I was expecting a tractor or side by side to be the first piece of farm equipment we officially purchased but nope!  Its a C60 1979 grain truck.  We plan on using the truck to get feed for the livestock, haul gravel, wood chips, and other supplies for our operation.  The C60 is in good shape and pruchased it off Tim Duehn's auction.  Thanks to Uncle Dennis and Dad for keeping their eyes open for a good deal.  Next we have to clean it up and do a little repair work.  You might wonder why the gas tank going to the carburetor?  Well the truck has not been used or driven for about 5 years and the gas thank is full of garbage.  Dad is doing the first clean up work on it and once done we will reassess and determine what else is needed.  All in all you will see it is very clean and in good shape.

September 3, 2026.  Mark the day on the calendar.  Part of the entire build process is to homestead the property and start farming or ranching.  Farming or ranching what?  That's the question and something that I am meeting with the County Extension officer on September 8th.  But before that, I had to register with the USDA and have the farms listed under my name.  It took a stop at the USDA offices in Glencoe and about 30 minutes to get my properties listed.  We are now one step closer to creating our vision.  It's great to have some many resources to help support someone starting out but it also reinfoces the complexities of starting a farming operation from scratch in 2026.  When I meet with the County Extension officer we will review options to maximize our operation in Watertown township and then start to formally draft the business plan.  I have been reviewing many ideas over the past but to get the support from someone that does this full time will be appreciated.

In this video I document the garage rough-in including the EV chargers, Low Voltage, and plumbing rough in.  We are all ready for insulation!

This video shows you the entire main level.  Like the Lower Level, all rough-in is complete for the Lower Level and we are ready for insulation!

In this video we show the entire lower level rough-in.  All framing, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and low voltage rough-in has been completed.  All inspections are complete.  We are now ready for insulation!

In this video we show the start of the siding installation.  The installation is a combination of LP and DiamondKote.   The white and gray siding is LP and the DiamondKote is a dark brown.

At the same time the garage floor was poured the front stoop was also installed.  Now the front stoop is installed the roof construction can be completed and siding start.

The concrete floor in the garage is now poured, scored, and set up.  It is nice to see the progress.  Later in the project the floor will get covered with an epoxy finish to protect the concrete from salt and other vehicle debris.

One step closer to completion.  The septic system is installed and ready to go.

The final garage prep work is complete.  The vapor barrier, styrofoam insulation, and pex tubing is installed and ready for inspection and the concrte pour.

One of the few design changes we have made has been opening up the sun room and making it part of the daily living environment.  We needed the design reviewed by structrual engineering and then change out the header.

The floor drains and dog wash station are installed so we can pour the garage floor.  The floor will be poured next week.

The Main Level rough-in is also coming along nicely.  We are still working on lighting layout and how that works with the beam, kitchen island, and other details.

Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical rough-in are almost complete.  Check out how full the floor trusses are!

Most of the mechanical and electrical rough-in has been completed and the electrician is starting the electrical rough-in.  We have spent considerable time reviewing electrical outlet and lighting layout with more work to be done in the great room and lower level.

Plumbing and mechanical rough-in continues.  Most of the plumbing rough-in is complete and the mechanical rough-in continues.  The amount of plumbing and mechanical rough in is impressive.

The framing has been completed in the lower level.  You can see the walls.  The mechancial crew is falling right behind the framers and already has delivered duct work to the job site.  Plumbing rough-in is starting too.

We have a concrete floor.  Yea!  Things will pick up quickly now the concrete floor is installed.  Framing has already started and the project will progress rapidly now that the floor is in place.

The pex tubing is installed over the styrofoam insulation in the basement.  We also installed electrical and low voltage outlets in the floor.  We are now ready for concrete.

A steel post was needed to meet structural code.  It was recently manufactured and delivered to the site.  Once installed we will be able to pour the concrete basement.

The transom windows finally are installed.  We were waiting on some parts.  You can see how the windows expand the light in the space and make the space feel more expansive.

We are installing a weatherproof membrane over the exterior deck.  This will improve the space under the sun room and the deck and also reduce water damage to the area.

Here are the well lines in the house.  

Here is a short video showing the water pipes from the future well location that was direct bored from the well location to the inside of the house.  You will notice we also included a line for the future shop.

Poly is installed under the styrofoam insulation and we are ready to install the PEX infloor radiant heat.  Things are moving again.

