A, P & K are building our dream house!

[AahRee]

Okay, I had a thread with a not-so-nice title about househunting with my DH. However, we found the PERFECT house. We both love it! So, he's no longer then DH from you-know-where, but is now my sweet, wonderful, amazing DH, who has excellent taste in houses! :lol:

I'll grab the pictures from the other thread in a second, but we're building our dream house! It's going to be done in just over three months, and I can barely stand to wait! Everything from the floorplan to the neighborhood to the fixtures is just perfect, and we couldn't be happier!

[SarahK]

:woo:

[Kaybee711]

What cute title! I can just see Katie with an itty bitty little tool belt! :lol:

[Stacy]

:woo:

[~Lisa~]

Congratulations!

Cant wait to see the pictures!

[Cortney]

:woo:

[AahRee]

Thanks Sarah, Kerri, Stacy, Lisa and Cortney! :biggrin: We drove past it again last night (that makes three times yesterday for me :lol: ) and we're really starting to feel like it's *ours* now. Phil wants me to do our taxes today, so we can get an idea of what we have to spend on options! :yippee: I'm secretly hoping we have enough to do the interior white trim, but I'm not holding my breath. Also, we're considering putting in an air purifier, because of my lung problems. I think it would probably be a good thing to do, but we'll check with my doctors to see what they think as well.
How am I ever going to make it until May!?!?!???!!!

[AahRee]

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[AahRee]

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[AahRee]

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[AahRee]

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[AahRee]

This is the elevation of the house we're building.
http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=678&stc=1

I'm going to drive by today and take a picture of it in progress, and if I can find my USB cable, I'll post it! :lol:

[JillMelissa]

I can totally picture it in grey with the blue shutters. It's going to be beautiful! I so love that kitchen - I want that exact color for my cabinets, but that would be too expensive :blue: One of the other builders we looked at offers that as one of their standard finishes but not ours. Bummer. I also really like that bay window in the breakfast area - yet another thing I am not going to end up paying for but would have liked! :lol: The view from the dining room is so cool - that is just a really unique layout with all the beams. I love it!

[Kaybee711]

Is the laundry room on the second floor? I would love a laundry room on the same floor as my bedrooms so I don't have to lug it up and down the stairs!

[Ana975]

Beautiful house! I love everything about it and the colors are amazing! Good luck!

[AahRee]

Jill ~ I love the cabinet color in the kitchen, too, but it would be really expensive to do. :blue: Ours will be maple, which is the standard. Someday (like 20 years from now) we'll redo them all in cherry if we still like that best. Fortunately, with the layout of our family room and kitchen, the bay window in the breakfast area is standard! :biggrin: We wouldn't have paid extra for it, but we're glad to have it. We probably would have paid extra for a bay window and window seat in our master bedroom, but we didn't buy the house in time to choose that option. :blue:

Ker ~ Nope, it's downstairs. We could have had it upstairs, basically at the upstairs landing. But my mom pointed out that if you have a washer flood, it's a nightmare to deal with water damage upstairs. Plus, it's noisy, so it's hard to do laundry at night, etc. I'm thinking of figuring out a place to put in a laundry chute, though, so I can avoid lugging it downstairs! :lol:

Ana ~ Thanks! :biggrin:

We just got back from looking at the model again. I wanted to show Phil what the standard fixtures were, and what upgrades I was considering, etc. He decided he wants a sink in our laundry room, so we'll add the utility sink to our options. He doesn't really care about upgrading the countertops and floors, but he knows I do, and he's okay with me doing that, within reason. :lol: I can't go nuts, but I can do tile countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and probably tile floors in the bathrooms and entry. Getting tile flooring in the kitchen will be harder, though. We decided we probably won't bother upgrading the carpet, since we have a toddler and a dog. But we'll upgrade the pad, so it feels a little softer. We both really like the fixtures the house comes with, so we'll leave those alone.

Our appointment for the flooring, etc. is tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait! :biggrin:

[Brooke]

I can't go nuts, but I can do tile countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and probably tile floors in the bathrooms and entry.
I just don't understand tile countertops. I don't know. Maybe it's an east coast thing? I don't know many people with tile countertops and they seem kind of hard to clean but Darren seems to think we NEED them. But he's a west coast-er, just transplanted here, so maybe that's what he's used to?

Can't wait to see progress photos!

