Front of House on 3/30/2004 - Day Before Closing (See Below for Earlier Rear of Home Pictures)
Front of House on 3/30/2004 - Day Before Closing (See Below for Earlier
Rear of Home Pictures)
March 31, 2004: Today was closing. I went to the house at around 11:00 am, mentioned everything was satisfactory and thanked them for a job well done. On my way to the title office, I called my lawyer to ensure that all the documents hadn't been changed and corrected in my favor appropriately, and she said they had. I went to the office and went through the millions of docments I had to sign (which had already been perused by my attorney) and did so. The house was mine, I went to the sales office and picked up my keys, and the sales manager gave me two camping chairs to get started and handed me my keys. I went to the house with my friend, John Durrant, for the first time after closing . . . it's weird, it was my land and house. I also had three business days to get utilities in my name, so I called them and asked them to make it effective as of Friday. Now, time to turn it into a home . . . and now came the upcoming round of home improvements, moving in, etc. I purchased my Stearns & Foster Euro/Pillowtop mattress/box spring/frame set today and went ahead and moved that into the house. John was with me, and we threw the frame together and stuff. Shortly after, my parents came by and we toasted a glass of champagne to the new house and the future. Front Door: Inside, Outside; Sanded Rear Lawn; Kitchen: 1, 2; Archways.
March 30, 2004: I visited the house at around 1:15 pm and saw nothing was done. I figured that, for sure, there was no way to close in the next 24 hours. I went back to work, and my Dad called me at around 5:xx pm sayign he had stopped by. I asked, "What do you think?" He replied, "It looks great, fantastic!" My Dad's not one for sarcasm, so I was surprised. What did they do in just a few hours? They had completely regraded the lawn, they hadn't put grass on, yet . . . but it looked fantastic when I checked it out later in the day. I was no longer worried about drainage or my yard having a ravine in it or anything. I'll go by the house tomorrow at 11:00 am and compliment them on rectifying the situation as promised, then go to closing. 3/30/2004 Lot Picture; Sundown Lot Picture; Lawn Workers & Crew; In Progress Yard: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Another Angle.
March 29, 2004: Today I met with the Vice President of Construction, the Sales Manager, a Sales Rep., and the Construction Manager on my property to discuss the situation with the lawn. They are going to rectify the situation, and closing has been delayed 'til Wednesday at noon. And, at 11 am, I am going to go inspect the house prior to closing. Let's hope they get it done! Also, I spoke with my attorney today for about half an hour, and we discussed my loan documents. There were about 10 clauses in the initial title commitment she thought needed to be removed, she wanted three other documents that were not present, and she deleted a lot of other clauses. Also, I was very glad to hear that for the remainder of 2004, I will be paying property taxes on the land without the house on it. So, I will be paying property taxes on a ~$60,000 property as opposed to a ~$300,000 property for the remainder of the year. :-) I am glad I had an attorney look over the loan documents, gave me very good piece of mind. The builders try to work in a lot of standard clauses that a lot of people don't notice regarding responsibility for rollback taxes, flood zone liability, and even rights to your property if it happens to be on an oil reserve! My attorney worked with the title company and got all the junk deleted, and now everything's O.K. for me to sign as long as I am satisfied on Wednesday morning!
March 28, 2004: I stopped by today and noticed that the front door glass, blue tape paint spots, and lawn situation had not been corrected. I do not think closing tomorrow will occur. Also, for pictures, please see the March 21, 2004 entry. :-)
March 26, 2004: Today, I had to run to the title company to pick up all my loan documents, and then I ran them to my attorney. I want my attorney to go through my loan documents before I sign anything. Also, the imperfection in the island with the kitchen is already fixed, despite the construction manager making a big fuss about it not being possible. Next big hurdle is the lawn which I feel is improperly graded. It needs to have a gentle slope and flow away from the foundation, which it currently does not do. I do not intend on closing 'til this is fixed, in addition to the other things I listed on the "Exceptions to Closing". Closing is set for March 29, 2004 at 1:00 pm, but I do not think they will make that date.
