 Welcome |
 Custom Built |
 Clearing a path 10/9/2001 |
 Trees were no match for tractor |
 Heather (holding Katie) and Sarah view progress |
 Our first room |
 Heather and builder Randy Flanders |
 From the rear looking forward |
 Randy gives instructions over cell |
 Heather surveys the yard |
 Footing digger |
 Mike |
 Sarah tests footings |
 Foundation begins to take shape |
 Break time |
 Sarah supervises 11/6/2001 |
 A skilled block layer |
 Preparing another block |
 The rear wall shapes up |
 Mixing cement on day two |
 Front wall nears completion |
 Finishing touches |
 Completed rear wall |
 Preparing for cement shooting 11/8/2001 |
 The upper row ready for cement filled cap |
 Shooting cement into the pier |
 A visitor |
 The plumbing drains being installed 11/13/2001 |
 Moisture barrier and reinforcing wire in preparation for pouring slab |
 The basement / garage floor is poured 11/29/2001 |
 Etched in stone |
 Sarah tests for dry 11/30/2001 |
 Lumber delivery 11/30/2001 |
 Forklift stuck in sand again (4th time) |
 Ready to build a house ? |
 Lumber includes support posts |
 The first saw dust has been spilled 12/3/2001 |
 Sarah discovers the latest development |
 Sarah inspects the work |
 Ready to attach the hurricane straps |
 Checking the height of the string 12/4/2001 |
 Power nailing |
 Putting the joists in place |
 Scooter does block clean up |
 Randy Flanders goes over the specs |
 Basement starts to take shape |
 Nails |
 The utility room's first wall |
 Measure twice, cut once |
 Nails awaiting the gun |
 These eyes will be watching |
 Laying the plywood sub floor 12/5/2001 |
 Heather and Katie check out the recently covered garage |
 Sarah stands in the kitchen doorway |
 The T&G sub flooring is secured with glue and these spiral nails |
 The walls start to go up 12/6/2001 |
 The east wall appears |
 Carpenters build the front wall |
 Beginning to take shape |
 The rear wall ready to lift 12/7/2001 |
 A mystery kitchen wall. Hmmmm. |
 The master bedroom wall and doorway |
 The master bath starts to take form |
 Dangerous with a tape rule |
 After falling off the house and breaking his arm, John demonstrates one hand smoke and coffee technique |
 Dan visits during XMAS break from studies |
 Matchstick forest |
 The second floor appears 12/13/2001 |
 Inspector Klug |
 The upper floor begins to take shape 12/13/2001 |
 The upstairs framing is complete 12/14/2001 |
 Dan checks out Sarah's bedroom |
 From the upstairs media room looking toward Tim's room |
 Sarah insists that her room is too small |
 Working on framing the roof |
 Another view from the rear |
 Chuck getting the angles right |
 The roof structure appears 12/21/2001 |
 Frustrated artist ? |
 Brother Paul visits the site on Christmas day |
 Building the front columns 12/27/2001 |
 The bricks rise inch by inch |
 Rosanne and Greg visit on 12/27/2001 |
 Rosanne and Greg |
 Us on 12/27/2001 |
 The front porch framing meets the brick columns |
 Sarah peeks out the front door to check out the porch |
 Updated front elevation 01/06/2002 |
 The house is now closed in 01/10/2002 |
 Joyce (Randy's boss) reviews electrical plan with Heather |
 Joyce and Chuck confer on the dining room arch |
 Heather checks out the window delivery |
 Heather locks the newly installed window |
 Chuck takes a moment to admire his work while framing a tray ceiling |
 Heather takes another look at the plans |
 Roofing felt and some windows installed |
 The plumber begins to plumb |
 Joyce goes over wiring plan with electrician |
 From the kitchen looking through to the sunroom - windows everywhere |
 Wire ready to run |
 Ready for switches |
 Plumbing snakes its way through the walls |
 Heating and air guy works a box for the upstairs system |
 Duct work in attic 1/21/2002 |
 Ducts, all in a row |
 Our whirlpool ready for installation |
 Quiting time for the wire guys |
 Randy calls to have fireplace insert swapped out |
 Wire guys at work 1/24/2002 |
 The Jacuzzi positioned in surround |
 The Healey helps the house look good |
 Payment number three - Who has the tighter grip ? |
 Gas line for the fireplace |
 The circuit panels near completion |
 Fixing some rough edges prior to siding |
 Standard decking blends into tongue and groove under the screened area |
 Electrician works on the feed |
 Heating and air ductwork spans the garage |
 The downstairs air handler |
 The front door is installed |
 The new stairway constructed |
