My new house?

[Norman Bernstein]

I'm pretty sure this is the beginning of my house, based on its position relative to the other houses being built. It's a detached house in an over-55 development called Weber Farms... with a master bedroom and stepless shower on the main floor, it will be easier to care for my wife

What is shown are the footings for the foundation. It's not expected to be complete until March.

[CWSmith]

I feel like I'm looking at my own future. All on one floor? Will there be any undeveloped space when the community is completed?

[Figment]

Congrats!
My dad fought this move tooth and nail, but it only took about two weeks after the move for him to comment that he wished he'd done it 5 years earlier.

[dutchpp]

Congratulations, nice spot!

[Norman Bernstein]

I feel like I'm looking at my own future. All on one floor? Will there be any undeveloped space when the community is completed?

not quite like where I live now, which is fully surrounded by conservation land… but it is set back enough from a moderately busy road, and some of the surrounding land is forested.

Houses like these, in an HOA operated development, are a compromise. Some things I have come to enjoy, like a gazebo on my deck, or the bird feeder in my back yard, are prohibited. On the other hand, I am done with the yard maintenance, snow blowing and shoveling, and any exterior work that needs to be done. I enjoyed those chores in the past, but frankly don’t care to have to deal with them in the future.

Im most looking forward to the new kitchen… we spent some money on kitchen upgrades, and it will be a joy to cook there… much more cabinet and counter space, and a wall mounted oven.

It is not actually all on one floor. The master bedroom and bathroom are on the main floor, but there’s a loft space with a full bedroom and bathroom upstairs, plus some open space for a study or office.

[CWSmith]

^ Sounds nice. I know what you mean about maintenance. I found a great young man in my community who shovels the walk and cuts the lawn for me. HOAs can be very dictatorial and I don't understand them half the time, but that's the price we pay for the all-in-one service. I hope you enjoy it as much as you anticipate.

[Yeadon]

Congrats. Looks like a nice lot and a manageable-sized home.

[gypsie]

Best wishes, sounds really positive.

[David G]

Sounds like you've given it some thought, and careful planning. Kudos.

[stromborg]

Done by March? Lots of cold carpenters...

I took a look at their house plans, an over-55 community and all the houses have steps to get in? As someone who moves a lot of vintage citizens between house and ambulance I suggest talking to your HOA and seeing about a ramp.

Nice series of designs that are reasonably sized. I hope you enjoy watching it get built.

[Breakaway]

It's a new chapter Norm. You and Mrs Norman have some more of your story to write, yet.
Good luck!

Kevin

[bluedog225]

Sounds like a nice area.

[Hugh MacD]

Good on ya, Norm! When we remodeled our place we went to all 3' doors, a stepless shower and are adding a ramp to the side door (for garbage cans, y'know). You're gonna like it!

[J.Madison]

I hope it is a nice and helpful change for you, caretaking is such difficult work as it is. The second bedroom might be useful for extra live-in help if needed.

But they prohibited bird feeders? I struggle to understand the kind of mind that would do such a thing...

[Norman Bernstein]

Done by March? Lots of cold carpenters...

I took a look at their house plans, an over-55 community and all the houses have steps to get in? As someone who moves a lot of vintage citizens between house and ambulance I suggest talking to your HOA and seeing about a ramp.

Nice series of designs that are reasonably sized. I hope you enjoy watching it get built.

We are not quite at the point where we need a ramp; my wife can manage two steps at the front door, or two steps from the garage to inside (we added optional railings for both). However, I do have a foldable ramp; we bought it for my sister, who is wheelchair bound. She no longer needs it, so I will store it in the garage for the future.

[Hallam]

All the best with your new house Norm

[Stiletto]

It's good to see that it is started. From a technical point of view I'm interested to see how the new structure will be connected to those poured footings.

[sonofswen]

Looks like the Cheshire ..

[Norman Bernstein]

The forms arrived on Moday... and today, they are being erected. I was able to confirm that this is indeed MY house (there were no house number markers, but the form guys told me it was #27)




Here is today's photo.. erecting the forms:

[J P]

No rebar?

[Rich Jones]

That brings back memories of days long past when I worked on foundations.
Getting it all right and having the cement flow correctly takes some skill.
I see that the house seems to be built into a bank along on side. Will that be the front for easy access?
Full basement will come in handy.
Since it seems that most of the basement will be above ground, I wonder why some of it isn't stick framed.
Will the exposed cement be stucco, painted of covered with siding?

[Norman Bernstein]

There is indeed rebar… they were working on that this morning.

