Groundbreaking!

This actually occurred last Friday, but since I worked all weekend I was just too lazy to update the blog.  We drove by today, but I don't think anything new had been done since Friday.

Bad Omen?

Groundbreaking was supposed to occur yesterday, but we received quite a bit of rain so there was no digging.  Not a big surprise there, so I looked to Wednesday.  Today's weather was about as perfect as you can get in January.  No snow, no rain and the sun was out.

And not an inch of dirt moved.  Nothing like starting off 2 days behind schedule.   I want my new house.

Edit:  Received an email this evening from the Ryan sales rep.  Evidently the Town delayed approving our permits due to the MLK holiday....*rolls eyes*.  Groundbreaking is now set to start Friday.

Selections

Hi All - its "the wife" blogging...Watch Out!
Thought we would post some pictures of the color selections we made...
The photo of the brick, stone, shutter and siding has the wrong siding sample. Long story short, I had heard things that Autumn Beige may have a pink hue to it. After "googling" many pictures, I was freaked out about the siding and immediately had it changed to Stone Mountain Clay (even though it was the day after our pre-construction meeting!! TG we were able to change it. Many thanks to our very understanding Sales Rep!! )
I am a bit nervous about our tile choice in the bathroom. I'm afraid the tile is too light for such a dark cabinet. I'm not as nervous about it in the master, since we'll have the tile accents, but in the other bathrooms, we'll have the tile and the white cultured marble top with the black cab. I guess we never really looked into what the cost would be for granite in other bathrooms.... I hope it ends up looking ok. Originally we had selected the Maple Cognac cabinet, but after looking at flooring selections, we just didn't like any of the samples w/ the Cognac cab. So we chose the floor we liked, and chose the cab that looked the best (we thought) and that was Espresso. I love the contrast it has with the floor and that it will have with the New Venetian Gold granite. I'm afraid, however, that the dark Espresso will be somewhat of a fad, and become dated - but I'm going to love it anyway!

Scottsdale Maple Espresso Cabinet and New Venetian Gold Granite for gourmet kitchen

Scottsdale Maple Espresso Cab w/ Wheat Granite for master bath

Scottsdale Maple Espresso Cabinet w/ Bruce Legacy Manor Hickory Spice Tint 5" plank

Espresso Cab w/ Brixton Bone 12x12 tile w/ accent tile in master bath

(again) Espresso Cab w/ Brixon Bone and accent tile

Shaw Cocoa Beach berber carpet for basement & Shaw Fine Linen (Harbor Collection) carpet for 2nd level

Our stone selection, Buff, and brick, Cedar Creek w/ Black Shutters/Door
However, this is a sample of Autumn Beige siding NOT Stone Mountain Clay

Pre-construction meeting

We met with Dave (the builder) on Wednesday, exactly one month after I handed the sales rep the largest amount of money I have ever held.  The previous month had been pretty uneventful in terms of our new home- all of our selections had already been finalized and we were just waiting on the Town to approve the permits for our new home.  Here and there my wife would change her mind on some little detail and I would have to drive over to the model to initial yet another change order.  I would like to say that the Christmas holiday went well, but our son brought a stomach bug home from school that made both of us sick (of course I got it the worst).  But so it goes. (Did you catch the Kurt Vonnegut reference?  That's right, a little nerd for ya).

Our meeting with Dave was pretty quick.  All he did was go over the list of our selections and upgrades.  And my God, there were a ton of them.  When everything was laid out on paper, it was a little dizzying.  Did we really opt for all of this stuff?  But the good news was that the Town approved our permits and groundbreaking will be on Tuesday!  That means our new home is scheduled to be complete about the first week of April.

All marked off and ready for digging

There was one small disappointment though.  We were informed that Ryan is unable to install the exposed wooden stairs w/runner on the Rome.  I know this isn't a huge deal, but this was one of the few things that I really wanted.  And to be told it could be done for $750 and then have it taken away 2 months later was a little disheartening.

And I think this happens to most homebuilders, but immediately after our meeting with Dave, my wife drove over to the design studio and began second-guessing the flooring selections.  We decided to go with our gut instinct and leave our choices intact.   We were also informed that the price of the Rome model in our community has suffered yet another price increase of $10,000.  That's a $20,000 in less than 2 months!  And now Ryan is offering only the free morning room instead of the free morning room and free finished full basement.  It's almost like getting instant equity!

Cedar Creek Brick (will be partial with stone on facade and full wrap on 1st level, sides/rear) w/ Black Shutters and Door

Buff Stone (will be partial w/ brick on facade)

Stone Mountain Clay siding example (will be on 2nd level sides and rear)

I will attempt to list most of the selections and upgrades that we opted for:

• Rome Elevation C w/ partial brick and stone facade - Brickcraft Cedar Creek, Buff Stone
• Stone Mountain Clay siding
• Full Brick wrap on first level (sides and rear)
• 3 car garage
• black shutters and door

Basement

• Coco Beach berber carpet with 8lb pad
• full finished basement
• full bath in basement

First Floor

• morning room with optional side windows
• gourmet kitchen with Scottsdale Espresso cabinetry (42 inch with crown molding)
• New Venetian granite countertops
• family room with rear stone fireplace, with 2 eyeball lights and recessed lighting
• hardwood flooring on first floor except for study and family room - Bruce Legacy Manor Spice Tint
• Trim Package Option 3 (2 piece crown in formal living room, study and dining room. 2 piece chair rail in formal living room and dining room.  "Box"molding in dining room. 
• Non-standard trim option of "box" molding in formal living area to match dining room
• wrought iron spindles on staircase

2nd Floor

• non-standard crown molding in master bedroom
• upgraded master bath with soaker tub and ceramic tile surround
• Wheat granite countertop in master
• Espresso cabinets in all bathrooms
• optional 3rd full bath in guest room
• Fine Linen carpeting with 8lb pad throughout
• Brixton Bone ceramic tile in all bathrooms and laundry room
• stationary tub added into laundry room

Guardian Upgrades:

• Silver surround sound package in basement
• extra motion, heat, carbon monoxide sensors
• cable and phone lines

Other:

• Lighting Package C, brushed nickel
• all bath fixtures are brushed nickel
• upgraded kitchen sink and faucet
• fan rough-ins in all bedrooms, morning room and family room
• 80 gallon water heater
• Stainless Appliance Package 4 with GE Profile Stainless appliances