BS: Building a First Day Cottage

Subject: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 May 09 - 04:33 PM

At long last, my dear husband Hunt and I are about to begin to fulfill a dream each of us has held for most of our lives: to build a lovely house in the woods, which will be a sanctuary for us, our children and future grandchildren, and unknown future families who will need a quiet place in this noisy world. We've started a blog here. (scroll down to see the beginning post) for those who are interested in our progress.

First Day Cottage is local to us in Walpole, NH, and we are pleased with them and have visited a few First Days in our region and spoken with the homeowner/builders, so we're feeling confident enough (spiced with just enough stress and anxiety to be normal!).

We're moving on to the land next week, sleeping in our pop up camper and using a small cabin (electricity but no running water) for storage and living space. The lumber arrives June 4.
Wish us luck, strength, dry days and few insects! And any and all of you are welcome to come bang a nail, raise a beam, or just stand back and admire.

Allison

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 May 09 - 05:15 PM

Wonderful! Try beating the black flies with extra B vitamins. They seem to bother less with those of us who take them.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: gnu
Date: 20 May 09 - 05:27 PM

Dorothy. Haven't heard that in years. Yes, B helps a lot. Just make sure you start off slow and build up.... or, it won't be the flies that afflict you, unless you have an outhouse.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 May 09 - 06:06 PM

That looks WONDERFUL, Allison!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 May 09 - 06:47 PM

Gnu: I am always on B, etc. We noticed at a gathering on Manitoulin Island, years ago, that those of us who did B were less bitten. Living in rural central Ontario for 17 years, the biggest problem was - are those the seeds I'm trying to plant or...? Actually if one is going to live rough in a cold climate, I found, by accident, in a dreadful flat in Montreal that extra B kept me from shivering to sleep every night. When I forgot, I shivered. That is very scientific research, yes? Good enough for me!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 May 09 - 08:30 PM

Friends of ours did this. Dunno if it was a kit. In their case they spent every weekend camping on their land and building, till it was set "enough" for winter. Then they moved in fulltime, and finished the inside, over the next few years. I think they are still doing projects; it became a part of their marriage that this is how they spend a certain amount of their downtime-- building.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Amos
Date: 20 May 09 - 10:03 PM

Congratulations on a really big step!!!! I wish you all kinds of joy in the process.



A

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 May 09 - 11:20 PM

That is going to be so neat, Allison! My daughter who lives here will be envious; she loves the old New England style homes. I am so excited for you both...will follow your blog with delight!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 May 09 - 12:47 AM

Here in the UK your biggest and earliest problem (well, apart from the absence of forests) would be planning permission. What is the US situation on that, in this context?

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Micca
Date: 21 May 09 - 07:09 AM

So "Wilderness Lodge" aka "Ches Alison and Hunt" is starting to take shape? Concrete slab poured? My Felicitations and happiness at the New beginning and the "First Day" of the rest of your lives, I look forward to visiting sometime later in the year (if all goes well) BBs and my good wishes to you both
Micca

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Mooh
Date: 21 May 09 - 07:28 AM

As inveterate cottagers, we're happy for you. It is THE life.

Nice blog!

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 21 May 09 - 08:29 AM

Thanks for all your kind comments. We'll need all the Mudcat encouragement we can get!

Richard, the planning permission (aka "permitting") varies from state to state, and town to town, although there are environmental considerations that come down from the feds. We started THAT process a year ago, and it was indeed a process! We had to determine, among other things, that the habitat of a local endangered salamander wasn't being compromised. I am truly pleased to know that it wasn't.
But getting the building permit was a breeze, and since our town doesn't even have a building inspector, getting the "certificate of occupancy" shouldn't been too bad- the fire chief just comes and makes sure there are enough egresses and smoke detectors, and everything's wired correctly. Which it will be!

Susan, we're going to follow the same process as your friends, except that we're going to try to be completely finished by next March! No sheetrock, no painting, no trim- it's all wood, inside and out, which MAY simplify matters. We have no illusions that it's going to be easy!

Dorothy, thanks for the tip on B- I knew that once, but had forgotten.

Today the walls get poured, and we'll be, as they say, "above ground". The weather's been perfect, and I pray it keeps up the good work!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: maeve
Date: 21 May 09 - 08:53 AM

Best wishes! I wish we were close enough to drop by and lend a hand.
I highly recommend getting as much done inside as possible before moving in. It is stressful trying to live alongside construction.

Enjoy!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 21 May 09 - 09:59 AM

Point taken- it all depends on how cold it gets outside!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Barry Finn
Date: 21 May 09 - 04:42 PM

Good luck Allison.
As someone whose spent his whole adult in the building trades & outside your most important care is your own health, saftey & clean WATER, be sure to have plenty on hand. You probably have one but just in case be sure to have a copy of state & local building codes on hand to look up & follow.

