New parking spot

[TripleTransAm]

It's Friday, it's been a hella-busy day but I'm in a great mood, sunny outside and I'm going be hitting the car cruises tonight with my son with my trusty camera at my side.

So I figured I'd post a photo of my new parking spot, which I will be taking possession of within a few weeks, once the little details are complete. I think it suits the car just fine. ;)

http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF4854.jpg

Been a long and arduous task over the past months, but I think it'll be worth it.

[CRUZTAKER]

That sure turned out to be a nice castle!!! :up:
It's about time you got a break. One question though....you are gonna get a concrete drive eh?

[woaface]

OOoo wow can I be your butler!:cool:

[Fourth Horseman]

Butler!? I want to be his chauffeur. :lol:

[Dr Caleb]

Why do I picture a girl with long braids that reach from the top window all the way to the ground?? ;) What? No Moat? No Gargoyles?

Nice ranch!

Barry: Concrete bad up north. The driveway might last a couple winters before it heaves and cracks. Asphault is better, because it'll usually last 10 years, and can be patched.

[nslatin]

That's a beautiful home. Best of luck. I have lived through the building process and if you and your wife survive and still talk to each other, then the rest of your life is going to be a piece of cake.

Neal

[MM03MOK]

That sure turned out to be a nice castle!!! :up:
I thought the same thing even before I saw your post, Barry. Congratulations /Steve, /Malin and /Victor!! It's beautiful!!

[merc406]

It's beautiful, best wishes for you'all :beer: , and the Marauder get's the garage this time? :bounce: Heated? :up:

[junehhan]

Steve, your Marauder looks nice, but it's your house that steals the show here. I don't know about the interior, but that is some really nice exterior styling! Do you guys plan on planting a few more trees once the details are finalized?

[bigslim]

Some folks just live right. Nice house and congrats to you on your new castle. That place is big enough for next years MM meet.

[jgc61sr2002]

Steve - Congrats. Best wishes to you and your family. Looks great. :D :up:

[TripleTransAm]

Jeez, thanks for the encouragement, folks. We are indeed looking forward to moving out there...

We made a nice amount on the current house sale that is allowing us to move into this neighborhood, after a 6 year investment. Bought dirt cheap (for many reasons that all conspired to work in my favour) in 1998 and now sold at market value (which exploded in recent years and is *just* beginning to stagnate as of this or last month). So, all in all, some great timing that is permitting this move, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't going to be hurting me financially in a place where the sun don't shine.

Lots of young families in the area. The development itself has only been in progress for about 10 years and is running out of land. Then all of a sudden, as we were building this past spring, some local newspapers ran articles touting the area as the newest in place for the well-to-do... you can imagine what this has done for the real estate value here in a few short months, validating my gamble in investing in this area. Those who know me in person know I am about as blue collar as they come, but I won't pass up a chance to secure some investment potential for my children's future... we'll just have to sweat for a few years, that's all. *cough* *gag* *choke* :depress:

This time, we put a LOT of emphasis on location location location... the house is in a crescent within a crescent within a dead end street 2 minutes walk from a full-blown golf course ($18000 to join, $4000-$8000 per year green fees :eek: Michelson, Singh, Daly and others are playing there in a month). Again, it's that whole investment thing... I made a few mistakes 6 years ago when buying my old place, won't happen again.

Details: the municipality supposedly provides a tree free of charge, which we have to decide where to plant. There are already a bunch of mature trees that we saved from the original forest in the back yard, so I'm considering perhaps just left of the driveway up front. We'll have to think about it...

Driveway... asphalt at the very least, although I wonder how well cement would last in our climate as I honestly have no clue... in any case, it would be nice to have a stone driveway which is probably what the neighbors will get except:
a) I can't afford it.
b) it would be a nightmare seeing my '78 T/A drop all sorts of engine fluids and lubricants all over such a surface
c) I can't afford it.

The garage: 3 spots, the Marauder being the daily driver will probably alternate a spot with the WS6, with the GTA getting a dedicated spot and the '78 sitting at the back where I'll most likely get a 4 post lift set up, thanks to some info Marty has graciously shared with me.
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF4915.jpg

Re: spousal relations and building a house...
*sigh* being the only driver in the household, I can honestly say it's been tough. Physically tough, in the sense that I already have to deal with 3-4 hours of commute time every day, PLUS fit in all the necessary time to devote to the building process (and toss in all my miscellaneous projects like that whole benefit concert thing from last month, etc.). So, if we ever build again, I'll be taking a much more 'hands off' approach and delegating a lot more to my wife, as I expect she'll be driving by then.


