New Home Build-North Texas

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

You will need to request it for the garage...its not a common deal to have insulation in garages in TX for some reason. Overall their insulation is pretty standard (good) for texas. If you can do foam great if not you will be fine. You should make sure to have some kind of powered attic ventilation...solar attic fans are super popular in Texas and help keep traditional attics temps down.

It helps with sound and kids...we have solid doors and insulated interior walls. I can watch tv etc in the living room and not wake the baby.

We’ve got powered attic ventilation so that’s covered. I think I may want insulation in the media room, but not sure if it makes sense elsewhere.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Another garage option is to extend into bedroom three unless you’re stuck on having a four bedroom for resale or multiple guests.

Yah, I think I'm going to lose the battle on that one. My wife wants a "craft room." Whatever that is......

 

[pronstar]

Yah, I think I'm going to lose the battle on that one. My wife wants a "craft room." Whatever that is......

That’s waaay better than having all that crap strewn all over you house LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Done-it-again]

I pulled the standard features. It looks like I have some form of radiant barrier on the roof and blown-in insulation in the ceiling.
I'll have to see if spray foam insulation is an option during the builder meeting, but I'm definitely making sure my garage is insulated. Any suggestions on insulating interior walls? I've heard that's a good upgrade.

I'm sure the option is there... Just very pricey from what we found, it makes you think if the return is good enough.

 

[Slink]

Hoping to start an East Tennessee build thread shortly....Lot purchased, Plans done, builder selected....been approved, loan in underwriting / Title now. Making sure #'s all match up. Good thing, my builder's quote/bid was back in May when lumber was at high of $1680 LF.... Since then I lowered my roof from a 12/12 to a 10/12 and wood as come back down to earth...It'll be a walkout basement style lake front home. 2300 sg ft main level, 1500 sg ft basement 5 car garage about 1500 sg ft.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Hoping to start an East Tennessee build thread shortly....Lot purchased, Plans done, builder selected....been approved, loan in underwriting / Title now. Making sure #'s all match up. Good thing, my builder's quote/bid was back in May when lumber was at high of $1680 LF.... Since then I lowered my roof from a 12/12 to a 10/12 and wood as come back down to earth...It'll be a walkout basement style lake front home. 2300 sg ft main level, 1500 sg ft basement 5 car garage about 1500 sg ft.

That sounds amazing! You’ve got to start a thread once you get it going.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

So we received the pricing for our initial Zoom design consultation. Luckily, I was able to export everything to excel so I could see what the real cost is. On the designer's sheet, she had the pricing for our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd options so the total was crazy. Ex. We narrowed down the front door to three options. Two at $3,390 and one at $910, so that was $7,690 on her sheet vs. my current choice of $910.

Does anyone have experience with wrought iron doors? $3,390 vs. a nice Mahogany upgraded door for $910. Neither designs are great for security purposes as they have a lot of glass.

Below is what we are looking at as far as flooring. For general pricing, we are doing a level 4 glue down engineered hardwood, level 2 tile, and standard carpet. The wood flooring upgrade vs. the standard tile/carpet that would be in its place is almost $29k. LVP isn't an option because of uniformity issues? I don't know, but that's pretty popular in Southern California and more resistant to scratching with the dogs. If we replace the wood with Level 5 wood-like tile we are looking at $19k, which seems weird because tile is way harder to put down in my experience.

Any insight guys? If I had them install the standard stuff, which would be carpet and tile, would it be cheaper and better to have them tear that out and put in LVP or something else?
W-Wood
C-Carper
T-Tile

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Any insight guys? If I had them install the standard stuff, which would be wood and tile, would it be cheaper and better to have them tear that out and put in LVP or something else?
W-Wood
C-Carper
T-Tile

One of my HI solar clients, who I also worked with in TX, and knows we do multi family put in carpet...then had my guys tear it all out (it went to some charity)...and we put LVP down...what a nightmare. The developers floors were a joke..gaps, unlevel, walls bowed etc... They don't want to do it bc it would actually require quality control...pulte homes was the builder on that one.

 

[Done-it-again]

With LVP the floor will need to leveled with self level concrete. (sure you knew that) I have it and its nice with kids/dogs.... would do it again

Wood would be to much of a headache and have to worry if water or whatever sat on it for a period of time.. (kids don't always tell you something spilled) and when the dog drinks its all over the place.

Wood looking tile and some heating flooring would take care of the cold floor during the winter.

 

[shunter2005]

If it's not to much to ask. I live in Houston and we have been comptemplating a move somewhere else. I was just wondering what the going average price per sq ft is up in North Texas these days? We have thought about some where around Possum Kingdom or maybe Lake Whitney.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

With LVP the floor will need to leveled with self level concrete. (sure you knew that) I have it and its nice with kids/dogs.... would do it again

Wood would be to much of a headache and have to worry if water or whatever sat on it for a period of time.. (kids don't always tell you something spilled) and when the dog drinks its all over the place.

