Bayou Nelson

Our 2nd Christmas

2010-12-20T09:51:00.003-06:00

So we're spending our second Christmas in the house this year. 2009 ended up being a bit of a bear, I went on assignment in the DC area from August '09 - February '10. We did watch the Saints become world champions from the media room, though, so that was very exciting!

I'm finally getting things organized and put away. The last room that hasn't really been tackled is my craftroom and I hope to get that done before the end of the year. We've had many gatherings at the house, parties with family, dinners for the Race and Gravy series and for our community at St. Albans, and this is just the beginning of our memories here.

So what about the energy savings? Save for a bill this past summer when our air conditioner malfunctioned (still under a fantastic warranty, thanks Maytag!), our highest electricity bill has been about $120. I did some comparison and had we stayed with DEMCO (we don't get a choice around here), our bill would have been lower than it was in our old, smaller house (seems Entergy's rates are higher for electricity).

And does the stuff really work? LED can lights. Check! Tankless water heaters. Check! (Although, I should mention unlimited hot water probably isn't the most environmentally friendly use of water resources when you're in the shower and it feels really good!) Concrete floors. Check! Extremely easy to maintain, though they do make you more tired when standing on them for long periods, so we're investing in a few gel mats for the kitchen.

I should also mention that in July 2009 we added a member to the Nelson clan. Little Chester is a Scottish Fold/British Shorthair cat who has jumped right into the family. He loves sitting in the big art glass windows in the game room and eating, well, just about anything.

As 2010 draws to an end, we pause to count our blessings. At a time when people don't have a lot or maybe less than they used to, we've been extremely blessed with this beautiful home and the great benefits of investing in energy efficiency and sustainability. I still wake up in the morning and think, "I love this house."

From our home to yours...have a blessed holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

Finally! New Pictures

2009-06-28T22:35:00.001-05:00

I finally got the new pictures off the memory card and uploaded. Click on the newer pictures album at right and it will take to the Picasa page with all 82 new pictures on it.

Next post: Our electricity bills... energy efficiency earns its reputation.

Open House: Saturday, June 6

2009-06-01T11:32:00.002-05:00

This Saturday, June 6, we will host our marathon open house from 12:00 Noon - 12:00 Midnight. All are welcomed to drop by during this casual event (kids too) as we hope it's a good chance to share our new home with our friends, family and neighbors.

New Pictures really are coming soon (I know, it's almost as bad as a sign saying Free Beer Tomorrow at a bar) and we hope to capture some great moments from the open house on Saturday to share.

For the details on the open house, go to our E-vite invitation by clicking HERE.

Hail Storm Doesn't Dampen Landscaping Joys

2009-05-06T08:07:00.003-05:00

* NEW PICTURES COMING SOON *

On Sunday, May 3rd it hailed as we were visiting with Stone and Tony who were in for JazzFest in New Orleans. After our landscaping was just complete last week, we were a little concerned as pellets of ice began pouring out of the sky, but were relieved that they did little damage to the beds, bushes and young trees. The soaking rain also helped the grass and the rain meter installed on our watering system worked flawlessly as it did not turn on Monday morning after all the rain on Sunday.

First Night!

2009-02-25T22:31:00.002-06:00

Tonight is our first night in the new house. We're sore from moving in, but still very excited. Susan's Mom is piloting her own TV show for HGTV called "My Daughter's Curtains, Aren't They Awesome" (kidding, but Mom has been awesome making curtains for the new house). The PODS got picked up today and all that's left to empty is the storage and our apartment.

And two paws up from the cats on the cat room... they love it. They've sniffed every inch of it.

My First Beer in the New House

2009-02-19T19:41:00.003-06:00

A picture from last Friday. Something about completing a project/dream this huge that makes a beer taste so darn good!

Check the slideshows for more updated pictures. I'll take and post more tomorrow as we prepare for move-in on Saturday... well, it starts on Saturday, let's not get too ambitious. The PODS come on Monday. So while folks are chanting "Throw Me Something, Mister!" we'll be moving in.

I'll shoot some video tomorrow too.

And Let's Not Forget the Master Tub

2009-02-14T19:34:00.000-06:00

I had a pretty bad day on Friday. It was a tough day at work, I was frustrated by the chaos in every facet of my life and the incredible lack of control I had over any of it. So, I rushed home from work, put on some "play clothes" (remember when we had play clothes) and went to the jobsite with a beer in my ice chest.

I climbed in the bathtub, fully clothed, shoes on, everything. Popped open my beer and sat back and sipped as the week just evaporated right there.

Imagine how good it'll be with water in it!

The Creme de la Creme: The Master Shower

2009-02-09T19:24:00.001-06:00

In a tremendously efficient use of materials, our builder had this idea to cut the 16x16 tiles into rectangles and use the remaining pieces as the back splash and baseboards in the master bathroom. The final effect can't be done justice in pictures... it really is spectacular. And we virtually eliminated tile waste.

Lighting with Electricity

2009-02-06T19:18:00.000-06:00

The lighting fixtures were installed over a mater of days by the electrical guys. The LED recessed can lights were a gamble that really paid off. Beautiful, dimmable light quality with a fraction of the energy used by CFLs and a micro-fraction of regular Edison bulbs.

Installation and Staining of the Front Gable

2009-02-01T18:58:00.001-06:00

Believe it or not, these beautiful gable piece was built by our cabinet maker, Robert Shamburger. Catalin stained it to match the door and the interior wood. They make a great front façade that makes the house noticeable from Nicholson.

Pictures of Progress

2009-01-13T20:56:00.005-06:00

After the countertops were installed, the stone was added for the backsplash. Flagstone was also installed after the driveways were poured. Painting went on concurrently while Susan changed her mind on colors.

God Bless Catalin for his patience.

Countertops Installed

2009-01-02T19:05:00.002-06:00

The counterop installation was completed the week before last. Painting is well underway, though we're going to change up some things here and there, and tile work is underway right now as well.

With only two weeks left in our old house, we're getting very close to having the new house ready for us to move in, though in the transition we'll be staying at the Reserve at Cedar Lodge near the TownCenter on Corporate.

Interior Painting Underway

2008-12-19T22:04:00.003-06:00

The ceiling and woodbeams are stained creating that great stained beam under the stonewall between the gameroom and the kitchen. Interior painting continues next week, though obviously not through Christmas.

