OK, I'm on the other computer, I haven't updated the spreadsheet in a year so not all the finishing costs are here, but basically construction costs were (rounded up): $225K house plus garage plus porch (less Trex, screws, window, and rear door we bought at HD) $120K site work and subcontractors (electrician, plumber, incl HVAC system install and equipment) - cost overrun on well $8K garage doors, basement door and window, porch materials, basement insulation (DIY) $13K professionals(engineer, soil scientist, surveyor lawyer) and permits Total cost of construction (structural, electrical, HVAC) $366K for 2700sf Colonial with 7x48 front porch and oversized 2-car garage. So maybe $400K for a similar-sized Cape (with heating system, finished flooring, crown molding, painted walls etc.) isn't really bad, assuming builder pulls all permits, pays the engineer, surveyor, and all the trades? I'm assuming you'll have a garage, but the front porch cost us about $12K labor and materials. I'm shocked we spent that much, I was really thinking it was less than that, but I forgot about garage doors and such, and wasn't thinking professionals were that much so I was off by a good $12K last night. Finish work (tile, carpet, HW floors, painting, island countertop, lighting, mirrors, etc. plus landscaping, stone for driveway) - this really needs to be updated since I have bought/spent more in past year but at least $25K to date, probably more like $30K and we still need to finish master bath and build deck/steps out back door. I was off here too last night - had no idea we'd spent that much already. Unless you really love the land, it seems like (esp. true in this market) you'd get more house for the $ buying existing.

sweeby&qdwag - i just saw your posts - the neglect from 2x foreclosure is definitely a good point. but as for a teardown, that's 70% of our whole budget for just the lot :) creekside - our lender is aware that the home has structural issues that must be remedied. they will send their appraiser out to value the house. what they have told us is that depending on the house value, and depending on the size of our downpayment, that financing repairs is an option. there is also a line in our contract that says purchase is dependent on bank approval(appraisal) and we know our loan officer very well - so if at the last minute we should get cold feet - we can just tell the l.o. and he will nix the process - so that's our second escape hatch. alabama-nicole - actually i haven't seriously thought of canvassing the neighborhood but i think that is a very excellent next step if this falls thru. right now i check mls in the am and pm, get zillow and trulia updates, check fannie mae and freddie mac fc sites, the courthouse wall, a couple of fsbo websites that are used locally, and the local free-ad bulletin weekly, the sunday real-estate section, and two local banks are on notice to call us if they have property they want to sell. Plus at elementary school pick up and drop off times, the other moms let me know pretty quickly if a new fsbo sign or real estate sign pops up. New ones don't come along very often though, about one every two or three months. we could also just stay in the apartment for a while, some one sent me a quote that kind of hits home "don't sacrifice what you ultimately want, for what you want right now." we waited for 2 years to sell our previous home and have been in an apartment for 6 months, so we're coming up on 3 years of being in limbo .. i'm just wanting a place to nest ;)

Haha I'm glad you asked then! I had to go re-read the original post and I see where you might be creeped out. No, we love a full, busy, noisy house and I'm right there with you on safety. My ears have saved the day manyyyy times because like you said, small noises and even silence can be very telling! Just today I heard my four year old gently squeezing a spray bottle from two rooms away. He was enthusiastically "washing" our front door and by the time I arrived on the scene a whole wall was drenched. :) Here are the current problems we are hoping to address with the new build: Currently there is no place in our home where you can have quiet if you want/need it. Every room has major bleed through noise-wise to every other room. So, if my husband has a headache or I want to catch a nap with a newborn, our bedroom is adjacent to the family room and we can hear normal conversation distinctly from the other side of the wall. If one child is practicing piano I can't read aloud to my other kids or carry on a conversation in the kitchen (the next room over). We are constantly having to say "not now" on piano playing because it's preventing others from face timing grandma or hearing their audiobook, etc In these cases they are often just playing for the pleasure of playing and our home's layout limits that because of the noise impact on others. My oldest likes to do some of her more challenging school subjects in a quiet spot, without little boys coming charging in using kitchen utensils as imaginary light sabers (imagine that!) but currently, the noisy play room makes the whole house noisy so she seeks refuge in a bedroom closet with her book. :) The plan is for the piano room to stand open most of the day but to be closable when needed so the child (or parent) can continue to play even when quiet elsewhere is needed. The plan is for the away room to invite quiet study and contemplation even when little feet are thundering around the loop we designed in our floor plan just for thundering around. :) The hope is that one parent can take a quiet nap or alone time in our bedroom even when the house is full of laughter (or crying depending on the moment). When I posted our sound proofing plan last time I maybe wasn't clear enough that all of the green glue, putty pads, etc were just for specific walls: media room (where kids will be loud and crazy because we are putting monkey bars and a fort and climbing wall in there), the away room (library) and the wall the master bedroom shares with the rest of the upstairs (so one parent can get up with the kids or baby and close the door and let the other one sleep).

If the noise is constant, in most cases, it is the noise of pumping equipment of heating or water supply systems and elevators of heating systems. Through the control room, you can apply to the management organization to check the pumps and pipes coming from them to the house for noise and vibration and check the correctness of their vibration isolation. Pumps are usually installed in the basement or a separate heating point. When I applied for a mortgage through Mortgage Broker Manchester, I immediately checked the house for the presence of similar effects. Be careful and turn to a good plumber.