Honestly, from the very bottom of my heart, I'd like to thank you all for the kind words. I didn't post this with the intention of wanting any flattery, I just thought the Marauder looked cool in that shot (morning sun peeking from behind the rooftop... the place is SO peaceful in the morning, compared to the current quasi-racetrack I live on). I haven't even shared any such photos with anyone from our local F-body group yet, but this here group is a great bunch that I feel blessed to know both online and in some cases in person. Your words of encouragement mean a lot to us. Thank you.

[Bigg Cellus]

Triple Trans Am....

It justs fits here to say "ALL HAIL THE KING". That house is immaculent and at your age it is even better. More time to enjoy what you work hard for-Very nice.

[RCSignals]

Very nice Steve!
Will the stone continue on the sides, or will that be sided?
The driveway rock is very black! I remember a friend of mine lived in Aylmer, and the crushed rock (gravel) that was delivered to him was pink!

[TripleTransAm]

In true snottiness, there is actually a "building code" in this development regarding home exterior design, the severity of which depends on how close you are to the golf course. I used the "quotes" because it's not a municipal bylaw (or is it? I'd have to check) but the land development being driven by one of Quebec's largest construction dynasties (cement, home and commercial real estate, and coincidentally of Italian origin), I would think twice before going against any 'suggested' building practices lest I end up encased in cement and used as part of a foundation in either home or commercial real estate. ;)

That being said, in my area the acceptable options for the sides are stone, brick, 'aggregate siding' or some other type that I don't know the english word for. While I would have loved to continue the stone all around the house, or at the very least opted for matching brick... the reality is that we simply could not afford it. We tried to outfit the house with as much as we could, using the premise "now would be the best time to do <such and such>" but at some point one has to draw the line, as the possibilities are truly endless.

So we opted for the 'aggregate'... it is essentially a metal grid that is fixed to the house sides at a certain distance from the walls themselves. There is a layer of 'cement' that is spread on and allowed to dry. A second layer of cement is applied later on, and is immediately covered with small rocks/pebbles. The cement and pebbles are color-matched to the facade. I attached a photo of my brother's house, with that kind of siding already applied.

As a side note, a few months back I mentioned this construction project on this board and I was contacted via PM regarding some controversial siding of a similar nature that was causing mould problems due to the inability to drain moisture properly. After much research, it would appear that the difference here is the distance between the siding and the wall itself, and the fact that it is not filled with styrofoam-like filler panels. But, again I thank those who contacted me, it was very relieving to get to the bottom of this.

Speaking of my younger brother, this was another reason the move was attractive. He took possession of his completed house in December, and it was during our visits to his construction site that we fell in love with the area and it's calm and quiet. My brother's house is no more than 1 minute away by car, which is great because in the last few years we've gotten really close... we were always a tight knit family, but siblings will be siblings and there was always a little tension now and again. But as adults that's all behind us.

Pink gravel... I have no insecurities about my manhood, but damn that would be tough to swallow. :eek:

[RCSignals]

The word for 'aggregate siding' you are looking for is probably "stucco"

I tell people that Italians in Canada are big in the cement business. They never understand that I mean it literally LOL

[Haggis]

Steve, I just found this Thread. All I can say is WOW!! That is one nice house you had built. I am sure Milan and Victor appreciate all the hard work and aggravation you went through. Good luck on your new home may it bring you years of enjoyment and a safe and warm place to come home to after a hard day at work.

So when is the house warming party?? :D

[CRUZTAKER]

Hey Steve,

I was just ripping on ya about the concrete! I think if laid correctly, it would hold up. Ours hold up well through 5 months of winter with atleast 9 weeks of sub zero temperatures. Concrete is just too expensive....for me anyway.

Anyway, to the point. I cannot even stomach the price of asphalt for my drive. I don't remember the sq. footage, but she is easily 180' deep and 60'x40' in the turnaround.

I went with gravel, #57 lime stone, and once packed, holds up quite nicely. I believe it cost me $8 to $12 ton, and I used 12 ton to RE-cover 1" thick.

My dream is to scrap the limestone, and get the chipped red brick. Like they use on golf course pathways. Those who have seen my place know why....I love red! Problem is, the chipped brick runs about $23 a ton.

One last thought, the kids. You are in a good area, we unfortunately are on a busy road, so the drive is one of the only places to ride bikes, etc. Gravel isn't the best to learn to ride on....therefore, asphalt is in my future as well.

That's why the Fiat is for sale....Daddy needs a driveway and mommy needs new first floor windows...

[woaface]

Hey steve have you ever thought about those roll on garage floors? Hmmmm...

[merc406]

Hey steve have you ever thought about those roll on garage floors? Hmmmm...




Go with the plastic squares, I think the have white and black for a winning flag design. :rasta:

[SHERIFF]

Nice house!

