1201 - Learning the Lay of the Land September 3-9, 2001 | March 4-10, 2002 HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN.
THIS TIME, BRAND NEW PROJECT
HERE IN QUECHEE, VERMONT,
WHERE WE PLAN ON BUILDING
A MODERN INTERPRETATION
OF THE CLASSIC
VERMONT FARMHOUSE
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF SKI COUNTRY.
TODAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU
A LOOK AT QUECHEE,
WE'LL BE CLEARING OUR LAND,
AND EVEN BLOWING UP
SOME DYNAMITE.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
THE ICE AGE ENDED
IONS AGO.
YOU WOULDN'T EXACTLY KNOW IT
BY THE AMOUNT OF SNOW
SURROUNDING US HERE
IN QUECHEE, VERMONT.
BUT SOME OF THE INTERESTING
THINGS THAT HAPPENED HERE
TO THE NATURAL TERRAIN
WHEN THAT GLACIER CAME THROUGH
ARE THE ASPECTS, THE PHYSICAL
ASPECTS OF THE STATE,
LIKE THE GREAT QUECHEE GORGE,
WHICH IS NOT FAR FROM HERE.
THE OTTAUQUECHEE RIVER
WHICH RUNS THROUGH
THE HEART OF
THE QUECHEE VILLAGE AREA
IS TODAY A FLY FISHERMAN'S
PARADISE.
BUT BACK IN THE 19th CENTURY,
IT POWERED THE MILLS
WHICH MADE LUMBER, CIDER,
ALL SORTS OF PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING WOOLENS
AND FLANNELS.
IN FACT, SOME OF THE FLANNELS
THAT WERE MADE
AT THE DEWEY MILL WERE USED
FOR THE BASEBALL UNIFORMS
FOR THE YANKEES
AND THE RED SOCKS.
NOW, BY THE MID-20th CENTURY,
THE COST OF LABOR IN THIS AREA
HAD BECOME SO EXPENSIVE
THAT MANY OF THE MILLS
STARTED TO CLOSE DOWN.
BY THE LATE 1950s,
IT WAS THE LAST MILL
THAT WAS SHUT DOWN.
TODAY, IT'S ACTUALLY USED
AS A GLASS BLOWING OPERATION.
AFTER THE CLOSING
OF THE MILLS,
THE ECONOMY OF THIS REGION,
AND INDEED MOST OF
THE STATE OF VERMONT,
WAS IN THE DUMPS
FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
IN THE 1960s,
SKIING TOOK OVER,
AND THAT OF COURSE, IS WHAT HAS
HELPED REVIVE VERMONT'S ECONOMY.
WITH THE SKIERS CAME
A NEW TOURIST INDUSTRY,
QUAINT COUNTRY INNS
AND BEDS AND BREAKFASTS,
LOCAL CRAFTS PEOPLE
AND ARTISTS,
BOUTIQUES AND ANTIQUE SHOPS.
AND WITH THE TOURIST
INDUSTRY CAME
THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP
FOR A STATE THAT'S ALWAYS
BEEN AGRICULTURALLY ORIENTED,
NATURAL AND ORGANIC FARMING.
VERMONT WAS SETTLED
BY FARMERS
AND HAS LONG BEEN
THE SEAT OF PRODUCTION
FOR MUCH OF NEW ENGLAND'S
FAMOUS MAPLE SYRUP,
DAIRY PRODUCTS,
AND MOST RECENTLY,
HAS CAPITALIZED ON
THE GROWING MARKET
FOR NATURAL AND ORGANICALLY
FARMED PRODUCTS.
FOR OUR PROJECT,
WE'RE TAKING THE VERMONT
FARMHOUSE THEME
AND RUNNING WITH IT.
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK
IN THIS STATE,
YOU SEE ARCHITECTURE
THAT SPEAKS OF FUNCTIONALITY
AND YANKEE SENSIBILITY.
WHETHER IT'S ON
A GRAND SCALE
OR A HUMBLE ONE.
THERE'S PLENTY FOR
AN ARCHITECT TO GO ON.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO BUILDING
A REAL DOWN-TO-EARTH
GETAWAY HOME
HERE IN THE QUECHEE WOODS.
