FJ's New Construction Checklist

[flowerbug]

This time of year is tree pollen season. A yellow film gets on everything. Most people keep their windows closed for that reason.

yes, and other things too, like some flowers/smells i can't tolerate. i prefer to not wheeze. when i had not caulked up a lot of the exterior wall cracks this room used to get quite a bit of drafting through it when the wind blew. now at least i don't feel a lot of air moving but we do get plenty of "fresh" air anyways. some neighbors burn wood and don't have great fireplaces so they smell mostly of creosote. winter days when the air is still you can see the layers of smoke they give off.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Reviving....probably won't do new construction, going to use this to bounce options around.
More to come.

Initial criteria: master bedroom and laundry room on same floor. Gas stove.

 

[murphysranch]

Re-read everything. Real wood stove/fireplace, as in a Grid down situation due to whatever, you can still keep warm. (we don't have either).

If you are remodeling, and redoing exterior walls, try for 6" framing. Else, reinsulate to the highest values.

LVP flooring with the attached insulation. Don't get it with the MDF cus then its not waterproof. We always use the click together stuff. Not the glue stuff.

I was in a wheelchair for 3 months. Never have I been so happy with the ADA requirements at big box stores. At home, wide hallways and pocket doors for bathrooms. Comfort height toilets.

Hand railings on all exterior stairs. There were NONE here, and so far, hubs has added one set to the side steps to the driveway. More to come.

Install electricity fed attic fan. Solar ones are junk in a few years.

 

[baymule]

FJ, I’ve been through a lot the past 2 years. I came to the conclusion that I was going to do what makes me happy. I bought 25 acres with a double wide manufactured home. I hate mobile homes, just so you know, but I love having the 25 acres. With the exception of my son, my family thinks I’m nuts. Been asking my sister to come see my farm for a year. I give up, she probably won’t ever darken my doorstep. I live on a dirt dead end road in the middle of nowhere. Horrors! My daughter actually told me last weekend that she doesn’t like my place. There’s nothing to do. My sisters house has a covered deck bigger than my double wide, a swimming pool and the worlds best pizza a few miles away. Big house, lots of room.

Oh well, I AM HAPPY HERE.

They even made fun of me because I’m going to Tennessee in October to buy a ram. WTF

Point is, you have given up a lot in the past years. It is your turn now. Not to be selfish, but it’s time for Jamie to have a home, a bit of land, a garden and whatever else he wants and makes him happy. Don’t listen to the naysayers, the dream stealers, or negativity.

The best advice I got when my beloved BJ died, and my world fell apart, came from my son. He said,

Mom, you do you.

So I’m telling you,

Jamie, you do you.

 

[The Porch]

FJ, I’ve been through a lot the past 2 years. I came to the conclusion that I was going to do what makes me happy. I bought 25 acres with a double wide manufactured home. I hate mobile homes, just so you know, but I love having the 25 acres. With the exception of my son, my family thinks I’m nuts. Been asking my sister to come see my farm for a year. I give up, she probably won’t ever darken my doorstep. I live on a dirt dead end road in the middle of nowhere. Horrors! My daughter actually told me last weekend that she doesn’t like my place. There’s nothing to do. My sisters house has a covered deck bigger than my double wide, a swimming pool and the worlds best pizza a few miles away. Big house, lots of room.

Oh well, I AM HAPPY HERE.

They even made fun of me because I’m going to Tennessee in October to buy a ram. WTF

Point is, you have given up a lot in the past years. It is your turn now. Not to be selfish, but it’s time for Jamie to have a home, a bit of land, a garden and whatever else he wants and makes him happy. Don’t listen to the naysayers, the dream stealers, or negativity.

The best advice I got when my beloved BJ died, and my world fell apart, came from my son. He said,

Mom, you do you.

So I’m telling you,

Jamie, you do you.

@FarmerJamie

AMEN!!

I too love my property, I love getting everything set so the 80yr old me can still function and do everything. I am getting it all set now, yes it work for my future. My DH is 74 and it is just killing him that he cant to like he was 64. We work as a team and work together, thats what I helped with the sons wood cutting, I have my DH's 6.
I dont care if anyone doesn't like what and how I do anything, as Danna's son said,, I do me.
My DFIL passed at 96yr old, I want our last 20+ years together to be as blessed as out last 41.
We are a team and we do everything together hand in hand for Life

 

[flowerbug]

my recommendation for if you do end up in a more isolated situation is to avoid having a wood burning fireplace as it is a lot of work to keep up and use and if you are concerned about heating in the winter during a power outage that propane and a fake fireplace or fake stove that can be used for alternative heat is much better. it will keep you from freezing until the power comes back on and then you don't have to deal with anything other than making sure the tank gets filled up once in a while. no wood making, no splitting, stacking, carrying, no ashes or smoke to deal with.

the thing is, i love fire and i really would have loved it had we kept our fireplace as a fireplace for burning wood but the smoke isn't compatible at all with either of us so we had it converted into propane and that has worked well enough. except it was not a very good conversion in terms of heating efficiency so you can be sure to not make our mistake and get a unit that is more efficient in producing heat. and if you want to use it as a cooking surface then make sure it has those features. we just take old cans and set them off to the side and heat things up in those. it's like camping but we can still sleep in our own beds.

 

[FarmerJamie]

@baymule @Grandmas Porch thanks for the positive words, this next step is going to be fun. The wife is excited, but similar to GP's comment, we ain't young anymore.

A possibility we are looking at is former Amish homes, since they typically have a canning kitchen in the basement and have coal or wood furnaces already. Some are already wired for electricity, but not connected to the grid. Often times, the outbuildings ARE wired and have solar panels setup. The communities around here vary in adherence to the Old Order ordinances. I think that is why some of the more modernized ones don't necessarily get snapped up by other Amish families.

 

[FarmerJamie]

my recommendation for if you do end up in a more isolated situation is to avoid having a wood burning fireplace as it is a lot of work to keep up and use and if you are concerned about heating in the winter during a power outage that propane and a fake fireplace or fake stove that can be used for alternative heat is much better. it will keep you from freezing until the power comes back on and then you don't have to deal with anything other than making sure the tank gets filled up once in a while. no wood making, no splitting, stacking, carrying, no ashes or smoke to deal with.

the thing is, i love fire and i really would have loved it had we kept our fireplace as a fireplace for burning wood but the smoke isn't compatible at all with either of us so we had it converted into propane and that has worked well enough. except it was not a very good conversion in terms of heating efficiency so you can be sure to not make our mistake and get a unit that is more efficient in producing heat. and if you want to use it as a cooking surface then make sure it has those features. we just take old cans and set them off to the side and heat things up in those. it's like camping but we can still sleep in our own beds.

The wife grew up poor and has fond memories of their wood burning stove. Wood around here is plentiful and relatively cheap. In my former house, we had a fireplace, so I always had about a half cord stacked around. Yes, sometimes just bought a truckload.

A friend works for Generac, so once we figure out the plan, going to engage him for a permanent generator install. My portable is nice, but would rather have something already patched in, so if needed, it's set by throwing a few switches

 

[FarmerJamie]

FJ, I’ve been through a lot the past 2 years. I came to the conclusion that I was going to do what makes me happy. I bought 25 acres with a double wide manufactured home. I hate mobile homes, just so you know, but I love having the 25 acres. With the exception of my son, my family thinks I’m nuts. Been asking my sister to come see my farm for a year. I give up, she probably won’t ever darken my doorstep. I live on a dirt dead end road in the middle of nowhere. Horrors! My daughter actually told me last weekend that she doesn’t like my place. There’s nothing to do. My sisters house has a covered deck bigger than my double wide, a swimming pool and the worlds best pizza a few miles away. Big house, lots of room.

Oh well, I AM HAPPY HERE.

They even made fun of me because I’m going to Tennessee in October to buy a ram. WTF

Point is, you have given up a lot in the past years. It is your turn now. Not to be selfish, but it’s time for Jamie to have a home, a bit of land, a garden and whatever else he wants and makes him happy. Don’t listen to the naysayers, the dream stealers, or negativity.

The best advice I got when my beloved BJ died, and my world fell apart, came from my son. He said,

Mom, you do you.

So I’m telling you,

Jamie, you do you.

@baymule I am hearing that a lot from my kids and my wife right now. Thank you for the reminder

 

[The Porch]

former Amish homes,

Oh that would be a fun hunt!!! and I think it is a great idea!