I've enjoyed scrolling thru all the updates on here! I've been quiet here but we are still pluggin' along. Windows were delivered this week (followed by a cold front & rain!). They finally got to start installing them today. Plumbers have come out & done some more of the rough-in. They are not quite thru, but close. My hubby is working on the electrical rough-in now. We should be able to get the roof completed in the next 1-2 weeks as well. Then, A/C/heating rough-in, insulation, etc, etc, etc. Not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel *yet* but am enjoying the process so far.

I'm about ready to put the lot on the market. Nothing is going our way. We just found out that we are required to have an all brick exterior...we bought 3 acres in an old neighborhood. The neighborhood does not have these requirements. They are new requirements by the town. So stupid...I want a farmhouse look with hardie plank and maybe some stone foundation or wainscott. And if we want to appeal we can't start. we were finally going to pour the foundation in the next 2 weeks. But now we either have to change to brick [$10-12k increase] or go before the Board Dec 19. I am so sick of it and we haven't even started....UGH. My husband totally missed this when he was reading the zoning ordinances and I'm trying very hard not to kill him. ha ha ha... vent over...

@Trish Walter Does the stipulation specify brick, or just masonry? I know a family got around the stipulation recently in a neighborhood that we previously owned land in. Basically, presenting it as hardie plank is a cementatious fiber board, meaning it satisfied the masonry aspect. Now, not all places will fly with that. But, it's worth a try. My guess is that it is less about having to have all brick and more about them wanting to see nice homes built & maintained versus cheaper homes lowering the value of their neighborhood. I'm glad you caught the issue before getting started! If they do hold to it, you could go with a more European farmhouse style with the brick laid "messy" and then painted white. It is a beautiful "farmhouse" look! It would be more costly though, no doubt.

@The_Lane_Duo I wish. Great idea but they are specific the primary building material for all facades of the primary and accessory buildings are to be brick natural or cut stone. So I guess my future party barn has to be brick too. ha ha ha. BS. It's in the country and the neighborhood covenants are very laid back so we dumbly assumed we would be set. Sigh.

We are going to suck it up and submit with brick. I think I can make a whitewash farmhouse look good and it won't be much more than the hardie plank + paint + foundation stone we were going to do, well just about $10-12k more...ugh....we might still appeal but this way we can get started.

Just needed to vent as it had literally just happened....thanks.

Hope everyone else is having a better evening.

Trish

@NYCish congratulations! Best wishes to your family in your new home. It’s so fun to hear what the little ones focus on. Yes, I think you could absolutely do a large wall easily with the mural. The mural I chose was for a much larger wall than mine so only a portion of the entire pattern is shown on my wall. I’m still waiting for the reveal for the area under your stairs LOL!

@Trish so sorry to hear about ur brick dilemma. Hopefully u can find a solution that works for u. While we were waiting months on end to start building, I started buying light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, door and cabinet hardware, etc. It was fun and kept me sane (retail therapy). It’s been very nice not having to rush out and pick something quick and under pressure. You would be amazed at how much $ u can save when u have time to wait and shop for deals. We joked that by the time the house was done, everything we bought would already be out of style.

@kayce03 congratulations on the move in! I look forward to seeing pics

@Kathy & KH very cool models. You’re both so talented!

@mgh_pa beautiful tile!

@Tracey Woods fingers crossed for a solid move date for u!

Construction Driveway started

Recent progress! Still a long ways to go but it comin’ along!

Wow, so much to catch up with! My back splash is in and it is gorgeous! I did white subway tile in a matte finish with a marble feature behind the range. Will post pictures when the house is not a hot mess. I've been sick and work has been nuts so everything around here looks horrific. The builder dropped off a beautiful beam for my fireplace mantle for our approval, so hopefully the fireplace mantle will be in soon. New sofa coming for the basement next weekend so I need to get that area organized soon. The punch list is shrinking.

I love looking at everyone's progress. Kathy- Your home is beautiful, I can't believe how quickly it has came along!

NYCish- Congrats on the closing! What paint color did you use for your the picture with your little one in the window?

Our build is moving soooo slow. Not sure what the hold up is, weather some, but other days it seems they are out there and do maybe an hour or 2 worth of work. We got our first snowfall last week so our great room subfloor is covered in snow, I know it is a normal part of the build but I hate seeing everything soaked all the time! Our first floor was framed in a week, but the second floor has been over a month and barely anything. I'm sure there is a logical reason, but we hate to nag the builder. They did say the crane was coming out tomorrow so the roof trusses that have been laying on the lot for the past 6 weeks will finally go up...hopefully!

The decision making with finishes and colors are going to be so hard! I think we picked out shingle color(weathered wood) and possibly the stone. Next is cabinet layout.

Hopefully everyone has a good week!

Framing is going up! We're going to have Spring weather for the next week down here and are excited to see all the progress!

@User The framing phase is so exciting to see your house come to life.

@bsds71 The build pace is still on the slow side but at 11 months into the build, we're making steady progress. So sorry to hear about the pace of your build. We were afraid to push our builder at first, until we figured out that if we didn't push him, things wouldn't get done. Our builder just appears to be completely incompetent. Hope yours isn't. Decisions are definitely difficult. If you're one of those people (like me) who has a hard time making decisions, start making your decisions now. You'll be glad when your builder asks for decisions- you'll have them all ready for him.

