Let there be light!

 Can lighting in kitchen (upgrade)

   Vinyl laid in bathrooms and mudroom (it really looks like tile which is great)

   Basement lighting going in

   Master Bath light fixture 

   Extra full bath light fixture (kind of small- thank goodness for the can light over the tub)

   Tub in hall bath

Yesterday my hubs and I were able to go in the house to take measurements of the windows for blinds.  I was able to hear them installing our cute little door bell!!!! So exciting.  Next week we should be able to have lighting!!

Day 57 and 23 days till closing!

It's so nice seeing my countdown get smaller.  It seems like yesterday we were at our pre-construction meeting thinking July was so far away.  Today we met our PM at 2:30 to view progress. We were told vinyl would be installed yesterday.  Which would be the mudroom,powder room and bathrooms.  When I arrived our PM informed us the flooring people no showed yesterday!!! But he located them after many calls and frustrating conversations.  And they will be out tonight!  They kind of put a kink in the schedule because installers for the cabinets had to wait on the bathrooms and trim work had to be postponed in those rooms due to the flooring not being in.  But he assured us everything will be on track tomorrow.  

Yet, to my surprise.... I walked into many unexpected completions.  It felt like Christmas!!  As we walked into the kitchen the cabinets had been Installed!!! They were gorgeous.  Trim work had been done, one coat of paint, hvac vents installed, stair well banister installed, and thermostat!!!! So many things!! It looked fantastic.  I tried to find issues but everything seemed great.  I feel really blessed that I have had such a smooth experience.  Our PM has been so attentive.  We had a few broken windows and a cracked step initially after framing.  But they were already ordered and waiting in the garage.  He told us its best to wait till the end.  You avoid them getting broken again!

I took a few photos of today! I couldn't really get any photos of the basement since its so dark.  But our meters should be installed for electric this week so we will have power and air! Woohoo 

   I love this kitchen so much

   A view from the morning room

   Basement has a rail

   Check out the banister!

   View from the master bedroom

   View going down :)

   Our double bowl waiting for installation

   The kids bathroom vanity waiting to be installed

Deal of the day!  We have been searching for our morning room lighting.  We paid extra for the rough in but decided to purchase our own light to save.  We found a 5 light chandelier on Craigslist new in the box for $40!!! Still listed at lowes for $200!!!  Whew what a relief.  Now to find a garage door opener.  We found a chamberlain at lowes for $158.  Ryan wanted to charge $495 for a Genie which is $128 at lowes lol.  So we will definitely be saving :)

Hope everyone is moving along in the building process!

Look at this little GEM....

So earlier I made a post just like this one.  It was a copy of an email I received.  Yet, for some reason the photo would not show.  So instead I just copied the email.

Lodovico, Adam
Jun 23 (2 days ago)
to me

Paint prime coat on Monday.  Hard flooring areas on Tuesday.  Trim work cabinets start wednesday.  It all gets exciting from here on out.  Hopefully driveway will go in this week as well.
Adam

Isn't that so exciting?  My husband drove by this afternoon and said there were about 10 workers going in and out of our home.  We have set up a time tomorrow with our PM to go in and see the progress.  I hope the kitchen has been started at that point!!!

I am really anxious for the siding and shutters to go up...

Still glad we locked so long ago.  I feel horrible reading all of these fellow bloggers posts about the rates and not being able to reach someone to lock!!

25 days till closing!!

Whose counting?? Only 25 days till closing...

We are so excited to finally have the keys to our home.  Everytime we drive by it gets harder and harder to not want the keys now.   I have an email out to our PM asking what the next step is for us this week.  I am really hoping our kitchen cabinets and counter tops arrive soon.  I can't wait to see it all laid out.  I am so excited for the gourmet island.  It is probably my favorite part of the house.  Funny thing is I am not a huge chef or anything lol! It's just really pretty I think :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Light at the end of the tunnel...

There is light at the end of the tunnel.  I can't really go into detail but I can say that we are on the home stretch and things worked out in our favor ;)  So relieved that things are starting to smooth themselves out.  Living out of your home for several months and then having them throw curve balls can make things even more stressful!

We snuck in the house the other night and seen that they are in the final stages of dry wall!  We also are completely bricked! Just waiting for our Hardiplank siding to arrive for the sides.  Things are really moving along!

We have an address :) I love the way it is built in the brick

The Hardiplank siding will be placed in the remaining areas on the side and back of our home.

Basement

Basement 

Laundry area

Master bedroom

Morning room 

Upstairs

Kitchen

Living room

Thanks to my iPhone for my photography skills ;) sorry they are small! Hope to hear our next steps on Monday!

Update and brick work..

