Worthy - I totally understand what you're saying. I've read enough of your posts to get a feel for how thorough you are. I know the work before saves heartache in the long run. I'm hoping my contractor is current enough and understands my desires as far as finish. I've asked for a detailed list from him where we fill in what exactly we're expecting. He is currently building two homes, both about our size, and he says the finish is very comparable. Experience and knowlege is a great asset in a general. 8mpg- I work for an electric cooperative, so I am in tune to the market in our area. I will also be able to purchase the unit direct from the manufacturer. This will save me an additional 3k or so. Unfortunately, I don't live on our electrical system and won't qualify for the additional rebate of $750 per ton. That would have eliminated any need to balance the cost/benefit. I'm planning to install a bibs fiberglass insulation system. The contractor does very good work and comes highly recommended. I'm tossing around the sheathing material and still unsure if it is smart to put insulation under the slab. We are planning to finish half of the basement and plan to stain the conrete. I'm concerned about how cold the floor may be. Thank you all for taking time to post. Many folks say they over-run or they upgrade and I at times have wondered why they just didn't tell their contractor they wanted granite, hardwood, ground source, etc... in the ffirst place. I guess Worthy is correct in saying experience and planning are important. Not underestimating in the first place... that is the trick it seems.

I made the unfortunate decision to recommend Costco - Shaw carpet (Seattle area) to my daughter. They were higher, but explained Costco would be a better experience. It was truly terrible. Quote high, promised to sand a concrete small threshold lump (added this work to quote for a fee). Day of installation went by home - installers were beyond rude. They were lifting and moving a fridge in the middle of the room over and placing on newly installed carpet (hardwood guys left it in wrong spot, but things happen in life. Just wanted to find a quick workable solution. Installers Pablano and Tony had agreed to move outside it outside in the AM when speaking with my daughter). Came back with help and a dolly, but installers would not in any way help move the fridge 6" outside (it's old and not used so not worried about damage to fridge as they claimed, worried about leaking and damaging new carpet though). Said it wasn't in their work order. Second, they wouldn't sand the quoted lump - again said wasn't in their work order (did another process I didn't see or trust at this point). Call the sales rep Jason - who told me too bad, they could do anything they wanted, what they did was actually better (Jason's boss Liz Long told my daughter they didn't sand as would cost 3xs what was quoted). Do you understand the lack of trust on our end? Called Jason - Shaw sales rep (253) 431-XXXX hung up, he was on vacation and didn't really care to help solve. Really? Costco - this is the face of who is out representing your name! Please re-consider other options when choosing carpet - I am a Costco stock holder and WILL NOT choose Costco again. BUYER BE AWARE ;(

This is a subject near and dear to my heart as we are closing on a house purchase next week and plan to have some work done before moving in. Here is what I would like to have done: 1. Repainting several rooms and painting lots of built in cabinets (currently stained). 2. Change cab pulls and hinges. 3. Take out carpet in family room, master bedroom and master bath and replace with wood (tile in bath). 4. Add recessed lighting several places 5. Remove flourescent lighting in kitchen. 6. Replace a few ceiling fans 7. Convert 3 windows in master bedroom to french doors going out side. 8. Re-do tub/shower area (they are separate and OK but I would like a larger shower and there is room to extend). 9. Remove flourescent lighting above vanity and put in something else. 10. Extend utility room (adding to back of house) 11. Replace doors with glass with more secure doors. 12. Reface brick fireplace with dry stack stone 13. Open up between kitchen and dining room (i.e. take out top half of wall). Rearrange cooktop and refrigerator area. Add island to kitchen. 14. Replace laminate workspace in hobby room with something else. 15. Replace tile in kitchen/foyer. 16. Replace 4 1/2 ft fencing with 6 ft fencing. What we are actually doing on the list before moving in: 1. Repainting several rooms and painting lots of built in cabinets (currently stained). - Yes. This will be much easier and cheaper to do before moving in and is not all that expensive. We are cutting back and not doing as much in some areas as I would live as we are deferring other work in those area. We decided not to piecemeal the family room for example. 2. Change cab pulls and hinges. - Still doing this since the painting won't look good without it. 3. Take out carpet in family room, master bedroom and master bath and replace with wood (tile in bath). - Deferring this one. This would be easier to do without us there. But it is only 3 rooms and can be done later. And, this is an over $10,000 item so it really makes a difference on the budget to defer this a year or two. Also carpet is not to my taste but is in good condition. Had it been in poor condition I would feel differently. 4. Add recessed lighting several places. - Not very expensive and important to my enjoyment. 5. Remove flourescent lighting in kitchen. - Not expensive so will probably do this. 6. Replace a few ceiling fans. - Mostly moving around. 7. Convert 3 windows in master bedroom to french doors going out side. - Deferring. This can be done later. 8. Re-do tub/shower area (they are separate and OK but I would like a larger shower and there is room to extend). - Deferring. It is in good condition now, just not exactly what I want. 9. Remove flourescent lighting above vanity and put in something else. - Doing this. Not expensive and I really don't like how it looks. 10. Extend utility room (adding to back of house) - Maybe some day... 11. Replace doors with glass with more secure doors. - Important. I would like to defer but I want to get new locks (instead of just rekeying). Sellers have single deadbolts on glass doors and I don't feel secure with that. 12. Reface brick fireplace with dry stack stone - Probably will defer. Would like to do it now but makes sense to do it when we do the flooring. SO deferring flooring means deferring this. 13. Open up between kitchen and dining room (i.e. take out top half of wall). Rearrange cooktop and refrigerator area. Add island to kitchen. - Later. This is a huge project because it also likely means new appliances and new granite. 14. Replace laminate workspace in hobby room with something else. - Not sure. Logically it makes sense to do it now but I'm not sure exactly what I want so I may defer it. 15. Replace tile in kitchen/foyer. - Defer. The current tile is nice and fairly recent just not a color that I personally like. But it isn't objectionable so I will wait on this (probably for years).

I am so very happy to hear someone else hates carpet inlays as much as I do! We want to downsize, so are house shopping now. Our current house had wall to wall carpet in all areas except the kitchen, family room and all bathrooms has nice travertine tiles. We replaced the wall to wall carpet in livingroom/hallway with laminate and found great luxury vinyl that matches the laminate for the bedrooms. It looks ok because it was wall to wall, not inlay we replaced. I would have preferred tile, but too prohibitive. Now as we are looking it seems all the houses have these carpet inlays. We live in Palm Springs area and it seems people here love carpet in bedrooms and carpet inlays surrounded by beautiful tile in their great room. I absolutely detest carpeting of any kind and I have allergies. We have found several houses we like but I said no because I can not think what to replace those carpet inlays with. I am DOWNSIZING and replacing that inlay with tile will be extremely expensive, not to mention it may be difficult to match the surround tile. I've seen pics where others replaced inlays with laminate. UGLY! suggestions greatly appreciated! Ginger