Kohler tub/shower module for the master has built-in grab bars and its own walls and ceilings (for old age and easy care). Lasco tub/shower module without the grab bars and lesser quality for the guest bath which will get less use. Toto toilets (see Terry Love's plumbing website and learn about them; they're among the best; prices vary) Kohler faucets throughout the house (ratings usually higher than Moen; less pricey than Hahns Grohe, etc). Look for quality construction: solid brass innards with ceramic disc valves. The rest is styling and finishes. Chrome is most durable finish with PVD still unproven over the long haul but expected to rival or exceed chrome. Trying to stick to one manufacturer for simplicity and possible better discounts. Avoid Price Pfister due to reliability problems.

I am amazed at how few errors or disappointments those above have had to deal with. Our build has been fraught with many more than described above. It seemed almost daily we would find something wrong (either completely wrongly built, or just misguided such as the vents in awkward spots). When we were hiring subs (we are DIYing the second half so far fewer errors in this half), we would come home and brace ourselves as we knew something would not be to our liking. We just did not yet know what it was. Some of the bigger, harder to fix errors were: 1)framers did not use a level when they set the roof trusses so all the walls were off centre in our upper level -- we did not find this out until after they had bricked, 2)The masons did not clean up all of the mortar spills when bricking so there are still mortar stains on our bricks 3)Having no HVAC plan with agreed upon locations for duct runs, vents, etc set us back months as we had to go back to get a HVAC design done and start with a different HVAC plan and contractor,4) the foundation was not level in all spots, and some spots did not have a brick ledge where brick was planned. I did read an ebook before building that is all about typical building errors to watch out for (or poor design decisions made by builders). I highly recommend it for those seeking more answers than provided by this thread. Good luck all. Most mistakes can be fixed. Find them as soon as possible. Assume every time you visit that mistakes have been made in your absence and measure and check every single thing. Work out in advance the locations for everything (esp HVAC items) as builders will not usually make good aesthetic choices. Not sure why so many of them think a thermostat should be centered on the largest display wall in your house. Here is the ebook I mentioned that deals with typical errors to watch out for and hence avoid. I found the fee for the book to be well worth the price. Sorry it is not free. I have no association with the author. I just found the book helpful. I imagine the book would be more useful to those at the planning stages, or early build stages. Carol ebook

Haven't read all of this yet (but will later), but what I wanted to know was the ID of various plants in the front and back yard and any special care information for them, especially the citrus and fruit trees. I did meet with the previous owner, and he was not a lot of help - he could not identify all of the plants, and he could not provide me with instructions for the sprinkler system or the thermostat. Eventually we figured out the sprinkler system controls (or at least DB did), but I'm still not quite sure how they work. We put in a new thermostat when we put in A/C, and the new one is much easier to use. The previous owner told us that we could download instructions manuals for these items, but such was not the case. We took out a bunch of trees that the previous owner had planted, including an ornamental peach and a couple of plum trees that never made more than a dozen plums and were gangly. We kept the Fuji apple tree but got rid of the grape vine - it was only good for leaves, and we put a stone path where it used to be so that I can put orchid cactus in pots there. We received a history of the house from someone (the realtor, I think), and it gave names of all the previous owners, going back to 1950, and also listed when additions were made. The house is now almost twice the size it was when it was first built.

