LOL kinda like "jumbo shrimp" and "driveway" and "parkway"... oh wait, in Denver, we do park on the parkway LOL He's CUTE! I'd keep him too. Be sure to let us know how he does!

Annie, It's too bad the timing isn't good. But I know you will have more than enough to do that week. Riverrat, I understand that he is a really wonderful person also. I read that he grows a lot of his own food and raises chickens and livestock to use in his restaurants. Karen

I'd do my best to find one you can both be happy about. Neither may get their first choice, but both should get something they reasonably like. My dh has had very few things he cares about and it is hard to predict which item will hit him one way or the other. I ask his opinion all the time and he often seems to want me to just go ahead without him, however, I went to the fabricator and chose the master bathroom faucet to be offset to the left side of our vessel sink and he absolutely hates it. I had no idea he'd care either way. Since we are not broke, he has to deal with it at least long enough until we can afford a new vanity top. I suspect he will get used to it and it won't bug him, but counters are larger and more noticeable. I also did not do something he hated intentionally. I mean, I intended for the faucet to be placed where it was, but had no intention to do something he hates or even that it would register on his radar. That is why I continue to run things by him because no matter how his eyes may glaze over sometimes, and he may say to do what I want, when it comes down to it, he does have opinions about house stuff sometimes. I also agree that if you have made most of the decisions on the reno, you may want to give him this one. You may not go with his first choice of stone, but if that were true, I'd try to get one close to it that I could live with. The one he picked is not my cup of tea at all, but I could probably use it to find one close enough for him and yet still be better if I were going to have to see it every day. One to consider might be Yellow River granite. It is not so far from what he likes, but has more movement and is more interesting. I'd also take a peek at Bardiglio, which is a marble, but is primarily gray with black and white in it. It would get away from the green he does not like and lighten up the soapstone that you do like. The quartzites would also be on the top of the list to consider. They are lighter than you want, but there is no green and they could still be better than the one he chose to you. Just don't order anything until you are both getting enough of what you want to not resent the choice. It is not worth the annoyance and disappointment to have someone "win" if it makes the other "lose".

I agree that FHA appraisers must follow HUD Handbook 4150.2, what I was referring to was the old FHA Valuation Conditions forms (VC Sheets) that appraisers used to have to fill out and attach to their FHA appraisal. Those sheets were the source of a lot of repairs, etc. for FHA loans. Those sheets were retired in 2005, and HUD Handbook 4150.2 was updated to remove reference to the VC Sheets and the emphasis was made for appraisers to look for safety issues only.