So sorry for your exhaustion, frustration and over-all "waiting to be done with it"!! Unfortunately, I think, what you say is the "norm". But remember, no one cares about your house more than YOU do! It is so hard to be patient at the end but try to allow them to finish the "interior touch ups" because it is difficult to get them back to do it! It is so easy to just move in and worry about details later, we kind of did that and Dh ran around finishing some things himself; mostly minor but we pushed so hard to get in we didn't care!
Just think about your first Christmas in your new house! It will be so lovely!!
Good Luck!

I completely understand!! And yeah, I think it's normal. At least I hope it's normal. LOL Ours is supposed to be done BY the 20th. Builder was supposed to be here yesterday to move the floor outlet and build the backing for the fireplace tile surround--didn't show up. Not here today either, but the tile/floor guy is, just like he told us last friday. He's starting at the other end of the house to give the builder time to get his doo-doo together.

This would be so much less stressful if people would just do what they say they're going to do WHEN they say they're going to do it. :-P (I guess that's life, huh? LOL)

V

Hi home4sale---I hear ya! We're at the same point, and it IS frustrating. We started in January and when we signed the contract, it was a standard 6 months' date of June 30 to which both the developer and the builder said "but it won't be that long". Ha!

We just got the electricity hooked up on Friday, but some switches don't seem to turn the lights on (while some do work), and the screen porch lights are stuck on with no visible switch that turns them off!! And boy do I agree--with the price of this house, we expected a lot--at least lights with switches ;-)

They did re-sand the floors yesterday and applied the stain...again (not seen it yet); we ended up changing stain color, too (so apparently that was our silver lining for the botched job). Guess the 1st 2 coats of poly go down today. Hope the A/C had a chance to cool the house before the stain was applied so we can avoid last time's problem (just hooked up that morning). What did you decide to do with your floors?

I can't imagine needing to be moved from your current location by Sunday! I'd be stressing too! I just gave the 30-day notice on our apartment last week or so because hubby has business trips, so we'll need some time to move, but the builder has said we're definitely (this time) within 2 weeks (he first said that about 6 weeks ago).

Too bad we don't live close enough to visit and commiserate over a nice frozen margarita--I've discovered they help take the edge off quite nicely :-)

Good luck!

We ended up asking our GC for their fee returned to us for our floor finish portion, and we "fired" the sub who was supposed to apply the final clear poly coat. We found a different floor guy who did a tinted polyurethane. He tinted it with Rosewood, and it really took the spilled-red-wine look off our Mesquite Red floors. He said they were the reddest floors he has ever seen, and couldn't believe that we were not educated about that. He did a great job, and the entire house was poly-tinted on Friday. It looks sooo much better. It's still a touch red, but so much more maneageable.

This guy is going to do a final clear poly coat...hopefully tomorrow late afternoon.

I agree...margarita with fellow home constructionistas would be very soothing right now.

Can I have a margarita too? I almost posted this same message this morning. We had been promised a CO by Friday and because we are starting to wise up, scheduled the move three weeks out from that, and are now nervous they won't meet that. Today GC says that the house will be "substantially completed" by Friday and the CO will be sometime "early next week." Meanwhile, I can look around with my own eyes and see that we still have no toilets, missing two fireplace mantel and surrounds, we have no railing on our stairs, we are still missing a large number of light fixtures, we have almost no cabinet doors and consequently no cabinet hardware, and the only appliances that are in are the range hood and the garbage disposal. Our floors are not finished at all. Hello? DH's earlier conversation with GC brought to mind one of my favorite movies.

GC: "Absolutely. We can get you a CO on Tuesday, absolutely."

Me: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Unfortunately, what you're experiencing does seem to be the norm. We went through it on several houses, with both custom and production builders. My only advice is to not close until every last thing is done to your satisfaction.

I let myself be talked into closing on one house and even holding back funds did nothing to speed the constractor along once he got most of his money. It was eventually done, but what a pain.

Just because a GC can get a CO that doesn't mean the house will be ready for you to move into it. If you must vacate your current house or apt., I strongly suggest that you put your things in storage or use PODS or work out something with your movers so that you can delay closing until the house is truly complete. It's enough of a pain to deal with the minor glitches often found in the first year without starting off with a long punch because the builder rushed through the detail work in the final weeks and too much was sloppily done or missed altogether.

LOL, Kristin.

I'm so glad you're happier with your floors, home4sale!

Here's a virtual margarita for all of us..... had it Saturday night after seeing the lights didn't all work and that the A/C wasn't on like it was supposed to have been the day before. It was the strongest I'd ever had--only 1 and it lasted me through my meal. I probably started drinking it at 7:15, and at the apartment at 10, I was still buzzing and smiling. So what if I need a chemical substance to make me smile right now.... If I "take" one every 4 hours, I ought to be good until this house is moved into!