Disclaimer - We are the contractors in this story who saved the day, testified in court, and established a great relationship with the homeowner. An educated consumer is our best customer. On GC's and subs- 1- Give me a good price on this job and I'll shovel you tons of work. This is an old tactic used by GC's to drive the cost down / raise profits. After the first job the sub is fired and quickly replaced. Subs who haven't been burned by this before, or are hungry, are young, or didn't know this happened to them are easy prey to this scam. If the sub stays on and wants to get paid his full amount, he is quickly replaced. 2- My subs have been with me a long time. What is a long time? Months or years? Did you speak to the sub himself? 3- Most GC's have bare general knowledge about what their subs do. They don't have the specific knowledge of the trades. If you have specific concerns about waterproofing, it's best to ask the sub directly before the job starts. Having done your homework on John Bridge, or Fine Homebuilding will help you immensely. 4- GC's are salesmen who add 25% to 35% to what the sub is charging to make their living. IMHO most GC's view subs as commodities not skilled craftsmen and are not willing to pay a skilled craftsman the rates they deserve. The best craftspeople I know around the world are all self employed and don't work for GC's. Most work aside the GC, directly for the HO. On the rare chance I do work under a GC, the HO is actively involved in the process and has usually brought us in specifically. 5- GC's prefer to price items by the square foot or some easy (brainless) method. I find this a great disservice to the HO. If I am tiling the floor of a car dealership (wide open space) the price per sf will be lower than a dentist's office (tiny rooms and hallways) IN these instances a per sf price would be useless. Then we get into prep work, access to the jobsite, working conditions, and a myriad of variables unique to each jobsite. Is there a gate that needs to be kept closed all the time? Limited hours we can be on the site? Is the building heated and cooled? There is no way a flat rate of $/sf is useful when it comes to certain trades. 6- GC's are not inclined to pay for prepwork. They pay for finished product. While we all want the finished product to be gorgeous, prep work is critical. Certainly in a shower, waterproofing is what you are really buying. Tile is just the pretty surface. This is why so many showers fail. I've actually had a GC say to me - "I don't pay you for prep work, I pay you to install tile" Prep work usually drives up the cost of a job considerably. Customers sometimes don't want to hear this or think we are adding to the scope of work unnecessarily. We don't work for such folks. 7- Why don't contractors just tell HO's they are busy and will have to wait? When a potential customer calls, asking when they want the work completed is my first or second question. This comes with a lot of risk, mainly losing the job all together. My 40 years experience has taught me that most HO's call contractors when the HO is ready to start the project and is eager to get things rolling. Telling a HO they will have to wait a few months in the first phone call is usually the kiss of death. My thought is - Would you want to hire a contractor who isn't busy? Granted there are job delays and cancellations, but a good businessman knows how to keep his schedule full and workers busy. It takes some sales skill (and empathy) to save that first phone call from going down in flames and losing the opportunity to educate a customer on the process of hiring a qualified contractor. 8- Not so news flash - Not all great contractors are great businessmen. Makes sense once you think about it though. The manufacturers have reps to show us their products, there are trade schools and unions, but teaching a contractor how to run his business is woefully lacking. Being a craftsman in any trade doesn't make you a good businessperson or a good salesperson. Some good contractors become subs as to have the business side of their job taken care of by the GC who feeds them a steady stream of work and a reliable paycheck. Pounding the pavement, making sales, maintaining a website, and giving estimates all take effort, skill, and time not everyone has. 9- Not so news flash #2 - Not all great salesmen are great contractors. This is the hard part for the average HO to sort out. A slick talking young man in a pressed shirt can have all the right sounding answers. So what's a HO to do? Start by asking; Who will be coming into my home? Will they have seen the jobsite in person or pictures before they knock on my door? Or are they just given my address that morning? Ask what products will be used and why. Talk to the manufacturer's reps for those products. It's a good sign when the rep knows your contractor. It's a good sign when the rep backs up what your contractor claims. Ask the Rep about any installation tricks/hazards to watch for. Every manufacturer has YouTube videos giving detailed instructions which MUST be followed. An educated consumer is our best customer. 10- Not so news flash #3 - There are good people on YouTube and then..... there is the rest of the crowd. As mentioned above, the John Bridge Forum and Sal Diblasi's videos are spot on. So are the videos made by the product manufacturer or a trade association. A HO will have a hard time discerning the good from the bad YouTube videos without trade knowledge or a trained ear which is why I recommend the manufacturer's videos and talking with their reps. The reps get paid for this, its their job. When you find a good contractor who provides excellent service the best compliment is to recommend them, give a good Google / Angie's List / Yelp review. This will also help other HO's in their search. I could go on for pages, but y'all are probably bored by now. If you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer.