Hi Guys!
Today I’m talking about building our new house during Covid-19. Yep, that’s us. We are building a house during a pandemic. It may come as a surprise but apparently we aren’t the only ones who have taken on this type of project. The construction industry is booming and Covid hasn’t seemed to slow it down.
I guess I can see why someone would want to embark on a project of this size. It is definitely a distraction from the quarantine life.
This is not a new experience for us. Since we got married, Jarrod and I have remodeled a foreclosure, bought a farm and built a house, sold that property, moved to two different rental properties, and now we started our second build.
I enjoy the building process. From drawing up plans to coordinating the subcontractors to picking out finishing, it can be a very hectic and exciting experience. Don’t get me wrong, It also has its frustrating and stressful moments but overall I find it to be a very rewarding experience.
We started building in October of 2020. We had some challenges right off the bat. The weather was not cooperative and we had delays in getting the foundation and porch caps poured which set the framing back. Luckily the weather improved and we were able to get the foundation completed and the framing done.
Our next obstacle is the lead times for some of the building materials. To be honest, the lead times have not been terrible especially under the circumstances but the windows are currently holding up our show. We ordered the windows 4-5 weeks ago. I am hearing through the grapevine that they are taking longer than expected and I know several people who have run into construction delays due to the back-order on windows. The delays do not seem to be specific to any one window manufacturer. Our estimated arrival is the first week of Feb. I am hopeful that they will arrive as expected (but not betting on it).
While we wait, we have been working on the plumbing and electric. We are outsourcing most of the work but we decided to do this portion ourselves (with my Dad’s help). It does not require that the windows be installed and keeps us moving forward.
The HVAC installation was supposed to begin today but we have had another bout of inclement weather (flash flooding) that caused them to reschedule.
We originally started with a one bedroom plan with an office space but before we could begin construction our living situation changed and my niece, Kaylee, came to live with us.
We quickly had to pivot and make the smaller space into a two bedroom. Ultimately, we increased the square footage to make the office space large enough to fit a closet and additional living space.
I am glad we were able to make the change. Overall, I believe it will add to the home in a positive way and help with resale value if we ever decide to move on in the future :)
Stay tuned for more updates as we progress along with our home build.
XOXO,
Krista G
