"We have all been at the right place at the right time, we just didn't do the right thing."  D. J. Huggett

— near Napanee, Ontario, Canada on 6.3 acres - footing forms installed, Sept 11/2012 - original outhouse in background

The backhoe attachment for my tractor sits on the minivan float that I built for this move.  The float has become indispensable for transporting large and long construction materials for the new home, especially 16' long lumber.

 foundation forms installed in the morning - concrete poured in the afternoon

The forms were removed the next day. The I beams were installed into the foundation pockets with the excavator.

tamping the basement floor gravel in preparation for the concrete

trusses being delivered

The roofers loved my scissor lift, saving them back breaking time.  They didn't even have to go down for more shingles.  My scissor lift has an additional "height control lever" at the bottom, so I just sent the shingles up to them as they were needed.

trusses being installed

The rest of the house will be finished entirely by myself - except for the 10" chimney hole bored through the concrete foundation as shown on the My House Finishing page.

"If all you do is nothing, then that's all you'll be good for."   D. J. Huggett

I lived in this camper during construction of the house shell.

The basement walkout was more complex as it was well below the house footings.

septic tank delivered

       Concrete pumped into the forms from a "Concrete Boom Pump Truck".

the excavator operator

temporary center support section to set the trusses onto before installation - I will cut the window openings out last, as each window is installed - for some interim weather protection.

"Constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself."

Elon Musk

     This one and two pics below were taken from my scissor lift.