Update on building a house
robo (z6a)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
....we pulled out! No new house for robo. Our federal housing corp is predicting a gigantic house price crash over the next 24 mos (10-18%) AND my sister also pulled out of building in that neighbourhood so it just didn't feel like the right time. We only had to forfeit a small deposit and my builder was very gracious about the whole thing (we had reserved a prime lot so they had people lined up to build there -- probably less picky and demanding people, ha ha).
My husband and I have been to see a few homes since but no "make me move" homes have popped up yet. There's a nice little midcentury modest ranch across from my parents in a nearby suburb (much closer than the new suburb) but it's priced VERY optimistically and wouldn't leave room for me to do the total gut job I'd want to do on it.
Personal update, things are going well for robo. Our province is opening up slowly but we have no new cases of Covid and very few active after a long severe lockdown. I'm working from home which is challenging with Emmett, but loving the family time. I feel a lot of existential dread and sadness for our world right now so I've been donating and watching a lot of TV...Last Dance anyone?
Emmett is doing really great, although he is starved for outside interaction so he has resorted to flagging down strangers and shouting "hi" at them on our 2xdaily walks. His language is exploding and we're entering the "mommy what's this? and what's this? and what's this?" phase. I did try to get him interested in Michael Jordan but he seems to prefer Mickey Mouse.
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Anyone build(ing) a 'New Old House'?
Comments (43)It was so much fun to read about everyone's paths to a "new old house." We are finishing our build in the next month, and I was very inspired by the concept of the new old house. For me, it was about capturing the classic proportions of old houses, rather than attempting to replicate them. For us, budget was a major concern, so I could not afford all of the materials that a true Versace-approved new old house would require. Instead, we focused on not making the mistakes that poorly done "new old houses" seem to really suffer from, like wrong roofing, wrong windows, etc. In some ways, it is just as important to focus on what NOT to do as it is to think about what TO do. I used two books, in addition to Versace's and lots of books of historic homes from our area, that gave detailed information about construction patterns. One is "Traditional Construction Patterns" but I can't recall the other right now. They are both on Amazon. (And I probably reviewed them there.) What they did was teach me what the obvious markers are of a poorly-done traditional construction...they are the things that - once you can recognize them - make the house obviously "wrong." By adhering to traditional construction practices and using new materials, we were able to avoid some of the mistakes that we would have inevitably made attempting to build a "new old house" on a budget. The homes in Versace's book and portfolio are gorgeous, but totally out of our reach. And, as other have suggested, really studying the home in the area helped me immensely. I paid attention to the size and placement of windows and doors, shape of window lights and number, trim details, porch raining profiles, etc. I was really obsessed! Good luck on your design and build. This is such an exciting process....See MoreNeed pool build before house build?
Comments (2)Your best bet is to first contact a soil engineer to get a better understanding of the property you plan to build on. If blasting or hammering is needed for either structure, it should be performed at the same time. This will prevent possible damage to either structure. A structural engineer is necessary for the pool as well as the house. Someone with experience working in terrain of this nature and also and home and pool construction is recommended. It's not a job for someone to "wing it". There are many considerations to be met working on a hillside-rock or nor rock....See MoreBuilding a Home in Kansas-Kitchen Update
Comments (26)I get wanting storage... I live in a rural area, also. It’s a 20 minute drive to our small-town grocery store, and an hour to a decent one or someplace like Costco. And we are a family of 6. The problem with a corner pantry is that you are losing 10-12” of space, just by adding walls in each side. You also need to account for clearance for a door swing. That angled wall alone takes up roughly 9sf of your kitchen. Do you feel like your kitchen has that to spare? Be honest: how often do you need to access 12 rolls of paper towels at once? Or use more than 2-3 cans of cream-of-something soup? If you’re like most people, the answer is hardly ever. Build yourself a large pantry-storage area somewhere else, and add a few full-height pantry cabinets in your new kitchen. You can store so much in those, especially if you have pullouts/drawers! You can store all of your day-to-day foodstuff there, and have backup stuff in the pantry. If it was me, I’d put the fridge at the end of the counter run, closest to the dining area. I’d slide the cooktop down toward the lower wall. And I’d turn the whole bottom wall into full-height pantry storage. I’d extend the island both directions... looks like you have a solid foot available next to the dishwasher. Once the angled pantry wall is gone, you won’t need a 4.5” aisle, so you could probably even go 18” there... a 36” aisle seems perfectly respectable since it’s not a work area. That gives you almost 9’ of island... plenty of prep space, and probably 5-6’ on the counter behind, between the fridge and range. A 12’ run of wall pantry cabinets will store probably triple what that corner pantry would. It will give you a better workflow, more countertop prep space, and look better to boot....See MoreSelect shower during house build or replace after build?
Comments (5)A shower head and a hand held are standard in showers so I don't understand what you would install after. As others have posted, you can find find have a separate shower head or one that is integrated. In terms of cost, Moen along with Delta are two of the least expensive brands of high quality. I wouldn't install anything lower quality in a shower because repairs or changes in showers are expensive down the line since the rough generally has to be the same brand or compatible with the trim. I can't offer an opinion as to whether you are being overcharged for the Moon fixtures. Although Moen and Delta are not considered to be high end, the style and finish determines the price. By high end, I am not insulting the quality but just how they position themselves in the consumer market - Brizo is the higher end Delta sister brand. What does the $3000 cover? When I remodeled the total cost of plumbing fixtures can be shockingly high. My GC or his plumbing tradesperson) supplied the rough and I supplied the trim and told him what the specifications were of the trim so that he could install the correct rough. My experience is that the shower system is integrated and changing it afterwards is a hassle and expensive. Would you be doing this after the tiles are installed?...See More
Zalco/bring back Sophie!
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agorobo (z6a) thanked Zalco/bring back Sophie!
Yayagal
3 years ago
maire_cate
3 years ago
yeonassky
3 years ago
dedtired
3 years agorobo (z6a)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agodedtired
3 years ago
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