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There are 19 pictures and
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This was taken prior to building. If you look closely you can see the house mapped out in Blue Chalk.
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Stem has just been set and the initial parameter is laid.
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Wow... look at the giant pile of dirt in my living room!!
Pipes are in.. and the sewer line is connected too.
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Hmmm looks like cement will be poured soon. Hope they move that damn box out of the garage!!
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Ok, foundation is poured. While I was at the house site, I met some of the guys doing the framing next door.
We talked for a few minutes, discussing some of the "changes" I made to the standard floorplan.
It was kinda cool. By the way, they did move that box.
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Well, the framing has begun!!! Gonna have to start snapping alot more pictures.
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Wow.. one day and progress is being made. Something strage (at least I consider strange)... Marcy and
I went out to the side on Sunday and they were working on it - on a SUNDAY!! I was very surprised.
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Today I went by the site at about 5:30PM... and they were STILL workin on it. as you can see a truck
is right up front and he had a generator going.. not sure what he was doing. At any rate, I couldn't
get in my usual spot to take a picture. So this picture is take from the Street while sitting in my truck.
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Man-o-life... This last week was hectic and busy and we didn't get a chance to take any new pictures.
So today when we pulled up to the house lot, I was astounded to discover that our house now has a
second floor and a roof!!! That's Marcy standing out front. I kinda like the ladder.. gives it that
rustic indian pueblo look.
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Well, the Framing Stage is DONE!!! Notice the Windows are in now too... very cool. They are now
working on Heating and Cooling Vents.
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Ok.... it has been a VERY long week with me and the house. I stopped by on Wednesday and realized
that all the electrical, telephone, and cable TV line are now installed, I almost paniced thinking
that Insulation and Drywall would go up on Friday and I had plans to lay Ethernet and Speaker Wires
thoughout the house. I hopped into my truck and haul butt to Tempe and bought the "wires" I
needed, then ran to Home Depot and bought the "boxes" for the cabeling... then at 7:30 PM, I
started laying cable. Well about 30 minutes passed and I was
dripping sweet everywhere and it was so dark I could no longer see. I HAD to call it a night.
So... I got up a 4AM on Friday and got to the house at 4:30AM and began again... this time
armed with a flashlight and a Chair to reach those difficult to reach spots. I worked until
6AM when once again I was covered in sweet and all the "work crews" began arriving at other
Sites. I had to be at work at 8AM so I decided it was best to leave at this point.
Fastforward to Friday evening... we received a Call from Chris (the realtor at Trend) that
the house was going to be Insulated and Drywalled starting this coming week. (I killed myself
for nothing.... ARG!!) So I went back 2 more times with my main man, Mike to finish the wiring.
At any rate.. it was quite an eventful week... We were also told that the house is now
scheduled for completion in LATE November!!! Cool!
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Ok... almost looks the same at last week.... except that excessive pile of dirt.
Insulation is UP and "some" drywall has been put up now too. All the "boxes" I placed with
computer and speaker cabling are all intact (thank God...)
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Well, I wasn't able to get my grubby little hands on the Digital Camera this weekend... though I
still made it to the house to see what progress had been made. All the Dry-Wall is up now. I
imagine the next step will be painting it. The BIG pile of dirt is still in the driveway... I
assume that the Stucco will also be going up this week.
Today I went to State Farm Insurance Company (my Car insurance company) to check rates on House
Insurance. Looks pretty good.... only about $20 more a month then I'm paying now.
[ No Pictures this week, Sorry ]
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Ok... the house is now Grey... next step is the Stucco and Paint.
The WALL on the Right (SE) Side of the house is up. The insides are looking pretty good
as well.... almost ready for Paint!!
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I just happened to stop by the house on my way home from work (without the camera of course) and
I was delightfully surprised to see that the Interior of the house is now fully painted. Molding
around the wall base seems to be complete as well. Did I happen to mention that all the Doors are
up now too (with the exception of Closet doors) ?? It was quite exciting. I'm amazed at the
progress. I can remember standing upstairs (at the top of the stairs) just looking around at
the bare frame around me... pondering how everything was going to look. Being able to see the
blue sky beyond the skeleton of 2 x 4's... thinking how beautiful the sky was. Then the walls
went up and my view of the heavens became obstructed by drywall. Now the house is "white"
inside... reminding me of the simplicty, purity, and "newness" of it all. I stood bewildered
of it all.... it's all happening so quickly and right before my eyes. Now I sit here typing
at my keyboard wondering just how many things in my life happen so fast that I don't even have
the time to take pictures of them. Either mental engrams engraved in my heart and mind
forever... or a physical Digital picture that I can enjoy millions of times over ever taking
me back to that exact moment in time. That fraction of eternity preserved.
It's been quite a day for me...
[ No Pictures this week, Sorry ]
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Ok... looks like another coat of paint went up, the ditch for the wall on the Left side of the
house has been dug, insulation in the ceiling has been installed (I know this from the excess
I found in the Master Closet). All Door are up (including the Closet doors this time), and the
"shelves" in the Closets are also up. On Sept 23, Grandma Helen, Uncle John, Marcy and I made
an excursion to the house so they could take a look.
