Custom In The Woodlands,TX

kpatrix

Eighteen months after first seeing these prints, we poured 384 yards of concrete.

In all my years in the field, I have never seen a slab like this. There are two hundred and twelve piers drilled under this monster, with a thirty inch diameter going fifteen feet below grade. It is built to last. All told it is seven hundred and forty four yards of concrete.

It's around ten thousand square feet, with a nice stick framed roof, 16/12 with some 9/12 dormers. There are a lot of radius rafters to go with the slate and copper roof.

Downstairs, it's a 10'6 plate line. Upstairs, the plate varies from 5' to 7', with ceilings at nine. It's really cut up, but in a square way. Being able to study the prints as long as I have is going to be a big plus. There are tons of little details provided by the architect that are very well thought out.

We built this little shed as a model/port-a-can hider where we will have some different slate samples and paint.

The exterior of the house will be brick with cypress siding and trim... 142 + windows.

More to come.

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KentWhitten

Makes my house look pathetic!

I...uhhh....have some time after my frame is done

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kpatrix

We will be using timberstrand studs in some of the rooms that are almost all windows.

Prior to pouring the slab, I had to install 82 simpson SSTB22 holddowns, which is why I was there during the pour. I wanted to make sure they didn't get blown out by the concrete.

The company who did the foundation is top notch, everything is dead on. A survey was required prior to pouring and based on the CAD numbers, it was within one eighth of an inch on the longest diagonal, and perfectly level.

Because of a swimming pool, the engineer had specified 7' deep grade beams going around the rear perimeter, full of steel. You couldn't see the guys while they were digging, just an occasional shovel head in the air.

We will start the framing next week, I will be snapping lines and marking out all the details as the concrete crew wrecks the form and does the grading, then it's WALLS UP !!!

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KennMacMoragh

Must have been a soils issue, hence the piers.

kpatrix

Come on down, I am starting with 4 guys ... and no strapping--- You need to see the interior details.

The fascia is 6 5/8" crown, so that may give you an idea what it will look like on the inside.

The worst thing is, the ACC is really busting the builders chops on this design, not wanting to give approval for anything. I think they are intimidated by the scope, and the fact that this builder has 5 lots and 5 sets of plans all in the same style ready to go.

If you notice how far above grade the slab is, that is to accomodate the thirty inch brick ledge that will hide the concrete and give it a pier and beam look.

Did I mention our temperatures are between 50 and 75 right now ?

WarnerConstInc.

Everything is bigger in Texas!!

Must be GW's retirement pad!!

I would probably give my left nut to be able to do the trim work in that place.

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Elyrain

I wonder if the big house in the background is on piers also? I'm sure that one was built to last also. Or did the HO just getting shafted? To me, 212 30" piers in 10k sqft means they should have just dug the entire footing lower. I'm not knocking the OP, I know he didn't design it. It seems a bit weird to me, unless the land is all fill or something. Looks pretty flat to me though...

kpatrix

Yeah, there were issues with the soil. The lake in the background is man made, and the soil sample showed organics twelve feet down.

The whole area used to be swamp land, but as they developed it over the years, they used golf courses and lakes to modify everything.

I really believe that two hundred years from now, this house will still be standing. The owner, builder and architect have really done their homework and want to create something authentic. It's not about production or cost, it's about quality and longevity.

Cole

Nice, keep this one updated for us.

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jaros bros.

Is that off of Woodlands Parkway in the Wendell J. Homes development? I this one of their houses?

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Josh Jaros www.jarosbros.com Remodeling in The Woodlands, Texas

kpatrix

Jaros,

You have the area right, but it's a different builder.

As a sub, I prefer not to mention names that might bring a customer here while googling a builder.

I shot you a PM, it's nice to see someone from my area on this site. If you have a chance, come by and walk the site. Soon the walls will be visible from Woodlands Parkway looking north across the bridge.

The two inches of rain we got last night- there is not a single puddle on the slab, it is that flat. If you drive down Grogans Mill by the mall, you will see a large overhead crane with the concrete companies name on it.

On a different note, we used Artisan Luxury siding on the little "shaque" pictured, first time I have used it. It is a little bit more expensive than regular Hardie siding, but well worth it. It is a full 3/4 inch thick, and allows mitred corners. I highly recommend it to anyone considering using a fiber cement siding.

galla35

Holy hell that place is huge!

kpatrix

It's been a long week. Concrete guys were slow wrecking the form, which made me lose a day at least.

