My Journey Back... | Construction and DIY projects | Forums

Hello there folks.  Thank you for the feed back.

In the garage today...We pressure canned some more tomato sauce and doing our first time with pie pumpkin. 

Once it gets colder and winter begins we will can chicken soup.

In my earlier post, I told you that I put a three ring binder together about how and why we are building the way we are and included a lot of info...Used a lot from Fine Home Building-Best Practices and Rob Roys Earth Sheltered Homes book.  I talked with Codes Guy this past week and he was impressed and loved it, he said the Head of the ZBA went through it and liked it too.  So Next Wednesday at 7pm we go to the ZBA for our 'project'.  Our Architect and a couple of good neighbors are coming with us.  I think it will be good, certainly interesting.

Last year we had our septic plan engineered...which included soil type, perk of course, lay out, elevations, etc. and that quickly was approved by County Health Dept.  Hey, no sense going too far with a home build if you can't put in a septic.

Last year we had the site excavated, cleared and graded...cost way more than I wanted, but it looks amazing...and had to be done.  There were a lot of tailings from an old gravel operation...it built a berm that is 400 ft long and 6 to 8 ft high and the top of the berm can carry a D4 dozer.  There was a lot of grading...but the area for the house was good and level and we did not have to disturb that area or where the septic drain field will be.  There were a lot of old and crappy trees...nothing worth milling...I have 2 huge slash piles out back now...good for birds and varmits.

This spring we planted 4 pear and 6 apple trees to start a second orchard, all trees are heirloom varities and bred for cold/northern climates.  They come from St Lawrence Nursery in Potsdam NY...Family Owned...they almost closed down this year since the couple were finally retiring.  A young guy stepped in and is keeping it going.  This first year he will only do apples and grow back to all fruits when he gets some more experience under his belt.  I am putting in a order for a few more trees...yes I am plugging this place...Want to see him be successful and they are all about preserving the heirloom varieties...orders for next spring need to be in by Nov 1st this year, so he can plan.

This spring and summer we spent a lot of time picking rocks from where all the excavation was...ughhhhhh.  We didn't spend money to truck in top soil.

This spring and summer we also spent time clearing out the brush and vines overgrowing the stream...lot of work but it is gorgeous...been keeping things trimmed with an awesome Husky weed eater made for farm use...cost a bit...but is great...nice thing is that you don't have to mix fuel!

We had a few big old willow trees take down last winter...just had the guy drop them...that took about 4 or 5 weekends to pull out to burn and slash pile and pick up.

Our place will be a half mile off the road.  We have power to the barn and need to have it extended when we build next year.  $$$20.25 a foot.  Almost 3k.  Still worth it to us.

We have been busy, but still know we didn't get enough done...but that is always the case.

Meeting our excavation guy at farm in the morning.  We are having the septic put in, the pad dug out and covered with washed stone and the well dug.  I am guessing about 10k.

Once that is done we will be about as ready as we can for spring build. 

...The plan for now for next spring..

1) steam roll the pad.  Buddy has a 2 ton one.

2) do footings and walls for house and garage...garage will be stick framed.

....then we have the whole first floor done with a level top...we are giving ourselves through June to get this done...I have a mason for the concrete work of footings and dry stack and coal/wood stove chimney.

3) mid July, we have a company coming in to do attic trusses over living area and regular trusses over garage...just too expensive for attic trusses over the garage too.

....the attic trusses will provide for a yoga/medication room upstairs and will catch the sunrise thorough the windows...the rest of the space will be for storage, a room for family antiques/history room, a 'bat cave' for me.

4) if we are on track with above, then house should be up and dried in by August.

5) then onward from there.

...still hundreds of things to figure out...

will post some questions in a bit...dinner time soon.

Thanks for the support farm boy...I feel we have our ducks in a row and that we will get our variance.  I know some of the ZBA members think a minimum square footage is stupid and they are quietly on my side...but the 'legal' part of all this has nothing to do with being green or common sense, make your case based on the ZBA Charter...the main arguments are:

1) Financial Hardship to build bigger, heat more and more taxes.

2) When we bought the land from the family in 1995 there was no such restriction, the restriction was applied long after I purchased.

3) ...and I don't like using this...but I believe we should get the permit and I am being honest with things...we have medical issues...I have epilepsy and she has multiple immune system issues...these things will only get worse with time...it has started for her.  I want to get this built while we can and enjoy as many good years there as we can.

HOWEVER....yes I was shouting...I have had a couple of other medical things lately...one was that there was a suspicion of Lymphoma...Last Monday I had a full Pet Scan to see what was going on...did not hear a thing til I met with my Dr on Thursday...that was a LONG 4 days...not cancer at this time...Great News...98% sure it's not, will run repeat test in 3 months to be sure...if it turns out to be cancer the Dr says we will have caught it at the earliest possible stage...either way, good news and we are thankful.