How to Build a House

You can ask me how to build a house.  I am becoming an expert you know.  I just wanted to give a quick update on all things Swenson Residence.  After FINALLY getting the loan approved (being self-employed and building a home do not go together easily), we were able to get things rolling.  

We started with a big empty hole.

 Eric checked it out.  Yup, it's a hole. 

 Once we got the hole squared away, it was time for foundation.  Tyler had a little LEGO man in his hand when we went down to see it.  I told him to stick it in the cement and it would forever be a LEGO house, but I guess it was too cool a character to waste.  Silly me.

 Now on to the foundation walls!  It was awesome to watch guys frame it up and fill the concrete in.  I thought about asking to try to operate the crane thingy, but since I had to refer to it as a "thingy" I figured I better not.

 Once that was all done, it was time to set in the garage floor.  We excavated under the garage as a play room so are using a suspended slab floor for the garage.  The man doing it must have been annoyed with my questions making sure this will hold up under the weight of all the cars, etc (I don't want my kids being squished if it collapses), but he was very patient with me.  It was pretty awesome to watch.  They used a huge crane and lifted and placed each piece.  It only took them like half an hour to lay them in.  Good thing the foundation was measured right!  That would have been an expensive mistake!

 Here is the basement partially framed.  The basement is actual done being framed now and they are working on the upstairs exterior walls.  It is more fun because we are starting to see the actual shape of the house and how it will look from the outside.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures yet.  But there will be many more to follow!

It seems like it took forever to get things going with the plans and loan taking a while, but now that things are in motion it is really exciting.  Nerve wracking, but exciting.