I'm a newby in the building process (did get The Owner-Builder Book though!) and would appreciate as much advice as I can get at this stage. Thanks a lot. This is a great discussion site. I learned a lot in just an hour of reading. Dennis from Howey-in-the-Hills, FL

COA and Move-in

Posted to ICFAnnArborMichigan by Brian in Dexter, MI on 2/28/2008 7:31:35 AM

7.5 months after breaking ground, we have passed our last inspection, received a certificate of occupancy, and move-in is almost complete. More pictures will be posted once we are settled and have some time to catch up.

counters in!

Posted to ICFAnnArborMichigan by Brian in Dexter, MI on 2/12/2008 9:41:01 PM

The counter tops arrived today, so that's off the list. This coming week we'll schedule in all of the final inspections! Still trim work, some grouting, and a little tub tile left to finish up.

Photos

change of plans

Posted to ICFAnnArborMichigan by Brian in Dexter, MI on 2/5/2008 7:08:21 PM

We were originally going to be moved in by now, but we decided to wait another month so we could fully complete the house (instead of just the COA minimums). This extra time has allowed me to add more detail, like the maple inlays in the brazilian cherry, and some extra tile detail. We're shooting for finals on electric, gas, plumbing, and HVAC next week!

Brian

Photos

more pics:

Posted to ICFAnnArborMichigan by Brian in Dexter, MI on 1/21/2008 8:37:37 AM

primer: done

hardwood: mostly done

tile: mostly done

bathroom vanities: done

lighting: done

electrical: done

doors:installed

left to do:

install kitchen cabinets

tile one shower

finish hardwood

trim

Photos

24 days to go

Posted to ICFAnnArborMichigan by Brian in Dexter, MI on 1/7/2008 3:16:37 PM

We have decided to give our landlord notice that we are renting from that we will be moving out on Jan 31st. That gives us 24 days to get a COA or temporary COA.

Since the last update, all of the rough mechanical inspections have been completed. I learned that putting a furnace in the attic isn't a good idea. 90+ efficiency furnaces need to be in conditioned space, which means a drywalled insulated room in the attic if you don’t want it on the floor. I ended up relocating the second furnace to a conditioned closet on the bonus floor.

The furance is now running, and we had to heat the house a week before drywall. To keep the heat in, I had the insulators batt all of the ceilings with R11, and they came back to blow it to R50 after drywall was hung. Insulation took a total of two days.

Just before drywall we had the rough building inspection. I was both surprised and pleased that we passed on the first try. After the inspection passed, there was about a weeks worth of work to finish things up for drywall.

Once in, the drywallers hung all of the board in a day and a half (about 16,000 FT). They took another 4 days to tape, apply several coats of mud, and sand. The primer happened today, tomorrow the ceilings are being painted.

While waiting for drywall to finish, I built all of the frames around the windows and doors using 1x8 wood. I have also tiled two tub/shower stalls and three bathroom floors. I have one bathroom left to tile and a kitchen floor, then I start on the hardwood. My goal is to have all of the tiling done by the 11th, wood floors and cabinets hung by the 18th, and trim and doors in by the 25th.

Photos

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