Weekly update.

The Hazardous Materials Assessment came back and we DO have asbestos in the mud used for taping the gyproc and around the heating vents. We will have to have these taken care of before the demolition can begin. I haven't had the bill yet for this assessment.

• The surveyer says he will come this week.
• The Arborist still has not come to report on the fir to be removed so I can get a tree removal permit.
• We have been to the Credit Union for financing as they will give a higher percentage for land that is serviced.

In between all this I have had chest Xrays for my shortness of breath, been to Emerg with suspected retinal detatchment(it wasn't). Hubby has been to the dentist and will maybe require a bone transplant to his jaw!

Playing with my blog! Sounds dirty!

As you may notice I have now added a couple of gadgets. The music that plays is on a little one called Playlist. You can click through my favourites. I haven't figured out how to make it skinnier. (Update:- I put it at the bottom , not on the side)I also added "Tip of the Day". This is a site I click on every day with thrifty and other tips.

Unexpected Benefits!

Good looking men!!

We have had a tree removal company, a logging company and a hazardous material assessment company all come to give us quotes and reports. Each and every one of these men were very handsome! Ahhhh!



Anyway, back to reality, the arborist said we should remove 4 lovely old firs on our back fence as they may die because of the digging for foundations. The man from the logging company said that he thought we can keep them as we will not be digging in the drip line.The hazardous material assessor says we definitely have asbestos in our back hallway floor where we had removed some old lino when we moved in.I have now covered this with an old plastic Christmas tablecloth.

We have spoken to the bank about time-lines for getting financing and find out they don't do building loans for prefabs!!! Have called other banks and credit unions and am waiting on some replies.



We are also waiting for our surveyor to come and plot our elevations, he is the hold up right now as we need them to get on with the whole process.

Emotional Roller-coaster time.

The last few days were a problem for me. All my self-doubts,lack of experience in the whole developer type stuff we are doing and being physically and emotionally exhausted. And this is only the planning stage!Spent some time with two close friends who let me vent,talked things out with Hubby and today I feel 100% better and am all systems go!!!



We received the price, for the rancher, back from Andrew at Pacific Homes and are now waiting for the surveyor to come and do our elevations. Then we can get on with it.



I have also called a tree company they will give us a credit for the wood they cut so I will need to get permits.I hate the thought of cutting down these beautiful old trees but we have probably already hastened their demise with our digging.

I have contacted the painting firm that did an excellent job on our Cadillac house and asked for a quote to paint the rancher interior.

Habitat for Humanity is a cause I believe in so I contacted them to see if they do house deconstruction,they don't have the equipment to do this but will take anything that we feel like giving them when we do demolish.

I thought only women could change their minds!

My dear husband has now decided he doesn't want that house on the corner lot. We went back on-line and found this house which will face the lane.

I have now sent this plan back to Andrew at Pacific Homes to price out.

I received a quote back from the builder on the original plan.

We have also had two big old cherry trees removed from the back yard that would compromise a view from the middle house.
While the arborist was here he said we will have a problem with the four large firs against the back fence when we start to excavate for foundations. He suggests cutting them down so that the corner house is not dark.

The Hazardous Material Company is coming to do testing next Thursday,
18th March/10.

Both Demolition companies that I called have come to see but neither have sent quotes yet.

On with the plan.

Andrew, from Pacific homes, sent the quote for the kit on Monday.Since then I seem to have spent my time on the phone! This is a picture of the house we might build. It fits all the parameters of the lot with no cause for requesting variences.

• Rick Complair Construction.He has a lot of experience with Pacific Homes.He will look at the plans when and if we go with Pacific.


• Demolition companies. They all require a Hazardous Materials Assessment.This will cost from $600-$1200 depending on the number of samples. Two have come and will get back to me with estimates.


• Municipality.Checking re:-future driveway placements,need for tree removal permits.


• Tree experts. We would like two large cherry trees removed and the large firs thinned a little. An arborist came and he suggests we leave the firs for the next owner as our excavations etc. will cause them to deteriorate quickly.They will be here tomorrow to cut down the cherries.


• Realtor.Have sent him a copy of the plan we are interested in building. We want to know how much he thinks it may be worth when selling.


• Hazardous Materials Company. To come and test the house. They come next Thursday.

Will keep you all posted when I get replies!

AHHHHHH!!!!

We have returned home after two days of rest and relaxation. We left Thursday am on the Brentwood Bay Ferry and had brekky in Mill Bay. We went to Pacific Building Supplies and were helped by a wonderful salesman named Andrew. He took us on a tour of the various steps in assembling the homes. We didn't know that they own 3 or 4 of the RONA stores.
We had taken a couple of plans we had seen on the internet,and have left one with him to work out the pricing. They have some stock plans but usually work with customers plans and also have designers that you can use. When you order a home from them you have many options for finishing ,windows from vinyl to fibreglass, siding from vinyl to Hardiplank,etc.
After we left him we took the scenic route to Parksville and checked in early to the brand new Beach Club. This resort hotel is where the old Island Hall and a miniature golf had been. Our room was overlooking the beach. They are building a boardwalk and we walked it after settling in. The room was lovely and well appointed. The package we were under entitled us to $50 off our dinner,which was suberb.
In the morning we saw thousands of seabirds floating on the water in the bay, seals and eagles were in abundance as well. After breakfast,also delicious, we went and had massages. Another perk from the package we received $100 off the price each. We drove down Island slowly, popped into Coombs, Chemainus then back to Mill Bay and took the Ferry home. My poor Hubby has to work at 4am tomorrow so off to bed we go. Night Night!!

Latest Developments

My husband and I have been looking for houseplans online, that will fit on the lots within the given set-backs laid down by the Municipality. We are having difficulty as what might be a good resale house might not be what we would choose to live in.
Anyway we are going to wait till we talk to the gentleman at the prefab company before deciding what we will do next. I was given the names and addresses of prefab owners,so we drove by some of them and I phoned a couple. They were both very positive about the whole experience so that eases my mind a little.
If you look in the picture on my masthead you will notice three large rhodos beneath our living room window. Well they are gone! I put an ad on Craigslist and some very nice people came and dug them up.I have been digging up some bulbs when they stop flowering so I can replant them in my final home!!!
Bad news, our home is sprouting little clusters of mould, I guess the puddle in the crawl space is making the house too damp. Bring on the sunshine again!!