[AahRee]

What do y'all have out there instead of tile? I grew up with them, and they're not that tough to clean. You have to do the grout with a toothbrush occasionally, but it's not hard to do. And it's a lot less expensive than marble or granite.

[SarahK]

I love tile counters, and if you have the grout sealed, it's not to tough to clean them.

I've heard that a laundry chute is a bad thing to have--it can help a fire zip through your house much faster than it would be able to go on its own. :dunno:

[JillMelissa]

we didn't buy the house in time to choose that option. :blue:
Did you buy a spec house? I didn't realize you weren't starting from scratch. No wonder it'll be done in May and I have to wait all the way til September! :lol:

We could have had it upstairs, basically at the upstairs landing. But my mom pointed out that if you have a washer flood, it's a nightmare to deal with water damage upstairs. Plus, it's noisy, so it's hard to do laundry at night, etc. I'm thinking of figuring out a place to put in a laundry chute, though, so I can avoid lugging it downstairs! :lol:
Our laundry room (well, laundry closet, let's be honest) is upstairs and while I guess that's more convenient, I would have chosen to have it downstairs as well. We had a hot water heater leak in this house, and our heater is upstairs in the laundry room (because we don't have a basement) and yup - it was a nightmare. You made the right choice! Although I've heard the same thing as Sarah, that a chute can help fire spread much more quickly.

I can't go nuts, but I can do tile countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and probably tile floors in the bathrooms and entry.
Tile kitchen counters are a new thing to me too - so it must be a west-coast thing! :) Around here laminate countertops are usually standard, and people who upgrade them upgrade to marble or granite. I don't think my builder even offers tile countertops in the kitchen!

What is the standard flooring in your entryway?

[AahRee]

Sarah ~ That makes sense. :nod: So, no chute for us.

Jill ~ Certain things about our house were already decided for us, because construction had already started when we bought it. (They were framing at that time...). If we'd gotten in earlier, we could have basically chosen everything, but as it is, certain decisions were already made. :( For example, we didn't get to choose our elevation - that decision was already made. But basically everything that isn't determined by framing is up to us. I'm not sure if that makes it spec, or not! :lol:

The standard for our entry is wood-look laminate flooring, but we really like the look of tile better, especially in our house.

[AahRee]

Oh! I totally forgot to say this earlier, but our real estate agent called, and our inspection is this Saturday! So, we should know by Monday how that went, and assuming it checks out okay (I can't imagine it not!), we'll have our contract, free of contingencies, by Monday night! :crossfing:

[Nocona]

Wow, you're moving right along. It's going to be just beautiful. Again, I love the columns on the porch!

No tile countertops here either (or rare). Laminate and upgrade to marble/granite here too.

[Dawn]

Anne - your house is absolutely gorgeous!!!! Congrats! :)

I agree with Jill....tile countertops aren't popular here at all. My sister got their house built 1 1/2 yrs. ago and they upgraded their kitchen counters to Corian. Other popular upgrades here are marble and granite. :) So it definately must be a west-coast thing. :)

[Leslie]

:woo: Congrats on the new house Anne!

[Ana975]

My mom put in tile countertops and she loves them. I was a little skeptical because of the grout and thinking they'd break easily but they've held up pretty well. Not one has broken and it's been a few years and she doesn't complain about cleaning them.

[AahRee]

Nocona ~ Thanks! I love the pillars, too. I'm excited to have a front porch, even if it's a tiny one!

Dawn ~ Thanks! It must be a west-coast thing. :nod: My parents are re-doing their kitchen and are thinking of going with Corian, but they've had tile for 30 years or so now, and it still looks great. (Well, as great as anything in 1970's yellow can look... :lol: )

Leslie ~ Thanks! Congrats to you, too! :woo:

Ana ~ It's amazing how durable tile is, considering. :nod: I bet your mom's counter is gorgeous! :biggrin:

I thought I had posted these pictures in here already, but I guess I haven't. I have a few pictures of some of the things we've picked for the house.

The first picture is of the tile that will surround the fireplace. It's hard to tell from the picture, but it has a greenish cast to it.

The second one is of the vinyl that will be in the upstairs bathrooms.

The bottom one is of the vinyl that will be in the downstairs powder room, the utility room and the hallway to the garage.

http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=790&stc=1

http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=791&stc=1

http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=792&stc=1

[AahRee]

This picture is the kitchen faucet I picked. It's one of the few things I upgraded in the house, other than the flooring. I just love it!