March 25, 2004: Today was my final walkthrough. They showed me everything about the house from sprinkler controls, A/C controls, to all the piping in the house and talked to me about regular maintenance and the construction. It was very useful. They also talked to me about the warranty service, etc. We also put pieces of blue tape on any paint imperfections that needed to be corrected. The house was still not completed to my satisfaction, yet, though. We had a little resistance from the builder when we confronted him about a bow in the island in the kitchen, but all will be well. Main Kitchen Counter.
March 21, 2004: I was fortunate enough to seek the expertise of friends of mine who are experienced in homebuilding to come to the house and look at it in order to give me their advice. John Durrant, Sr. and Dr. Mike Kettlehut were kind enough to come out and see my home and give me very useful tips (Thanks, guys!). The house is looking great, and it is looking very close to closing. The mailbox is constructed, and there is a leak in a water pipe below the manhole that still needs to be fixed. The glass in the front door still needs to be changed so that the metal inside has a brushed nickel finish, and they still need to install the correct faucet in the kitchen sink. I decided to take a lot of pictures since the house is so close to closing. 3/21/2004 Lot Picture; Air Conditioning: Controller 1 & 2, Units; Address Block; Coach Light Prewire: 1, 2; Outside Entry Light; Entryway: 1, 2, 3, 4; Formal Dining Room; Office French Doors; Archways: 1, 2; Art Nook: 1, 2; 3rd Bedroom: Window View, Room, Closet; Master Suite: Walk-In Closet 1 & 2, 1, 2; Master Bathroom: Medicine Cabinet 1 & 2, Toilet Cabinet, Magazine Rack, Toilet Light, Sink Fixture, Above Tub Fixtures, Hand Towel Holder, Garden Tub 1 & 2; Second Tub Fixtures; Kitchen: Cabinet Inside, Undermount Sink & Connections, Overall Kitchen Picture, Pantry, Main Counter; GE Advantium Oven: 1, 2, 3, 4; GE Triton XL Dishwasher: Outside, Label, Jet Dry Dispenser, Inside, Controls; GE Profile Oven: Outside 1 & 2, Inside, Controls; Smoke Detector; Utility Room: Connections 1 & 2, Shelves, Closet; Gameroom: Entry, Inside 1 & 2; Backyard: 1, 2, Side Yard, Flood Light; Garage: 1 & 2, Fusebox; Sprinkler Control Unit; Outside Meters 1 & 2; Outside Patio Connections; Great Room: 1, 2, Reworked Ceiling, 3, 4, 5; Mailbox; Security Panel; Views From Property 1 & 2; Shrubbery: 1, 2, 3, 4.
March 19, 2004: The brick front porch has been laid, the ceiling has been refloated (again) and repainted, and various damaged walls in the house have been repaired and repainted. They are still drying, as the repairs were recent. They have also finished the proper plumbing for the utility sink, and they are repainting the repaired sheet rock there, as well. The mailbox is finally being constructed, too! 3/19/2004 Lot Picture; A/C Thermostats: 1, 2; Brick Front Porch; Paint Repairs: Refloated Ceiling, Utility Room, Formal Dining; Fireplace; Mailbox Construction: 1, 2.