The house will have a ‘walk out’ basement, meaning that the basement floor, at the rear, will be ground level, with a conventional door…. In addition to having a conventional bulkhead on the side. I am quite enthusiastic about this feature (which added a bit to the price) because it will allow me to use the space under the deck for storage in wintertime…. Without having to struggle to drag stuff out via the bulkhead.

Evidently, the grading along the front and the sides will slope upwards somewhat, similar to a few other houses in the development.

[David W Pratt]

I had a friend who had Parkinson's and his shower was a room with a floor drain, and a teak chair he could sit in.

[mike9199]

The area looks great! Congrats!
I still remember how exciting it was when we build our home.
All the hustle and troubles absolutely vanish away when you enter your own house for the first time.
It also was a very difficult period of my family 's life when most of our belongings where is the public storage (read more about it) and we had to share a tiny apartment all together.

[Rich Jones]

Walk-out basements are the greatest thing ever. I've got one and it's a joy getting things in and out of my shop. It also allows my garage to be under the house and not next to it.
I noticed that they put proper keyways in the footings to make sure the foundation walls can't slip.
It's always an exciting day when the cement truck pulls up.
Don't hesitate to pop in during construction while the crew is at work. It helps to let them know that you are a vigilant owner. The "squeaky wheel" gets the grease.

[hawkeye54]

Best wishes to you and the Mrs., Norman. Nice, sturdily-built house there. When ours was built, we were many states away, and had to depend on daughter and son-in-law, and our realtor, for all the 'walk-thru's' ( never saw the place between mud and completion




Rick

[stromborg]

The forms arrived on Moday... and today, they are being erected. I was able to confirm that this is indeed MY house (there were no house number markers, but the form guys told me it was #27)

Interesting difference in building technique/code? By contrast this is what the footings for my house looked like before the stem walls went on:



Rebar every couple of feet solidly attached to more rebar in the footing. But we live in an earthquake zone so maybe things are done differently here.

Very cool that you are able to document the build process. It may come in handy having those pictures down the road.

[jpatrick]

As Steve said... take many photos of what you will be unable to see later. The interior walls, floors, and ceiling are especially important. Having the photos will pay big dividends if you or a contractor need to modify or troubleshoot anywhere. I took a lot of our own remodel, but wish I hadn't missed some spots.

I am surprised that Norman's house has no rebar to tie the walls to the footer. But I've only lived in earthquake prone areas.

Jeff

[Too Little Time]

I am surprised that Norman's house has no rebar to tie the walls to the footer.

They have building inspectors who ensure code compliance.

I would suggest that since this is a basement, there is little need for uplift protection and the keys are sufficient to hold the walls in place.

[Hugh MacD]

As Steve said... take many photos of what you will be unable to see later. The interior walls, floors, and ceiling are especially important. Having the photos will pay big dividends if you or a contractor need to modify or troubleshoot anywhere. I took a lot of our own remodel, but wish I hadn't missed some spots.

I am surprised that Norman's house has no rebar to tie the walls to the footer. But I've only lived in earthquake prone areas.

Jeff

Before drywall went on I laid a wide tape measure along the inside of every wall at our place and shot the wall so I have a scale with the photos. It'll prove useful for hanging photos and stuff. It also recorded wiring and plumbing routing. I also came back and insulated inside all of the interior walls which has dampened noise considerably.

[Rich Jones]

Might I suggest you make sure that they install double hung windows instead of single hung. Developers love single hung because they are less expensive but washing the upper sash from the inside is next to impossible. Tilt-in double hungs are the way to go.

Signed,
Forum Board of Sidewalk Supervisors

[Norman Bernstein]

The forms are off







Clearly, there's a great deal of grading that must be done, but I'm unsure if they'll lay in the utilities first. Obviously, there will be a moderate slope up to the house, from street level; in the first image, the garage is on the left side, so the slope needs to rise up to nearly that level.

Also, at the rear, there is little distance between the back of the house, and the berm which forms the edge of the onsite septic system, so I suspect they'll be installing a retaining wall, like they've done on some other houses in the development.

[Steve McMahon]

Looks good Norman. The trend here has been slab on grade duplexes super insulated with electric hot water in floor heat and mini split heat pumps. Two car garage and no stairs or ramps. All 36” doors

[Rich Jones]

Yeah, it looks like a LOT of backfilling to be done. I see the back of the ground level floor will be stick framed.
I assume the small hole in the front is for the water main and the large one for the sewer line.

[Robbie 2]

Looking good.
I am enjoying this thread.
Thanks for sharing.