Jeff, Thanks for your input. As far as I know, the stair construction continued as planned today. Any more delays and we will lose a fully mature birch tree on our lot. DH was on site to manage the contractors doing the steps. We already have the slab and steps pre-cut, finished and ready to install, and it would be costly and difficult to alter them now. The grading issue is not really a stair issue, but a problem at the man door. The stairs we are now building with natural stones are precisely the same size steps as we had in that spot with pre-cast when the house was first built. We could solve it by adding a step and cutting the size of the landing, but we do not want to do that. The man door would be much better raised as there is dirt and moisture washing into it. The biggest issue is to be sure we get the mason and concrete guy to do the repair/alteration right. Safety inside the garage with a ramp/step or what have you will be a priority. There is room in this part of the garage for a step or ramp. We will see what is needed. Sometimes, you just have to accept that mistakes need to be fixed and it will cost you. Probably, the level the foundation guy set for the man door was too low. It is tricky when you are dealing with a sloping lot. Somehow we thought a bit of dirt moving would solve the issue, but we now know it won't. Carol

Thanks to all...so much! I didn't want to bring this up but it isn't only homework...it's really ANYTHING. Example: He took a bath on Monday...Tuesday night I told him it was time for a bath. My bad though...it was late and he fell asleep within minutes. No biggie. On Wednesday at 4:00 I told him again after homework was complete to take a bath...He asked "Now?" I said "Yes, now...so that you don't accidentally fall asleep later..." I was still working until 5:00. I left my office at 5:00 and went to fix dinner...had to do it quickly because SD14's gymnastic lessons are at 6:00. Dinner was complete by 5:30 and SS came into the kitchen. Still had the same clothes on. NO bath. I take SD to gymnastics, go by the grocery store with the other 4, pick SD up and come back home...and again say "Go take a bath right now." He says ok and leaves the room...comes out with his clean clothes and heads towards the bathroom. I go to comfort the hubby who discovered that the company he works for is closing next week. When I go in to check on the kids I notice SS9 is asleep and has the same clothes on. The clean clothes are on the floor. NO BATH. Same thing on Thursday. But this time I say "take a bath today or you WILL be grounded for a day." I have to work again until 5:00...come out and go to fix dinner. NO BATH and since it's Thursday, it's guitar lessons for 2 of my other sons at 7:00. AGAIN tell him to take a bath as soon as we get home from taking the boys to lessons. He gets his clothes and goes to the bathroom. Guess what? Yes...NO STINKING BATH. I even stood outside the door and told him I wasn't leaving until I heard the water running. He apparently just hung out in the bathroom long enough to make it look like he was going to take a bath and then left the room. Friday was "drive 3 hours to visit with Mom for the weekend" day so there was no time to take a bath then because we leave for the long drive as soon as the kids get home from school. This child listens to NOTHING at all and does NOTHING that he doesn't want to do. I'm sure not going to bathe the kid myself...but he will NOT listen to me at all. I have 4 other kids, a big house to clean and a full time business...it is getting VERY frustrating having one kid who refuses to do anything...from homework, to bathing. yes, of course, the other kids sometimes have to be told twice or maybe even three times...but honestly and truly this kid will do NOTHING. I'm obviously VERY frustrated right now.

With that description of a lip, it sounds as though you may have 3/8" inset cabinets. They're a combination of partial overlay and inset, as the door has a 3/8 lip on it that actually insets into the face frame. I have about 60 of those in satin nickel that I was planning on putting in the Garage Sale on the Conversations side. If that's the kind you need, and satin nickel is your color, let me know and I'll try to find them and count exactly how many that I have.

clarified. the outer walli 6ft, my bad. We have been in a house with this plan and it was fine for us and even our contractor who is 6'5". Milly - there is a maximum sq ft on these city lots. Our total build allowable should be 2772sq ft for the whole house. Because of this cheat, we gain an additional 130 sqft. - and we can show it for resale. Our decision to do it was based on going through the other house with this roofline and really wanting the additional sq feet so that the bedrooms aren't super tiny. It is easy to put headboards against a lower wall. John - It has nothing to do with taxes, they are the same regardless. Too high! :) And the mechanical stuff is in the architects drawings, not the designers - they are there! The architect and designer talked yesterday and they are working on something together, i don't think it will be any of my windows or the neat idea from PPF, but i will post it when they get it to me.