The 2nd floor walls were poured last Friday, Saturday they were knocking bracing off, and now we’re waiting on the heavy steel to start. The crane is up there today but they didn’t get started. In the meantime the pool steel is pretty much all formed and so one of these days that will be done, and my garden fence was finished today.

I had the hardest time trying to find someone to build my fence. It isn’t a complex thing, and people build these all the time, it is a deer proof garden fence, or people often use it for chickens as well, in my case I’m using it for both. But all it is is an 8 foot wire fence with wood posts. Simple right? But I couldn’t get a fence company to bid it, and it isn’t a small fence, over 400 linear feet. Decent size job I figured, but I couldn’t get people to return my calls, or give me bids, or give me bids what I wanted (like I would tell them what I wanted, then they would quote me something else).

Then I found Jesse from Generation Fence and he had my fence up in, I think, less than 10 days after I called him at a good price.

Now I have over 5000 sq/ft of gardening space, and an over 1000 sq/ft chicken run. The house may not be done, nor is it likely to be until another summer passes, but I will be planting in here in a couple weeks and gardening all summer.

We’re into February now, so we didn’t quite get the 2nd floor done in 30 days (I consider it done when the subfloor above is on), but I’m keeping my finger’s crossed it will be done by the end of next week which will put us somewhere around 40 days, cutting in half the 1st floor’s 80 days. Though I do hate it when we have day’s like today, where we catch a break and don’t have forecasted rain, and we don’t make much progress down the critical path.

After rain and delays our 2nd floor subfloor is finally complete. This is just about 80 days since the 1st floor subfloor was complete. To put this in perspective, up the road from where I live now about 80 days ago there was a wooded lot, and today there is a completely framed, wrapped, and roofed house on it, they’re now on siding and windows. In that time I got 1 floor of framing. The ICF contractor cannot start back until Monday so, now that it finally stopped raining and we have nice weather, we’re not making upward progress. I feel that weather has been so unkind that every day with good weather should be seized with a vengeance.

But the 2nd floor subfloor is done and today was finally sunny and I was able to get some nice pictures. The house already looks so tall and the view already seems so elevated it is hard to remember this is only the 2nd floor. There will be 2 more floors in the towers, and then you can go on the tower roofs to get even more height if you wanted a truly spectacular view.

Southeastern view from the master bathroom

The view to the north off the front of the house

The great hall as seen from the central staircase. The balconies to the left and right are permanent, the great hall has a double story ceiling, 24 feet total. The three windows in the background will eventually be 14 feet tall.

View from 2nd floor front balcony (directly above the front door) looking down the driveway. Here is where you would stand when negotiating with the goblin horde trying to get in.

I have also had dirt delivered for my vegetable garden, a really sort of high end soil. I need to still till it down and mix it with the forest soil that is underneath, and then put in a deer proof fence. But I will be able to grow a whole bunch of veggies with this garden (5000 sq/ft for veggies, 1000 sq/ft for chickens). I’ve dreamed of having a garden this big for years. I am currently seeking to hire a fencing contractor to put in the fence for me, should anyone have a referral.

The plot for my backyard vegetable garden.