Before & After Plans for my first house
 

Hi again guys,
While I was on vacation I drew out my plans for my house in Willis, TX that I'm remodeling slowly but surely. I bought this place when I was 18 (now 21) and it is quite an experience!
This house was built by this guy out of used building materials so it's not perfect looking but it's solid as a rock. It survived the 90mph winds Willis got during Hurricane Ike without a scratch.
Here are the plans:
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/280...nbefore.th.jpg
The downstairs windows that are boarded up were just solid panes of tempered glass (the guy who built the house told me he got them from old sliding patio doors) Unfortunately some vandal smashed one of them so we boarded both up for the mean while. Now that wall is fully closed in with the two new single hung windows I bought installed
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/1...rawings.th.jpg

Floorplans:
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6...rawings.th.jpg
There aren't many big changes except for the front facade of the first floor

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3...rawings.th.jpg
I'm replacing both exterior doors (already did the second floor one) and adding a 3rd one off the Utility Room, adding in some new windows downstairs and replacing all the siding on the first floor as well as adding a front porch and (hopefully) expanding the lower deck to a more usable size. Unfortunately it's a tight squeeze, I can't go out to the side anymore because it's already practically at the lot line.

Thoughts?

interesting design and project! good luck and keep us updated!

Zachary, good for you. Sounds like you are making some good financial moves by investing in property or you've had some good advise. Are you planning to live here or are you planning on fixing it and selling.

Remember don't over build for the neighborhood and make sure everything has a solid foundation. Good luck and keep us updated.

I am planning on living there, at least part time. The neighborhood is full of small vacation homes and manufactured housing, lots of the houses look like they were owner built (like mine was). I was there for an hour yesterday and found out some sort of critter found it's way in...fortunately it didn't do any real damage. I was able to temporarily board up the hole it made in the eave until I can fix it properly
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/1...c01786f.th.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/7...c01792q.th.jpg

That's a very nice looking house! :D Congratz and good luck on that!

Thanks!
Here are some pictures of the inside, we gutted it already, before it was nasty inside...

more inside pics and the new door I installed:

and lastly, some renderings I made in Sierra Home Architect of how it will look when it's finished:

Nice
 

Lots of hard work ahead.:D
One bit of advice, do not create a double vapor barrier on the wall with the insulation. You have paper faced insulation with plastic over that. You will create a condensation water trap as soon as you close it up.
One barrier, and it should face the heated side of the wall. I do not know your climate, but up here in the Northeast, our barrier goes to the inside wall, heated space.
Let me know if I confused you.:o

I understand completely, so I should remove the plastic?
The climate is humid and warm most of the year