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The House Project in Pictures 📷

Architecture | Build Livable | Building Flattop | Construction | House | Newsletter | Orcas Island

November 12, 2019

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By: Lee LeFever

I write books and run a company called Common Craft. I recently moved from Seattle to a rural island. Here, I write about online business, book publishing, modern home construction, and occasionally, dumb jokes.

The post below was sent as an issue of my newsletter, Ready for Rain.

If you’ve been a reader since the early days, you know I spilled a lot of ink in the preparation phase. We planned and moved and assembled all the pieces before anything actually happened in the real world. To me, it was perfect because there was so much to write about. Instead of excavators, concrete, and 2x4s, I had words and visions of the future.

Those days are not over. I still have plenty of words and we’re both learning every day. But now, the house project has entered a new phase where words can’t do it justice. Ceiling trusses and framing might make for an interesting essay, but probably not as interesting as seeing them in photos and videos. They tell a story more efficiently and with more color than I can muster. And truthfully, I love making media and want Ready for Rain to be a multi-media experience.

So, this post is different. I’m letting photos do most of the talking as the house goes from a footprint to a building.

The First Shipment of Lumber
Drew the Builder (L), John the Architect (Standing), Chris and Chris, the Framers
Drew the Builder (L), John the Architect (Standing), Chris and Chris, the Framers
The First Wall
The First Wall
The Bedroom Side of the House with Walls
The Bedroom Side of the House with Walls
Looking Northward to Waldron Island - Garage on the Right
Looking Northward to Waldron Island – Garage on the Right
Overhead
Overhead
Awaiting a Crane Delivery
Awaiting a Crane Delivery
Roof Trusses
Roof Trusses
Roof Trusses
A Skeleton of a Garage
A Skeleton of a Garage
The Garage with Sheer Walls
The Garage with Sheer Walls
Our Future Bedroom Window and Door
Our Future Bedroom Window and Door
Smoothing the Concrete
Smoothing the Concrete
Even Smoother
Even Smoother
The Finished Product
The Finished Product
Excavator Waiting in the Wings
Excavator Waiting in the Wings
Where We Stand Today
Where We Stand Today

YouTube Video

Find all videos from the project or view by playlist from each phase.

Rotating Fly-over – Bedroom Side

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On most Tuesdays, I share a story from my life on Orcas Island and a recommendation for something I love. I'm interested in how to design work and home for lifestyle, livability, and fluffy dogs. Learn more.

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