DIY PROJECT #1

At the other house in the kitchen we had tip out drawers in front of the sink, which we kept the stopper, sponges, rings, etc.  However, this option was not included in with the kitchen cabinet package in the new house.  So we bought a kit and installed them ourselves. The install instructions are very easy to follow and in 10 easy steps you are done.  It only took about an hour and it probably would have been faster if we could find our power tools. LOL!!!  We plan to install the trays in our bathroom vanities as well. 

Next time we will take some before and after pictures.

  

It was really easy to remove the front panel, which was
attached to the cabinet with the above clips.



Hmmmm....wonder what our next DIY project will be.  Maybe we will finally hang the shades on the windows.

Additional information:

Rev A Shelf website - Tip-out trays

Irrigation System and On-going Landscaping

Within the past month or so we received bids from 3 landscaping companies.  Finally, we have selected a company to assist us with our irrigation system and on-going landscaping needs.  Initially we plan to install the irrigation system right after closing and the rest will have to wait until Spring.  We have a 3-5 year plan that includes additional landscaping (mulch beds, plants, shrubs, retaining walls, etc.), outdoor living area (patio, grill, etc), swimming pool, and play area for the kids. 

Gumpf Gardens is able to satisfy all of our needs.  One of the things that attracts us to working with this company is that it is a family owned (2nd generation) business that has serviced the local area since 1957.  We work directly with Jim (founder's son and current owner) who is a registered landscape architect and has many years of experience in designing and building garden centers. 

FINAL WALK-THRU WITH HOME INSPECTOR

We had our final walk-thru with our home inspector on Wednesday (08/31/2011), which took about 3 hours.  Below is a brief summary of some of the findings that the home inspector noted and recommended repairs or further attention. 

Grounds:
Driveway - finish seal coat to be a applied; maintenance and sealant needed
Front porch - advise side rails to any 2 foot or greater fall hazard

Exterior:
Walls - advise caulking all siding and brick junctions that are open or where gaps exist

Roof:
Shingle - Detected damage; advise roofer and/or manufacturer inspection and evaluation of all areas to determine if shingles is a manufacturer defect or installation defect.  Hole in roof noted from attic view.

Heat/Cool:
Heating - advise HVAC evaluations and repairs as needed due to leaking from A Coil/ flood pan area.  Advise evaluations of all units due to same installation time and installer. 
Condensate - advise HVAC evaluation of condensation pumps; lines and A coil area due to leaking and previous disclosed leaking
Cooling - advise further evaluation and repairs by qualified professional

Electrical:
Wiring - 1 loose wall outlet, located in Study

Interior:
Doors - French door to Solarium reflects dents/dings
Walls - moisture damaged baseboard in one of the bedrooms; small section of crown molding noted with incomplete painting on lower edge
Stairs - landing step tread was damaged and covered with carpet allowing for a tripping hazard
Attic - visible hole in roof; advise repair

Bathrooms:
Shower - advise complete caulking of shower surround connections to walls; master shower caulking to drain pan is separating and in need of resealing

Below are a few pictures that we took during the walk-thru:

Solarium - gap; advise caulking

Solarium - gap; advise caulking;
also, need to touch up paint along the exterior trim

Solarium door - a few dings

Roof above morning room - damaged shingles; advise inspection

Roof above morning room - damaged shingles; advise inspection

Roof above garage - damaged shingles; advise inspection

Attic - hole in roof; advise repair

Bedroom - baseboard water damage; advise repair



Drain in unfinished basement area
We were not very happy to find the pop can in the drain

The home inspector was very thorough and knowledgeable.  He answered all of our questions and concerns.  We received a detailed report via email first thing the following morning, which we took to the final walk-thru with the PM on Thursday (09/01/2011).  Overall the condition of the house is good; however, there were some areas of concern that we addressed with the PM, which we will post more details in a separate post.

We highly recommend hiring your own home inspector during the building process.  We are very glad that we did; not only for peace of mind, but it was also an educational experience. 

