Notes about our FIRST house ON THE HILL

As Zac and CJ get ready to build their new house, I thought I'd gather this info (from my past journal) to give them an idea of what WE went through in building OUR first house. 

February 20, 1986

  We went and looked at Stan and Sue Rees' house tonight.(They have hot water heat running through tubes in the floor, and we were thinking of doing the same thing.  Theirs is powered by a boiler and solar panels.  Our plan was to have ours be powered by a water jacket in a wood -burning stove)  Saturday we are going to a Solar place in Salt Lake City.  We are getting our bids together now for our new house. 

 

February 26, 1986

 

We took a water sample down to Weber Basin for testing today.  We'll know the results tomorrow.  We are getting all our bids collected and it looks as though we will borrow $50,000, plus put down $8,000.  We still need excavating, appliances, cabinets, carpets, linoleum, heating and cement work bids.  All of these together can't  go over $17,000.  I took off work yesterday for a few hours and we went to Precision Built Homes, Artistic Woodcrafting (for cabinets), Interstate Brick and Pioneer Door.  Hope we can get everything squared away in another month and apply for the loan.  '

March 8, 1986

  Looked at some more brick at Interpace.  We like "Homestead"  This house is costing more and more.
 

I'll be glad when we finally get going on it.  I'm going to look at carpet today at R.B.J. in Henefer.  I

March 10, 1986
 
We went up to Henefer to R.B.J.'s and looked at carpet tonight.  Bid was $2,800.  We have almost got all our bids now.  I can hardly wait till I write in my journal that the house is finished!! 

March 11, 1986
We found out that Precision Built Homes went out of business yesterday,  so we'll have to find someone to stick build  our house.  Rog is down talking to Gary Randall now. (He worked for Precision, and we heard that he was going to continue to stick build homes from Precision's plans)

March 16, 1986

 
  We have been writing out bills and bills and bills.  Roger is so depressed about it.  We will really be buried when we get the house payment.  I'll probably be working the rest of my life. 

March 18, 1986

 
It's 5:20 a.m.  I'm tired!  I could use 12 hours of sleep a day.    We should be getting our tests back from Ford Chemical Lab very soon (water tests), then we go for the loan.  Things are hectic, but we'll make it.  Our family is tough!  Roger amazes me sometimes.  I hate to see him get so depressed about money.  We are paying our tithing now and things always do seem to work out.

March 25, 1986

 

We checked on loans yesterday.  We will probably borrow $57,000 at 11% interest from The First National Bank of Morgan.  Our payments will be approximately $688.00 for 20 years.  But we will hopefully only use $50,000 or $51,000.  If we borrow $50,000 at 11% interest payments will be $579.00 per month for 20 years (That's what we did)  That's not too bad.  I hope interest rates go down some more.  We need to decide whether to lock in now or take a construction loan and close out later.  Morgan Bank will work with us really good.  The Ogden banks require so much, such as 100% finished construction on the house and $2,000-$3,000 closing costs.  I know Morgan will work with us better.  I hope everything goes okay.  It's scary.  Maybe by this time next month we will be started.  Hope so.  Life is an experience. Bad and good.  We will make it.

April 23, 1986

 
It's been too long since I've written.  We've started on the house.  The hole was dug April 8th, and then we got the footings in about the 11th.  Then it sat for a week of bad weather.  The foundation finally got done the 21st, and now we are leveling the basement dirt to lay the coils down and pour the basement floor, hopefully by the 28th or 29th, because Gary Randall is framing it the 30th of April.  It is sure hectic. 

April 29, 1986

 
Well, it rained all last week and we won't be able to get the basement poured before the house gets framed.  Neil Boyce back filled the front and sides today and also fixed the road a bit, and the culvert.  Hope this nice weather stays. 

May 1986

2 - delivered house (in parts)

3 - Started framing house

5 - roof on home

6 - interior walls done

7 - plumbing

8 - electrical

10 - put windows in

14 - poured basement floor

15 - started shingles

17 - shingled house, stairs in, windows done, double plate the downstairs?

19 - laid coils for top floor

21 - poured top floor

21 - delivered brick

24 - start working on storage tank

28 - finished electrical

29 - insulation

 

 

 

31 - Sheetrocking done

31 - chimney started

 

May 6, 1986

 

The house is up.  Gary Randall and his crew finished framing it today.  It is all framed.  It looks great.  It's bigger than I thought.  Tar paper is on the roof, and Rog has got plastic on the windows.  The exterior doors are in also.  The weather is still a mess and it looks as through the basement floor will have to be put off another week.  Bret Kimball is getting the windows tomorrow, and we will probably put them in this weekend.  It is exciting, finally getting a house.  The kids are growing up fast.  Amanda can ride a 2-wheel bike really good now, and she can read a mile a minute.  Zachary is so cute, sometimes he can really throw a fit, but he plays good with others, and up on the hill he's great.(Zac always loved to be outside when we were working on the house.  Even though he was only 4 1/2, he would play for hours in the dirt and sagebrush.  He would NEVER complain, or moan to go home.  He would help us pick up wood scraps.  He has always been such a helper)  I am happy and looking forward to the future.

May 9, 1986

 

Well, the house is all plumbed and the electrical work is being done now by Lynn Mickelsen and Roger. 

 

May 29, 1986

 
The house will start being bricked today.  Also, insulation has to go in because the sheetrock has to be up and finished this weekend because the tapers are coming Monday.  The electrical is also done.  Rog is working on the storage tank.
 