I started popping lines Tuesday. Form boards and stakes littered the slab. We had a lot of rain/moisture affecting us.

I am really impressed with the concrete. At most there the slab is 3/8 out of square. This is pretty impressive when considering the seven foot grade beam depth and the rain effect on the clay pad. I have built other projects where the stakes holding the form, while only eighteen inches high, have allowed the concrete placement to creep as far as 2" as per plans.

Prayers were answered as far as weather is concerned; Lumber dropped on Wednesday saw sunshine on a one hundred percent chance of rain day. It did rain as we were leaving; not before all the tools were put away. Same thing on Thursday.

Friday and Today were beautiful.

All stud walls are up, Monday is the Timberstrand Window wall day, as well as plumb and line. I am still waiting on architect input re: dropped garages as per grade. Next week brings back the engineer and floor truss manufacturer .
Lots of details in this house.......

I have been as* in the air and elbows swinging all week. Feet hurt, back hurts, lots of smiles though, guys glad to be working.

Pictures coming tomorrow showing walls up.....this is a complicated job-----
plate height is 2 1/4" finished floor + 7' doors and 30 1/2" transoms w/ 5 1/2" trim.... every stud is cut.

Back to the smiles, the crew is glad to be working, but tired.

sbebuilders

John, with 5 1/2" door casing I hope the architect allowed for the 2 king studs and 2 trimmers at each side of the doors. This always ends up being an issue.

We install all of the holdowns, that use SDS screws, as we frame. So we don't have to cut studs loose to make room for the SDS Screw drill.

It's nice to see that California framers aren't the only ones faced with a bizzion holddowns and 10 tons of simpson hardware to install. The structural hardware can really take the fun out of framing the house.

In the comming week we have 80 radius rafters that will be installed with Simpson MST27 straps. It completely takes the fun out of framing radius rafters.

You and I need to do a rain dance. So all the rain goes back up to Tim in Washington. Where it's suppose to be. We had 8" of rain last week, while Tim worked in a tee shirt.

Chant, no more rain, Dance. Chant, it should only rain in Washington, Dance.

Sim

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KentWhitten

Sorry to hijack your thread John.

Welcome Sim, it is an honor. I have been watching your building for quite awhile. I have your Picasa Web Albums on my favorites list and it notifies me when you update. Truly the work of an impeccable craftsman.

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Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

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Timuhler

Bryan and Kyle were shirtless for an hour on Friday and I got sunburned It was the warmest January we've had in years, I think we avg'd higher temp than Tampa Florida

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kpatrix

Sim,

Thanks for posting. I had to install 70 something SSTB-24's prior to the concrete placement. I used tie wire to attach them to rebar, but with all the mud some of them moved around a little bit.

I will have to epoxy in more hold downs as I go along. There will also be hundreds of clips, straps, and hangers.

We are having one of those winters here, seems like it has rained twice a week since October. It is cold and windy. Still prefer this to the the summers hundreds, both temperature and humidity. This is my weeks forecast.

Tim,

I will be doing my rain dance for you if I get off the couch today....

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sbebuilders

Bryan and Kyle were shirtless.... All the teenage girls in the neighborhood must been in heaven. Have Bryan and Kyle do the rain dance shirtless on Monday. It's suppose to rain all next week, here in the SF Bayarea. Not looking forward to the boys roof sheathing the 26:12 roof in the rain.

Sim

sbebuilders

John, Unless you pour the concrete yourself there's always going to be a couple of the holdown rods that are missed algined. Out of the 120 holdownds on the the house we're on, there were about 10 holdownds that were missed aligned. For some of them I used a HUC hanger on the window or door header that attached to the holdownd post. Instead of expoying in new holdownd rods.

Also, I never order pre cut window or door headers so I can adjust the window and door openings for missed algined holdownds. It only takes a 1/4" miss alginment on the holdownd before you have to start moving window and door headers.

You next new tool should be a rebar cutting drill bit if your going to expoy in new holdown rods.

Sim

kpatrix

Thanks for the tip, Sim. The engineer specified four inch minimum embedding for epoxied anchors, and I was concerned about all the steel in the slab.

I remember when I worked in Sebastopol the lumber yards would drop off everything precut, from fireblocks to 4x headers. They don't do that here.

We just get an 18 wheeler full of lumber, 37,000 pounds on this one. That is just dimensional lumber. On some areas I am using timberstrand studs and headers for the first time. Very straight looking material.

Open web floor trusses and glulams are coming up next week, my back is already feeling them.

I can't wait to get to the roof framing part. This one will be fun.

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