So our garage that we’ve been working on passed final inspection on Friday. Yay! We still have painting and site development work to finish but the hard work has been done.
July 5, 2010
July 9, 2008
Episode 14 – Breaking Ground on the Garage, Building Permit Approved, Concrete Work, Quotes, etc.
In this episode I talk about breaking ground, building the garage, working on the footings and stem walls, purchasing the lumber package, comparing bids, finishing the bathroom and miscellaneous. Length: 45:41. Published 07/08/08. Podcast
Here’s where we broke ground on the garage site. The site had been cleared for the garage 5 years ago when I built the house, but Stevie is actually cutting out the site for the building.
Stevie using his excavator. He certainly has justified the money he spent on acquiring this old excavator and fixing it up.
Installing the silt fencing was my job.
 
Steve lays out the stakes for the footings with the help of a transom.
The Footings
Let me begin by recommending a good book, the For Pros By Pros Series. Foundations & Concrete Work. I found an older version of this book at the Half Price book store and found it useful. The sections on Site Layout and Stemwall Foundations were particularly on point. The illustrations and photographs were extremely useful. Be warned that the newest version has received poorer reviews. There is also another book I’d like to recommend, the Working with Concrete (Illustrated). This book contains excellent photographs, and it’s inexpensive.
Here is a picture of the footings that we built from 2 by 6′s and 2 foot stakes. We also laid 5/8″ inch rebar in the center.Â
 
Look how we turned the corner with the rebar.
 
 The footings that Stevie built on the right side of the garage. We used the transom and the orange string to get things as straight as possible. The stakes weren’t that hard to pound into the ground, just pounded them in a foot or so.
 
 The inspector told us that we couldn’t do a wetset of the rebar sitting in the footings vertically. You can see the we had to create a crossbow of another small piece of rebar to attach the vertical piece to the structure. We used bar ties to do that. We pre-drilled the stakes and then slipped the rebar through that and it kind of held in place.
 These are bar tie clips.
Here’s another picture of the bar tie clips we used, and small piece of rebar that we used to tie the vertical piece to the long piece of rebar. We came up with this process on the fly and in worked, but next time Stevie said that instead of cutting off a piece and using it in a cross, we will bend the 28 inch piece of rebar and then bend it to 22 inch, into a j, and then tie that off to the long piece of rebar in the footing.
The First Concrete Pour
Here’s how the first concrete pour went when we built the footings.Â
Here comes the concrete truck. It was enormous. There was only one way into the back and that was through the lake side lawn. Good thing we waited to build the deck, because there is no way we could have gotten a concrete truck down that far.Â
 
We also ordered a concrete pump truck along with the concrete because we needed help getting concrete back to the area where the footings would go.Â
Â
You can see that the concrete pours down the chute into the concrete pump.
 
Chuck volunteered to hold the concrete hose. Stevie is closely supervising.Â
 Screeing the concrete.
Chuck holding the hose. It was extremely heavy to manipulate and it was hot work.
 
Teresa screeing the concrete.
Steve screeing the concrete.
Bomac Concrete – Â http://bomacconcrete.com/
Strong Arm Concrete Pumping
3 hr rate $100 hr, Sat fee $50
253-310-2337
On the Subject of the Bathroom:Â I finished painting and installed a new light fixture.
May 31, 2008
Episode 13 – The Garage Permit, Painting the Bathroom, The Off-Loader and Miscellaneous
Today I’m going to talk about the status of garage permit, painting the bathroom, the T3000 Offloader, bringing in more power, my compost pile, and Stevie’s excavator. Length: 37:31. Published 05/31/08. Podcast
Links:
Load Handler – http://www.loadhandler.com/
VAlspar Paint – http://www.valspar.com/
Glidden® Gripper® White Interior/Exterior Primer-Sealer – http://www.glidden.com/products/getProducts.do?brandid=18
Interior Paint Review – http://www.consumersearch.com/www/house_and_home/interior-paint/#intro
May 19, 2008
Episode 12 – Permits, Permits, Permits
This episode is all about permits. I’ll talk about why you want to obtain a permit for most work done on our home or property. I won’t discuss here in this episode how you obtain a specific permit or the costs associated with hiring or obtaining professional help, but I will tell you how much individual permits costs AT THE COUNTY, when I built my house, I’ll speak to the general permitting process then and now, and I’ll talk about my specific experiences recently, as I work to obtain a permit to build a garage. Length: 27:40. Published 05/19/08. Podcast
If someone had told me how difficult it would be to navigate the permitting process, I might have never built my home. Even now, after years of handling the permit process, it still turns my stomach, stirs my bowels, and takes all my will to begin and finish the job.  Maybe 10 years from now, I’ll handle the process like a pro. Maybe. I’d rather do any other job necessary to build the house, then go through the permitting process, and many people feel like I do. I’ve read a lot of books on how to build a home, but none of the books I’ve read touch on the toughness and work that one needs to bring into play to get the permitting job done right.
