Watching a house being built

[Copper]

That dust can be relentless, I noticed it on that construction site.

I remember dust storms in Dallas, I think Houston can get them too, I'm not sure.

[Mik]

Growing up in a neighborhood under construction was very cool. We never vandalized anything, but a few 2x4s and plywood sheets may have disappeared to be reincarnated as bike ramps.

[Horace]

Building a house is like writing a program. You put the majority of it in place very quickly, and then the rest of it takes 99% of the time. Here is a 24 hour time lapse.

[Jolly]

Well, once you start framing, you need to get it in the dry as soon as you can.

[Horace]

People are moving in to the house next to that one. They don't have a water view on that side of the street. Sad. I'm thinking of getting a house warming gift for them. What gift says "I'm sorry your house is inferior to mine, but I hope our neighborly friendship can survive your inevitable jealousy"?

[George K]

@Horace said in Watching a house being built:

What gift says "I'm sorry your house is inferior to mine, but I hope our neighborly friendship can survive your inevitable jealousy"?

Your sparkling personality is gift enough. They'll realize it.

[Copper]

@Horace said in Watching a house being built:

They don't have a water view

Just wait until they ask the HOA to remove your trees so they can see the water.

A lady actually wanted to do that here a couple months ago.

I don't think she got very far with it, but be alert.

[Horace]

@Copper said in Watching a house being built:

@Horace said in Watching a house being built:

They don't have a water view

Just wait until they ask the HOA to remove your trees so they can see the water.

A lady actually wanted to do that here a couple months ago.

I don't think she got very far with it, but be alert.

We've been waiting three weeks for permission to put some fruit trees in our backyard. In theory, they could block sight lines from across the street. Maybe some figs for the neighbors will help smooth things over.

[Mik]

Get her a nice big framed picture of your lake view. That should make them very happy.

[jon-nyc]

Especially if the water is brown.

[Horace]

@jon-nyc said in Watching a house being built:

Especially if the water is brown.

It’s Mediterranean Ochre, common in South African heraldry.

[Horace]

They are going to hog the sky line with about 10 extra feet compared to the two neighboring houses. I’ll have to petition the HOA to have the house torn down, or, as a compromise, have the roof shorn off. Probably easier to do this before the new owners move in. We will see.

[Horace]

I've been getting a huge humber of PMs asking about progress on this house. Rather than responding to them all, I thought I'd update this thread. There are makeshift steps they attach to the roof, as they work on it.

[Horace]

I've been wondering how big that live oak in my front yard will get. I actually have four of them, two in front and two in back, in accordance with HOA rules. I worry about the shade and how I'll grow my fruit trees in back, if they get huge. I guess I can prune if necessary. They are majestic, but I don't think they'll play nice with other smaller trees in their shadow.

[Jolly]

Live oaks get pretty big, but you may be dead and gone before they get to that point.

They can make some pretty lumber, but I wouldn't want to be the poor guy working with it...stuff is hard as a brickbat and tough on tools. And firewood? If you don't have a splitter, I'd just as soon handwork hickory. Nah, I think I'd rather try to split hickory, the grain is usually straighter.

BTW, where you're at, don't be surprised if they start growing some spanish moss.

[Mik]

They grow into gorgeous trees, but slowly. Do you have to have them?

[Horace]

@Jolly said in Watching a house being built:

BTW, where you're at, don't be surprised if they start growing some spanish moss.

That would be interesting. Might be pretty.

[Horace]

@Mik said in Watching a house being built:

They grow into gorgeous trees, but slowly. Do you have to have them?

Nope. Just need two "canopy trees" in the front, and two in back. They have a preferred list, but you're also free to ask if you can plant something else. For $50, they will take time out of their busy HOA bureaucrat schedules to probably tell you no, after 30 days.

I am told that the builders choose from this list whatever is cheapest at the wholesale nurseries, at the time they need to plant them.

[Copper]

@Horace said in Watching a house being built:

They are majestic, but I don't think they'll play nice with other smaller trees in their shadow.

More than shade, it might depend on which has the deepest roots.
A large oak tree can drink 100 gallons per day.

[89th]

@Horace I went ahead and used photoshop to show you what it will look like once they have the roof done.