If you want to improve the looks of the house and the quality of life of the house's occupants, ask the builder how may windows $1,600 will buy. Notice how many windows are in the houses in your examples.

Mark - you replied to my other post about this... and I did not inquire about windows on this post. I inquired about a border / trim across the back of the house. The amount of windows is what will be, and what I posted isn't even OUR plans. You're wearing me out.

(And also notice the examples I posted were FRONT of house views.)

(The quality of life of the occupants?! *rolling my eyes*)

"(The quality of life of the occupants?! *rolling my eyes*)"

Windows provide natural light and fresh air, two key ingredients to healthy living and quality of life. Your house has very few windows. You may not care about the people in your house, but you can tell them I do, and that includes you.

Funny I was going to post the same thing Mark said.

And in reality white trim will not improve the look of your house mostly because it is still a large expanse of blank wall.

For PVC/Polyurethane trim, that's probably about right.

Though you can also count me in as a vote for punching a few more holes in the cardboard box so that whatever is in it can breathe. ;-)

The photo I posted IS NOT OUR HOUSE. Please, don't worry about the number of windows. :-) I only asked about the trim on the cantilever on the back of the house so it is similar to those of the garrison colonials in the example photos.

The thing that you are adding is a band-board (except it's in vinyl). It will make the cantilever more finished looking.

I would expect the underside of the cantilever will be soffit material.

Is it worth $1600? - that's up to you.

A couple of points:

1.) Going back and making modifications to something like this is expensive, so better to do it now.

2.) You do want to avoid too many piecemeal "on the fly" changes because change-orders are expensive and because it can really mess with the design. The other thing is that by the time you add-in a few changes you could sometimes have re-imagined the entire thing to get a better product to start with.

On another thread you said,

"I'm sorry my little house disappoints those of you who are 'PRO' architects on here. I have other pursuits in my life (like the land we just purchased in the equestrian community we picked, and building our horse related amenities) than utilizing our entire budget into an custom designed home with fabulously 'correct' architectural features. Please, refrain from posting on this thread if you're a professional that wants to just dis on the little house I'mexcited to be building in the fabulous neighborhood we found. (Some who have have replied here have also commented, and started heated debates with other users, on my other threads, and it just isn't necessary.)"

My concern for you is that you also mentioned you intend to live in this house for 12-15 years or until you can no longer manage. The problem is when you build a house that is not standard with standard windows, etc, it can take months and sometimes years longer to sell.

What always sells is a house that is light filled with windows on all four exterior walls, especially when you're on acreage. Your build is already non standard with the rental suite (and did I read there is also a MIL suite too? Sorry tired because I just returned from Europe). Don't make it even more difficult if you sometime in the future need to sell.

Jake The Wonderdog - your reply was the kind of information I was looking for. I sent those photos to the builder but I wanted to be sure that I / we were all on the same page in regards to understanding what I was asking for. So thank you.

cpartist - "The problem is when you build a house that is not standard with standard windows, etc, it can take months and sometimes years longer to sell."

"What always sells is a house that is light filled with windows on all four exterior walls"

(Our house will have a side attached garage, no place for windows there)

Ever since I started posting to Houzz for information while planing this house, specifically about the cantilever and everyone's reply about windows, I have been looking at new construction when I am out driving around. I can't even keep track of the number of houses I have seen going up in huge sub divisions that DO NOT HAVE WINDOWS on the side of them, and have odd ball spaced windows on the back. Seriously. 2 and 3 story houses. I'm not looking at little starter home developments either. People are building them. People are buying them. This is in the Wake and Chattham county areas of North Carolina. * shrugs * Chatham Park is going in about 15 minute from where we are building. And actually, when we found this land shortly after someone down the road was selling their 8 acre farmette with a 2,500 sq ft house. The house was so chopped up in a dated style, and it sold for about $380K in less than 30 days.

There is a mother-in-law space in the basement, with the basement that is basically divided in half with a utility room and two doors. It can be a man cave, teen suite, place for your barn worker to live, some place for your farm sitter / pet sitter / babysitter to stay, a fitness room, crafting room, bonus room, media room... There is a bathroom and kitchenette down in the basement, a 'utility' room for the air handler. I see a lot of basements and bonus room spaces that have bathrooms and kitchenettes. I don't see how this is any different?

And none of that has anything to do with this specific post about a cosmetic trim on the back of a house. :-\

cpartist - "The problem is when you build a house that is not standard with standard windows, etc, it can take months and sometimes years longer to sell.""What always sells is a house that is light filled with windows on all four exterior walls"

I was looking through our appraisal .PDF file and I had to chuckle, this was used as a comp... look mom, no side windows and an attached garage. This is what is in our 'hood. And... I'm pretty sure it sold pretty quick. ;-)

This is exactly what gets built around my area...