MICHAEL MAYNARD IS
A MEMBER OF THE DEVELOPMENT
TEAM HERE AT QUECHEE LAKES,
ONE OF THE LARGEST,
IF NOT THE LARGEST
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
IN NEW ENGLAND,
RIGHT, MIKE?
THAT'S CORRECT.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE HISTORY OF IT.
QUECHEE LAKES
WAS STARTED IN
THE LATE 60s.
AND IT WAS REALLY
THE FIRST OF ITS KIND
IN THE NORTHEAST.
A GROUP OF GENTLEMEN
FROM BOSTON
WHO WORKED FOR
3 OR 4 YEARS
WITH SASAKI ASSOCIATES,
A LARGE PLANNING FIRM
IN CAMBRIDGE, MASS.,
PUTTING TOGETHER
A MASTER PLAN
WHERE THEY PURCHASED
A NUMBER OF FARMS
AND A NUMBER OF
BUILDINGS HERE
IN QUECHEE
AND CREATED THIS
5,200 ACRE PLANNED
UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
5,200 ACRES.
THAT'S CORRECT.
HOW MANY HOUSES
EVENTUALLY WILL FILL IT?
ALL TOLD, IF IT'S
BUILT OUT TO CAPACITY
AND IS EXPANDED
TO 6,000 ACRES,
IT COULD BE
2,500 HOMES.
AMAZING. NOW WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS
OF LIVING HERE?
THEY'RE QUITE A FEW.
WE HAVE PEOPLE RANGING
FROM PRIMARY RESIDENCE
WITH CHILDREN
WHO ARE RAISING
THEIR KIDS HERE,
LIVING HERE
FULL-TIME,
TO EMPTY NESTERS.
MOST OF OUR HOME OWNERS
ARE SECOND HOME OWNERS.
THEY LIVE IN
BOSTON, CONNECTICUT,
NEW YORK.
THEY COME UP HERE
WITH THEIR FAMILIES
ON WEEKENDS,
UH, HOLIDAYS,
AND SUMMER VACATION.
THIS ISN'T JUST
SKI COUNTRY, IS IT?
NO. QUECHEE HAS
ITS OWN PRIVATE
SKI HILL,
BUT QUECHEE'S
PROBABLY BEST KNOWN
FOR ITS GOLF.
IT HAS TWO 18 HOLE
CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES.
THEY'VE GOT
A TROUT FISHING RIVER,
THE OTTAUQUECHEE,
THAT RUNS THROUGH
THE VILLAGE.
AND, OF COURSE,
IT'S VERY CENTRALLY
LOCATED.
THAT'S CORRECT.
VERY EASY TO GET TO.
THEY'VE GOT
A BIG CLUBHOUSE,
WORKOUT FACILITIES,
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR
POOLS,
AND A VARIETY OF
ORGANIZED PROGRAMS
FOR BOTH
ADULTS AND KIDS.
AND THE HOUSE THAT
WE'LL BE BUILDING,
EVENTUALLY WILL BE
AVAILABLE TO A BUYER
HERE AT QUECHEE LAKES.
THAT'S
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THANKS, MICHAEL.
WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL BE CLEARING
OUR BUILDING SITE.
STICK AROUND.
NEXT TO MOVING-IN DAY,
GROUND BREAKING IS PROBABLY
THE MOST EXCITING POINT
ON ANY HOME CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT.
UP HERE AT QUECHEE LAKES,
YOU SEE THERE'S A LOT
OF VIRGIN WOODLANDS BEHIND ME.
THIS IS ALL
SECOND GROWTH STUFF.
IT'S VERY PRETTY
WITH THE SNOW COVER.
BUT WE'VE ALREADY
BROKEN GROUND.
WE'VE BUILT A ROAD
OR CUT A ROAD INTO
THE PROPERTY.
LET'S GO CHECK IN
WITH TED RILEY
WHO'S IN CHARGE OF CONSTRUCTION
HERE AT QUECHEE LAKES.
NOW, TED,
IT'S NOT OFTEN
THAT WE GET
A CHANCE
TO LOOK AT
THE ACTUAL CLEARING
OF A PLOT OF LAND.
THIS IS, WHAT,
AN ACRE?
YES, IT IS.
THAT IS VIRGIN LAND
LIKE THIS.
WHAT WAS ENTAILED?
WE CAME IN HERE
WITH A FELLOW
WITH A CHAIN SAW
AND A CHIPPER
AND WE CUT DOWN
THE TREES...
UH, AND ANYTHING
WE COULD CHIP,
WE CHIPPED,
AND ANYTHING WE HAD
TO HAUL OFF WE HAULED OFF
TO THE LOGGER
SO HE COULD CUT IT UP
INTO LOGS.
BUT THIS IS ALL
SECONDARY GROWTH
BECAUSE ONCE THESE
WERE CLEARED FIELDS,
AND THAT MEANS THERE
AREN'T TOO MANY
REALLY BIG TREES
THAT ARE WORTH MUCH.
YES, YOU'RE
EXACTLY RIGHT.
THERE WASN'T VERY MANY
BIG TREES ON THIS LOT.
AND THEN WHAT ELSE
IS ENTAILED?
WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT
IS BROUGHT IN FOR
THE CLEARING?
WE BROUGHT
AN ESCAVATOR IN...
UH, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY
IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO
DO ANY BLASTING OR NOT.
WE BROUGHT HIM IN,
HE STUMPED IT.
HE ALSO DUG TEST HOLES
TO DETERMINE WHETHER
WE HAD TO BLAST.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU SEE,
THE ROCK BEHIND YOU.
OF COURSE, AS WE SEE
THE ROCK BEHIND US,
IT'S HARD TO TELL
BETWEEN THE MUD
AND THE SNOWS HERE,
BUT MOST OF THE LOT
IS COVERED IN THIS
KIND OF BIG--
IT'S NOT A LEDGE,
IS IT?
WHAT KIND OF STONE
IS IT?
ALAN, WHO IS DOING
THE BLASTING,
TOLD ME IT'S A HARD
KIND OF A SHALEY ROCK,
WHICH IS NOT GRANITE.
WE DO HAVE
SOME GRANITE HERE,
BUT THIS LOT,
HOWEVER, IS NOT.
AND SO IT RUNS
THROUGH ENOUGH
OF THE AREA
THAT WE CAN'T GET
A CELLAR HOLE
IN HERE
UNLESS WE
BLOW IT UP.
THAT'S RIGHT.
LET'S TALK WITH
ALAN FOR A SECOND
AND FIND OUT WHAT
HE'S DOING FIRST.
BOB, THIS IS ALAN DYKE.
HEY, ALAN.
HOW ARE YOU?
SO, I'VE NEVER GOTTEN
THIS CLOSE TO ONE OF THESE
DRILLING RIGS.
IS THIS WHAT
THE BITS LOOK LIKE?
YES. THIS IS...
THIS IS WHAT THEY...
WHAT THEY CALL A...
A BUTTON BIT.
A BUTTON BIT.
AND THOSE BUTTON SHAPES,
WHAT ARE THEY MADE OUT OF,
STEEL?
NO. THOSE ARE MADE
OUT OF CARBIDE.
AH HA. SO THAT'S
SET INTO THE STEEL.
RIGHT.
AND DOES THIS JUST
GO UP AND DOWN OR...
YES, ON THE END OF
A--STEEL--WHATEVER
LENGTH ROD YOU WANT.
DOES IT ROTATE?
YES.
IT SPINS IN THERE.
OK. AND HOW DOES
THE MACHINE ITSELF WORK?
THE HAMMER
GOES UP IN...
GOES UP AND DOWN
ON THIS.
ON A CHAIN.
ON THIS CHAIN,
WHICH IS WORKED
BY AIR.
SO YOU'VE GOT
A COMPRESSOR
THAT'S PROVIDING
A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF PRESSURE.
RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO
A HYDRAULIC COMPONENT?
RIGHT,
AIR OVER HYDRAULIC.
I SEE. ALL RIGHT,
IT'S GONNA BE
REAL NOISY,
SO WHY DON'T
WE START IT UP?
OK.
OK, SO THIS IS
THE LAST HOLE, ALAN.
AND THAT'S WHAT,
ABOUT 5 OR 6 FEET
DOWN TO THE BEDROCK?
YES.
OK.
AND WE'VE GOT A TOTAL
OF HOW MANY BLASTS
GOING OFF HERE?
52 HOLES,
I BELIEVE, ALAN SAID.
52. ANY IDEA WHAT THIS
WHOLE BLASTING OPERATION
WILL COST?
I WOULD SAY BETWEEN
$6 AND 7,500.
SO...
THAT'S TO LEVEL
THE WHOLE THING OFF?
YES, SIR.
WAIT A MINUTE.
I THOUGHT DYNAMITE
WAS RED STICK?
WELL, YOU CAN BUY IT,
BUT IT IS SO EXPENSIVE.
THEY HAVE A NEW
PRODUCT ON THE MARKET
AND IT'S
WHAT THEY CALL
AN EMULSION.
SO IT'S NOT
A STICK OF DYNAMITE,
IT'S A TUBE OF
EXPLOSIVE CHEMICALS
MIXED TOGETHER,
AND THERE'S ALUMINUM ADDED
TO GIVE IT WEIGHT,
BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING
IT INTO A HOLE THAT
YOU'VE DRILLED
THAT HAS
GROUND WATER IN IT.
AND THEN, YOU ADD
THIS COMPONENT,
WHICH IS A MERCURY CAP
THAT WHEN YOU ELECTRIFY IT,
MAKES THE WHOLE THING EXPLODE.
YEAH.
STICK THAT IN THERE.
THAT'S THE BLASTING CAP.
DO A HALF HITCH
UP HERE.
THERE YOU GO.
THIS HOLE HAS WATER.
OH, YEAH.
YOU HIT MY WELL.
YOU FOUND A LITTLE WATER
RIGHT AMONGST THE ROCKS
DOWN THERE.
SO YOU'RE PUTTING
ONE CHARGE OR...
1 1/2?
1 1/2 RIGHT NOW.
NOW, ALL 52 OF THESE
HAVE TO BE WIRED
TOGETHER, RIGHT?
RIGHT.
AND THEN, DOES IT GO
TO ONE OF THOSE BOXES
THAT YOU PUSH DOWN?
NO, THAT'S IN THE...
THAT'S IN
THE WILD, WILD WEST.
YES.
NOWADAYS, HOW DO
YOU SET IT OFF?
WITH AN ELECTRIC
BATTERY.
AH.
NOW, WHAT'S TO KEEP
THIS FROM JUST BLASTING
STRAIGHT UP, ALAN?
WELL, WE HAVE TO USE
WHAT THEY CALL
PEA STONE TO...
LAY IN ON TOP OF IT.
YEAH, THERE'S
THE GROUND WATER
COMING RIGHT UP.
SO, THE PEA STONE
WILL PREVENT THE CHARGE
FROM SENDING ALL ITS FORCE
STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO
TAP IT DOWN OR ANYTHING?
NO.
SO, SHOULD WE
GET OUTTA HERE?
I THINK WE SHOULD.
ALL RIGHT,
SO ALL THE WIRES
FROM ALL THE 52 HOLES
COME TOGETHER HERE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA
TEST IT NOW.
YES, WITH
AN OHM METER.
JUST TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE ALL
PROPERLY CONNECTED.
YES, SO ALL
THE CHARGES WILL
GO OFF.
THIS IS ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN THAT GETS
TIED INTO...
WHAT THEY CALL
A SHOOTING LINE.
A SHOOTING LINE.
ALL RIGHT.
HERE YOU GO.
JUST WALK
THAT OUT...
TO THE END AND...
GET 100 FEET
AWAY FROM IT?
UH...PROBABLY
120.
SOUNDS GOOD.
BLASTING CONTRACTORS
HAVE TO BE SURE THAT
EVERYONE IS OUT OF THE AREA
AND ACCOUNTED FOR
BEFORE SETTING OFF
THE EXPLOSIVES.
ALL SET!
SO THIS IS WHAT
WILL SET IT OFF,
RIGHT?
YES. IT'S CALLED
A DETONATOR.
A BATTERY,
ESSENTIALLY.
AND THAT'S GONNA SEND
A LITTLE ELECTRIC CHARGE
THROUGH THESE WIRES
AND EVERYTHING WILL GO POP.
SO, FIRST YOU HAVE
TO CHARGE IT A LITTLE BIT...
...UNTIL YOUR LIGHT GOES ON.
YOU'RE ALL SET.
CAN I DO IT?
YEP, JUST PUSH
THAT RIGHT OUT.
RIGHT NOW.
HERE GOES.
BOY, THIS IS
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
NOW THIS IS WHAT
YOU EXPECTED TO
HAPPEN, RIGHT?
YES, ALL THIS SHALE
IS...
BROKEN UP.
WHAT DOES THIS
TELL YOU...
'CAUSE YOU STILL
HAVE TO DO TWO MORE
BLASTS ON THE SITE.
RIGHT.
WHAT DOES THIS
TELL YOU?
THIS...THIS HERE
TELLS ME THAT UH...
THE...
ANY JOB, THE FIRST SHOT,
ON ANY JOB, IS THE WORST ONE
BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA
HOW THE ROCK IS GONNA REACT.
NOW THAT I KNOW THAT,
I CAN ADJUST HOW MUCH
I PUT IN IT
AND IF IT NEEDS
MORE OR LESS.
AND AFTER THE FIRST SHOT,
THAT HELPS.
WHAT KIND OF A LICENSE
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE
TO DO THIS?
UH, EACH STATE
IS A LOT DIFFERENT.
UH...IN NEW HAMPSHIRE,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A COMPETENCY CARD
AND A LICENSE.
IN VERMONT, ALL THAT
YOU NEED IS A LICENSE.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE
TO HAVE A HAZARDOUS
HAULING LICENSE.
OH, 'CAUSE YOU'RE
DRIVING AROUND
IN A TRUCK...
RIGHT.
...CARRYING ALL
THESE EXPLOSIVES.
THEN THAT MEANS THAT
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A CDR LICENSE.
SO TO EVEN
DRIVE A PICK-UP,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
FOUR LICENSES.
THIS IS NOT
DO-IT-YOURSELF
STUFF.
NO.
ALAN, I'LL GET
OUT OF YOUR WAY.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT
TWO MORE CHARGES
TO GO.
AND TED, NEXT WEEK,
WE'LL BE EXCAVATING,
RIGHT?
YES.
OK.
COMING UP NEXT,
WE'LL GET STARTED
ON THE FOUNDATION
AND THE FIRST FLOOR DECK.
DON'T GO AWAY.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'LL BE IN QUECHEE, VERMONT,
KNOWN FOR COWS,
MAPLE SYRUP, AND SKIING.
WE'LL START BUILDING
A MODERN COUNTRY RETREAT
INSPIRED BY THE TRADITIONAL
NEW ENGLAND FARMHOUSE.
WE'LL TOUR QUECHEE,
MEET OUR CONTRACTOR,
CLEAR OUR LOT,
AND EVEN SET OFF
AN EXPLOSION OR TWO.
THEN WE'LL GO OVER
THE PLANS WITH THE ARCHITECT
AND GET THE FOUNDATION IN.
LOTS TO DO.
DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'LL START A NEW PROJECT,
BUILDING A COUNTRY RETREAT
IN QUECHEE, VERMONT.
DON'T MISS IT.
WELL, THE BLASTING CONTINUED
FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS
AFTER THE INITIAL ONE
THAT I SET OFF.
ALL TOLD, OVER 100 CHARGES
WERE PUT INTO THE GROUND
AND EXPLODED
IN ORDER TO CREATE
A LEVEL BUILDING SITE
AND ALSO TO TRENCH OFF
TO WHERE WE WILL BE
DIGGING A WELL IN
THE BACKSIDE OF THE PROPERTY
AND TOWARDS THE STREET ITSELF
WHERE WE CONNECT TO THE SEWER.
RIGHT NOW, LET'S GET TOGETHER
WITH TED RILEY
AND TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION PROCESS.
TWO WEEKS HAVE
GONE BY IN REAL-TIME,
BUT TED, YOU'VE MADE
A LOT OF PROGRESS.
TELL US HOW
YOU GOT HERE.
YES, WE DID, BOB.
AFTER THE BLASTING,
WE HAD TWO DAYS
OF EXCAVATION.
AND THEN WE PROCEEDED
TO GET THE FOUNDATION
HOLE READY FOR FOOTING.
