My New York garage/house build
- Thread starter Pate
- Start date
HOTFR8
Banned
M-technik-3
Well-known member
Your house seems out of place among all the smaller 900 sq foot ranches. Did you build on a vacant lot? Sorry to ask that I did not see that mentioned in the first or second page.
We owned the house that was there since 2003. The surrounding houses were all the same when built, but have been changed over the years. The house that was there was approx 1200sq foot before we started. Our town requires you to go in front of an architectural board to review the look, materials, colors, etc to make sure the house "fits" into the neighborhood. We actually had to supply pictures of similar houses in a two block radius when we had our meeting. The house may look big, but in reality is a little over twice the size of what we had, but now has a 2nd floor and basement. My next door neighbor just completed a 2nd floor add on and a few others are in the works. The cost of housing here makes staying put and fixing what you have the best option.
M-technik-3
Well-known member
We did a dormer on our second floor. Makes sense. Place looks good, modular homes have come along way. What type of warranty does the company offer.
SuperSocket
Well-known member
Looks fantastic.
rebelranger
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2012
- Messages
- 188
I'm jealous but at the same time things that your builders are doing drive me crazy. (1) Why did you get underground electrical service? (2) Why wasn't your basement foundation walls insulated on the inside and the basement ceiling only rock wool? (3) why no tile floor heaters? (4) I'm pointing out stupid flaws am sorry!
I love love this house design so far! Actually I want to build my own house in a few years and this is really close to the blueprints I already bought.
When is it supposed to be 100% complete?
I love love this house design so far! Actually I want to build my own house in a few years and this is really close to the blueprints I already bought.
When is it supposed to be 100% complete?
HOTFR8
Banned
Is Good you watch the clip
Oh if you think he was good in that advert watch this one about his Goggo Mobile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&hl=en-GB&v=fk6pO7eLeiM
and after that I would make him shower in the basement.
One year on everything and 10 years on structure, foundation, etc.
The electric in my hood is above ground and on the other side of the street. To get underground service I would have to have it run over the street and have a pole put on my property. Didn't want that.
The will do as much or as little as you want. The house meets Energy Star compliance and insulation in the floor was needed to pass. (among 10,000 other things)
I plan to finish the one side of the basement and not sure which way I want to go yet. Considered spray foam, but like this system. http://www.insofast.com/
The house is 95% hardwood and didn't think we needed it.
Planning on moving in some stuff this weekend. Painting is almost done.
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bry@n
Well-known member
Congrats on your build. It looks great. I built onsite in 2006 and there are loads of things I would change now. I guess you live and learn. Good luck.
HOTFR8
Banned
Do you have a photo of the house that was on the block before you started this project ?
bknudtsen
Well-known member
Fantastic interior choices! Very envious of the basement space and garage ceiling height. You've done a great job with this build and documentation. Keep it up!
Brad
Brad
This was the original house. We turned the new house to face the other street. This would be looking at my garage doors now.
HOTFR8
Banned
Thanks Pate. Without being rude I am going to say the new place is 100% on that photo.
Did you recycle and sell off the old place when you demolished it ?
Did you recycle and sell off the old place when you demolished it ?
rebelranger
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2012
- Messages
- 188
Love it and understand all your logic now.
Yes we did. We had all the pipes, wiring, siding, screen porch, etc recycled. Anything that was metal got pulled and sold. The guys that knocked the house down even pulled metal that wasn't accessible before demo.
I had replaced almost everything on the inside and pulled all the kitchen cabinets and appliances, bathroom fixtures, front door and screen door, all new windows, ceiling fans, light fixtures, attic steps, hot water heater. I kept some stuff and it was or will be reused in the new house. The rest was given to friends and family. At least all my wasted money went to good homes.
HOTFR8
Banned
Nicely done.
Wow, started reading/reviewing the thread and couldn't stop . . . what a TERRIFIC modular home build!! Really appreciate your effort to share it with everyone as I too am amazed at the fit & finish/quality that you have. It's obvious to me your decision to go modular was wise and surely got you a better house in long run. Also, the peak added to porch roof is perfect.
With all your premium features/upgrades, the house is stunning. Other than the exterior electric conduit running up the entire two stories on that one side, I'd never know it was a modular.
Curious if you can explain heating and air as looks like some rooms have hot water/boiler style room registers, while others look like normal forced air? You have gas heat and hot water, and rest electric?
Also here in KS, they won't let us have gas meter within ** feet of any "spark capable" device like an A/C unit. However, looks like in pictures that your A/C unit is virtually next to the gas meter ... right? Likely no biggie, just curious. Another thing I'm wanting to do to my house is wire main electrical panel with interlock or transfer switch so I can add a generator outside for outages . . . did Hurricane Sandy kill power for extended time there in your neck of NY?
Good luck with rest of excellent build. Looking forward to seeing pics of everything done, especially when beautiful restored Chevelle goes inside where it's safe. My ex brother-in-law used to have a Chevelle SS 396 w/ cowl induction which was sweet.
With all your premium features/upgrades, the house is stunning. Other than the exterior electric conduit running up the entire two stories on that one side, I'd never know it was a modular.
