Jose/Hosea was busy today

That's what you get when you study portuguese in college instead of spanish, misspelling the framing/demo contractors name for the world to see.  Melissa was quick to point out my mistake, I played it off and made an excuse.

Anyway Jose/Hosea took off the car port, lifted it off with the big cat, and took down some walls in the house.  Things are taking shape, can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

You guested it

As all you most likely guested the big cat was needed to move the rock.  This 1 1/2 ton beauty has a place of honor in the landscape plan.  Sometimes plants, design features and the like get moved around in the Casteel landscape, but this baby is home.

Grading is done

Well not really done, but ready for the next step.  We will have to finish this up and get ready to put Melissa's landscape plan in place.  Today she was standing on the hill surveying the area and you could see a plan running through her head.  A blank canvas for the artist.

Moving some dirt

Now were talking moving some dirt around in the yard.  I thought about using a shovel and wheel barrow to save some cash, but decided it would be better left to the professionals.

Check back tomorrow because something big is happening to the house. Let me just say I don't know how much sleep Mel will get tonight.

The Rock

Mel started digging out this rock yesterday (it was about 12" by 24" exposed) and told Ty that she had found the edges and bottom,  this shouldn't be a problem to get out today.  Oh how wrong she was it took something really big to get it out.  Look for future post to see what was needed to move this rock.

Demo inside

Hosea and his crew have  pulled out all the old sheetrock and insulation.  The inside is being to look good, O.K. its beginning to look good to us.  To the average citizen it still looks like a crack house.

The gate

This is what happens when Sh*& rolls down hill, at least the port a potty truck.  He slide down the hill and crashed into our gate.

Construction begins

The permit has been issued and work begins Monday.  The first step is grading the site for the new addition. Melissa and Ty have  been working hard this week to get the silt fence installed.  Ella has been a great little assistant with the project.

Inside

Can't wait to take the boards off and see the view from these awesome windows - this will be in our central living area.

 The inside of the house was as scary as the outside.  One of the contractors bidding on the job referred to it as a 'crack house' and he turned out to be our builder.

The original grounds

The Name

If you are wondering why we call it Gifft Hill, this is honoring our favorite place on earth.  On the island of St. John USVI the peak near the villa that we stay is called Gifft Hill.  We think that the way that this property became ours was almost like a gift.  The first time that we looked at the property the price was way out of reach.  During one of our low points searching for our new home, Melissa found the new listing and price had dropped to a price that we could make it all happen, the rest is history.

The Casteel's new Woodstock Estate

This property had been unloved for many years and on our first visit that is what it looked.  We could not decide if we should run or try to make it happen.  We are very glad that we decided to go with the later.