Notes from the LedgeI started this site because my dad and a few others have asked to see photos of the house that I'm building. It's turned into a diary of the project, with as much information as I can include.

You should know that a general contractor (I'll call him T.B. for "The Builder") is the one who is actually building the house, but one of the reasons I chose him as a builder is that he encourages me to be as involved as I can in decisions and even in some of the labor.

oaks by the riverIt's been a long and difficult project for me, and there have been many times I've wondered what on earth led me to tackle it. But it's also been incredibly rewarding and educational, and I know that the end result will be much more than just a house -- it will be my dream home, and I'll love it all the more because of what I've put into it.

Why do I call it "the Ledge"? Well, I learned to kayak on the South Fork back in 1987, and tried to learn to surf in this little hole called "Lotus Ledge." (Still have a scar to prove it!) When I looked at riverfront property in 1993, I fell in love with this parcel partly because Lotus Ledge was on the downstream boundary of it, and I have called the parcel "the Ledge" ever since. As it happens, the flood of January, 1997, washed out Lotus Ledge, but the name still sticks. Pictured right are some of the wonderful old oak trees on the property, with the river in the background. This is my view from the south side of the house. Yes, I know I am a lucky person.

I'll try to update things regularly but I'm a working stiff so please don't complain if I get sidetracked for a few weeks or months. And wish us luck!

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on anything I say in this web site. I'm not a licensed or even unlicensed contractor, and barely know how to use a hammer. So don't believe anything I say unless you check it out for yourself.

You can click on almost any picture in the pages below to see a larger version of the image.

Passive Solar House Design

Monday, July 26, 1999:
Slab Preparation, Radiant Heating, Structural Panels

Wednesday, July 28, 1999:
Pouring the Slab

Friday, July 30, 1999:
Setting the First Wall

Friday, August 13, 1999:
Remaining Walls

Saturday, August 14, 1999:
Salvage!

Tuesday, August 24, 1999:
Roof Panels

Friday, September 3, 1999:
Full Roof


And a year passes with no updates.... then

Tuesday, October 31, 2000:
Almost Done!

Tuesday, October 31, 2000:
The Great Room

Tuesday, October 31, 2000:
The Kitchen

New!

No, I haven't given up on this site, just been busy. I do plan to fill in the blanks over time. This page was added July 22, 2001:
Links to Related Resources

Let me know if you find sites that should be added to the links page.



Photos and page contents copyright ©1999-2020 by Donna McMaster. All rights reserved.