Second GC came by this AM-- much more laid-back and casual than first guy-- got him from Angie's List and had very good reviews but he brought nothing except a business card--no list of references, no generic copy of contract, no list of their subs or any sources they use... he was nice but a little unsure about the "professional" aspect... He said that he thought moving the toilet 12 inches to gain more shower room in its current location wasn't very practical for the money/use tradeoff since it would be difficult to enlarge the shower w/o cutting off the space needed to come into the bathroom...he said they could move the back wall of the shower down about 6 -8 inches and all space for a niche to hold shampoo and stuff which would help open up the interior standing space. The first guy thought it was doable but expensive but haven't seen his sketch/diagram for what room would look like if that was done... After talking to both these guys my husband is more open to just taking out the tub entirely vs putting in a 5ft tub (maybe a jacuzzi version)... which surprised me a good deal since he was adamant about it before they came... Our daughter on the other hand says she really misses not having a tub in their master bath and would never give one up... If we put the shower at the end where the tub is, it could be a nice, walk-in 4x5 shower and make a great focal point in the room... we could also turn the shower location into more storage and have some nice (rolling) laundry hampers added so I don't have to use closet space for dirty clothes--I don't like that... How many of you would be willing to trade in a tub you don't use--as least we don't--for a nice larger shower? Photo shows the entrance into wet area from the hall w/dual sinks--

It's great you found a firm that you have confidence in! If you have been on this board for any length of time you know that even good relationships with contractors can change. The initial meeting with contractors is usually very rosy as they are doing their job to sell themselves to you. Getting a competitive bid is for your protection. If it were me ... I would agree to a price to draw the plans WITH the stipulation that the plans are owned by me meaning the contractor can not build the same home for anyone else and that I have the option of using any builder. Then I would get competitive bids to be sure that the pricing for my favored contractor is in line. I would not want to spend $10,000 on plans only to realize that it is not the builder I want to use and I can not build the home using any other builder. Just remember life happens and many things can change between now and when your ready to build ... the builder's personal life can change (divorce, illness, death), or the builder's financial situation may change (lawsuits, bankruptsy, etc), or even the builder's workforce may change (site supervisor, crews, subs, etc). This is a business transaction and you need to protect yourself.

Alot of companies refuse to engage in "bidding wars". I know i have walked away from a few jobs just because a homeowner was quoted a ridiculously low price by another contractor and i wont fall victim to that. I know what kind of margins i need to maintain in order to cover expenses and pay my high quality installers plus make a profit. Of course at the end of the day it was never a true apples to apples comparison to begin with. You did well with the okna. If you get a good window and a good install, you hit a home run in my book. Having someone give you a job at a cheap cost because he is desperate is not something i would consider a " good deal".

Hello. I’m new to posting on Houzz. I finally stumbled across this forum. I think I already posted somewhere else…but probably in the wrong area. I DO need landscape design help. My goal is curb appeal. We love in North or Richmomd, central VA, zone 7a. Our front yard is full sun and the fescue is baking. I’m tired of fighting it and would like to create islands on both sides of the path with crepe Myrtle as center tree. Also. I think I need some landscaping in front of the front porch where the grass meets the cement. That area is 15 feet across on both sides. Any suggestions with names of plants would be greatly appreciated. May want to use money grass as border for flower beds/islands. Should I line the sidewalk with crepe myrtles. I have no idea where to begin with this blank slate. I included a before pic and also a pic of the back to get a feel foe the house. We love on lakefront. Please help! Thank you! Chrissy