Our Green Dream Home

 SEE PICTURES BELOW

June 12, 2009 

We though we were on our way to building our new home. 

We found a great builder in our area named Rod Davis.  He also shares our vision of building green, and would like to someday build an Ethanol plant that uses switch grass as its component to make the fuel

Anyway, we got the material bid from Dusty at Satterwhite Log homes.  (Dusty is fantastic to work with!)  Bids for the wind and Solar components, and also the bid from Rod our builder.  We were just waiting for the appraisal process to finish to break ground.

June 14, 2009

That all went to heck yesterday.

The bank contacted us to let us know that regulation have changed and they are required to have three comparable log home sales in the last year.  Needless to say, we do not live in Colorado, so now our process has come to a grinding halt.

We have not given up though.  I figure if we sell our current home that has a ton of equity in it, and have cash on hand, we can have more bargaining power.  The bank would not confirm that the required comparables would no longer be an issue, but state that we would probably have more luck getting the loan through.  Since we have been unable to seek out any other local bank in the area that has an in-house 30 year fixed mortgage we are waiting on our house to sell.  I hope that we will not be homeless for a long period of time.

** We are sitting in the middle of 40 acres building a log home which really puts us out of the main mortgage market, and leads us to a local bank that services there own loans.  Because of the mortgage crisis.  We need to find a fixed loan because we do not know if it will be resonable in the future to refinace to the secondary market, and the though of an ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) without the backup plan of refinancing is way to scary to me.

Hang in there --- as soon as we are able to break ground there will be pictures.  I promise

June 15, 2009

We are out shopping for a new loan.  Bank Midwest stated that even if we had the equity from our current home in cash, they could not confirm that they would give us a loan.  Well, who in their right mind would sell the house that they are currently living in, and not have a loan to start building their home.  Well at this point I am in my right mind, so back to square one.

July 29, 2009

Nothing new to report.  We have submitted a loan application with Farm Credit Services in St Joseph Missouri, so we are waiting to see if we get approved to start construction.  I hope it is soon.  I surely would not like to be building a house in the middle of a MidWest winter.  Joette with FCS has been a pleasure to work with.  It is great to hear options on how to build our house in the market rather than, you need to build a different kind of house.  Keep your fingers crossed and I will keep everyone updated as to the progress.

July 31,2009

Farm Credit Services came through for us, Looks like we will be breaking ground by the end of August.  There will be pictures galore to follow! 

August  16, 2009

We Broke ground.  Yea!  I was begining to think this day would never happen.   

August 20, 2009 

We have a big hole in the ground LOL

September 3, 2009

 Look at those footers.    

October 10, 2009 

Well our Builder Rod K Davis turned out to be a scam artist, and 12,000 dollars later we have hired a new builder named  Frank Lewis. He is our savior....

The walls of the basement are in, and the flatwork is getting ready to be done.  If I can get my husband in gear we have more picutes to post.  

10/15/09

The flatwork (floors) have been put on hold until we can dry out enough to get cement trucks into our site, but I have new pictures to share!

11/02/09

The floors are in.  The floor trusses are done and ready to be installed and the Logs are being delivered on Wednesday.  If the rain can hold out we are on our way.  I just have to give kudos to Satterwhite log homes.  They have been the best, most patience group of people to work with.  Thanks again Satterwhite for everything.

11/05/09

Our Log package was delivered yesterday.  It is hard to believe that you are looking at approx 3000 sq feet of house.  The only thing missing from this load is the roofing material.

 From what we understand it was a heck of an unloading process from two semi trucks. As usual we were fighting mud from an unseasonally wet October.  If it were not for our Dozer guy Kenny, that had to help pull one truck and widen the road for the other, I don't know what we would have done!

  We have the start of our home.  Yea!Dec 5,2009




12/12/09 The last of the logs were stacked this last weekend, now on to the interior framing and roof.  Pictured Below is Jason.  He is the head of our framing crew.  




12/20/09The house is growing fast now!






We are dried in Yea!




04/08/2010 Not much new to tell. 

We have been fighting Mud and Water over the last couple of weeks.

Due to having water leaking into the basement and the mud we have been unable to move forward.  I don't need to tell you that it has been really frustrating.   

Mud issue -- 

They were finally able to get the sheetrock in the house thanks to some High School Student from Plattsburg High. The truck, because of the Mud was not able to get close enough to the house to unload using the arm.  The High School Students had to carry all of the sheetrock in by hand.

Water issue --  Water Water everywhere

Once everything started to unthaw we had water coming in around the pipes from the Well installation where they came through the basment wall.  We are now on our third attempt to waterproof it.  Keep your fingers crossed that it works this time.

The window wells for the downstairs basement windows were not draining properly and water was coming in through there.  They found that one of our drain pipes were crushed and replaced it.

The most disturbing is that all of the windows on the Westside of the house leaked water.  Once the GC found this out he called back in the Framer to caulk all around the windows. 

A log home is different in that you attached the window tabs to the framing but because of the rounded edges of the logs.  Chaulking needs to be placed between the window frames and the logs.

Hopefully we have seen the last of water.  If not I may lose it soon!!

Here are some new pictures of some of the other project that are going on

Fireplace framing with the Pellet Stove insert sitting in position

Can you say Tara from Gone with the Wind? LOL  I had not noticed that the plans called for 6 foot wide stairs.  I am sure they will be great.  My only Problems is that I don't think we will be able to find a baby gate to fit them HaHa

The Deck is done and it is awsomeThe Mudroom and Garage floor are now in place.  My need to sell a child or two to pay for the garage LOL.  It is to be added later

I love SPRING!Look at our little house on the Prairie
4/20/2010Sheetrock is finally going up Yea!
I think I will have plenty of Storage
You have to love those tall ceilings


I though the rooms were supposed to get smaller when you put up sheetrock?


Looking good
We have been making great progress.  I have pictures galore



 
This is Gary from Cooters Plumbing.  He is about the only contractor I know that when you call him he shows up when he says he will lol










6/25/10We are finally in our home.  There are still a few things to do before we are finished.  Like attaching the drain and water lines for the kitchen sink.  Who needs a kitchen sink anyway right?As soon as the final push ends, and we get internet service at the house, I will post more pictures.I am almost ready to start planning for the next phase.  I told my husband once the garage is completed, I was thinking the Wind Turbines should be next.  What do you think?7/19/10The house is done. The bank has inspected. The boxes are unpacked.Now it is time to sit back and enjoy. Here are the latest Pics.  Thank you for following along on our journey, this far.  I will be updating pages as we go on installing the Garage, Wind Turbines, and the Solar 

 

The trim is on the recycled glass island now.  Sorry for the pic.  I will try later to get a better one






















My Crazy Husband has been staining the house in 90 degree temps.  This is showing only one coat.  He completed the second coat this morning, so I will need to get more pictures of out there.
What a difference a Year Makes!