The exterior soffit painting was redone this week, a clean up leftover from Hurricane Gustav. Caitlin also came up with the great idea of painting the door to the tool storage area to match the soffit color, it really looks great on the exterior of the house now.

Countertop install was pushed to Monday, but we're still moving along great with getting the house finished.

Driveway Poured

2008-12-16T20:23:00.003-06:00

Since the weather in Baton Rouge has gone from freezing last week to mid-70s this week, we weren't sure that concrete pouring was going to be possible. But taking advantage of a small window the past couple of days where it didn't rain and the temperature settled in between the 50s and 60s, they were able to get everything poured. The stone pallets (off in the distance there) were delivered today and will be place on the edges of the driveway and on the walkways shortly.

Look out: countertops are scheduled to be installed on Friday!

SNEAUX DAY!!

2008-12-11T20:21:00.000-06:00

You folks aren't going to believe this, but today, December 11, it snowed three inches in Baton Rouge. It was amazing and beautiful and since I was driving to New Orleans in it, I did not make it to the house to take pictures.

It also was too cold to paint. Yes, it's remarkable that the construction of our house could be impacted by a hurricane AND snowfall in the same four month period!

Finishing Begins

2008-12-10T19:16:00.006-06:00

With about five weeks to go until the house is finished, the colors of the house are starting to come alive as Caitlin works his magic painting and staining.

The stone wall between the gameroom and kitchen was filled in today and will be grouted tomorrow. The kitchen and bathroom cabinets have been stained and others painted.

And the driveway forms are ready to be poured on Saturday. Check out the slideshow link for more pictures of the finishing.

Closets Built

2008-11-27T21:49:00.002-06:00

The closets are built and paint priming has already begun. I'll take more pictures over the weekend and get them posted.

Almost all the cabinets are in, the baseboards are complete and primed and the wood beams in the Game Room have been installed. Also this week we ordered the garage door, all the electrical fixtures (well, almost all) and everything should be in for the plumbing and other installation after the counter tops are installed!

Oh, and we ordered the stools for the bar. It's getting very exciting folks!

Old House Goes Up for Sale

2008-11-05T17:17:00.002-06:00

Our old house went up on www.fsbobr.com last night. If you know anyone who needs a house, check out this link: http://www.fsbobr.com/explore.cfm/area04/102053 to see pictures and information on the house. It's a great house, we're just more excited about moving into our new one that Rick hopes to have us in by Christmas.

Home for the holidays indeed. Thank goodness I bought LED Christmas lights after the holidays last year!

Exterior Finishing Almost Complete

2008-11-04T15:08:00.003-06:00

From the outside, you'd never know it's a concrete house. A lot of people asked about using ICF and wondered if it would make the house look bulky or odd.

With beautiful architectural stone and a stucco finish, it looks just like a regular house, except on one of the most important pieces of paper, the energy bill.

Robert from R&S Superior Cabinets is also doing a great piece of millwork for that front gable, so stay tuned to see how it develops. On the inside the cabinets are almost done, the doors mostly hung and the trim started last week as well. The house is really coming together. Check out the slideshow for more pictures.

Dry Wall Complete, Cabinet Installation Starts

2008-10-29T07:58:00.004-05:00

Robert Shamburger and his son Beau from RS Superior Cabinets were onsite Tuesday afternoon to install the cabinets throughout the house. These beautiful custom cabinets were designed in the craftsman style to complement the rest of the house design. Made of beech, they are a beautiful smooth wood that will take staining very well.

The dry wall is complete as is the exterior finishing, with the exception of the soffits that have to be redone from the damage the Tyvek did in Hurricane Gustav. Apparently heavy paper being wind-whipped at 91 miles an hour causes paint to flake off, I believe Tyvek-blasting is the technical term.

We were given a gift on the exterior finishing in that there was a slight bit of confusion over the color we chose and what was listed on the filing plan of the house from which we chose the color. The result is that on the original paint attempt we got a gray color instead of the green color we wanted. Well, we decided to use the gray color as an accent around the windows and on the boarder on the front. I saw it for the first time yesterday and it looks awesome. Pictures are coming soon, but I need to go take them in the morning as the afternoon sun (at least by the time I get there each day) detracts from the detail and finish.

Things are really rolling along. Cabinets will be finished this week, then doors get installed the house really starts to look finished. Check out the slideshow link for more pictures!

Drywall Almost Complete

2008-10-19T21:45:00.004-05:00

The drywall is almost complete and looks great. Our superhero ability to walk through walls has gone away with the drywall installation. Cabinets are on schedule to start installation any day now and the exposed beams will be installed shortly as well. The house is really coming together on the inside!

Checkout the slideshow for additional drywall pictures.

Drywall Started Today

2008-10-14T20:32:00.004-05:00

The drywall installation started today. Here's a picture of some in the master bedroom where the ceiling has both a 10 foot and 12 foot height with recessed LED can lights around the perimeter. Today I enjoyed perhaps my last chance to walk through some of the walls (particularly the one between the master closet and the media room), I'm going to miss being able to do that!

We're Finally On Google Maps!

2008-10-13T20:01:00.004-05:00

Lexington Estates finally made Google Maps! It doesn't quite compute addresses yet, but the little blue bubble here on the map indicates where our house is located on Landmark Drive.

Progress is coming along great on the house with the stucco almost complete today. Drywall installation starts tomorrow.

More pictures being posted too, click on the slideshow for more.

Passage of H.R. 1424 Means Energy-Efficient Credits Have Been Extended

2008-10-10T08:01:00.002-05:00

Swallowing the $400 Billion "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" last week was a little bit like swallowing a brick. I'll let the economists debate the virtues of that package, but the upside of the legislation was found in Division B of H.R. 1424, the "Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008."

We started the planning for our energy-efficient home in 2007. At the time there were several federal tax-credits on the books for energy-efficient construction and modifications. Let me be clear with this statement, we would have made the decision to build efficiently whether we were getting tax credits or not, however: 1) they do help offset the upfront costs of our more expensive, but more energy efficient choices and 2) the tax credits are an incentive for homeowners and builders to seek out energy efficient technology, which builds a market for that technology as well as those capable of installing and working with the new technology. In short, most builders (other than ours) will tell you there is no money to be made in building energy efficiency construction. They're right. Most spec builders want to build a high-quality house as cheaply as possible, and when it comes to energy efficient modifications, finding the labor to make them and the equipment themselves are often not worth their time or trouble. They won't be able to make their money and extra labor back up unless there is something that offsets their out-of-pocket costs, like a tax credit.

