Last week was another good step forward for the house. The footers were completed and passed inspection, which means we’re officially moving on to the next phase: pouring the concrete.
Progress has been coming in steady steps lately. Not the giant emotional moments we imagined earlier in the process, but small confirmations that things are continuing to move forward.
When the inspector approved the footers, Troy was on site and sent a text to our construction project group thread. When we saw the message, we both let out a loud cheer. It wasn’t a big celebration, but it was a moment of real excitement knowing we could keep moving forward.
And right now, progress is the thing that matters most.
Feeding the Crew
One of the things we’ve talked about since the beginning of this build is making sure the teams working on the house know we appreciate them.
Last week we brought in a taco bar from Taco Dirty for lunch. There were about fifteen workers on site that day. When the food arrived, the guy in charge waved everyone over and they dropped their tools where they were and came running.
I had ordered food for twenty because I wasn’t sure how many would be there, so we ended up with leftovers. But judging by how quickly everyone gathered around the taco bar, I think it was a welcome surprise. Many of the workers typically bring lunches packed from home, so I don’t think they were expecting it.
We had also offered to bring beer for the crew at the end of one of their shifts, but the guy in charge politely asked that we not do that. He’s clearly a no-nonsense leader who takes his job seriously, and we respect that.
The Construction Borrowing System
Living on-site during construction has given us a front-row seat to how job sites really operate.
Early one morning I heard a loud crashing noise outside. When I went out to see what was going on, I found subcontractors from a neighboring job site throwing metal into our dumpster.
The dumpster situation isn’t a huge deal, except that we’re charged by weight.
A little later, Troy also noticed another builder working on one of the other homes on our corner walking across our lot carrying a few pieces of rebar that had been delivered for our foundation work. There are three houses currently under construction on this corner, so there is a lot of activity happening around us.
The rods were laying on the ground and were scheduled to be installed as part of the footer work.
Troy called out to him and walked over to chat. The builder said he was just borrowing them to measure something and would bring them back.
Maybe that was always the plan… maybe not.
But Troy handled it well. He told him he didn’t mind neighbors borrowing materials, but asked that people check with us first so we could keep track of what belonged where.
The rods were returned shortly after.
It definitely makes you wonder what happens on construction sites when homeowners aren’t living right there.
The Sink Decision
This week also included several hours of plumbing fixture selections, which turned out to be far more overwhelming than I expected.
I had absolutely no idea how many different options exist for something as simple as a bathroom sink.
Or a kitchen sink.
Or a faucet.
Apparently there are thousands.
At one point we stood in front of a display of kitchen sinks for what felt like half an hour, staring at them the way people stare at cars on a showroom floor. I had initially landed on a 36-inch sink, but something about it kept feeling small.
My owner’s rep, who is also a dear friend and very good at keeping me inside the budget, has developed a habit of rolling her eyes whenever I say, “That looks too small.”
It’s become a bit of a game.
Eventually the salesperson pointed out a 39-inch sink that sits right between the 36 and the giant 45-inch model that would require two faucets. The moment I saw it, I knew that was the one.
My owner’s rep just shook her head.
The designer was perfectly happy with whatever I chose, but she agreed that the 45-inch version would probably be overkill.
So the 39-inch composite sink won.
I’m still debating color, but black is currently the front runner. A lot will depend on the final hood selection for the kitchen, which I want to make a bold focal point.
The Faucet Moment
The master bathroom faucet selection had a similar moment.
We were looking through what felt like hundreds of options. The designer pointed out several that were beautiful, but none of them really felt interesting.
Then suddenly my hand landed on one particular faucet.
And I just knew.
It’s hard to explain, but after looking at so many options, something about that one immediately stood out. It just felt right.
Luckily for me, it also happened to be within budget, so my owner’s rep didn’t have to talk me down from anything too outrageous.
Small miracles.
Looking Ahead
Next up is pouring the concrete for the footers and continuing to move upward from the foundation.
It still amazes me how many steps exist before you ever see a single wall go up.
But we’re moving.
And after everything we’ve been through to get to this point, that feels really good.
Two Dogs and a Demo 