Additional info:
HomeSure Home Inspection Services Inc
(724) 869-11600
Inspector: Gary Gazda

Whole House Surge Protectors

Last week the lights went out due to a really bad thunderstorm.  When the lights came back on we reset all of the electronic clocks in our current house.  We woke up the next morning to find that the microwave was not working...no power at all...how could this be, the microwave is only 3 years old and we reset the clock so we know it was working before we went to bed.   So we did some research online...we tried to unplug and plug it back in, we check the socket to make sure it was ok, NOTHING!!!  We called GE, who sent out a technician, who told us that the circuit board was fried.  Of course, the microwave is over a year old and no longer under warranty.  So we asked how much it would cost to fix it...the technician worked out a deal that was less than replacing the microwave, which is also the vent over the range.  He also suggested that we purchase a surge protector, which may help prevent this from happening again.  The GE technician ordered the parts and we received them on Monday.  When the GE technician returned today to fix the microwave, he informed us that a house down the street from us go hit by lightning, which may have sent a surge that blew out the microwave. 

We are so very lucky that none of our other appliances or electronics were affected.  All of this got us thinking about our new house and how many appliances and electronics are now equipped with circuit boards and gadgets that can be affected from a power surge ... refrigerator, washer, dryer, microwave, TV, double oven, and the list goes on and on.   Then we Googled "Whole House Surge Protectors" to see if such a thing exist --- it does exist and it is even at a reasonable cost.  So then we reached out to RH to see if a Whole House Surge Protector is provided, we received a response from our PM and of course the answer was 'NO'. 

Now we are doing research to determine which surge protector we should purchase, how much it will cost to purchase/install, etc.  So once again we reach out to our fellow bloggers...does anyone have any advice, additional info, or words of wisdom that you wish to share to help us make our decision?

Additional info:
HGTV PRO.COM - Whole House Surge Protectors: Protect All Your Electronics
This Old House - Surge Protection

IDEAPAINT: DRY-ERASE BOARD PAINT

IDEAPAINT is a paint that creates a dry-erase board anywhere on anything.  We saw this on "How I Made My Millions" on CNBC and thought that this is a great idea, especially for a kids room or even a home office.

• Website: http://www.ideapaint.com/home/ideapaint
• CNBC: From the Guys at IdeaPaint: How Naivete Breeds Creativity and Success
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ideapaint

Beware of the cost...according to IdeaPaint website the paint is - $175-$199 per kit, which covers 50 sq ft.  Also, the paint is now available at Lowes in smaller quantities, but it is not much cheaper.

We haven't decided if we plan to use the paint in our new house; however, we just thought it is a great idea and we wish would have thought of it first.

DIY's Bath Crashers features Moen's Spa System

BD this is for you...

We were watching an episode of Bath Crashers on DIY yesterday evening and noticed that they installed the Moen's Spa Shower system that will be installed into our master bathroom. For more info - bathroom custom request.

Click on link to view the episode:
http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/blinged-out-glamour/58701.html

Also, an awesome TV install as well...however, one of us does not believe a TV belongs in the bathroom, but the other one of us thought it was really cool. 

We are sooooo very excited about the shower system and can't wait to use it.

Enjoy!!!

BD - one more thing, I believe this is the episode that they had to upgrade the water supply system and installed 2 hybrid water heaters.  Not sure if that will help you with you issue, but I thought I would throw that out there.

ADDITIONAL CUSTOM REQUESTS

Before we begin this blog, we want to start off by saying that up to this point our RH sales rep. has gone above and beyond our expectations with accommodating our needs and making this process an exceptional experience. 

Now on with the blog...originally we submitted a custom request to add a rainfall shower head from the ceiling to the shower located in the Owner's Suite bathroom.  And then we recently submitted an upgrade to that request to add a vertical spa system.  This system includes 4 programmable presets, 7" rainshower shower head, 3-function handheld shower head w/ 30" slidebar, and 4 jet sprays that all work off of an electronic control panel that is connected to a central valve system.  This system is so cool that we can activate the shower using a remote control.  We knew when we submitted the request that we may have gone to far with this custom request.  We received an email yesterday morning from our RH sales rep. that we really were not expecting, but some how she pulled it off again.  RH approved and will install the custom shower head system and the rainfall shower head from the ceiling. 