Curious if you can explain heating and air as looks like some rooms have hot water/boiler style room registers, while others look like normal forced air? You have gas heat and hot water, and rest electric?
Also here in KS, they won't let us have gas meter within ** feet of any "spark capable" device like an A/C unit. However, looks like in pictures that your A/C unit is virtually next to the gas meter ... right? Likely no biggie, just curious. Another thing I'm wanting to do to my house is wire main electrical panel with interlock or transfer switch so I can add a generator outside for outages . . . did Hurricane Sandy kill power for extended time there in your neck of NY?
Good luck with rest of excellent build. Looking forward to seeing pics of everything done, especially when beautiful restored Chevelle goes inside where it's safe. My ex brother-in-law used to have a Chevelle SS 396 w/ cowl induction which was sweet.
Hardware
Well-known member
Great home.. You did good!
santagary
Well-known member
WOW, if mine ever burns down, I'm building a modular!
Thanks for the compliments. My wife and i really tried to sweat every detail. Some things looked ok on paper and then not so good in reality. The porch roof was a running change and I'm thrilled with the changed look.
I'm not sure the electrical service is different based on construction. You need to get the height for the wires to clear the street. It has on the peak of my existing house. Other neighbors have a 6' pole extending past the roof to get the needed height.
The entire house has baseboard hot water heat. All the ceiling and floor vents are for AC only. The vents on the first floor had to be in the floor because of the ceiling structure between floors. There was no way to run the vents without compromising structure. Not ideal, but the flush floor vents in the floor make it bearable.
It's close, but passed all inspections. The extra room back there is for a Generac 20KW generator that's being installed. We were out of power for 9 days thanks to Sandy. That shouldn't be an issue for us anymore.
The car will ride again. Just have to get an estimate to get it fixed. Insurance offered $4900 to fix it.
I got some bad news about the moisture content in my garage slab today. It's ******* the meter at 6.5% and needs to be under 3% to coat the floor. The floor is maybe 3 months old and had a nice gravel bed with two layers of Polly put down, so it seems strange that I would be having an issue. I'm not sure if more cure time is the answer or just let them add a waterproof sealer under the epoxy. The added cost wasn't something I was expecting. 
I wonder if getting the heater installed ASAP might help?
I wonder if getting the heater installed ASAP might help?
HOTFR8
Banned
Even a fan moving the air could help. Something you could try.
HOTFR8
Banned
Looking good once again. Did you try my idea of the fan ?
e-tek
Well-known member
The house (and garage!) is really coming along nicely. Are a lot of the tradesmen Mexican? They have so much pride in workmanship. 
I put some silica sand sprinkles in the stain on our Oak stairs when I built them, which definitely helped with traction - so much so that when the boys would TRIP running up or down the stairs, the silica would cut them up!
I put some silica sand sprinkles in the stain on our Oak stairs when I built them, which definitely helped with traction - so much so that when the boys would TRIP running up or down the stairs, the silica would cut them up!
I haven't done anything yet. They've been working in there and I don't want to be in the way. I may try a kerosene heater in there this weekend and see if that dries things out.
I bought my own moisture meter and it arrived today. 14%.....very bad!
The house (and garage!) is really coming along nicely. Are a lot of the tradesmen Mexican? They have so much pride in workmanship.
It's been a mix of everyone. The spackle guys were from El Salvador. A couple of the painters are spanish of some type. My area is very Irish, so a lot of "my peeps" worked in the house.
I really don't care who they are or where they come from. Do a good job and I'm happy. The painter is close to get a beating! They're cut in work truly *****!
HOTFR8
Banned
You could try both at the same time but do make sure you have some ventilation for that Kerosene heater.
Really...looks perfect to me. We doubled them up for heavy glassware!
They are being pulled out in place of glass anyway. The top row was pulled down to make install easier.
Want $1000 worth of crappy wood?
I will make a heater decision in the next couple of days and get it ordered. It's already prepped for NG, so just need to hang it up and pipe it.
HOTFR8
Banned
Before the weather warmed up here I had about a centimetre of water in the bottom of the new pit and this was all after the concrete had been cut so it would not crack. Heating could have worked but I found the fan did work. It took some time but it helped dry it out after a day.
The basement was one of the main reasons why we didn't just add on to what we already had on the lot. There was no good way to add on and not have it appear chopped up.
After all the work and money, it wasnt a wise investment to do the project. I'm a long way away from being done (driveway, landscaping, etc) and already spent more then the house is worth. I guess that's the price to pay for having what you want though.
We plan to die here, so I guess money isn't everything...
After all the work and money, it wasnt a wise investment to do the project. I'm a long way away from being done (driveway, landscaping, etc) and already spent more then the house is worth. I guess that's the price to pay for having what you want though.
We plan to die here, so I guess money isn't everything...
HOTFR8
Banned
You still have problems getting it to dry out ? WOW, I wish I was closer I would come and help. Then is my room ready yet ?
Hope you are settled in for Christmas.
Hope you are settled in for Christmas.