Why do you need a permit? With neighbors, satellite and the cell phone, there’s no where in this country that you can clear, build or renovate without someone noticing. Maybe they won’t see the damage right away, or while you’re doing it. But someone will see it. Depending on the extent of the work, and your relationship with your neighbors, you may get away with for a while or not. But eventually, the bill comes due.Â
How to conduct a visit to the county for the purpose of obtaining a permit:
- Be prepared and organized.
- Use file folders, binder clips, tabs, plastic protectors, binders and clipboards.
- Make sure you have enough copies. It is unlikely there will be a copy machine for you to use in the lobby.
- Make sure you have the right plans and paperwork.
- If you have too much stuff to carry reasonably, bring one of those suitcases on rollers.
- Bring something to keep you occupied, perhaps a good book, your knitting and ipod.
- If you’re bringing children, bring something to occupy them as well.
- Expect a long long wait (there is no such thing as a quick drop off), and if you don’t have one you won’t be disappointed.
- Be prepared for many many such trips.
- Be courteous and respectful. Make a point to get to know the people you’re working with. This will be a long relationship.
- Bring refreshments.
- Bring a cell phone.
- Don’t leave your pet or children in the car.
How much were the permits to build my home in 2003:
- Wetlands Permit: $1500
- Site Development (includes Floodplain Determination, Storm Drainage Inspection, Site Development Evaluation and Erosion Control Inspection): $389.55
- Burn Permit: $50
- Driveway approach or egress into the property: $60
- Septic and Well: As-built $175, Well site reinspection fee of $105,
- Building Permit (includes Plan check fee $150, peninsula school district impact $1675, Parks impact $294, plat admin impact fee $50, New Whole House Mechanical 430, New Whole House Plumbing $85): $3250.50
- Fire and Safety Permit: $50 and $50
- Residential Alarm Permit: $135
- Electrical Permit (Underground, temporary, permanent and house): This permit is obtained from Dept of Labor and Industries. $45, $100
- Title Notification Fees:Â $200
- Total Costs for Permits (not including professional work):Â $5510
Related Links:
Pierce County Planning and Land Services – http://www.piercecountywa.org/pc/services/home/property/pals/palsmain.htm
International Code Council – http://www.iccsafe.org/safety/safety.html
Owner Builder – http://www.ownerbuilder.com/permits.shtml
How to Fix Building Construction Buerocacy – http://www.mattmcalister.com/blog/2007/05/31/178/how-to-fix-building-construction-bureaucracy/
The Dirt on Buying Land – http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2003/10/01/350569/index.htm
May 2, 2008
Episode 11 – Septics, Permits, Painting, and Auctions
In this episode, I talk about getting your septic pumped, getting ready to apply for the garage permit, more painting stories, and my experience at the auction. Length: 42:36. Published 04/30/08. Podcast
Ehli Auctions: http://www.ehliauctioncenter.com/index.php
Cascade Northwest: The company who installed and maintain my septic system.
