NIghtmare or Dream?

Wow has it really been a year since I sat down and wrote an update: I intended to faithfully write weekly and was very excited to do this. I can remember the first time I received a comment, I was a scared to respond and never did. Little did I know the nightmare ahead.........

Our house is finished but not fully decorated. That is my next project: to decorate the house. Things you must know to understand the lack of interest and quite frankly my lack of enthusiasm for the whole project for the last year ( I call it the NIGHTMARE).

January 2009 - found out our Builder would barely be able to finish the project.

February 2009 - Financial Market in extreme downturn - Banks not very friendly regarding converting construction loans to mortgages. House appraises for $350K less than originally thought.

March 2009 - Move in, Builder files bankruptcy and leaves subs unpaid in the six figure amount.

April 2009 - Need lots of Cash and Aspirin and the occasional large ( Very Large) glass of wine.

May 2009 - Construction loan due - hired attorney, cleared liens after large amount of cash is spent.

June 2009 - No money left for decorating.

Prepared or Unprepared? - Guidlines

Building a Custom Home

1. Don't obesses over every detail with your archetect. This can be costly to you and time consuming. Focus your communication with your archetiect on use of space and size of rooms. Visit open houses, gather floor plans from homes where you prefer room sizes, especially secondary rooms, such as kids rooms, bathrooms and utility rooms. Be specific, give minimum acceptable room sizes to your archetect.
   
2. Spend money and time gathering home design magazines; focus on rooms and details, one at a time. Spend an hour cutting out only fireplaces and mantels, quickly select what appeals to you. Once you are done, analyze why you cut them out, look at the details, is there a hearth, is it raised or flush with the floor, etc? Do this for everything that is important, matter how mundane; kitchen, pantry, bathrooms, floorboards, flooring, ceiling detail, windows type, hardware and even utility rooms.
   

Ahhhhhhh..........Excited or Nervous

I tend to worry and fret over EVERY decision.........as I see paint choices and other details being installed............I am feeling very calm and accomplished.

We are at week 45 and things are coming along. It is very exciting. I am working on a "Checklist" for people who are considering hiring custom home builder. Things I wish I would have known before the process started, look for that post soon.

Week 1 to Week 26

We are building a new House!!! These are photos of the day they plotted out the foundation.
We were so excited that first day!!! Week 1 -


Our excitement continued when the foundation was poured.


Then the framing.....

Oh no....the excitement is gone.....and we have trash in the house and the job seems to be stalled. Week 26.......no progress. Rain bad subs....
I am going to focus on the good stuff, pretty stuff...the design and finds for the house.
I would appreciate any comments and I will always ask advise.