But I sure do feel sorry for Santa Claus this year!

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/843/roof.jpg

[martyo]

... I have no insecurities about my manhood...

Todd wishes he could say the same, but given the (lack of) size of his, he can't help but be insecure.

[Paul T. Casey]

Steve, nice digs! You've earned it. In reference to pink driveways, what a great idea, it will work well with my pink house!

[Petrograde]

Wow,...

Steve,... That is an absolutely beautiful home you have there! :up: I especially like the 2 deep garage! I never would've thought about that.

I'll build a garage like that(and a house too ,.. I guess) after I hit the Texas Lotto this week! :lol:

[TripleTransAm]

In reference to pink driveways, what a great idea, it will work well with my pink house!


Don't know, man... there's something not right if you were to refer to a road as a Two Lane PinkTop (with apologies to the classic movie...).

[Ross]

Great house, Steve! :up:

[TripleTransAm]

Go with the plastic squares, I think the have white and black for a winning flag design. :rasta:


Okay, I have been giving this a LOT of thought. What's the word on these things? I've seen them on TV and in photos, and they look like they're made for a garage belonging to a guy who keeps a separate garage for his weekend driver 427 Cobra original and his 1970 Hemi 'Cuda droptop grocery getter. (which does NOT match my profile... if I showed you my bank balance, your PCs would crash due to an Underflow error...)

So what are they all about? What are they made of, and what are the benefits? Resistance to oil and fluid spills, especially from... say, a 1978 Trans Am? Grip? (ie. will I go plowing into my 78's parking spot with my WS6 if I get home on a rainy day?). In other words, why would I get this garage floor covering?

For that matter, if I don't go the tile route, I imagine I should look into some sort of paint?

[ts-pa]

Hey Steve,

I had seen a paint at either "Home Depot" or "Lowes" where you add sand for traction. Looks like it was made for garage floors.

I made a big mistake, I had shown my wife your house. She loves it! Now I in trouble.

Later, Tom

[TripleTransAm]

Interesting, Tom... I don't know if you can make it out in the photo, but I would have NO problem finding sand on my lot... no problem.... :)

[RCSignals]

If you paint. use a good epoxy paint. An Industrial grade single part epoxy is good. Make sure the concrete is cured, and give it a light tooth etch with muriatic acid first.

If your floor has a hard trowel "glossy" finish, leave it alone

[TripleTransAm]

The word for 'aggregate siding' you are looking for is probably "stucco"

In case anyone is curious about this:

Finally got to see the whole 'siding' thing done to the house. I don't know if this qualifies as "stucco" since my interpretation of stucco is that plastery white stuff that I've seen on ceilings with decorative sponge patterns applied, or the plain pastery stuff on the sides of homes I've seen on some of my trips south of the border.

Anyway, this particular stuff was applied as follows:
Strips of wood covered the entire surface of walls to receive this siding material.
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF4869.jpg

Then, a thick black sheet of some material that I suppose is waterproof was tightly stapled onto the wood strips. From what I could tell, they were applied in vertical strips. With the black sheets in place, a metal grille-like layer was laid over them, completely covering the surface to be cemented.
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF6074.jpg

This is where my 'stucco' confusion comes in... what they used was pretty much cement, from what I saw them mixing. I think they mixed in a colored cement as well in order to get a certain color base. One layer of cement was applied over the grille, and then a worker went over the whole surface with a "comb".
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF6072.jpg

Then, once the bottom layer had dried a bit, a second layer was applied and immediately smoothed over. Immediately after this second application, color-coded pebbles were manually thrown onto the cement to provide the decorative color and texture. What amazed me was the manner in which the little pebbles evenly coated the cemented surface... in this case, a mixture of grey and light brown pebbles.
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF6092.jpg

The finished product on the garage wall.
http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF6125.jpg

The idea with the black sheet and air gap was to allow for proper ventilation and humidity drainage. Some methods use a styrofoam backing which soaks up water and tends to mold over time. I asked as many people as I could who had houses approaching 12 years of age in the development and they all claim not ever having any trouble, and others claim not having ever seen a moisture problem in over 20 years. *whew* Again, I gotta thank all those who warned me to do my homework on the little details like these, including Sailsmen who provided a ton of good info!

Three more days until I sign away my remaining testicle on this property (my other one was sacrificed on the Marauder purchase). I'm still open to suggestions on garage floor coverings! ;)

[martyo]

I'm still open to suggestions on garage floor coverings! ;)

Steve:

I just bought and, with the help of two friends (the sheet is bulky and weighs well over 100 ponds!!), installed a sheet type of garage floor covering. It isn't as fancy or trick looking as the Race Deck stuff we have discussed, but at around 200 bucks and about an hour for the install (that included moving my floor lift in and out as well), it was well worth it. My garage floor was made with brick pavers (my house was built when cars were parked on dirt floors!), so the smooth rubber mat is a very welcome upgrade and has given my winter project (the garage) a very finished look. If you would like, PM me yoru address and I will mail you a sample of the stuff from the scraps that I have left, so you can see and feel what it looks like .

