Momplex

A little over a year ago, we got this crazy idea that we would devote the next couple of years of our lives to DIY our mother's a duplex to share up here in Alaska. So we dug a big hole in the ground and built some footers and poured concrete. This is what the Momplex looked like in August of 2011 - just one year ago. Just one year ago, a giant truck dropped off a house full of ARXX blocks And we started building. And we've been building over the last year, and wit

When we decided to build with ICF blocks, the first question we had - and many of you had - was how the heck to do run electrical in the walls?  

For those of you new to the Momplex blog, the Momplex is actually built out of foam blocks.  We used ARXX blocks, and the technical term is ICF short for Insulating Concrete Forms.

Was she really that little then?

The blocks are lightweight and hollow in the center.

You simply stack the blocks just lik

Hi everyone!

I'm really excited today to share with you how we installed crown moulding on top of the wall kitchen cabinets - finishing out the seam between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling.  

But before we get to that - don't forget - today's the day! 

The Home Depot Do-It Herself Workshop - featuring a storage trunk plan designed by me (it super simple so very beginner friendly) is happening tonight!!!

You can re

Where would you start the ultimate DIY Project . . . times two? Do you buy land, pick a plan, or just grab your shovel and go? Before I start any project, I always sit down and make a list of the objectives for the project. For example, if I was to make an entertainment center, I would list out the items I need to store in it, the width of my television, the "look" that I need for the space, who is going to use it, and of course, the available budget and so on. So as I start to plan

The next step for the Momplex is the basement slab.We could have poured the slab inside the footers, right after we put the footers in, but we ultimately decided to wait.  We wanted to elevate the slab above the footer so it is insulated on all sides, saving our Moms on future heating costs and removing the likelihood of cold floors closer to exterior walls.  Also, by waiting to pour the slab, we take away the risk of the slab being damaged by the bracing system, or worse yet

Shall we talk kitchens? I've been promising you that we will make real kitchens for the Momplex, and blogging the tutorials and plans.  Every since the day I spent $7000 on cabinets for a 10x10 kitchen, I've been tossing and turning at nights, thinking, I could have made my own cabinets.  I've been thinking I could have made my own cabinets much easier, much simpler ... because it was quite a chore just installing the cabinets.On the Momplex, we have two kitchens, and we will be bui

Have you been wondering what we are going to do about the exposed plywood on the gable ends of the Momplex?

It seems like we are working so hard up at the Momplex, but nothing is getting done DONE. As in you walk in and say "wow, alot has changed!" But regardless of how things may seem - oh how I dread the mechanical stage! - I have been hearing the big D-word - drywall- and it's being paired with other D-words like delivery and date. Things are happening, they are just happening very slowly, and are very expensive, tedious, and all we will have to show for it is as minimized as possible. Ho

Apparantly, you CAN teach an old DIYer new tricks.

In between working on the dollhouse, changing lots of diapers, and burning dinner ... we've been up to something else.

Momplex Unit A.  Man do things ever slow down when you have a baby in the house, don't they?  

We finished up Momplex Unit B and got Grandma who likes to sew moved in last winter.  

Unit B has a garage almost twice the size of Unit A, and there's storage under the landing (Unit A has the utility room in the garage and a pressure tank under

Well, the bathroom in Momplex Unit A got a change order.

When we realized there was a good chance this little guy,

Might get potty trained in this bathroom,

We decided we simply must subway tile the walls.

Because there is no other reason to add subway tile to walls, is there, than pure practicality, right???  That's what I reasoned to the Ram.  This is not a cosmetic t

We have property!I am so excited to share with you that after much searching, miles of hiking numerous undeveloped parcels, lots of pros and cons lists, a few arguments, even a maybe-we-should-have-bought-the-other-lot moment, that we have found a home for the Momplex.  Finding just the right piece of property for the Momplex was supposed to be an easy task. We were after all hoping to buy the lot next door to our house. The adjoining lot checked off quite nicely: Flat - Easier

Most days we are pretty thankful to be working up on top of the Momplex hill.And we are usually pretty happy to just keep right on working into the evening.And sometimes we even run back up to enjoy a beautiful sunset.But beauty has it's price.And after three days of wind, especially terrible hilltop and with no barrier, gusting upwards of 60MPH on the top of the Momplex hill, we were downright frightened as we drove to assess the damage.Imagine holding a sheet of blueboard out the window as you

The Momplex, she just got her hair done. And now she's already going gray.