March 27 - Misc Tasks

March 28

The pace seems to have slowed a bit, but things are clearly happening on the property.

1. They poured the cement for the sidewalk. (great but the steps are not very wide)
2. They installed the metal accent roof (looks great!)
3. Electrical, plumbing - significant progress
4. Granite countertops installed (they look so awesome!)
5. Installed the glasswork around the master BR shower (nice).

We still have no resolution on the tiling SNAFU. I'm a little worried they are thinking it will just go away. The Ryan folks have been understanding but no resolution after a week.

I continue to see items that are fine as is, but if given the option, I would have upgraded. I wish Ryan made some of these upgrades available at the beginning of the buying process. They would have made more money and we would be even happier. However, we knew this would be the case when we purchased, so no regrets or complaints - just suggestions for the future.

The front porch pillars, the floors/carpets, and the final landscaping are the only major items remaining. We've noticed a few issues and our project manager, Jason and his assistant Jeff, has been terrific and responsive. It's great to work with a team that has experience and integrity.



Some photos!

March 18 - Tilework Surprise

March 18 - Tilework Surprise

This Saturday we went by the house, which is looking great. Saturdays are clearly workdays for many different crews, including drywallers, painters, cabinet installers, electrical component installers, and masons.

The more we see the more I realize how many moving parts there are in a home like this. Just when it looks like things are almost done, it seems there is something new going on that I didn't think of.

Anyway, one of the things that was getting installed over the weekend is the tiling in the bathrooms. Lets start with the master. We got some awesome slate tile for the floor in the master, with a granite countertop and white subway tile for the spa-tub and two person shower. We also got a tiled floor on the shower rather than a plastic (ish) one piece floor.  I have to say it really looks awesome! The design of the bathroom was a little non-specific when we selected the upgrade option, but now I'm really glad we got it!

The other three full baths had a surprise for us. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ryan didn't offer any options where we could get a shower instead of a tub in any of the other baths, so they all have the same layout - sink, tub, toilet. We selected the exact same tile/cabinet for each. We chose a coffee-colored cabinet, with a standard white, one piece top, and a sand-colored 12x12 tile floor. So far so good, that's exactly what we got. However, for the batch tile, we thought we selected a brown 12x12 tile with a multi-colored brown horizontal accent strip about 18 inches below the top of the tile.

However, what we saw was 6x6 white tiles with the multi-colored brown accent strip. The combination looks kind of, well, ugly. Here's a photo:

So, we went back to our spec sheet and, sure enough, the sheet specified exactly what we saw. Of course, we were pretty surprised at this, since it's not what we thought we specified. We know that we should have caught it when we inspected the sheet. The problem is that the spec sheet has so many details and acronyms, it was really hard to notice the mistake.

At this point, we've notified the builder about the issue, and they've notified the interior design contractor about the issue. We're not sure what is going to happen next. However, I have to say that the Ryan team has been very responsive in jumping on the situation. I'll update this post when we have a resolution.

March 9-15 - Siding, Cabinets, Trim, Interior Paint, Porch

March 15 - Lots Happening!

We were away for a few days and came home to find the drywall completed, a primer coat of paint, a second coat of paint, stairway railings, wall trim, kitchen cabinets, and even the siding all completed or partially underway. I'm sure there's plenty more to do, but it's definitely starting to feel like it's almost done.

I'm not sure how others experience this phase, but for me, every time something new is started, I find my self being very happy with our decisions during the original specification stage. Little things, like the balusters on the stairs and the oak finish on the stairs just look so great when you see them installed. Of course big things, like the great room extension, the morning room, and the bonus room are awesome as well. However, I'd have to say the most significant option we selected on this model is the alternate kitchen layout. By moving the pantry into the side hallway, a lot of extra room is created in the kitchen - for additional counter space and cabinets. Also, the master bedroom is larger, as is the laundry room and the arrival center, which includes a coat closet. If I could only get one major option, that would be it.

Here's some photos. More to come soon!

The Winterbrook is an interesting model. It feels much bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. The layout certainly has a lot to do with it. I think the design makes great use of interior space to achieve that effect. The interior hallways don't take up much space, and with the open design, the dining room, foyer, and stairways blend together to for a larger space than any of them would be by themselves. The great room/kitchen/dining area/morning room combination is also a killer in that it's not boxy and provides some definition to each area while also sharing floorspace to create a feeling of a large space. We walked into a few of the Somerset View models, which are larger and more expensive, and the contrast is kind of striking. The SV has a large rectangular area for the kitchen/dining/great room, and it doesn't achieve the same effect. From the outside, the Winterbrook looks noticeably smaller than the SV models (of the 5 houses under construction right now, 4 are SV models). However, the full front porch elevation, which isn't finished yet, will go a long way to making the house looks plenty large and attractive.   I'd recommend making sure you look at a Winterbrook before making a decision. We're really glad we go it!

March 4 - Up Goes the Drywall

Up goes the drywall - March 4, 2017

After our Pre-Drywall Inspection on March 1 we expected a slow week of preparing the walls for drywall. Insulation, final piping systems, final power system installation was all in progress on the 1st. Plus one or more county inspections were needed before installation could begin.

Well, the Ryan machine just marches on relentlessly. We thought nothing would happen for a few days - until the beginning of the next week.But Laurie decided to stop by on Sunday afternoon on her way home from some shopping. Amazingly, all of the drywall was already installed.

At the same time, Ryan considers the home to be within about 7 weeks of completion and has scheduled our pre-purchase demonstration on the 24th of April and our closing on the 27th. Now that the closing has a date, it's become much more "real" and exciting. I guess that means it's time to start getting ready to move!

We're looking forward to having a nice patio in the back, so Laurie has started contacting contractors and working on some concepts. That means that once construction is completed, a whole host of new projects will begin. I think we've identified about 10 different projects, some of which will require contractors. It's going to be an expensive Summer! But a fun one!

Here's some quick pics Laurie took of our great room. Both are taken from the location of the future kitchen.

The Pre-Drywall Inspection 2 March

Pre-Drywall Inspection 2 March

We met with our project manager, Jason, at the home site for the pre-drywall inspection, which took an hour or so.  The Ryan building machine continues to march forward, seemingly relentlessly, and the home is looking really great.

At the meeting, Jason explained a number of the features of the building process and the home itself. It was fun to walk around and ask questions, or simply for more information about how the home was constructed. As has been the case all along, I've been impressed with the knowledge level of the project managers and their willingness to explain what is being done and why.

I've also been impressed by the details involved in building a new home in the modern era, as well as the different techniques that are now employed to make the house more solid, comfortable, and energy-efficient. For instance, I was unaware that floorboards are glued as well as nailed to the floor joists, and that drywall is also glued as well as screwed into the walls. Jason explained the process used to ensure the integrity of the pvc piping prior to drywalling, as well as the county inspection processes involved.

From what we can tell the home is coming along quite nicely. We remain very, very excited. At one point I was wishing the house was a little bigger, but now that it's framed, it seems plenty big as is.

My only issue is that the Ryan business model allows for very little flexibility up front when spec'ing the home. There is a standard set of options. However, the impression is made that anything non-standard is not permitted. But, of course, we see neighboring homes with some non-standard features. When asked we were told that the policy on non-standard features is kind of fluid. Things like extra windows in the foundation, or insulation/drywall on the weather sides of the garage, or extra insulation in interior walls, or a two-door option in the basement walkout, are small things that would make for a happier customer if they were offered. I realize the business model is proven and set, but some additional flexibility would probably go a long way. Just saying.

In any case, we're rolling with it and we're excited. Pictures to follow. It was just too cold and windy today to take many.