Build thread: house of freedom

This ^ Me and my little brothers would design our tree forts based on what ever we could find. I learned at an early age that adding , " one more nail " to a rotating foot cleat used to get up to the fort , was rarely effective ...... This is how you see how real life works !

Old washing machine tops made GREAT hatches! And we used old tire chains as an "army ladder" to get up to the thing.
 
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So in Oklahoma, we don't get big snow, but we get ice. I still have memories of 2007 when I went without power for 8 days. Initially the problem was staying warm in my 1967 house with an open wood fireplace that sent more heat up the chimney than into the house. Then, 3-4 days in the weather warmed up into the 50s, and I had a freezer full of beef that I couldn't keep cold because everybody was sold out on generators and of all things, ICE. So that all went in the trash.

For this house, I have a generator hookup, but rather than dropping all the coin on an ATS I did a breaker interlock. I'll have to go out and set it up and get it started, but at least I can cool my meat.

For the heat side, the house sits on 4.3 acres with more oak trees than I could ever chop down, so I needed a fireplace that actually heats.

View attachment 394218

Advertise as capable of heating 2500 sq feet and 10-12 hour burn times, this thing will keep us warm in emergencies (using the generator to power the integral blower fan) and if I'm down for chopping wood on the regular, might allow me to keep my heat pump out of stage 2.

The problem arose because all our GC does is gas/propane inserts, and they didn't have a connection with a FireplaceX dealer. So I subbed this out myself, as much as I could. Due to the roof pitch though, we needed a 10' tall chimney chase to support the pipe, and the framers didn't initially frame it, so they had to come back after the roof was on.


View attachment 394219

Fireplace dealer came out to top it out, the chase was loose and 3' shorter than I'd instructed and not weather tight at all. I get up in the attic and it's just nailed into the roof, not tied into the rafters. Framers ended up coming out two more times to add height and tarp it and never did tie it in. Finally a different framer came out and took care of tying it in the DAY before sheetrock closed off the easy attic access I was using to check on it. That whole process probably took 4 months of back and forth.

You'll also notice in the photo above that there's no seam tape on zip boards above the first floor. The house was like that from being framed in May and I sent DOZENS of messages to GC about it and it was only me out there handing tape to guys as they were installing siding and laying brick in DECEMBER that the house actually got dried in, or so I thought.

Then it rained last week and we discovered water on the floor.

View attachment 394220

I flew my drone up there and couldn't see flashing around the chimney chase, and GC sent the roofer out who confirmed. But it's been sided and painted, so now the roofer is going to have to pull the siding off so he can flash it and the painters will have to come back.

View attachment 394221

Roofer also said he would pull those 2x4s off and seal up the nail holes.

You need a cricket on the backside of that - its a small A frame that eliminates the slope into back that will forever cause problems- it also needs step flashing on the sides- google chimney cricket.

Remember design and methods are always the best long term answer to water, not a caulk or sealant-

To be on topic, I’m a licensed homebuilder in that price range- there is so much wrong in construction right now I can not imagine its’ future- there products are there and keep getting better, but the shortage of technical knowledge is at a critical level.

What we are willing to tolerate to have help deplores me. It has been a cloud over my head for 2 decades. I have a business model that fights it tooth and nail, but only if I stay at the front lines and say “that is not going to fly” over and over- the minute I leave anything is possible. It can be a fun, rewarding and exciting career, but the labor market is making it hellish.

Them- “Look boss, we are getting perfect cuts”

Me - “yes, but the saw is pointed at a glass door unit that cost what you make in 6 months”.

Sorry I’m late to the party, PM me and I will give you my cell number- if I can help you sort anything out I’m glad to.

Andy
 
You need a cricket on the backside of that - its a small A frame that eliminates the slope into back that will forever cause problems- it also needs step flashing on the sides- google chimney cricket.

Remember design and methods are always the best long term answer to water, not a caulk or sealant-

To be on topic, I’m a licensed homebuilder in that price range- there is so much wrong in construction right now I can not imagine its’ future- there products are there and keep getting better, but the shortage of technical knowledge is at a critical level.

What we are willing to tolerate to have help deplores me. It has been a cloud over my head for 2 decades. I have a business model that fights it tooth and nail, but only if I stay at the front lines and say “that is not going to fly” over and over- the minute I leave anything is possible. It can be a fun, rewarding and exciting career, but the labor market is making it hellish.

Them- “Look boss, we are getting perfect cuts”

Me - “yes, but the saw is pointed at a glass door unit that cost what you make in 6 months”.

Sorry I’m late to the party, PM me and I will give you my cell number- if I can help you sort anything out I’m glad to.

Andy

dji_fly_20230215_171528_456_1676502936528_photo.jpg


Something like this?

It took what was the 3rd framer to deal with it, and came across as the most professional so far.

I can't get close enough to confirm it with my drone, but I was told they removed the siding, installed flashing, and reinstalled the siding again. I can see where the paint is broken on the seams so the siding did get removed. And I can confirm a handful of rainstorms later that I've had no more water in my fireplace.

