Hello all! Just wanted to give you a quick update! Sorry for the delay in any news, but it's been slow going in the walls! The plumbing is done, as well as the duct work for the heating and cooling. The electrical should be done by the end of the week. The exterior doors and windows are going in this week, so I'll be sure to get some photos up when they're done!

We should be ready for our next round of inspections and draw from the bank by next week. Then it's on to the stucco, drywall, and pool!!!

Update

Well, things are moving along, though it seems kind of slow right now! The progress isn't quite as visible. We have finished most of the roof tile. We only have to do the corners, the ridge caps (they cover the tops where the tiles meet), and the side over our bathroom. We're saving that side for last so we can sort of work our way off the roof. : )

Inside is going well, too. The plumbing is just about done except for a few connections. We got the gas line in for the dryer and the stove. The ductwork is almost completely done, now we just have to finish up the electrical. All the outlet boxes are in, and most of the boxes for the lights and fans. We are going to start running the wires tomorrow with the electrician's help. Hopefully we can learn enough to continue on our own next week. We have two more weeks until the windows are installed. The doors should be done soon as well. It will be nice to have it closed in! After that, we can get the next set of inspections. That should be thrilling, as always!

Some of the plumbing in the walls. This is Nathaniel's bathroom.

You can see the water pipes in the ceiling, as well as some of the duct work.

Dan contemplating the roof. : )

The view of the roof tiles from the back side. You can see the corners still aren't finished!

The view from the front.

Roof tiles

Well, we started on the roof tiles this weekend! I am not entirely crazy about the color!! I want to make sure everyone who comes to see my house knows that this is NOT the color I picked!! They were supposed to be white and almond. We picked them because they had the highest reflection index so it would help keep the house cool. But when they arrived, they had a kind of salmon/peachy spray on them. We considered sending them back, but they already took 3 weeks to get here instead of the promised one week. I really don't want a 3 week delay--I'm on a tight schedule you know!!. So I guess I can live with them. They actually don't look too bad now that they're on the roof. I'm hoping to pick out a nice paint color that will keep attention off the roof!

We got the entire garage side done. Thanks to our many helpers: my brother-in-law Bill and his children Maranatha, Hope, Hannah, and Zane; my nephew Zack; the Buppert family; and Steve and Jake Max! We really appreciate all of you!! We still have a ways to go, but every day we get a little closer! More on the roof this weekend. . . . . .

The tiles all stacked on the roof. That was a job in itself!

The first side we finished! Yay!

Many hands make light work!!

The front side of the garage.

The view from above!

Framing

Okay, while we were busy on the roof, the framers finished all the inside walls! It looks so amazing! It's really neat to see the plans I have practically memorized in actuality and real 3-D! I love my house even more, if that's possible! I wish we could move in tomorrow! We have been spending our Saturday nights there just enjoying the monsoons and planning for the upcoming stuff! Dan has started the indoor plumbing, and the septic tank is in. The electrical and the ductwork for the HVAC system should be going in soon (that's the heat/air conditioning!). We have ordered the windows and the kitchen cabinets. We are moving along, though not fast enough for me! I wish we could move in tomorrow!

The pantry in my kitchen, with the office behind it and the front door on the right.

The children's side of the house. It's hard to see much from this view! There is now a fireplace in that corner on the right.

The other side of the house, with the master bedroom, powder room, and laundry room. My cute plumber hard at work!

The basement with all the boards knocked out finally! It is still there, though I secretly still expect it to cave in sometimes! The stairs are to the right.

The roof

Okay, sorry I am so behind! So much has been happening! The roof is almost done. After the framers finished with the plywood, we covered it with this stuff called Feltex to keep the water out. It comes in a big roll, so you just roll it out and nail it down. Then we had to cover that with the boards that will hold up the tiles. They are each about 4 feet long and in rows 13 inches apart. Let me just say, that is a REALLY big roof! The hardest part was measuring and marking everything so that the boards are straight and meet up at the corners. We got dried in just in time, as it has been raining nearly every day! The tiles are arriving today. We will have to unload them all onto the roof using a forklift, then they get set out on the boards (there's a little ledge that sits right on the top of the board). We are going to screw every other tile to the roof for extra security. We get some pretty strong winds in the spring! We will be starting on the tiles this weekend! More on that later. . . . . .

The front entryway all finished! There will be a porch out to where the columns are.

The roof with all the plywood on before we covered it.

One side finished!

The view of the front with the roof done.

View from the back side with the roof done. We just have that little spot to go, and it's kinda tricky!

Well, the roof is coming along! The trusses are all up and they have covered most of them with plywood. This weekend we will be trying to get it all covered with tarpaper to completely dry it in. And not a moment too soon! The clouds have been building up every day, so monsoons should start any time! We also have to put support boards up for the tiles to rest on. Those should get ordered tomorrow and be here next week hopefully! Our framer is going to start framing up the inside next week. Still so much to do, though!
I'm really, really hoping to be in by Thanksgiving! Keep us in your prayers!

Here with all the trusses on!

With the plywood over the trusses.

The front of the house. The garage is on the right. There are two columns that will hold up the roof of the entryway that's not quite finished! That is my crazy son on the roof!

A view of the inside from the corner where the master bedroom is.

The view from my dining room window. It will be much nicer when the boards are gone!

The trusses are going up! The garage is completely done, and the others are in progress. There is a small delay because the beam we ordered to go over the back porch is the wrong size and has to be reordered. It should be here by Friday so we can keep going!
Poor Dan pulled his back out last Sunday trying to pull out the stakes for the supports. He has spent the last 3 days in bed. : ( Nathaniel, Jordanne and I got most of the supports down and a few odds and ends done Sunday evening. Thankfully other people are doing the work for us at the moment, so it wasn't too awful a time to get injured--not that there's ever a good time!

It almost looks like a whole house now! Soon!

Looking up in the garage.

Other various sections under construction!