Wood looking tile and some heating flooring would take care of the cold floor during the winter.

We have the wood tile in tx and in havasu...zero complaints. LVP is hit and miss in TX..depends on how good of rough work they will do.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

If it's not to much to ask. I live in Houston and we have been comptemplating a move somewhere else. I was just wondering what the going average price per sq ft is up in North Texas these days? We have thought about some where around Possum Kingdom or maybe Lake Whitney.

I'm not from the area, but it's a huge range. I can tell you I'm looking at $269+ with all of my upgrades and appliances, but who knows where I'll end up. Add to that for landscaping, pool etc.

I should add, I'm in one of the nicer areas and builders. Staying in the same development, but different neighborhood, I see quick move-in homes at $199 for the more budget builders. https://www.canyonfallstx.com/homes...ck-sortby-price]&sort-direction=[low-to-high]

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

We have the wood tile in tx and in havasu...zero complaints. LVP is hit and miss in TX..depends on how good of rough work they will do.

Do you have any pictures of the wood look tile? I've seen some really nice installs where I couldn't tell the difference and some that looked pretty horrible. We tend to like the look of imperfections in the floor, not everything looking exactly the same.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Do you have any pictures of the wood look tile? I've seen some really nice installs where I couldn't tell the difference and some that looked pretty horrible. We tend to like the look of imperfections in the floor, not everything looking exactly the same.

This was Havasu...I’ll send you Tx pics when I’m home Monday

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

This was Havasu...I’ll send you Tx pics when I’m home Monday

Appreciate it. That looks like it has some good variation, but I can't tell if it has texture. Cleaning that grout has to be a pain in the dick though... decisions decisions

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Appreciate it. That looks like it has some good variation, but I can't tell if it has texture. Cleaning that grout has to be a pain in the dick though... decisions decisions

It’s got some texture...we gutted this house. Previous tile would put you on your ass coming from the pool. I can get you a manufacturers name.. this one wasn’t cheap by any means

 

[Done-it-again]

Do you have any pictures of the wood look tile? I've seen some really nice installs where I couldn't tell the difference and some that looked pretty horrible. We tend to like the look of imperfections in the floor, not everything looking exactly the same.

this is the model I like and the floor in the kitchen/entry are tile. Like how you can break up the style by laying it differently in separate areas. Can’t do that with LVP

1214 Wild Rose Dr, New Braunfels, TX 78132 - MLS 449519 - Coldwell Banker

For Sale - 1214 Wild Rose Dr, New Braunfels, TX - $1,510,000. View details, map and photos of this single family property with 4 bedrooms and 4 total baths. MLS# 449519.

www.coldwellbankerhomes.com

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

It’s got some texture...we gutted this house. Previous tile would put you on your ass coming from the pool. I can get you a manufacturers name.. this one wasn’t cheap by any means

That would be awesome if you could. Hoping they have some good options at the design center.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

this is the model I like and the floor in the kitchen/entry are tile. Like how you can break up the style by laying it differently in separate areas. Can’t do that with LVP

1214 Wild Rose Dr, New Braunfels, TX 78132 - MLS 449519 - Coldwell Banker

For Sale - 1214 Wild Rose Dr, New Braunfels, TX - $1,510,000. View details, map and photos of this single family property with 4 bedrooms and 4 total baths. MLS# 449519.

www.coldwellbankerhomes.com

The stuff in the kitchen looks really good! I'd love to do some herringbone design in the entry, but I don't want to see the pricing,,,,

 

[Havoc Powesports]

See how much they will give you for a "credit" for flooring. I have a few places and guys I use in multiple jobs.

Trinity Floor Co. Dallas
Factory Flooring Liquidators. Carrolton

If you can, insulate the interior walls, makes a difference.

Also see about a high impact roof as well, saves a bit on insurance for smaller hail storms when they hit, cost isn't much different on a re roof

Both my folks have wrought iron front doors no issues. There are a couple of places to get the doors cheaper, so might just do a basic boor then have a place install afterwards. Or instead of the mahogany right out the gate do a basic door and then have the hinges mitered into a mahogany slab.

Builders surplus- Haltom City great prices on doors etc.
Seconds and surplus as well.
Floor and Decor Multiple locations throughout metroplex

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

See how much they will give you for a "credit" for flooring. I have a few places and guys I use in multiple jobs.

Trinity Floor Co. Dallas
Factory Flooring Liquidators. Carrolton

If you can, insulate the interior walls, makes a difference.

Also see about a high impact roof as well, saves a bit on insurance for smaller hail storms when they hit, cost isn't much different on a re roof

Both my folks have wrought iron front doors no issues. There are a couple of places to get the doors cheaper, so might just do a basic boor then have a place install afterwards. Or instead of the mahogany right out the gate do a basic door and then have the hinges mitered into a mahogany slab.

