Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Ridgetop]

It is easier to do any roof or attic work while the roof is off - probably why DH wants to do the work when putting on the new roof. Particularly since you are already planning to add area to the house that will be under the new roof, you will want to centralize the whole house fan.

Additional bedrooms are always nice and can be used for multiple uses - i.e office sewing and craft rooms, guest bedrooms. etc. The kids can still double up. Up to a certain age many kids share with siblings. It is especially handy so they can share the same larger toys and play together. Make sure the bedrooms have nice large closets.

Have you considered adding a 2 story addition instead of so many single story additions? You can leave the upper story unfinished as a "bonus room" with the plumbing stubbed in until you can afford to finish it off into kids' bedrooms and bathroom. By keeping the master on the ground floor you don't have to go up and down as often, and can police the exits when the kids hit their teens!

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Hmm, I really wasn't thinking about a second story since I've been trying to avoid stairs. No issues in the family atm, but I had to deal with stairs in the last house. I was thinking it would be better resale value if the entire house is wheelchair friendly, but maybe that's something I shouldn't fuss about.

Hubby's parent's are building their "dream house" on their property after 20ish years of owning it and living in a modular home. They are going to use a cement styrofoam type block to build it. I am thinking we should watch how that works out and maybe use that for the walls of the expansion. We'd probably be able to do a second story if we go that route, otherwise I think the new expansion walls are planned to be 2*6 studs, which should also allow a second story.

 

[Ridgetop]

Make sure to pour 2 story rated foundations - that is where the codes will require strength for the second story. That expense will not be too much more, and will save you money if you do decide to go up. Remember that what you spend on the heavier foundations you will save on the roof since you will be roofing only half the square footage. Same with the plumbing if you stack the upstairs bathroom above the downstairs bathroom. Heating and AC costs will also be less since the upstairs will act as insulation for the downstairs. Since you are in Auburn, check the cost of triple pane windows as opposed to the required double pane. Your HVAC savings might make the cost worthwhile.

By making the master BR and bath on the bottom floor with a second or guest bath, you can use the upstairs for the children's room and you will retain resale value. Even when down sizing, most retired people hope their children and grandchildren will come to visit and will see the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom as a secondary living space that they can close off when no one is using them. Alternatively you can add a balcony access with stairs later and convert to an upstairs apartment for rental or use by a caregiver.

I like the foam block idea - how do they rate as insulation?

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

They are insulated concrete forms, ICF. This article explains them fairly well, but I think in-laws are using a different company, can't remember the name. Insulation they are supposed to be really good, but can also add additional on the inside or outside.

ICF Construction: Everything You Need To Know

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are becoming a more common way to build homes. But just how sustainable are Insulated Concrete Forms?

www.buildwithrise.com

 

[Bruce]

Make sure to pour 2 story rated foundations

You beat me to it!!

I agree, the entire house doesn't have to be handicap accessible unless one happens to have a handicapped child. If there is a master on the first floor along with a bathroom, kitchen/dining and living rooms, most old folks wouldn't make use of the extra upstairs rooms even if they were on the first floor. And I ASSUME the house currently has at least 2 bedrooms so that provides for an office/craft/whatever room on the first floor. Up is cheaper than out (if the foundation can support it. Less foundation, less roof, easier to heat.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Ok, the in-laws are using The Perfect Block.

https://theperfectblock.com/

I think we'll definitely try to make the expansion footings rated for a second story. We still want to do an expansion of some sort because the kitchen and dining areas are very small, and I don't see how we could rearrange the house to change that without moving an external wall out to add more space. I think the expansion on the first side (west) should basically just make it the size/width of a 4-wide, should be plenty of space then.

The expansion on the second side (east) would probably just bring the ends of the house out to where the wall is on the living room, which is the current triple wide part. I'd actually prefer not to expand much farther that way as it would be encroaching closer than I'd like to the septic tank and lines, plus the ground is sloping downward and the floor of the house is already about chest height when standing next to the house on that side. I guess we could close it in and make it into storage?

I'd love for a way to rodent/pest proof the underside of the house. Hubby said he saw raccoon prints on the underside and we know there's rats. New footings should help prevent access from critters, right?

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I need to map out the house and upper zone of the property so you all can picture this better. Or give more advice.

House is currently three bedroom and two bathrooms, approximately 1600 sqft.

 

[Ridgetop]

I'd actually prefer not to expand much farther that way as it would be encroaching closer than I'd like to the septic tank and lines,

You need to check building codes in your county/city since distance from septic system - tank, and lines - will be crucial to your permit. Most building codes won't allow building within a certain distance from septic sank or over it.

When you say "4-wide" and "triple wide" is your current house a manufactured home? If so, you need to check building codes there too since some areas don't allow you to add on to manufactured housing. You can build up to it but you can't attach a new stick built addition to the manufactured home. Ran into this some years ago when shopping for a home in central California. The owners disclosed that they had added on to a manufactured home and it was a "no-no" to building codes. They couldn't sell the home except to a cash buyer who would assume any problem with the building codes. Codes may have changed since then.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Hmm, both good points. Yes, it's a manufactured home. Ideally, we'd rip out what makes it a manufactured home and replace with stick built type construction as we go, and eventually get it inspected to prove it's not really a manufactured home anymore. I think we'd have to redo the floor joists though and get rid of the original metal trusses.

Hubby has a friend whose family did that. Bought a place with modular, then built a stick built shell around it and removed the modular, so all that was left was stick built. Then got it inspected and declared as stick built. Dunno if that was same county though.

It is infuriating that the people selling homes talk up modulars/manufactured and claim they are no different than stick built, when they are treated differently permit, insurance, and home value -wise. Our loan was half a percent higher apr because it's manufactured instead of stick built.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Less than 5 weeks to due date, aka 34 days


Starting to freak out a bit.

Worked on the baby room last night, going to work on it again tonight. Got almost all non baby stuff moved out, and organizing baby stuff and putting it away. Need more shelves or storage things.