We built a new home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with TriPointe Homes (formerly Quadrant). Read below for building tips and insights and follow on Instagram @Seventeenth.Avenue for an intimate look into my home.
Spring 2020
New Construction: To Build or Not to Build
For the past year we have been hemming and hawing over whether we want to build new again or purchase an as-built home and renovate it. The area we live in has a mix of homes that span the range of 100 years, with the majority of those homes built between 2000 – 2018 in…
We’re Building Another House
Last time I checked in, we were in the process of deciding if we would buy and renovate or build new with a local builder. If you recall, there were a lot of things to consider. Location, location, location. We had two areas we were focused on buying based on the elementary schools we prefer.…
Structural, Exterior, and Electrical Decisions – Part 1
Now that our lot, plan and elevation are locked in with a big fat (and I mean FAT) earnest deposit, we are cued up for a series of design appointments to get our home ready for permitting and interior finishing. The next step in our journey is the non-sexy, but fundamentally important decisions around structural…
Summer 2020
Structural, Exterior, and Electrical Decisions – Part 2
In my previous post I shared details about the structural and exterior decisions I made for our home and why. As promised, here is part 2 of the ‘non-sexy’ series; Electrical decisions. Before I dive into this post, I’d like to share a disclaimer: In no way am I a professional electrician, nor do I…
Milestone: Design Selections
If you read my Building 101 – The Design Studio post, you’re familiar with what goes on at the design studio and the important things we considered during this phase of our new home build. I went into my design meetings with a clear vision, a broad understanding of what my options were and most…
Milestone: Ground Breaking
It has been a waiting game since we finalized our interior selections back in June. If you’re building with Quadrant Homes, the design sign-off milestone is what triggers your deposit payment and also clears your build to go to the City for permitting. The permitting timeline then varies by City and by project, but ours…
Fall 2020
Milestone: We’re Framed
Back in August we broke ground and since then it has been so fun to check in weekly on the progress because things change that quickly in this phase! After they broke ground, it took about a month for the foundation forms to be set and the foundation to be poured, cured, inspected and signed…
Milestone: Frame Walk Tour
On November 6, we had our virtual frame walk tour to view our homes progress to date. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the build and to make requests for any minor changes that needed to happen before insulation and drywall begins. I had an opportunity to stop by over the weekend…
Milestone: Insulation and Drywall
Things have moved quickly since my last update on the build and the tips I shared on my frame walk post were really valuable. Now that the home is insulated and drywalled, it’s near impossible to determine what is going on within the walls, so documenting everything beforehand will be a great resource moving forward.…
Winter 2020
Update: Siding, Cabinets and more
As we head into the holidays, the pace has picked up on our new build progress. Now that most of the work has progressed indoors, things are getting more exciting! On the exterior, they have nearly completed installation of the siding and board and batten work. They have also framed the driveway, walkway, front porch…