Oh, and congrats on the new digs!

[Bigdogjim]

Steve congrats on your new location!!!!

Best of luck with everything!

[jgc61sr2002]

Steve - The new House is coming along great. Looks better with each new picture. Lots of luck. :beer:

[Petrograde]

Wow,.. that uh,.. siding? is pretty cool! I'll bet it's 'R' insulation value is pretty good huh?

I guess that would be advantageous way up in the 'Frozen North' :lol:

It reminds me of this (http://www.cement.org/homes/ch_showhomes.asp)

I'm thinking about doing something like that,... Here in Texas it doesn't get quite that cold, but the concrete homes can withstand 200 mph winds! Good for those twisters that like to roll through here.

Once again,... great house!

[Dan]

A concrete driveway is do-able in any climate. The key is the preparation of the ground under the driveway.

The siding is called aggregate siding. I don't think it has any other name.

Be very, very careful when researching garage floor treatments and be equally selective. There are three big factors working against you. One is moisture and the other is tire pressure and tire heat. If they put a plastic membrane down under the floor life will be easier. Just do a TON of research before buying something that will peel up and look like @$$ before you know it.

Steve, it is looking very nice. I bet Malin is just as excited about it as you are. Let me know when the House Party is. I'd drive up for that AND man the grill for you. :)

Best,

Dan

[TripleTransAm]

I guess that would be advantageous way up in the 'Frozen North' :lol:


Hardy har har... I suppose I have to hurry up and move my F-bodies into the garage before that early July snow comes, right? ;)

The siding itself doesn't seem to provide much insulation, given the unsealed air space between it and the house. I suppose it probably might shield the building itself from any air leaks on a windy day... I dunno. The house itself is pretty well insulated, and that in itself will help with heat loss / heat rejection (in the summer). Coupled with the new technique my constructor applied along the 'beltlines' (the 'junction' between the wall of each floor), I should be good for the coming winters. This technique involves injecting hardening foam along the beltlines after insulation, in order to thoroughly seal the house. No chance of air gaps between the pads of insulating material.

I wish I had thought of the moisture barrier under the garage floor... I did insist they use it under the basement cement, but never thought to put it under the garage. *sigh* I'm probably going to consider a dehumidifier for the garage, as my brother has had great results with one. I guess considering I started the construction in March, cars were the furthest thing from my mind.

Dan, I'll keep you posted about the house party... every year, some Pontiac friends of mine in Dayton Ohio host this barbecue weekend coinciding with the Trans Am Nationals. Essentially, some 20 or 30 Pontiac enthusiasts (off a Pontiac mailing list I belong to) camp out on his lot (a nice sized ranch) or crash on sleeping bags/folding cots/sofas/carpets/etc. I attended in August 2001 and it was a blast... every year some guys bring along a 'project' (that year, it was a carb rebuild for a '72 Formula, a 4-speed auto overdrive transplant into a '78 Trans Am, misfire/tuning investigations on a '96 Formula, etc.) that is worked on during the days, and after the evening barbecues it's BS'ing until the wee hours of the morning.

While there isn't any Marauder-related activity around here, I'd always be up for a weekend crash by a Marauder gang up at my place. Maybe it can end up being an eastern get-together at some point? Just bring your sleeping bags and good humour... wouldn't be that much of a haul for the New Englanders.

[Dan]

I have been dreaming about getting back up to Mount Royal again. I had so much fun when I was up there and I owe most of it to you and your posse.

When the move in happens, let me know. I'll drive up to help. I don't care what the reason is. I had fun up there and would do it again for no reason at all.

Best,

Dan

[RCSignals]

That sure sounds like stucco to me Steve. Mesh, a scratch coat, a top coat, then a finish. In your case an aggregate.

What you describe "inside" would be different forms of plastering.

[TripleTransAm]

Going off-line for a few days as we move everything. Tomorrow's the "big" day, and telephone / cable / internet should get hooked up as the days go by. Enjoy the lack of stupid comments over the next few days as I'm kept away from internet access. ;)

The garage passed a very important test yesterday... all that's left is to go fetch the '78 and figure out where to cram it in there. ;)

Hope y'all had a great 4th (and great 1st for my Canadian buddies on here).

http://www.tripletransam.com/1429/DSCF6287.jpg

[RCSignals]

Have a "smooth move" Steve :)