New Construction Includes Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Back Deck

Lake view from the great room including the new deck railing

            Building our lake house has been an exciting journey, so far. Since this is the first house we’ve built, we’ve learned so much about new construction from a very seasoned and expert builder, Blue Moon Bay Construction. The last few weeks we’ve seen the electrical and plumbing in the house take shape pretty quickly.

            Even though this isn’t the most glamorous part of the house and most of the wires

Ductwork and LED lighting

and pipes will be covered by the interior walls. It’s been very helpful to watch and learn what happens behind the interior walls. We have one bathtub delivered but not installed yet and we’re waiting on the second for the master bath. Most of the cans for the LED lighting are in place. The LED lighting is a bit more expensive to install but will save on electrical bills, last for 30 years, and provide excellent lighting. LED is used mostly throughout the house.

            The ductwork and the variable-speed 21 seer Infinity HVAC system are being installed. This HVAC system costs a bit more but our house will be very comfortable and our energy bills will be low

Deck including steps and railing

            One easy decision we made early on in the planning process was that we wanted a large deck to be able to enjoy the outdoors and the gorgeous view of the lake. So, the deck is the width of the house and 12 feet deep. It really is pretty big and will be the spot for gatherings of all kinds. It doesn’t have a roof because the cost was prohibitive but it has lots of mature trees, which offer shade especially in the afternoons. The deck faces west but the great trees offer a cool deck with nice breezes. All in all, it will be a great place to spend lots of time with family and friends.

          It’s pretty amazing how quickly things are taking shape. We are in the dry now so weather doesn’t affect the subcontractors work. We go to check on the house every few days and are always amazed how much has been accomplished. If you have questions about our new construction or high energy features, please give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310.

Exterior Walls, Windows, Trusses and Roofing

Windows in the master bedroom

        During the last couple of weeks the new construction has included adding exterior walls, windows, trusses and the roof. This construction process gets more and more exciting as we go. So far, we feel we’ve made good choices on our design of the house and the construction is superb. Our builder, Blue Moon Bay, has asked lots of questions and helped us make the best decisions possible, and ones we can afford.

Roof trusses

            After the framing was put in place, the framing contractors added exterior walls. One high energy element our builder uses is to caulk around each stud to ensure that we have as much protection from energy leaks as possible. Also, a wrap was added to the exterior for additional insulation.

Adding the exterior walls helps us to visualize even more how the house will look when it is complete. It seems every phase of construction so far helps to define the finished product. And, we can hardly wait.

            After the exterior walls were put in place, roof trusses, felt and shingles were added and made a huge difference in the exterior. High energy trusses are designed to accommodate the same level of insulation from one end of the roof to the other with all areas of the ceiling being covered. This adds to the overall high energy efficiency package.

            When the trusses were complete, the roof was started with decking which includes a Thermostat radiant barrier on the underneath side. This insulation adds an additional element to the high energy efficiency for our house. Then the shingles were laid. The triple-pane windows have also been put in place and the 12’ deck is starting to take shape.

The 12' deck is the length of the house

                      The pleasant spring weather helps the construction move along quickly. We’ve had a wonderful builder and subcontractors who’ve been a pleasure to work with, which has made the whole process very enjoyable. If you have questions or want additional information about our new construction, please give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310