Finally Bought Some Land

[j44ke]

The gardeners have been hard at work. I am really impressed with their skills. They've taken the rough sketch left in the dirt by the excavator and fine tuned it to drain correctly with well-placed swales and berms, and then planted the heck out of it.

Inside, the carpenters, painters, glass workers and plumbers are finishing things up and working on the punch list simultaneously. We've got the building of the final drive and parking area scheduled for next week. And then detail cleaning of the whole place scheduled for the last week of July, followed by the delivery of the furniture (hopefully - shipping/delivery companies seem to have disappeared) and our move-in by the end of the month.

We'll either make it or we won't. If we don't we'll be in hammocks until we do.

Look at those plants!



These is how they got here. That's two days' worth of empties btw.

[EDS]

Looks awesome. I can't imagine how hard it has been to be patient through this whole project, and particularly now, where the finish line is coming into view.

[Mabouya]

Look at those plants! These is how they got here. That's two days' worth of empties btw.

Neat.

Stuff like that is backbreaking work, and even if you consider yourself an in-shape cyclist, switching over to that sort of effort would initially be a killer.
(not to mention the knowledge and skill it takes to do it well)

[j44ke]

Looks awesome. I can't imagine how hard it has been to be patient through this whole project, and particularly now, where the finish line is coming into view.

Thanks! Patience required for a lot of reasons! But mostly because we want to move in.

[j44ke]

Neat.

Stuff like that is backbreaking work, and even if you consider yourself an in-shape cyclist, switching over to that sort of effort would initially be a killer.
(not to mention the knowledge and skill it takes to do it well)

And how. There's some yoga done at certain times during the day. Not by me - them.

[bironi]

Thanks again Jorn for the update.
Looks like you guys are moving into paradise soon.
By

[j44ke]

Thanks By.

A bit of an up and down day today. Never a straight path.

[mnoble485]

Jorn,
There is nothing more rewarding and frustrating in seeing a project though punch, CO, and occupancy. Some of the most gratifying days of my career we’re talking to a grateful and satisfied client. I know you will be on an emotional rollercoaster for awhile so please enjoy the final bits of this journey. I have enjoyed coming along virtually.

Mike

[j44ke]

Jorn,
There is nothing more rewarding and frustrating in seeing a project though punch, CO, and occupancy. Some of the most gratifying days of my career we’re talking to a grateful and satisfied client. I know you will be on an emotional rollercoaster for awhile so please enjoy the final bits of this journey. I have enjoyed coming along virtually.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I really appreciate all the help and support this thread has gotten me.

BTW the well seems to have shrunk due to the drought. That's our latest issue. Also the gardeners are watering the heck out of everything with the new plants on triage trying to keep them alive. So cut back water use on gardeners, interrogated well guys (special breed those guys) about realistic flow numbers, and meanwhile just gave up trying to force the excavator to remove the large pile of tree debris from the storage site (original 2nd house site hidden down the hill) before he completes the drive. At least everything else is gone from there. I suspect we'll end up having a bonfire on January 1.

[j44ke]

Remember the drought? Well Thursday(?) we got 2.5" of rain in two storms about an hour apart. Lots of damage to the drive. Big meeting on Friday. Some firm talking, some tail between legs, new plan same as the old plan should have been. Sometimes you have to let things blow up to get to the right way.

Someone on-site used a reciprocating saw when they should have used a hole saw. Inevitable damage ensued.

Appliances arrived, so there's that. Furniture on its way by Friday.

Our gardeners continue to be fantastic, even with impending trench for a new longer drainage pipe planned across their plantings. "Has to be done. We'll move the plants, then move them back."

Spent a relaxing evening putting up Feedback Sports "Velo Hinges" in the garage. Love the new impact driver.



Those are my new Swrve Durable Cotton shorts. Not the coolest but definitely durable. Recommended.

[Mabouya]

we got 2.5" of rain in two storms about an hour apart. Lots of damage to the drive

That's a lot of water in a short period of time. Better to have the "stress tests" now, while things are still in work and contractors are still on the hook to provide a good product, as opposed to months later, when it isn't quite as easy to get them back to fix stuff. It takes a lot of effort to get all the water flow paths right on a gravel driveway, and in some cases it can be an ongoing problem for years. Just the same, better to have that sort of problem with the driveway than to have it at the house proper.