And when there isn't a market or a ready labor pool for a particular application (tankless water heaters, recycled glass countertops, poured concrete walls), the technology remains economically out of reach for many because there is little market competition due to the lack of general interest. It's like trying to fly to Alaska in late October. There aren't any direct flights and the flights available are very expensive, because the only people who go to Alaska in late October are the ones who have to. Try the same trip in June when everyone wants to go, and the options and competition are a lot better.

Well, on December 31, 2007, those tax credits expired and despite numerous insertions into various bills during the second session of the 110th Congress, they had not been renewed leaving our house (and any other built in 2008) out of the somewhat lucrative tax credits for energy efficient construction and purchase of energy conserving appliances.

That was until last week. Before the House adjourned for the session (unless they come back for a lame-duck term after the November election), they passed the so-called bailout legislation that had a number of divisions for various tax incentives, including the one for energy-efficient residential and commercial construction.

I have not finished going over the text of the legislation with a fine-toothed comb yet, but here are the highpoints:

Energy Credits for Solar Energy (i.e., the addition of solar panels) have been extended to January 1, 2017. Moreover, the new language allows for credit against the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), a move that essentially raises the amount of the credit for most homeowners.
Small Wind Energy Credit (generating your own electricity through the use of a small-wind turbine or an average male after bean chili and a few beers) has been extended to December 31, 2016, and the credit raised to $4000. You may want to stick to regular turbines as provisions in the law against "double dipping" prohibit using your average male as both an energy tax credit and a standard deduction.
Energy Credit for Geothermal Heat Pump Systems extended to January 1, 2017.
New Energy Efficient Home Credit extended until December 31, 2009.
Significant modifications to the Energy Efficient Appliance Credit. Dishwasher credit: $45 or $75 depending on efficiency; Clothes Washer credit: $75 - $250 depending on efficiency; Refrigerators: $50 - $200 depending on efficiency. And the total aggregate amount of credit allowed has been raised to $75,000,000, meaning builders can build several homes with energy-efficient appliances and get the credits for just about all of them.
Thermal efficiency for Water Heaters modified to be either an energy factor of 0.80 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90 percent.

There are more details that I still need to read and compare to the previous legislation. They don't re-write the laws, they just say, change subsection (a), line one to "x." I hope to put together a comprehensive document that helps those interested in building energy efficient construction understand their credits and builders understand credits available to them as well to continue to encourage investment in energy efficiency. Incentives continue to be the primary driver toward innovation and research/development to progress the energy efficient movement. Drop me an e-mail if you have corrections or questions.

Media Room Risers Installed

2008-10-09T21:48:00.003-05:00

The media room risers were installed last week as well as shown in this picture. The three levels of seating will add to the movie theater feel of the room. In front there will be a large screen with a projector mounted to the ceiling.

Danny is working with our security guy to get the room wired in what we hope will be a great media experience!

Thar She Blows! Attic Insulation

2008-10-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

The insulation was blown into the attic last week as Rick and his crew prepare for drywall installation next week. The cellulose insulation expands as they apply it to the underside of the roof as part of the envelope construction which supports the energy efficiency of the home by sealing the entire structure. It makes for more storage space in a heated and cooled attic, but more importantly, it keeps outdoor air pollution from being brought into the home through traditional attic vents. It looks pretty cool too!

Sneak Peak at the Floors

2008-09-15T06:21:00.006-05:00

The floors are covered up now that Emily and her crew are almost completely finished. But I managed to get a few pictures last week before everything was covered. The images seen here include the compass at the front entry (before it was painted); the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired "rug" in the dining room that represents the image of the art glass windows across the game room; and a picture of the kictchen floor. There will be more pictures of the floors at the end of the job when everything gets polished and a few more suprises as well!

Work Resumes Today

2008-09-09T08:04:00.002-05:00

All is well at Lot #111. We did lose a couple of shingles and pretty much all of our Tyvek wrap, but otherwise the house is just fine. Power was restored Sunday night and Emily and her crew are returning today to finish the floors.

In talking with Rick yesterday he explained that the lost shingles were probably due to the fact that the roof had not had enough time to set where the asphalt actually melds together on the roof making a tight grip. The only way a roof actually sets is with several days of hot sun that activate the asphalt strips. Since we've had relatively mild and overcast days leading up to the storm, there were one or two spots that had not completely set and they were taken by the wind. Rick assured us that our roof was installed to Miami/Dade Hurricane standards that include six nails per shingle instead of the usual three.

Personally, I think some debris from across the street hit the roof because the only damage to the roof was on the side facing the house under construction with the full dumpster. Again, it was very minor damage that can easily be replaced. The walls held up incredibly well, aside from the Tyvek, which really isn't meant to withstand 91 mph gusts. Rick is doing some research anyway right now on alternative waterproofing methods for ICF, we'll keep the blog posted on what he comes up with.

Hurricane Gustav

2008-09-01T21:39:00.002-05:00

Hurricane Gustav roared ashore this morning in Louisiana. Unfortunately, Baton Rouge was on what is considered the worst side of the storm to be on. We had sustained winds in Baton Rouge at 61 mph, with gusts of 91 mph. The good news is, we are fine, our families are fine and accounted for and except for being without power, we're good.

The bad news is, we weren't in our new concrete house yet. At our old house, a wood frame house, we did have a tree uproot in our back yard and hit our house. From what we can tell, it did not cause a lot of damage, but we haven't really been up to assess it closely. Rick called us this afternoon and offered to come by and help us remove it tomorrow (once again, can I say AWESOME builder?)

We don't know if there was any damage at our home under construction. Rick and his crew were out to prepare the construction site for the storm on Friday, locked down the doors, picked up debris, etc. We feel reasonably certain the house is fine, we'll try to get out tomorrow and get a look at it. Our only real threat was from the construction site across the street where their trash container had not been emptied in weeks and posed a real debris threat to the house... and we only expect that debris may have damaged our windows or shingles.

But we are fine. We wish we were in our new house because we'd be a lot better off... we'll have a backup generator there and much more significant walls (and very small baby trees). Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this storm tonight and we pray for a quick recovery as we thank God that there wasn't significant flooding like what happened with Katrina.

