So Many Decisions – We are Prepared
The decisions we must make are numerous but I guess that's what a custom-built home is all about. Nancy even has to take a few days off work to accommodate all the meetings with people who have different areas of expertise. The budget for upgrades is $28,500 which is built into the cost of the house but we know that we are going to go over. We sign off on: Appliances, Cabinets ($18,000 extra), Interior Selections, Carpet, Flooring, Moldings, Baseboards...just a hundred things to think about right down to door knobs, mud room and even coat hangers. Instead of hardwood flooring we choose a luxury vinyl plank, cheaper and more durable for the kids.
Not Looking Forward to All the Meetings. Why?
The meetings we have at suppliers and at the 'Galleria' at Albi Estates are numerous. The emails back and forth are in the hundreds. Some of the choices we make seem small, like square sinks for the vanities instead of the usual tiny round ones because we like the look and find them more functional, but they all cost money and add up quickly. At the galleria interior selections appointment #1 with Deborah the interior designer, we choose plumbing fixtures, some of the flooring and many other choices. A portion of our upgrades is about $3,500 for the high-end Delta plumbing fixtures. Deborah is fantastic and we leave the meeting feeling pretty good. For shelving and mirrors we go to three meetings and go over budget by about $3,500. Some meetings are easier than others. I am nervous about the upcoming Lighting meeting.
Going to the Lighting Meeting Prepared but – Still Nervous
We go to Cartwright Lighting nine times in total. Lighting is one thing that you can really let get out of hand and we want to make the right choices. Josh, a sales rep at Cartwright Lighting makes a diagram during the meeting to help us design a custom dining room fixture. He is great and he answers all of our questions. In fact he has a system that he follows to help home owners step by step with the lighting of the 'whole' home. We figure on three pendants above the kitchen island instead of pot lights. The budget the builder gives us is $3,800 but we went over by $2,800 including one fixture that cost over $1,000 for the stairs. We are quite happy and think we are doing a great job of balancing budget with style.
Lots of decisions have been made – A Major Education
The thing about the meetings is that it's great to have all these choices to make it a dream home, but then later you wonder if you made the right choices. We are only human after all. I can certainly say that it has been an education, learning about all the different aspects that go into the design of a house. It can be very overwhelming! Doing a lot of research before and keeping a budget in mind when going into each meeting can really make things easier.
...still more meetings to come and the building is delayed yet again...
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