+2 I agree. For most chilis, if I want truly ripe peppers, I wouldn't pick them until they are ripe on the plant or at least, starting to turn ripe. For instance, a Hot hungarian wax pepper will be a yellowish green color while growing. But once it starts to ripen, it will turn a shade of orange and shortly after will go to a nice bright red color. If you want "ripe" ones, pick them when red or at least orange going on red. That being said, many peppers are normally picked and eaten when still green such as a Jalapeno which will eventually turn red. There is a bit of taste and heat difference between them and it is a matter of personal preference. I generally pick and process most of my Hot Hungarian wax when they are still yellowish green. I do this for a few reasons. 1. The flavor and heat suits me fine at that stage. 2. I usually don't want to wait too long. Any time after they reach mature size, I will pick them. 3. It allows the plant to get busy and put it's energy into producing additional pods. Bruce

I faced the same dilemma and decided not to hire one. I thought it would maybe save a little money and build a good rapport with the builder showing that we could work one on one. We're 13 weeks in and I haven't wished we had an agent. I don't feel like they're taking advantage of us but this is also our first build. If you truly felt it wouldn't cost you a more expensive contract price, and your time is extremely limited then an agent may be worth it. Hope that helps and good luck! PS - I should add that we have a large, reputable (but locally owned) builder, so I went in with some confidence that they have a reputation on the line.

Very nice plan. I agree with pretty much all of MyDreamHome's suggestions for making it even better. I can't see some of the dimensions so I am a bit worried that the master closet might not be wide enough to hang clothing on both sides as sketched. A closet needs to be at least 7 ft wide to do that comfortably. If necessary, I'd steal a few inches out of the master bedroom rather than have the closet too narrow. You'll never miss 6 to 10 inches less in a bedroom that is 16 to 17 feet wide but the extra space in the closet (and bathroom) could make a major difference in how comfortable and useable they are. In addition, since you're going to get rid of the door from master bedroom out to back porch anyway, I'd suggest a couple of other changes. First, bump the breakfast nook back another foot of two at least. With a family of six, you can't all sit at the breakfast bar. So, unless you're actually planning to use the dining room for all family dinners, your nook needs to be large enough to accomodate a dining table that will seat at least six... more when one of your kids invites a friend to stay for dinner. Using a window seat to create partial 'booth' seating would allow you to fit a larger table into a small room but I still think you would do well to add another couple of feet. Then, if your building codes will allow it, condider using a patio door that opens outward from the nook to your covered back porch. Doors that open outward work very well when they open onto a well-covered outdoor space and they're actually safer in areas prone to high winds because they don't blow open as easily. Then, since the left end of your porch won't really get much use if you don't have a door into the masterbedroom, consider closing in the left three feet or so at the end of the porch and make that space into a nice large outdoor closet for storing all your grilling supplies. And, consider moving your masterbedroom door to where you have that little hall closet now and then see if you can't then get rid of the walls that turn your back entry area into a maze of hallways. With four kids, a single fairly-large open room (like a back foyer) with storage cubbies and benches around the edges would be much more useful than what you have now. You might need to shift the opening from the back foyer into the kitchen/breakfast nook area and the laundry room door but I think you can create a 7x12 'mud room' with cubbies that will be more useful than the spaces you have now. You would think in Oklahoma (and here where I am in Texas) everyone would have a basement as a place to retreat to in case of a tornado but here in Texas everything is now built on a monolithic slab with no basement. So, if you're not going to have a basement remember that you can open up the space under the stair case landing and make it part that storage room you show opening off of the garage. And, if that garage storage space is for storing things like bicycles, I don't think I'd bother with a wall and door there. I'd just leave all the space UNDER the stairs open to the garage. Would make it easier to access. And, if you do that, you might be able to move the entire staircase forward a couple of feet so as to make your back foyer/mudroom larger and more comfortable. Just my nickle's worth... Except for the cramped back hallway and a few other minor things that mydreamhome already discussed, it's a great plan and your new home is going to be lovely! Here is a link that might be useful:

Augie What size and efficiency systems both up and down do you have now-cooling and heating? Any specific issues with existing systems? I will assume you have conventional furnaces now. If you replace only outside condenser and inside evap coil and pair with existing furnace, you are just as well off staying with basic 13 SEER condensers. If you want higher SEER 15+, you must go with either two stage var speed furnace or at very least a single stage furnace model with high eff x-13 blower. I also question the sizing of the furnaces you were quoted. I will give a pass to the dealers on furnace models because these Trane furnaces whether down flow or upflow are adaptable to horizontal application which I suspect is what you have now. In other words, not a big deal. I do take exception to Mike's statement above about a two stage furnace running on low stage 90% of the time. Not true unless you have a true two stage thermostat. In fact if you use the timer on the furnace, you would be running probably 90% of time in high stage. A pet peeve of mine what dealers do to homeowners in this area. And yes a two stage stat costs more but will easily pay for itself. At this moment AHRI site is down. I will look up a system using both two stage furnace XV80 and single stage high eff blower XT80 for upstairs. I also recommend a pleated filter media cabinet that Mike suggested. IMO This post was edited by tigerdunes on Tue, Apr 30, 13 at 7:32