Last of My Notes/Meeting with Builder

Well, these are the last of my notes, so now I won't have to worry about packing something that I might really need. I know this is really tedious, but there is so much to worry about and think about that if I put it down somewhere permanent I can relax a little more. Sorry.

1. Use the same kind of paint through out the house - can use different colors. Suggestion - good semi gloss enamel latex paint or satin finish.
2. What is my backsplash in bathrooms and kitchen? The higher up the wall the better as it is easier to clean than the wall. I think I am using whater is on the counter.
3. All faucets, fixtures, doorknobs, light switches, hinges, locks, etc. should be the same. Not as each other, but all in the same category.
4. Stove should be outside vented hoor or down draft venting system.
5. Frosted glass is good and so is double-glazed windows.
6. Usage of mirrors is good too.
7. No floor vents, put them in the lower walls instead.
8. Stain and varnish doors is better than paint and same for the wood casings around the door as they are easier to clean than paint. Use the same stain throughout.
9. Treat carpet with a good soil retardant.
10. Nylon - toilet seat anchor bolts, shower head defusers, plumbing washers, drawer glides, applice parts, carpet.
11. Steel - brushed low luster finish, or stainless for sinks, cooktops, appliance doors, bathroom hardware. Be consistent though.
12. Commercial grade vinyl doors that look like wood are the best.
13. Closet rod - not wood, instead use strong commercial stainless steel pipe or galvanized steel pipe but wipe off oil with paint thinner first.
14. Bathrooms - fluorescent light using natural color tubes.
15. Stairway walls should be painted a darker color as many handprints often along there, and have light switches at both the top and the bottom of the stairs.
16. Outside sidewalks adn driveway - slightly crowned in center so water will run off and also not go into the garage/house. Same with outside steps starting away from house. Have gutter/downspouts far away from sidewalks.
17. Hard surface good durable plastic toilet seat.
18. Plywood in garage instead of sheet rock so can set up shelves inside garage. Seal garage floor. Use 4 foot fluorescent light units.

Many of these ideas came from a couple of books I read. One being by Don Aslett and I wish I could remember the title. It was about creating a house that is easy to clean. Some of the ideas I didn't care for, and many can be done after the house is built, but some are better to do as you are building. I do have another book to read this week about Creating Your Dream Home, so perhaps I may have a few more things I want to add but the book looks more like a home-dec book.

Now to our meeting with the builder. He is a very nice guy and is willing to work with us to make it more affordable. The estimate he gave us is about $20,000 more than I was guessing, but then what do I know. I do know that he often doesn't use all of the estimate, in fact, he is noted for not using all the money. Plus he is quicker than many builders and so saves money that way - interest on the loan, etc. He also showed us places we could cut costs and where he had estimated higher than he thinks it will really be. Example: He estimated we would be buying all new appliances, yet we have a brand new washer and dryer, and we don't need a new refrigerator. But we do need a stove/micro combo and the dishwasher. We can do the clean-up after the house is built and that saves money rather than him hiring a professional to do the job. We can do our own painting. We eliminated some windows that we had already planned on eliminating, but hadn't yet told him about. So my next task is to talk to Scott Unger at Wells Fargo on Monday and see what he has to say about the higher estimate and see if he wants us to provide any income documents, etc. Before we hadn't done that as the house we own now is through them and he used that information to pre-qualify us. Then we will sign papers with Ken and fork over a bit of money and get started. So we may break ground next week or the week after. I am soooo excited! We will have to have a picnic out there beforehand like we did at the Columbia River Temple so we can say we were there before "it" is built. Another nice thing about Ken is that it is okay to make changes whereas other builders, what is written down at the beginning is set and nothing can be changed without penalty. Ken told us that he has us check and re-check everything before each step so if we want to make adjustments we can before it is too late. We came home from the meeting with Ken and told the kids that the price was too high and we were going to cut back to a small shack. I don't think they believed us, but Zach, our skeptic declared that he was right in thinking that it is now back to the drawing board with houseplans and we will be still waiting to build years from now.