Great Island Debate Part 2

For those of you who tune in JUST to see how the island debate worked out- its over.  The change order for the gourmet island was signed today.  My dear husband really does want to see me happy.  Now for all you fellow husbands who rooted for him, he will be fine. He still has the vast majority of the basement he gets to set up any way he wishes (except for sofa choices- last time I let him do that he picked a futon).  He also gets to finish out the media room and the area of the wet bar any way his heart desires.

One of the things he is looking at (not this game but I can't give away his secrets ;)

So I get my island- he gets his arcade games, big screen TV, pool table, wet bar, poker table and new gaming system.  Fair trade right?

The Great Island Debate

So I ran through several ways of approaching my husband on the issue of getting the bigger island.  Well while I was deliberating on how best to approach him the change order from our SR came through email- BOTH of our emails.  Needless to say he was not happy.  

Now here comes the argument.  He said we both wanted the standard island.  I had to remind him that I wanted it and that he said we didn't need it.  He then informed me that by signing I agreed (mind you it was standard so there was nothing really to sign).  He wants the open space for "whatever".  

What's the "whatever"?- I don't know. GRRR! 

I want the extra counter space and cabinet space (after stuffing everything into 2 main cabinets I don't want to have to stuff ever again).  His thinking that anything over the 2 main cabinets should be good enough.  AHHHHH!  Mars and Venus I tell you, Mars and Venus.  

I do know one thing about me- if I can't convince him to sign the change order, I will hold a grudge for a very long time.  It won't be pretty.   BTW- I did apologize for not coming to him before I started my crusade but I think I already knew this battle was about to go down.  

Island Dilemma Resolved (sorta)

After emailing customer care TWICE, I finally got a call from the regional director.  I explained my concerns about the lack of compromise and how I would just like to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.  I was reminded that Ryan Homes does not do custom work and was therefore unable to handle my special request.  She also told me a comparable cabinet to Timberlake that I can purchase at Home Depot but the name escapes me.  What she did offer was the ability to do a late add on of the gourmet island- at regular price.  

So the whole purpose of  my one woman crusade was to negotiate a larger island at a cheaper price than the gourmet island.  I got the larger island but it will cost me about $1700!  The only reason why we didn't add it to the original selections was because my husband insisted that the standard would be fine.  I think it was more to cut costs but whatever, I didn't argue.  Now guess what?  If  I REALLY want that island I am going to have to sweet talk him into it.

Geez!  This island better be covered in gold.

Island Dilemma

Last night a fellow Courtland Gater - helped to answer a few of my pre construction questions.  Thanks CG Blogger!   He helped confirm the size of the standard island in the Courtland Gate- a mere 4 x4 for a kitchen measured at over 20' x 15'  with an attached morning room measured roughly at 16' x 11'.    The island will look like we purchased  a rolling cart out of a Sears catalog!

This island is the actually width of what they offer as standard!

So I made a non standard request- an extra base cabinet (single unit okay) with a longer piece of granite and have it run parallel to the kitchen sink.  Based on what I have been reading on the blogs- they answered with the typical RH "no"   In fact according to my SR- they qualified with absolutely no more changes.  Now, I found this really quite offensive as the only thing we actually did was to ADD windows and a garage service door.  That's it.  I didn't go back and forth with flooring, or tile or exterior color choices or deleted this to add it back- none of that.  Outside the 21 day window and they already ordered everything for our home.  Really?  We did not have the pre construction meeting yet, we have not broken ground AND the cabinets and thus the island is more likely to be installed roughly 60 days out from breaking ground.  I was then hit with "We order everything at the same time"  Please refer to my above disbelief.   "You can order the cabinet and do it yourself after settlement"  Uhm no- Timberlake is unlikely to sell me one cabinet and then I would have to do a search for the same granite and hope that my hardwood floors do not get damaged in the process.

Did I neglect to mention that I asked the size before and was not given an answer presumably because my SR did not have blue prints available (we are the first CG in the community).  I had to ask another SR in another community and then I had to verify that it was the same in my community.  That verification did not come until today.

I am not angry- just determined.  So tonight I emailed customer service.  Waiting on their response.