Builders surplus- Haltom City great prices on doors etc.
Seconds and surplus as well.
Floor and Decor Multiple locations throughout metroplex

That was my first thought and discussion on the flooring because I knew they were going to over-charge. They will not leave it bare because they wouldn't be able to issue a certificate of occupancy. That means no credit, unfortunately. For $29k, I bet I could get a nicer floor elsewhere with more options, but that's the downside of a semi-custom builder.

I know interior wall insulation is an option, but I'm not sure how much it will cost. Definitely something I'll ask during the builder meeting. I'd probably rather spend that money on spray foam in the attic, but we will see.

The door is going to be a big one. Pretty expensive for the iron door, so I'll price something out with what you've provided. I'm definitely not doing that crap, so we'll see what the install is as well. Appreciate it.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Congrats on moving forward with the build.

flooring is a more personal taste item. We got carpet in bedrooms, media, and game room, closets. Wood like plank tile everywhere else (except master bath and upstairs bath we did a different tile), including my office room. The tile ended up only being a couple dollars less than engineered wood due to the up charge for the tile we wanted. Seal the grout. We just didn’t want to deal with repair of wood floor in case an appliance leaks or other plumbing issue.

interior insulation helps a bit with sound deadening. If nothing else, the psychological aspects of a turd over a hollow sound when you tap wall is worth it. Charge for our home was $1/sq ft.

We put an outlet in the master closet so the wife can iron my clothes. Lol.

If you’re a garage guy, outlet at each end of every wall and then ceiling outlets on separate switches (for additional overhead lighting. Dedicated 20 amp for fridge, 30 or 50amp or combination to suit any current/future needs. Garage sink (I can’t live without this feature!). A stand up urinal would be perfect.

holiday outlet or two under eve on a separate switch(s) for Christmas lights.

landscape lights if you’re so inclined.

We opted for a solid door instead of the wrought iron glass door. Most the neighbors on our street did as well.

we didn’t have near the options as you and it was overwhelming. No matter what, budget always rains on the party!

 

[Done-it-again]

@Xtrmwakeboarder

Not knowing your option pricing just remember you will pay property tax on this forever. Might look at doing most of it later and focus on things that need to be done, like electrical, extra water lines, can lights, fans, etc.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Congrats on moving forward with the build.

flooring is a more personal taste item. We got carpet in bedrooms, media, and game room, closets. Wood like plank tile everywhere else (except master bath and upstairs bath we did a different tile), including my office room. The tile ended up only being a couple dollars less than engineered wood due to the up charge for the tile we wanted. Seal the grout. We just didn’t want to deal with repair of wood floor in case an appliance leaks or other plumbing issue.

interior insulation helps a bit with sound deadening. If nothing else, the psychological aspects of a turd over a hollow sound when you tap wall is worth it. Charge for our home was $1/sq ft.

We put an outlet in the master closet so the wife can iron my clothes. Lol.

If you’re a garage guy, outlet at each end of every wall and then ceiling outlets on separate switches (for additional overhead lighting. Dedicated 20 amp for fridge, 30 or 50amp or combination to suit any current/future needs. Garage sink (I can’t live without this feature!). A stand up urinal would be perfect.

holiday outlet or two under eve on a separate switch(s) for Christmas lights.

landscape lights if you’re so inclined.

We opted for a solid door instead of the wrought iron glass door. Most the neighbors on our street did as well.

we didn’t have near the options as you and it was overwhelming. No matter what, budget always rains on the party!

The more I think about it, the more likely it is that we go with wood-look tile and carpet all of the guest rooms, minus the one my wife will have as an office. That should save quite a bit of money upfront.

Good call on the outlet in the closet. If only my wife ironed... lol

Definitely a garage guy so that will be over-built. I think our garage freezer will go in the utility room with the laundry stuff so I'll make sure to run a dedicated outlet there. I've always wanted a urinal in the garage, but that isn't going to fly here. Maybe the next one.

My wife decided she wants pricing on two more doors. I'm hoping to god we go wood lol. An extra few $k for not much IMO.

This has been overwhelming, especially being so far away. It will be nice to get over there at the end of the month.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

@Xtrmwakeboarder

Not knowing your option pricing just remember you will pay property tax on this forever. Might look at doing most of it later and focus on things that need to be done, like electrical, extra water lines, can lights, fans, etc.

That is actually a REALLY good point. Part of me wants turnkey, but replacing faucets and small stuff like that is easy in the future. I'm also trying to convince my wife that we don't need stuff like soft-close drawers upfront nor the upgraded paint, lighting, etc. I just don't want big projects right away like flooring or countertops.