@The_Lane_Duo Your house is beautiful.

Our interior paint is finished except for the columns that the trim guys still need to install. Exterior paint still is at the 90% finished stage. We've had some bad weather lately, so I'm sure that's why they haven't finished it. We don't have a garage door yet, so they'll have to paint that after it's installed as well. I feel like we're in a 'stuck' phase because our lighting order hasn't been put in, even though with the paint finished, we're clearly ready for the electrician to install them. Our builder never asked us for lighting. When the painters started on the interior, we just sent him the list. He hasn't asked us about doorknobs either in a house that is clearly ready for doorknobs. Cabinets are going to be installed the first two weeks of December.

Our builder is telling us we owe $2000 for extra exterior trim that's already installed but he never told us was extra. Our contract says that we have to agree to extra work and pay for it before it is done. Clearly that wasn't done in this case, so we are going to consult with our lawyer to see what the best course of action is. We'll probably end up having to pay it.

Enough complaining. In spite of having an inept builder, we have a beautiful house that I expect to see finished in maybe three months. The fireplace door still needs to be installed in the picture below. This room also has a beautiful coffered ceiling, which I will post a picture of once I can get some decent daylight. The walls are a SW color match to BM Revere Pewter and the trim is a SW color match to BM Simply White. We just had the painters do all of the rooms the same color, but now that they're finished I'd like to get in there and paint some of the rooms different colors. I'll have to check to make sure the builder is okay with that.

This dining room will have 5 columns defining it. Otherwise it is open to the rest of the house.

mgh_pa I love your tile. Your home is really coming along.

NYCish Congratulations! Your little ones are adorable and how cute they are so excited. I agree your floor to ceiling windows are stunning. You are probably exhausted after your move today. I am so happy for you to finally be in!

Junk*Salvation your home is so pretty. You are going to have a beautiful porch to sit on before you know it.

Trish sorry to hear about the issue with the brick. Hope once you are done you will be very happy with it. Glad to see they are starting!

krii hope you feel better. I bet the backsplash looks great. Getting things done a little at a time is good. Too much would be overwhelming probably. Looking forward to pictures once you feel better!

bsds it does feel like things move slowly at times and frustrating when you feel the subs are not getting things done in a timely manner. I agree with kathy, making your decisions early really helps when all of a sudden the GC wants a decision pronto and you do not want to pick something out in a day.

Kathy things are looking nice! I thought you had different colors chosen for different rooms of the home? The Revere Pewter is a nice neutral. I hope you get in before 3 months. At least things are finally moving along. I love your choices and cant wait to see the room all done with the coffered ceiling.

I enjoy seeing all the progress!

@NewEnglandgal You are correct that I plan on painting some of the rooms different colors. However, our builder has been eating us up with overages, so it was much less complicated to just have them spray the whole house the same color. I'll go back and roll the walls of some of the rooms different colors. The main living areas will stay neutral.

bsds71I think I get the prize for the slow build. We started at the beginning of September. Still working on the foundation wall.

Hardwood is starting to go down. Crazy to think these were trees on this very property 4 years ago. We talked about doing a medium stain on them, but the more I look at it, the more I think a more natural finish might look better. Thoughts?

Out today helping to make sure we get our pattern right for the reclaimed lumber side. I love watching it go up!

Our soon to be neighbor took this beautiful picture of the morning sky over our new build:

Officially have the building permit. Foundation is planned to begin Monday after Thanksgiving. Praying we have a good few weeks of weather before the workers start getting ready for the holidays.

@mgh_pa I love that you are using your own trees for the hardwood! :)

Wow so much beautiful work going on!

Guys I just got my head above water. We moved in on Monday. I literally didn’t leave the house until Thursday morning. In-laws were here helping with the kids. Construction still going on

But it is SO good to be in! It’s so surreal to be in a space ive seen evolve from framing and subfloor in the snow to this beautiful home. But of course, with that comes surprises. Gas line never connected to grill. Oven is being a dud so thermador is coming out next week (praying for a thanksgiving miracle, but then again, maybe this means I don’t have to cook!). Taken delivery of just a few pieces of furniture/rugs etc. Once things settle I’ll post a few pictures. But most of the boxes are unpacked and my stress lever has lowered dramatically. I swear I didn’t sleep for 3 days. Our cameras are up and working, lol. The kids LOVE the house. We’ve never had stairs before and I tried to gate them; that worked for about 37 minutes, haha. No more gates. And our cats, after a short period of being terrified, have adjusted well too. One of their favorite spots is in my closet. Look closely.

I love that cat! Sadly, one of my older kitties passed a week after we moved in. Our remaining guy would do exactly what your cat is doing if he were 10 years younger!

@NYCish congrats! looking great.

@mgh_pa can you tell me more about process of getting your lumber into flooring?! Did you ado It yourself or hire it out? My husband has a sawmill but has never tackled anything like flooring....but we have 80 acres of woods so we have contemplated trying to make our own and/or have someone do it based on the cost.