The final basement prep is occurring and we are getting ready to lay the infloor radiant heat along with thermal barrier and insulation.

We have not made many changes to the project but one that we did was adding a chimney.  This video shows how the chimney looks fromt the front of the house.  Also captured on March 20, over the next few weeks the crew will complete the four season porch, shingling, and other framing items to get readdy for more interior work.

More videos from March 20, 2026.  This one showing the rough-in status of the Lower Level.  We are waiting for road restrictions to be lifted so we can install the in-floor radiant heat system, the concrete floor, and complete the rough-in of the lowe level.

To maintain our shingle warranty, we needed to create an airspace in the vaulted living room and master bed room.  This airspace creates seperation from the roof deck and the spray on insulation.  This was necessary to meet installation requirements to maintain shingle warranty.  Thanks to the Berg Companies and Allied for identifying this as it was needed as we did not have this feature specified.

The recording date of this vieo is March 20, 2026.  You can see the Zip Sheathing system with tape and the windows.  The crew continues making progress even though spring weather has created a very muddy construction site.

The house is getting weatherproof.  Windows are being installed.  Watch this video to see how things are looking.

As the exterior finishes up, you can start to see how the main floor interior is going to layout.  Look at the lovely vaulted areas and the spacious living and master bedrooms.  The main floor living room has a cathedral or church feel it is so tall and open.

The good weather has allowed the framing team to make substantial progress so we are ready to get the weather resistant barrier down on the roof and start putting down the shingles.  A very exciting time as the the structure starts taking shape - both from the outside and inside.

We have power!  Excel has installed power poles along Market Avenue and hooked up to the transformer.  What a long process!  Over the next two weeks the electrician will be getting temp power into the faciility.  

Roof trusses are starting to go up.  The weather is still cold and windy but the crew is making progress.  In this video you start to see the interior walls on the main floor and some of the trusses going up.  Soon the entire roof trusses and roof sheathing will be installed.

The framing crew continues to make progress.  The framing of the main floor is almost complete.  The crew continues struggling with extreme cold and windy weather that is slowing progress.  The roof trusses are at the job site and will soon be installed.

Take a look in the basement area as we get ready to install temp heat.  You can see the structrucal steel beams, bracing, and floor trusses.  Over the next few weeks we will get temp heat and start warming up the structure.

We achieved a big milestone on Christmas Day 2025.  The Framing crew completed installing the cap.  This includes framing and sheating the whole lower level and also installing the floor sheathing.  This marks the installation of the structural steel beam, the floor joists, and all  lower level sheating.  Up next we will get temp heat installed in the lower level and begin framing the main floor, including installing ceiling trusses.

Sheathing with the Zip System is starting.  Zip System is a sheathing that insulates, sound proofs, and stabilizes the house construction.  We selected the two inch (2") R9 version.  This delayed us about 60 days due to the extra structural engineering work to confirm wind load.  The house is structurally engineered to 120 MPH windows - which is equivilent to a type 3 hurricane.  I cannot wait to see the full house sheathed with the Zip System.

This video starts to show the floor trusses being installed.  We are waiting on a structrual steel beam to be installed which will allow the trusses to be finished and the "cap" installed.  

The cold weather is slowing down construction but the team continues to make progress.  A cold snap stopped work for a few days but the team is back at it and making more progress.

The weather has turned cold and winter is upon us but construction continues.  Framing is starting and we soon hope to have the basement framed up, the floor trusses and sub floor installed so we can put some temp heat in and continue with framinng the main floor.

The concete wall are installed and we are ready to backfill, waterproof, and then begin framing.

What does a bunch of floor trusses look like?  Here you go.  They will soon be installed after we get the concrete walls poured.  Progress keeps moving forward.

Things start to really take shape.  Concrete forms are being installed in preparation of pouring the walls.  

Construction progresses with the installation of the footings.  

In this video, the project starts to take shape.  The future location for the house is staked out and we get ready for excavation.

In this video, the project starts to take shape.  The future location for the house is staked out and we get ready for excavation.

The Main Level Great Room beam rough in is complete.  This took multiple design reviews to get the lighting layout to be symmetrical and over the island kitchen.  These structural I beams will be wrapped with distressed beams and then loaded up with lighting.  Can't wait to see the finished product!