16' wide Victoria Cottage in Maine

An owner's experience building the Victoria Cottage Plans.


I recently got this email from Jeff and Meghan along with some photos:

"Wanted to say thanks for the great plans and share some pics of my project. I'm not a contractor or anything, but I did do all of the foundation formwork, framing and plumbing myself. It's a big project for one guy, but I'm having lots of fun and learning A LOT.  I recently graduated with a CADD degree and have drawn my Victoria's in CAD, 3d CAD, Revit, Architectual Desktop, and 3d max.  See the composite drawing below."

"I will be putting the trusses up soon and will send new photos and updates as we progress."

CADD drawing

Jeff's drawings

slab floor with in-floor heat coil

The form work is prepared for concrete. This will be a radiant heated slab with warm water running through the tubes. Notice the wide skirt of foam insulation surrounding the slab edges.

Framing going up

Slab is poured, forms were stripped and the wall framing is well underway.

solid wood beam

One of the big beams ready to go into the pocket.

OSB enclosed main walls

The major walls are sheathed.

Updated photos 10/17/09

dado in studs for floor

Cuts in the wall studs for the loft rim joists.

porch beams and framing

Porch beam framing in cedar with natural support posts.

gable roofs

Roofs at back at pop-out.

Loft floor in place

Loft 2x6 decking in place.

Loft beams with decking above

Exposed beams below decking.

steep roof work

Jeff working carefully on a steep roof.

roof framing

Roof framing nearing completion.

roof framing 2

View from the other side. Bedroom addition is on the left.

collar ties

Collar ties at the rafters.

beam framing

Here's an earlier view of the loft beam framing around the kitchen pop-out.

saltbox

Saltbox roof extension over the kitchen. Seen from the rear.

bedroom framing

Bedroom roof framed up and waterproof membrane on the roof sheathing. (This is heavy snow country.)

skylights

Skylights framed into the kitchen area.


Here's an update from Jeff & Meghan:

We are using a FPSF (frost protected shallow footing) slab foundation.  I followed the NHBA guidelines for an unheated space as we want the option to leave it unheated.  This slab went through the first winter without a problem. 
 
The bedroom addition has a small sleeping loft to make use of the vertical space.
 
We used 2x10 rafters 16" OC through out.  (We are in deep snow country)  Site built trusses. 
 
We also spent last winter building all the kitchen/bath cabinets. (I was in woodworking before I got laid off) 
 
Concrete floor will be stained and sealed as the finished floor.  Front and back porches are also concrete with natural cedar posts harvested off our lot. 
 
Update 9/15/10

Here is a link to a running forum topic with more recent updates: http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=8803.80

Here are a couple of images to show what they have been working on:

beam and decking ceiling

handbuilt spiral stair

Handbuilt spiral stair. More on this in the forum link above.

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