Week 6, 7, and 8 - HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical

The house is framed! Now it's time to put in the HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical. Basically, anything that goes in the ceiling and walls before you cover it up with drywall. Because HVAC takes up the most space with their ductwork, they come first. Then plumbing. Electrical is the smallest so they come last.

HVAC

The main metal ductwork is installed first and goes in the ceiling right through the middle of the house. 

From there, the aluminum ductwork goes to all of the supply and return air vents.

Supply air vent (these will have the dampers to adjust the airflow in each room).

Return air vent (these will have filters that need to be changed every 1-2 months).

In our area, they install what's called a "package unit" which is the A/C and Heating system in one box up on the roof. I like it this way because then it doesn't take up space in the house or garage. Since most of our roof is going to be flat, it makes it easy.

HVAC guys also put the hose for the exhaust fans in the bathrooms and laundry room. 

 PLUMBING

Plumbing for hall bath sink, toilet, and bathtub

Laundry room (washer on the left, dryer on the right)

Soft water loop (if we want to install a soft water system at some point)

Working on the master bathroom sink plumbing

Master toilet room

Master bathtub

Hall bathtub

Exterior hose bib

Gas meter stub out

Exterior pipes for water heater drain and pressure valve

Electrical

Electricians come and install all of the wiring for the outlets, light switches, light fixtures, cable, and phone lines. I also had them put in some speaker pre-wires in the ceiling in case we ever want to put speakers in the ceiling. 

One of the bedrooms

Exterior outlet

Master bedroom

Zoe's bedroom

All the wires terminate near the front of the house where they will go to the main electrical panel box. 

In Las Cruces they put electrical panel boxes on the exterior of the home. 

Wiring that runs through the ceiling in the great room and kitchen.

While this is happening in the inside, the stucco guys come on the outside and put on lathe paper and chicken wire.

This prepares the house for the exterior finish, stucco.

Then the roofers come and finish the roof with tar so it doesn't leak :)

I decided to frame in some shelves in the garage afterwards for more storage space.

Now the house is completely ready for insulation and drywall!!

At the end of week 8, the house looks like this!

And we're ready for exterior stucco! 

Our official closing date is June 13th, less than 2 months away!

Week 4 and 5- Foundation and Framing

As a soon-to-be homeowner, one of the most exciting steps in building your home is the foundation and framing. Finally after about a month, you actually see the structure of your home going up. You can walk into the frame of your house and imagine how it will look.

So at the end of week 3, the forms, re-bar, and wire mesh was in place, and at the beginning of week 4, the foundation was poured:

Back patio

Master shower

Once the foundation is poured, the lot is then graded on the front, sides, and back yard.

After this, the framers come with a copy of the plans and mark out where the bottom plates for the framing will go. 

Soon after, framing begins. 

Walls go up first.

Then the roof and exterior sheathing.

Some framing inside for interior walls, showers, and nichos. This picture below is the arch above where the master bathtub will be.

At the end of week 5, the house is almost completely framed and windows put in. There are a few minor fix ups inside still, but the framing is basically complete. 

Over the next few weeks, the next steps will be HVAC, plumbing, and electrical (in that order) rough-ins for the home. Also the exterior will be prepared for stucco.