Scoring and Staining

2008-08-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

After an interesting day of popping the lines for the scored and stained concrete floors (and Susan learning how to LISTEN to people giving her information), scoring continued today with staining starting late in the afternoon.

It doesn't look like anything yet, but once all the finishing is done, it will look very cool. Below are some pictures of Emily and her crew working today as well as the video shot above of the new saw scoring the floor in the kitchen.

Most houses just have floors, ours has a literal canvas of artistic color, effects, texture and even a little humor.

Electrical Inspection Complete!

2008-08-26T21:09:00.003-05:00

With our incredible builder Rick running the job, it is no surprise what-so-ever that we got the literal O.K. on our electrical inspection today. Hats off to rockin' Ray Decareaux and his crew at Acustom Electric for a job well done. Maybe it's just the English major in me, but is O.K. really the opposite of Rejected? What about Fabulous, Awesome or Fantastic? Don't get me wrong, we'll take our O.K. and run with it... I'm just throwing that question out there on the wording. As you can see there are still a few steps to go, but it just seems to keep getting better!

I can see it now, a new third level of code for building... the Rick Standard, better than O.K., it's not even 1/2 inch off!

Interior Work Well Underway

2008-08-24T19:22:00.004-05:00

Interior work on the house is well underway. The above pictures show the last exterior door has been installed and the electrical wiring is complete. Notice how they cut into the styrofoam for the wiring on the ICF walls. This wiring will be covered with drywall for a seamless electrical and plumbing installation.

In this picture, the frames for the pocket doors on the craft room and laundry room are visible. This framing will allow the doors to slide into the wall wasting no space in the rooms on in the hallway for door openings. On Saturday, I met with Emily Heroman of NuCrete to go over the floor designs in house prior to their work beginning on Monday. I haven't heard that the weather will impact their work beginning, but we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully they can start popping the lines for the flooring designs on Monday afternoon. Checkout the slideshow gallery for more pictures from Friday.

LED Lighting

2008-08-22T07:30:00.004-05:00

One of the energy-efficient components of our home is to use LED lighting where ever possible. Not only do LEDs use 1/2 the energy of a compact fluorescent light (CFL), they do not contain harmful mercury, which should be used cautiously in an indoor environment. LEDs can last anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 hours whereas even extended life CFLs can only last up to 10,000 hours under extremely ideal conditions. LEDs also give off very little heat, making them the perfect lighting choice for South Louisiana to reduce summer cooling bills.

We found LED can lighting fixtures manufactured by Cree. Visit their Website for an overview of their LED recessed down lights (cans) which fit into regular Halo housings for easy construction. These fixtures can even be retrofitted into existing harnesses for an energy efficient remodel. The Cree cans can also be controlled with a dimmer, a feature most LED bulbs haven't quite perfected yet. 1000Bulbs.com sells these lights for about $114 each, which seems like a lot for light fixtures until you figure that they last up to 20 years and use 85% less energy than typical incandescent fixtures, meaning the fixtures will pay for themselves in a couple of years. Our electrician, Ray with Acustom Electric, is getting them from a local source, but any do-it-yourself homeowner can buy these and retrofit them into existing can harnesses with Cree's simple installation instructions.

As the LED technology gets more and more refined over the next few years, we will see more applications of them throughout the residential setting. We found another Website for a company that specializes in making LED bulbs that fit regular incandescent light sockets. We've tried a few of these out and while some of them are significantly dimmer than your average 40 watt bulb, some of them are fantastic and give off a great quality light. One site is The LED Light that offers a variety of LED products. Another site C.Crane that also offers a wide variety of LED bulbs that fit standard incandescent applications. We are also installing LED track lighting in the game room, using positionable LEDs to focus light in particular areas like the pool table and shuffle board table. Another site carrying LED bulbs are LEDbulb.com.

One other neat application we're doing with LEDs is a collaborative effort between our creativity, our cabinet maker's craftsmanship and Rick's vision for our new home. Rick has been pushing us to make our house special, even when the temptation to do something the most cost effective way is driving many of our decisions. An inexpensive and creative effect in our kitchen is being created by our cabinet maker, Robert Shamburger, who is creating a faux window effect in our kitchen by building screens for these boxes that will be framed in drywall over our cooktop. Because the cooktop is on an interior wall, we'll cover the wall with drywall and have these LED fixtures behind the screens that can be controlled by a remote. These particular LEDs can be up to 12 different colors allowing us to set a mood (Purple and Gold for football season, Red and Green for Christmas) with the touch of a button in a unique kitchen building application.

I think we've just barely scraped the capability of LED technology and working to install these fixtures now will allow us to keep pace with the changes in lighting technology down the road. Not only that, we're taking advantage of the opportunity to build a truly custom home that has some unique features that we can enjoy while being "green" at the same time. For more information about LED lighting, read this recent NY Times article: Fans of LED Say This Bulb's Time Has Come. (I do take issue with some of the facts in this article, though, it wasn't very well researched as we've found very reasonably priced LED bulbs and downlights and I'm having a tough time seeing where they couldn't be applied to regular lighting with the same effect). I'd like to thank the guy who sat next to me on the red-eye from Seattle to Atlanta last October who dealt in commercial lighting and turned me on the the possiblity of LED fixtures.

I'm taking more pictures this afternoon... stop back by over the weekend!

The Mysterious Palm Tree

2008-08-16T16:59:00.000-05:00

Sometime during the week our sand was delivered for our stucco (either that, or Rick's building a beach volley ball court) and next to the pile of sand was this palm tree. It's not real, but it's reasonably nice looking. We're not sure why it was left at our jobsite, but there it is, a palm tree. We may have to keep it and name it.

More and More Progress!

2008-08-15T16:50:00.000-05:00

The roof is complete, the plumbing is pretty much complete (except for adding the fixtures, which happens later), the electrical is under way. Things are rolling along quite well with all of the construction and the crews have been working hard to get all the pieces finished.

Rolling Along

2008-08-11T08:28:00.003-05:00

The roof shingles were added last week and all of the exterior windows are now in, including the cat window show at the far left above. We have electrical walkthrough on Tuesday and the floors start next Monday. There has been an amazing amount of progress in the last couple of weeks, so we know Rick and his crew have really been working hard.

