Wednesday July 30 – Electrical Walk-through

Today was another busy house planning day.

We met the builders and the electrician at the house today. It was important that Preston be inside the house for this one and so the builder had the framers build a make-shift (and very steep) ramp. It worked well and it was Preston's first time inside our house. We talked about placement of lights, switches, outlets and the plumbing for the wheel-in shower. The kitchen took the longest as we had to draw out the cabinetry plan and figure out where all the appliances were going to be. It was really fun, but it took over three hours. Here are a few pictures from the afternoon:


Lamp post picture of the front (notice the packages of shingles on the roof - this was delivered today while we were doing the walk-through. The roof may be shingled tomorrow!):




Preston in his framed wheel-in shower:




Drawing the cabinetry on the floor:




A view of the trusses from the inside:




One of the most exciting developments for today was the deck. We could actually go outside and stand on the deck. Preston took this picture while we were figuring out the lighting/electrical for the deck:




On the deck, looking back towards the house. The door on the left goes into the great room and kitchen and the large window on the right is the great room:

Sunday July 27 and Monday July 28 at the house with Family

Preston and I took Eric, Linda, Naila and Geordie to the house on Sunday to show them the progress. We also took Eric by on Monday evening after the windows and doors went in. Here are a few photos from these two visits:


Sunday
Looking out the front dining room window:




Sunday
Geordie standing In our back yard, which is currently a few piles of mud:




Sunday
Linda and Naila in our backyard (if you look closely you can see a dragonfly on Naila's fly!):




Sunday
Geordie and Eric leaning on the back of the house:




Monday
Eric and I at the front door:

Monday July 28 - Windows and Doors

Every day is different right now. Today was all about the house for Preston and I. In the morning we met for the second time with our flooring and tile person and in the afternoon we had the second and maybe final meeting about our lights and light fixtures. After that we visited the house to see the windows.

It was a very tiring day for me and it started out terribly. I had a bit of a melt down at the flooring place. The flooring choices and colours for our bathrooms just all seemed wrong and I had a hard time agreeing with anything. In fact the flooring lady told us that we just had to schedule another meeting, because we weren't going to be able to make any decisions. She was right. At one point I was making a comment about how all the patterns we were choosing were "swirly" and I was finding this difficult. I looked at Preston and he looked at me with an absolutely stunned and flabbergasted expression. I don't think I've ever seen him speechless before. He thought I was suggesting that we start again. It was a funny moment in the midst of my frustration and enabled us to move forward and figure out that it is only two bathrooms that are causing us (or me) problems . . . phew.

So we left the flooring place a little discouraged, ate lunch and bought a book about creating bathrooms. It helped immensely.

The lighting meeting was much easier. We simply confirmed what had already been decided. There were no surprises from me and I was still happy with our choices. (Thank goodness!)

After the meetings we had just enough energy to swing by the house. This was very exciting as the windows and doors were mostly in. Seeing the house lifted my spirits.


House with windows from the front:




From another angle:




From the back with Canada geese walking around the ponds:

July 25

The plywood is now forming our roof. And most of the inside is framed. I took a walk inside the house today and it looks so small. But when I came home and compared the measurements to the house we are living in, the space is quite big. It is funny how perspective can change so much.

Here is the regular lamp post picture:




Because the garage now hides the house, here is one from another angle showing the front door:




This is taken from the front door looking straight to the back of the house:




The view from our master bedroom:

July 24

It really is crazy how fast things are moving right now. Currently every day is unbelievable! The trusses are now up and the framers told me that the windows will go in on Monday (July 28)! WOW! Preston and I were so excited today that we walked along the path behind the house and took lots of pictures. Here are a few:

More Framing - July 23

On July 23rd things seemed to be happening so fast! In the morning the garage was mostly framed and by the late afternoon the trusses were going up:

The Framing Begins! - July 21

So, Preston and I go on holidays. Not much is going on in the week leading up to our camping trip. I have stopped taking pictures, because it remains a hole in the ground with concrete! Then we hear from our builders in the middle of our trip that the framing is starting during the week of July 14th. So we stop by the house on July 21st as we are driving into the city at the end of our camping trip.

What do we find? But something that is starting to look like one good looking house! The framing is going up and it is going fast! The outside wall are up!

My regular lamp post picture:


The footing for the garage walls and the piles (in the middle of the garage!)


Preston venturing along the side of the house where the ground has been moved back to cover the tarred concrete:


The back of the house with the walk-out basement:


The dining room and kitchen run along the right wall (photo taken from the front door):


The hole for the stairs to the basement, and then a view of the back wall, great room, and door to the back deck:


The elevator shaft, front closet, main bathroom bedrooms and a ensuite bathroom: (we know where everything will go, so we can start imagining it all!)