They started drilling today! Jenn, Stephen and I drove up at lunch to take a look. Coming up the driveway you can see the drill is working on the lower right corner of the house.
Here you can see the outline of the house as well as our temporary fencing and power. Note the four stakes at the top, those are the top caissons then we have four towards the center of the house and finally the front two.
Looking up the hill you can see the stakes for the top of the property and the plastic fencing which is up along the road.
It appears the fires did not crest our ridge. I’ll drive up this weekend and find how close they did come.
Monthly Archives: October 2007
First Cuts
Eli Sr. and crew were up on the property this week preparing the way for the drilling machines and other equipment that needs to get up to help us with construction. They did a great job not only creating the paths we need but ensuring that we do not have a lot of erosion problems. We also had a nice green Andy Gump toilet installed, which should keep Nick happy! Here are some photos of the progress.
The Andy Gump!
Temporary Driveway with sandbags and gravel
Looking up the lot you can see the three levels for drilling and equipment.
This is the first level for staging, parking and where our septic will go.
Another view of the first level, the guys had some car problems.
The next level, which is a pad for the drill rig, notice the stakes for the corner of the house.
Looking back across the lot, featuring Mr. Wollman.
Everything is switchbacked for the drilling rig.
Up to the top cut which is where the drill rig will put the two middle caissons. Notice the pole for temporary power!
Looking back from the top drill platform.
Looking down the lot from the top drill platfrom.
All in all after four years of nothing we are actually starting to do this thing!
So what is this thing going to look like?
I realize that I haven’t posted any pictures of what the house is actually going to look like. So here are some shots.A rendering of the house from the bottom of the lot. A rendering from the street level.
And here is a sketch of the color scheme
As you can see the house is going to be pretty modern, but I think Glora and Nathan did a great job of designing a “cool box” now we just need to get some concrete poured in the ground!
Something to be worried about?
Last Thursday the 11th I was out at the site with Sean, our driller, and our septic guy reviewing our plan for where and how the drill rig would make it onto our property when I learned the house next to us is in escrow. The (potential) future owners seemed concerned that their agent had not let them know that construction was a possibility, and a very near one at that. I am unsure how anyone could not assume that a cleared, staked lot would not be eventually built upon, but that was the case. I met the couple in escrow, they are expecting a baby and are concerned about the noise of construction. I explained how we are going to be doing a lot of drilling (10 caissons!) and have about a one year construction time line. Seeing that we have already pulled permits I don’t think that there will be any issues, but one never knows. I figured it was best to be upfront and explain to them where the house is going, future expansion plans, and our general time lines.<br /><br />On another note, we had the septic guy up there yesterday, I’ll have new pictures to post tomorrow.
And so we begin
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<p>It has been four years since we first walked onto this vacant lot in Malibu. Since then there has been Coastal hearings, catch-22’s with county and state agencies, fire department reviews, new plans, the purchase of a development credit and more than once we thought it wasn’t going to work out. Last week we picked up our permits and on Monday we begin making room for drilling rigs and trucks. On Friday we had a surveyor come up and stake the area where the house will be. I’ve attached a few pictures of the lot staked, but otherwise untouched (except by our neighbors exploratory drilling!).</p><p /><p /><p><br />
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Who's who
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So our house project has taken a lot of different people to make work. Our architects are Nathan Swift and Gloria Lee, they are the owners of a great architectural studio called <a href="http://www.swiftleeoffice.com">SWIFT.LEE OFFICE</a>. They did phenomenal work and brought a great eye as well as discipline in maintaining our, rather tight, budget. From our initial discussions of a "cool box" through the ins and outs of permitting they have been solid. Our contractor is Sean King of SMK Construction. He has done a number of great houses including our neighbors gorgeous house. Thanks to Ron for recommending him. Our financing was arranged by <a href="http://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/danielmccue">Dan McCue</a> from Bank of America, given today’s mortgage climate Dan really came through for us!<br /> <p><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" align="middle" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8116/940/320/IMG_0058.6.jpg" /></p><p>Of couse Jenn my fiance has been instrumental in keeping me sane through all this and without the help of my mom and <a href="http://www.hannonproperties.com">dad</a> the coastal commission’s demand of us acquiring a development credit would have sunk the project.</p>