Post 11 The FINAL (no, we really mean it this time) DESIGN PLAN!!!!

Since Post 10 we've been flooded with demands to see the final design of the Guest Cottage.  Remember, this is what we're going to live in for a few years while we build the big house.  

Also, if we're being completely honest I suppose that "flooded" may be stretching it a bit since really it was just one person and the "demand" was more in the form of mild polite interest.  Semantics!

Here is the new, improved, super duper final, we really absolutely do mean that this time, final final Guest Cottage Design:

With the hexagon shape, we can have 3 south facing walls for the passive solar heating (and plants) which will be primarily glass and should make the room feel significantly larger.  There will be a planted hexagonal feature in the center of the room (grass, herbs, a tree, veggies, something growing) on the main floor level.  Skylight in center of roof will open, and by opening north windows should provide good passive cooling as well during the summertime (hot air goes up, pulling in cool air from the north side).  Loft area will cover half of the floor plan, leaving half open from floor to ceiling (18-22') for a nice open effect as well.  Each of the windows along the front wall will have an 18" wide planter in front of it for plants and veggies.

Ideally, it will feel very open and connected.  We'll be collecting rainwater as well, and using it for washing and watering (and, drinking if necessary).  More to come, need to get the permits and then the slab poured.

Post 10- Back to Work!!! Shed Love, Deck Accomplished

Well, I guess it's been a little bit since I've kept up with this, eh? December went by in a rush: I worked a lot during the  first part of the month, and then went to Hawaii with the family for an AMAZING cruise.  It's taken me a little bit to get back into the swing of things.  Heather started, and I finished, cleaning out the old shed that's on the property, so now we've got a nice place to store stuff that's (mostly) waterproof.

I had some pictures of that, but lost them because of faulty hardware.  We pretty much filled up a big construction dumpster.  So, it was such a nice day when I was finishing up I got the brilliant idea to build a deck for the camper.  Woke up the next morning, took the wife to work so I could steal the van and went and bought some tools and lumber to start.  I got out to the site, started leveling out the (large) pile of dirt, and it started sprinkling.  It made a pretty good mud pit pretty quick.  I was able to make 3 of the 5 cuts I needed before it came pouring down.  Very frustrated, I grabbed all the lumber and tools, loaded everything back in the van and took the lumber back to my house so it wouldn't get stolen.

There it sat in my living room for about 10 days, and we had rain for 10 days straight.  Last week, it cleared up for a bit, so Jacob and I rushed out and finished up the deck right quick.  Here's a few pics!

Deck Accomplished!  Welcome to the Summer Home, the Appalachian Mansion.  Banjo music provided.






Woohoo!  We're still planning on moving out in March-ish, so if we're not dried in on the house yet we'll have a little more room if we move out into the pop up until we've got the house sealed up.  The deck, by the way, is portable and lifts right off those foundation blocks.  I'll recycle it onto the guest cottage when that's up :).

Oh, speaking of the guest cottage...we have a Final (no, really) Design, but I'll put that in post 11.