Beautiful Doors!

2008-08-10T08:22:00.000-05:00

The front entry door and the side entry door are installed and stained and the results are just beautiful. Hats off to Caitlin who did the finishing on the doors and the painting of the soffets. His attention to detail and ability to match the stain color was absolutely perfect. We couldn't be happier!

The Doors

2008-07-28T21:56:00.004-05:00

The exterior doors and windows for the most part have been installed. These beautiful doors created by T&L Forest Products are made from spanish cedar and will have art glass inserts added to them to create a craftsman style look. The carpenters are finishing up this week, with plumbing getting underway this Tuesday.

They Do Windows

2008-07-23T06:38:00.003-05:00

The windows and exterior doors were delivered to the house yesterday. They started installing them throughout the house and should finish today. Pictured here is the bay window that will be over the kitchen sink. Now that the roof is substantially on, the difference in temperature from the outside to the inside is amazing. I was stunned yesterday to feel the difference, and that is with no fans and no air conditioning on a very sticky hot summer day. I can only imagine how it will feel once it is finished. More pictures are in the slideshow link on the right.

I Say The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on Fire!

2008-07-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

The roof is rocking and rolling along as these pictures from Friday show. The area over the front porch was rebuilt after the last set of pictures last week because, in Rick's words, "it had a booger on it." We once again applaud Rick for his commitment to zero-"booger" *ahem* defect building.

Windows get delivered this week and the roof should be finished shortly!

My Response to the Business Report Story

2008-07-20T20:16:00.003-05:00

What is disheartening about seeking a better way to build a house is the change resistance one gets from conventional builders who don’t want to see the way we build modified. I offer these questions: why has it taken $4 a gallon gas to get car manufacturers to give us the fuel efficiency we should have had 10 years ago? Why did it take a “green movement” to get grocery stores to give people incentives for reusing bags?

And how long will it take Baton Rouge builders, fat and happy off of a real estate boom, to realize that the fastest and cheapest way to do something isn’t always the best way? Mr. Joe Didier needs to check his facts from his recent Business Report story (read here) where he is quoted as saying that it is hard to justify the costs of doing what we’re doing as opposed to stick building. Let me break it down for him this way: 1) According to the appraisal of our home as compared to the cost it is taking us to build it (plus Rick’s fees, plus lending/finance fees), we are already conservatively about $90K ahead. 2) Add to that a $65/month energy bill in the summer (let’s just look at the four hottest months, May – August) and you figure we’ll spend $260 at current prices to cool our home next summer. Compare that to most people I talk to with similar sized, conventionally built homes and they spend closer to $200/month at current prices cooling their home in the summer. That would mean that our home, just at these rates, will give us a summer savings of $540/year. And that’s just the summer. Because concrete also keeps the warm air in during the winter, we’ll see a similar, though not as dramatic, savings in the winter.

And this is at TODAY’s energy costs, which we know are rising. Anything the homeowner can do to reduce the energy use of their home not only saves them money it saves the PLANET of dwindling energy resources, something we ALL should attempt to do as good citizens.

But if the savings alone isn’t enough, Mr. Didier, I’ll tell you what, you’re invited over to my house next time the hurricane winds start to blow outside (or, heck, let’s just say a tornado or really bad thunderstorm). When the lights go out, where would you rather be? A house that will reach 85 degrees (and climbing) pretty darn fast without a backup generator, or my house that, without electricity, won’t get over 78 degrees for hours on end while we sit in the safety of our concrete walls, hardly able to hear the winds blowing outside. If there’s any beer left by the time you can get to us, Mr. Didier, I’ll be happy to share one with you while I smile smugly that we found an innovative builder willing to challenge the status quo.

Oh, and did I mention the energy savings tax credits available from the State and Federal government? Ooops, there's two more reasons to invest in the future. Think outside the wooden box, my friends!

Up On A Housetop!

2008-07-15T20:16:00.003-05:00

Today is my friend Stone's birthday. Everyone wish her a fantastic birthday and that it's the beginning of a year filled with wonderful things for her. Normally I wouldn't make such a public mention of Stone getting a year older, but when I called her this morning to tell her Happy Birthday, she asked me what was up with no more recent pictures.

No the camera isn't broken... I've just been lazy. I even had pictures from last week that sat in my camera on my desk all weekend without getting posted. In my defense, I did finish painting the master bathroom of the old house, fix the tile in the kitchen and look for new light fixtures for the hall bathroom, so I wasn't a complete bum this weekend.

So... here's a picture from last week and this week. The rest are posted in the slideshow. It's coming along great and we're having some great weather this week, so I feel as though there will be more photo-worthy progress by week's end.

Roof Framing Coming Along

2008-07-07T08:18:00.004-05:00

Here are some shots from last week's roof framing progress. It's coming along great despite the daily afternoon thunderstorm we seem to be getting. Right now we're waiting on drawings from our cabinet creator to finish the cabinet details inside and get them into production. With the 4th of July holiday over, things will kick back into high gear today! Click on the slideshow link for more pictures.

Hat's Off, But Almost Ready to Go On!

2008-06-25T19:53:00.004-05:00

The weather was working against the crew today as they continued to frame up the house. As I talked to Rick this afternoon he used the expression "put the hat on" to refer to the roof being added. So hat's off to the team for getting the framing closer to putting that hat ON!

Also this week, we've firmed up the floor plans with our scored and stained concrete expert, Emily Heroman of NuCrete Designs. She's most excited about our plans and we can't wait to see her work her magic on the floors. Rick mentioned this afternoon that he's seen our completed front door as well, so we're very excited about the windows and doors being added soon. Wow... it's almost too fast to be real.

Hammering Right Along!

2008-06-23T21:23:00.009-05:00

It's amazing to watch a house take shape. All the skill and precision and engineering that go into every piece of wood. Here are some pictures from this afternoon with more to follow this week as the skeleton of the roof goes up.

Framing Underway!

2008-06-09T22:48:00.007-05:00

Framing is well underway and going quite well thanks to the expert craftsmen on Rick's crew. The walls should be finished by Tuesday and then they'll start on the ceiling and roof. Everyday it gets closer to looking like a house.

A key meeting this week is with Robert at RS Superior Cabinets to discuss our cabinetry and shelving. Last week we met with Emily Heroman at Nucrete to discuss our scored and stained concrete floors, which we'll be finalizing in plans with her this week.

