For the last 2 days plus today as well, it's been raining and overcast here. We haven't been able to do any more with the siding since last Thursday because of the rain. But, as of last Thursday we have 36 boards completed (we had to roll on the stain/sealant on all sides of it) and we have them up on the house too!! I don't have the most recent picture, but here are some 'in progress' pictures for you. The coloring has lightened up just a little bit since they've been up... due to the sunshine.
Otherwise... the weird news right now is that we have this funky smell in the house. Scott's nose isn't as sensitive as mine so really couldn't smell it. But when he was on the roof moving down the board (so that all the siding was at the same height), when he got to the vent pipe for the toilet, he smelled something horrible! He said it smelled like the packrat that we squished on the lift! We think that a packrat managed to crawl in one of the PVC pipes and into our septic tank! Right now all we have hooked up is the toilet and the bathroom sink (technically we bought a kitchen sink that is hooked up in the bathroom!). We think that since we don't have all the pipes connected inside the house that the smell is coming up through them... ugg! It's only a slight smell near the pipes in the house luckily!
Today, since we can't do much outside because of the rain/mud, I think we are going to organize things more in the house and bring some of the shelving units from the cargo trailer into the house - this way we have something to put our clothes on! And, just when we were headed into Cody this morning, our septic guy, Jerry, was at the house covering up our septic system!! And he has a load of gravel he's smoothing out around the house so we don't have to walk in mud. I think he said he's also going to make a water way so when it rains the rain won't drain toward our house.
This week we plan on sealing/staining the last 36 boards to do the other long side of the house. Plus on Monday we have to order 100 more boards because we didn't get enough. We should also be able to start on the roofing too this week! We're getting there!!
Well, the pictures aren't wanting to upload, so I'll have to upload them later. If you follow me on FB I'll put a few of them on there.
Have a great week!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Board and Batten Siding Time!
We started yesterday on our siding. We are adding wood siding (1x12s) then ripping some of the boards to maybe 1.5-2" and using that as the batten part. Here is a visual of what board and batten is, in case you don't know. The second picture shows a lady putting up the batten part:
Before we can put it up, we are using a foam roller to put on the stain/sealant stuff. It makes the plank boards very similar in color to the picture just above - a very beautiful chestnut/sorrel brown color (yes, my browns must be in horse colors! lol).
Yesterday we worked on about 17 of the boards (we have 72, but we will need to get more because that's not quite enough). About halfway through the day my headed started spinning from dizziness and I had to lay down... we think it's from the smell of the stuff we're putting on the boards. The smell doesn't seem to bother Scott.
We got up this morning and I put a coat of stain/sealant on about 20-30 boards, then I took a break while Scott did the edging on the boards. We have to do all sides and edges to prevent the boards from rotting or fading.
Here are pictures of our siding and picture of our beautiful view today! Some of the view pictures were outside and some were from our windows inside the house.
We should be able to start putting them up either later today (for some of them) or tomorrow at the latest.
Enjoy!
OH!!! I have to tell you all a story! We couldn't believe this happened, but a few days ago when we went to Billings to get our toilet, sink, and carpet from the ReStore, we also stopped in at Home Depot to get all the fittings for the sink and toilet. Plus Scott really wanted to get a battery powered sawzall (no clue how to spell this!). He found one by Milwaukee for $199 and I told him go ahead and get it - he know how I feel about tools - it's something that's an investment into our projects so I don't mind the money he spends on them. Heck, most of the tools he has I've purchased for him! Anyhow, after Home Depot we stopped for lunch and Scott waited in the car for me while I went to the bathroom. While he was waiting he opened the box to his new tool - the battery was new, the bag it came with was new, but let me tell you, the tool itself was NOT new! It looked at least 3-5 years old!! It had mud and dirt all over it, the red paint was faded to a pink color and when Scott turned it on it sounded like it was dying! And there happened to be a sticker on the box that said 'Sold As Is'. But sure enough they did except a return, no questions asked. The manager wasn't at the front desk so Scott didn't complain about it then, but the next day, he called in and talked to the manager and his response 'It happens all the time and there's nothing we can do about it'. I think what frustrated Scott the most was that #1 we live 70 miles, one way from the nearest Home Depot - it would have really sucked it we had driven home then found out about the problem! and #2 they aren't checking items before putting them back on the shelf! There was even someone's initials on the 'Sold As Is' sticker so someone apparently wasn't doing their job. Luckily though, they did return it. However, I have a feeling we will soon become Lowe's customers and not Home Depot customers. I only wish I had a picture of the sawzall to show you all!!