[harmonielyn]

omg! That house is gorgeous! if its not too personal, how much will it cost to build? Im hoping that one day we can build our 'perfect' home and this one is just so beautiful.

[AahRee]

Thanks Harmonie! :biggrin: I just love it. The list price is $280K, but we'll probably add about $5K of upgrades (mostly the flooring), so it will wind up being around $285K. But that includes the land and all of that. I imagine that the cost would totally change, depending on where they were building it. I think the developer is building in the next town up, and the houses there will be a little less than the ones in our area, just because the school district isn't as great. However, if you were to build our house in, say, San Francisco, it would be outrageously expensive. :( And if you were to build it in the middle of nowhere, Montana, it would probably be pretty cheap!

[harmonielyn]

Cost of living is low here. We dont live in a major city and the there is still alot of unsettled land so it probably wouldnt be that much. I dont know anything about houses or building them. :lol: I just cant believe how gorgeous that house is. Im definitely keep those pictures for future reference. Ive always loved houses that are open to the ceiling.

[AahRee]

Oops! I haven't even posted my *new* choices in here yet! :blush: I totally changed my mind about several of the things I had picked out. The house is going to have a totally different look, but I think it is going to be a lot more *me*, so I'm really happy I spent some time thinking about it.

This is a close approximate of the color of the carpet throughout our house, except in the family room.
http://www.georgiacarpet.com/images/sheer-magic/babys-breath.jpg

And this is the carpet for the family room.
http://www.georgiacarpet.com/images/silk-n-satin/muslin.jpg

[AahRee]

This is the vinyl that will be in the kitchen and the utility room.

http://www.armstrong.com/pdbupimages/6608513822.jpg

And this is the vinyl that will be in all the bathrooms.
http://congoleum.chameleonpower.com/cham/cfxgen.dll/image?specifier=RS02021(size=(234,0))&sel=()

[AahRee]

This is the tile that is going to be on the kitchen counter and backsplash. It's just a plain, matte white.

http://www.floridatile.com/ProductStuff/MATTEGLA.jpg

And dotted in, every foot or so, along the backsplash, will be this accent tile.

**** picture to be inserted later******

This is the tile for the entry...
http://rvkfloors.com/rvkcatalog/ridgeview_cream_f_RD01.jpg

And this is the tile around the fireplace.

http://rvkfloors.com/rvkcatalog/ridgeview_warmgreen_f_RD04.jpg

[AahRee]

It will be a similar white tile on the bathroom counters, and there will be a different accent tile on the backsplash of each bathroom. I can't find pictures of any of the accent tiles, but the kitchen accent is a blue and white diamond-shaped tile (a 3" x 3" square set on it's point) with a fleur-de-lys type design on it. The main bath (Katie's bath) has a simple blue raised bar set in between the white tiles on the backsplash. And the master bath has a blue and white accent tile with a raised flower design on it. (It was totally coincidence that all the accents had blue in them!) I wish I could find pictures, but maybe I can take some with my digital camera when I go in to write the deposit check.

Anyway, I drove past the house today, and the siding is all up. The roof is on, and the electrical and plumbing appear to be in, but the fixtures aren't there yet. It's really starting to look like a house, though!

We're debating spending a little extra money and having them put on a deck off the kitchen nook. The standard is a cement patio, but we know we want a deck out there eventually. And it would be a lot harder to rip a patio out later, so we're thinking of just paying to put in a deck now. It would be a small one, and we'd plan to build on to it eventually. However, it would be about $1200 extra, so we're not sure we're going to do it. :dunno: We'll see...

[gardner101]

I love your colors!

My only word of caution is on a tile counter - be sure to have the grout sealed! The home we are in has a tile kitchen counter (we bought it that way, didn't put it in, so I'm not sure exactly how old it is but I don't think more than 15 years) but they never sealed it & the grout is just nasty!! I scrub & scrub & I just can't get it clean.

[Nocona]

Very nice choices :aok: I would go ahead and get the deck put on now and then expand.

[Cecily]

:woo: Anne! This is the first time I have noticed this thread, and it really helps to have all the options laid out together!