 

[HB2Havasu]

That is actually a REALLY good point. Part of me wants turnkey, but replacing faucets and small stuff like that is easy in the future. I'm also trying to convince my wife that we don't need stuff like soft-close drawers upfront nor the upgraded paint, lighting, etc. I just don't want big projects right away like flooring or countertops.

The house were building right now in Havasu we opted for soft close drawers in the kitchen since it will get used a lot. We didn't bother with soft close in the bathrooms. We just used the standard paint, but we did spend a few extra bucks on upgraded lighting. Don't wanna buy them twice, lol.

If ya don't mind, how much did this place in Texas set you back? (You can DM me if you don't wanna make it public) We might be heading east from SoCal if this vaccine & mask mandate nonsense keeps going the way it looks like it is here in Kaliforniastan.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

The house were building right now in Havasu we opted for soft close drawers in the kitchen since it will get used a lot. We didn't bother with soft close in the bathrooms. We just used the standard paint, but we did spend a few extra bucks on upgraded lighting. Don't wanna buy them twice, lol.

If ya don't mind, how much did this place in Texas set you back? (You can DM me if you don't wanna make it public) We might be heading east from SoCal if this vaccine & mask mandate nonsense keeps going the way it looks like it is here in Kaliforniastan.

I think we'll get them eventually, but I'm not sure it will make sense at first. It doesn't seem like that much of an upgrade, and we've never had them. I think it's just assumed that the kitchen has them on the higher-end builds.... which is a different price point in each part of the country. I'm not a fan of the lighting packages, so we'll have to upgrade that anyways on our own.

It's still up in the air, based upon options, but I'll have a better idea after our in-person meetings on the 18th-21st. High 8s is what it's looking like at the moment. After the members showed me their wood-look tile, that's probably going to be my suggestion, if they have good options. That's about a $10k savings over the engineered wood and will hold up better with my psycho huskies. The fridge is the one that hurts the most. Looking at $16k or so for that, and a massive lead time. No clue what the plumbing, electrical, and remaining structural will cost...

Always fun looking at what I could get in my neighborhood with this money.

48 Mann St, Irvine, CA 92612 - 2 beds/2 baths

(CRMLS) Sold: 2 beds, 2 baths, 1592 sq. ft. house located at 48 Mann St, Irvine, CA 92612 sold for $1,035,000 on Oct 15, 2021. MLS# OC21137007. Great Investment Opportunity In an amazing location of the tr...

www.redfin.com

7 Mimosa, Irvine, CA 92612 - 3 beds/2 baths

(CRMLS) Sold: 3 beds, 2 baths, 1398 sq. ft. house located at 7 Mimosa, Irvine, CA 92612 sold for $888,000 on Oct 18, 2021. MLS# CV21165461. Great opportunity in one of the best locations in Irvine! This si...

www.redfin.com

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Anyone look into induction cooking? We are going to head to Ferguson while we are TX to look at some Thermador and Wolf/Subzero/Cove stuff. Thermador has a pretty sweet 1,2, free promotion going on right now, and my wife likes their fridge better than subzero. I'm intrigued by the Thermador Freedom cooktop. It's half the price of the Kitchenaide 48" range we are getting through the builder, and Thermador's double oven has the option of steam on top and convection on the bottom. "The wife really wants a steam oven."

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

OK, so the trip is coming up quick. I exported the designer's options so I could perform my own tally and re-arrange the options. This is nowhere near final, but it should give us a ballpark on what things will cost.

Since I signed the build contract with Wolf/Subzero/Cove as options, which were then pulled away, I'm going to try to get some builder credits. Ideally, I'd get rid of all the Kitchenaid stuff, but at this point, even sourcing Thermador or something similar seems to be a gamble. I can't get a cert of occupancy without everything installed so I may be hosed for now. The positive is, this is cheaper, and we don't plan on staying here for a long time. Tile, backsplash, countertops, etc. are still up in the air. I'm sure my wife will spend some money there.

 

[Done-it-again]

Another option..... We added can lightning in our master bed, works great when needing lots of light.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

OK, so the trip is coming up quick. I exported the designer's options so I could perform my own tally and re-arrange the options. This is nowhere near final, but it should give us a ballpark on what things will cost.

Since I signed the build contract with Wolf/Subzero/Cove as options, which were then pulled away, I'm going to try to get some builder credits. Ideally, I'd get rid of all the Kitchenaid stuff, but at this point, even sourcing Thermador or something similar seems to be a gamble. I can't get a cert of occupancy without everything installed so I may be hosed for now. The positive is, this is cheaper, and we don't plan on staying here for a long time. Tile, backsplash, countertops, etc. are still up in the air. I'm sure my wife will spend some money there.
View attachment 1050271 View attachment 1050272 View attachment 1050273 View attachment 1050274 View attachment 1050275 View attachment 1050276 View attachment 1050277 View attachment 1050278

Pull the costs numbers for their substitutions and deduct for it. I know kitchen aid has some versions that get up there in the same range but pull exact models. I think I told you before but our Sub/Wolf stuff took 8+ months. CS told us the wait is around a year now.. I liked the KA stuff though..in the high end stuff its all similar. Also negotiate on the appliance warranty...missing out on the sub/wolf stuff keeps you out of their 3 year extension deal..thats worth something, and it was part of you buying those appliances within the window.

