It’s been a number of years since I have been on this Forum, I’ve been busy applying the wealth of knowledge I have gained here. I have finally finished my first complete home design and build. I have just completed a 2400 sq ft home with a 3 car garage. I designed and built everything myself with the help of many from this site. I must say that I followed most of your advice on everything. What is even more rewarding is that most of my brother in laws are in the construction business and made a bit of fun at my expense at all the things I did that they felt you didn’t need to do, and now that it’s done they are asking my advice. My place is in Northern Michigan on Lake Huron and it costs me about $65 a month to keep it heated in the winter, less when I’m there using the wood stove. The garage stays at 45 degrees even though it isn’t heated even when it’s -10 out and that was a lot this winter. Now that I’ve finished our vacation home, my wife now wants me to build another to replace the builder built home we live in now. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have the engineering masterpiece that I have, if it weren’t for all the great advice I received here. Now you know that at least one person payed attention.
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master
The thank you is appreciated I'm sure by those that contributed in any way to your build...............
but,
A thank you is not enough.
Minimum-a grand tour.
better than minimum-some explanation to go along with the pictures!
thanks, looks VERY nice!
Nice Work!
Congratulations on finishing this up. What's next?
Actually I bought a 1998 Velocity 280 that I had painted by a custom painter, reupholstered the interior, added shore power, VHF radio, GPS, and rebuilt the motor to 700hp. I had to build the house with a garage big enough to hold it first.
none
All that HP in one motor?
I was a passenger in a boat like that one time-they asked me to stand. If I'd have had a mirror, I would have checked if my cheeks were flapping from the G-force.
Now, back to the house-I'd like to see some more.
thanks.
I literally designed the house with the boat in mind. My wife and I went to boat shows and measured boats that we were interested in and that was the key starting dimension. The garage had to be 31' inside depth to fit the boat. I designed and built the construction to last for generations as I am planning to leave this to my grandchildren. Walls are 2x6, ceiling joists are 16" on center, ceiling joists and wall studs all line up with the floor joists. floor joists are all engineered I beams with glulam beams to keep the kitchen and great room open along with the basement. I wanted a dead flat ceiling so I ran furring strips perpindicular to the roof trusses I also put 1x6 on top of the inside walls to attach the drywall to, to prevent truss lift from cracking my drywall. Insullation in the walls in the house are R-21, ceiling is 16" of cellulose, the garage walls are R-19. Because this is a vacation home I designed the plumbing to drain into the sump pit in the basement. Toilets are pressure flush so they don't sweat in the summer and one flush and they are drained. Because the house is a stepped 3 level design, I can heat all 2300 sq ft with my wood stove. My wife and duaghter actually did most of the Insulation work. Here's a before and after of the great room.
Glad your house went well. Thanks for posting about it.
I've also learned a ton of stuff here. Can't imagine my life without BT.
You know, the proper way to say thanks is to buy a round.