Yahoo Consumer’s Review of Lowe’s Auditions: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/987314
March 18, 2008
Episode 10 – Flatscreen Televisions, New Refrigerators and the Challenges of Renovation
In this episode, I talk about the purchase and placement of a flatscreen television, replacing a refrigerator, the challenges of renovation and some podcasts that I’ve recently listened to. Length: 43:38. Published 03/18/08. Podcast
Flatscreen TV’s. In the last episode, I believe that I mentioned that we would be purchasing a flatscreen television. Well, we did purchase the Panasonic 58″ inch television from COSTCO. It was not exactly the same model mentioned in the Consumer Reports, but we were nevertheless satisfied with our purchase. Stevie asked for help from his son unpackaging it and placing it on a sideboard in the living room. Speaking of sideboards, we borrowed one from the dining room because we decided that we would not install it on our wall. Furthermore, this was not the television’s final destination. We purchased another used sideboard, so we could cut out parts of the back, and eventually placed that under the television instead. Stevie anticipates that sideboards will be very very hard to find within the next year.Â
The World Is Flat – How to Accessorize Around Your Flatscreen Television – Boston Globe – http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/house/articles/2008/01/31/the_world_is_flat/
Purchasing a New Refrigerator: How long should an appliance last? Until I’m dead, would be my answer, for as much as you have to pay for the things. Unfortunately, this is not the case. I read an interesting article about how long appliances should last:
Minneapolis Star Tribune - http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/11311611.html
So I’m destined to be disillusioned. Furthermore, roughly 14 years ago, I basically bought all new appliances because we moved from overseas. As it turns out, many of the appliances are pretty worn out by now, if they have not already worn out. I had to replace my refrigerator. In doing some background research, I found this site called consumersearch.com, and they wrote a pretty comprehensive review on refrigerators. I ended up getting a refrigerator, not on this list, because I found a deal at the Sears Outlet. It’s a GE Profile 26 cubic feet side by side, not my first choice, but who could turn down the $699 price tag. Â
BTW: Did you know that stainless steel refrigerators of a certain quality, are not magnetic. So there goes my refrigerator magnet collection.
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/kitchen/refrigerators/index.html
Miscellaneous: Putting off projects. Renovate while living with the mess. Spring is coming. Bulbs have come up. Time to get out there to clean up plants that have died over the winter and pick up brush. Podcasts I’ve listened to lately.Â
- Carey Brothers On the House – http://www.onthehouse.com/Â (Repairing a roof, estimates, problems with a hot water heater)
- Design Tips with Lee Ann – http://www.radiosandysprings.com/design.php (Texture and Lighting)
- Diva in the House – http://www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php (Interview with Ambrose
- Howcast Home – not recommended
- The Home Improvement Zone with David Yates – http://www.hgradio.com/Â (Energy conservation, green building)
- Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show – http://www.moneypit.com/Â (Plants that require less maintenance, bathtubs with jets, deck maintenance such as replacing nails with deck screws, repainting an exterior mahogany door with marine varnish)
February 25, 2008
Flatscreen Television, Design Differences Between Genders, Grout Haze Removal, Cleaning Products – Episode 08
Today I’m going to talk about our plan to purchase a large screen tv, a review of the cleaning product I purchased, how to replace a shower head, the results from grout haze product I used, give you a little bio of me and Stevie, and tell you about design ideas you can get from a vacation. Length: 53:17. Published 02/25/08. Podcast
http://www.vizio.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=21
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/vizio-vm60phdtv/4505-6482_7-32306254.html?tag=pdtl-listÂ
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-th-58px600u/4505-6482_7-31813549.html?tag=pdtl-listÂ
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/arts/television/30kant.html?ex=1288324800&en=0a0f5280f9d74484&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Stevie Changing The Showerhead. Watch out for that water that will come out of the pipe once you remove the old showerhead. Note, the orange tinge around the water flow holes. That’s sediment clogging the old shower head, and that’s only from 3 years of use.
The Wood Stove on platform that Stevie built. If you take a close look, you can see the mosaic tile along the side and on the top.
February 18, 2008
Tacoma Home Show, Painting and Lighting Issues – Episode 08
This episode covers the Tacoma Home Show; the Deal of the Month – a portable generator; design choices and regrets; painting tips, techniques and news; and fluorescent lighting. Length: 54:30. Published 02/18/08. Podcast
Links I cover in the Show
Northern Tools – http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200313480_200313480
Ralph Lauren – http://ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/products/paint/default.asp? $3.99 for 2 ounces.
Behr – http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/shop $6.99 for 8 ounces. $1 off if you order more than one.