Edit..what would they be waiting on? the fridge? that was our big delay... If its just that put some POS $500 fridge you can move to the garage later and wait for what you wanted.. It will at least let you get your cert..

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Another option..... We added can lightning in our master bed, works great when needing lots of light.

I think that’s a must. I have separate meetings with the builder and electrician. I’m a prep guy, as you can see, and it’s pretty much going in blind. No list of options or anything. I have a list I put together from all of the suggestions on this thread to see if they can make it happen.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Pull the costs numbers for their substitutions and deduct for it. I know kitchen aid has some versions that get up there in the same range but pull exact models. I think I told you before but our Sub/Wolf stuff took 8+ months. CS told us the wait is around a year now.. I liked the KA stuff though..in the high end stuff its all similar. Also negotiate on the appliance warranty...missing out on the sub/wolf stuff keeps you out of their 3 year extension deal..thats worth something, and it was part of you buying those appliances within the window.

Edit..what would they be waiting on? the fridge? that was our big delay... If its just that put some POS $500 fridge you can move to the garage later and wait for what you wanted.. It will at least let you get your cert..

The dealer in TX said we could go direct and get Wolf in April. I’m guessing builders don’t want to deal with missed deadlines so they aren’t risking it. The dealer we are visiting on Sat also said they have people waiting on Thermador from last Dec. It’s nuts.

Rangetop, ovens, microwave, and dishwasher are included. These are the appliances that must be installed before getting our cert. fridge, we are on our own. The only thing with the fridge and cooktop is we have to build out the cabinets and countertops before those are installed, and those need to be ordered ASAP. I’m pretty sure those measurements need to be finalized Tues during our builder meeting.

We may do exactly what you stated with the fridge, or just concede that we don’t need a $16k fridge. Having a nice counter depth fridge would be a hell of a lot easier and cheaper, but they are tiny.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

The dealer in TX said we could go direct and get Wolf in April. I’m guessing builders don’t want to deal with missed deadlines so they aren’t risking it. The dealer we are visiting on Sat also said they have people waiting on Thermador from last Dec. It’s nuts.

Rangetop, ovens, microwave, and dishwasher are included. These are the appliances that must be installed before getting our cert. fridge, we are on our own. The only thing with the fridge and cooktop is we have to build out the cabinets and countertops before those are installed, and those need to be ordered ASAP. I’m pretty sure those measurements need to be finalized Tues during our builder meeting.

We may do exactly what you stated with the fridge, or just concede that we don’t need a $16k fridge. Having a nice counter depth fridge would be a hell of a lot easier and cheaper, but they are tiny.

I'm going to PM you my number..shoot me a call tomorrow and ill give you the rep we deal with at Fergusons number.. I totally understand the cabinet deal we went through it..once you order you can provide spec sheets to them for cuts/design. They gave us all that to supply to the cabinet company. It wasn't pleasant but I'm glad we got what we wanted in the end... Do you have the model number on the fridge? unless pricing spiked I think we paid around $12k for the 48 w the door ice maker/water in door I posted.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Man, some serious issues getting on the site lately.

So I had an extremely productive trip to TX. We flew in Friday at noon, picked up the rental car, checked into the Hilton, and immediately drove to Capital Distributing in Dallas to meet our design consultant at Ferguson, Jackie. I originally thought I was I was driving from Grapevine to Grapevine so 40 mins into the drive I asked my wife where the F we were going. My fault for not vetting the address nor making sure that my wife had "allow toll roads and highways" on Waze. lol Yah, we took streets from Grapevine to Dallas.

The showroom was very nicely done, and Jackie was fantastic. We decided to lower our standards a bit due to terrible lead times/pricing and are now looking at a GE Monogram. Wolf and Thermador were our 1-2, but they are pricey and they literally have people who placed orders last December waiting for fulfillment. We still don't have lead times on the items below, but Jackie says we should get these in plenty of time. I'm hoping to get the lead times by EOW.

First up is a 30" fridge column and a 24" freezer with a paneled front. We store a ton of meat, so I'm hoping I don't need a garage freezer anymore. I'm getting prices from our builder for the cabinet front and hoping that isn't too bad. We will also be moving the fridge from next to the cooktop to the opposite wall. The old fridge location will be changed to cabinets. The opposite cabinet bank is 60" wide so the 54" fridge should fit perfectly and bring symmetry to the cabinets/countertops around the cooktop.

