Refining the Budget

We have been working with Ryan and Tim to review the plans and line-item costs so that we can get the project within budget...or as close to our original budget as possible. Two of the largest line items were the cement and the windows. The windows we figured would be expensive but never would have thought of cement as a high-ticket item. Surprise!

So, unfortunately, we have had to cut a few of the cement features. One item we're a little sad to be losing is the double cement wall at the entry of the cabin. This was a super pricey item, but we think we've found an alternative that will preserve the look and feel of the entry. Olive even made it into the rendering (see below).

We also had to better define what we wanted for our cabinets so that a more accurate bid could be provided. We made a few changes to the kitchen, master bathroom, and flex room cabinets shown below:

We have switched from hydronic radiant heat to electric radiant heat and made some modifications to the window package, both of which saved a chunk of money. Hopefully, we are close to locking the budget in so we can get the contract with Tim signed and begin the financing process.

We have a Contractor!

We were lucky enough to have four contractors bid our project. We spent the last week+ reviewing the bids with our architect and trying to figure out who would be the best fit. It was not an easy decision--all four contractors do amazing work. But in the end, we had to choose...

Welcome Tim Smith and the folks at Big Valley Builders!

We are super excited to get to work with Tim; we believe he will be an excellent addition to our team. Not only will Tim be responsible for building the cabin, but he will also be our neighbor...literally. We know where you live, Tim! Only kinda kidding, because we really do know where Tim lives.

Anyhoo, Tim has his work cut out for him. We need to revisit and refine the plans so that we can get the budget lined up. Currently, we are over-budget (gasp), but with the help of Ryan and Tim, we think we can find a solution to satisfy our aesthetic needs and pocketbook limits. We were mentally prepared for this process and are still targeting a start date in June/July 2013.

Permit Approval and New Interior Renderings

We received permit approvals today from Okanogan County! Still waiting for the bids but it shouldn't be long now. Maybe another week or so.

Ryan gave us a few interior renderings to hold us over while we wait for the bids to come in...

 

Let the Waiting Begin!

It's been an exciting couple of weeks. Not only did we finish up the structural engineering stuff and receive approval from the HOA, but we submitted the plans for permitting and sent them out for bids! Let me clarify, by "we" I mean our architect. Ryan's been working hard to get this project in motion.

The plans have only been in with the potential contractors and the county for a few days, and we expect it will be a few weeks before we hear anything. Ah well. In the meantime, we have found new things to fixate on. We have been combing through the construction set and now can start making decisions--or at least ask questions--about fun things like light switch controls and electrical outlet placement…     

Latest Renderings

Things have been moving right along, and we are still on target for breaking ground this spring. Once the plans are engineered, we will present the plans to the HOA, submit the plans for permitting with the county, and obtain bids from contractors. In the meantime, we are still trying to nail down the right exterior materials and incorporate the garage into the design.

The latest perspectives (below) show the use of wood siding at the entrance. We wanted something to soften the look of the exterior, but that would still age well and complement the metal and cement. Initially, we thought wood was a bad idea, especially with the harsh weather in the Valley, but with placement on the north-facing side of the house, wood may do the trick.

Just to note, the metal is very orange in these pics. The actual color should be closer to gray/blue. Also, these are the first images of the garage, and we like how it fits in with the house on the site. Ryan exercised his creative liberty by including two snow mobiles in the second photo. Thanks Ryan!

Fun In the Valley!

With each trip we take to the Valley, we get more and more excited about having our own place out there. There is no better motivation to keep the project moving forward. Below are a few shots from our winter excursions with friends and family:

 

Continuing to Develop the Plans

Long time, no posts. Over the past few months, the plans and the process has continued to move forward. (Or so our architect tells us!) The plans are very close to being ready for the next step: engineering. Once engineered, the plans will be submitted to general contractors to bid on, as well as to the Edelweiss HOA and Okanogan County Building Department for approval.

A month or so ago, we were very close to sending the plans out to be engineered. Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to have a roofer take a quick look at the butterfly roof to ensure it could be built in a cost-effective manner. When the roof was designed, Ryan, our architect, called out a membrane roofing system. However, we did not like the look of the membrane roof at all (think duct tape). We preferred a metal roof and asked the roofer to review the plans to ensure a metal roof could be constructed and installed. Unfortunately, the roofer could not guarantee that the roofing system would remain watertight (i.e., we had a problem).

Ryan tried a number of different variations to keep the butterfly roof, but in the end, we decided to go with a shed roof. Below are a few images of the new roof design:

We still need to work out a few of the details, but the above renderings provide a good idea of what the roof will look like.

We are also making progress with the heating and cooling system. We are now leaning towards radiant heating throughout the house, along with a mini-ductless split system for cooling, as well as a redundant heat source. The mini-ductless systems operate two or three interior units that are mounted in separate rooms. Each unit comes with its own remote control that allows you to set the temperature individually in different rooms. Below are a few images of the interior units thoughtfully incorporated into the design of a house: