Claremore House

Between 1984 and 1986, my first wife Patti and I built our own home in Claremore, Oklahoma. It progressed from an empty lot to a nearly complete house, though some sections that were originally envisioned didn't make in into the final product. The major components were provided by a kit house company called Miles Home.

Even though it was something we'd always wanted to do, it may not have been a good idea - it's an enormous amount of work. These pictures show some of the major milestones, but somehow all the plumbing, wiring, insulation, sheetrocking and such, just didn't get photographed. Must have been too busy!

Anyway, these photos have existed for quite some time, in an old album. But I found them interesting enough to scan in and post. Enjoy!

Vacant lot at 21909 Hunter Lane, May 1984.

July, 1984. Chris, age 2, on the lot in front of some of the frames needed during the pouring of the concrete pad foundation.

Foundation work.

Foundation work - sure makes a mess on the lot!

October 1984 First floor framing.

Patti and Geoff, in kitchen window, first floor framing mostly done, deck of second floor being built.

Janary 1985 My brother Rick and his wife Christine came to visit about the time the second floor outside walls and the roof were being framed.

Same day, from the back. The west facing (gable end) wall upstairs wasn't done yet, nor were the last couple of roof rafters.

April 1984. Rick came back to help top off and enclose the house. The two shed dormers, minus their rooves, were framed up, the remaining interior walls were finished, and the overhanging gable-end eaves were in progress (look like ladders).

Overhanging eaves more complete, wall sheathing going in on the second level.

Another view, taken about the same time.

Doug (above) and Rick (below) nailing up the wallboard on the south-facing upstairs. Rented scaffolding is a necessity.

Wallboard mostly finished, starting to lay the plywood decking for the roof. Here you need the scaffolding and some toe-boards nailed into the deck, in order to climb around. That's Chris out in the front yard. Sections of plywood were cut on sawhorses out on the lawn, and handed up to be nailed to the roof rafters.

Doug and Rick working the plywood roof deck, several toe-boards farther up the roof.

Quite a lot of progress since the previous photo. The plywood roof decking is complete, and the dog-house dormers are also finished, with wallboard and roof decking. Most of the upstairs windows are installed.

Same day as the photo above, view from the southwest. Chris and Doug talking about something out in the back yard.

Probably the same day.

And another, same day.

May 1984. Roofing going on - starts with a drip-edge, followed by tar paper (roofing felt) and shingles. Here Doug is attaching some "roof jacks" that hold toe-boards. After the shingling is complete, the toe-boards and roof jacks can be taken down.

Eastern side done to ridge, including the entire dog-house dormer.

Across the span to the other dormer...

Finally, both dormers and the entire north slope of the roof are complete. I left the roof jacks and toe-boards like this for quite some time, until the siding and trim boards were done.

January 1986. Sheetrock dust was a popular meal for a while... Doug and Geoff.

Most electrical work and rough-in plumbing was done by this time. This is a view of the walls in the kitchen.

Kitchen cabinets going in, Geoff and Chris playing in the lazy susan corner cabinet.

Kitchen cabinets and counter top, stainless steel sink.

Another view, kitchen.

Northeast room, upstairs.

Geoff walking down the stairs next to the wall between the front hall and the livingroom. There's insulation in the outside walls, and the duct-work for the A/C is in.

June 1986 A gust-front with straight-line winds of about 90 mph came through at about 11pm, taking my garage walls out. House shook but stood.

Cleanup of the debris from the gust-front.

Rick in the livingroom. This was during the big push to finish sheet-rocking the house. Actually, there was a huge pile of sheetrock in the livingroom.

Rick working in the downstairs hallway near the door to the A/C unit. Geoff helping.

July 1987. Doug working on the stone face on the northeast corner of the house.

November 1987 Our neighbor Paul was a far better mason, and came over to help finish the stone work. Geoff looking on.

Chris standing on a soccer ball, in the downstairs hallway.

A party for Chris in the diningroom. Geoff (left) and David (right) are joined by neighborhood friends.

David getting a bath in the kitchen sink.

The house as it looks now (Photo taken Sep 4 2007).