Zibra Products – http://www.enjoyzibra.com/
That Painter Lady – http://thatpainterlady.com/
Incasdescent, Fluorescent, Halogen & Compact Fluorescent Lighting – http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/lighting/bulbs.html
Hampton Bay – Lighting Fixtures – http://www.hamptonbay.com/
January 27, 2008
Caulking a Bathtub – Episode 07
This episode covers how to replace caulk in your bathtub, a review of caulking tools and products, and the virtues of 3M safety walk tape for use on an icy deck. Length: 36:08. Published 01/27/08. Podcast
Links I cover in the Show
On The House with The Carey Brothers
http://www.onthehouse.com/sections/gspodcastCaulking a bathroom sink.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo06hwZZPSs#Fred Burke
Caulking a Bathtub – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMx7dW8MrrA#Caulking between wood and wall. Finishing tip after you apply moldings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZL2yipTzE&feature=related#Robyio caulk gun review – http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=987384&fr
Footnote
I ended up using the Kwik Seal 3.0 caulk (supposed to cure in 3 hours, or at least be impervious to moisture). Well this didn’t work out that well for me. The product was sticky and difficult to clean up, especially for a beginner. In addition, I found the product still sticky to the touch 12 hours later. I waited a day before I applied a second coat, and I would have been just as well off, if not better, using a normal kitchen and bath caulk.  I can’t recommend this product.
January 13, 2008
I’m Back with Episode 6
I’ve changed the format of the podcast. Instead of just talking about building my house, which I will do so on occasion, I talk about home repair projects that are going on right now. I talk about work that I’m doing on the property, give product reviews, and outline current events that are related to home repair projects within the Puget Sound area.   In this episode I discuss cutting down a tree, the effects of bad weather on the property, the wheelbarrel versus lawn tractor, the progress of a wetlands survey, and Stevie’s christmas presents. I do a product review of the Home Depot MTD 18.5 Lawn tractor and a dock purchased from Metallite Industries. Length: 58:30. Published 01/13/08. Podcast
Pertinent episode links are as follows:
 Metalite Industries – http://www.metaliteind.com/
Home Depot purchase of the Ryobi One+ 18V Lithium 4 Pc. Combo Kit – http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100596698&N=10000003+90401+502400&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125
Northern Tools – http://www.northerntool.com/
he 26th Annual Bellevue Home Show is January 25th, 26th and 27th, 2008
http://www.bellevuehomeshow.com/PressPage.asp
Adult Admission $8.00
Tacoma Home and Garden Show
Jan 30, 2008 (Wed) – Feb 3, 2008 (Sun)
$9 Adults
Featuring over 700 exhibits, product demonstrations, gardening seminars, plant sales, landscaped gardens and floral displays, designer room vignettes, model homes and celebrity speakers.
List of Exhibitors can be found at http://www.oloughlintradeshows.com/THS/ths-exhib-list.htm
Floor plan can be found at http://www.oloughlintradeshows.com/THS/files/ProgramMap.pdf
Northwest Flower and Garden Show
February 20-24 at the Convention Center in Seattle
$19
http://www.gardenshow.com/seattle/index/index.asp
Music Played on this episode and downloaded from the Podsafe Music Network
Adam Woodall Band – Coming Home Soon
http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners/artistdetails.php?BandHash=07486603a803980d3b7bf99b974395e6
Beth Thornley – Home By Now
http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners/artistdetails.php?BandHash=c95d995fd4f40459f34cf050e6b1c137
May 1, 2007
Episode #005 – Shownotes
In this episode, I discuss how I organized the paperwork, my life and the construction site.  Being organized helped me survive the process. You’ll learn what items I could not do without, and which items I wished I had. Being organized was key in giving myself the best chance to finish the task of home building, on time and within budget. Because I was able to complete the construction process and move in within 9 months, the loan company gave me a half a point lower rate when they rolled over my loan to a 30 year fix. Length: 25:27. Published 04/29/07. Podcast
I talk a lot about the storage systems I used.
I also provide a list of the labels I used.
In the next episode, I will discuss the permit process. What permits I needed, how they much cost, what work was involved in obtaining the permits.
April 7, 2007
Episode #004 – Shownotes
In this episode, I discuss how much it cost me to build my house, how I saved the money, dealt with the credit process, and obtained a construction loan. You can find a link to a Uniform Residential Loan Application here. Length: 25:27. Published 04/07/07. Podcast
I’ve provided the following attachments:
March 28, 2007
Podcasts Available as Text Only for the Hearing Impaired
The podcast shows are available, upon request, as text only content for the hearing impaired. Just send me a note by selecting the link Contact This Girl, and I’ll send you a link to the text files.
