A Winding Road to Rome - Our Ryan Home 2014: Insurance Talk

While perusing other blogs I happened upon this info.  I think this is great info and just wanted to share what this helpful blogger posted.



A Winding Road to Rome - Our Ryan Home 2014: Insurance Talk: I recently noticed, on another blog, that a lot of people have questions regarding home insurance and which company they should go with.  ...

Surprise! Foundation is Up

Another day another drive by and this ends with quite a pleasant surprise.  Two days ago, I didn't think that had poured the foundation and I didn't expect them to, due to the wet weather.  Lo and behold this is what I see when I pull up

I didn't get too close as I didn't want to disturb anything but I think I will go back on Sunday to get a closer look.  I can clearly see some of the reinforced steel through the walls (not the parts hanging above the walls).  I think I also see a little buckling near the same spots but that could be because it is wet.  I don't know if this is normal or not but it does have me a little concerned.  

I texted our PM yesterday for an update and he responded today.  He said that next week they will do a back fill around the foundation and pour the basement slab.  Will the back fill take care of the thin spots and the buckling?  

He also mentioned that the lumber would be delivered the week after next.  Excited or not- I don't want them to start framing if the darn foundation isn't right.  Time for me to make my presence known on the construction site. 

Mid week Drive By

I decided to take the long way to work this morning and stop by the new house to see if any progress had been made.  I wasn't expecting much as it has been a rather rainy in the area over the last couple of days.  I was right- we now have forms for the the foundation, which may or may not get poured tomorrow.  Saturday is 100% chance of the wet stuff.  In fact it is suppose to be rather wet for the upcoming weekend into Monday.  I think things will move a little faster starting next Tuesday as it is suppose to be mild weather for the majority of next week.

So here is my one ubiquitous pic of the forms.  I decided not to share the others as it had a black barrel and some trash in front of the it.  OH BTW- my neighbor decided to move the playground- wise move, I would have felt really bad if it got damaged from the construction.

The Perpetual Wish List

It seems  like the longer it takes for us to get into our new home the longer the wish list of things we would like to do grows.  The problem: it all requires cash.

Some of the things are simple: like putting epoxy down in the garage or installing a Nest.  If you haven't heard is one the latest and greatest things to hit the environment control market.  So much so- the second generation now has competitors- the biggest form of flattery.   This plus the whole house humidifier and the whole "built smart" concept of Ryan should make heating and cooling of our home only slightly more expensive than what it costs to do the same in our 1955 row home.  Now this is amazing as the new house will be 4X the size of the current one.

If you hadn't notice- you can control this thermostat with your smart phone AND it learns your preferred comfort level.  Plus a rocket science degree is not required to do a professional install.  The down side: this unit costs on average $250.

Now I was gun ho and ready to use the free design services that I discussed in previous post.  My husband said "No". Why? Because he didn't want to be roped in to using just their furniture.  He wants to go back to my original idea of hiring a interior designing.  I know, I am the outcast of the RH blogging world, being that I am not some DIY, decorating guru (oh how I envy you!) but again that is just not in my skill set.  Ask me to make you soap, or lotion or hair conditioner and I am all over it.  Just don't ask me to decorate.  I know what I like- I just don't know how to pull it together, to make it cohesive.  But interior decorators are expensive and I dare just one them to talk about my maple glazed cabinets.

Here comes my husband with a solution. Homepolish is relatively new process (2012) that matches you with an interior designer at mid range prices.  You can control as much or as little of the process as you want as long as you pay by the hour.  I knew there was a catch!  Now hear me out- you also get access to their vendor discount.  You can look through the vendors yourself or have them do it for you.  You can even have them go shopping with you to pick out furniture pieces or accessories.  1 hour consultation fee and a minimum 5 hour booking will cost you at bare bones $550.  This company is located in a few select cities- so check out the site to see if you may be lucky enough to live nearby.

This may not be an option for all of you- but my husband insists that he has a hand in decorating (WHY?!).  He is a modernist and I am a traditionalist. I like neutral to light schemes with pops of color.  He likes dark wood tones and dark colors.  We need durable and comfortable.  You can see where this headed.  So hopefully hiring the designer will help us blend our tastes.

I promise that I will show you pics of everything we do.

Week One-Footers

Today marks the first of the weekly drives to the construction site.  Actually I drove out to the site twice by myself during the work week. First goal was just to see the site and the second goal was to do a real time drive from the new house to work during typical traffic.  The drives so far was EASY!

Now to the more exciting news:  we have footers!  I find this totally amazing as it snowed about 4-5 inches on Wednesday,  followed immediately by Thanksgiving.  I wonder how much will get done next week.  The forecast says it will be light rain in the morning on Wednesday  and a wintry mix on Friday followed by 2 more days of rain.  The good news: most of the days will be relatively warm.

Morning and media room

Family and morning-includes the outline of the porch

As a side note- we just realized we could have had another bathroom as part of Room #2 to make it a princess suite.  Don't know how we glossed over that one.  Really doesn't matter- it seems like something we could do later.  I will ask our PM the feasibility of doing this ourselves.  I don't really see it as a wash- just would have been nice to have as it gave the master bedroom a second walk in closet.  This little factoid jumped out at my husband as he was reading a rare Courtland Gate blog where they just closed in Richmond (my hometown).  With the exception of adding the second bath and fire place, our floor plan is exactly the same.  And a lot of our finishing touches are eerily similar if not exactly the same(but I guess that was bound to happen with a non custom builder).

Off to occupy myself for another week.

Thanksgiving 2014

The world is in turmoil:  riots and pudding pops. But in the midst of the chaos that surrounds us there are still many reasons to be thankful.  So many in fact one day should not be able to contain it.

So I am thankful for the bumps and bruises that made me who I am today.  From the struggle of paying rent in my youth to building my new home.  From miscarriages to 2 healthy children.   From "we're not hiring" to being highly sought after.  From hourly wage to salaried.  From seizures to seizure free.  I am thankful for it all.

Now entering this new phase of my life I am thankful of the prospect of hosting friends and family, of parties and get togethers, of being the gathering spot for the neighborhood kids.  For Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas mornings.  For birthday parties and barbecues. 

When we gather tonight at the dinner table, I will remember these things.  I will remember these things even as I worry about my children and what their future  will bring.  And hoping that their bumps and bruises (and some guidance from his parents) will help to create wonderful men who are leaders, great husbands and wonderful fathers.  

I hope this post finds you in a peaceful place, an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos, thinking of all  you are thankful for including your bumps, your bruises, your knocks and your stumbles. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2014

They're Digging!

I work a typical 9-5 (really not that typical when you work in the pediatrics but I digress).  I held off until 12 noon before I sent my first annoying text to my PM.  He confirmed that they had started digging and was in fact digging at the very moment of the text.

I wanted to drop everything I was doing and rush up there to take pictures of the hole that would soon be our home but I couldn't and actually be back in time to see my first patient of the afternoon.  Worse yet- because it gets dark around 5 pm there was no use of me going up there after work.  So I will have to patiently wait for weekly visits to see the dirt, rock and sticks that will become one fabulous Courtland Gate!