{{gwi:1487709}}

knew I should have stopped @ Chili's for lunch!

After all that venting...the electricity was turned on around 5pm! Yippee!! We ran around and tested all the lights. They *seem* to be mostly ok. There's a few little kinks. The appliances were on, but I feel a bit more relieved. The electricians should be there tomorrow, along with the A/C crew....A/C tomorrow in the house! Wow...that's going to feel awesssooome!

EXCELLENT! I can feel your excitement. Hope the move goes smoothly.

Yay for you! They turned on our electricity weeks ago and people have been getting shocked from bumping into unfinished outlets. Including my 2 year old daughter. But nobody would have been able to work in the heat we've been having...

My flooring guy couldn't work today because the builder STILL has not showed up to do what he needed to get done. I called him to jack him up yet again and apparently there had been some kind of disaster on a new project they were prepping (for after our house gets done next week) and he needed all his guys there to help. Can we say FRUSTRATED? He promised that they were going to work over-time the next 3 days to get back on track. I'll believe that when I see it. LOL

Meanwhile, my cousin and her hubby, who are also building and are 2-3 weeks behind us, are getting a divorce. Makes me thankful for my own marriage...I've always heard that if you can survive building a house together you can weather anything. Guess there's some truth to that.

V

Boy, can I relate. See my post on hiding under a rock. It seems like things are so sloppy here at the end. The subs keeping making a mess too! I emailed my GC a punch list, it helps me keep track of what needs to becdone also. We did a walk through yesterday-so many little things! We are moving this weekend also. I was supposed to move boxes all this week but I'm uncomfortable with people still in and out doing the punch list. I'm normally a very trusting person but someone took DH 's boots from the patio. My parents are coming on Thursday to help out. Thank god for parents-at least they will keep our 7 yo entertained.Good luck to the both of us!!!

Well, last night when I checked we had half a stairway railing and all the toilets were in. GC says today that he will finish the floors in time for us to move Labor Day, "absolutely". (I sent him a careful calculation of the number of days for Waterlox to cure.) Even though the move is now only three weeks away, it seems like forever. Good luck home4sale and pps7! I know what you mean about being uncomfortable with anything at all down there without you - we have taken only our treadmill (which is too big to fit through the door now that the frame is on), and our shop vac, and someone stole that.

Oh my goodness, this is us!!! Our house was originally suppose to be done by July 31st but somehow the bank gave them another 30 days so they have until August 28th. We are extremely frustrated with the lack of urgency concerning things. We finally got our electricity yesterday so flooring can start but there are still lots of other things left. What is most frustrating to us is the number of days that nothing has happened in the house because there is still plenty that could have been worked on without the electric.

It is very sad to read the number of GC that can't meet their original deadlines. We just can't believe the number of delays due to lack of scheduling, not knowing how something is going to get done or the big one, LACK of communication both with us and within the company! Then there are the failing of inspections.

Glad (not really but can't come up with a better word) to see we are not alone and I hope we are able to get into our new homes soon!!!

Kristinva, you're killing me! What movie is that quote from?!? I feel like it is from a movie I just recently saw, which means it must be a kids' movie. Please tell me so that I can stop racking my brain!? :)

Home4sale, hang in there. I posted something similar during our final week/month. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. We have been in for almost 3 months, and we are still buggin our GC to complete little minor things. Although they are very minor, it is annoying to have to keep track of them. We want closure, and if you think the sense of urgency is missing before you've moved in, wait until you see it months after you've moved in. By then, the GC has mentally moved on! It's unfortunate bc overall our builder has been really great, but it's these little daily annoyances that really linger in your mind. Good luck!

Princess Bride. Sorry! I keep hearing it over and over in the Spanish accent.

I'll join with more venting.... builder called to say that when they were applying poly on the second-coming of the floors, they dropped a whole gallon of it and splattered 6 walls and stairway! Guess that'll delay us somewhat.......again. He's sooo apologetic, but what can he do? He didn't spill it. He's used these flooring subs for years and has rarely had any problem with them, much less 2 big "accidents" at the same house.

I'll join with more venting.... builder called to say that when they were applying poly on the second-coming of the floors, they dropped a whole gallon of it and splattered 6 walls and stairway! Guess that'll delay us somewhat.......again. He's sooo apologetic, but what can he do? He didn't spill it. He's used these flooring subs for years and has rarely had any problem with them, much less 2 big "accidents" at the same house.

Sorry for the double post. It said the first one had an error and couldn't post, so I did it again....