Next, we'll be replacing the Kitchenaid double oven. My wife really wants a steam oven. No idea why. Jackie says the part # below does steam and a bunch of other stuff, which would be awesome, but I don't think she's correct. She's triple-checking. Hopefully, she's correct and we can have a steam/micro/convection/toaster/etc. on top and a regular convection on bottom. We really like the sleek minimalist design.

Finally the 36" Thermador Induction cooktop. This thing is slick. I have doubts about availability, but if we can swing it, I'm going to pull the trigger. Great tech, it will make the entire house electric, sleek and modern, and easy to clean.

Below are the standard Kitchenaid appliances. They are nice enough if everything falls apart, but we'd move the microwave to the butler's pantry instead of stacking it on top of the ovens, and move the ovens up one cabinet. "If the 5 in 1 doesn't have the microwave function"

 

[Done-it-again]

From what I'm told....GE is called "generally expensive" and most items are made by LG. Perhaps i'm wrong, but that is what the repair man said on my washer/dryer.

Drum wheels are 3x the price for GE bagged wheels than the LG wheels that fit.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

From what I'm told....GE is called "generally expensive" and most items are made by LG. Perhaps i'm wrong, but that is what the repair man said on my washer/dryer.

Drum wheels are 3x the price for GE bagged wheels than the LG wheels that fit.

At this price point, I think everything is expensive to repair. I keep reminding my wife this is not a forever home. I'm thinking 5 years, if we even get to move in. Work may be complicating that, but we will continue to move forward and hope for the best. All good things though.

 

[Done-it-again]

At this price point, I think everything is expensive to repair. I keep reminding my wife this is not a forever home. I'm thinking 5 years, if we even get to move in. Work may be complicating that, but we will continue to move forward and hope for the best. All good things though.

If 5 yrs only and not forever home, then I would go with standard Kitchen Aid or a level up..,..No reason to spend that kind of money for that time frame for someone else......

As for the GE parts. Its the parts themselves, cant imagine the cost now.

 

[rivermobster]

Man, some serious issues getting on the site lately.

So I had an extremely productive trip to TX. We flew in Friday at noon, picked up the rental car, checked into the Hilton, and immediately drove to Capital Distributing in Dallas to meet our design consultant at Ferguson, Jackie. I originally thought I was I was driving from Grapevine to Grapevine so 40 mins into the drive I asked my wife where the F we were going. My fault for not vetting the address nor making sure that my wife had "allow toll roads and highways" on Waze. lol Yah, we took streets from Grapevine to Dallas.

The showroom was very nicely done, and Jackie was fantastic. We decided to lower our standards a bit due to terrible lead times/pricing and are now looking at a GE Monogram. Wolf and Thermador were our 1-2, but they are pricey and they literally have people who placed orders last December waiting for fulfillment. We still don't have lead times on the items below, but Jackie says we should get these in plenty of time. I'm hoping to get the lead times by EOW.

First up is a 30" fridge column and a 24" freezer with a paneled front. We store a ton of meat, so I'm hoping I don't need a garage freezer anymore. I'm getting prices from our builder for the cabinet front and hoping that isn't too bad. We will also be moving the fridge from next to the cooktop to the opposite wall. The old fridge location will be changed to cabinets. The opposite cabinet bank is 60" wide so the 54" fridge should fit perfectly and bring symmetry to the cabinets/countertops around the cooktop.
View attachment 1052246

Next, we'll be replacing the Kitchenaid double oven. My wife really wants a steam oven. No idea why. Jackie says the part # below does steam and a bunch of other stuff, which would be awesome, but I don't think she's correct. She's triple-checking. Hopefully, she's correct and we can have a steam/micro/convection/toaster/etc. on top and a regular convection on bottom. We really like the sleek minimalist design.
View attachment 1052242

Finally the 36" Thermador Induction cooktop. This thing is slick. I have doubts about availability, but if we can swing it, I'm going to pull the trigger. Great tech, it will make the entire house electric, sleek and modern, and easy to clean.



View attachment 1052239

Below are the standard Kitchenaid appliances. They are nice enough if everything falls apart, but we'd move the microwave to the butler's pantry instead of stacking it on top of the ovens, and move the ovens up one cabinet. "If the 5 in 1 doesn't have the microwave function"
View attachment 1052244
View attachment 1052245

Really like those cabinets and countertops.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Sunday was a free day, which we should have spent looking at models, and Monday we had 3 hours of design. We put together Pinterest boards, a binder of selections, videos of models we had toured, and I still felt as if we were very unprepared. I wish we could have seen all the samples prior to the meeting, but only big-ticket items were shown. I'm terrible at this stuff and would rather be left out of it, but my wife doesn't have the imagination either. Luckily her friend is pretty good at it, and knows our style, so she tagged along for day one. We also had a Belclaire design consultant, but she had never met us in person and was more of a bumper to steer us away from catastrophic selections. Our agent tagged along for a bit as well to advise us from a resale perspective. Tuesday was more of the same.