The following is a video that we found on youtube that reviews the system - Moen ioDigital Vertical Spa System and Installation


As seen on DIY's Bath Crashers - Blinged Out Glamour episode: http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/blinged-out-glamour/58701.html

Moen Waterhill 10” Rainshower – 10 inch rainfall showerhead



Moen 295 Vertical Spa Shower Trim – ioDigital Vertical Spa Trim

Moen 3384 ioDigital Vertical Spa Valve – ioDigital Vertical Spa Valve

layout

In the same email, we were informed that RH also approved the service door request (located in the garage) and additional insulation request for the garage.  We plan to attend our pre-construction meeting this Thursday to work out the details and submit a change order; and we are scheduled to break ground the following week, on 06/01/2011, weather permitting.


Words can not express how happy we are with RH and our sales rep.  Let the building process begin.

LAST DAY TO MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES...

Today, we toured a Waverly model (in the process of being decorated) and met with our Sales Rep. to finalize our structural options and to obtain additional information regarding fixtures and to answer a few questions. 

• Microwave - this is still pending.  Since we decided to go with a gas range; we are not permitted (by code) to have the microwave located above the range.  So we are waiting for our Sales Rep to provide us with an alternative location.
• Siding - changed from Heritage Grey to Slate
• Shutters - changed from Grey to Black
• Kitchen Appliances: changed from Black to Stainless Steel (this was an error made by the Sales Rep.)
• Owner's Bath Vanities - changed from STD Owner Ste to Wyoming Square Cherry Bordeaux (this was an error made by the Sales Rep.)
• Garage - added Floor Drain (includes 2 drains for 3 car garage)
• Laundry - added Utility Tub Floor Mount
• Family Room - removed optional side window (this was an error made by the Sales Rep. - not an option to add window w/o the Bonus Room)

Confirmed:

• 42 inch cabinets, standard
• 9 foot ceilings, standard
• Morning room - walkout stairs are not included (we will add after closing)
• Living room - opted not to upgrade interior case opening
• Laundry room - comes w/ wire shelves in closet and tray for washer; confirmed washer/dryer location; added utility tub
• Family room - confirmed fireplace stone (Aspen) w/ stone mantel and hearth
• Garage - confirmed standard carriage door is insulated; opted not to upgrade door opener (we will install after closing); confirmed brick on side of garage near the porch
• Windows - Keystone is included on outside; trim is not included on inside windows; Sales Rep confirmed all windows (standard/option)
• Landscaping - standard package includes seeding, mulch beds and bushes/shrubs in front of house, 7 trees (choices - maple, oak, pear, birch, cherry) and we choose the location
• Solarium/Study - standard 15 lite doors
• Mailbox - included and installed by Ryan Homes
• Outside lights - standard walkway light included and installed halfway down walkway (PM will provide more information); Porch - light in roof (no sconces); Morning room - light outside door; Garage - 2 sconces outside garage
• Porch roof - shingles
• Furnace - confirmed 3 units includes humidifier - 2 units in basement, 1 controls basement and main floor and 1 controls solarium; 1 unit in attic controls 2nd floor
• Paint - standard Dover - Walls/Ceiling flat and Trim semi-gloss
• Outside sprinkler (front yard) - work w/ PM to push off landscaping to after closing; we can use our own contractor, just work w/ PM
• Outside water access - 1 outside garage and 1 back corner (by Solarium)
• Attic - not finished; will include light, but no outlets; per PM, access may be in 2nd floor hall and/or bedrooms
• Refrigerator dimensions - space can accommodate up to 25 cubic feet; however, send dimensions to Sales Rep to confirm

Outstanding issues:

• Master Bathroom - custom bath; need to send dimensions to Sales Rep
• Garage - Service Door - not an option w/ 3 car garage; Sales Rep is working with PM to come up with a solution to accommodate our request
• Garage - additional insulation - Sales Rep will follow-up on cost
• Electrical outlets/ceiling boxes - need to schedule a meeting with Sales Rep.
• Columns (dining/living room and owner's suite/sitting room) - need to follow-up with Sales Rep if we want
• Appliances - Sales Rep will email options
• Fixtures - Sales Rep will email options
• Owner's Shower - need to follow-up with Sales Rep to see if they can accommodate 2 shower head - 1 waterfall and 1 standard
• Hardwood floors - follow-up with Rusmur to change to vinyl (upgrade to hardwood after closing)

DWTS fans - VOTE HINES WARD

WOW...so many decisions were made today

We had an amazing busy day; however, we got so much accomplished.  Please note: Pictures are located on the Picture page.

