Monday, June 30, 2008

Oh, yeah, and by the way...

I am building my mother a house. That seems like a huge project for such a busy guy until you hear the dimensions of that house. It is 12'x16'. A rather small home, but many folks have camps for whole families not much larger. She does not have much, and I have no money to offer, but I have time and know how to build it, so that is what I am doing.
So, the funny part about the whole house thing, besides the size, is where I am building it. Mom's property is in Sorrento, Maine, a small oceanside town about 70 miles up the coast from us in Warren. Since I cannot drive due to my seizures, we decided to build it here. So, I bought all the materials, talked to the State Police to see just how large a building I could haul over the road, and starting building.
The house is in my driveway, up on blocks, and nearly ready to move. I cannot attach the roof yet, because it would not fit under the overpasses along our route to Sorrento. I built the floor system, walls, did sheathing, windows, door, and trim. Now, we just have to cut the rafters and throw them inside for the trip. At 12' wide, we have to get our route handed down straight from the State Police for safety reasons. Once we get there, we throw the roof on, level it up and go home. We are working on getting the wiring done and inspected, which may need to wait until the house is moved. After that, insulation and interior sheathing, cabinets, and plumbing are all going to be worked on bit by bit as we have time and money.
I meant to post pictures, but forgot to take any and it is now dark, so no luck on that front tonight, folks. I will get some later, in progress, on the trailer, and when it is finished. You would be amazed how much storage and living space you can fit in when you have to. We have learned to be very creative and taken a few points along the way from the motorhome industry. Every bit of space will be maximized except the attic. Mom doesn't do stairs well, so there will only be a hatch to store boxes overhead. I would have a loft if it were for me, but you can't have it all, especially when your interior square footage hovers around 175 feet.
I guess that sums up what we have been up to lately, with the 3 posts tonight. Enjoy the reading and please let me know if you have questions or comments. Advice is always welcome around here. I learn more from my mistakes than I do from my successes(the latter are fairly uncommon)

Have a great day.