City girl puts in some elbow grease...

I know what it's like to put in some sweatquity (haha). I've also been hard at work out at the house and I want to prove it through pictures!

I am helping mix the concrete and water! Overseen by Heath of course :)

My partner Steve Drye. He was digging out the holes and I was helping fill them up! We made a great team!

I'm probably laughing because I was confident I didn't know what I was doing...even with positive reinforcement from Heath and the on-lookers. It was fun!

Evidence that I can pitch in and get sweaty! It was a great day!

Love, Caroline

If you build it, they will come!!!

Pardon me for not updating the blog in 6 days! There was a lot going on this week and weekend so I am just now getting around to it! I know you will understand!

The first floor walls were put up on Tues-Wed-Thurs this week and they have started framing the 2nd floor floor!

#1: This picture was taken Thursday evening. Heath is standing where the front door will go! The walls are 10' and the windows will be 8' (floor to top of window)...just to put it in perspective.

#2: This picture is of the back of the house. The door opening on the left will lead inside from the back stoop to the mud room. The kitchen/dining room and doors to master bedroom (from porch) span the rest of the house length. The cinderblocks in the forefront will support the screened back porch (not yet floored).

#3: This is another picture of the front of the house from a right side perspective. The great room is located in the front right corner of the house.

#4: I am standing where the fireplace will be that is why there is no wall. Waylon wanted to get in the shot! It's his house too!

On Saturday, Heath's parents and my parents came up to see the progress and to pitch in with some help (and food)! It was so nice to have them there, we had the best time with each other! Thanks Steve & Vera and Tom & Nancy for your help and support through this! Cannot wait to enjoy the finished product with you all!

#5: Heath and Steve (Heath's father) set the piers (blocks) in concrete. These will support the screened back porch. 

#6: Heath with his brick trowel ready to put some mud on the blocks! He is so talented. His masonry skills started back in highschool (he even won a silver medal at a national competition :))

This a video that Nancy took..she wanted to document this skill in action. Tom is seen in the video too!

It was soooooo hot yesterday. Vera & Nancy supplied us with lots of liquids and a watermelon that hit the spot. This handy invention was quite the necessity...you dip/soak these little cloth rolls in water and they expand into a small towel!

More pictures to come. I broke a pretty good sweat and want to prove that this "city girl" isn't afraid to put in a little elbow grease!

Love, Caroline

We've been framed....floor framed that is!

Today was a very productive day on Brassfield Rd...the subfloor framing was started and completed all in one days work! The transformation is unbelievable. Heath was watching over the workers for most of the day and he made sure they did the job right! It looks awesome! It's coming along and we are so excited!

This picture was taken Sunday 6/17...Heath and I worked for almost 4 hours leveling out the dirt that was in piles inside the foundation. If you can picture it, there were huge, hard piles of dirt in the middle of the rows of the concrete blocks that had to be leveled, so we were out there with shovels, a yard rake, and a maddock (huge pick-axe looking tool to break up the big clumps of dirt that had hardened from the rain). It was back-breaking work but we made sure to take lots of Gatorade breaks and sat in the shade to cool off. We were both so sore this morning! But hard works pays off because that crawl-space is so clean, level and roomy (for when Heath has to climb under the house:)

This picture was taken today. You are viewing the front of the house! Who thought 2 people would be so excited about a subfloor! But we are!!!

This picture is for bragging rights only. We were so proud of the sweat-equity we put in on Sunday to make the crawl space lookin' good!

Hope everyone had a great Monday! More lumber to come Thursday. Get excited :)

Love,

Caroline

Progress!!!

Good afternoon! Hope everyone had a great day! Thanks for all the positive feedback about the blog! It will be a great memory to have (Vera) and I look forward to updating. I've added several pictures, I will try to caption them all. I know Heath has some on his phone but he is out of town for work, but I will get those as soon as I can and add them to the blog :)

This is a picture of where the front fireplace will be poured, nothing exciting, just walking you through the steps!

The next phase was the concrete pouring, filling those trenches for the foundation. Heath was out there with a group of workers pouring the concrete (22 yards!) and his father sweet Steve showed up to lend a hand. The picture above is of the foundation and Heath inspecting!

This picture was taken from the driveway looking towards the front of the house. The smoke you see in the background is the huge pile of trees burning (intentionally set). Wayne, seen in the first post on the "big machine" piled up all the trees, brush, etc. Heath had to get a burn permit to send this big ol' pile into a blaze. Unfortunately I was out of town, but people from all over came to see the bonfire! It was still burning as of this past Tuesday night (even with all the rain we've had). Better go out before the framing starts next week....

 

Have a good night!

Love,

Caroline

 

And so it starts...

(This picture was taken back in the Winter of 2011)

As most of you who are reading this blog know, Heath has started building a house in Creedmoor, NC on Brassfield Road! He has had land up there for over a year with the hopes of building a house on it...for someone reason he didn't get started in 2011 (wink wink)...anyway, the time has come and he has begun to build. The purpose of this blog is to let you follow on this adventure with him/us as the house-building progresses. It is strictly my purpose to keep you updated, informed, entertained (there will be some funny moments) and maybe you'll be inspired for a little DIY around your house! I will update as much as possible! Thanks for your support and come see the house taking shape!

May 22- Wayne on the big machine (that's my term) clearing the trees! He loved showing off when I said "I want to see you pick up a tree with that thing!"

And so he did!

You can see that grin a mile away :)

Standing where house will sit looking up driveway to road

1st picture: 1/2 way up driveway looking down to where house will sit

2nd picture: Waylon taking it all in and most likely planning where he will like to play!

More pictures to come as soon as I can get the rest from my iPhone to my computer!

Love, Caroline