March 18, 2004: Well, I stopped by the house today . . . and my digital camera's battery was not in, but still . . . I will post about the progress. I walked inside, and again, everything in the great room area was covered in plastic and the ceiling was being completely redone, and it looks like they are on the right path. There is still some sheet rocking and paint work that needs to be done in the formal dining area from a plumbing mishap they had during installing the utility sink and cabinetry in the utility room. But, all is well . . . looking forward to closing. :-)
March 17, 2004: The house is looking closer to closing. They have begun to brick the front porch, the yard is looking better, etc. I met with the builder a hair after 1:00 pm to discuss issues I had with the house. The builder was aware of almost everything. The only big issue was the imperfections in the ceiling which he is going to attempt to fix by refloating the entire ceiling. I also added some cabinetry and counter space in the utility room, quite last minute. We postponed the final walkthrough until he can get the ceiling issue resolved. On a separate note, I have begun buying the necessities for the house. I purchased a Stainless Steel Samsung Fridge with all the bells and whistles; a GE Profile Harmony Washer & Dryer with touch screen controls, communications between units, and more; a Sony 50" LCD TV. I was fortunate to receive Italian Leather Couches my parents were looking to replace in their home. I still plan on buying a Sealy Posturpedic LakeCrest EuroPillowTop mattress & box spring set. And, I think that will cover me for now. I didn't have the camera, but I will try to take more pictures soon. I'm looking forward to moving in!
March 11, 2004: The house is doing well . . . close to the same as yesterday. I took a few pictures. 3/11/2004 Lot Picture; Garden Tub Jets; Tuscan Stone Fireplace.
March 10, 2004: Well, I immediately noticed that the door was completely stained and beautiful, I am very happy with it and the brushed nickel finish on the handle and lock. I went inside and also noticed that appliances were in! They are still wrapped in white plastic, though, so you can't see the stainless steel finish on the oven or dishwasher, yet. The appliances also don't appear installed, yet, but they should be soon. It's looking pretty close! 3/10/2004 Lot Picture; Entryway; Front Door: 1, 2, 3; GE Advantium Oven: 1, 2, 3; GE Triton XL Dishwasher; GE Oven & Gas Cooktop: 1, 2; Kitchen: 1, 2.
March 8, 2004: I just cruised by the outside on my way home and noticed the front door was on, instead of the normal temporary door which they have been using! It has not been stained, yet, though. I did not have my camera at the house today, so no pictures. I have a feeling it will be stained very fast, so I may not get pictures of the door unstained.
March 6, 2004: There is carpet in the house, now! Again, my tree is tilted. They have cleaned up quite a bit, but other than that . . . not much else has changed. 3/6/2004 Lot Picture; Formal Dining: Carpet, View; Great Room: 1, 2; Garage; Kitchen.
March 4, 2004: Well, I went in today . . . and the house was cleaned up substantially from the way it was before. Looks like things are getting close to done. They still need to pad and make sure the lawn is uniform, redo the ceiling in the great room (still not done the way I expect), and caulk various points around the home . . . along with some more painting, cleaning, and then carpeting. Then, everything should be done. I have my homeowner's insurance squared away (Thanks Rob!) through Traveler's and HRH for an incredible rate. The pictures of the house speak for themselves, so here they are: 3/4/04 Lot Picture, Entryway, Great Room, Kitchen: 1, 2, 3; Bathrooms: Master Shower, Master Tub, Master Counter, Powder Room, Secondary Counter.
March 2, 2004: I went by the house today, but did not have my camera. The tilted trees were fixed, and the doors were locked. I peeked inside and noticed that the tiles were uncovered and ultra clean, however, the carpet or padding were not in, yet. Closing is coming up mighty soon!
March 1, 2004: Not too much was different today, however, they were putting up the backsplash in the kitchen . . . and the painters were there doing a little painting. On the outside, I noticed the trees were quite tilted 'cause of the wind. Sprinkler Control Panel, Fireplace, Kitchen Backsplash: 1, 2, 3; 3/1/04 Lot Picture, Rear of House.
