Sandy & Suzanne

For maps to drive to the VOBB subdivision in Lafayette, LA.
http://www.vobb.com/maps.htm

1 Footers for the foundation

2 Footers are dug for the foundation.

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4 Notice the 2" * 6" for the brick ledge. The contractor did an excellent job!

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6 The first row of VOBB blocks is laid out for the entire home to mark the doors and corners. It is STRONGLY recommended to lay out the exterior walls before doing any interior walls. Do all four corners first.

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11 Drilling out a 1/2 inch hole with a hammer jack to insert the vertical rebar.

12 Corner built picture perfect with nice stair step. Laying the VOBB block like this keep straight when stacked like bales of hay.

13 The owner is making one of his daily inspections.

14 The plumber is at work.

15 One of the plumber digging out the water line to the house from the water meter.

16 The plumber is at work to install the piping as required before the VOBB walls are dry-stacked..

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18 Jim Hallmark, Vice President of VOBB, checking the straightness of a wall.

19 Jim Hallmark, Vice President of VOBB, building a wall.

20 Using a string to be sure the wall is straight.

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22 This is a very nice hallway.

23 The electricians are at work to install the electrical boxes for plugs, switches, etc. and the conduit.

24 Keith is pouring in dry concrete with pea gravel mix. Water is added as it is poured in for a very cost-effective and simple method. It is very important to wet the VOBB blocks before and after if this method is used.

25 The shower is installed before the VOBB walls are stacked too high for ease of installation.

26 The black tape (or red paint) is to mark where the rebar is located. It is easy to lose sight of the rebar once the VOBB blocks have been stacked up. We recommend to stack the VOBB block with the rebar showing at least one foot and then to pour in the grout.

27 Nice straight walls with no weak mortar joint.

28 The contractor must stay on the job as the workers go so fast that they will stack VOBB where the doors and windows are.

29 Stacking VOBB blocks.

30 Carrying the concrete with pea gravel mix to be poured in the cavities.

31 Everyday, somebody stops and says they want a concrete block home. One person asked the owners if they were building a "fortress" as it is so easy to see the strength of a VOBB home.

32 The VOBB sign. The cost of 30 cents for labor is not the sales price. This is estimated cost for a person to hire and supervise the labor. A building contractor who has to buy the material, pay insurance cost, etc. must charge a price to make a profit. Likewise, this cost estimate is based on simple jobs without scaffolds, and extra work for plumbing, electrical, etc.

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 35  Walls are ten feet high - twenty VOBB blocks dry-stacked.

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38 Left side of home

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41 Pantry

42 Corner of kitchen

43 Kitchen

44 Hallway

45 SOLD - The most important word to a real estate developer.

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50 Built wall for a pocket door.

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52 The trusses are being installed.

53 Garage with arch over the door - exterior view.

54 Garage with arch over the door - interior view.

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56 rafters from right side

57 rafters from left side

58 rafters from inside the living room

59 rafters from inside the kitchen

60 rafters over the garage from the outside

61 rafters over the front entrance

62 rafters over the front entrance - full house view

63 Living room with the roof on

64 Kitchen with the roof on.

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66 Front with roof on.

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68 Tray ceiling in master bedroom

69 Master bathroom with the roof on

70 Back of the home ready for the shingles to be placed

71 Front with the installation of the shingles partially completed

72 Front entrance door - exterior view

73 Front entrance door - interior view

74 Windows inside the garage

75 Back with rafters

76 Interior view with the exterior walls being insulated on the inside

77 Front columns with VOBB being dry-stacked

78 Interior view of insulation and finish for rounded windows

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83 Front columns with VOBB complete

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85 Front entrance - interior

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87 Interior walls

88 Bedroom ceiling

89 Right side with brick

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93 Front entrance

94 Putting the brick on the home

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98 Move-in time

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Sandy & Suzanne 's Museum

101 The kitchen	102 The family room	103 The living room

 

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107 Finished. (a)

108 A happy VOBB couple with their granite countertop (a)

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(a) Photograph is courtesy of Virtual Showcase and the Builder's Journal.