They also removed most of the 2x4 cleats and replaced the affected shingles, though there are still some on the low side, possibly left for someone to come back and repaint it.

dji_fly_20230215_171454_454_1676502928186_photo.jpg
 
View attachment 403171

Something like this?

It took what was the 3rd framer to deal with it, and came across as the most professional so far.

I can't get close enough to confirm it with my drone, but I was told they removed the siding, installed flashing, and reinstalled the siding again. I can see where the paint is broken on the seams so the siding did get removed. And I can confirm a handful of rainstorms later that I've had no more water in my fireplace.

They also removed most of the 2x4 cleats and replaced the affected shingles, though there are still some on the low side, possibly left for someone to come back and repaint it.

View attachment 403174

Yes- keep an eye on it- if it’s good a few rains it should be good for years. Good deal.
 
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@AndyG I've seen this meme before and maybe even here, but now that I've completed a house build it hits harder than before.

View attachment 403407
The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that happens- I could probably sit here and tell you guys stories all day of things that I said versus things that actually happened once the guys processed it-

One of the problems right now and construction is the lack of people with supervisory capacity- Typically people that are that good have to be used to actually do the work and they can’t float around and check on the jobs-

In my company that having an assistant so that I’m free to line the guys out, check the work and help- otherwise it goes south fast.
 
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I am seeing some things on your house I like- the 3 small vents indicate each bath fan dumps out the roof and they are not tied together - very good.
 
I am seeing some things on your house I like- the 3 small vents indicate each bath fan dumps out the roof and they are not tied together - very good.

I don't think a single one of those is a bathroom vent BUT yes, they do all dump out independently and none are tied together. One exception being a half bath that basically consists of just a water closet adjoined to the laundry room which has a sink...so it's just pumping stink, not steam. It just dumps into the open attic space.

I willl say my master bath probably needs some more cfm though. It may be because I keep my thermostat at 65 and I like hot showers, but it fogs up the bathroom pretty good even with the fan going.

What's shown in the photo near the chimney are the intake for the fireplace combustion air and the air cooled chimney, and across on the other side is the kitchen vent hood.
 
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I don't think a single one of those is a bathroom vent BUT yes, they do all dump out independently and none are tied together. One exception being a half bath that basically consists of just a water closet adjoined to the laundry room which has a sink...so it's just pumping stink, not steam. It just dumps into the open attic space.

I willl say my master bath probably needs some more cfm though. It may be because I keep my thermostat at 65 and I like hot showers, but it fogs up the bathroom pretty good even with the fan going.

What's shown in the photo near the chimney are the intake for the fireplace combustion air and the air cooled chimney, and across on the other side is the kitchen vent hood.

I have the same issue with steam but read if you run a bath heater (if you have one) that helps heat the surfaces so won’t steam as much. We have heat lamps in our baths and does seem to help.
 
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I have the same issue with steam but read if you run a bath heater (if you have one) that helps heat the surfaces so won’t steam as much. We have heat lamps in our baths and does seem to help.

man I haven't seen a bathroom heater in ages. Like literally, the only one I've had was in a house built in 1967.

But yes, what you say holds water. Pun intended.
 
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The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that happens- I could probably sit here and tell you guys stories all day of things that I said versus things that actually happened once the guys processed it-

One of the problems right now and construction is the lack of people with supervisory capacity- Typically people that are that good have to be used to actually do the work and they can’t float around and check on the jobs-

In my company that having an assistant so that I’m free to line the guys out, check the work and help- otherwise it goes south fast.

All this rings very true with my experience. I think every single thing that went sideways can be attributed directly to communication that was either ineffective or absent entirely. Our GC often tried to put it on us that we asked for something, but we're not complete construction noobs and we knew what we were asking for.

Don't remember if I've posted about it already, but it's pretty consistent.

At electrical walk through...were told to tell him any places we specifically want extra outlets or switches, and he'll follow standard practice/code for the rest. That worked just fine for the entire interior, and the exterior as well. But for some reason, when I told him where I wanted outlets in the garage, those are the ONLY place he put any. So I have a 24x39 garage with two outlets on the far side wall. Am I to believe that there would have been no outlets if I hadn't asked for those two? Of course not. For some reason the rules were different out there than everywhere else and no one told me that.

I checked most of the work but completely missed this garage issue.

So when it was time to install our fiber internet, guess how far the nearest outlet was from where the prewiring was done for the fiber? About 39 feet. Which means I've had an extension cord going the entire length of the garage for the last 3 weeks until I finally added this one yesterday.

PXL_20230227_000550521.jpg


I don't like sideways receptacles but there's a pretty dense bundle of wires in that wall and putting it sideways made it easier to fit the box while also still being able to pull the existing garage wire out of the breaker and into that box.

I'll have to add at least one more about mid way on the back wall, and for that one I'll probably have to pull off the kitchen circuit where the coffee maker plugs in. The ceiling is sealed in by the floor above.
 