February 26, 2004: This past week was so busy at work, and I was unable to stop by for a little bit. But, basically . . . the only ongoing issue was a flaw in the ceiling of the great room as far as taping the seams of the sheetrock goes, but the builder noticed and is taking care of it. :-) My builder, Will Johnson, has been great to date. Anyways, today I went to the house and noticed it looked different, but it took me a minute to put my finger on it. Then it hit me, "It's landscaped!" There are trees in the yard, there was a yard of grass! Along with the new fence, there were beautiful little bushes/shrubbery, etc. It really looked like a house I could just come home to. Luckily, the back door was unlocked and I was able to go inside! There were screens on the windows, too. The mirrors were up in the bathrooms, the security system was in place, but the house was still not carpeted. My builder said that would happen next week. I got a letter from the company that said my closing date will be on 3/19/04, but the builder said it would be even earlier than that. The attic was also open, and I took a trip up there, as well. Also, in the garage, I noticed the Sprinkler system controls were in place. As I was leaving, my wonderful neighbor came out and started a conversation! There's a wonderful family across the way . . . young family with two young children (ages 2 and 4), very friendly and personable. :-) 2/26/04 Lot Picture; Security System: Control Center, Access Panel; Powder Room; Rear of House; Sprinkler System Control Unit; Magazine Rack in Master Toilet Area; Archways; Attic: Entry, Heater, 1, 2, Windmill Exit To Atmosphere, Insulation, Insulation Document, Washer & Dryer Outlet; Landscaping: 1, 2, 3, 4.
February 19, 2004: Well, I got inside the house today, went during lunchtime. The granite countertops are in, the stone fireplace has been corrected, the glass for the shower is in, and the powder room has more stuff in it. There are a lot of paint issues all over that they will have to correct before closing, but I am sure that will be no problem. The security system and keypads are also in. The patio in the back has also been laid. 2/19/04 Lot Picture; Me At The House; Stone Fireplace; Fridge Water Outlet; Overall Kitchen Shot; Granite Shot (Plastic Wrapped); Fan In The Great Room; Medicine Cabinet (Master Bathroom); Patio; Powder Room; Regular Doorknobs; Master Shower; Towel Hanger.
February 17, 2004: During the past week, I have been squaring away my loan and my homeowner's insurance. My friend, who works for HRH (Rob), got me a great deal on my homeowner's insurance with extended coverage on almost every account (Thanks, Rob!). Also, I got approved for my loan without a co-signer, which I was very proud of . . . as I had worked hard to build my credit during college. So, those were the offsite developments in the housing process. On site, when I visited today, I was actually locked out. The front door and garage were locked, so I had no way in. So, I can't share any developments on the inside. However, I did peek through windows as much as I could and didn't notice too much development. On the outside, the gutters were on the roof and run down the house. Outside lighting fixtures were in place. And, my new air conditioning units are there (those of you who know me know how important the A/C is to me!) and connected. Also, I noticed that there was a sticker on the window displaying my security system, so I assume that is installed, now. 2-17-04 Lot Picture; Gutters: 1, 2; Outside Lighting Fixtures: Entryway, Foundation Lights - 1, 2, Driveway; Security Sticker; Air Conditioning: 1, 2.
February 10, 2004: Although the outside of the house looks the same, there have been many notable changes on the inside. Most of the bathroom, lighting, electrical, and plumbing fixtures are in place. The elongated toilets are in place, and so are the smoke detectors. I also have spoken with the builder, and he confirmed that the wrong fireplace was put in . . . and that will be taken care of, shortly. Foundation lighting fixtures and patio fixtures seem to be in place, and the attic was open and looked, well, like an attic. Things are moving right along, I am most looking forward to seeing how my cut of granite for the countertops will look. 2-10-04 Lot Picture; Bathroom Fixtures: Brushed Nickel Master Bathroom (Sink, Shower), Chrome Guest Bathroom (Sink, Shower); Lighting Fixtures: Powder Room, Breakfast Area, Recessed Can Lights; Under Kitchen Sink; Doorbell; Garage Fuse Boxes; Smoke Detector; Outlets; Rear of House.