Before we can put it up, we are using a foam roller to put on the stain/sealant stuff. It makes the plank boards very similar in color to the picture just above - a very beautiful chestnut/sorrel brown color (yes, my browns must be in horse colors! lol).
Yesterday we worked on about 17 of the boards (we have 72, but we will need to get more because that's not quite enough). About halfway through the day my headed started spinning from dizziness and I had to lay down... we think it's from the smell of the stuff we're putting on the boards. The smell doesn't seem to bother Scott.
We got up this morning and I put a coat of stain/sealant on about 20-30 boards, then I took a break while Scott did the edging on the boards. We have to do all sides and edges to prevent the boards from rotting or fading.
Here are pictures of our siding and picture of our beautiful view today! Some of the view pictures were outside and some were from our windows inside the house.
We should be able to start putting them up either later today (for some of them) or tomorrow at the latest.
Enjoy!
OH!!! I have to tell you all a story! We couldn't believe this happened, but a few days ago when we went to Billings to get our toilet, sink, and carpet from the ReStore, we also stopped in at Home Depot to get all the fittings for the sink and toilet. Plus Scott really wanted to get a battery powered sawzall (no clue how to spell this!). He found one by Milwaukee for $199 and I told him go ahead and get it - he know how I feel about tools - it's something that's an investment into our projects so I don't mind the money he spends on them. Heck, most of the tools he has I've purchased for him! Anyhow, after Home Depot we stopped for lunch and Scott waited in the car for me while I went to the bathroom. While he was waiting he opened the box to his new tool - the battery was new, the bag it came with was new, but let me tell you, the tool itself was NOT new! It looked at least 3-5 years old!! It had mud and dirt all over it, the red paint was faded to a pink color and when Scott turned it on it sounded like it was dying! And there happened to be a sticker on the box that said 'Sold As Is'. But sure enough they did except a return, no questions asked. The manager wasn't at the front desk so Scott didn't complain about it then, but the next day, he called in and talked to the manager and his response 'It happens all the time and there's nothing we can do about it'. I think what frustrated Scott the most was that #1 we live 70 miles, one way from the nearest Home Depot - it would have really sucked it we had driven home then found out about the problem! and #2 they aren't checking items before putting them back on the shelf! There was even someone's initials on the 'Sold As Is' sticker so someone apparently wasn't doing their job. Luckily though, they did return it. However, I have a feeling we will soon become Lowe's customers and not Home Depot customers. I only wish I had a picture of the sawzall to show you all!!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
4 REALLY long months of hard work has finally paid off!!
As of August 24th, we have officially moved into our new house! It has been exactly 4 months with no electric, no running water, no septic tank/toilet - living in a 7 ft x 14 ft cargo trailer with 4 cats..... and it's just so hard to believe we're finally living our house! The house we built with our own hands!
When we first moved in, we brought in our mattress and then released the cats! Then Scott went to the trailer to get some stuff (like cat food and litter box), and apparently Tuffy really had to go to the bathroom (#1). Luckily, he hopped in one of the lawn chairs and did his deed there. All I had to do was run the chair outside real fast and all was good! Then Tuffy figured out how to climb the bathroom wall to get into the loft!! When that happened we knew we had to come up with something for him and the others to get into the loft safely, so the next day we brought down all our stuff from the trailer including all the wood crates I used to use for my booth set up. We made the crates into a 'stairs' for them to climb and for us to store things in as well.
On the 25th, we went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Billings. We were able to get a toilet ($35), an 11'x11'4" piece of carpet ($63), another smaller piece of carpet to use as a runner in the kitchen ($25) and a stainless steel double basin sink ($15)!! All of that, plus Scott, our neighbor boy, and I fit in my car! Now it's really starting to feel like a home.
