Marble...er...Concrete Slab

Okay, so it's been over a week since I posted, and they've done two days of work on the house since my last post. I know that sounds pathetic for a Dec 31st close date, but I'm told it's still in the realm of possibility. The thing is, they have to schedule with the contractors. If it rains or is too cold or whatever that schedule gets mucked up. Anywho, the work they've done (that I've seen) is from yesterday and the day before. I don't have any pictures from Tuesday, but they basically brought in this gigantic pile of dirt on Monday (I guess that qualifies as work, doesn't it?) and used almost the whole thing to fill in the foundation to make it nice and packed down and flat. My guess is it'll probably not be as annoying to go in and fix plumbing if that is ever needed. Anywho...

Yesterday the concrete guys were here before I woke up actually pouring the concrete. When I left they were spreading/smoothing it to get it perfect. When I came by at lunch time, there was a guy buffing it out I guess to keep in nice and smooth as it dried. When I left after lunch to go back to lunch, there were literally three guys standing around watching the cement set. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there was some kind of purpose to it, but that was just too funny not to mention. I got home after dark (late sim), so I took these pictures this morning before I went to work. It was still wet, as you can see, but when I got home it was about half white, which I'm assuming means "dry."

So I guess the next step once the concrete is done setting (it's only like six inches, surely it can't take that long, right?) is to start framing up the house. I'm really excited for this prospect, because it'll give us that third dimension. I guess I need to start picking out brick and stone...

Oh yeah, in other news! We got word at the beginning of this week that hubby will be finishing up his training in December and will be here to (hopefully) close on the house with me and move right in! I'm so excited he'll be here soon!

Nothing to Report

No activity at all since last Tuesday. Granted, it did rain on Wednesday and Friday but its been completely dry side Sunday. I'm beginning to think I should have just gotten a six month lease at an apartment because there's no way this is going to be done before the end of the year.

In other news, the house across the street got a driveway and sidewalk today. I think it'll be done in the next two weeks.

Foundations

So quite a bit has happened the past couple of days at the house. I'm sorry I didn't post on it yesterday, but I didn't really get any pics, and I sorta fell asleep before I could.

First, we'll cover yesterday, which for the crew began before 7am.  They set up some boards for the foundation and filled them with concrete to start the foundation walls, I guess you could call them. I've actually never seen this type of foundation being built before. I think it has to do with the red clay soil or something like that. If anyone has better information on that, please let me know. I don't want to feed misinformation. Anyway, this is the only good picture I have from that, showing the cement truck pouring the concrete when I got home around lunch. I know, it's not the best, but you'll see the results in the next few pictures

Today, they seem to have come by pretty early to remove the boards, leaving a completely dry concrete outline of the house and by the time I got home, they had placed what looks to be most if not all of the plumbing. Here are a few different angles overall. Feel free to click for larger pics.

And of course, a closeup showing some detail. Closest to the camera, you can see the beginnings of the master bathroom, and on the far side are the pipes for the kitchen and utility room.

Okay, so I don't know what's up next, but I'll definitely keep you updated! Until next time!

Pouring Concrete?

Not sure exactly what today accomplished but we can now see exactly the footprint of the house and how it will sit on the lot. At least, I'm assuming that's what this is? It looks like the plans, so I will go with that but can anyone tell me what the purpose of this is exactly?

When I came home for lunch they were just getting started.

And this is what I came home to. I'm so confused.

So, if this is in fact the house outline for the load-bearing walls, then the garage is a bit smaller than I thought and our back yard is way smaller than we thought, too, about 20 feet deep at it's smallest point (the back porch), 40 at its biggest, and at an uphill angle. Well, I guess there won't be much yard work back there...but the front yard will be huge.

Groundbreaking

So I know it's been forever since I've posted. I'm kinda bad about this whole remembering to keep things up to date...ya know, I like to start things and just not finish them. I have three unfinished manuscripts to prove it, but that's another story.

For those of you who don't know (meaning I haven't told you or I'm just some random person you decided to follow one day), hubby and I bought a house.

Now that you've recovered from the news that I am now mysteriously married to some mysterious guy I've never talked about before now, I'll continue by saying the house isn't built yet, so we really didn't buy a house. We bought a lot. Really, we didn't buy that either. The builder did that. So yeah...we are not technically homeowners yet, although that is entirely beside the point.

So anyway, we've signed a contract, drawn up the plans, and are due for closing on or around December 31st. Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, I am very interested to see how that happens since they literally started work TODAY. To be fair, it did rain much of last week, but still...

When I left this morning, they were leveling the lot. When I returned not 30 minutes ago, there it was in all it's red dirt glory with the beginnings of a foundation frame and a little sign sporting Vintage Custom Homes LLC and SOLD right underneath it.

The picture above  is taken from two lots over looking at what will be the western side of the house. I can almost see the roomy front porch and half turret now. It's going to be a lot of fun watching it take shape.

Look for another update soon!