Diary of My Home Project

Diary of My Home Project

I am a professional home designer, and with my family's help I am building my own home. Because I would like you to benefit from my experience (and mistakes), I am recording in this diary what happens, good and bad. In building my own home, I would like to set an example in good building and construction. In my other articles on this web site you can read how our mountains are being ruined by poorly designed and constructed homes. How I wish that people would put more thought into their plans before they build! Now that I have the opportunity to build my own home, I would like to use this project to promote better building practices. Of course I have many of my own ideas that no one else is brave enough to try. So I will be experimenting with some ideas I have on:

Energy efficiency
- Passive solar heating that actually makes the home look more beautiful
- Passive cooling by convection
- Earth berming the north, west, and east sides
- Extra insulation
Environmental design
- Fitting the home to the property to reduce excavation
- Using materials that last longer with less maintenance, and are safer
- Using locally harvested timber and recycled products wherever possible
- Using natural lime plaster in place of paint
- Preserving as much of the native vegetation as possible
- Reducing the use of materials by designing a much smaller, better quality home
- Office space in the home
Universal design
- Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining, living, and parking on same levels
- Wider doorways for easier wheelchair access
- Bathroom with wall hung sink and wheel-in shower
Beautiful modern design
- Solar homes do not have to be ugly!
- Sleek lines emphasized by beautiful, hand oiled, wood trim
- Earth tone plaster walls
- Matching acid stained concrete floors
- Built in furniture with clever storage areas
- Modern kitchen with super efficient storage
- Recessed lighting for maximum comfort and effect

Even if all of these ideas are a little extreme for you, you can learn a lot about construction in the mountains by visiting this web site regularly. You can see more of our home by clicking the links below:

Back to the Diary Home Page

Step 1, Purchasing the Land

Step 2, Designing Our Own Home

Step 3, Our Septic Permit

Step 4, Our Insulated Wall System

Step 5, Cutting Lumber from Our Own Trees

Step 6, Plumbing Before the Slab is Poured

Step 7, Pouring the Concrete Floors

Step 8, Pouring Concrete in the ICF Walls

Step 9, Framing the Wood Walls, Floors, and Roof

Step 10, Installing the Windows

Step 11, Roughing in Plumbing and Electrical

Step 12, Insulation

Step 13, Roofing Our Home

Step 14, Finishing the Cabin

I have friends in the construction industry who are very interested in this home. In appreciation for their assistance, I would like to give them credit for their help, and give you the opportunity to contact them. The following list will be updated regularly:

-Bonnie our helpful realtor can be contacted by EMAIL or by phoning her at 800-871-1910
-Tony of A&L Construction did the clearing, excavating, and sawed lumber from our trees. He can be reached at 828-835-9926.
-Pete is a very good part time carpenter. You can phone him at 828-479-9458.

Would you like to see this project under construction?
Come to the next Mountain Home Show, and you will get an invitation to our open house.
For more informaiton, click on the link to "Detailed information about the home show."
If you are interested in building, you may also be able to make an appointment to visit.
Click on "Email Richard" to make an appointment. Or perhaps you would like to observe the construction of this home on line.
Click on "Construction Diary." You are welcome to visit often as we continually update it.

How to Contact Richard C. MacCrea

My Facebook Page
(Design news and ideas)
Email Me
(Opens an email window)
800.738.8781 P.O. Box 446, Murphy, North Carolina 28906

Other Pages on this Web Site

The Mountain Home Show, Home Page and Site Map
(How to find what you're looking for)
The Next Mountain Home Show Program
(For guests and exhibitors)
How to Get in The Mountain Home Show
(For exhibitors)
Articles
(About designing, building and remodeling a mountain home)
The Mountain Model Home
(A home that experiments with extreme energy efficiency)
The Mountain Model Cabin
(A cabin that experiments with small size and energy efficiency)
Construction Diary
(The joys and frustrations of building these two model homes)
Home Designing and Planning
(How to get plans for building or remodeling your home)

How to Contact The Mountain Home Show
Email Us
(Opens an email window)
Like our Facebook Page
(Join our Mountain Home Show Community for news and contacts)
The Mountain Home Show, P.O. Box 446, Murphy, North Carolina 28906-0446

Appreciation......
The Mountain Home Show owes its success to the businesses that participate in the show.
They arrange such wonderful exhibits.
It is obvious that they take great pride in their work and our show.

This web site contains information obtained from various sources. The Mountain Home Show is not liable for the accuracy of this information. Please contact the source of this information with your questions.