February 1st - Finish plumbing almost finished, rock started

There are a few things I wish they had told us at all of our "construction meetings" when we first started the Self-Help program. One of which would be how long different things would take depending on what materials you chose. For example, there were many different styles of rock available to choose from and we happened to choose a style that takes exceptionally longer than other varieties. Why couldn't they tell us that? We had the power to speed up the process and we didn't even know it.

With that said, I am still loving the style of our rock so far. It's surprising how much the rock can really change the over all look of the house. Do you know what else really changes the look of a house? Finish plumbing! Ie: sinks, toilets, dishwashers, etc. (I think flooring will have even more of that type of an effect but for now, it's plumbing).

Kitchen

Bathroom

Master bathroom (with a mirror!), Hello!

Now, if you were to drive by our home you might be concerned by this makeshift tent and think, Oh no! Someone is squatting at the Rackham's house! But never fear. It is a necessary tool for rock. The mortar that adheres the rock to the house has to bond at a certain temperature (something above 45º) otherwise the mortar will freeze, the rock will fall off, Adam will be upset about having to do the whole thing over again and there will be many tears shed. 

Since it's the middle of the winter, JC built this incredibly efficient tent, where they warm the part of the house they are working are with a propane heater and trap the warm air in the tent. After they have finished working on that part of the house, they have to keep it warm for at least 45 minutes, so the mortar doesn't freeze while drying/bonding/adhering/whatever.

Here's a peek inside! 

Goal: By next week, the rock will be finished so I hope to have a picture of the entire exterior.