I have three takeaways from this.

1. It's a terrible time to buy a house. The supply chain is F'ed up big time. Nobody has a clue on lead times, and items that you may like for options are being discontinued due to availability. In theory, we could hear back on some of our selections that they aren't possible and have to re-design a room or rooms. It's nuts. On top of that, the housing market is insane.... even though everyone we have dealt with has been amazing, they really don't need your business and there are undertones of that. No design center credits, no concessions, etc.

2. Next time I will hire a legit designer so I'm not as stressed out. I want to pick something I like for a room, and have the designer tell me what goes with it, how it flows with the rest of the house etc. I don't want to pick a cool tile for the shower and have to think about shower pans, flooring color, and my least favorite....grout colors. Some grout colors are standard, and some aren't. You can get all the way through a room, only to find out there isn't a standard grout color that will work, or that isn't available at all. That's nuts to me.

3. For me and my wife, it's probably best to do a full custom build next time. We are extremely picky, and even though this is a luxury builder, I didn't see much difference from their lower-end line of homes under a different name. Grout selections were annoying, all hardware is not included in the base price, paint color selections were terrible, even if you upgrade, anything you pick with be an upgrade at a huge margin, and it's damn near impossible to have the builder rough in anything you need so you can bring your own items.

Below are the selections as they stand right now.

-We decided to go with wood-look tile in the vast majority of the house
-We did std carpet in the guest bedroom, media room, and craft room
-We did upgraded carpet in the master closet
-We upgraded from a pedestal sink in the powder room to furniture style with a basin that sits on top
-Literally, the only std items below are the paint color on the cabinets, which my wife wants to paint the bottoms when we get the keys, interior paint, carpet in the rooms mentioned above, and some of the grout colors.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Really like those cabinets and countertops.

We didn't go that direction, but it's a different design than pretty much every other model in the community.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

After finishing up the design on day 2, we got to meet with the builder. This was a million times more fun for me, and our builder seems great. I still haven't received an invite from electrical, but hopefully, that happens soon.

1. I decided to insulate the garage. I'm having him price batting and blown-in insulation. Blown-in will be cheaper, but it will compress and lose R-value when I do item 2

2. They are not able to add plywood in the attic above the garage due to engineering concerns, even though he said I could put nearly anything up there, so I will do that myself.

3. I wanted to have him pour a pad for the backup generator, which would be no problem, but after talking to a bunch of people who are long-time N Texas residents, I'm weighing my options at this time. Not one person has said they needed a generator with the exception of last year, and none of them have had them or are adding them. I'll talk to the electrician about the cost of at least pre-wiring the house for it. The worst case is I get a good gas genny with a manual transfer switch connected to a few pre-wired circuits. This was a must-have, but I'm doubting it at this point.

4. One big bummer was no-go on the 8' garage door unless we wanted to re-draw the elevation and get back into permitting. Again, not a huge deal as this isn't a forever home, but something I wish the builder would have addressed with me very early on instead of pushing everything to "the builder meeting."

5. Cabinet layout will be changed to house the fridge on the opposite wall

6. "Mudroom" organization will be moved to the utility room

7. Will add in a butler's pantry instead of mudroom organization

8. Dedicated gas line at the back of the house for future pool/spa/firepit/grilling area

9. Add foundation watering drip line to sprinkler system

10. Tile all the way to the ceiling in all bathrooms

11. Move tub filler from the side to the back of the tub

12. Extend the fenceline towards the front of the house. "Apparently std is 10' from the back of the property. LOL

13. Pricing for shiplap for the living room wall

14. Pricing for built in/ shelves in the living room next to the fireplace

15. Pricing for bookcases in office and bedroom 4

16 Pricing for window seat in bedroom 4

17 A high-impact roof was a no-go. Both the builder and realtor said it was a waste of money and I'd never see the value. Insurance would also be higher

18. Solar was a no-go as well due to cheap energy

19. Spray foam insulation for the roof was a no-go unless I wanted to spend $30-$40k... no thanks

 

[Cole Trickle]

looking good....its a fun processes that's for sure...haha

We signed at the end of march did our red line meeting mid may and made all selections before june 1st and I'm hoping to see a slab poured any day now.

If we are in by February i think i will be shocked. Originally i was thinking Thanksgiving.

The only thing i would be concerned about is you keep mentioning you won't be here long so i hope it doesent go upside down or you will be there awhile. I think we are going to see a turbulent market in the next 2 years and honestly i just want my house done quickly while rates are low and so it still appraises for what I'm paying. It's going to suck if values drop 20% and i have to bridge that gap with a bigger down to make it happen.

