Budget?: First Time Home Builders
sraymer33
6 years ago
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sraymer33
6 years agoRelated Discussions
first time home builder questions
Comments (7)Typically you want to not skimp on anything underground and want to keep what is difficult to add later. You can go easy on things that are easily replaced. Seems to me a lot of variation in the cost of a build comes from material selections...choice of counter top material alone can be thousands of dollars...$10k doesn't seem like such a large discrepancy that it can't be met by altering some other choices. If you are finishing a basement, 2 zones would be, IMO, essential. Can you just forestall finishing the basement at all at this point and just plan on doing what is essential so that at a future date it can be finished the way you want? We have outdoor spigots on our house for watering plants and such and needed no oversized plumbing to accommodate it.......See MoreFirst Home, First time appliance purchases, Help please!
Comments (7)We bought our counter depth Frigidaire Gallery FGHC2342LF model at Lowes for $1200 we love it. It's very attractive and works well. We like the in door ice and water dispenser. Previously we had a Samsung RSG257AARS at our previous condo (sold with the condo). It was similar in form and function but cost $2400. So far we are just as happy with the less expensive fridge but we have not owned it very long so I can't speak to longevity. For dishwashers, I will never again buy a Whirlpool or any line made by the same company (that includes now Maytag, Frigidaire, and Kitchen Aide, possibly a few more!). We had a Whirlpool "Gold" dishwasher in our previous home, the motherboard died at 13 months of age - only 1 month out of warranty! Whirlpool would do nothing for us, not even offer us a discount on a future appliance or the part. The replacement part was $250 plus installation labor. Apparently the same motherboard is used in all the dishwashers made by Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Maytag, KA, etc. and it is notorious for failing. We chose to replace the Whirlpool with an entry level Bosch SHE43P05UC dishwasher, on sale at a local specialty appliance store for $600. I loved that dishwasher, I wish we could have taken it with us when we sold the place! Stainless inside and out, beautiful, whisper quiet, and everything came out clean, even with very hard water, every time. The Bosch warranty is 1 year complete and 5 years for parts including electronics/motherboard (which makes me feel better about the quality of the electronics). So when we bought our current home it came with a cheap-looking Frigidaire. It's "stainless look" which next to real stainless just looks silly. Anyway it stopped draining and it appears the pump is dead, and the part and labor to replace it is not worth it for a dishwasher that was not great to begin with. So I am at home today awaiting the delivery of our new Bosch SHE3AR56UC, this time in white, but still stainless inside, where it counts. Our cabinets are white so with the stainless version costing about $150 more, we opted for white this time to blend in with the cabinets. We had a Whirlpool Gold range at the old place and the new place also came with a Whirlpool range. Ours is entry level and just OK. We'll replace it some day but Whirlpool ranges seem OK based on my experience. We have an LG washer again model WM2650HWA (we had LG also at the previous home - so happy with it we bought another) and a Hotpoint cheap dryer. I didn't want to pay more for a fancy matching dryer since we didn't need to stack it- this one dries just fine! But I did want the front loading water efficient washer for 2 reasons - it is on the second floor and if the washer ever leaks, FL's have much less water in them so a disastrous flood is not as likely. Also water is expensive in CA and saving water is important, and after the $150 in rebates the LG on sale was actually cheaper than a top loader. This model WM2650HWA has steam and gets things nice and clean, they also solved the issue of smelly washers by putting a magnetic seal on the door so that when not in use it stays slightly open to dry, without endangering children or pets. It seems to me that you can't just choose one brand for each appliance, few brands make quality items for different applications. So you may want to gather some info on each type of appliance and find the best deal/quality rather than looking for a matched set. They tend to look the same once installed as long as the finish is all real stainless (some are just "stainless look" which is metallic painted plastic and I'd rather have white than that!)...See MoreHelp for first time builder - Home Loan
Comments (1)When I built, I was approved for a construction loan, once the bank saw the plans and the estimate the builder had given me. I told them what my down payment was. Once construction began 'my' money was used first, and then 'draws' were made from the amount that was borrowed. Typically there was to have been 3 draws from the amount I was allowed to borrow. I then put that (draw) $$ into an account, and paid for different things house related. Once the house was complete, and had passed inspection, and everyone was paid, the loan was rewritten to a mortgage. It was not written for the full amount of the construction loan approval amount, as it was not needed or necessary. Also, what happens to the extra money if we borrow 300K and we build the house for 200 or 250K? Meaning do we give it back to the mortgage company or do we put it toward our mortgage? Did you really mean to say borrow 300K If the house cost 300K to build and you built for $250K, and put in 100K, then you would only have the mortgage written for $150. Sue...See MoreFeedback on House Plan for first time builders, please!
Comments (14)Thanks mrspete! I will revisit the eating area and add some space around it. Pointing it out like you did gives me a chance to really look at it, and it needs to fit our family with space to walk around behind the chairs. You've pointed out something that I need to look at closely. Yeah, laundry chute....for dirty clothes to fall down from our Master to the laundry in the lower level. But for our adult clean clothes, I can haul them upstairs once they are laundered. But the laundry will be done in the lower level where the kids clothes, bedding and towels rule the washer these days. As for the great room, with 18'10" by 18'6", if we are smart about furniture choices (we will have our only couch set planned for the lower rec room - its old so the kids can use it) and layout, we will definitely be considerate of walkways - another great point. Thank you mrspete, this is new to us and although we are using a designer - this website and feedback I've read on other sites just goes to show that you can't think of everything....and best not to leave it in the hands of others. Much appreciated!!...See Morerrah
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agosraymer33
6 years agoUser
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoColumbus Custom Design
6 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
6 years agoCharles Ross Homes
6 years agoUser
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agochisue
6 years ago
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