Replies

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 01:22am | #1

   More pictures... This house was on the cover of Fine Homebuilding in 1996.

   
1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 02:25am | #2

   More framing pictures - I framed 95% of this house by myself.

   
1. 
   xMikeSmith | Sep 09, 2003 02:43am | #3

   yeah, sure, jim..  and what was your blond assistant doing .... bringing coffee ?Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 05:24pm | #8

   Well Uh, she's actually my boss...

   Heres some more pictures..

   Raising the gable walls was particularly hairy. Some of those rafters are 26 foot 2x12 Doug Fir, I stood on 2 stages of scaffolding and dragged them into place by myself. I also installed all the roof sheathing solo, but I did hire roofers to put on the shingles. I may be crazy but I ain't no fool.

2. 
   Rander | Sep 09, 2003 03:07am | #4

   Jim:

   Nice job!!  That's something to be very proud of. Enjoy it.

   RussA

3. 
   DougU | Sep 09, 2003 06:17am | #5

   Jim

   Forget the house! That first picture is great. Put up a teepee like Andys and alls well.

   Nice pictures though.

   Doug

4. 
   EricGunnerson | Sep 09, 2003 06:58am | #6

   Nice Pictures.

   I have a ski house just outside of Skykomish.

5. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 05:04pm | #7

   Good eye Fortdh. The holddowns don't hold down the sill plate, they go up through the floor and through a bracket (simpson HD5A?) that bolts to a wall stud. In earthquake country, we have to use holddowns and shear wall nailing for any exterior wall without an uninterrupted 4 foot shear area...

6. 
   Paularado | Sep 09, 2003 05:26pm | #9

   Wow, 18 months diy and you are done. I'm jealous! Way to go! More pictures!!! More pictures!

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 06:46pm | #10

   ok, more pictures.

   
2. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 07:26pm | #11

   I did the wiring, plumbing and insulation. I subbed out the heating/ac. The windows are made by Lincoln (lincolnwindows.com). They are mostly casements with wood inside and extruded aluminum outside. I find them to be as good as Marvin - about 35% less $.

   I used clear cedar siding and countless feet of 5/4" cedar fascia, window trim and banding. Tongue and groove pine for the soffits.

   
1. 
   Paularado | Sep 09, 2003 07:44pm | #12

   Let's see, where do I start, how about WOW!!! that is beautiful!

   I know what you mean about the endless t&g, fascia, etc. etc. etc. It never ends, or so it seems. We rented a gradall forklift for awhile to access our high-up stuff....it was just too scary to be up there even on scaffolding for a couple of chickens like us.

   Beautiful home. Just beautiful.

   So are you moved in now?

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 09:05pm | #14

   Thanks for the nice comments Paula. We moved in the end of June.

   My wife and I did the fireplace brick. We used fir 2 panel interior doors downstairs. I trimmed out the downstairs with 5/4" and 4/4" maple. The downstairs floor is #2 maple. I got a great deal on the front door - display model - solid maple with walnut trim + a little stain glass

   
7. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 09, 2003 07:59pm | #13

   Fordth, I spaced out, its been a while since I framed the floor. The hold downs are simpson sstb's which  hold down the sill with a nut/washer. Then a "long connector nut" is threaded onto the sstb - and a length of threaded rod extends up through the joist cavity through the floor above. These type of holddowns were spec'ed on the plans, so thats what I used. The framing inspector said I could have used the strap type holddowns, which go on the outside of the rim joist and are nailed into wall studs. These are MUCH cheaper and easier to install. Live and learn.

   I've used I-beam roof rafters before, but for roofs with lots of dormers / cut outs / valleys they can be a pain. Much easier with dimensional.

   Thanks, I'll look at that website shortly. I tried to make this house as energy efficient as I could. R30 floor, R-21 FG wall insulation + some RFBI on certain walls. The attic has 16" of cellulose. I used countless cans of foam to seal holes, gaskets under wall plates, outlet box gaskets, etc. I've learned alot hanging around this website for the last 4-5 years. The heating system is electric heat pump (no natural gas available) with propane hot water, dryer, stove and fireplace.   jim

1. 
   timkline | Sep 10, 2003 01:42am | #15

   just out of curiousity, why didn't you use propane to heat the house rather than electric ?

   carpenter in transition

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 10, 2003 02:22am | #17

   Hi Tim. A heat pump is cheaper to run than propane in my area. Power is cheaper in the PNW than most of the US. Heat pumps also are air conditioners, a bonus. I just followed my heating guys recommendations, he came highly recommended.

8. 
   andybuildz | Sep 10, 2003 01:59am | #16

   Lyle...I mean Jim......lol,

                                     You have really good taste...I can appreciate all you've done close to alone..been there and done that and I probably won't ever stop.

   Know what that means to me? Means you love your work as I do as so many of us do here. The minute we stop is the minute we've decieded to cross over to the other side.

   The view doesn't get any more happenin' than what you have. Sure must make your work even that mucho more of a pleasure/blessing....

   End of the day.sittin uptop the rafters with a cold one in one hand and your woman in the other....WOW!

   Say hi to Luka bear for me...you have a great neighbor!!!!!!!

   Be well bro and keep postin dem pictures.....ROCK ON!!!!

                  Namaste'         

                                 andy

   PS..What brand windows are those? Marvins? Weathershield? Wood on the exterior?

    The way we regard death is critical to the way we experiance life.

   When your fear of death changes, the way you live your life changes.

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 10, 2003 02:38am | #18

   Thanks Andy. I love working mostly alone. But I love it when the missus stops by and cleans up the mess! The windows are Lincoln. Extruded aluminum out and wood inside, very nice.

   The house I built before this is on the other side of the mountains from Luka, about the same distance. Check out this view........

   
1. 
   andybuildz | Sep 10, 2003 02:44am | #19

   six ,seven years and I'm back to the mtns to build.......these 52 years of my life were just practice till Jolie is in college....

   BE alive and bangin' (all kinda things..lol)

                                           Namaste'

                                                     andy The way we regard death is critical to the way we experiance life.

   When your fear of death changes, the way you live your life changes.

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

2. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 10, 2003 02:46am | #20

   Here are some recent pictures of our house. I still have to finish out the decks, hoping to get the driveway and some sidewalks done in the next few weeks. The exterior paint colors aren't what I had in mind but I was overruled by the boss.

   
1. 
   DougU | Sep 10, 2003 06:15am | #21

   Jim

   WOW, you should be proud of your work.

   By the way, what do you do, take pictures for post cards in your spare time, man that scenery?

   Doug

2. 
   River19 | Sep 11, 2003 12:02am | #22

   Jealous, the only word I feel right now.

   I would kill for a mountain view.  However in lovely MA we have "hills" but no mountains.  My goal is a nice piece of land up in NH, ME, VT in the next few years and house on said land subsequent to that.

   What a view and a beautiful house.  Nice work, love the windows and trim.  Also like the soffits.

   SJKnow a little about alot and alot about little.

1. 
   Luka | Sep 11, 2003 01:13am | #23

   It is a beautiful view.

   House and all.

   Too many houses are just boxes to keep the rain off our heads. Jim's house is as beautiful as the view he has from it.

   Great work Jim.

   It takes work, patience, work, attention to detail, work, determination, and more work, as well as a good artisitic sense... to get the results you have. It is all the direct result of your own work. You should be proud. Well done.

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

2. 
   BungalowJeff | Sep 11, 2003 07:39am | #24

   Jim,

   The lines and spaces (what the, I've been posessed by an architect) are wonerful. I really like the roof lines on this house. Excellent work.

   Oh, and the scenery is quite nice....that's not a mistake, it's rustic