Introduction: The “Fresh Paint” Feeling There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh primer to make a construction site feel like a home. This week, the painting crew arrived to get to work on our interior—and let me tell you, when you’re dealing with 18-foot ceilings, you are so incredibly glad you hired the pros! We decided to have the crew prime the entire interior, including the garage. We saved a little bit of room in our budget by having them stop at the primer stage in the garage for now—we’ll tackle the final coat there ourselves later, and Larry and I are planning to DIY the epoxy floor…

Introduction: The Transformation If framing is the skeleton and drywall is the skin, then siding is the dress—and I have been waiting for this “outfit change” for months. We have officially moved past the look of industrial framing, and the exterior of our forever home is finally taking its true form. For weeks, we’ve been playing a little game with friends and family: Did we go with the trendy all-black, or the classic white-and-black contrast? Most people guessed we’d play it safe, but we decided to make a statement. Why Metal Siding Was Our Only Choice We opted for metal siding from The Barndo Co. for the same reason we…

Introduction: The Transformation The day has finally arrived! If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve spent weeks looking at exposed studs and hanging wires. But this week? The house officially became a home. Seeing the crew unload the drywall was almost as impressive as the installation itself—I held my breath as a crane operator expertly maneuvered those heavy sheets right through our front door with surgical precision! Efficiency vs. The DIY Struggle Larry and I have tackled our fair share of home projects over the years, and if there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that drywall is not our favorite way to spend a weekend. Watching these pros…

Introduction: The Transformation There is a striking shift happening at the site this week. With the black metal roof and soffit fully installed, the house has a sharp, modern-meets-traditional contrast that I absolutely love—especially against the bright blue skies on a sunny day. But as much as I love the exterior, this week was really about what is happening inside the walls. The “Hidden” Efficiency Next up was the insulation. It’s not the most glamorous part of the build, and to be honest, it’s one of those things you won’t ever see again once the drywall is up. But it is arguably the most important decision we made for the…

Introduction: The Transformation There is a moment in every home build where the structure finally stops looking like a “construction site” and starts looking like an actual house. For us, that moment happened this week when the crew started the roofing. Watching them carry those long, gleaming panels of black metal up the ladders and bolt them into place was like watching a puzzle click together. Why We Chose Metal One of the reasons we felt good about choosing The Barndo Co. was their commitment to metal roofing. We opted for a classic black finish, and I’ll be honest—I was a little nervous about the heat! In the peak of…

The Waiting Game Building a custom house gives you a front-row seat to the magic, but it also means experiencing the challenges of a construction schedule. We use a builder portal through The Barndo Co. to track our scope of work, which is fantastic for transparency—but it can be frustrating to know exactly what the “next step” is and then find yourself playing the waiting game. We spent several weeks watching the calendar, waiting for the electrical team to arrive. It was a lesson in reality: custom builds run on their own rhythm, and “good” pros are always in high demand. When the electrician finally arrived, he started solo, but…

Introduction: The Best Seat in the House Building a custom home is usually a process of email updates and site visits, but we have the unique advantage of living right next door in our tiny home. Every morning, I can step out with my coffee and watch the work unfold. While the light fixtures and cabinet pulls are the “pretty” part of the project, the most important work is happening right now, hidden safely behind the framing: the HVAC, gas, and electrical systems. Efficiency & Fresh Air We’re having two separate HVAC units installed, both tucked away in the attic spaces on either side of the home. Because we opted…

The Roofline & The View With the framing finished and the roof sheathed in plywood, our house finally feels like a structure. Next up was the metal roofing! We chose a crisp, classic black metal roof, and I honestly can’t wait to see the contrast against the exterior. It’s going to give the house such a sharp, modern-meets-traditional feel. But the real game-changer? The windows and doors. We opted for white, grid-less windows—not just for the clean,  look, but because they give us an completely unobstructed view of the land. Plus, we discovered another surprise: these windows open to the inside, which is going to make cleaning day so much…

The Transformation There is a specific kind of magic that happens on a building site. One day, you’re staring at a flat slab of concrete, and the next, your home is literally rising out of the ground! Once our concrete foundation finally finished its curing process, the real excitement began. The trucks rolled in with mountains of lumber, and for the first time, we could actually visualize the footprint of our future home. We weren’t just looking at site plans anymore—we were watching our dream take shape. The Truss Milestone Part of the unique beauty of building with The Barndo Co. is the inclusion of their signature steel trusses. Shortly…