March 25, 2007
Episode #003 – Shownotes
In this episode, I discuss the process of selecting the home plan that you’re going to build and the company who is going to build it. I spend a bit of time differentiating between absolute requirements versus wants when selecting the home plan. But my primary focus is the builder selection process.  Length: 18:20. Published 03/25/07. Podcast
I’ve provided a list of builders that I looked at in the Pacific Northwest.
Armstrong Homes – http://www.armstrong-homes.com/customhomes/index.html
Hiline Homes – http://www.hilinehomes.com/
Reality Homes – http://www.realityhomesinc.com/
Seattle Cedar Homes – http://www.lindal.com/seattlecedar/index.cfm
Terhune Homes – http://www.terhunehomes.com/
Timberland Homes – http://www.timberland-homes.com/
Viceroy Homes – http://www.viceroy.com/
Wayne Homes – http://www.waynehomes.com/
Home plan that I finally selected was the 2152 from HilineHomes.Â
Afterthoughts
04/10/07: I had a thought today about the home plan I selected. Not that there was anything wrong with the plan. But when I sat down with the builder, and filled out the Hiline Homes Product Selection and Binder Receipt, I had at that moment, the opportunity to choose what features I wanted with the house. I’m talking about the trim and kitchen cabinet package, and any extras features I wanted like skylights and sliding glass doors. At that time, I also chose the shingles for the roof. I chose an Asian Green shingle made from Corning.Â
Here is an area where I could have used a little more research.  Almost 3 years later, we had what turned out to be one of the largest wind storms to hit the Puget Sound in recent memory. A tree flew threw the roof of my house. Luckily it missed the vital areas of the structure, but I still needed to repair my roof. I began to look for shingle replacements and I couldn’t find that color locally. So I called Corning directly. That’s when I learned that they no longer carried that brand and color of shingle and that they hadn’t for some time. I was sorely distressed particularly since I had some pre-warning.  When I was building the house I had been advised by a friend to buy extra shingles, but when I contacted the builder to make those arrangements, I was told not to bother; that there would always be shingles available of this brand and color. Well he was wrong. Â
Another issue came up when I chose to paint my house.  I had the hardest time matching the Asian Green color of the roof to a trim and siding color. Yes, the roof color certainly blends in well, as the house is framed by evergreen trees. But the color is almost impossible to match if you’re looking for replacement shingles.Â
February 27, 2007
Episode #002 – Shownotes
In this episode, I talk about how I found the land where I eventually built my home. I talk about how I began my search, what things I looked for when I looked at property, my misadventures, how I did my home work and conducted my background survey of the property, and how I made the offer. Length: 21:15. Published 02/27/07. Podcast
Teresa’s Field Trip List (What To Bring When You’re Looking For Land)
Teresa’s List Of What To Look For in Land
Pictures of the Land That I Bought
Aerial photograph of the house sitting on the land.
Pictures of the Lake
February 25, 2007
Episode #001 – Shownotes
In this first podcast I talk about why I decided to build my house. I’ll tell you what led me from looking at condos, to deciding to build on waterfront property. Length: 12:45. Published 02/27/07. Podcast
Books I would Recommend:
Tips and Traps When Building Your Home
How To Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home
Contracting Your Home
Afterthoughts:
02/2507: I realized that I might not have mentioned what might happen when you announce your decision to build a house, particularly if you’re a woman.  I remember what happened when I told my family and friends that I was building a house. With the exception of two or three people, my friends and family worried that I was getting way over my head. They saw me as I was back then. An independent woman, sometimes an airhead, a city girl who was totally inexperienced when it came to living in the country. And of course, although they may not have said this, but they may have also worried that I would lean heavily on them, especially when I encountered trouble or obstacles. But I made the decision to build my house, recognizing that I was responsible for providing every cent, digging every hole, and performing every sacrifice.  As time went on, and I demonstrated that I could get the job done, they stopped worrying.Â
If you ever decide to build, remember you’re making this decision for yourself and no one else. You’ll be the one that has to live with this decision. You’re making the decision to build because you really want to build your own home, and not because the activity may one day represent some future investment opportunity, because there are a lot easier ways to make money. You’re building a house because you are passionate about what you’re doing, and that’s going to get you through.Â