New Home is Finished - Final Details Before Closing

[gtalum]

Well we had our orientation and second-to-last walk-through with the construction manager today and it went very well. I tried really hard to find major issues for them to correct, but there just weren't any. I think it helps that we visited the site 3 times a week throughout construction and brought concerns to the builder as they arose. I also had a very thorough third-party frame inspection done before they put the drywall up. Today all we found were minor cosmetic issues overlooked by the construction manager on his walk-throughs. I get one more walk-through at the end of this week to ensure that all details on the punch-list are addressed, then we close on Monday. Sadly we can't move until the end of the month, but at this point we'll manage.

I'm very excited about moving back out of our apartment, especially since we've discovered how much we hate apartment living! Best news is that this house, while literally more than twice the size and replacement cost of our old home, is actually significantly cheaper to insure because of the more up-to-date building codes (my old house was built in 1993 before today's much stricter codes were in effect).

Incidentally, none of the other homes that were for sale in my old neighborhood when I sold have sold yet. On the other hand, in our new neighborhood they've sold all but about 5 lots out of 140 originally available. If you're looking for a house, it's a heck of a good time to buy.

[Pburgh]

Well, I'd love to see some pictures. I'm really excited for you. What style will you use to decorate my room??

[CajunMama]

Great news gt! It's going to be a long 3 weeks!

As for my room, i'm partial to olive greens and browns!

[vbhoutex]

Filling up fast. I'm partial to warm eart tones myself. Also, a top of the line tempurpedic bed would be nice.
Congratulations on the new digs!!! WE NEED PICTURES!!!!

[gtalum]

Here's a picture of the house from a couple of weeks ago, it looks pretty much the same now.

I think I'm going to have to add on some bedrooms.

[Miss Mary]

Nice pic glatum! We had our home built 19 years ago. It was an exciting time. Our builder worked with us on many choices, etc. One thing I was a stickler about was I wanted stained woodwork and doors. Since our second floor hallway overlooks a two story family room, I wanted stained up there too. He wanted to paint the second floor. I held firm and he agreed. When we moved in, the woodwork in the garage was stained too! We joked he must have told the carpenters - stain everything! Just one aspect of this whole process we often joke about.....but each time I repaint a room it's so nice not to have to paint trim or doors. I used to use painters tape but now I'm fairly steady with a good 1 inch wide brush from Sears.

You will no doubt think of things you wish you had done differently within the first year but mostly, you'll just catch yourself being so glad you built new.

I remember coming back from a vacation or trip, for years, and still catching a whiff of that brand new house smell.

It's long gone now......LOL

I also recall wishing our laundry room was a foot or two wider since it's a tight fit and the main walkway from garage to kitchen. Our builder used to say - that's not a bearing wall, we can move it a foot or two over.

Moving a wall later is expensive! But he would smile and say these things and I would smile right back, he knew we couldn't afford to do things like that!

Now if we were handy carpenters.....

Anyway, enjoy this time - it's so much fun! Sometimes I wish I could empty out my entire kitchen and put everything back as if we had just moved in (since I often question my logic back in 1989, he he). But I just keep rearranging specific items, confusing my entire family in the process. LOL

[gtalum]

This was not a custom home, so the changes we could make were minor. That said, the floor plan of this home is absolutely perfect for us and there's nothing I would change save for making a closet out of the under-stair space, and we'll just do that ourselves. Our big splurges on the home were tile throughout the downstairs and granite counter-tops in the kitchen. Those two options the builder offered for much less than we could do on our own later.

This home is actually a bit overkill for our true needs, but the price difference between it and a smaller home in the same community was just so small that it didn't make sense for us to go smaller. Interestingly enough, buying this home new saved us over $100k compared to buying a similar existing home in the same area. Owners just haven't gotten realistic about their prices, but the developers are desperate to unload. According to my insurance agent, also a trusted friend, we're paying slightly less than the actual replacement cost of the home.

[Pburgh]

Beautiful!!!

Is that moulding under the windows or are those planters??

By the way, that back corner bedroom will be fine for me.

[dizzyfish]

Very nice! I wish you all the best in your new home.

As Miss Mary said - it is really a fun time - enjoy it.