AND, AS YOU CAN SEE,
THE SMALL AMOUNT
OF ROCK THERE
WHERE IT BLASTED
ENABLED US NOT TO
HAUL ANY MATERIAL IN
TO GET OUR FOOTING IN.
SO YOU CAN PUT
YOUR FOOTING FORMS
RIGHT ON TOP...
YES, WE CAN LEVEL OFF
A SPOT AND PUT IT IN.
YEAH. AND THEN,
THERE WERE TWO
SEPARATE POURS HERE,
RIGHT?
ONE FOR THE HOUSE
FOUNDATION ITSELF...
YES, SIR.
THERE WAS ONE FOR
THE HOUSE FOUNDATION
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE
WAS ACCOMPLISHED LATER
BECAUSE THAT WAS IN
AN AREA WE'RE GONNA HAVE
A CRAWL SPACE AND A GARAGE
WHERE YOU'D ONLY HAVE
TO HAVE A CROSSWALL...
SO THAT WAS
AN UNBLASTED AREA.
SO THE ACTUAL PROCESS
THEN INVOLVED
FORMING UP FOR
THE PERIMETER
FOUNDATION OF
THE HOUSE,
FULL BASEMENT
THROUGHOUT.
AND THEN
THE SECONDARY POUR
IS THE AREA
WHERE YOU JUST NEED
A FROST WALL
WHICH JUST GOES
DOWN, WHAT, 4 FEET?
4 FEET OR 2 LEDGE,
WHICH IN THIS CASE
IT WAS 4 FEET
AND SOME LEDGE.
OK. AND THAT'S
THE AREA THAT WAS
JUST RECENTLY STRIPPED.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH
THE PROCESS OF
WATERPROOFING
AND BACKFILLING
EVERYTHING.
AND, BOY, IF YOU
LOOK ACROSS HERE,
YOU REALLY GET
AN IDEA OF WHAT THE SITE
CONDITIONS ARE LIKE.
THAT GAP IN
THE FOUNDATION
IS WHERE YOU'LL HAVE
YOUR BULKHEAD
ENTRANCE, RIGHT?
YES, YOU'VE APPROXIMATELY
HAD 6 FOOT OF EXCAVATION
OF ROCK.
LOOK AT ALL
THAT MATERIAL.
AND NOW WE'RE
UP TO THE POINT
WHERE WE HAVE
OUR PRESSURE-TREATED
SILL PLATE IN PLACE.
AND YOU USED
THE SAME KIND OF
SILL SEAL DOWN HERE
THAT WE USED
ALL OVER THE PLACE,
RIGHT?
YES, RIGHT.
THAT PRODUCT RIGHT THERE
WHICH CUSHIONS
AND ALSO PREVENTS
ANY KIND OF DRAFT
OR COLD AIR
INFILTRATION.
AND...EVERY--
WHAT IS IT,
EVERY 2 FEET
OR EVERY 4 FEET?
EVERY 4 FEET
AND A FOOT FROM
THE CORNER.
YOU'LL HAVE
A BOLT LIKE THIS
THAT WAS PUT INTO
THE CONCRETE
SO THAT THIS
IS ABSOLUTELY
ANCHORED DOWN.
TED, YOU'RE OFF
TO A GREAT START.
AND, OF COURSE,
FRAMING IS UNDERWAY.
BUT BEFORE WE SEE
MORE OF THAT,
LET'S TALK WITH
HUNTER ULF, OUR ARCHITECT,
TO GET A BETTER IDEA
OF WHAT WE'RE BUILDING HERE.
HEY, HUNTER.
LET'S LOOK AT
WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE.
MUCH OF WHAT WAS
BUILT IN VERMONT
IN THE 70s
AND THE 80s
HAD KIND OF THAT
CONDOMINIUM LOOK.
AND I KNOW THAT
WHAT YOU GUYS ARE
DESIGNING NOWADAYS
IS TOUCHING BACK TO
THE ROOTS OF VERMONT
FARMHOUSE ARCHITECTURE.
RIGHT.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOUR DESIGN HERE.
