Three Kitty Konstruction

Building Saga

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Three Kitty Konstruction
Point Arena, CA

Welcome to the Building Saga of our home in Point Arena, CA. We've divided the 20 Building Saga episodes into 3 parts. Below is Part 1. Please click on a link below to see Part 2 or Part 3.

Saga Part 2

Saga Part 3

March, 2002


	Day 0. Each time Mom and Dad photograph our new home site, there will be a photo from about this angle.	Here it is - the BIG earthmover. The soil here is very sandy so this is the machine that was used to dig the foundation footings.
	There are trenches everywhere - outlining every wall in the house, garage and barn.	And then horizontal boards were nailed to the vertical ones to make the foundation footing form.
	Trenches were also dug for Three Kitty Meters (electricity) and Liters (water).	Construction began with marking the walls and corners of all the buildings so the earth-moving machinery could dig trenches for the foundation footings. The footings were framed and concrete poured. Also this month, the underground conduit for the electrical system and for the "water works", formally known as Three Kitty Meters and Liters was laid.

April, 2002


	Day 35. We have concrete footings for the garage and wood forms for most of the house footings.	There are piles of dirt and piles of lumber everywhere.
	Our house will have an actual basement - unusual in California.	It is still early in April. PG&E promised that the electricity would be installed this week - no confirmation yet from the site. Three Kitty Meters and Liters is all installed and there is water available from the well. Things are happening quickly, now. We should be able to see structure in our photos soon.
	This Rubber Boa (snake) was found near the construction site.	Meanwhile, Wookie and Yoda (and I, Blackie) stay home with a pet-sitter.

May, 2002


	Day 61. We have concrete - lots of concrete. The foundation walls for the garage and house are done and everything is in place to pour the slabs.	Yes, the earthmover is still around. There is still the septic system to install and backfilling to be done.
	Look ! An electric meter, close-up and personal.	PG&E finally came through. ONE YEAR AND 20 DAYS after we applied for an electrical connection, there is now power on site. The rhododendrons are in full bloom and most of the other wildflowers are up and showing their Spring blossoms. For a list of what we've found, please click here to jump to our Wildflower List.
	Rhododendron flowers are pink, pink, pink and sometimes white.	A lonely Douglas Iris was found among the ferns.
	The first of the wood is being built on the living room wall.	The floor of the crawl space is VERY S-M-O-O-T-H.
	I'm spending the Summer on the stump of an old redwood tree. I'll miss this spot.	Our site manager has supplied us with many photos so we can document where the plumbing goes under the floors.

May, 2002


Day 89. We are starting to see the first floor.		Our very first wall was the garage.
And we have a basement.		Now it's time to meet the construction crew !!
The plumbers are working under the floor	While Gordon works above	And Robert works even higher	And Nelson works at the top
Gordon's framing tolerances are to 1/32 inch.	Phil is in charge of a million details.	Lunch under a grove of trees.	More plumbers - this time above the floor.
Nelson makes sure the walls will be straight.	Working on metal pipe isn't easy.	Installing steel in the Barn floor.	Steve directs the plumbers below.
Gordon deep in thought.	Jess, the project manager, does what needs to be done.	Robert studies the plans.	Phil studies the plans.
Nelson cleans up.	Phil and Robert study the plans.	And let's meet the mascots.	Bob wonders why everyone is studying the plans.
This dog carries 2x4 pieces of lumber.	This dog rides the heavy equipment.	Deliveries of material come often.	More gravel.
More lumber.	At day's end, the site is clean; tools are put away and all is ready for a peaceful night.

June, 2002


	Day 111. The first floor is mostly framed and the rafters that carry the second floor are being put into place.		The garage and guest suite are almost completely framed.
	The barn foundation is ready for the concrete floor. In the background are the garage and house.		This week Mom and Dad actually walked through the house, looked out what will be the windows, and got their first feel for the interior spaces. If they needed any interior walls moved, it would be easy to do at this point. They spent several days looking, walking and thinking (and, of course, photographing) our new home. We kitties can't wait to see it.
	This is the living room and the dining room.		This room will be the new home for the Three Kitty Kompany. The builder calls it the Study.
	The foundation for the sunroom is in the foreground. The sunroom and an outdoor patio connect the kitchen with the garage.		The kitchen will have a nice view of the patio and the forest beyond.
	Here Dad is looking up at the house from the edge of the forest.		Mom and Dad didn't realize their house was at the edge of a hill until they saw this photo.
	Dad didn't only take pictures of the house. He also took more photos of the construction crew.		There were several crew members who didn't get photographed last time.

July, 2002


	Day 130. Progress continues. A lot of plywood has been put on the walls.	The concrete slab for the barn has been poured. It is incredibly smooth.
	The openings have been cut for the windows and the vents. The openings look like gun ports for coastal defense.	This week the weather was HOT - some of the hottest weather in 2 years. Early one afternoon, Mom sat down at the edge of the woods to read and fell asleep. She awoke to a rustling sound in the leaves nearby and saw BIG ears and a tiny nose about 3 feet away - a bush rabbit was investigating her. She was thrilled.
	This bedroom window looks out onto a forest of rhododendron bushes.	All construction sites bring in portable sanitary facilities. This company has a novel logo.
	To support the second floor playroom, a 1,100 pound steel frame is erected.	It took a lot of engineering and even more muscle.
	Dad watched from inside.	David, the architect's son watched from a safe distance.
	Bob, as always, was ready to lend a paw.	When the steel frame was in place, Phil put the nuts on the bolts.
	And the rest of the crew installed the beams on the top.	Meanwhile, back in La Honda, one of the community ducks had 8 ducklings. (We couldn't resist sharing this photo.)
	Here, once again, Dad is looking at the house from the edge of the forest.	The big windows are in the living/dining room and the family room.
	Our site manager, Jess, sent photos this week. The stairs have been erected to the second floor.	The plumbers were back to install the pipes to the second floor.
	The second floor decking has been installed.	And the railing is ready so Mom won't be afraid. (She'll never make it as a feline.) We can't wait to see it. Thanks, Jess.

August, 2002


	Day 154. We can now see the walls of the second floor.	When Mom came home, she said, "I saw a whale !!" "I saw a whale !!" "I saw a whale !!" "I saw a whale !!" From the Guest Room window !!" What's a whale?
	A closer view of the front of the house.	This is the bedroom side of the house.
	The now common view of the back side of the house from the edge of the forest.	The kitchen side of the house.
	Inside the living room looking toward the family room. The forest is on the right and the front door and front entry are on the left.	Inside the kitchen looking through the family room into the forest.
	This first floor drawing has a bedroom on the left, kitchen and family room on the right and living/dining room in the middle. The front door is in the center at the top of the drawing.	The second floor is much smaller than the first. It has a library in the left octagon, the guest bedroom in the right octagon and a playroom in the middle.
	Here's Mom whale-watching from the upstairs bedroom window. (I repeat, what's a whale?)	Here's Dad photographing everything in sight.

Please click on a link below to see Part 2 or Part 3.

Saga Part 2

Saga Part 3

If you want to comment on our Website, please feel free to contact Wookie at 3kitty.org.

Planning Phase:
July, 2000 - Feb., 2002

Building Phase:
Mar., 2002 - July, 2003

Finishing Up:
July, 2003 - October, 2003

Point Arena Construction	Exploring the Land	Discovering the Regulations	Building a Home

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