You may be wondering why we purchased all these things used? And why we aren't just going to finish out the inside of the house next? Well, we came out here with a specific budget which is only going to cover the main structure, the septic, the well, and the electric hookup. That's it. So unless we want to go into debt (not an option - the whole plan was no mortgage, no debt), we will be making due till we have $$ to start finishing things on the inside.
Even though it's not finished yet, it's still a BIG step up from living in the cargo trailer. The last 4 months have been worth it!!
Now keep in mind we aren't finished yet - we will be working on our siding and our metal roof next (we have all the materials now). Then at some point we need to go home to get all our stuff out of storage. And finally we still need to trench for our electric hookup and our water hookup. Our septic is actually finished! We are just waiting right now for the inspector to come and approve it so Jerry (our septic guy) can cover it up. However, we inaugurated our new toilet last night:) It's the simple things in life like having a toilet to use and not a bucket that is really making us happy right now! Or that we don't have to spray each other down with bug spray before we go to bed at night.
The first night, laying in bed looking up at our freakishly high ceiling, all I kept thinking was, 'I can't believe we did it! I can't believe we built this house ourselves! I can't believe we are finally living in the house!'
It's been a really long 4 months, and lots of work still ahead, but I'd still do it all over again in a heart beat:)
Here are some picture for you of us moving in, putting the sink together, enjoying our new carpet, and of course the cats exploring. I have a video of the cats too, but it may be a bit before I can get it uploaded.
And if you can't tell, Buddy REALLY likes our new carpet:)
Enjoy! I'm headed back home (after picking up a pkg, doing 6 loads of laundry, and stocking up on water and some food) to help Scott with the little bit of remaining foam and get started on either the roofing or the siding!!
When we first moved in, we brought in our mattress and then released the cats! Then Scott went to the trailer to get some stuff (like cat food and litter box), and apparently Tuffy really had to go to the bathroom (#1). Luckily, he hopped in one of the lawn chairs and did his deed there. All I had to do was run the chair outside real fast and all was good! Then Tuffy figured out how to climb the bathroom wall to get into the loft!! When that happened we knew we had to come up with something for him and the others to get into the loft safely, so the next day we brought down all our stuff from the trailer including all the wood crates I used to use for my booth set up. We made the crates into a 'stairs' for them to climb and for us to store things in as well.
On the 25th, we went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Billings. We were able to get a toilet ($35), an 11'x11'4" piece of carpet ($63), another smaller piece of carpet to use as a runner in the kitchen ($25) and a stainless steel double basin sink ($15)!! All of that, plus Scott, our neighbor boy, and I fit in my car! Now it's really starting to feel like a home.
You may be wondering why we purchased all these things used? And why we aren't just going to finish out the inside of the house next? Well, we came out here with a specific budget which is only going to cover the main structure, the septic, the well, and the electric hookup. That's it. So unless we want to go into debt (not an option - the whole plan was no mortgage, no debt), we will be making due till we have $$ to start finishing things on the inside.
Even though it's not finished yet, it's still a BIG step up from living in the cargo trailer. The last 4 months have been worth it!!
Now keep in mind we aren't finished yet - we will be working on our siding and our metal roof next (we have all the materials now). Then at some point we need to go home to get all our stuff out of storage. And finally we still need to trench for our electric hookup and our water hookup. Our septic is actually finished! We are just waiting right now for the inspector to come and approve it so Jerry (our septic guy) can cover it up. However, we inaugurated our new toilet last night:) It's the simple things in life like having a toilet to use and not a bucket that is really making us happy right now! Or that we don't have to spray each other down with bug spray before we go to bed at night.
The first night, laying in bed looking up at our freakishly high ceiling, all I kept thinking was, 'I can't believe we did it! I can't believe we built this house ourselves! I can't believe we are finally living in the house!'
It's been a really long 4 months, and lots of work still ahead, but I'd still do it all over again in a heart beat:)
Here are some picture for you of us moving in, putting the sink together, enjoying our new carpet, and of course the cats exploring. I have a video of the cats too, but it may be a bit before I can get it uploaded.
And if you can't tell, Buddy REALLY likes our new carpet:)
Enjoy! I'm headed back home (after picking up a pkg, doing 6 loads of laundry, and stocking up on water and some food) to help Scott with the little bit of remaining foam and get started on either the roofing or the siding!!
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