Rough Framing

Despite the weather, we found ourselves ahead of schedule.  The rough framing was able to get started just before the blizzard of 2011 set in.  DoneAll Construction, LLC of Prairie du Sac were selected as the framers for this project.  Kevin and Tim have done a great job, and have been a pleasure to work with.  Despite losing a day and a half for the blizzard, and having them attend two days of classes at the Wisconsin Builders Conference, it looks like as they finish up, we will have gained a few more days.  This was a big framing job, and it was fun to watch a two man crew who worked so well together.  They worked more efficiently and faster than many four man crews I have had in the past. 

The house was framed using 2x6 studs with 1” Dow Styrofoam.   The floor system was a Trusjoist Engineered system, LP OSB was used for bracing points, underlayment and roof sheathing.  The walls were covered with Tyvek.  All of the materials and trusses were furnished and manufactured by Brunsell Lumber. 

Next: Windows and Doors

Foundation & Foundation Installation

Once the excavator completes their task, the foundation crew moves in.  Due to many changes in building science and materials, it is possible to pour concrete in just about any type of weather.  Hottmann Construction, Inc is my foundation and concrete specialist.  Mike Thole, Ken Kurszewski, Brad Wiliamson, Jim Hottmann and all of their crew are great to work with.  They begin by laying out the home and then set the footings.  TimberLane Builders uses FormaDrain for its footing and waterproofing base.  Clear stone fills the inside of the foundation, and all away around the outside of the foundation.  This insures that water can move, and will stay as far away from the concrete as possible.  After the footings are dry, the forms for the walls are set, assembled, squared and leveled.  They are then filled and covered to protect them from the weather.  The next day they are usually stripped, and the walls are ready to be braced and waterproofed.

The waterproofing and basement insulation is done by Sierra Concepts.  Andy Voeltner and his crew treat the walls with waterproofing, apply 1” Dow Styrofoam to the walls, and then use a special system called Delta-MS, which relieves the hydrostatic pressure and helps remove any water from the foundation area.  Before they leave, the basement walls are braced with a special steel bracing system.   After two weeks, the walls are backfilled:

Next: Rough Framing

Erosion Control, Excavation, Survey

Moving dirt is the real official start of a new home.  Nothing feels better than getting your boots muddy on that day.  The very first thing we need to do is to remove all of the top soil.  This is all pushed to an area where it can be stored until much later in the project. 

Next on site is the surveyor to take elevations and set stakes to insure that the foundation is in the right place.  Birrencott Surveying, Inc responded promptly to complete their task so that the excavator, LMS Construction, Inc. could begin the process of digging the hole, and installing the water and sewer lines.  The digging went well despite several feet of frost.  There was the normal surprise.  Hidden rock is usually the surprise, but in this case it was an unusual amount of top soil.  This required a change in the height of the garage walls to be increased from 3’9” to 8’9”.  This is one of the hidden expenses that are very difficult to plan for.

The erosion control was placed by my son Erik.  I am a firm believer in the sock tube as a best method of containing material within the site as opposed to silt fence.  It is easier to work with in the winter, and does a more effective job of stopping unwanted materials.  The sock tube was provided by ProBuild.  It is important to buy from a supplier that stores the product indoors.  When exposed to the weather, the sock will freeze together, giving you a huge coil which is impossible to uncoil until it unthaws.

Next:  Foundation Installation

The Building Permit

Obtaining the building permit is one of the biggest milestones of the home building process.  It signals the start of the actual construction schedule. 

Preparing the building permit is a time consuming process.  Many different processes have to be completed before it can be obtained.  The lot has to be selected, financed, and closed.  All necessary site elevations have been taken and recorded.  The plans have been finalized.  All necessary documents with the clients have been signed, and all financing is in place. 

Many different sub contractors are involved in the process.  Information is needed to provide required information to the Building Inspection Department.  Our Energy Consultant prepares an analysis of the requirements and projected performance of the home.  The surveyor provides a site plan with foundation elevation and location.   License numbers need to be checked and recorded on the application.  An erosion control plan has to be developed.  Two sets of plans need to be sent along with the application to the building inspector.  Depending on the local unit of government, it is sometimes necessary to obtain a permit from both the local community and the county.

The final stop is to return to city hall once everything has been approved.  Any extra instructions or questions the building inspector may have are addressed.  The total fee has been calculated, all of the impact fees have been added, and a check needs to be written to pay for it all.  The project can now officially break ground.

Next: Survey, Excavation and Erosion control.

Selecting Sub Contractors

Sub Contractors are one of the most important factors of creating a successful project.  It is very important that everyone involved is an important part of a team. Each of them have to understand not only their own role, but the importance that all of the others play in the finished project.  There are usually 65-75 vendors, sub contractors, service providers, consultants and inspectors involved in the home building process.  With proper communication and guidance throughout the network of the team, the project will be completed successfully and on time.