Send pictures that we can follow

Any roofing or waterproof (or any building envolop) questions feel free to PM & ask

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 21 May 09 - 05:14 PM

Thanks, Barry! We are very aware of water and the other stuff. But it's good to be reminded!

Pictures can be found
here.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 May 09 - 05:58 PM

Good luck. Mooh, over here "cottagers" has a different meaning, as, I understand, "20 fags" does over htere!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: open mike
Date: 21 May 09 - 06:09 PM

good luck! this is inspiring.
i was featured on the news
re: re-building after fire
story here:
http://www.khsltv.com/content/sr/srmay09/story/Fire-Anniversary-Part-1/i0VXvWSgtEWJCDRq4zT9tA.cspx

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 May 09 - 07:07 PM

Ya' know Double L............That looks great and all but the best thing for me is the fact that you are happier than I remember in a long time and the value and the importance of that means everything to many of us who have followed you along an often tough road. So just keep goin' and building........and smiling!

On the other hand I am sorta' pissed off at you as you came pretty close to us on your way home and I'd have driven to meet you.....................***sigh***.....................


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 22 May 09 - 06:39 AM

Spaw! I thought about you! I wisht we coulda stopped and seen you! But we were flying through to get home to start the building. We WILL meet in person, I'm determined. Please don't be pissed at me!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 27 May 09 - 07:50 AM

Argh! They started drilling the well yesterday. Hit ledge, got to 400 feet, only a trickle of water, so today they're going to try something I don't understand to encourage the water to flow.

NO, we didn't douse- I don't know why we didn't think of it! And the land is so wet anyway, we just ASSUMED* they wouldn't have to drill far. Plus the nearest neighbor's well is only 250 feet.

This is going to be much more expensive than we had thought. Yeesh


And it's pouring rain.




*(cue ominous music: Dun-da-dun-dun!)

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: maeve
Date: 27 May 09 - 08:16 AM

LOL It is always much more expensive than you thought.
Call a dowser anyway; it can't hurt and it might help.

I hope you are keeping a journal!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 27 May 09 - 09:00 AM

Journal AND blog http://tamlinfirstday.blogspot.com/

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 May 09 - 11:51 AM

Best of luck in this adventure!

How far did the neighbor have to drill before hitting water?

I'll be watching your updates with interest.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 May 09 - 01:15 PM

Just keeping saying "All is well" and, well, it might work!**bg** Seriously, I agree with maeve, call a dowser anyway. Can't hurt.

open mike, thanks for the link and good luck to you. I hope it doesn't take "years" to get built.{{{hugs}}}

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 27 May 09 - 08:07 PM

From another thread I now have a bit of wisdom from Gervase:
Keep calm and carry on.
We have a copy printed out and posted next to the building permit!

We now have a 450-foot well. We also have about 2 acres of mud. It's better than a Mudcat jello pit- I welcome one and all to wallow! But it also is the path to the camp/storage shed, and it almost swallowed a truck today, SO- no move this weekend. We'll let it dry out, then the 'dozer will smooth it out on Monday, and we'll have to settle for hired brawn if it can be found at such short notice for a move on Tuesday.

...but we have a well. Not much else is a problem if you have clean water.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 27 May 09 - 09:34 PM

Great luck with the new PLace !!!! All the best , Guy

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: CarolC
Date: 28 May 09 - 12:12 AM

Here's a tip for living in a pop-up in cold temperatures (JtS and I lived in a trailer that had pop-out ends where the beds were for a couple of years through freezing winter temperatures and 100 plus degree summers) - we insulated the tent portions of our trailer by wrapping this kind of insulation around them, holding it in place with aluminum tape.

We put a couple of layers of styrofoam insulation under the matresses. We also put soft foam pipe insulation around the above ground water hose that supplied water to the trailer. It worked quite well.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: bill\sables
Date: 28 May 09 - 05:58 AM

Best of luck with this Allison Hope to see it sometime
Bill & Lorna

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Mooh
Date: 28 May 09 - 06:48 AM

I enjoy your blog! Thanks.

Our own cottage hand dug shallow well went dry a couple of years ago so we replaced it with a cistern which is mostly buried in the earth a few metres from the kitchen. Too much iron in the local water.

CarolC...We'll be living out of a tent trailer next to the house on and off for a few weeks during renovations...thankfully it will be summer!

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 28 May 09 - 07:19 AM

CarolC, thanks again for good advice! We are hoping to live in the little camp on-site, if we still have enough room in it after cramming in most of our possessions (40 boxes of books and counting!). But the pop-up will be our back-up, as well as guest quarters.
Today we test the well to see if the water actually does come up it. Fingers and toes crossed!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 28 May 09 - 07:51 AM

I'm interested to know what they test your water for.

