detailing – Primm & Property

Posted on August 10, 2020August 10, 2020 by Emily · 3 Comments

Day 297

Nearly 300 days in and it’s been a big week!

At my site meeting with the builder Friday, there seemed to be dozens of people working. Some were framing, others were putting in windows, and then John was out on the bulldozer moving dirt. I’m not entirely sure that some of them weren’t paid actors to make me feel like there was major progress happening. It worked.

The first major item I discovered was the driveway. It has been graded up to the level Josh specified with a fresh layer of gravel. Compared to what it had been, it was like driving on glass.

The second major item: windows!!! They are all in and I couldn’t be happier not only to see my pretty windows, but to see the views again from inside the house.

We have also gained a dumpster. Less exciting, but it means things will be happening.

I’m obsessed with these windows in the library. I had originally planned for 5 here, but when I was reining in the budget, I cut it to 3. Though you’d be hard-pressed to convince me there is such a thing as too many windows, I think 3 feels right here.

Several items of note in this photo:

windows
the raised hearth
there is a chimney and it is the correct size

All of the framing issues upstairs have been corrected. This is the spot where it all fell apart a few weeks ago.

Many walls have been moved to achieve the specified measurements and alignments in each room. Please note here in the master bath that the vanity wall no longer obstructs the windows and that the hall and doorway into the bathroom are now centered on the windows as intended.

Now I can sleep at night.

Chimney take II. Now that the chimney has slimmed down, my shutters will be able to lay flat against the exterior wall.

The lovely library windows again. I am also in love with the small window to the left of the dormer. I put it in to tie in with the windows in the mudroom clerestory on the front of the house.

The driveway up by the garage is looking better and better as John continues to dig it out.

And you might be wondering where all of this dirt is going?

To the front yard! John is getting pretty close to the final grade up against the house.

And who is that off in the distance?

That would be Josh and my dad, continuing to work on the fence.

Yesterday morning, I gave my mom and grandmother a guided tour of the house, highlighting all of the structural updates and furniture placement thoughts. I fielded questions at the end, which led to an in depth discussion of stair parts.

I was stalling to avoid fence duty.

But, alas, I was summoned to put in something on the order of 500 screws to be sure the boards were well-secured to the posts.

Though I own many power tools and am not afraid of a little DIY, we will be hiring out the fence on the other side of the property.

Josh finished putting in the last few hundred screws today. Meanwhile, I sat in the dining room and finalized a detailing document for the builder with diagrams and notes about things like plumbing fixture placement, countertops, tile layouts, and cabinetry coordination. It’s currently 36 pages.

This was my fancy setup.

I never thought I’d be so happy to have a $5.98 folding chair from Walmart.

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Emily

Day 52

We made some big strides this past week!

A few highlights:

We signed with our builder
The builder has begun applying for permits
The appraisal has been ordered for our construction loan

A few things to note:

The County takes septic permitting VERY seriously and has a checklist with no fewer than 8 different documents that must be submitted. They even require one of the documents to be notarized. I think applying for college might be easier.
Windows are still expensive, unfortunately. I got some more quotes this week and the series that offers the brass hardware I really want basically costs the same amount as a Rolls Royce.
Window selection still pending.

While in Virginia visiting family for Thanksgiving, we went to Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home, Poplar Forest. Since we are going to be building a traditional house with classical elements, I was taking note of all of the details.

One of the first things I noticed was the floor-to-ceiling, triple sash windows in the library that our tour-guide said were custom-made in Germany to match the originals. Given my recent Ph. D. level education in windows, I approximate that these cost at least five figures each.

I was also completely obsessed with the beefy trim. I haven’t seen baseboards built out like this before. I would guess these are 3″ deep, which means they had to build out all of the door casings as well. The chair rail was so thick that they notched it over the door casing. I will be showing this to our builder to emphasize how simple our trim work will be by comparison.

Lastly, I will be keeping this photo below handy if the codes department decides to give us any issue with our railing-less front porch that is less than 30″ off the ground. I, like Thomas Jefferson, don’t want a railing obstructing my view.

Until next time!

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Emily

Day 26

Well, it’s a good thing we’re not trying to break ground today because it’s a whopping 17 degrees Nashville.

We do, however, have a stamped site plan. Woohoo! I’m ready to move some dirt!

….rather, I’m ready to see some dirt moved!

Untitled

This is the area around the house and driveway that will be graded. To the naked eye, this area looks relatively flat, but from the garage side of the driveway to the front corner of the house, it’s nearly a 10 foot drop.

See that orange star I put on the site plan? That is the location of the tree that Josh’s truck is parked next to in this photo below (taken facing East). Looks pretty flat, right??

Meanwhile, final rounds of redlining continue on the house plans. We are 99.37% there, just catching little things here and there to tweak.

I love finding these notes from Josh. Can’t wait to see him discover other details in the house as it is being built!

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Emily

Day 8

No major developments in the last few days. No builder contract signed (though in the works), zero utilities on the property, and nothing submitted to the county yet, but rest assured that I have nearly every last selection made for the finishes and fixtures in the house down to the grout colors. I also have all cabinetry and tile detailed to 1/16″ of an inch.

This is what I do for a living after all. I live in the world of interior design plans and detailing, tile, countertops, lighting, custom cabinetry, paint colors, trim profiles, and selection schedules and budgets. This has come in handy as we try to get a precise bid for construction. We will not need any of these items, however, for the better part of a year, but now I can sleep at night knowing which faucet is going in the hall bath.

Now that I have all of those things selected, detailed, and budgeted, I have moved on to deciding where all of our current artwork and mirrors will be going in the new house. At least 12-15 months ahead of schedule on that one.

This is what I do when waiting on other parties for things out of my control: I make lists, spreadsheets, diagrams, and design boards. Please send help. And wine.