To do list and plans for our A-frame
It’s time for another peek at our to do list! Scroll all the way down for more details on the A-frame.
- Put up silt fencing while grass seed germinates (done!)
2. Get a level 3 soil test done
3. Meet with contractor to stake out septic site
4. Meet with contractor to stake out well site
5. Spread more grass seed as soon as the first grass sprouts
6. Continue working on culvert “wing wall”. (We’re collecting rocks from all over the property to build a wall that will help with gravel runoff into the stream. These are called wing walls. The cement bags will all get concealed with the large rocks and we will be adding lots more gravel at the top to better conceal the culvert.)
7. Modify our house plans to prepare them for submission for building permit
8. Submit building permit to county, 1–2 week lead time for issuance
9. Finish driveway up to build site (this was unfinished work from our first contractor, waiting on availability of new contractor)
10. Clear build site (this was unfinished work from our first contractor, waiting on availability of new contractor)
11. Clear site for pole barn
12. Apply for fed alcohol license as soon as we have a property address
We just got word our new grading contractor will be back with us on October 26th, so we are crossing our fingers there are no delays on his current project! He will be completing the driveway for us and begin to tackle some of the large debris/tree piles in order to burn them. We may also get him to clear the site of our future A-frame.
A-Frame
This is our first time building a house! While we went through extensive renovations at our last house, Dan did not yet feel comfortable designing his own plans from scratch with the level of technical detail necessary to submit for approval. So we bought plans online and now that Dan sees how it’s done and the detail required, he thinks he can design the plans for our tasting room next year. For now, we are modifying the ones we have to suit our needs. We went with a 1 bed/1 bath plan of about 1100 sq. feet that includes a loft area.
A few reasons why we’re going so small: this home was never meant to be “home”. The purpose of these A-frames is to mimic our stays on Italian vineyards where vacationers rent a 1 bedroom “villa” overlooking a vineyard or a view and stay for a week on a working farm where wine, olive oil, honey, etc. is produced, and from there take day trips and explore the surroundings. So the long term purpose of the A-frame is to rent it out to weekenders who’d like to eat delicious meals and drink great wine right where they’re staying. For this reason, it doesn’t pay to build a normal sized house to rent out. We couldn’t charge enough to justify that cost. When we go away we want a cozy, private suite, not a house the size of something we live in in Atlanta. So while it will certainly feel cramped living here for the next few years until we can afford to build our farmhouse, we simply can’t justify or afford a bigger build. We need to save most of our money to build the tasting room and fund the wine equipment purchases, which we need to generate income.
We’re realizing that the design process is challenging and a little different when you are building something to be used as a future rental verses something you will live in permanently. For example, the plans we bought have the washer and dryer unit in the bathroom. It literally went without saying for me that this would not work and have to be moved elsewhere…because I didn’t mention it, Dan assumed it worked. “It’ll be fine!” he said, when I finally did. So I explained that when I rent a cozy home for the weekend I don’t want awkward things that look like afterthoughts or design mistakes. (We did rent a place in Italy with the washer in the kitchen! haha but this is to be expected in old Italian villas that have been later retrofitted to accommodate tourists.) It’s not acceptable for me in a new build where things like this can be avoided. Dan conceded and we are going to find another place for them, sacrificing some closet space but, again, weekenders don’t need much closet space. Similarly the small bathroom only appears to have room for a shower, which would be fine for us but I told him that when I go away for the weekend it’s nice to have a freestanding tub to soak in and relax. So we moved some things around and found room for a tub! It’s these little details that of course we could live without modifying but in the context of making this as appealing to a romantic getaway as possible, needed to change. Thank goodness that we compliment one another so well in that Dan is all about the math and the logistics and I am looking at the bigger design picture. Neither of us could execute this as well (or in my case, at all) without the other!
Thanks for following along!