So many details, so little time! So much fun, though. More to come.

Framing Starts June 4

2008-05-27T09:33:00.002-05:00

Framing on the house will most likely start June 4. Framing will include the roof and interior walls. The windows are also set to be installed in the next couple of weeks. We'll keep updating pictures.

The house across the street from us is the 2008 Children's Miracle Mansion. Tickets for a chance to win the house along with a number of other fabulous prizes are available now and the drawing is Saturday, June 1. To purchase a ticket for a chance to win the Mansion, go to www.childrensmiraclemansion.org. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to the Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital to improve the technology and level of care to all children in the Baton Rouge area. It's a great cause and a great opportunity to win a free house. Visit the site today to buy your tickets online.

Exterior Bracing Comes Down

2008-05-19T21:22:00.004-05:00

The exterior bracing for the concrete pour was taken down on Friday. The exterior walls are now completely visible and awaiting for framing to start.

Feel free to come by and "push" on the walls to feel how strong they are. Once the exterior stucco and limestone are added, there will be no way to tell on the exterior that the walls are made of styrofoam and concrete.

Caught in the Act: Rick Vinyard on the Jobsite

2008-05-06T14:26:00.008-05:00

Rick Vinyard takes a moment to lean on his shovel from cleaning up the concrete falling from the top of the frame. This guy is a master project manager, he had his whole team working flawlessly to get the concrete poured, respond to the necessary trouble spots and keep our interior floors from getting stained or mucked up. Rick knew exactly where his resources were today and when/where they needed to be deployed, which is exactly what makes a great project manager.

I can't say enough good things about our builder. Not only is he a great builder/contractor, he's fun to work with because he knows he has everything in order when he shows up at the site.

Concrete Pour!

2008-05-06T13:41:00.006-05:00

Here's some video of how the pour went today on the job site. The pour went off really well and Rick was out to supervise the crew along with Brian who directed the pour team. The bracing will remain up for a few more days as the concrete cures, but the exterior walls are essentially done!

There were a lot of visitors today to see the site, especially with the pump truck visible from Nicholson. The weather was really great, not too hot, sunny with a light breeze. We've had some excellent karma leading Kerry to tell me this morning he thought our house was "blessed."

I couldn't agree more!

(What you see in this footage is the pump truck hose pumping the concrete in while Brian taps on the wall forms to ensure the concrete has settled into the right location. The guy walking around with the joysticks looking up at the pump is Roger, he's controlling how the pump hose moves. And the guy in the gray shirt just standing around looking smart, that's Rick our builder.)

Pictures from Thursday, May 1, 2008

2008-05-03T11:18:00.007-05:00

On Thursday they were almost finished with the wall forms and doing the final preparations for Tuesday's pour. Here are some pictures from Thursday.

Pictures from Tuesday

2008-04-30T06:05:00.007-05:00

Brian and his crew should be done with the foam blocking by today and will spend tomorrow and maybe Friday finishing the seals and putting up the rest of the walking planks. The weather has really cooperated with us and we're looking forward to next Tuesday's pour.

In these pictures you can see how the foam is actually going together, in the first picture, Kerry is sliding a piece of foam block over the re-bar sticking up from the slab. See the rest of Tuesday's pictures in the slideshow by clicking on the picture under slideshow below.

Pictures from Friday

2008-04-26T11:19:00.007-05:00

With a 2008 Parade of Homes house just down the street, we are sure to get our drive-bys this weekend. I talked with Brian yesterday and told him how great it was coming along and he said they'd be done by now if so many people hadn't stopped by to ask him what he was doing!

Still, the walls are going up great and yesterday Rick and Brian scheduled the wall pour for Tuesday, May 6. Here are some pictures from Friday (top to bottom): The garage where the driveway door will be; the front of the house facing the street; inside the living room/game room where the assembled block has been.

Walls Going Up!

2008-04-24T22:44:00.003-05:00

As other contractors drive slowly by our house with their heads turned to the side, this man and his crew work steadily on getting the ECO-Block forms for our walls done.

Meet Brian. He's been an international trainer for ECO-Block installations and he recently went back to doing what he loves, building ICF houses. Brian and his crew have been working hard since last week with excellent weather supporting their work. With all of our windows and doors selected he has just about everything (sorry, we're still working on that rough opening for window C) to finish building the forms for our house. See the picture gallery for more pictures of the walls going up.

At last, this theoretical thing we've been working on for three years is finally starting to look like an actual house. I would be remiss without mentioning that each day when they finish their work, the site looks neater than my house will probably look when it's finished.

More Pictures of the Exterior Wall Framing

2008-04-20T21:51:00.004-05:00

On the left: The string I was talking about to line up the walls. On the right: The window openings being built for the ICF framing to go around them.

Exterior Wall Framing Starts

2008-04-20T21:43:00.002-05:00

Here's our ECO-Block walls flat and ready to be pieced together. We went by the house Friday evening after it had rained and had the opportunity to get muddy for the first time!

The lines were drawn for the block to be put up and string had been run to keep the walls straight as they are being constructed.

It should be neat to watch the walls being assembled over the next couple of weeks.

ECO-Block Materials Being Delivered Today

2008-04-16T10:21:00.002-05:00

Our ECO-Block materials are being delivered this morning and the wall forms will start going up very soon! For details on how the walls are going together, visit our January post on ICF. It explains how the walls are assembled and then filled with concrete.

Because so many people have started asking, I'll be posting a list of vendors on the right side of this blog shortly. Starting of course with our brillant contractor, Rick Vinyard.

Bonus Post

2008-04-15T21:22:00.003-05:00

A lot of people have asked if they could see a better version of the plans. I've attached a large-scale picture below. Once again, out of respect for the intellectual property of our designer, please don't try to download and copy these. Thanks!

We Have Concrete!

2008-04-15T20:33:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of some of the smoothest concrete I've ever seen. It's really beautiful. The pour went off really well today and as you can see Rick's team did a wonderful job preserving our slab for scored and stained concrete floors. With our slab done and ready to go, the Eco-Block materials are being delivered tomorrow and Rick estimates our exterior walls (weather permitting) will be done in 2 - 3 weeks.

We've been blessed with some beautiful weather, especially today when the unseasonably cool weather made the air just a bit drier than usual allowing our concrete to set up flawlessly.