LOT MEETING
We started our day on the lot - we met our PM and Sales Rep. to discuss the location of the home site.  We agreed with the PM to push back the house an additional 12-15 feet, which will decrease the slope in the front yard.  It will take away from some of the back yard, but there is still enough space to add a patio and eventually an in ground pool.  However, we found out today that we have an easement that runs through the far back part of our back yard (close to the conservation area) to accommodate the sewer line.  We were a little disappointed to just find this out today and plan to do more research to make sure that this does not affect us with our plans to put in an in ground pool in the future. 

Also, today we found out that we are currently 7 weeks out before we break ground, which will be around May 22.  This makes us a little nervous because we already have plans to go on vacation on June 4th-12th.  We are afraid we are going to miss so much of the building process and to get pictures.  We are hoping to get a family member to take some pictures while we are out of town.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS 
We met with our Sales Rep. and made the following selections.
Brick - Madrid
Vinyl siding - Heritage Grey
Trim - White
Shutters - Grey
Door - Plum Jam
Counters (Kitchen) - Red Montana (3470) Formica (we went with this option because we know that we can get granite counters a lot cheaper and we didn't really like any of the options; so we plan to replace the counters with granite shortly after we move in)
Cabinets (Kitchen and Bathrooms) - Wyoming Square Cherry Bordeaux Timberlake

ELECTRICAL
We ran out of time today and need to schedule an appointment with Sales Rep. to discuss the outlet and wiring option.

RUSMUR - This meeting was 2 hours long and very productive.  We are pretty confident that we will stick with our selections; however, we have until 04/28 to make any changes.

Hardwood - Manchester Plank 3 1/4 Cherry
Foyer, Living Room, Dining Room, Solarium, Kitchen, Morning Room, Powder Room, Study

Carpet - Collinsville 101 Sisal w/ 6 # pad
2nd floor hallway and all bed room (upgrade owner's suite 10 # pad)
Basement, except Powder Room (upgrade padding Karastep rubber 21 # pad)

Carpet - Top Talent 123 Straw w/ 6 # pad
Family Room

Tile - Salerno SL 83 Marrone Chiaro, installed on diagonal
Owner's Bath

Vinyl - Initiator 66177
Laundry Room

Vinyl - Initiator 66200
2nd floor Bathrooms #1/#2, Basement Powder Room

Stairs/Bannister - Direct Set White, Oak, Cherry Stain, No Carpet

GUARDIAN
This meeting was an hour long and very informative, but not as productive as we expected.  We discussed the security system, phone jacks, cable/network outlets, and audio speakers (inside/outside).  Once we receive the quote via email from the rep. regarding the selected options and pricing; we will schedule a follow-up meeting to finalize the selections.

FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM REQUIRED IN PA

Last week, my husband emailed me a link to the following article "Controversial Law To Require Fire Sprinklers In New Homes", which states as of 01/01/2011 a law that all new homes in PA require a sprinkler system.  Well this was news to us because Ryan never mentioned this to us.  After further research via the web; we discovered that the PA House of Representative repealed the legislation and is now waiting for the PA Senate. (source: "Pa. residential fire sprinkler mandate is up for consideration"). 

The following is Ryan Home's response:

"As of January 1, 2011, per the building code, all new construction single family homes had to be built with sprinkler systems in them. This new code has caused an absolute uproar with builders all over the country because of the expense of these systems, which is why this bill is being repealed in congress as we speak.

With that said, Pine Hollow was priced for sprinkler systems, but there are 5 home sites within the community where Ryan Homes was able to pull permits prior to the January 1^st deadline allowing these houses to NOT have these systems installed. Your lot was one of those lots. By having a permit prior to the January 1^st deadline grandfathers your home and will prevent you from having any difficulties with resale.

Secondly, by having a permit pulled prior to January 1^st gives you a $5,000 credit which will be represented on the Change Order Addendum along with your Flooring and Guardian extras."

Source: Email from Ryan Homes on 04/03/2011

All in all, I believe that the lessons learned here is, knowledge is power and that it doesn't hurt to question or ask.

Other sources: Uniform Construction Code, Advisory on Residential Sprinkler Installation