Rear of House - 2/10/2004
February 6, 2004: Never is there slow progress. Today I noticed the garage door is there, a lot of the inside lighting fixtures are in place, some of the base mouldings are in place. Also, the bathrooms appear to be tiled, and the small guest bathroom appears to have the counter in place along with the tile. I also noticed that hte fireplace was not the cast stone Tuscan fireplace that I had paid and asked for, so I left messages for the builder who is currently out of town, so that can get taken care of. I could be wrong, they may still have to put the stone around it, but I still wanted to address that concern to the builder. 2/6/2004 Lot Picture; Master Bathroom Ceiling Nook; Master Bathroom Tile; Other Bathroom Tile; Cabinets: 1, 2, 3; Fireplace; Lighting Fixtures: Formal Dining Room, 1, 2, Master Bathroom, 3, 4; Garage: Fuse Box, Door, Outside; Kitchen Pantry
February 3, 2004: Things are continuing to move at a very fast pace . . . they were tiling the floor, I had most of the floor done in a nice Navarro tile, this was nice to finally see. Also, the outside of the house appeared to be completely bricked and done up in the nice Austin chalk stone . . . looks great to me. I also noticed that all the cabinets were here, and the counter was ready to hold the granite countertops which should be here anyday. I am looking forward to seeing how my cuts of granite will look. I did do a step up on the granite to make sure I had more useful space and a nicer look, bar useage, etc. 2/3/04 Lot Picture, Front Entryway Shot, Tiling, Fireplace, Cabinets, Side House Shot, Address Block
January 31, 2004: Well, leaps and bounds . . . I can't believe how fast they put up brick and the irregularly shaped stones - they are almost done with that part! Not to mention that the inside had a coat of paint and texture on the walls, and the cabinets were in the kitchen. It's going fast as normal! I also need to be sure to secure my loan, decide on appliances, and a few other things sometime in the near future. 1/31/04 Lot Picture, Great Room Entry Shot, Game Room Entry Shot, Kitchen
January 26, 2004: They finished all the sheet rock, and I noticed that the brick has arrived and they ahve started bricking, as well. I also am having the front and various parts done up in Austin White Rock instead of brick to provide a bit of contrast, and that has also arrived. The archways are all in place and look great . . . and now you can really see how high the ceilings really are, too . . . there were workers inside walking around on stilts to reach the top. I also noticed that the first Energy Star inspection had been done, and there was a passing certificate on my door. :-) Energy Star Initial Inspection Results, 1/26/2004 Lot Picture, Brick and White Rock, Archways, Great Room Windows, Entryway & High Ceilings
January 21, 2004: They have started putting on all the sheet rock, and I have noticed that also a lot of the brick has arrived. All the insulation appears to be in, and instead of an open framed inside . . . it is now more representative of how the home will be with walls and such. Not much else has changed, there are now can light fixtures in the ceiling of the kitchen and hallways, and everything else seems to be great. :-) 1/21/2004 Lot Picture; Brick 1, 2, 3; Side View Image
January 11, 2004: I have visited the house several times since my last update, but I did not have my camera . . . and progress was not nearly as rapidly noticeable as it as in previous days . . . so I am just going to make a very detailed update now. The house is looking more like a house everyday, there is a roof, a chimney, a lot of other fixtures on the roof, doors, electrical wiring, termite protection on the frame, and much more. I noticed my garden tub (or the base of it) is in place, and so is the other tub for the other bedrooms. Below is a picture of the back of the home. Tomorrow I have my meeting with the builder now that everything is framed so they can start putting up sheet rock and insulation and bricks and all that. It's looking like a good start. :-) Roof and Chimney, Sold Sign, Master Bedroom Window (Rear of House), Inside (Green Stuff is Termite Protection), Garage Electrics, Garden Tub (Early Stages), Archways on Ceiling, Angled Lot Picture, 1/11/2004 Lot Picture
January 11, 2004 - Back of Home (Notice Water Behind)
December 28, 2003: I took the first pictures of the house since it looks very obviously like a home. :-) The progress on building the home seems to be just phenomenally fast at this point, and I took more pictures. It rained yesterday, but there was concrete for me to walk on today, so there was no messing up of my shoes. =P I have taken more pictures to give an idea of the state of the build as of today. 12/29/2003 Lot Picture, Front View Picture, Garage, Cleanliness Sign, Inside Shots: 1, 2, 3
December 26, 2003: After a busy week and the lack of a digital camera, I had not visited the house for closer to a week. It looks like a house, now. I regret that I did not get a picture of the house when it was framed, before all the wood panels and windows were put up. There was the structure of a roof with the special Tech-Shield I wanted under the roofing in place. All the windows were already in, there was wood on the walls, and you could walk through and imagine living there in not too long! It's very exciting. The house looks larger than I imagined, at this point. There is a house being constructed across the street, in much later stages than mine. As I was looking at the house today, I was approached by the future resident of this house . . . my first encounter with my future neighbors! She (I only got to meet the mother, today) was very friendly and pleasant . . . a young, married couple with children. Very nice people. :-) I look forward to meeting them again in the future!
