Well I said I would start this so here I go. It been 2 yrs since we started and this is what we have for now. I'll try to add as we go along . Thanks for looking.

Dug basement last year and added footers in July of last year. Had to wait on basement walls for money. Trying to do this out of pocket.

Started the framing in Dec of 2016 these are some progressive photos.

Fantastic. Looks like a great spot.

Doing the work yourself?

Looking good! When do you think it will be finished?

Me and my dad are doing alot. We dug the basement poured the footers. Paid someone to pour the walls. We laid the block for the pouches. Paid for the framing I'm a wood butcher. It is about ready for Windows so I can start wiring and HVAC. Hope to be in it next year.

I've got to respect a man that builds his pond before the house. Priorities, Right? Great looking operation Mobley!

I bought the farm then had to have some equipment so why not build the pond. Right!

My next thing on the house I'm concerned about is the insulation. I know from doing HVAC that I want foam, but have any of you all ever done the whole house were they spray the bottom of your roof?. Getting quotes for the job. Some want to do all levels foam some for a cost savings are quoting flash and batt. Thats were they spray about 1 inch of foam then not fill the rest with fiberglass batt. Just wanting opinions?

Google Earth updated here's a few years of work in 2 pictures.

I worked in engineering for an electric utility for 35 years. Foam on the upper side of an attic will keep the attic cooler, but won't affect the rest of the house much provided there is good attic ventilation and attic floor insulation to R-30 or better. Cellulose insulation is the way to go in walls and attic. FG batts, not so much. They are only useful IMO where cellulose won't stay put, like in spots where wind might intrude, like blocking off soffits from cellulose, and under floors.

Got a quote today for flash and batt that sounds like what I'm going with. The windows will be in tomorrow I'll post more pics. I'll add this one so you can see what we should have when done. We are doing mostly real stone veneer outside.

Got some windows in. Hopefully some shingles soon.

Looking good!

Here is a little update to the one earlier. We choose a hybrid insulation of 1 inch closed cell foam and fiberglass blown in on the walls. Then closed cell on roof deck then add fiberglass for r value. Started the wiring hoping the stone mason comes this week to start the chimney. I'll get pics of its progress.

Just some updates they have finished the fireplace. Had no idea how many bricks were in a real fireplace.

Mobley,
Wow! It's going to be very nice.

Chimeny is completed on top waiting on the metal roof for the pourches. I'm doing the flashing on the roof out of copper. Hope it is leak proof. Also got the garage doors in and the upstairs HVAC roughed in. My dad with my son cleaning out the strawberries.

Well the stone mason showed up and its more progress. The hardest part of this whole build is decision making.

Well lots of work is getting done. The plumber is slow but it's been super busy with my business. My wife is excited now so it's been easier to get work done on it for days at a time. Hopefully get some drywall up by middle of August.

More PROGRESS even though it's like molasses. Drywall is up hoping to be finished taping and mudding this week. Moved tons of dirt from the back yard to the front and stained and hung the back porch ceiling. Only took 3 days.

Wow! Really nice!

that is awesome.

Ditto

Been busy but everything is going good just about have it painted doing it our selves. The interior trim is next a company priced poplar for the trim I figured it would be pine any recommendations on what should use? I'll try to explain each picture

More pics

More

Last one it's from my railroad job. We were working at night in Hamilton OH.

Getting closer to moving hopefully MARCH 2018. The fireplace mantle is a railroad tie I pressure washed and stainedit with rose flame oil. Drove the spikes and polished . Door is trimmed out in red oak it was a first for our builder we loved it, my wife and I stained it and sealed. The ceiling is the kitchen .

Door before finish and entrance to house. Next big thing is counter tops. We like granite but we are also looking at quartz. Any suggestions?

Looking good,I like the door and ceiling.We are working on pricing for a new house to be built on or property right now and most people we've talked to recommend the quartz.I don't know if it's true or not but they say it's more durable and less likely to stain.

The most stain resistant natural countertop is soap stone but it has a more "country" look. Our's has worn like iron. It is softer, but can be sanded. We have never had any damage so I have not tried sanding it.

Got another question. We need a 36 inch gas stove and I have found those to be a expensive item, does anyone have any recommendations on what brand or product. I'm looking heavily at a THOR brand.Also some ventless gas logs for the upstairs fire place.

Congrats...

Love the stone work on back porch and beams/ceilings of porch too.

Love the the coffered ceiling in some room....kitchen?

Also love the transom window over doors.

We had bad luck with a Viking stove due to the burner ignitors continually malfunctioning. Never could get them fixed. Be careful that Thor does not have the same issue (read reviews). I just found the same complaints for Thor. I checked to see if this brand might be a good replacement brand for me.

We had Vikings at most of the fire stations, and those ignitors never worked either.

Anybody try a Miele gas/propane range?

Cool place Mobley. I saw your question about quartz/granite. We happen to have both in our kitchen and like them both for different reason. We have quartz on our counters and a contrasting granite on an island and on a built in desk. I had asked for white marble for the counters, but a friend of mine does most of the stone in houses around my community and he told me that he always tries to talk clients out of marble. I know that's not what you asked about, but he really likes quartz because of it's easy maintenance and stain-resistance. That has been my experience with it too. I was also told to keep hot pans off of it or it can discolor. The only thing that bothers me (and probably no one else) is that it is still a manufactured product so from 10' ft it looks like natural rock (marble), but from 2' I can still see pixelation (for lack of a better term) in the product. Mine is white with fine sand-sized aggregates which make the patterns. Looks great, but when I'm standing over it I'm reminded that it's not natural stone. Like I said, I'm probably the only one who notices or thinks about it.

The granite on our other areas is beautiful and I love the look of it, but it does require a little more maintenance. Pros and cons with both, but both are overall great.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the responses. I'm really looking at the stoves and counter tops this week hoping to make some decisions on them by Friday. I seen the reviews on Thor but it seems like each brand has there own issues. I believe I could hook up a gas furnace igniter to each element an allow a gas furnace controll board to work the flame sensor. I don't know just seems like I could save a few thousand dollars and fix the manufacturer's problems myself.

Got a stove its a Kitchenaid seems like a good stove it is dual fuel. Cabinets are getting close to finished. The lights are gas lights from Belvelo they don't make much light but we really like them. The wife added the finishing touch to the shower. Also sold my 2004 IHI mine excavator and bought the 35vx. I had excellent results from the IHI and went with a larger one this time. It's has the hydraulic thumb where the last one had a manual thumb. This on has a Yanmar 3 cylinder the last one has an Isuzu. Hope it is just as good as the old one.

That sure is coming along nicely. Any updates on the pond?