Phase One Complete!

We got a call from Adair on Tuesday...

They will be ready for us to start drying out the house out today!

Josh is renting a dehumidifier, fans and a heater.

The foundation was poured on May 6.  They told it would take 33 days to complete the foundation, framing, rough plumbing, and rough electrical.  The plumbing and electrical will be done early next week, so we're right on track.

what's next?

We're in charge of:

• Site clean-up
• permanent hook up of water, power and septic to the house
• Drying out the house 
• Rain drains and back filling
• and, if the rain ever stops - painting and sealing the exterior.

Once the house is dry, they'll move on to Phase II - which starts with insulation and sheet rock. 

From the beginning of Phase II to Move In is between 45-50 days.  We're going to do our best to get our stuff done as quickly as possible!

It's all happening so quickly!

Busy 10 days

A lot has happened in the last ten days.

Our electrician came out and installed the permanent meter base.  Two days later, the state inspected it.  We passed.  :)

Josh and I went out and built the pump house.

We got most of it complete.

We left the roof off so the water tank and pump could be installed.

A few days later EPUD (our power company) hooked up power to the base.

So, now we've got power!

The electricians came back and hooked up the well and construction power.

It has been POURING for the last month, with only a few small breaks in the rain.   Our pad had puddles and the trenches are full of water. 

 

We had 4 days of minimal rain, and everything sort of dried out.    Still water and mud everywhere, but no puddles on the gravel.

We met with Les from Adair at the site this morning, to make sure the site was ready and to talk about the construction process in more detail.

We're all good on the site, except there's a bit that's not quite level, so Josh and I will go out tomorrow morning and rake it level-er. (otherwise we might get a bill for extra concrete needed in the foundation)

We're getting close!!!

Les said they'd start within the week!

Thursday at the earliest, Monday at the latest!!!

It's actually happening!

WHOO HOO!!!!

Meter Base and Pump House

This last weekend Josh and I poured the 6x6' pad for the pump house.  Have you ever poured concrete? 

It was HARD work.

We rented a mixer and used 18 - 90 lb bags of concrete.

Josh wheeled it over and dumped it, I spread it.

The kids had fun playing in the dirt while we worked.

We talked to the electricians and the meter base has been installed and will be inspected by the state on Thursday.

As soon as the base has been inspected we can call the utility company and get them out to put in power!

Amazingly quick - the pad is ready!

Josh went out this afternoon to install the meter base.

He found that Jeff had finished cutting the pad, graveled it and the driveway, trenched power to the well, and installed the septic tank.

WOW!

The forecast for tonight is a chance of snow - I think he wanted to get as much done as he could.

We just need power and then the "construction" can begin!

yipee!!

View from the beginning of the driveway.

Septic tank

Our van parked in front of the garage.

The permanent meter base - it used to be a "climbing wall" on our kids' play structure.  (recycling!) :)

View from the front door.

pretty isn't it?

from the north-east corner

progress shot!

all the piles of dirt will be used to back fill around the house once the foundation is poured.

Electrical Trenching Approved

Josh went out Monday and laid the conduit for the electrical line and the phone line.  He was able to call the utility company and have someone come out and inspect it on the same day.

The line was approved! 

Then, the same day, they back filled the trenches.

Jeff started on the pad!

When we went out yesterday, they had made a lot of progress.

Here's the view of the new driveway, with the turnout for the big trucks.

Since our lot is sloped, they are doing a bit of reshaping, so that rain water won't run towards the house. 

Josh met the electrician and talked through the next steps.

We need to put up an "H" frame for the permanent meter, then the electrician will install the meter.

After dinner, Josh started to build the frame.  He's hoping to get it out and set today.

I took this picture right before we left.

It is truly amazing how quickly the site is progressing.

Oh, and our building permit was approved!   Yeah!!

Trenches, Rocks and Permits oh my!

So much has happened so quickly!

First, our sanitation permit (septic system) was approved on 3/16.

We were assigned an address - 4/1  who knew it took so long to create an address!

We finally had a small break in the rain, it was long enough for Jeff, our excavator, to start on the driveway and the trenching for electrical and phone.

We went out on Saturday.

It was so exciting to see SOMETHING happening!

This is the view from where the garage will be. 

Now, a couple of shots of the trenches

This shot gives you a sense of scale - that's me peering into the water-filled hole.

And here's the progress shot:

Yeah! things are a-happening!

Update

Today we had our permit review meeting with the county.  Sandra from Adair was there and had all the information the county needed.  We applied for the building permit and the septic permit.  We also applied for an address, which should take a couple of weeks.

Turnaround time on the permits is about 4 weeks.

We should have the site prep done by then....

if it would ever stop raining...

It's Official!

I haven't been ignoring you, it's just that nothing has been happening.

And then BAM.

We signed the closing documents yesterday!

We officially own the land!!

Now the fun can begin!

Josh and I were worried because it took SO LONG to get to this point.  We won't  have the site ready by the date on our contract - Feb 28.

Josh spoke with Kellie and then Lynn at Adair who both assured us that we can still move forward with this project, even though we won't have the site ready by the end of the month.

They were both very helpful and responsive to our concerns regarding price protection and Josh and I feel confident that we have made the right choice in choosing Adair. 

Now the fun can begin!!!

Whoo hoo!!

We drove out last weekend and took a look at the finished shared driveway.

Our shared driveway is quite long.  The driveway meets the road just past the white truck.

After it turns north, it follows the adjacent lot's property line before entering our property at the southeast corner of our lot.

 

The van is parked where the shared driveway enters our property. 

The turn from the shared driveway onto our property is a bit sharp.  We're mildly concerned aout 50' trucks making the turn...

We staked out where we want our driveway to be. 

The stakes are a bit hard to see... 

We met with Jeff, our excavator to talk about how the driveway was going to cross the drainage ditch - which we are calling a creek.  (hey, it does have water in it.)

We talked about how the pad was going to be built, because our site is sloped.

We also talked about how we are going to get power to the well for construction.

if we need to get power.

We have a flowing artisian well!

That means that water comes out without a pump!

Totally nifty!

I turned the facet all the way open.

Plenty of water!

We're hoping that there's enough pressure to satisfy the needs of the construction team.

It would save us a bit of money and work if we didn't have to run power all the way to it before the house was up.

Hmm, let see what else...

The loan should fund by the end of the week, then we'll receive our draw sheet and we can get started on our OTDs!!!

Here's the view from the southeast corner.

I'm hoping to take pictures from this spot throughout the process. 

I'm totally excited and have to remember that I still need to be patient.

They're forecasting snow on the valley floor tomorrow and Friday. 

snow is not conducive to dirt moving.

Happy Mail!!!

Our official Site Visit Information packet arrived Friday!

I sat down to look through it and it all seems so for-real now.

LOOK!  FLAGS!

To mark out the footprint of our new house!

Of course, we don't have property yet, so we're not 100% sure which house we'll choose, but FLAGS!!!

All the info inside answers most of the questions we've been peppering Kellie's email with. 

Kellie is the Home Ownership Counselor who is working with us.  She's great.  She's quick to answer email questions, even if it's just to say she's busy but will answer the next day.  She's been very straightforward and clear about a very confusing process. 

The packet explains the OTD's (owner to do's) and what the happens next.