Hats off to Rick and his team again. He really does rock!

Slab Pouring Delayed 'til Tuesday

2008-04-11T17:43:00.002-05:00

In a highly regarded abundance of caution, awesome builder Rick Vinyard delayed our concrete pour until next Tuesday. His concern was about the rough weather scheduled to pass through the area tonight on the leading edge of a "cold" front. High winds and rain are expected and that could mar the surface of the concrete making an impact on our scored and stained concrete floors.

The wire forms for the post-tension slab are in place and Kenny, the guy from Post-Tension Slabs, Inc., was putting the finishing touches on today thanks to some engineering re-reviews by Rick and co. For more information on post-tension slab creation, visit the Post-Tension Slabs, Inc. website.

More pictures from today are in the slideshow gallery.

Slab Form Passes Inspection

2008-04-10T07:07:00.002-05:00

Our slab form was inspected yesterday and we are ready to go on pouring concrete. If the weather cooperates, we'll get the slab poured this week. In talking with Rick yesterday, he explained to me in more detail how the slab was going to work. In what is called a "post-tension" slab, those trenches you see in the picture are going to become concrete beams. Wire is run throughout them and pressure is put on the wire to pull them as supports for the slab. It's an amazingly strong foundation, which every house should be built on.

Wire and Re-bar

2008-04-08T22:08:00.002-05:00

So today I went by the lot after Leadership Class and the VIPS Golden Apple Picnic (sorry, didn't have my camera handy), and there was a ton of wire and re-bar run throughout the form. It's supposed to rain later in the week, so I wouldn't be surprised if Rick was ready to pour concrete before Friday. Rick and his team must be exhausted because they've really been working hard these past two weeks!

Quick Post on the Plumbing Rough In

2008-04-07T22:26:00.003-05:00

When I say moving along fast, I mean we're moving along FAST! Here's a picture of the plumbing rough-in shot on Sunday. The plastic protected the dirt from the downpours we had late Friday night and Saturday morning. It was pretty dry out there on Sunday, so slab pouring is imminent!

Things are Moving Along Quickly!

2008-04-04T09:06:00.003-05:00

I had not been out to the site since the last post in March, thinking it was going to take Rick's team longer to get the land ready. However, blessed with the gift of relatively good weather, Rick's team has been rocking and rolling on getting the slab ready to pour. Hopefully his team will be pouring concrete next Friday, April 11.

Here's a picture of the form for the slab being pieced together by Rick's team. We also finished all of our window selections this week, nailed down the plumbing fixtures and have already done all of the paint colors for the interior. We're finalizing some guidance for the electrical contractor this week for placement of the floor outlets in the gameroom and any additional outside stubs we may want before they pour the slab next week. After all this time of our house being purely theoretical (on paper and in our heads), it was really exciting to see some actual forms in the ground!

Keep checking back... if the weather cooperates, we'll keep moving along quickly.

Permits Have Been Approved!

2008-03-19T13:52:00.002-05:00

The city-parish permit office accidentally called me today to tell us that our permits had been approved for building our house! After calling me, she called our builder Rick to let him know he could pick up the permits. We're one step closer to turning some dirt.

We Have an Electrical Pole & Box

2008-03-13T09:52:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I went by the lot and our electrician had installed a temporary pole and a box to hold the electrical meter. As soon as our permits are approved by the city-parish, we'll be able to get Entergy out to hook up the meter and get us ready for power to our site for building.

We also have a little sign marking our lot and our address. Before you know it we'll start seeing the framing for the slab!

We've Closed on Financing

2008-03-03T14:41:00.002-06:00

On Friday, February 29 (yes, leap day), we closed on the financing for our new home and gave our builder, Rick Vinyard, authorization to proceed. This move means that the beginnings of construction are imminent, as we are waiting on permits from the city-parish and we'll be turning some dirt very soon!

We'd like to thank the folks at IberiaBank for all their hard work through the lending process. Building a custom home isn't like financing a regular home buy and our house is especially tricky because of the ICF construction and green construction elements. We'd like to thank Justin Tregre who was our closing agent and who will be working with us for the drawdowns with the builder. We'd especially like to thank Ferol Hebert who worked her magic with financing options and made this all possible. If you're looking for financing options, definitely check them out by calling Ferol at (225) 921-0829. We'd also like to give a shout out to the folks at Signature Title, they've handled both of our closing so far (the land, and now the construction loan), and their service is really great. You've got to have a title company, and as they say it, "put their name on the line everyday," so check them out at (225) 767-7777.

Habitat Home & Garden Show This Weekend!

2008-02-26T11:20:00.002-06:00

The Capital Region Builders Association (CRBA) is hosting it's annual Habitat Home & Garden Show this weekend at the Baton Rouge River Center. Hours are Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

This year's theme is Green Construction! Come out and see the latest and greatest of suppliers and builders who work with environmentally friendly materials and techniques.

Our very own AWESOME BUILDER Rick Vinyard will be there with his Precision Construction crew and you can see a section of our wall construction live right there at his booth.

The Habitat show sort of represents an anniversary for us because it was at this event last year that we found Rick and our designer John Guillory to begin doing the plans for our new home.

P.S.: We may have some really exciting news on Friday, so check back here!

What Makes An Awesome Builder?

2008-01-30T09:57:00.001-06:00

I've heard that when you build a custom home, the hardest thing to find is a good builder. In that regard we are extremely lucky to have found an AWESOME builder named Rick Vinyard.
Rick (the one in the ball cap, not the hard hat) is pictured here pouring concrete into one of his ICF homes under construction in Baton Rouge.

So What Makes an Awesome Builder?

1) True custom home builders only build homes to their client's specifications. Rick Vinyard is a custom builder. He doesn't start a house and then give the owner a couple of options toward the end. He starts from the beginning, owning his client's vision of their home and then directs the building of that home to their specifications and desires.

2) Rick actually has an office. A real office with desks and computers and chairs where you can sit down with him and really talk through things. I would compare Rick to going to see a very good doctor... anyone who has sat with a really good doctor in their office, not the exam room, sees a place with books and evidence of recent research and a real investment in their craft. That's Rick Vinyard, he's like a doctor of home building. Rick does research, he goes to manufacturers and understands how their products are made and installed for optimal quality. If there's some kind of special material his client wants, he goes out and becomes a distributor of the material so that he can get that material at a better cost and learn as much as he can about the application of that material. It's like buying a fine piece of art, the overhead for the creation may be a bit higher than if you bought a piece of pottery at the local discount store, but the quality, craftsmanship and art are unparalleled in a fine piece of art.

3) Rick is a great project manager. He has crews of people that have a proven track record of working with him and then he manages them well. If your builder picks up assorted labor from the home improvement store parking lot, this is a bad sign. You want a builder who people want to work for because those people are going to do quality work... and Rick accepts nothing less from his people.

4) Rick is a master communicator. It helps that he can be seen on his jobsites with his laptop in tow, sending e-mails and keeping track of information. Before we even had a contract signed with Rick, it was less than a day turn around on getting an e-mail response from him. Now that we have a contract, he still responds with the same swiftness. We also feel comfortable talking with Rick. If your builder gives you a greasy, used car salesman kind of vibe... RUN because there's a lot in building a house that can be hidden from the homeowner by a shoddy builder. Rick is very down to earth, very approachable and comes across as the honest broker you want giving you advice on choices you are going to live with for a very, very long time.

5) Rick always has mud on his boots. In fact, most times at his office, his boots are outside because he doesn't want to track dirt everywhere. Look for this sign with a good builder, a guy who's a little dirty from actually being at the jobsite means he'll actually be supervising the quality of your home. Rick takes that even a step further as a true craftsman, as seen in the picture above, he can't help getting his hands dirty by actually doing some of the work on his homes.

Bottom line, an awesome builder has an attention to detail, a commitment to quality and a focus on his individual clients. Everyone we've talked to and all other houses we've seen, people who have built with Rick are extremely pleased with his work. That's the hallmark of an awesome builder and we were extremely lucky to have found ours. If you'd like to check out other work that Rick's done, visit his Website at Precision Construction Group.

ICF: It's Actually Pretty Easy Being Green

2008-01-15T10:49:00.000-06:00

The immortal Kermit the Frog sang about the challenges of being green more than 30 years ago. Today, it's a lot easier than most people think with innovations in building materials such as ICF or insulated concrete forms.

Our house is being built with the ECO-Block system (ECO-Block Website) that reduces waste in construction, but also reduces energy costs, improves indoor air quality and creates a quiet house free from the intrusions of ambient environmental noise (like trains and sirens). ECO-Block can withstand 250 mile-per-hour winds, making it extremely resistant to storm damage. Concrete breaks down at a much higher temperatures than average house fires can create, making the construction fire resistant as well. We wanted our dream home to last forever, a possibility with this innovative construction method.

The main element of ICF/ECO-Block that blew us away was that our home will require 1/2 the tonnage of HVAC of a comparable non-ICF home. In South Louisiana, that efficiency nets a significant energy savings and a much more comfortable home during the unbearable summers months. ICF construction also makes homeowners and builders eligible for energy efficiency tax savings and special energy efficient mortgages that can make the green building process more feasible.

How Does ICF Work?

ICF construction uses layers of Styrofoam and other recycled materials on either side of six inches of concrete. The result is very solid 12-inch thick walls that keep out noise and environmental pollutants while retaining an energy efficient temperature inside. Our builder is an advocate of envelope construction on this type of home, meaning that the entire house is sealed with a high-filtration HVAC system that keeps the indoor air clean and humidity regulated. The exterior can be treated with stone, brick, shingle or stucco finishing and the interior walls take sheetrock just like any other construction. Plumbing and electrical rough ins are done very similar to typical construction, only special knives are used to cut away the interior foam for pipe and wiring. Exterior walls do require extra hardware for hanging pictures or other items, but the bracket system used to hold the Eco-Blocks together allows for special hanging gear to be used.

As the walls go up, we'll be providing detailed pictures of the days leading up to the big concrete pour. For more pictures of ICF construction in progress, visit our builder's website at www.pcgbr.com.

Sneak Peak at the Plans

2007-12-23T18:04:00.001-06:00

Here's a sneak peak at our floor plan. Click on the drawing to enlarge. This post is for informational purposes, folks, don't try to download this and create your own plans. You probably won't get very far with a .png file anyway!

Meet Our Designer: John Guillory

2007-12-21T07:15:00.000-06:00

We have approval of our final plans by the structural engineers, leaving us one final approval by Lexington Estates developer, Greg Flores, before we can break ground. In light of finalizing our plans, we thought we'd take this opportunity to introduce our designer, John Guillory.

John is a master at translating people's thoughts into reality on paper. He worked with us for a long time before we even had a signed contract to guide us in the decisions we needed to make to help our dream become detailed house plans. John is a very straightforward designer and his expert advice (often put as, "here's why you don't want to do that...") helped make our plans not only functional but cost efficient as well.

We loved working with John, not only because of his incredible skill, but because he was so much fun to work with. John's creative approach to home design allowed us exceptional input into the design of our new home to make it exactly what we envisioned. We found John to be extremely professional and personable, a combination that provided an easy working relationship.

If you have a housing dream you want turned into plans, contact him at his company, Custom Home Design at 225-292-2232, visit his Website at www.chd-plans.com or e-mail him at guillory@cox.net. He has a number of plans available on his Website that offer an excellent starting point for a custom home or he can sit down with you and draw out your house room-by-room on his drafting board.

Where is Lexington Estates?

2007-12-03T11:55:00.000-06:00

I was standing on our lot a few weeks ago and realized I could literally see the levee of the Mississippi from our lot. Lexington Estates (for those familiar with Baton Rouge) is just past Bluebonnet on Nicholson (headed toward Iberville Parish) next to the University Club Golf Course and neighborhood. The mighty Mississippi is less than a mile away and the land is home to fertile green pastures of former farmland.

Welcome to Lot #111

2007-11-28T20:47:00.000-06:00

See that little red circle... that's lot #111. We're building our dream home there.

Using the latest and greatest in construction techniques, we are utilizing ICF or Insulated Concrete Form construction to build this house meaning we will have not only an energy efficient building, but a home that will survive well after we're gone, no matter what storms may blow our way.

So watch this space... hear about our plans and see the construction grow right before your eyes. We'll be introducing our builder, Rick Vinyard and his crew at Precision Construction, our designer, John Guillory of Custom Home Design and tell you more about Lexington Estates, one of the last great places to build in East Baton Rouge parish.

More to come...