Video walk thru

The walk thru from Bret Olsen on Vimeo.

The day after set

The day after set
Originally uploaded by bredto

I got to go into my house for the first time today with the wife. First impression... it's bigger than I thought it would be! I like the open floor plan a lot and what few concerns I had are gone.

With all the windows, it's very bright and sunny inside. Everything is better than we imagined. We never got a chance to see a good picture of the fireplace before we ordered it, so I was hoping that it would be nice. I'm happy to say that I like it very much. The kitchen cabinets are really cool too. Lots of closets. Nice siding color. Electrical outlets all over the place. Chris has her nice soaking tub which she already tried out (sans water).

We are happy. I shot some video so stay tuned for a video walk thru!

 

Set day

Set day
Originally uploaded by bredto

Tuesday while I was away for work, a crew from Syracuse came and set our house. I'm told that they set in in only five hours. While I was gone, my wife, Uncle and a couple friends got to watch as a dozen or so guys worked like a well oiled machine. Thanks to Matt and Jill for coming up and help take many photos in my absence.

You know the drill... click the picture to see more!

  

We got boxes!

down the road
Originally uploaded by bredto

Today around 11 am we watched as four trucks pulled around the corner and brought our house to us. Within one hour the truckers arrived, positioned the modules, got a very big check and were gone like the wind. We spent about a half hour looking though the windows admiring our new home while calling back and forth "Did you see the cabinets?", "Did you see the fireplace? ", "Did you see the toilet?"

I'm now off to Maine to teach tomorrow. I think I might have been able to bribe our friends from Bing to come up and help take pictures and video in my absence tomorrow when they set the modules on the foundation.

I've uploaded about six picture to Flickr for now. Click the pict to check 'em out. I'll try to get some video up too.

Foundation looking for a home

foundation looking for a home
Originally uploaded by bredto

In less than 2 weeks we'll have our house on the foundation! On the 23rd of June four trucks will be pulling into our lot, each with a quarter of a house. The following day a "set crew" will lift and place each component onto the foundation. Once the house is on the foundation it'll take 4-6 weeks to button it up.

The really crumby news is that I won't get to see the setting of the house because I'll be teaching in Maine. I'm EXTREMELY bummed out. I'll be giving the wife and mother a crash course in photography and videography to cover for me in my absence.

Our GC has been in touch with other bits of info too. The basement floor should be poured today and then work begins on our septic system. Once the septic is in they'll dig a trench from the well to the house and complete the well (installing the pump, etc.)

I've been very busy traveling for work the past few weeks. While not very fun being away from home for so long, it has made time fly with this house thingy. I can't believe it's almost here.

Our big plan

plans_downstairs
Originally uploaded by bredto

This is for people (you know who you are) that haven't seen the plans for the house yet. I've uploaded both floors to Flickr (click the picture to go see).

So the foundation is done, the well is dug and the house is coming in just a few weeks. We still have lots to do before then and once the house delivered the physical labor begins. Installing floors, painting walls, etc. Anyone want to come and help?

Foundation complete

complete foundation
Originally uploaded by bredto

Last week they completed the foundation work... for the most part. While they still need to pour the basement floor, the walls are fully up and curing for 30 days before the house can be set.

We made the basement a little taller (9'6") than a standard basement to accommodate our climbing wall. I've been collecting holds for the past several months in anticipation. Another cool thing is they put a notch into the foundation so we can place an i-beam into it to reduce the number of support columns needed in the basement. Sometime in the future we'd like to put a family room and my office down there.

HUGE relief

drillin' old school
Originally uploaded by bredto

Our well driller started drilling this past Monday. We have ben very nervous about it ever since we learned that our area has been unkind to most that have drilled. Our neighbor had to drill 475' and then she hit bad water. Something like that could cost 20k.

This morning, one day later, our GC called and said they hit water... in 15 feet! They still have to test it to make sure it's fit to consume, but it's clear and looks good.

We are stupid happy.