Duplex Sweet Duplex

After being out of town for a week, it was good to finally be back. While we were away, the insulation was installed, we passed inspection and the guys finished bricking the back. So today they moved to the front and the sheetrocking has begun.

Rusty graced us with his presence today too.

Take a Tour

Here's a special sneak peak of one entire unit. It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom duplex.

East Side - Our First Stone Gable

East Unit Entry

Front Entry

Dining & Kitchen

Dining & Living Room

Hallway to the Bedrooms

Bedroom #1


"Master" Bedroom #2

Master Bathroom

Shared Bathroom


Laundry Room

Bedroom #3

Seconds

We passed our seconds inspection today. What a relief. I only had to cut through a perfectly good pipe to do it, oops. So, we're ready for insulation after the long weekend. We should be sheetrocking in a week. Then, we'll be able to see some changes in the house.


Ramon and Vicente started the stone. I think it's going to really turn out nice. We'll go back today to see that entire panel. Not sure if we want to slurry the brick or not now.

Before the stone.

This big tree in the front seems angry that we're building here. It keeps throwing pecans at me. They are vicious. When they hit the roof they shoot out and if you're not careful it'll get you.

No Huffing and Puffing will Bring This House Down

We got the green light to go ahead with bricking.

We got some rain so they made sure to dry the building in so we could continue with the interior.




We passed the sheating inspection but the inspector did insist that we add additional bracing to a few areas of the framing. With all of the bracing, brick, stone, CMU and rebar I am coming here in case of a huge storm. It's built for strength.

Setting Records

We are going too fast to keep up on the denton duplex. We passed the sheathing inspection today so we'll be bricking tomorrow. They should finish the roof tomorrow too and then we'll be dried in.

The front "door"

Kitchen, dining, living room

In other broken records, at my house, Stevie is trying to set the record for how fast a home can sell. It's not even on the market and she has a buyer. Here I thought this was a slow market. She's pretty good. It may have something to do with the amazing quality of home it is too.

Framing Away

The last two days, the framing has been going up super fast.

Day three of framing and it looks like a house.

Ramon and the boys were back to finish up the firewall. Ramon wouldn't let me work today so I was stuck with the supervisor position.

The city came and fixed the sidewalks and street where they had to cut for the sewer.

Here's proof that Kraft really was at the job and he does work occasionally.

This shot was taken yesterday afternoon.

A Tale of Two Sides

Since the framers didn't make it out until LATE yesterday, all they were able to do was lay out the walls. They sure made up for it today though. By the time I made it out, half the duplex was pretty well framed. I know they've got a long way to go but it doesn't take long with these professionals. Dad called it "poetry in motion". It really is.

The Great Wall of Denton

The wall is up. Tomorrow we start framing. Busy, busy.

Masonry Work and I mean WORK

As much fun as the pour was yesterday, laying block today was not. I don't know why anyone would want to do that day in and day out. I may have felt differently had I been one of the skilled laborors actually laying the block. Labor work is just that, LABOR. I'll give it to them. I didn't last half a day before I was DONE moving and stacking block. Maybe bricks will be more fun? We'll see when we get to that stage. For now, here are some progress photos and a couple fun ones where, yes, you witness me actually working.

The Big Pour

The slab pour was set for 7 am and they were done by 9. I think I might like to be in the concrete business. There's a lot of excitement in the air on the day of the pour. Headed back for the tedious part so I might change my mind before the day is over.