The Exterior Is Almost Complete

The windows and doors are installed and the finishing touches are being completed on the exterior siding.  The porch / deck handrails are being installed.  Next we plan to construct the retaining wall, drill the well and grade the site.  After that the focus will shift to the inside, where the plumbers have already started.

Proposed Kitchen Layout

Front View of Hallmark Lodge

Despite raining off and on we have been able to continue on with the siding

Siding Begins

We have selected LP smartsiding for the Hallmark Lodge.It is a phenomenal product. It comes in longer lengths than other products. It has a more defined wood profile. The warranty is much better. It has a 50/5 parts/labor warranty. In the gables we have installed a staggered edge shake. The walls are finished inch 6" lap siding.

Jonathan Nailed the View Angle

Rumbling Bald Mountain

When we located the house foundation last Spring it was impossible to see thru the trees to confirm the long-range views.  Jonathan used GPS and town aerial maps to determine that the house should be oriented at 30 degrees to the East of North.   As you can see from this actual 'Winter' picture, taken from our new deck, he got it perfect.

Happy Thanksgiving

While Jim is away the Carpenters will play!!!!!!

The roof shingles are going up the Living room Windows are installed, and the doors are being installed.

Porch

The porch roof is about complete.

Deck Framing Is Complete

Deck Framing

View from Master Bedroom

View from Driveway

View from Living Room

What a Difference Two Weeks Makes



The Family Room, Deck Columns
and Lower Level Bedrooms

The Front Entrance



The View from the Family Room

Its hard to believe that when I was on-site two weeks ago we were just setting the trusses.  Now, the framing and sheathing on the front is essentially complete.  On the back, the roof-line from the family room extends over the deck so the deck has to be completed first, but that should start in the next 1-2 days.

Deck Columns

The Deck Columns are formed and will be poured this afternoon

A Rainy days progress

The footing for the deck columns are poured and the entry porch concrete is finished

Concrete Porch and Deck Footings

The Footings are dug for the deck and porch off of the rear of the house.

The First stage of prep for the front Porch

The Zip flashing is installed around all of the seems

The Final stage of Weathersheild is applied
The seems are taped and the fabric is ready
for the final prep work to be completed by
Mosseller Concrete.

The Jobsite remains spic and span

Our senior construction analyst demonstrates how to properly remove debris from the floor.

Shaping up

The roof sheathing has been applied to the center section of the house

The overhangs are being framed and the construction of the endwall sheathing has begun

The Trusses are Set

 

 





Finally, it was a clear, cool (sometimes breezy) Autumn day, the crane was available, and the trusses were set by 1.00 PM.  btw - there is a triangular cap that goes on top of each truss, the roof will really NOT be flat on the top.

Zip Wall

The walls are sheeted with zip wall. We are ready to set trusses. but yet again it is supposed to rain again. If it doesnt rain tomorrow then we will set the trusses.Otherwise we will set the trusses on Thursday morning.

Shaping Up

Standing in the Family Room

The front of the house

Ruthie and I met her brother Larry and his wife Georgia (from Asheville) at Lake Lure on Saturday.  It was a beautiful day, we had lunch and checked out the progress of the house.   It is beginning to feel like a house now because you can actually walk from one room to another.

Framing

The main level framing has begun.

Subfloor

The subfloor is installed. We have a little bit of framing in the lower level to finish and then the main level framing begins

Framing

Interior walls are being framed in the lower level

Basement framing

The rain has subsided and the basement framing has begun. The outside walls are up and the interior walls are on there way.

Construction begins

The sill plates start going down, but rain is looming all week. It is going to be a slow start.

We Have Power

Both the electrical kind, from Duke - and the intellectual kind from the Team pictured below. 

From the left: Jonathan, the general contractor; Roger, all the site excavation and driveway construction; Vince, the architect (from Asheville); and, Andy, a year-around neighbor and advisor.

Duke Power

Duke Energy installed the power lines and transformer today. Hopefully they will have power hooked up to the temp pole tomorrow

Slab

The Slab is poured. The white dust you see on the slab is saw dust from the control joints in the slab.The slab was sealed prior to cutting so the dust will wash right off.

Slab

The concrete slab is being poured today. It is expected to be over 100 degrees today. With that in mind the concrete crew got started early today.

The ground is still really wet from all the rain last week. It is not supposed to rain today, but showers are likely for the rest of week.

After today Roger can finish the back fill and grade work on the driveway and around the house.