Finally Done!

Though we've gone through DROUGHT, ICE, AND RAIN this past year, we're done, at least until we have more money for a paved driveway ,and a finished carport and bonus room in the back.

Our certificate of occupancy was issued on July 31, 2007 by the city of Lone Grove. We had Mike Hammitt come one more time to do a punch list for us so we could move in. We still needed bathroom mirrors and shower doors installed and a several other small odds and ends that if he hadn't done these things it would have taken us forever to do after we moved in. We officially moved in the week of August 5. We were so glad to be out of our apartment. The kids now have separate rooms and have alot more space to run around, and no more crickets (we had tons of crickets at our apartment building)! We are now living in a 3000 sf home with 4 bedrooms and 2 3/4 baths. We, also, have two eating areas, an office/spare room, living room, and a big kitchen!

Our bay window has become a stage for our 3 girls.


We special ordered a 8ft x3 1/2 ft storm door and had Mike install it. See how wide our door jambs are, both girls can fit in between the storm door and the front door?!




I'd like to make a few notations about our heating and cooling in this ICF home. One of the reasons we built this type of home was to save on our utility costs. So far we've been very pleased with our American Standard 14 seer Heat Pump's performance. It does feel very comfortable in the house at all times. We have special humidity sensors on our thermostats. We have a 2 zone system, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. We have an American Standard Accu Exchange ERV (energy recovery ventilator) in the attic which helps the humidity come down in our house since we have such a tight, well insulated house. It also pulls in fresh air. The biggest difference I notice is when I walk upstairs there's no or very little difference in temperature and the air doesn't seem heavy upstairs, but fresh.

As far as cost savings in our utility bill, we've seen moderate savings, but we've only lived here two months and we're getting used to what thermostat settings are the most comfortable for our family.

We've been really impressed with spray foam insulation in the attic, too. There's hardly any difference in temperature in the attic as there is in the rest of the house.

I'm including some photos of the features I've just mentioned.

This is our digital thermostat that tells temperature, time and humidity.

ERV in attic , air exchanger

You know this was our first time building this type of house, let alone building any kind of house from scratch with no contractor. We met many great people along the way. And I, especially, know alot more about the steps of building a house than I ever thought I would ever know, or that I would even want to know in my lifetime. There are many things we could have done differently and done in a better order, especially with painting, but in the end all the praying and mental and physical excerise we had to go through to get to end was well worth it.

"Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Psalm 127:1