Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ratcliffs Nevada County Farm Family of the Year

Looks can be deceiving.

Such is the case of the home of the 2001 Nevada County Farm Family of the Year, Jay and Gail Ratcliff.

Heading out on Rosston Road, about a quarter mile past the city limits on the right, there stands a brownish colored building. This structure closely resembles a barn with windows and a door.

It isn't a barn, though, but the Ratcliff's home. And, it is unique.

This house has been built from refrigeration panels obtained from a Sheridan company. The panels have an insulation value of R-21.

What this means, is, the house is easy to heat and cool, and stays either warm or cool, depending on the season.

The Ratcliff's have been working on the house, with 3,600 square feet of space inside, for about two-and-a-half years.

In the beginning, the panels were put in place once the foundation and anchor bolts had been set. Once the panels were up, Jay cut out doors.

There were some problems with the roof, as the panels tended to leak when it rained. This, though, was solved by going back and adding galvanized tin. The leaks have been sealed, and the family enjoys listening to rain on the tin roof during inclement weather.

One of the interesting things about the house, is the materials were all seconds, which saved the family considerably on construction costs.

Jay said contractors have told him it would cost around $160,000 to build such a house out of standard materials. The Ratcliff's were able to build it for much less, and purchase the land.

A 48-foot joist beam runs the length of the house, with a sub-floor between the upstairs and downstairs.

The Ratcliff's used 12:2 Romex wiring for much of the electrical work in the house, but put in 10:2 wiring for the areas where there would be heavier demands. The central heating and air conditioning unit was wired with eight gauge wire.

Little wood was required in building the home, and what was, primarily 2x4 and 2x6 lumber, was used for framing the interior. Otherwise, the structure is made from steel and the panels.

The house, like everything else on the nearly 50-acre ranch, has been a family-oriented project with everybody pitching in.

Each of the children, when all six were home, had specific chores to do. Currently, three of the children still live there.

The family consists of Jay and Gail, Aaron, 21, who lives in Hope, Josh, 20, living in Newport, Benjamin, 18, Wesley, 17, and living in Blevins, Elijah, 15, and Kelsey, 14.

The new home is a blessing for the Ratcliffs, who had been living in a 16x80 mobile home until they could move into the house.

There are six bedrooms and four bathrooms, with ceiling fans throughout the house.

Many of the interior designs were modified from "Country Woman" magazine.

The kitchen island, which contains an electric stove and built in microwave oven, is surrounded by galvanized tin, as is the breakfast counter and staircase.

This was done, Gail said, to cut down on scuff marks. It also gives the place a more rustic look.

The floors inside are concrete, with plans in the work to put down area rugs instead of carpeting. Using carpet on a cattle ranch would mean more time spent cleaning instead of getting other things done.

The kitchen also has an energy efficient dishwasher and convection electric range. In fact, the house is all-electric, a good thing until the power goes out.

The cabinets in the kitchen were made by Jay's father, John.

During the Christmas Day ice storm in 2000, Jay wound up installing a wood stove in the living room to provide heat for the family.

Since then, the Ratcliff's have purchased a generator to help supply their own electricity when the power goes out.