i was really happy with Shoji White. It's a great white. Not too yellow. Part of me wants to use it on the house we are building now but another part of me wants to try something new. I'm looking at overcast by Ben Moore. Here's Ballet White by Ben Moore, also very pretty, but since this house in our neighborhood has it, i will not "copy". another i was told to check out is westhighland white by Sherwin Will. This a great looking farmhouse/guesthouse/garage structure. so pretty https://www.houzz.com/photos/rj-elder-design-traditional-garage-phvw-vp~80000-Elder-Design-traditional-garage-and-shed-other-metro

dftush, That does sound heartbreaking. As a general rule, be assertive in looking out for your own interests when it comes to dealing with your neighbor or anyone else. Also, explain the reason WHY you do or don't want contractors, neighbors, and others to do things or not do things a certain way. It's possible your neighbor thought you felt guilty about him plowing because you weren't paying him and had no idea you were proud of your driveway and that the plowing would cause significant damage. Of course it's also possible that he's just one of those people who "doesn't get it" because his brain is wired a different way and he doesn't have a sense about when he is causing damage, and will do things even when told not to. Get an estimate for the repair of your driveway and ask your neighbor to pay for it. Don't accept any offers for him to fix it himself. (Basically he can't be trusted to do it properly, no matter how much of a nice guy he may be.) If he will not pay, ask the company whose truck he drove to pay for it. The company may not have to pay out of pocket if they have insurance for damage caused by plowing. If they will not, gather your evidence (it will be helpful if you took before and after photos) and take both your neighbor and the company that owns the truck to small claims court. For use in dealing with the police or court system in the future, write him letter and send it certified mail informing him you do not want him to plow your driveway and if he does, you will consider it trespassing and report it to the police. Mail a copy to the company that owns the truck as well. Keep the a record of sending the letter, including the delivery confirmation receipts for your records. If he STILL doesn't take the hint, you might consider putting a locked gate at the end of your driveway, or parking a car across the end of the driveway when it snows.

"Maybe you should ask yourself if you would be willing to get up on the roof and do the work for what you are wanting to pay someone else to do it." This is a specious argument and usually one of last resort, when nothing but bluster is left. Seems you miss Adam Smith's point entirely. I write a specific type of software for a living. Would you like to try your hand at it when you need a custom piece written? Didn't think so. That doesn't mean you can't find someone else to do it at a lower price if I insist on charging you a silly figure. Yes I am unskilled at dealing with contractors. And thankful for it, for to acquire that skill would mean lots of practice, which I don't have the stomach for. And yes, I DID learn to do a lot of things for myself. Not to save money (it cost me more money in fact, as I make more than most contractors do per hour) but to save myself the aggravation. This is all I will write on the subject of contractors here. Would still love to get responses on specific questions as asked... thanks for understanding.

CEM TOSA, I appreciate your experience and knowledge. I’m sure your home will be beautiful. I will do the best I can with mine. We are not rushed at this time to build. If we proceed with building now, I do realize the prices/economy will not allow the size or everything I love. But to dream and plan is the most enjoyable thing to me. We will see in a year or two what will be then.