December 19, 2003: Today I was very surprised to see that in just a day or so, the entire house appeared framed. I was able to walk through the house and see where rooms, walls, and doorways will be in the future. I was very surprised to see how fast things are moving. I did not have my camera today for pictures.
December 18, 2003: As I am pulling near the neighborhood from the main road, I always try to see my lot before I arrive there. Today was the first day I could notice the portions of the wood frame from the main road. This was a welcome surprise. :-) There were a lot of workers and vehicles outside the lot, so it was difficult to get a good picture of the lot. 12/18/2003 Lot Picture
December 16, 2003: Today the lot was dry enough for me to walk on without making a mess out of my shoes. I actually got to walk down what will be my driveway. That was pretty neat. 12/16/2003 Lot Picture
December 15, 2003: Today was the first day I saw any workers on my lot and many workers' cars parked outside. I noticed that the driveway and sidewalk were being framed, in addition to everything else that was done. I did not have my digital camera with me, so I could not take pictures today.
December 14, 2003: Today was much like the 12th, however . . . it was not raining and such, so I could take better pictures. To my surprise, the mud and such was still wet enough to get my shoes caked in mud. And to my delight, I saw children in my neighborhood riding bicycles! In all my home shopping, many more beautiful days and full neighborhoods, thousands of homes passed . . . and this was the first time I had seen this, and it was in the neighborhood that I am building in. This was great to see. Red Cabling, 12/14/2003 Lot Picture
December 12, 2003: It was raining today, the first day of rain since the construction began. I noticed that the giant hole where the green sewer pipe was coming up from last time is now filled, and there is red cabling in a pattern where some of the foundation is to be laid. I didn't take a lot of detailed or good pictures 'cause of the rain, but I did get nice and muddy while walking just a few steps up to see the red cabling. Red Cable, 12/12/2003 Partial Lot Picture
December 10, 2003: Today I noticed deeper trenches in different places, a sewage line that is sticking way out of a deep ditch, and various other changes. 12/10/2003 Lot Picture
December 9, 2003: Wow, things are happening! I was excited to see the lot dug up, a lot of piping in place, various pathways dug, and much more. I realized at this point that I had not discussed placement of power outlets with the builder, so I went to his place and mentioned that. (I thought the copper tubes were electrical related.) He said that he will put them in appropriate places to plan for my electronics, and if we need more depending on where I place subwoofers and equipment and such, we can talk about that at the framing stage of the house. I was very pleased with my talk with the builder, he's very receptive and inviting . . . I wasn't expecting that, and was pleasantly surprised. 12/9/2003 Lot Picture
December 5, 2003: The construction has began, I met with the builder of my house for the first time and we had a very long meeting going over every single detail in the house, adding last minute options, and just generally making sure everybody was on the same page. He had informed me that the lot had already been prepped and most of the building materials had already been ordered and construction had technically began. I was excited. 12/5/2003 Lot Picture
This page was last updated on April 23, 2004. If you have any questions or comments, please send an E-Mail by clicking here to express your thoughts. Thank you.
© Vivek K. G.; 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.