 Mike surveys the scene 2/22/2002 |
 Front elevation with roof shingles, front door, and gable window |
 Jennifer and Paul visit the site |
 Jim does a quality check |
 Jennifer examines the plans - soon to start their own construction |
 A good sign - the presence of trucks |
 Ready to begin work again 03/07/2002 |
 Framing inspection complete, insulation batts are staged |
 Eric measures for a precise cut |
 Sarah's room insulated for comfort |
 Plenty of R (38) value in the ceilings |
 Stilts for easy access |
 Applying the adhesive seal |
 The rear double door is lifted into place |
 The big door is ready for the square and level |
 After a few hours and more than enough supervision - perfect ! |
 Shawn double checks his cabinet measurements |
 A new header and 6x6 do the job in addressing a support issue |
 Heather admires her new rear porch doors |
 And again from the outside |
 A neighbor drops by and Heather heads for the door |
 Sheetrock is delivered 03/11/2002 |
 Another brick delivery |
 Applying the vinyl soffit and aluminum trim 03/13/2002 |
 Bending the aluminum trim to fit |
 Scoring some rock |
 Sheetrocking the library entrance |
 Sheetrocking the ceiling is the hardest part |
 Cutting vinyl soffit covering to size |
 Hammering rock |
 Heather enjoys the view while Katie keeps an eye on workers |
 The final stretch of soffit 03/14/2002 |
 Mud man George watches his workers hang rock |
 Mike checks the floor for level |
 Spackling the bedroom tray ceiling |
 Working an angle in the library |
 Mojo |
 Sanding the peak of the foyer |
 Heather enjoys an iced tea and a good book on the rear deck |
 Master arch builder 04/01/2002 |
 Ellipse takes shape |
 Completed ellipse |
 Perfect elliptical arch |
 Flanders observes as M&W rep inspects windows |
 The wall guys pull mud across the arch |
 Ron stops by with cherry flooring sample |
 Windows masked and walls primed |
 Delivery guy carries in one of many wood bundles |
 The Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring awaits installation 4/15/2002 |
 A representative sample of the Cherry flooring - wetted to simulate a finish |
 Coel finishes the last couple rows of flooring 04/26/2002 |
 Tools of the trade |
 The marble fireplace surround in place with hearth framed by cherry |
 An expanse of flooring |
 The mantle surround in the early stage 05/05/2002 |
 Doors and trim are delivered |
 The mantle progresses |
 Mike leaves town for a week - 5/9/2002 |
 A week or so later, a lot has happened - 5/20/2002 |
 The stair railings and balusters are installed |
 Stairs lead to upstairs media room with French doors |
 The railing as seen from the landing |
 The RB-3 door trim and pocket door |
 An installer works on the custom cabinets |
 The center island ready to move into position |
 Kitchen cabinets where the oven and microwave will go |
 The other side of the kitchen |
 A cabinet appears next to the yet unfinished fireplace mantle |
 The laundry room cabinets |
 Sarah's bathroom cabinets |
 Heather's side of the master bath |
 Trim man Ken nails the crown molding in the master bedroom |
 The fireplace nears completion |
 Mantle builder at work. Hey, he looks just like the arch builder ! |
 Center island in place, ready for granite tops |
 The cornice trim follows the mantle lines |
 Master bedroom pocket doors lead to the office / library |
 A little more finish sanding and the mantle will be done |
 Bricklayers back to work on the outside 06/19/2002 |
 Never seen a Bugeye before ? |
 Arch trim is fitted |
 Ken trims one of the columns |
 Columns to the dining room entrance take form |
 Hazelle sands one of the dining room columns |
 Skillfully applied window trim |
 The west wall brick rises to meet the aluminum wrapped wood band |
 Wall at entrance to kitchen gets panels |
 Brickwork completed today - 06/25/2002 |
 Columns now stand between the sun and living rooms |
 Close up detail of column |
 Master bath tile nears completion |
 Outside work picking up again |
 Scaffolds in place and siding work ready to start |
 It'll look a lot different in another week 06/27/2002 |
 The painters begin to mask everything that shouldn't be painted |
 Rosanne and Greg visit again on 07/04/2002 |
 More paint is readied |
 Painter prepares to spray |
 Completed mantle detail |
 Heather and Katie check out the newly painted walls - Taupe ? |
 The dining room color will be changed to a dramatic deep red |
