos.  Maybe by Wednesday next week we can walk around on the floor picturing in our mind where the furniture will go.  That would be good.

First Week of Construction

Monday May 10th through May 14th

We're so excited!!!

This week just flew by, but construction was began on the foundation and forms for pouring the slab. The rain finally caught up with them Friday afternoon.  But look at all they got done.  It's really starting to have a shape...

7/10/17

7/11/17

7/12/17

7/13/17

7/14/17

Construction Has Begun

The official countdown on the construction of our new home in Terra Mariae subdivision started today with the 'fill-dirt' being packed into place.

By my calculations, it will be completed in 167 days.  That would be Christmas Eve.  It would be nice to be living in it sooner.

Yes, there will eventually be a movie of the construction.  

Chimney Swifts

This house has some history in it.  You can tell by the size of he bathrooms and plumbing.  I think it dates back to the 1930's or maybe even the 1920's.  But even if it was built in the 1940's after I was born, it still has history.

So it comes as no surprise that it frequently emits strange noises, most of which are just routine expansion and contraction as the house heats up and then cools during the night.

But when the noise is coming from the chimney in the form of animals of some kind, then we have to wonder what kind of animal and is it dangerous.

We learned that it was Chimney Swifts when Nephew # 2 told us exactly what was.  He had experience with Chimney Swifts in the past, so that made him the on-site Chimney Swift Expert.

He went on to say it is illegal to try to harm them, or even try to move them from their nest (usually in hollow trees or open chimneys.  They need to build their nests on the side of a hollow tree or within the walls of a chimney.  And, it turns out that only one family of Chimney Swifts nest in the same place at a time.  As they reach maturity, they all fly away.

Meanwhile, the faint 'chirping' we heard during the day and sometimes into the early evening started to get louder and louder.  Then all of a sudden, it was extremely loud.  And suddenly we had a bird flying around our living room here at Temporary House.  After a few exciting minutes we opened two outside doors and the bird, obviously a very nervous Mother, flew out the door, all the while with the youngsters in the fireplace chirping their little heads off.

Judy looked into the fireplace and discovered a nest had fallen from up in the chimney and some fairly large birds were calling for their next feeding.  We didn't know what to do, so we left things just as they were.  We figured Mama Bird would figure out a way to feed them until they could fly away.

This morning, they were much quieter but definitely still there.  So they must be getting food.  In typical fashion, we decided it's probably best that we not do anything to mess with nature for fear that we can do more harm than good.

One thing is for sure: we now know more about Chimney Swifts than we did before yesterday.  And the brief but noisy incident will become just one more in a growing number of brief incidents on the road to building our new home.