Congrats, NYCish on getting settled! Love the kitty hideout. lol!

Another exterior update. Framers still need to finish with the board & batten, set 3 windows, 2 doors, 2 porch posts, & finish the wood ceiling on the back porch. Maybe some more trim here & there as well but getting close to wrapping up the framing. Painter starts later this next week on sealing the reclaimed lumber and beginning prep work for painting to start first of December. Roofers scheduled for beginning of December as well. On the inside we have started rough in for plumbing & electrical. Next will be hvac rough in and then foaming. I hope to see some good progress in December, Lord willing!

@M t, we had a portable sawmill brought in 4 years ago when we cut some saw logs down. We had him saw them into rough size, then stickered and stacked them on the property (covered) until this spring. We then loaded them up and took them to a local wood floor/trim place that has their own kiln and they also machine everything into final flooring. The only issue is they weren't end matched, but my installer is phenomenal and the seams are perfect (he sanded as he went at each joint). We also know that this method will probably result in some imperfections down the road vs end matched, but we love the character and you can't beat the price ($2/sq.ft). There was a lot of initial labor on our end, though.

It's all laid now.

Main area of the house:

Master Bedroom:

Exterior of the back of the home now that rough grading and septic is done:

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Enjoy :)

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone enjoys friends and family. Safe travels to all And to those shopping I hope you find some bargains for your home! I know we are purchasing appliances tomorrow :)

One hour till turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. :-)

I'm thankful to be able to hire my own subs for some of the work. My floors are almost done!

Those floors are spectacular!!!

Beautiful floors @mgh_pa

Need help from you all with an accent chair for our new sectional! Left to right 1,2,3,4,5 or 6? I know it’s hard to see colors in internet photos but there is a blue thread in the sectional‘s weave. I’m hoping it will pull out when it gets in my house since we have a Magnolia rainy day accent wall in the living room. Pillows are a cream color.

I like the last two colors (5&6) the best with your couch, but with the accent color wall, I would choose 1 or 5. Of course, this is all based on what I can see on my monitor. Do you plan on introducing patterned pillows?

@User yes the pillows will have patterns. I loved this sectional color but not so much the pillows that they had on the floor so I plan to ask them if I can order different pillows.

I always vote neutral main furniture and color in accent pillows and accessories. Unless you are willing to buy new chairs when you want to change colors.

Trust me....I've lived with red leather accent chairs in great room for far longer than ideal...as my husband is of the 'if it ain't broke'...mindset...lol. These red chairs are not coming with us to new house. ha.

Question:

We are finally [fingers crossed for good weather] pouring the foundation this week!

We are doing a Construction Binder so that any design elements are easy to flip to for sub-contractors builder us etc....[like how to lay tile in kitchen backsplash; type of trim; lighting per room; etc.]...

Did any of you do a binder and have tips and ideas? I used an old guild on here that is laid out more like plumbing; exterior; etc. plus I'm also doing sections for each room.

Thanks.

I am the Binder Queen! I organize by room and any features plus some specialty sections as well as exteriors and landscaping. I put i. Binder roughly according to the build schedule. So for example, landscaping/hardscaping is usually last section. The bigger the house, the more binders. I am picky about binders too. I only use 3” and get the ones with the ring lock lever. Extremely valuable. Good luck. Organization is one key to a hood build!! Hope the weather cooperates!

Good build!

love the floors, mgh

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5832831/december-2019-building-a-home

Link to December thread!

@Trish Walter, binders are useful, but given that everything has to be shared with multiple people, we have a massive Google spreadsheet that sub-links to other spreadsheets, and we can share it easily with subcontractors, our builder, and our builder's assistant. The subs love it because they can pull it up on their phone and it will literally have how to lay out the tile for a specific room listed in it. It has been a lifesaver because we have every decision organized and listed in it. Our builder said that it was the most impressive organization he'd ever seen --- but it's saved us loads of money and made sure that we really love what we are getting!

@Akila McConnell did you make this spreadsheet yourself? Any chance of seeing how you organized yours? I'm struggling trying to figure out how to organize it. I've googled my eyeballs out and have gotten some ideas...

@Trish Walter i can share it with you but you would need to send me your gmail address. I don’t know if there’s a PM feature in Houzz

@Akila McConnell

if you click on my username it brings you to my houzz page with my activity. there should be a place to message me there. I tried to message you, but you don't have the messages tab. hopefully you can send me a message and i'll reply with my email. thanks.

Still waiting on paperwork with banks and due to weather decided to wait another 2 months until spring is upon us. One of the best advantages to using a cloud like Google's Drive for your paperwork is that you can put your Excel spreadsheets up there and then share them with your builder, spouse, etc. - - anywhere you are! And you can update it and everyone sees the updates. For my lighting I did one with the type (chandelier, fan, etc), Room it goes in, the URL link to the product, a picture of the product, the price, and # we need, so you can see all of your rooms plus get the total $. Then if you switch one, it's super easy to do and everyone has the update.

Ok that's my 2cents. Merry Christmas you lovely people building homes :) !! We'll get ours going for sure soon. Love watching all of your ups and downs - You're all blessed!