One thing I wanted to point out on the laundry chute, the hard part about laundry being on a different floor than the bedrooms is not getting the clothes to the laundry. It's getting them UPstairs that will kill the back. To get them downstairs, just toss them off the landing :)

Brooke, We have had tile countertops at my mom's house forever, it seems. I love them! They are so much more unique and pretty than the other options, like granite or the plain laminate tops. Also, you can set hot pots and things right down on the counter without worrying about it getting harmed. And, my favorite part: they are a LOT cheaper than granite! But, Kris is right, the grout HAS to be sealed. They didn't seal the grout in Lily's bathroom, and it is aweful! But, I think I am going to have it regrouted, glazed and sealed soon, and that will make a WORLD of difference.

[cimberdog]

One thing I wanted to point out on the laundry chute, the hard part about laundry being on a different floor than the bedrooms is not getting the clothes to the laundry. It's getting them UPstairs that will kill the back. To get them downstairs, just toss them off the landing :)


That's exactly what I was going to say! I just toss ours into the front entry when I am doing laundry. It's the getting them back upstairs part that stinks!

I just love all the decorating in that house you posted. I want an interior decorator!!!

[AahRee]

That's exactly what I was going to say! I just toss ours into the front entry when I am doing laundry. It's the getting them back upstairs part that stinks!

I just love all the decorating in that house you posted. I want an interior decorator!!!
It's too bad you don't live closer, because they just sold off all the decor from the model yesterday. They had a huge *garage sale*, and everything was 50% off of retail.

I love the stuff in that house, too, but it doesn't really fit with our lifestyle at this point. Our dog and toddler would eat those furnishings for breakfast! :lol:

Thanks, everyone, for the compliments on our choices! I'm really excited about it. We'll definitely have the grout sealed, and be re-sealing it periodically. And for the laundry, we can just keep doing what we are already doing - that is, making DH carry it upstairs. :)

[Cecily]

And for the laundry, we can just keep doing what we are already doing - that is, making DH carry it upstairs. :)
:spitwater Exactly!

[AahRee]

:lol: You know I'm totally serious, though, right? :lol: I leave a basket at the top of the stairs for him to carry down, and leave one at the bottom for him to carry up. :lol: It's a pretty good system, most of the time! :lol:

I think we decided not to do the deck option, after all. Phil seems to like the idea of a concrete patio, all of a sudden (easier upkeep), and I'm thinking I could just tile over it eventually, so it wouldn't look so cement-y. My BIL put in a tile patio at his house, and I can get some tips from him, but I don't think it's all that hard. And for only 120 sq. ft., it wouldn't be that expensive, either.

My MIL had a great idea. When they first moved into their house, she made a list of all the things she wanted to do. It took her a few years, but she got it all done. So, I think I'm going to do the same. I'll put it in a seperate post, and update as we get things done.

[AahRee]

Okay, here it is: (to be edited as I think of new things!)
Entry:
~ Buy mirror with hooks (for hanging purse, jacket, etc.) and bench with cubbies below (for keeping slippers, recycled newspaper, etc.)
~ Install peep hole in front door, or get windowed front door

Living Room:
~ Buy couches
~ Buy chairs and ottomans
~ Buy lamps
~ Buy coffee tables
~ Buy wall art
~ Buy candle holder
~ Buy curtains or roman shades
(as you can tell, we don't really have anything for the LR yet at all)

Dining Room:
~ Buy mirror
~ Buy dining room table and chairs
~ Buy china cabinet and/or buffet
~ Finish buying china and crystal
~ Buy tablecloths, napkins, etc.

Kitchen and nook:
~ Buy pot racks
~ Buy and install doorknobs
~ Tile floor
~ Replace some cabinet doors with glass-inset doors
~ Get plate rack
~ Buy or make valances for kitchen windows
~ Replace slider with french doors
~ Buy or make curtains for slider/french doors
~ Replace island countertop with butcher block top
~ Replace current casual dishes with PBK basic dishes
~ Buy or make placemats/tablecloth and napkins
~ Paint kitchen table and chairs

Family Room:
~ Install mantle over fireplace
~ Buy art for walls
~ Buy or make curtains
~ Buy toss pillows for couches (in burgundy or denim)
~ Buy oversized chair and storage ottoman
~ Build in bookshelves on either side of fireplace/entertainment center

Laundry Room:
~ Install utility sink
~ Buy or make curtain for window
~ Install cabinet or make curtain to hide contents of shelf
~ Replace current washer/dryer with front-loading HE set
~ Buy art for wall
~ Tile floor

Powder room:
~ Buy towels
~ Buy art for walls
~ Buy soap dispenser & other *decor*
~Tile floor

Stairway:
~ Buy knick-knacks for top of coat closet display area
~ Buy chair and table for top landing area

