The House is ALMOST Done!

Well, it's been a little over six months since we "broke ground" on our building project near Zion National Park in Rockville Utah.  July 2, 2011 was the "official start date" though real digging of foundations etc...started after mid-July (see this post for views of major stages in the building from August to October 2011).

The "indoor" finishing work started late November; it often seems to go slower (and less visible) but when we think back it has been very fast indeed . thanks to an excellent contractor, efficient and competent workers, and GREAT BUILDING WEATHER.  It has been an above-normal warm and dry Fall/Winter which has been a great blessing for building (but we also need the rain for the fields)!

If all goes well we start moving things in during the first week in February--below are some photo highlights on the indoor work which officially ended February 3, 2012 with house cleaning!  The next BIG date is MOVE-IN DAY after we finalize inspections and get county/city approval--a "certificate of Occupancy"!  Karen and I can hardly wait!  Below are highlights in photos over the last two months!

The cabinet-makers move in with cabinets...see also below

Putting up light fixtures and mirrors...

Guest bathroom...

Powder room near entry...

Bringing in the kitchen appliances...to install...

Checking wiring for appliances...

The cooktop is in...

Kitchen area with appliances almost in...

A day with a LOTS of deliveries and workers...

Finished master-bath vanity and sinks, medicine cabinets etc...

The walk-in closet is complete with clothes rods...

The entrance from the garage with bench & hooks for coats etc...

Kitchen cabinets before installation in the Great Room...

Cabinets and counters--BEFORE the countertops are installed!

Unloading the granite countertops...

Installing granite countertops in the kitchen...

The Yellow Juparana granite we chose...

Cabinets and counters--AFTER countertops are installed...

One of the neat devices installed for storing goods "in corners" in the kitchen!

Pendant lights hung...the LAST electrical task!

Closeup of Pendant light over kitchen counter...

Water Reservoir & Pressure tank going in...

Water Purification, Reverse-Osmosis, Filtering and Softening Equipment in...

On-demand Water Heater System and Pump going in...

Bookshelf and decorative alcove from the entrance into the great room...

Bookshelf and decorative alcove - view toward the front door...

Tile-work completed...

Shower fixtures...

Masterbath Shower Door in...

Shower door in guestroom in...

Bryan and Celeste see our house for the first time at Christmas...

The front walkway is in---built from native local sandstone!

Front Entrance Paint Trim started and Glass installed...door painting next.

The front door is done and landscaping almost complete...

Garage door painted and 'getting-ready' for landcaping and spring planting of sod...

Landscaping begun...getting ready for spring sod planting etc...

Transition area to lawn and place for a planter--to come...

Front Door Glass Installed...

Closeup Front Door Glass...

Side Window Glass in Front Entrance...

The garage-door goes up!

Electrical work nearly done as well--indoors and outdoors!

The fan in the great room...

Fan and lights in the sun room...

Entryway decorative light fixture...

Entryway decorative light fixture...seen from hall to garage back into the sun room...

Installing carpets...

Carpets in the master  bedroom looking back toward the walk-in closet...

The fireplace is lit and working...

The Great Room...

Our back veranda with view into Zion...spring will bring back green fields!

Building a privacy fence around the propane tank &
other equipment and storage yard for garbage cans etc.

The privacy fence is done...LAST job before final inspections and certifications...

We can see the end of the long but exciting ordeal--and realistically it has gone better than expected.

 Our best, Karen and Bob!

Holiday with Family--what fun!

Bryan and Anya (with granddaughter Celeste) from New Haven CT (Yale) and Colby (who is a senior at UCR-Riverside) joined us for a week before Chistmas near Las Vegas NV at a time-share.  We also had a visit from Karen's sister and husband (Kathy and David Gochnour) as they went through to San Diego CA.

Then we spent five sunny, beautiful days (and cool nights) after Christmas around Springdale Utah near Zion National Park.  It was wonderful!  They also got to see our house which is near completion and helped us make choices on "countertops" etc....  We move in sometime over the next 2-3 weeks if all stays on schedule.  Bryan and Anya then stopped-off in NYC for New Year's festivities and to visit the Zoo...etc...on their way home to New Haven.

I hope all our friends and family spent a lovely Holiday time together with those you love...  Below are some select photos back to Halloween in the case of Celeste, Bryan and Anya--and the rest are around Zion and Vegas--there will be many more later! Enjoy!

Celeste at Halloween Party in Oct 2011

Anya, Celeste and Bryan at Yale Halloween Party

Karen & Bob at the Cosmopolitan Hotel--Las Vegas

Christmas Exhibit--the Bellagio, Las Vegas

Kathy and Dave Gochnour (Karen's sister & brother-in-law) at the Cosmopolitan Hotel--Las Vegas

Celeste on antique fire engine Ancestor Square/Painted Pony Restaurant St George Utah

Karen & Celeste at Zion Park Lodge--Red Rock Grill

Bryan and Celeste at Rockefeller Center/NYC New Year's Eve

 Bryan and Celeste at Excalibur Hotel, Las Vegas on their way home to NYC

 Karen with Bryan and Celeste at Checkerboard Mesa overlook--Zion NP

Bryan and Bob Ford at Temple of Siniwava--Zion NP (Christmas 2011)

 Celeste at Temple of Siniwava--Zion NP (Christmas 2011)

 The Ford family at the Temple of Siniwava--Zion NP (Christmas 2011)

Happy New Year to All!

Winter's arrived and we're Finishing our New House in Rockville Utah

Since our last post Fall has come and gone around Zion National Park (see HERE) and we've made a lot of progress on our house!  By next week the indoor tile work will be done, floors in and painting and last cabinet work will start to be installed.  Over the last few days we had our first hard freeze and the leaves are off the trees--now really looks like winter, though still SUNNY DAYTIME temperatures are comfortable!  This week a neighbor who is awesome with rock-work is laying some beautiful local sandstone for the walkway to our front porch and back veranda.  Below are some seasonal photos around Rockville Utah as well indoor/outdoor photos of progress on the house.  We move in during early January after the Holidays!

(From left to right) Bob, Bryan, Celeste, Karen, Anya and Colby at the time of Karen's Mom's Memorial in Lincoln Nebraska

The Storz, Schanders and Ford's together last February at the time of Karen's Mom's Memorial in Lincoln Nebraska

From the Ford Family--Bob, Karen, Colby, Bryan, Anya and Celeste!  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!