All this rings very true with my experience. I think every single thing that went sideways can be attributed directly to communication that was either ineffective or absent entirely. Our GC often tried to put it on us that we asked for something, but we're not complete construction noobs and we knew what we were asking for.

Don't remember if I've posted about it already, but it's pretty consistent.

At electrical walk through...were told to tell him any places we specifically want extra outlets or switches, and he'll follow standard practice/code for the rest. That worked just fine for the entire interior, and the exterior as well. But for some reason, when I told him where I wanted outlets in the garage, those are the ONLY place he put any. So I have a 24x39 garage with two outlets on the far side wall. Am I to believe that there would have been no outlets if I hadn't asked for those two? Of course not. For some reason the rules were different out there than everywhere else and no one told me that.

I checked most of the work but completely missed this garage issue.

So when it was time to install our fiber internet, guess how far the nearest outlet was from where the prewiring was done for the fiber? About 39 feet. Which means I've had an extension cord going the entire length of the garage for the last 3 weeks until I finally added this one yesterday.

View attachment 403565

I don't like sideways receptacles but there's a pretty dense bundle of wires in that wall and putting it sideways made it easier to fit the box while also still being able to pull the existing garage wire out of the breaker and into that box.

I'll have to add at least one more about mid way on the back wall, and for that one I'll probably have to pull off the kitchen circuit where the coffee maker plugs in. The ceiling is sealed in by the floor above.
That is it in a nutshell- The simple concept of something wasn’t transferred to another area.

Of course its compounded when it goes through several levels too-

I have gotten to the point that I realize that if there’s any way in the world something can get messed up that there’s a good chance it might- And I need to be watching it to try to make sure it doesn’t happen. In some ways it has not allowed me to be as laid back as I would like as a boss- But I’m not going to have a job to give anybody if I don’t care for the client.

The downside to that is it takes a lot of energy and experts say that constant vigilance is one of the deadliest things for humans-

Being a person that likes to make things better I really have spent a lot of energy in my life trying to “fix” this- And I have basically resigned myself to the fact that it’s never going to happen and that I need to be the difference and that is my value to my customers-

I’m spending tonight organizing the front of this trailer because I’m not happy with the function I’m getting out of it- And I have to do things like this after hours so that I can concentrate, and not be afraid of the guys getting off track.

And sometimes I get irritated with how stupid some of the questions are from my guys -
But oh my word-If they don’t ask- You better brace yourself.

F4EF95EF-A910-4204-ABC0-66DC04FE85D7.jpeg
 
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man I haven't seen a bathroom heater in ages. Like literally, the only one I've had was in a house built in 1967.

But yes, what you say holds water. Pun intended.

Yep, I get that and not efficient to run I guess but they don’t stay on long when we use them. We put them in both baths when we built our home.

F318B013-5853-43C7-AB81-19EFB93508A1.png
 
Yep, I get that and not efficient to run I guess but they don’t stay on long when we use them. We put them in both baths when we built our home.

View attachment 403607

oh I don't have any objection to it. I was just commenting on the fact that they're so rarely seen anymore. It definitely wouldn't hurt, and it'd be a little more comfortable taking a shower in my 65 degree house.
 
oh I don't have any objection to it. I was just commenting on the fact that they're so rarely seen anymore. It definitely wouldn't hurt, and it'd be a little more comfortable taking a shower in my 65 degree house.

Have any of you guys had much experience with heated tile? It’s awesome.
 
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That is it in a nutshell- The simple concept of something wasn’t transferred to another area.

Of course its compounded when it goes through several levels too-

I have gotten to the point that I realize that if there’s any way in the world something can get messed up that there’s a good chance it might- And I need to be watching it to try to make sure it doesn’t happen. In some ways it has not allowed me to be as laid back as I would like as a boss- But I’m not going to have a job to give anybody if I don’t care for the client.

The downside to that is it takes a lot of energy and experts say that constant vigilance is one of the deadliest things for humans-

Being a person that likes to make things better I really have spent a lot of energy in my life trying to “fix” this- And I have basically resigned myself to the fact that it’s never going to happen and that I need to be the difference and that is my value to my customers-

I’m spending tonight organizing the front of this trailer because I’m not happy with the function I’m getting out of it- And I have to do things like this after hours so that I can concentrate, and not be afraid of the guys getting off track.

And sometimes I get irritated with how stupid some of the questions are from my guys -
But oh my word-If they don’t ask- You better brace yourself.

View attachment 403575

Done- needed this extra shelving-I need to tidy up my cords but it is 12:21 in the morning here and this boy is done.

CE3FDF45-DCC6-48B6-936B-EFAB7C3063A8.jpeg
 
Have any of you guys had much experience with heated tile? It’s awesome.

The radiant floor heat? I don’t have it but agree, awesome. Had it in a rental ski vacation house. I don’t recall why I did not do it but some aspect kept me away at the time….maybe price or reliability don’t recall. We did our build in 2005.
 
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