Finding the Right Price

It is one thing to design a plan, it is quite another to get it to a price point in which it can be sold.  The Parade is a great opportunity to buy a house with a lot of extra features, upgrades, new technology which is  professionally designed and decorated.  These items all add to the value and price of the house, and usually have little or no effect on the actual retail price.  The Real Estate market is controlled by the appraisal’s of past sales.  It makes it harder to get the extra features that are most important to us, when the appraisal on our home is competing with all of the stripped down models on the market.  It is like taking an average on the sales of Fords, Toyotas, Chevys, Chryslers, Cadillac’s, BMW’s, Mercedes and VW’s and saying- “The average cost of a car is $19,000,  so does that mean all cars can only be financed or sold for $19,000?” Buying a parade home is like buying a Cadillac.  You will get a lot of value for your dollar that you would find hard to get at any other time.

Final Home Plan Design

After a lot of work, and many different changes to fit the plan to the lot, I have designed a plan.  A rendoring of the front elevation is posted just above this message.  There are several important factors which affected this plan.  The lot offers a great view to the southwest.  It looks out over a natural wetland area, and should remain unobstructed by other houses as the subdivision fills in.  It slopes enough to offer a full exposure on the rear and right side of the home.  It is a large lot and offers the opportunity to have large area to the side of the home.  It is very close to the park, and only one house away from the Swimming Pool.  The lot is lined with close to a dozen pine trees which offer a break from wind, privacy, and natural beauty.
Main Level

Lower Level

This home will feature a total of 3174 sq ft of finished area.  It will have 5 bedrooms, great room, dining room, dinette, 4 bathrooms, family room, laundry and mudroom.  It will have a large deck and front porch to allow ample areas to enjoy the outdoors.  It has a large three car garage and lots of storage area. Please contact me if you are interested in getting more details.

Next post will be the painful process of pricing.

Developing a plan

The right plan is the most important part of the building process.   A lot of time goes into this process.  Hundreds of different plans are studied and looked at.  Past projects are reviewed to benefit from those previous winners. The covenants of the subdivision are studied to help us understand the guidelines.  Notes during the year are reviewed on feedback and conversations I have had with realtors and builders.  But most importantly, the comments received from the previous parades, and the Sunday open homes, do the most to influence the design of the home.  If you get a chance, and happen to visit the parade next June, please stop by and introduce yourself, and let me know what you think.  I will most likely be sitting close to the front door greeting and visiting with our guests. 

Once all the thoughts and ideas are put together, I then try to squeeze it all into a plan which will fit on the lot.   The biggest challenge is to fit the homes on the lots.  Wisconsin has a beautiful rolling landscape, which results in many lots sloping all different directions, and lots with many different shapes, angles and curves.  It seems like just about every town or village has a different set of setbacks for the front, sides and rear.   Take a look at this year’s plan by clicking here. 

Next-Pricing the project.

Picking a Parade Site and Lot

During my announcement of the start of this year’s MABA Parade on Homes entry, I promised to start from the very beginning of the process.  The Parade is a wonderful chance to build a home in which all the vendors and suppliers are eager to get their latest and greatest products out for show.  It is a chance for the developers to give their new subdivisions a push start.  It is a chance for the builders to show off their products.  It is a chance for the public to get a good idea of what is happening in home building trends and practices.

The process starts almost immediately after the parade ends.  Notices go out to developers on applying for the next year’s event.  This past year, thirteen different subdivisions were submitted for selection.  Twelve are in Dane County and the other just over the border in Lodi.  The Developers present their subdivisions early in September to the Builders. At a second meeting three weeks later, the builders meet to decide which subdivision they would like to be in.  It takes three houses to form a parade site.  The process starts with a vote.  The subdivision with the most votes is the first selected.  The process continues until no more sites qualify.  Each Builder is allowed to get into two sites.  Builders earn seniority points based on the number of uninterrupted years they have participated.  This determines the order in which lots are selected.  At this meeting last year, seven sites were selected by 29 builders.

Two weeks later, the builders meet at the subdivision they selected, and pick lots.  TimberLane Builders picked the Blueridge Addition to Southbridge in Waunakee.  I am very excited to be building there.  It is our first home to be built in Waunakee.  Waunakee has been the hardest site to get into over the time I have been in the parade.  We have risen from 39^th to 10^th on the seniority list, but we were still seventh out of the eight builders who selected Southbridge.  Most important, I got the lot I wanted.  Details on our home can be watched on it’s webpage. ( http://www.dchwi.com/tlb/2011DresenParade.htm)

Next-designing the plan.

Mike Vilstrup, TimberLane Builders

Parade of Homes Start

TimberLane Builders started out the New Year by beginning its first new project of 2011.  On January 3, we picked up our building permit to begin the sixth home we have entered in the Madison Area Builders Association annual parade of homes.  This year’s home will be in the Blue Ridge Addition to Southbridge in Waunakee. Waunakee is in northern Dane County, only a short distance from both the east and west sides of Madison.  This new home will be located on a private cul de sac at 1003 Dresen Ct.  Details are available by clicking on this sentence.  It will be listed for sale in the near future, and will be posted here and on the MLS.   It is only two lots away from the swimming pool in Southbridge, and the large park and shelter just off Tiereny Drive and Blue Ridge.  The home will be a ranch with full exposure.  As always, it will be certified through the Wisconsin Environmental GreenBuilt Home program and Focus on Energy’s New Home Program.    Over the next couple of weeks I will begin to tell more of the story from the beginning, and then continue on as we catch up to our current point.