Is it just minerals or bacteria as well?

We have a borehole (about 250 feet) at our house in the Lancashire Pennines and our problems are too much iron, too much manganese and too acid, all of which are corrected by a collection of cylinders and pipes. It isn't perfect though, we seem to get through a lot of hand lotion!

In the UK every borehole drilled contributes data to a national database so that slowly we are building up a picture of what to expect below ground.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 28 May 09 - 02:52 PM

WE HAVE WATER!!! It's not lovely or drinkable, but it's flowing! We'll get it tested in late August, about when we'll be wanting to use it for drinking water. Until then, bottled or Brita, and using the well for washing, watering, and cooling off!

AND the land contractor didn't have anything else to do this rainy day so he decided to go ahead and do some more work on the land to smooth it out and make it nice for when it's dry enough to move. Yes!

Things are looking up.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 May 09 - 06:15 PM

And all is REALLY well!**bg**

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 28 May 09 - 08:19 PM

*giggle*


Well,




well,




well.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 10:11 AM

Well, we're living on site, the lumber arrived yesterday, and the building begins today! We're still bringing in water from outside, as the well pump won't be installed until next week. But we're loving living on our own land, and so far the weather is cooperating (but it's chilly in our un-insulated cabin!). I have no internet access, so will check in once or twice a week. I miss my daily Mudcat dose!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 06:24 PM

GOGOGOGOGO!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 02:42 PM

I've been mostly off line since June, with brief rare visits to the local cafe for its wifi, when I've had about 30 minutes to catch up on mountains of email and web stuff. Most of you know that this is how I've mostly kept in touch! If you check the link, you will see that we are living in our house! It's far from finished, but it's warm, cozy, and it feels like home. I've never lived in a place where I knew I would stay for the foreseeable future- as far as I'm concerned, I'll leave here feet first. I am so happy, and relieved, and proud of my husband for the incredible hard work and creative problem-solving he's put forth these past 4 1/2 months.
We are using our living room as the workshop, so it's filled with tools and sawdust, and the upstairs is one big (beautiful) unfinished space, but the kitchen and bedroom are basically done. I'm planning the menu for Thanksgiving dinner!
On a sad note, we lost both cats to outdoor predators (we live on 15 wild acres). But we now have a new little friend, Marie Labeau, a 10-week old black kitty who shall remain Indoors Kitty, Ruler of All She Surveys. Pictures will be pending soon!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Oct 09 - 05:57 PM

Inspiring! We may be right behind you! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Tinker
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 08:01 AM

It is so exciting following the journey with you.... There is a joy and serenity that shines through.

Keep the updates coming.

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: maeve
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 08:49 AM

Harvey Tolman is your electrician? THE fiddling Harvey Tolman I remember from musical days and dances in the Monadnock region? Sheesh! That will be one musical house you two are building!

Looking cozy there.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:02 PM

The very Harvey Tolman indeed! Are you kidding? This house was vibrating like a tuning fork gone wild before the first dig was dug in the earth! A musical house fer sher!

Cozy, oh so very cozy. I have never felt so much at home anywhere as I feel here right now.

Maeve, I think of you every time I look at the clearing on the slope where I hope to plant the fruit trees next year. Hey, I have an idea- come for a consultation, stay to dance to Harvey's music at the weekly Monday night contra!

For that matter, y'all come!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 05:07 PM

"Y'all come"-- just name the time and gimme directions! (Will work for music.)

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: maeve
Date: 21 Oct 09 - 09:37 PM

Sounds like fun. I suppose you had Bob MacQuillen tune your stovepipe and the Miller boys stomp down the carpenter ants too. I haven't seen any of them since I left N' Hampsha.

Harvey Tolman...I can't believe it!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Micca
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 08:33 PM

Alli, How are things going? is Penn still in the "Boat"? as one of your first guests to stay over I must say I LOVE the way your house is developing and the "feel" of it is incredible!! I am sorry to hear about the moggies, as you know I liked both of them, and am sorry if you have, in fact,lost them.
I welcomed Little Wugsie home from her visit to Liz the Squeak this evening and she keeps coming in the room ,just to check I am here, and have a little purr.
Love to you and Hunt
"Keep Calm and carry on"
Micca

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 10:33 PM

Allison, it looks just beautiful and so homey..like a beacon of welcoming Light. What blessings you both are!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 10:32 AM

Progress...

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 10:44 AM

Very neat and beautiful!

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Phot
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 12:16 PM

You lucky people! Looks like you're building something beautiful!

Wassail!! Chris

Subject: RE: BS: Building a First Day Cottage
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 12:22 PM

Wow! It looks wonderful! Lucky you. (And we know how much hard work luck really takes!)

~ Becky in Tucson