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On this day I really just wanted to sit on my butt and relax at home... as fate would have it,
the driving urge I get to go out and check out the House consumed me. So I called up Mike (my
good friend with the Digital Camera) and asked if I could snap a few pics of the house. He said
sure.. and I was out the door and in the truck headed for his place. I picked up the camera and
then headed to the House. When I arrived and attempted to snap the first picture the battery
died (much to my dismay). Luckily for me the "spare" battery was packed in the case and I
figured I was set.... heheh yea right... I took the first picture and notice that THIS
battery was almost dead too... so I managed to squeak about 7 pictures out of it (which
was enough). Anyway..... the noticeable changes: Garage Door Installed, Kitchen Cabinets
being installed, Bathroom Cabinets being installed, Exterior Brick wall on Left side of
house is now up.
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Well... today we went out to the house with Brandon and Gina. Didn't have the Camera with us so
we were not expecting to take any pictures. Ken and Mel (Marcy's parents) showed up unexpectidly
(and delightfully I might add) and happened to bring their digital camera. So we did manage to
click a few pictures off... They painted the outside of the house!!! AND.... countertops are
in the kitchen as well as bathrooms. It's really starting to shape up and look very nice. I
was VERY pleased with the countertop we chose, it looks very good.
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Marcy and I both managed to make a trip out to the house... She went down about 5PM with a
co-teacher friend Lisa. Tyson and I managed to make it there about 7PM (it was quite dark at
that time and we couldn't really see much hehe). Here is what we noticed:
1) Vinal Flooring is in!!!
2) Cement Roof Tiles are not set.
3) Dishwasher sitting in middle of Dining Room.
4) All light socket and switches have covers now.
Should be able to go back and take pictures this weekend. Sorry for the wait...
[ No pictures this week, Sorry ]
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One month left!!! Today Marcy and I ventured out to the House to see how everything
was shaping up. Here's what's new:
1) Door Bell installed
2) Sinks ALL installed
3) Electrical LINES from street being hooked up to house
4) Water is turned on
5) Bathroom are pretty much done. Toilets, Sinks, Cabinets, ect.. lookin good
6) Dishwasher installed
7) Gas line for Range is ready
8) Hot water heater installed
9) more molding has been installed on wall base(s)
10) A few Light fixtures have emerged in the Kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms
Marcy and I put some "cover plates" on the wiring I did last month. Need to get some longer
screws and a step ladder to finish the job up. A nice conversation with Chris at Trend Homes
reveals that all the homes have been sold now, with the exception of ONE model. I called
Lannie at Trend's mortgage area and discovered that we need our down payment in the bank for
3 solid weeks before we close. This is NOT good news as I had originally figured that we would
be moving in in December (mid to late) not November. We will have the money... but might
possibly have to wait an extra week to close... ARG!! Will know more tomorrow when I talk
with Lannie again.
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It has been quite some time since my last Picture update, and well.... frankly the outside
of the house had not change in over a month. Today was a very special day. We arrived
at the house to discover that the sod had been laid and that the electricity had been
turned on. All the appliances are present. The interior is virtually complete, with
only a few minor touch-ups to be completed in the next few days. I'm still waiting on
phone and gas to be hooked up. I have also learned another important lesson when buying
a new home. Everybody (meaning all the utilities) will gouge you for as much as possible!!
Gas hook up $30, Telephone hook up $45 per line, Electricity I think $25, Water $25....
I guess it's alot of work to flip a few switches and connect a wire or pipe here and
there.... At any rate... I have a few phone calls to make tomarrow then we sign all
the papers on Thursday (Nov 16th). Currently we are pushing hardcore to get everything
packed in boxes and ready to move. I have shelves to rip down.. ceiling fans to pull
down... the next week and a half are gonna be ohhhhh so fun... errr not.
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Well, Christmas has finally arrived. Our Shutters went up last week (finally)!! We are
STILL waiting to get our "sprayer" installed on the sink. Marcy's brother, Matt is staying
with us... and his friend, Erin, is also staying here too. She came out from New Hampshire
on a mission to explore the world (or at least our little corner of it). If you look
closely at this picture you can see all the Christmas Light I hung this year. Lemme tell
ya, gettin on top of a 2-story house to hang lights was NOT the highlight of my life. On
a side note, those "tiles" on the roof are sharp and jagged like broken glass... next year
I wear sweats or pants instead of shorts.
We have neighbors!!! This is an exciting new concept to me, I hope they are all friendly...
and prehaps own some powertools... heheh I have a few projects in mind already. (hehhe)
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A very special thanks to Mike and Cindy Alexander who on numerous occasions loaned me their
digital camera (usually on very short notice) and allowed me to take all these pictures documenting
the building of the house.
I must also thank Mike and Cindy for this web-site. "Dude I Know" was just a phrase I
continually repeated (one of those phases I was going though.. heheh) and
they bought the rights to the domain dudeiknow.com, and gave it to Marcy and I. I am deeply
thankful for their friendship and support during these exciting months in the Summer of 2000.
Thanx a million Mike and Cindy!!!
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© 2000-2002 Soren Saggio, All Rights Reserved
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