 The completed mantle in the distance - Medallions painted and ready to hang |
 Dark color specialist - AKA arch & mantle builder |
 Stair railings stained to match cherry flooring |
 The granite countertops arrive 07/12/2002 |
 One of the large granite slabs is lifted into place |
 Heather checks out the new granite |
 Dining room with medallion in place awaiting chandelier |
 Carpenters work on the front porch trim |
 Electrician installs disposal unit under sink |
 Electrician's nephew is official box opener |
 Another electrician wires the recessed lights |
 The foyer chandelier as seen from the upstairs bridge |
 A snail's view of the foyer chandelier |
 Fixtures installed on Heather's sink in the master bath |
 The Jacuzzi fixtures installed on the cultured marble deck |
 Stainless oven and microwave in place |
 Ceiling fans ready for power |
 Quoizel chandelier hangs proudly in the dining room |
 It's the plumber's turn with the disposal unit |
 Steven is promoted to outlet installer |
 The front porch ceiling nears completion |
 Rough grading begins 07/18/2002 |
 The hooded flood lights |
 The last strip of ceiling vinyl is put in place on rear porch |
 Rear door hardware assembled |
 Kitchen sink and faucet ready for action |
 Climate control units rest on a newly constructed deck |
 Thermostat is wired |
 Heather watches the action from a safe distance |
 Our first palm tree arrives 07/29/2002 |
 A double Washingtonian Palm is planted in what will be an island in the lawn |
 One master bath mirror is put in place |
 The floor finisher makes his first sanding pass through the library |
 Drillers begin work on 240 foot deep well for irrigation |
 Enhanced shot of well drillers at work 07/31/2002 |
 Orlando fires up the air conditioners 08/01/2002 |
 Coel polishes the wood before applying the finish coat |
 Chad and Randy check the grading 08/07/2002 |
 With the first coat of finish, the floor's character shines through |
 The floor receives a buffing between finish coats |
 Coel applies stain to the stair treads |
 The front porch columns are paneled and ready for the railings |
 The rear porch takes shape |
 The rear porch steps now in place |
 A brick gets cut for some touch up work |
 Siding gets first coat of paint 08/09/2002 |
 Awaiting the stairway |
 Heather attempts to make peace with her demon |
 First to move in |
 Ken frames the front stairway 08/12/2002 |
 The railing and balusters go on the front porch |
 Freddie supervises his painting crew |
 The driveway guys frame out the form |
 The cement arrives for the driveway 08/16/2002 |
 Driveway guys spread out the mix |
 Smoothing out the surface |
 Painters recoat the walls and touch up the trim |
 Amerigas hooks up 08/23/2002 |
 Balusters adorn the front porch |
 The Thermador cook top is placed in the granite |
 Stucco is applied to the rear foundation |
 The driveway cement cures as work inside nears completion 08/23/2002 |
 Movers empty our apartment 08/26/2002 |
 Sarah does homework the evening of our move |
 Looking for the Lowes delivery truck 08/30/2002 |
 Landscapers Jeanne and Arthur arrange plants in the front circle |
 Arthur digs a hole for a large Sega |
 Telephone company buries the phone line and protects with flags |
 Fence encloses and hides the utilities |
 Back under porch area becomes a temporary home for Midget and Bugeye |
 The front plantings are complete as work continues in the circle |
 The stairs split the front landscaping 09/09/2002 |
 Tom trenches for the irrigation system |
 The PVC network is pieced together 09/10/2002 |
 Beau delivers a pallet of grass 09/13/2002 |
 Workers begin laying the sod |
 Instant lawn - work continues to finish the front yard |
 Someone is very happy to finally have grass |
 The irrigation system activates in one of the garden beds |
 Now with grass and landscaping 09/20/2002 |
 Sarah takes a practice run with the tractor before engaging the blades 10/08/2002 |
 Sarah on leaf duty 10/16/2002 |
 Two firsts - the lawn being mowed, and Sarah doing the mowing |
 Mike finds his place under the fan in the screen porch |
 The backyard palm oasis as seen from the office/library |
 The Jag dresses up the front circle |
 Decorated for Christmas |
 Stained glass is added to the foyer window 1/11/2003 |
 A close-up of the stained glass |
 Katie surveying the yard |
 Shrubs are now mature |
 The bench |
 Beautiful colors |
 Decorated for Christmas |
 Visitor |