 

[Havoc Powesports]

1, make sure they are including the ceiling insulation as well. some reason builders (my house included) dont insulate over the garage. (my winter project this year)
2, have a couple guys or framer that can get the decking done for ya
3, I have a concrete guy for slab, and electrition than can do the genny hook up and the connection box. We do loose power for a few hrs if a good storm rolls or we have a heavy ice storm roll thru but thats about it. last years storm was a fluke of weather. been here over 20 yrs
9, a must with our soil out here
17. I have an insurance rate drop with high impact shingle. odd
19. see if can do foil board for decking it helps alot. not like sprayed foamed but helps.
13, 14, 15, 16, I have a cabinet guy in gainesville. great work, fast and fairly cheap if you would like these done later without builder up charges.

If you need any of these happy to pass on their numbers
stone masons, granite guys, painters, etc..
sounds like you had a good trip out. now get cracking that whip on em!

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

looking good....its a fun processes that's for sure...haha

We signed at the end of march did our red line meeting mid may and made all selections before june 1st and I'm hoping to see a slab poured any day now.

If we are in by February i think i will be shocked. Originally i was thinking Thanksgiving.

The only thing i would be concerned about is you keep mentioning you won't be here long so i hope it doesent go upside down or you will be there awhile. I think we are going to see a turbulent market in the next 2 years and honestly i just want my house done quickly while rates are low and so it still appraises for what I'm paying. It's going to suck if values drop 20% and i have to bridge that gap with a bigger down to make it happen.

I'm still waiting for your build thread!

100%. When I say we won't be here long the plan for an underwater home, after all fees, is to turn it into a rental. We won't just bail and lose money, which is why we still want it to be nice. I just have to manage expectations with my wife who is over here picking out $3,000 retail sinks...

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

1, make sure they are including the ceiling insulation as well. some reason builders (my house included) dont insulate over the garage. (my winter project this year)
2, have a couple guys or framer that can get the decking done for ya
3, I have a concrete guy for slab, and electrition than can do the genny hook up and the connection box. We do loose power for a few hrs if a good storm rolls or we have a heavy ice storm roll thru but thats about it. last years storm was a fluke of weather. been here over 20 yrs
9, a must with our soil out here
17. I have an insurance rate drop with high impact shingle. odd
19. see if can do foil board for decking it helps alot. not like sprayed foamed but helps.
13, 14, 15, 16, I have a cabinet guy in gainesville. great work, fast and fairly cheap if you would like these done later without builder up charges.

If you need any of these happy to pass on their numbers
stone masons, granite guys, painters, etc..
sounds like you had a good trip out. now get cracking that whip on em!

1. The insulation referenced above is the ceiling. That's where the compression comes into play when I place plywood over the joists. We are good to go on insulating the walls, and everything is drywalled in for a nice finish.

2. Awesome! If it comes to that, I'll hit you up. It should be an easy job.

3. Amazing. I appreciate it. I'm guessing anything done afterwards is going to be cheaper.

9. That's what I've heard. I was surprised it wasn't included.

17. Strange. Both the builder and agent said premiums would be higher due to the increased cost of the roof. I'll bring it up again to clarify.

19. We have the foil included. I did a walk-through of our plan pre-drywall a few houses down from our lot and it was on the ceiling.

13-16. Appreciate it. Can you PM me his number? I should be getting quotes from the builder soon and I'd prefer to do it later and keep the costs out of the mortgage/ prop tax.

 

[Flatsix66]

Great thread! We bought land a year ago, water well is in, and just had the soil and topos done. Talking to our first builder and he sent us a huge questionnaire to try to understand what we want. I don't even know what questions to ask...

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Great thread! We bought land a year ago, water well is in, and just had the soil and topos done. Talking to our first builder and he sent us a huge questionnaire to try to understand what we want. I don't even know what questions to ask...

Outstanding! Make sure to create a thread. Very interested in a full build process. That's a big reason why I started threads on RD. Many of these guys have been there and done that, and I wanted to minimize issues and regrets.

Even in a semi-custom build like ours, they can do quite a few things. I just kept asking what others had done in the past and what they would do in their house. Our RE agent just moved into her house around the corner from our lot last week, and our mortgage broker, who bought the lot next to ours and is about a month ahead on his build, have been great resources.

We finally got a pic with the sold sign. I'm looking almost directly at the corner of the retaining wall here. Lot outline is 67.06' to the left of the corner and 125.61' to the right.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

This was Havasu...I’ll send you Tx pics when I’m home Monday

@Ace in the Hole do you have the TX pics handy? We are close to finalizing the design, and I'm trying to see what people did on the grout color. Our grout matches the tile pretty well, but there is variation in the tile. Wondering if I go light so it matches the background, dark so it matches the dark stuff or something in the middle.

Updated flooring diagram

 

[Done-it-again]

FYI. Light tile grout on the floor sucks. Better to go darker.