Fort Bragg
We are building a 2nd home in Fort Bragg, CA. We bought the 2.5 acre parcel on a cul-de-sac in early 2003 and had it cleared later that year.
The property is outside the Fort Bragg city limits so we have no city water or sewer service. We had a well dug (150' depth at 12 gallons/min - more than adequate) and a septic system designed. Electricity (200 amps) was dropped to a utility pole at the street. 100 amps will go to the house and the other 100 amps will go to a workshop barn that I hope to build later.
We hope to break ground in August, 2006, have it buttoned up in November before the rains hit and then finish it off by Febuary or March, 2007. It will be our escape villa from the city.
As we were searching for contractors we learned that the next door neighbor who was having his house built was a contractor. Our draftsman had recommended him earlier so we made contact and went to his house to check out his work. We found good solid craftsmanship and a very knowledgeable guy. He's been building houses in the Fort Bragg area for 30 years. Plus, he lives next door so he can't hide if he makes a mistake. And he can't charge us for gas to get to the job site. His name is Russ Sime (707-961-0783) and I recommend him for anyone who may be thinking of building up in the Fort Bragg/Mendocino area.
As the project progresses, we'll post pics of each stage.
Here is the site plan of the 1920 sq. ft. home.
Here's the floor plan and here are the elevations. They're in pdf format so you'll need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to see them. You can get the reader by going to the Adobe home page.
We've listed the various materials and resources that are used for the house.
Click on the following links to see chronological pictures of the site and the building in progress.
April 2003
when bought. The property had been partially cleared years before. The drive had also been cleared with gravel laid down.
September 2003
The site is now being cleared. It was a shame to tear down all the trees, but we needed
room to put the house up.
Oct 2003
Some final clearing.
Aug 6, 2006
Just before ground breaking. Pics taken w/ my cell phone (forgot the digital camera).
Aug 27, 2006
The foundation has been poured.
Sep 4, 2006
The floor joists are in. These pics were taken by our friends who
finished their house last year in nearby Mendocino.
Sep 9, 2006
The garage walls are up and the subfloor is in.
Sep 24, 2006
The exterior and interior walls are framed.
Oct 14, 2006
The trusses are up and windows are in.
Oct 28, 2006
The roof is on in the front and more exterior siding has been installed.
Nov 18, 2006
Chimney and fireplace are in. More siding is on.
Dec 2, 2006
Stone veneer is going on. Sheetrock is in; back deck is started.
Dec 16, 2006
Stone veneer is complete. Deck bracing is complete.
Jan 6, 2007
Not much has been done; holidays and the drywall guy was ill. Some of the finish carpentry
around the windows is done.
Feb 3, 2007
The custom cabinets are in, some of the ceiling lighting is installed and the deck is complete.
Feb 24 and Mar 3, 2007
The cabinets are painted and the cabinet hardware is on.
Mar 10 and Mar 17, 2007
The exterior is painted, the countertops and wood floors are getting installed.
Mar 24, 2007
The wood floors and countertops are installed. The exterior doors are painted.
Apr 14, 2007
The porch steps and handrail are installed. Carpet, mantel and outside lighting are installed. The house is almost complete.
May 5, 2007
We are done!!! The final inspection is complete and the house has been cleaned. These are the final shots of the project. Hope you enjoyed looking at the progress.
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