Day 190 - New Winter Driver?

I don't know if they slid into this "parking spot" or...

Progress
I am very glad that the framing and shingling has been completed since in the past 24 hours we have gotten 10cm (that is a very rough estimate...well, as good enough estimate as a 14 day weather forecast).  The plumbing has been done, the rough in should be done no later than this Monday or Tuesday (I think), and the cement has been poured for the basement.  We have a walk through scheduled for this coming Wednesday and we are definitely excited to finally see the inside of the house.  Jayman has still been very good at calling us and keeping us in the loop.  I don't think the cold weather should have an impact on the rest of the development of the house and on Monday it should start warming up again too.  On Wednesday there will be a plethora of pictures!

Day 185 - Shingles

Progress:
So we are happy to see the shingles are starting to be put on. I wonder what stage they paint the door (i'm assuming they paint the door because it's suppose to be a dark brown)...probably towards the very end of the house being done. We will most likely know early this week when we will be going inside our house for the first time.

One sad thing is there is a house half a block away that is way bigger than ours that they started (digging/foundation/framing) when our house started framing and it's done and i'm pretty sure even the shingles were on too (i'd have to double check). 

After the the rough ins and walk through I think the next step is that they will start on the drywall.  

Day 181 - Phone Calls and Mail

Progress:
So we have been much happier with the progress that we've been seeing lately. The house is almost completely framed (it is completely framed on the outside). This week we have received calls from Mike, Mike, and Brett (construction manager, superintendent, and the area sales manager). It's been really nice that they've been on the ball and keeping us up to date. Through the framing...or the months of waiting we were starting to feel like: we've got your money now we'll focus on other prospective customers but now that feeling is definitely subsiding. I haven't been on the ball with updating the blog recently as it's been crazy busy around here. Pierre (our mortgage broker) has also been really good with helping us out with anything within his power to do recently too...and having the patience with us to explain mortgage terms :P.

So the rough ins should be done no later than next week and the same goes for the pouring of the cement in the basement (which might have been this week I can't remember). The plumbing in the ground has already been done and inspected (passed). So we will probably have our first walkthrough the end of next week or the Monday following. We're very excited to see the inside of the house.

There won't be many pictures of the house until we see the inside of the house as there isn't going to be many changes to the outside anytime soon.  I don't know when they start on the vinyl on the outside of the house (or the stuff that goes underneath).

Day 177 - Framing is a week max from done (yesterday)

Progress:

February 9, 2011 - Day 174: Trusses are back up

February 8, 2012 - Day 173: Trusses taken down
At first we were a little bit worried as the trusses were taken down.  We thought maybe something went wrong with the initial building but the Brett (Area Sales Manager) informed us that they took it down so they could complete something on the front of the house (old framer put up the trusses so I guess everyone has their own ways of doing things).  The porch is coming along :)

Day 171

Progress:
So we kind of met our new framers today.  They aren't as personable as Bob but I like them (they may have had earplugs in too but they were very involved with the job they were doing).  I can't see the inside but they seem to be going at a good pace.  It looked like they were starting on the porch but I wonder how much they do to the porch and how work will be done by another crew for the things like the pillars or pressure treated wood (pretty sure that is what it is).  Felt like a creeper again though taking photos and I didn't want to interrupt the guys really to explain my non-creeper status.

Day 170 - Trusses (yesterday)

Progress:
To confirm the mortgage prices from the last blog we will be 1.04% higher than we were because our rate expires for the mortgage on March 12, 2012 and the house won't be done by then.  So at 1% higher in five years it will cost us a bit over $13,493.40 (too bad they couldn't throw in a garage...high hopes hey?).

 

Anyways, on a brighter note our house is starting to look like a house!  Mike (the construction manager) phoned us yesterday (which is very nice and greatly appreciated) to give an update regarding the house.  We found out that we no longer have a Bob the Builder anymore and that a new crew will be starting on our house tomorrow.  I don't recall if he said if Bob was moving to another house or to another company.  I believe he said that the rough ins will be started hopefully next Wednesday and maybe an inspection in two weeks and then we will get to do our first walk through.  I was very happy with the call...and especially that the call happened.

You can see the base of our balcony.  We are very happy with how the balcony is being built as I've read a lot of horror stories on people building balconies (even professionals) and it's safe to say those stories didn't end well.

Our tub...it's in our backyard :P

The trusses really look neat.

Day 165 - Meeting

Progress:
So a couple days ago we got a call regarding setting up a time that we could go in for a meeting with Jayman in regards to the progress or at this moment lack thereof.  They (construction manager, superintendent, and the area sales manager) mostly apologized regarding the extreme delay and the construction manager took the full blame for it.  It's made us feel a little bit better that they took the time to meet with us but to be honest I think the thing that will make us feel the best is seeing progress.  The area sales manager promises that he'll call us every week to give us progress updates which is another nice thing.  They answered the questions that we had but the biggest question we have right now is when will the house be done (it's understandable that they can't answer that one as there are so many variables) and especially how much will the interest in our mortgage go up because we'll have to get a new rate.  To put it in perspective we were approved at 2.25%  and even if it were to go up a percent it will be an extra $224.89 per month.  That doesn't seem like a lot but lets give you more numbers: it will be an extra $2,698.68/year and if we didn't pay off the mortgage early it's at 30 years which would be an extra $80,960.40 in the lifetime of the mortgage.  That $224.89 adds up quite fast.  Also doesn't count for every month they go on is another month putting rent into someone else's pocket instead of paying towards ours.  Anyhow, enough of the number talk.  In the end they were kind, informative, and they called us for the meeting instead of us hounding them.  We will see how things go because actions speak louder than words.

On the brighter side there has been progress to the house itself.  They have put the fourth wall up which is extremely good for the house but bad for me being able to take photos of it.  You can see through the windows that there seems to have been a lot done on the second floor.  It is very hard to see the progress through the second story windows though ha ha.  We were at the house the day before yesterday so I saw what the second floor looked like.  I just forgot my camera which is too bad.

Our eyehole to the second floor.

The window in the stairs.

Look!  It's the starting of our balcony!!