Building a home in Kalispell MT – All Done

Building a home in Kalispell MT – All Done

In August 2019, work began in earnest on the building of our new home in Kalispell, Montana. While the ground had been cleared for our custom home prior to then, no actual building had been done. There was no well, septic or electric. So in mid-August the footings were installed and from that moment on, work sped along. On December 21, 2019, we moved into our home!

How did it happen so fast?

Stories abound about how custom homes can take years to build. Contractors might not show up. Material doesn’t arrive as expected. Weather necessitates long delays. And on and on. So we thought our home would probably not be done until the Springtime, especially since we are in Montana where winters can be cold, snowy and long.

We lucked out. We had an amazing building contractor who dealt with issues quickly (more on our contractor in another post). Also, the weather held out. There was not a lot of snow or ice and the construction teams were able to get up our hill to the house to do the work they needed to do. Also, the trades were scheduled one right after the other, and sometimes the house was full of different contractors working all at the same time. Because of that, our home was built in less than four months and we were able to get in before the end of year holidays. We are very grateful.

So what happened in the last month of the build?

A month ago, we had most of the outside of a home complete. The septic was installed and well was dug. Inside the home was insulation, sheetrock, electrical work, plumbing and an installed heating system. The well pump was dropped into the well.

In the final month, a lot of work occurred. The garage door was installed, as were all the inside doors. The interior was painted. Fixtures and light switches were purchased and installed. The custom cabinets were delivered and put in place. Countertops arrived as well. The flooring and carpets were installed. Appliances were delivered and hooked up. Painting on the outside was completed. The outdoor heating unit and wood stove were set into place. And then the house was cleaned and prepared for our move-in.

And what is the end result?

We are thrilled with the home that was delivered to us. Everything is perfect. Not only that, but we found there are benefits we didn’t expect. For example, our windows allow us to see the night sky. Because we are located out of town on a mountainside, the stars are just amazing. If (when) northern lights come this way, we’ll have a great view. We may be able to see the fourth of July fireworks from our perch as well. We are living in the home with no furniture at the moment, but we celebrated Christmas with a 3 foot Charlie Brown Christmas tree from our property, a few stools purchased this week, a few camp chairs, small camping plates and a couple of cups and glasses and pots and pans. Those items are more than enough to keep us fed and happy. And they were enough to allow us to host a dinner with new friends on Christmas night.

In a few more days, furniture and clothing will arrive, and we will be “back to (our new) normal.”  2019 proved to be an amazing and life-changing year, and I look forward to whatever 2020 will bring.

If you are considering building a new home in the Flathead Valley, feel free to contact me for suggestions on builders, locations, and more. I can be reached at 406-270-3667 or via email at kat@thehousekat.com.

For more information on building in Kalispell, see here.