Finally, the building has begun!

[Ben]

Well folks, there have been more road blocks, and bloody details to worry about than I ever immagined, but finally I'm underway on the real construction part of my house/studio! Yesterday I got the first 3 walls up, and it's starting to look like something!

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=191

Ben

[Legerd]

Wow, the landscape is beautiful!

[PWalk]

Rock on Bro! Keep the photos coming.

[kozzi24]

Neat job! Looks like it was built in Martian soil by the red.
No Windows on the back wall. or is there a pretty certain way of adding it later?

[ladymako71]

ooooooo walls! Looks like it's coming along now that everything has been sorted out.

So when can I plan on moving in?

^^

[Ben]

Thanks for the comments folks. Pwalk, here are some more photos, just rmember you asked for it :) Kozzi, there is a space for a window on the back, you just can't really see it from that angle. I won't be putting one in there right away, I'll be walling it over, and could later become a window. I'll be placing the windows to take full advantage of the light, and get as much passive solar action as I can. Yah, the soil is very red here, the trees and grass kinda spoil that martian landscape though ;)

In this pic I just got the 4th wall up and secure. I'm on top checking out my view.
http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=192

Here the 23 foot long main support beam is up, and most of the floor joists are in place (though you really can't see either over the collar beam) ready to have a boom truck drop the plywood on top for me to do the subfloor.
http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=193

Today I cleared out the my driveway area through the trees. I'll have a dozer in next week to lay the shale for the driveway. This is a shot from the front of the building looking along where the driveway will go.
http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=194

Ben

[PWalk]

Nice job on the framework Ben. I'm a wood worker by hobby and love building stuff.

If I lived close by I'd be over with the beer to help in a second.

[Ben]

Well, after many delays, be it weather, or other commitments, construction resumed this week. Also keeping in mind that there is no construction crew on this, just me and one buddy working on it. You can see the final shape of the building better now. We are building the top floor knee-walls and the roof in one piece trusses. Each one is about 14.5 feet high, so is petty tough for two guys to get up in place. We have one more to put in along side the ones you see there, then we will buld the the other side wall and two trusses to go beside it. From there we will be bulding the rest of both the front and the back walls/roof as large dormers, so it will be a little more fiddly, but less heavy lifting at least ;).

This pic was taken after it had gotten dark, so got a little pixelated when I brightened it up, but it should give you all an idea of the shape:

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=213

[kozzi24]

Ben, coming along wonderfully! I do most stuff like that around four properties I own and/or manage, but nothing so ambitious. I consider myself of having just enough skill to get by, not be really professional. Great, great job, and I understand every nuance when you say "no construction crew".
I did finish the shed we had chatted about--much more scaled down with this, but don't think I got my butt out to take a "final" picture. I'll try to get that on the agenda tomorrow. If nothing else, it will make your work look even better than it already does!

[Ben]

This next stage should really give you all a better idea of what my house/studio will look like:

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=217

Ben

[cmdrkoenig67]

Looks great so far, ben. I couldn't build a house to save my life...great work. :D

Dana

[kozzi24]

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry nice

[syvalois]

funny, there's no snow. Here we are covered in snow. I guess it's the coastal wind that do that, unless you made a deal with the devil and sold your soul to built that house without snow.

hummmmmmmmm, I don't know both options are possible :P