SAN DIEGO -- Construction continues on a somewhat remarkable house atop Mt. Helix in La Mesa, 10News reported Wednesday.

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A Home You Have To See To Believe

10News first caught up with the builders of the Rotating House about 18 months ago.

The view from Mt. Helix is already breathtaking, and in the Johnstones' home it changes all the time.

The idea to build the house materialized as Al and his wife, Janet, were poring over potential home plans and wondering which room would see the sunrise or sunset.

"So we thought 'Well, gee, why not let every room have every view?'" Al Johnstone said. "Why not be able to wake up with the sunrise and go to be with the sunset -- in the same room?"

And with that, Al went to work designing the house with glass all around.

One doesn't feel the movement much, but you do see it when you look out the windows. At it's highest speed, the house can make a full revolution in about 30 minutes.

And the house doesn't always have to rotate -- you turn it off and on.

Now, you may wonder (because everyone does): How do you get plumbing and electricity -- pipes and wires -- into a rotating house? Al designed a swivel in the middle of the house, so the plumbing and electricity rotate, too.

Imagine taking all this to the planning department. It wasn't an easy task, according to Al.

"(It was a problem) not only for the fact that it rotates, but that it's round. And there aren't too many round, rotating houses," he said.

Building the house hasn't been particularly easy, either. The Johnstones started the project in April 2000. It will be finished -- maybe -- next spring, Janet said.

"It will happen when it happens ... it's a labor of love," she said.

It has been a massive undertaking, but there are some advantages to a house that rotates during construction. Janet said that she was able to sit in one place and paint the house as it moved by.

The Johnstones have a Web site dedicated to their unique home where you can find out more.

They're hoping to sell the swivel technology to other people who want rotating houses. The Johnstones said that there is no other home just like this one anywhere in the world.