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The Project: A 2,163 square foot house utilizing dry stack concrete block construction with a central courtyard and based on the Spanish colonial-era missions in San Antonio. The Challenge: Can a forty-something married couple design and build an attractive, efficient and mostly paid-for house while remaining sane, solvent and married? With no actual prior construction experience? Hmmmmm - let's check in on our Contestants and see how they're doing... |
| DIY home building isn't non-stop hammer and saw work. We have spent the last two weeks building the bank account back up, buying supplies, dodging Hurricane Claudette and finishing up small jobs. This does not mean we get to take it easy, however. A smart DIY home builder will use periods of low activity to attend to the details and play catch up. Here, I am meeting with project management while writing up a list of supplies we'll need. |  |
| We're either drilling for oil or creating a hole for running Romex electrical wire for the washer and dryer. Cabling and water pipes are dropped down from the ceiling through the vertically-aligned center cores of the blocks. Dry stack masonry construction is amazingly versatile with a little planning. |  |
| Part of what you get when you spend $800 on lumber (besides an empty bank account). These 16 foot long 2x6 boards will be used as roof joists and are momentarily taking refuge under cover against rain from Hurricane Claudette. We also got in another 75 2x6 boards 10 feet in length, a box of adhesive, a new adhesive gun, some wire ties and a partridge in a pear tree... |  |
| If by some chance you find yourself with an uncontrollable urge to nail stuff into your roof, I'd like to suggest the humble gallon milk jug as a good way to carry your hardware. |  |
| We end this week with a photo of the most beautiful woman I know. The Wife will give me grief for putting this photo of her out in public, but to me, she's never looked lovelier as we winch blocks up to the roof. Married folks will find the house construction experience will either tear them apart or pull them closer. Me, I've got a partner and best friend who will help me tote concrete blocks in 90 degree heat. This is what marriage is really all about (that and the grief I'm gonna catch for this photo...). |  |
| Want to see a rough floor plan?Want to be notified when we post new pictures? Just e-mail us! Want to see the rest of the story? Click on Gimme Shelter Home Page. |
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| Next week's installment: It's Gonna Take A Miracle Click HERE |
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