So you may have seen my previous post about "NVR Drama."  We'll here it is.  Some may have seen in the past that my husband and I decided to shop our rates.  We found an outside lender that would lock us 70 days out and pay most of our closing.  So we emailed our GFE rates to our LO who did try really hard to match.  But with the rate increases and us locking so early it was hard to compare.  In the beginning we were told as long as we let NVR run our numbers and give them an opportunity we received the credit.  Also, if for some reason we found an outside lender and they could not compare we would still be due our credit.  Well everyone knows verbal isn't sufficient so I made sure to get in writing this was possible.  I have saved every piece of correspondence since day one if it dealt with our house.  Well thank goodness I did!!! Right after our pre-drywall walk through.  We received confirmation of our walk through and settlement times. I reached out to NVR/Ryan and reminded them we have our own lender.  Thinking they knew since I told my LO for the last 2 months.  Well I guess it was a big surprise.  I have received emails and calls concerning not receiving this lender credit.  Well news flash to them...I have written proof others have received this credit.  So I have had to forward it on to 3 people.  My outside lender has been so supportive and told them she cannot change our loan documents without our written consent.  As of this time I have an email out to our SR because our issue has now made its way to the District President of the area!!  In my email I backed up my proof along with quoting the Mortgage Steering Act.  Which is against the law.  It is a consumer protection law.  Which is exactly what is happening to us.  I could understand if they took the credit because we went with someone else and they had the same comparisons.  Yet, they do not.  It is a whole percent higher and thousands out of pocket.  Not to mention the $100 payment difference per month over 30 years! No brainer.

Just to clarify we have had a wonderful building experience and really everyone has been very good at communication with Ryan and NVR.  It's the big dogs higher up who are being the sticklers!  

In other news...they started brick yesterday!

Here are some photos from yesterday and today :) our drywall also is almost complete.  Our PM said it should be this weekend!!! Then onto the good stuff :)

   Yesterday

   Today

The side and back started,  the brick on the sides go up half way then we will have the Hardiplank siding :)

Sugar Creek is our brick selection And I LOVE it!!

Hopefully tomorrow we will have a definite answer on the incentive issues!!!

Drywall- Day 45

The storms rolled through and thankfully our house is still standing!! No damage or delays.  We were able to sneak over yesterday and get some pictures in the evening.  I am starting to get a little more brave with the drywall being up.  Yet, there were tons of nails everywhere!  As of right now they only have the basement remaining to get the drywall up! It only took them one day to do the upstairs and man level.  It's awesome to finally see the 4th bedroom.  We really had no idea how it would look not having the railing on that side.  But it blends great. Plus my daughters closet is fairly long and large.  Perfect for a girl!

In a previous post I mentioned our garage door was on back order. So we had a white one until it came in.  It came in yesterday!!! I am really satisfied with the color.  My husband was originally leaning more towards the white during selections but really loves that we picked the almond trim and garage now.  :) we haven't really seen anyone in the community with it.  So it was hard to envision.  

We also got really exciting news yesterday via email!

Here are some pictures I snapped yesterday....

          Morning room view

   Allexah checking out her closet

   Stairwell by Allexah's bedroom-orignal floor plan is a loft but we had it made into 4th bedroom.

    Stairs-can't wait to see the banister

    View of kitchen and morning room

    Standing in kitchen viewing living room, hallway to powder room, and study in the front

   Almond garage door

   View of front before brick

Brick may have started today!!

Hope everyone has a great Father's Day!!!

Pre-Drywall Meeting

Well today we had an unexpected surprise! We stopped by the model to sign our change form for the staining selection since the color has since been swapped and doesn't at all look like what we picked. Our PM happened to be there and asked if we wanted to move up our meeting from tomorrow to today!!! Which was great because I wasn't going to be able to go.  

Our home is finally making its way down the completion stretch.  The outlets, wiring, gas lines. Plumbing and vents for exhaust and microwave have all been placed and approved!! Our insulation was completed today as well.  Our PM basically pointed out where everything was and what will happen next.  I am really satisfied at this point.  He is super nice and very attentive.  A lot of stuff I noticed he already has notes to fix or things on order.  Our dry wall is set to start Friday.  Our brick work is set to start about that time as well!  I am a little nervous about the brick because it looks slightly different than what we picked.  But our PM said once they wash it down it will match more true to what I thought.  

As for the set close/delivery he said he will get that to us tomorrow!!!! So excited!! We have got to close before our great rate expires!! He said he will do everything he can to get us there.  Without cutting corners of course.  I was horrible today and forgot to take pictures!! I was taking it all in.  

I am really hoping these storms they keep talking about aren't that bad.  I need my home to stay on track!!! Until next time....take care!!! <3

Views from a distance- Day 39

As promised our PM emailed us photos late last night.  As well as one of my husband's family friends who stops by and checks the progress on occasion.  So here are their photo updates combined...

Electrical outlets and wiring installed

Ventilation installed

Brick delivered and staged

Outlets/wiring view

Vent :) 

Ventilation 

Furnace :)

This is standing in the finished portion of the basement

Bedroom #4 (Spare room) cable hookup

Bedroom #3 Maverick's Room cable hookup

Bedroom #1-master cable hook up.  You can also see the kids full bath through the non-existent wall :)

Bedroom #2 Allexah's room cable hook up

Brick Staging

Side of brick which you can't really see the colors that well

Front living area cable hook up

Living room cable hook up

Kitchen with microwave ventilation that vents outside of the house and plumbing

Looking from soon to be finished basement to unfinished portion that will have our laundry hook up

Our laundry hook up :) we elected to have ours put in the basement so we could utilize the mud room and not walk through the laundry room from the garage everyday.  Especially since I hate folding clothes! Ha

So much is getting done as we speak. The weather was beautiful today in Florida! We all got a little toasty. Tropical storm Andrea didn't hurt us too much :)

Until next time...