I've got a different problem regarding "allowances" I signed my contract in April of 2017. At that time the allowance for 1386 feet of floor tile was $6,500. I was directed to a particular tile company that the builder works with to choose tile. FOUR times I chose tile only to be told I was over budget. The last time I chose the cheapest tile the store had available- not what I really wanted, 1.79 a sq foot. I was still over budget by $2,800 when I spoke with the contractor and told him I could get no cheaper, he said the problem was labor kept going up to the point labor was now the cost of the tile allowance. (6,500) leaving nothing left to purchase tile. On my allowance sheet, it only states: Tile Flooring-$6,500. It says nothing about labor being included. Had I known labor was included in the allowance, I would have budgeted more for tile in the loan. This is not this first thing in the allowance statement that has gone over simply because it never specified that these prices included labor. So far, I have downgraded everything from what I originally planned to have and still have had to pay an extra $8,000 just to get SOMETHING in there. This home was scrimped and saved for 40 years- a dream home. It is not our dream home at all, and we will turn around a sell it after it is completed, wiser and poorer. I don't think this practice should be legal. It is legal theft if a contractor can charge increased prices at will and you are responsible for the outcome.

As I have a gift certificate from WFF, I will probably be lucky to get 2 bulbs out of it!! A will say though, that I've always had good quality bulbs from them. My main gripe is that they send them out several weeks later than all the other companies, overseas as well, they are only one state away from me and the long wait for my order annoys me each time I order, but I get over it once they do arrive!! Last year I bought a Maybelle from them and it didn't bloom but has put up many strapping leaves while outside for the summer so I'm hoping to finally get to see this flower. Did anyone else who ordered one get theirs to flower?

I think it's safe to say things are too expensive now...and will be even more expensive tomorrow. The supply chain disruptions, the pent-up demand for limited resources, and the competition for people capable of doing competent work will only increase. The lives of many people have been permanently changed by the pandemic, and working from home will be an increasing feature of our society. That will mean more people will want to improve their existing living spaces and better accommodate them to this new reality. If you think things will normalize any time soon so that prices will somehow magically come down, you will continue to be disappointed. If I were wanting to build right now, I'd get in line as quickly as possible, grit my teeth, and accept that I might have to build something less ambitious in order to build at all. I'm still waiting to hear someone relate their own personal experience about saving a lot of money by putting off building. I'm sure it has happened, just like some people can occasionally time the stock market correctly, but I don't think that situation is what is facing us at the moment.

Bluestar and Miele already went up, ugh. I got my order in right before the deadlines. But yes they will probably just continue to increase. The appliance company I used has a huge warehouse and you can order early and everything sits there for you until install day. So definitely worth ordering ahead! I would try and go that route. I know some smaller places won’t hold onto appliances due to space constrictions, but you want to keep the chain of custody tight and you don’t want appliances just sitting in your garage in case there’s a problem.