Ricky's Audio Video Barn Build Project

[Sonik Wiz]

It's all the old folks moving to warmer climates. My wife and I want to move south....when I retire. I hate cold weather.

Del Boca Vista??? Say HI to mom & dad Seinfeld when you get there.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I've been to only one warm place where I felt I could live there year round. Hawaii. Mid 70s year round. Tradewind breezes. 15 minutes of light rain most mornings. Just enough to keep it lush. Unfortunately the cost to live there, in the style I live now, would be impossible.

 

[GOS]

I've been to only one warm place where I felt I could live there year round. Hawaii. Mid 70s year round. Tradewind breezes. 15 minutes of light rain most mornings. Just enough to keep it lush. Unfortunately the cost to live there, in the style I live now, would be impossible.

Wife and I spent 2 weeks in Maui back in 2008. We fell in love with it. Haven't been able to get back since though. We rented a little Audi 2 door convertible manual shift and we just had an absolute blast running those roads, curves, mountains. Nothing like it.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Wife and I spent 2 weeks in Maui back in 2008. We fell in love with it. Haven't been able to get back since though. We rented a little Audi 2 door convertible manual shift and we just had an absolute blast running those roads, curves, mountains. Nothing like it.

Kauai was my favorite island of the three I visited (Oahu, Kauai, Hawaii). Uncrowded. Super lush. Friendly people. Visited white, pink and black sand beaches. Rented a Mustang convertible and did the same thing driving around. A highlight was a helicopter ride through Waimea Canyon. Volcanos National Park on Hawaii was awesome as well. I was so impressed, I was ready to move there. I took newspaper want ads when I left for home and started sending out resumes. But there isn't much engineering work there. Never got any replies.

 

[cbmmm3]

you folks are missing out.
North New Salem Michigan is the place to be.
Farm livin' is the life for me.
Land spreadin' out so far and wide
Keep Grand Rapids, just give me that countryside

 

[Bill B]

you folks are missing out.
North New Salem Michigan is the place to be.
Farm livin' is the life for me.
Land spreadin' out so far and wide
Keep Grand Rapids, just give me that countryside

It better be, as you have cemented your future there.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

It better be, as you have cemented your future there.

I see what you did there

 

[LuvMyQuad]

you folks are missing out.
North New Salem Michigan is the place to be.
Farm livin' is the life for me.
Land spreadin' out so far and wide
Keep Grand Rapids, just give me that countryside

Have some hotcakes...

 

[Owen Smith]

You never know, if this climate change deal pans out like they are predicting, you may not need to move. LOL

Well, you may need to move uphill to avoid flash flooding or sea level rise.

 

[cbmmm3]

A Matter of Truss't ( Thanks Billy )

Project is all set for roof trusses. Plan is to do this Monday morn - but - more than likely it will be Tuesday as Monday weather is not promising.
We use a crane to lift - but wind is our foe - along with rain. And guess what the forecast is for Monday.............

 

[Owen Smith]

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow this house down...

Couldn't resist, first thing I thought of on seeing the picture. I know you have loads of houses built like this in the US, but they look so insubstantial to my UK eyes.

 

[Bill B]

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow this house down...

Couldn't resist, first thing I thought of on seeing the picture. I know you have loads of houses built like this in the US, but they look so insubstantial to my UK eyes.

So houses aren't made of wood? What do they use in the UK?

 

[Owen Smith]

So houses aren't made of wood? What do they use in the UK?

Brick or stone for the exterior walls usually, and breeze blocks (power station ash plus cement traditionally, other stuff now) for the inner skin of the exterior walls and interior load bearing walls. Non load bearing interior walls and roof trusses are usually timber, but the roofing material is pre fabricated concrete tiles (they look nothing like concrete though).

Note Concrete (UK) = Cement (US). What we call Cement (UK) is the Portland Cement grey powder, I have no idea what that is called in the US.

There are some timber framed houses being built now in the UK but they're in the minority.

 

[ar surround]

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow this house down...

Couldn't resist, first thing I thought of on seeing the picture. I know you have loads of houses built like this in the US, but they look so insubstantial to my UK eyes.

So houses aren't made of wood? What do they use in the UK?

Here is an expert answer to both of your inquiries:

 

[barfle]

The electric company maybe footing the bill for electric infrastructure. They will make their money back when all those new customers start paying their bills every month,,,, forever.
Not sure who foots the bill for water and sewage.

IMNSHO, the developers should be paying for all that stuff, including Internet/phone lines, etc. The costs should go to those who benefit, which would be the eventual homeowners.

 

[Bill B]

Brick or stone for the exterior walls usually, and breeze blocks (power station ash plus cement traditionally, other stuff now) for the inner skin of the exterior walls and interior load bearing walls. Non load bearing interior walls and roof trusses are usually timber, but the roofing material is pre fabricated concrete tiles (they look nothing like concrete though).

Note Concrete (UK) = Cement (US). What we call Cement (UK) is the Portland Cement grey powder, I have no idea what that is called in the US.

There are some timber framed houses being built now in the UK but they're in the minority.

I have little knowledge on how homes are built overall, but I've always ASSUMED that (in the US), even houses that have brick or stone finishes, still have wood frames underneath.
In most cases a lot of the load bearing is done by steel beams or (multiple if necessary) laminated wood beams ran through the center of the house.

 

[DuncanS]

A Matter of Truss't ( Thanks Billy )

Project is all set for roof trusses. Plan is to do this Monday morn - but - more than likely it will be Tuesday as Monday weather is not promising.
We use a crane to lift - but wind is our foe - along with rain. And guess what the forecast is for Monday.............
View attachment 104847

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow this house down...

Couldn't resist, first thing I thought of on seeing the picture. I know you have loads of houses built like this in the US, but they look so insubstantial to my UK eyes.

My first thought was its akin to a Wild West Frontier Town!

 

[barfle]

Note Concrete (UK) = Cement (US). What we call Cement (UK) is the Portland Cement grey powder, I have no idea what that is called in the US.

Technically, that’s also true in the US, although many people incorrectly refer to concrete as cement. I blame the Beverly Hillbillies and their “cee-ment pond.”

 

[barfle]

I have little knowledge on how homes are built overall, but I've always ASSUMED that (in the US), even houses that have brick or stone finishes, still have wood frames underneath.
In most cases a lot of the load bearing is done by steel beams or (multiple if necessary) laminated wood beams ran through the center of the house.

I’ve owned four houses, and all of them were stick-built, althouh one had a reinforcing steel I-beam across the floor over the basement. My theater is over a three-car garage, and the trusses are wood, although many are 2 by 10s.

My first home had a two-car garage with the master bedroom over it, and the joists were a steel and wood combination - two 2x4s laid flat with a series of triangular tubes laced between them. Big enough to crawl through, at least when I was in my 20s.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I have little knowledge on how homes are built overall, but I've always ASSUMED that (in the US), even houses that have brick or stone finishes, still have wood frames underneath.

That's true.. the exterior finish that appears as brick or stone can be structural or it can be a veneer, strictly for appearance. There is pretty much always interior wood framing to facilitate plumbing, wiring, heating, runs, etc. then covered with drywall.. I'm not sure how all that stuff fits into the construction style @Owen Smith is describing.