Did you also check the roof drainage system? You'll want to be sure that that can also handle the heavy stuff.

[rwsaunders]

Mike emailed me that he wants a “reserved for Mike” sign placed above his hook...he asked me to pass along the note.

[j44ke]

That's a lot of water in a short period of time. Better to have the "stress tests" now, while things are still in work and contractors are still on the hook to provide a good product, as opposed to months later, when it isn't quite as easy to get them back to fix stuff. It takes a lot of effort to get all the water flow paths right on a gravel driveway, and in some cases it can be an ongoing problem for years. Just the same, better to have that sort of problem with the driveway than to have it at the house proper.

Did you also check the roof drainage system? You'll want to be sure that that can also handle the heavy stuff.

Yeah, definitely a gift from above. The roof drains really well - that's part of the problem. I think we thought the plants would slow it down a bit, and maybe they do but what comes out of the pipe has some velocity to it. So they'll extend the pipe further into the denser, more establish forest.

I really think that what is happening is these guys, a lot of whom are hardworking 55-60 year old guys with a lot of experience, are learning the new weather. This area used to get multi-day soaking rains and occasional thunderstorm. Now we get a lot more serious thunderstorms with a lot more water in a very short amount of time - March to October, not just in July August. So they are having to adjust but change is slow.

Mike emailed me that he wants a “reserved for Mike” sign placed above his hook...he asked me to pass along the note.

His hook is on the side of the chicken coop by his hammock. I can see I need more hooks though.

[mnoble485]

It’s late to ask but did they water test the windows, doors etc.? If not the rain was good for testing the roof and depending on the wind, the windows and flashings. Half full guy here,

Mike

[j44ke]

It’s late to ask but did they water test the windows, doors etc.? If not the rain was good for testing the roof and depending on the wind, the windows and flashings. Half full guy here,

Mike

We just had the window/door company here on Friday and they repaired some seal damage, re-aligned a door, cleaned and water tested the glass doors and replaced seals on the garage entry door (did not pass so got new seals.) They'll come back again after everyone is gone and replace two "fuzzy" seals that someone pulled out somehow. They have to remove the sliding door to make the repair, so they didn't want to do it in a house full of guys with implements of destruction.

I am amazed how tiny things in unreachable places can get destroyed. The fuzzy seal is almost (operative term) unreachable. Feels a bit like the aftermath of a tornado where some people are back to swimming in their backyard pool while their neighbor's house has vanished.

[j44ke]

We're sleeping here now. 98% done but the 2% is going to kill me. How many times can someone scratch shower glass while installing it? Furniture tomorrow and Thursday. Screens on Friday. Nervous breakdown on Saturday and Sunday. But we have a great espresso robot. And Roomba which I find strangely mesmerizing. Plus I am enjoying birdwatching from bed at 6AM. More final photo once sawhorses leave the porch and all the furniture is in. And perhaps an unscratched piece of glass.

No Internet yet. This typed while poaching Internet from my wife's cellular modem.

[rwsaunders]

Soon time to crack open the Claret and light up the Cubans, Jorn.

[Ras72]

Jorn,
Been following this thread for the past 3 years - can't believe it's been that long - and thrilled to see this come to completion. Such a fantastic nest! Incredibly happy for you guys.
I hope to get my thread cranked up and rolling in similar fashion.

FYI - I'm in the commercial construction world and they always say, first 10% and last 10% of the projects are the toughest. But it always gets done enough.

Congrats and enjoy!

[Mabouya]

Congratulations - I'm sure that in a few months all the pain will be in the past (OK, nearly all - there's always something that needs to be done around the house) and you and your wife will both agree that it was well worth it.

PS The chickens will miss you. ; )

[Mabouya]

Jorn,

How much longer until the new place is featured here?

A New Style of Country House Takes Root - The New York Times


More developers are bringing contemporary, sustainable design to the Hudson Valley and rural Connecticut.