Master Bedroom:
~ Buy King-size bed and bedding
~ Buy or make curtains for bedroom window
~ Buy new towels and knick-knacks
~ Buy art
~ Buy oversized chair for bedroom and for closet
~ Buy new bedroom furniture
~ Buy bath pillow
~ Buy wall-mount flower holder
~ Buy shade for bathroom window
~ Install cabinet pulls in bathroom
~Tile floor in bathroom

Main Bath:
~ Buy art for walls
~ Buy new towels
~ Buy knick-knacks
~ Buy step-stool for Katie
~ Hire painter to make mural on wall
~ Install cabinet pulls
~ Tile floor

Guest bedroom:
~ Buy new bedroom furniture
~ Buy new bedding
~ Buy or make curtains
~ Buy art for walls
~ Buy nice vase for bedside
~ Build in bookshelf

Katie's room:
~ Buy or make curtains
~ Buy throw rug
~ Buy decorator pegs for coats, etc.
~ Hire painter to make mural
~ Build window seat
~ Buy new dresser or paint old one white
~ Buy art

Loft:
~ Build in desks and entertainment unit
~ Buy or make curtains
~ Buy new denim couch and bean bag pillows
~ Buy extra DVD player
~ Buy headphones for quiet use of loft
~ Hang family photos

Front porch/yard:
~ Buy white wicker furniture (rockers and table)
~ Buy and plant flower boxes
~ Put up white picket fence
~ Put up light posts at end of driveway
~ Put in step stone path from sidewalk to porch
~ Plant flowers alongside house

Back porch/yard:
~ Tile porch
~ Make step stone path to playhouse
~ Build playhouse
~ Rip out current trees and plant fruit trees (cherries, apples, pears and/or lemons)
~ Plant strawberry plants
~ Plant hydrangea
~ Plant sweetpeas along back fence (make trellis for support)
~ Fence sides of house (covering chain link fence on school side)

I'm sure I'll think of more as time goes on, and add more details, too, but this is a start...
~

[Leslie]

Whew! That's a lot of stuff you need to buy! Sounds like you've got some fun shopping in your future!

[AahRee]

No kidding! It's a very, very long term list. It will probably be 10 years before it's all done. :lol:

[AahRee]

Okay, house progress pictures! Here's the house, before the paint job...
http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1076&stc=1

And here it is, after the paint job!
http://www.onceuponalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1077&stc=1

This is a totally nit-picky little thing, but I hate the two garage door thing. :( Phil likes it, but I think it looks weird. Plus, you have to buy two garage openers! Okay, I realize that that's a stupid concern, but that's the ONE thing I don't like about our new house. :lol: Eh, I think I'll get used to it. :lol:

[gardner101]

I couldn't agree more with you about the 2 doors and openers! I have the same complaint about our new place!

[Bev]

Great looking house Anne! Our house has one garage door for a "2 car garage" and we can't get both vehicles in. I think to myself, if we had 2 doors, we'd be able to get them both in. My big thing was the curtain rods in the Master bedroom, they don't close all the way, and there is a house right there!! I would have to do something about that. I don't want the neighbours peeking in. :)

[AahRee]

Okay, this is a silly question, but what do you guys think about this as a kitchen curtain fabric? Is it too goofy, or could it work?

[AahRee]

Eh... it's probably too goofy, isn't it? :lol:

[harmonielyn]

I personally dont like it but im not very stylish. What color paint/tile will your kitchen have? That will make all the difference.

[Bev]

You have white tiles right? I think it would work, because they'd probably be scrunched up a bit and you could accessorize with the colours.

[AahRee]

Yeah, the tiles will be white, but we'll have a blue tozetto accent (it's kind of like a fleur-de-lys type thing, I think???) Anyway, I was looking for something that looks country, but not TOO country, and something that had both blue (to go with the accent tile) and red (so I can accessorize in red). I think I'm going to keep looking. I think the monkeys are adorable, but I'm guessing I'd get sick of them pretty fast. :lol:

[Bev]

What about a blue toile?

[Cortney]

I think we decided not to do the deck option, after all. Phil seems to like the idea of a concrete patio, all of a sudden (easier upkeep), and I'm thinking I could just tile over it eventually, so it wouldn't look so cement-y.


You can get them to 'score' your concrete to make it look better and then you can stain it- pretty cheap! :) That's what we did and I'll go take a picture real fast!