So I'm going to disagree that the house we are building is 'not standard' for what is going on in our region for the income bracket of most around us.

Signed,

- Been Living In A Double Wide Mobile Home for 18 Years ;-)

The one difference Rai Kai is you are on a narrow city lot and while I personally prefer windows even on narrow city lots (my first house and my current one are/were on narrow lots with windows on the sides), I can certainly understand about your limitations because of city zoning and preferences.

However, Kaye is on acreage and while everyone else is building houses without natural light, does that mean she should too? If two houses were equal with the exception that one was light filled, which one do you think would sell first?

Human beings are naturally drawn to light. I'm in FL and love to go into million dollar new homes for sale. Guess which ones sit on the market the longest? Yep, those where the interiors are dark. Even if the dark interior one is in a better location.

Oh if I was in Florida I expect I would want an even smaller house than now and a lot more outdoor space (with lots of shade options - as I am a pasty redhead!). But yes, you are fortunate to have all that light and warm air to take advantage of with windows and sliders, etc.

I agree on an acreage one has some more flexibility that where I am building; I essentially am building a townhouse with the added cost of having to fence sideyards :)

Bri Bosh

"Oh boy. I remember your original post on this and all the comments you got about the windows that should be added to the plan before building. If only you’d listened... a little hard to salvage now."

What (the hell) does that mean? We are still at a point we can make any changes to the plan we want. We haven't even drilled a well on the property let alone broken ground. We haven't finalized any plans.

cpartist "However, Kaye is on acreage and while everyone else is building houses without natural light, does that mean she should too? If two houses were equal with the exception that one was light filled, which one do you think would sell first?

Human beings are naturally drawn to light. I'm in FL and love to go into million dollar new homes for sale. Guess which ones sit on the market the longest?"

Oh good golly, Miss Molly, lol. Well if two 'exact same houses except one had 5 less windows' houses ever came on to the market at the same exact time right next door to each other... Oiy. Wait, that is a subdivision. hehe.

Oh wait... wait... I've looked at both of your profiles and it seems you are both on here all day long LOL.

You two, just, don't even look at my posts. ;-) You'll just get your knickers deeper embedded in your sore spot.

And honestly I wasn't asking of $1,600 was 'WORTH it' from a visual design regard, I was asking if that was a fair rate for 30' of white trim on a vinyl sided house (as far as a contractors labor and materials). Or if I should be asking if it is metal, vinyl.. or what have you. I didn't ask for approval on the ascetics of the trim on this post, or the ascetics of the house. But here we all are, arguing about windows. I'm glad you two spend all day on here. ;-)

Rai Kai - The back of my ACTUAL house where there are not windows are mud room with floor to ceiling lockers and a bathroom, where the tub/shower is on that back exterior and there is a small window on the side wall.

The master bedroom has two windows and is 14 X 14, with a window in the master bathroom, for no good reason because we certainly do not hang out in the bedroom, if we're in there we want it dark. The two small guest bedrooms (11 X 11 size) both have a window.

The living room has two windows and the dining / kitchen has the slider and a window over the sink, and the hall that gets light from the front door glass.

The one side of our house will be flat out facing the summer setting sun. We've been hitting the heat index of 100+ for the last several days - I would only have blinds pulled in those rooms. Why would I put windows where they don't make sense? I don't get it, I truly don't, why it bothers 'YOU' that it does not bother ME. ;

If I were building that house, I would certainly not spend $1,600 on an element of white like that, especially because you are not going to get the bang for the buck.

I empathize with what you're saying, in that, what you are building is probably better than your former non-permanent abode. And you want to make your new house nice. But just as adding a long piece of white trim to your previous home, for $1,600, probably wouldn't have been where you would put your dollars, so it is with this home.

Even though you feel some here are harsh, they are truly trying to save you from yourself. Plenty of people live in houses such as yours, but to better the house, and better their lives, they put money towards things like properly functioning HVAC, a good roof, and good outbuildings, if you will have horses.

$1,600 could be put towards a nice pergola or balcony on the back, and with that, you'd never even see a band of white trim. $1,600 could be put towards nice landscaping, with trees and shrubs artfully arranged to hide the big expanses of siding you seem to be okay with.

So, to answer your question, No, don't spend $1,600 on a strip of white that you think will decorate the backside of this house. It won't.

And one more thing: real estate is currently "up" in many places in the U.S. Houses are flying off the market, and I'm glad that folks are getting good prices in your market. Many people on this forum have bought and sold and have a lot of experience with that. For your own sake, don't ignore what they're saying, especially if they are all pretty much in agreement, because one day, the market won't be so hot, and folks will be spending money they wish they didn't have to, on staging and band-aids for their awkward house to get it to sell. Just an FYI.

"If only you’d listened... a little hard to salvage now." What (the hell) does that mean?

It means you were not clear the house you posted an image of was not yours.