 

June

2 - started taping sheetrock

3 - chimney bricked

7 - buy paint, visit Fieldcrest cabinets

10 - start painting

14 - paint

16 - ordered cabinets

17 - paint (took whole day off)

20 - paint

21 - finished painting

 

 

28 - Bricking finished

 

 

June 2, 1986

The house is all sheetrocked and the tapers will start today.  Rog says it will take about 4 days.  Dean Judkins is working on the brick, and he will do the chimney first.  We need to get primer and paint so we can start this next weekend.  We are moving along really fast.  We'll have plenty of time to get done and in before Mom comes home from California in August.  Amanda has only 1 week left in school.  She has really enjoyed this year.  The kids will be glad next week when they don't have to get up early and go to a babysitter.  So will I.  Amanda is going to California on the 13th of June with Erika, and will come home on the 23rd on an airplane. 

 

June 3, 1986

 

Dean Judkins got the chimney all cinder blocked and the sheetrock tapers started taping last night.  They will finish Saturday morning.  So I guess the painting will wait for next Monday.  I will go get paint this Saturday. 

 

 

 

 

June 13, 1986

 Well, we've started painting the house.  What a job!  Hope to get it all primed this weekend, then it needs 2 coats of paint!  Got the paint last Saturday.  It cost $231.00.  Got porcelain color (off white) I'm doing my kitchen in peach, so I'm going to have them tint the paint for it a little. (I ended up doing the whole house in porcelain) (Susan, Layne's wife came up and spent one whole day helping us paint.  She really helped out allot.  We really appreciated it) Amanda is leaving for California this morning with Erika.  She was sure excited.  Hope everything goes alright.( you know looking back on this, I can't believe that I let my little 6 year old girl, go with my 23 year old sister, by themselves, in a car, traveling alone all the way to California.  There is NO WAY I would let that happen now.  I guess I'm getting cautious and scared in my old age (35))  I'm getting a cold.  Boy, I'm tired.  Went to bed at 12:00 a.m. and it's now 5:30 a.m.  5 1/2 hours just doesn't cut it for me.  I am happy.  .  I can now go to Heavenly Father with all my problems and questions.  I'm paying a full tithe, and reading the scriptures.  I want to do what is right.  I want to be a great mom and wife.  I won't give up ever!!!

 

 

July 1986

 

2 - pick out tile & stain

4 - started to stain doors

7 - varnish

8 - finished shingling

8 - varnish

9 - varnish

12 - varnish & stain

13 - varnish & stain

15 - tile started, heating system installed

16 - cabinets and tile finished

17 cabinets

18 varnish & finish

19 - varnish & finish

20 -varnish is finish

July 14, 1986

Today is our 9 year anniversary.  Tomorrow the tile and heating system are going in the house. We are doing the finish work now.  Cabinets go in Wednesday.

July 19, 1986 (Letter from Darrin Frost in Okinawa)

Rog, Gwen, & kids, How have all you been?  We're doing good over her.  How is your house coming along?  I bet it's pretty.  I wish I could of helped you this summer.  It's pretty boring around here most of the time.  I would die for some Wonder Bread for breakfast, instead of this crummy old bread.  It's pretty gross.  Have you been riding your horse lately?  Zac will probably be riding it by himself when we get back, and he will probably be riding in the little Buckaroo rodeo too when we get back.  When I see little kids it reminds me of Mandy and Zac.  I hope Zac and Mandy remember us when we get back.  Have you been seeing any deer behind your house yet?  You better get a deer this year Rog, cause when I get back, I'll be shooting bullets all around the deer before you even get your scope up. (ha-ha)  When I get back I can just drive up to Morgan in my 4 wheel drive truck and go hunting. (I wish)  My mom cut my hair the other day, and it's about as short as my dads. (sucks)  At least I know Rog (you) and Layne can't pull it.  Rog better get taller and stronger so when I get back I can pick on him.  Gwen you wouldn't like it over here because there's great big banana spiders, and grasshopper's that are 4 and 5 inches long, but you would like it on the beach because there's guys in their skimpy, I mean  SKIMPY swimming suits. (sorry Rog, but I had to tell her)  Well, better go, Love you guys, Darrin  P.S.  If you get time write back.

 

 

August 1, 1986

I've started a new job at the courthouse in the Assessor's Office.   We are so busy with the house.  Both Roger's and my heads are spinning.  The carpet and linoleum are finished and the fridge and stove are delivered.  We are getting the water line hooked up today, and then UP&L is supposed to be hooking us up and Mt. Bell (phone) should be in 10 days.  The plumber and electrician should come today to finish up. 

 

August 6, 1986

 

There is electricity in the house now, and Dwight Gailey is supposed to hook up the finish plumbing today.  It will be good to have water in the house so I can start cleaning and then we can move in next week hopefully.  It seems you wait so long for some things to happen, and you think they never will, and then they FINALLY do.  I hope and pray that ALL of our fondest hopes and dreams and wishes will ALL come to pass.  I want all of us to be happy forever.

 

August 18, 1986

 

Well, we finally did it.  We are all moved into our new house.  I never thought this day would come.  But it has, and I'm glad and our house is so pretty and nice. 

 

August 20, 1986

 

Well we have been in our new home 6 days now, and it sure is nice.  There still are allot of little odds and ends to do, but they'll get done.  Roger went and got allot of wood yesterday and we are going again Friday.  Only 2 more days and mom, Tonya, Erika, and Mark will be coming home from California.  Dad will stay 2 more weeks.  Hope I can get their house cleaned up and looking nice. (Just a note:  There was a terrible rain storm, centered over in North Morgan near the mountain where the road leading up to Pentz hill is located.  It caused a flash flood to come down that mountain.  It rained pretty hard all over Morgan City.  I had left mom's windows opened, and we tore over there expecting to have a mess in their house.  Thankfully Marsha Toyn was there and had things taken care of.  I had hired her to clean mom's house for me.  I just didn't have the time.) It will be good to have them back again.