WELL, THIS HOUSE,
IT'S BASED ON A FORM
THAT'S KNOWN AS
A TRI-GABLED EL,
AND IT REALLY WAS
A PREVALENT FORM
IN LATE 19th CENTURY,
1875 TO ABOUT 1910.
AND IT IS COMMONLY
THOUGHT OF AS A FARMHOUSE
TYPE OF STYLE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE
VERY COMMON AROUND
THE HILLS OF VERMONT
AT THE TURN
OF THE CENTURY.
IT HAS ITS ROOTS
IN KIND OF BUILDING
THE HOUSE,
BUILDING THE BARN
APART FROM IT
AND THEN
CONNECTING THE TWO,
RIGHT,
SO THAT IN THE WINTER
YOU COULD GET FROM
THE HOUSE TO THE BARN
WITHOUT HAVING
TO GO OUTDOORS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
THESE HOUSES WERE
TYPICALLY BUILT
IN STAGES,
SO YOU'D START
AT THE FRONT
AND WORK YOUR WAY BACK
WITH EXTENTIONS.
SO WE WERE
JUST LOOKING AT
THE SECTION OF
FOUNDATION OVER HERE.
THIS WILL BE
THE TWO CAR GARAGE,
AND THEN TAKE ME
THROUGH THIS SPACE.
UH, THIS SPACE LAYS OUT
SO THAT YOU'VE GOT
THE MAIN LIVING AREAS
FACING THE GREAT VIEWS
TO THE EAST
OUT THE FRONT
THE HOUSE.
THE HOUSE IS POSITIONED
SO THAT WHEN YOU
APPROACH IT
YOU'RE REALLY SEEING
THE FRONT ELEVATION.
UM, BUT THE FRONT
ELEVATION IS NOT
REALLY SERVING
AS THE MAIN ENTRY.
UH, IT'S GIVING YOU
THE GLASS FOR THE VIEWS
AND YOU'RE COMING
AROUND TO THIS SIDE
TO ENTER THE HOUSE
WHERE YOU GET TO
YOUR KITCHEN PANTRY
AND HALLWAY AREAS
THAT TAKE YOU UPSTAIRS.
OK.
AND SO, IT'S
ESSENTIALLY A BIG
OPEN PLAN KITCHEN/
DINING AREA.
AND IS THIS OPEN
TO THE GREAT ROOM?
THAT'S RIGHT.
TRADITIONALLY,
THESE HOUSES WOULD BE
BROKEN UP A LOT MORE,
BUT TODAY PEOPLE ARE
VERY INTERESTED IN
OPEN PLANS.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT
A SECOND FLOOR.
SECOND FLOOR
HAS THREE BEDROOMS.
AND THIS HOUSE,
ACTUALLY, IS
SET UP TO HAVE
A MASTER
ON BOTH FLOORS
IF DESIRED
BECAUSE OF
THE GREAT VIEWS
AT THE FRONT.
THAT'S A VERY
SMART OPTION, YEAH.
I LIKE
THE DETAILING OF IT.
DOES IT HAVE ANY
KIND OF ROOTS IN...
ARTS AND CRAFTS
STYLE OR...
IT IS--BECAUSE OF
THE WOODED LOCATION,
WE'VE WORKED WITH
SOME ARTS AND CRAFTS
COLORS AND SOME STYLES.
THANKS, HUNTER.
LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE QUECHEE LAKES DEVELOPMENT
IN VERMONT AT...
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE,
THE FRAMING IS UNDERWAY.
AND WHAT WE'VE GOT NOW
IS MOST OF
THE ENGINEERING LUMBER
THAT'S GOING
INTO PLAY HERE
FOR THE FIRST FLOOR DECK.
IT'S ALSO GONNA
BE ON TWO LEVELS.
THERE'S A SECTION
THAT'S SUNKEN,
IF YOU WILL.
BUT, WE'RE RUNNING
OUT OF TIME.
COME HOME AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW THE FRAMING
FOR THIS HOUSE PROGRESSES.
ALSO, WE'RE GONNA
TAKE YOU TO COBB HILL,
WHICH IS A CO-HOUSING
COMMUNITY
THAT'S BEING BUILT AND DEVELOPED
NOT FAR FROM HERE
IN HARTLAND, VERMONT.
IT'S A CONCEPT
WELL WORTH EXAMINING.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
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Real Estate • Quechee Lakes Development Co. (Quechee, VT) - Real Estate Developers
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