Binkies and Briefcases

There is progress happening…slowly.

First, we finalized our floor plan. We are buying plans from architect Donald Gardner, but we are making quite a few changes. The biggest change will be the roofline. The ceiling in the living room will be vaulted horizontally instead of vertically and the master bedroom does not have a vaulted ceiling. Changing the roof will save thousands of dollars in the cost of trusses.

The above floor plan is the closest we have to our updated version. We are still removing a few windows to save money and there will be a bigger closet in the study.

Also, we’ve decided to go with one huge, flat island in the kitchen instead of an angled breakfast bar.

We are still waiting on the bank to get back to us about the final approval, but a lot of people seem to be on vacation this week. This is our biggest headache at the moment. Banks don’t love construction loans so much anymore with the current state of the housing market and economy. 

Meanwhile, Eddie has made arrangements for a tree removal service to come to take down the trees that need to go so that the new pole can be installed for the electricity. Our wires will be trenched underground, but they need to put another pole on the street so that our wires have somewhere to tie in.

He is also working on the last thing (I think) that needs to be approved before we can get the building permit, the stormwater plan. Until we started building, I thought all of this was just included in the sewer plan, but I have learned that you need separate plans for sewer, erosion and sediment, and storm or rainwater. Lucky for me I married a civil engineer who does this for a living.

Anyway, are you seeing that master closet? I think that might be my favorite part of the whole house. That and having more bathrooms.

Fingers crossed that we will be able to break ground by the end of August.