I just looked back at my post from a month ago when our house had just gotten framed up, and I'm surprised at how much progress we've made. It's that awkward time where almost every day something new happens, but it doesn't feel like we are making any real progress. The reality is things are moving right along. All the rough plumbing is done, as is all the rough HVAC. Three of our sliding glass doors have been installed and the big pocket sliding door should go in next week. The roof is done, and the walls have been sheathed and waterproofed. When I list it all out like that it seems like a lot has happened. Most exciting though is the fact that the house and the spaces inside are starting to take shape. Let me give you a little tour.

The crazy thing about building a house is that some things happen really really slow, and others seem to happen really fast. We designed and schemed for over a year, waited for permits and bank approval for months, and in a matter of weeks our house has gone from a bare foundation to framing in the shape of our dreams.  We can actually wander around the space and imagine what the rooms will feel like and what it will be like to live in this home we helped design. Mind. Blown.

This week marks a monumental step in the progress of our house project, one that is met with mixed emotions. Our little house in east Austin is gone. In it's place is an empty lot full of dirt, a special pecan tree and most of all the promise of a dream come true. 

Designing and building a modern home has been a dream of mine for over 10 years. I started Grassrootsmodern.com in 2005 to document my journey towards that goal, and after many starts, stops, reboots and full on failures I find myself now on the brink of the beginning. It's thrilling, terrifying and most of all exhausting. 

I like water. A lot. When I was a kid I could spend an entire summer day splashing around in a pool, and things haven't changed much. So when it comes to my house, I've always wanted a pool. Of course with the current temporary project, there is no way we could justify the cost of a real pool, unless said pool was a 30" deep 10'  wide kiddie pool that we picked up on clearance last year for $35. That is totally justifiable. Combine that with the large pile of sand that was mysteriously sitting in the middle of our back yard, and our outdoor game has totally stepped up a level. 

Turns out when it comes to doing childish things like cannonballs and handstands, 30" is all you need. Swim party anyone?

It's been a few weeks since I've given any updates on our house remodel, but it's not because nothing has been happening. In fact a lot has been happening over there, and I'm finally ready to share a bit of the progress I've made. Before I do that, let's do a quick recap. Basically, I bought a house that I can remodel, live in for a year, and tear down. For the full details, check out my last post.

Bucket list item #1. Build a new home. 

It's been on my list for a long time now, and I'm finally one step closer. Building a new home is a bit like eating an elephant. It's a seemingly impossible task, from finding where you want to live, understanding the ins and outs of the various different financing options, finding an architect, designing building and on and on and on. While it seems overwhelming, especially if finances are limited, where there is a will there is a way. The path I'm leveraging is all about baby steps. 

First, I knew I wanted to live in East Austin, so the next big issue is where I can actually afford to build. High home prices in Austin make finding affordable lots nearly impossible. On top of that financing a lot is quite a bit more difficult than financing a home, you typically need 20% - 30% down. My solution was to buy a house. More specifically the cheapest, must undesirable house I could find. An that's exactly what I did.