Alaskan's Journal

[fuzzi]

Ok... so... of my 5 sons... only one is still at home. I have the youngest for this year (his last year of high school) and then next year (his first year of college), because I force all of the boys to do their first year at home.

Ok... so.. Kid 3 started going to college, and in his second year was hired right out of college for a welding/ fabrication job. I think he has had the job for 2 years now.. and was (until this semester) taking one college class each semester while working. But.. he has hated paying rent (he got the job in a town 2.5 hours away from home), and has been saving up money, and this summer bought some land!

He bought a little piece, just under an acre, but it already had a driveway, building pad, well, and septic.

Blurry sketch of the property
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Photo of prophecy, and the drivewsy.
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At first he was going to buy a house shell, and finish it himself... but looking at the cost for what he was getting, inspired him to build it all himself. Also, building it himself, he could make the house bigger, and cover the house pad as much as he wanted.

This was the rough sketch we decided to go with... but he moved a window... the big window (only window) in the second bedroom, so now there isn't a sight line down that hall... that will bug me for forever... but NOT my house...so moving on! Also, the location of the front door into the 8x10 mudporch was rotated to the short north wall, to make it easier to cover the front porch and door.


There will be a loft over the bedrooms.
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He rented a bobcat and dug in the water, septic, and electric lines from where they were to where he needed them... and then he was STUCK.

He had decided that the one thing he didn't want to do himself was the foundation.. he called around, and the people who promised to come out the fastest were people who put in sonotubes (concrete pillars in ground). BUT, then they didn't come and didn't come... then they finally had time to come, and it rained solid.. and FINALLY WEEKS late, the sonotubes were in place.

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As soon as they were in and cured enough... the building started. His brothers (well, all the ones in state, eldest son is in the lower 48), worked at showing up most Saturdays to help. But.. everyone has jobs and/or school, so there just hasn't been a much time to work as we wanted. The huge crimp in things is that the foundation wasn't finished until AFTER the fall semester of school started!

Son #3
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Kids 5, 2, and 3 (going left to right)
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fancy new stuff that is used instead of tyvek. It is green stuff on the plywood, and then you tape the seams. I think it is called a zip system.
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And, one half of rafters up!
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I am trying to see who has Friday off, see if I can get all the boys to work as close to 3 days solid as possible... and get as close as possible to metal roof on. We snowed yesterday... so panic!!! Once the roof is on, we can slow down and be pokey if we want... but ROOF! WE NEED ROOF!!@

Wow! Impressive.

 

[Mini Horses]

@Alaskan How far from you is this new house?

When the boys all come together to build, is there a place for them to bunk down for a couple days, or is it "camp out"? I love that they all work as a "family unit"... As they always have at home & there we've watched them thru you. Nice job parenting!

 

[Alaskan]

That is awesome! All those chores your boys had to do, taught them well. Together they will get the roof on and covered. What’s next? Putting in the windows?

Yep, windows and door, but with the deep roof overhang there shouldn't be a rush for any of the rest of it.

@Alaskan How far from you is this new house?

The place he bought is close to where he is renting, so 2.5 hours from me. It is just a 15 minute drive to work and 30 minute to church. A little further down the road his property is on, is access to state land. And that area is pro all the fun outdoor toys.

Everyone usually drives there and back each day they are working on it, but on occasion stay with him in his 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment. Kid 2 and 5 are with me (married kid #2 lives next door to me) so 2.3 hours away... and kid 4 is in Anchorage and is 3.5 hours away.

 

[Mini Horses]

That is love!! Drive that round trip each day.

 

[murphysranch]

That new zip system is good! Lots of ability to insulate and will last a very very long time!

 

[Alaskan]

That new zip system is good! Lots of ability to insulate and will last a very very long time!

That is what I have HEARD, but I don't know anyone that has lived with it. yeah... I am old!

The adults: spouse, myself, kid #3, and everyone we know that builds... have been hemming and hawing as to the exact way to do the roof. Lots of choices... and there we are! I spent the last week poking kid #3 to let me give/loan him money to upgrade what he is planning for the roof. He took out a loan for the build... but I want him to spend more money on the roof... get better materials than he was planning, which puts him over budget.

The issue is he is building it with the interior ceiling going along with the roof line. (Cathedral ceiling) So, just simple rafters, no scissor truss or what have you. The high ceiling is so he can have a loft over the bedrooms for storage, his water filtration stuff, and bonus room.

This was a good article, and is Alaska specific which is nice.

https://www.ahfc.us/application/files/8813/5553/5112/building_manual_ch_07.pdf

 

[Alaskan]

Wahahaha!!!!

This is when I drove up today (Friday).
Still at half the rafters, I am standing on the road that goes by, looking at the driveway and then house.

And when I left!!! ALL rafters up! The few horizontals are just temporary for my kid to climb up there and sit and work safely.

Also... those stairs on the left side? A retired neighbor came by last week... took some of my kid's lumber (without asking), built a set of stairs with the lumber he had taken... and then brought the stairs and attached them.

Happily the stairs are well made and good and wide. I guess he thought my kid shouldn't be using a ladder to enter the house while carrying big lumber.

SWEET!!! All rafters up! Insanely nice!

3 kids and myself working all day today.

Anchorage kid, since it takes him 3.5 hours one way, is spending the night tonight with kid 3. I drove up early with kid 5, we worked until even the brights on the car weren't good enough to see to work, then drove home. So, full dark was about 7:30.

Tomorrow kid 5 and 3 will drive up early, (kid 3 worked today until 6 so couldn't help today). I will not be able to go up, I have a bunch of stuff to get done, but spouse will be there all Saturday and Sunday.

I am feeling way better about the progress being made!

 

[Baymule]

Progress! It’s gonna get the whole roof on before the weather gets bad!

 

[SageHill]

WOWZERS!!! That's huge progress. AND super bonus -- what a great neighbor!!

 

[murphysranch]

I'm sooooo very happy for your son, who has terrific neighbors and a supportive family!!