Getting footings, lost an arm

Enter progress!

Since I last posted, our PM had the engineers out and decided ultimately that we didn't need the drilling and pilings. Instead they started digging for our footings this week.

This was yesterday:

Starting to dig those footings

Unfortunately, this was also yesterday:

=(

OK, arm not lost, but our 8-year-old dove off the side of a slide in a mean game of tag with his brother and ended up with his first break. And on his very first night of summer vacation.

To cheer him up this morning we took him and and his brother out for donuts and to check out the work-in-progress. Here's what we saw:

Working on footings, adding rebar

5-year-old checking out the final digging

And then, of course, because we can't get enough we went back to check it out tonight after dinner. (Instead of renting a townhouse, we should have pitched a tent on an empty lot.) Here's what we found:

They poured the footings!

Not sure what the step is about, but cool.

Crazy patchwork of cement.

 We also took our first neighborhood walk:

Insert house in that empty lot, left side of the street, center.

And then in tonight's "What RH model is this?" game, I leave you all with this:

Future neighbors, what house are you building? At first I thought Yorkshire, but the front is totally flat (and you can't see from here but the side profile doesn't seem right). Victoria Falls? Anyone? Who's good at this game?

(Oh, and still waiting on word about the ceilings. Haven't gotten a definitive "no" yet. The SR says to ask the PM. The PM to ask the SR. Fingers crossed.) 

Rough or smooth?

When we met with our PM last week, the husband asked about our ceiling finishes. The ones in the model are smooth (see Exhibit A) but apparently the ones that we actually get are actually textured (see Exhibit B). We questioned it and the SR and PM said that the texture was great, very subtle, hid imperfections and used to be an upgrade for RH, but is now standard in our area.

Problem is: We like the flat ceilings better. Are we crazy? Or do flat ceilings look more finished and upscale?

What do you all have? And did anyone request (and get) a different ceiling finish? And is this even worth thinking about? (Frank responses welcomed.)

Exhibit A -- Model, flat ceiling

Exhibit B - A photo we totally stole from JBY's blog (thank you!) since we have the same PM

And we're off!

Just returned from the Pre-Construction meeting. And the build has begun. SO PUMPED!

Overall, great meeting. Our PM seems accommodating, as well communicative and upfront. He encouraged emails or phone calls. Highlights:

-- We now have a delivery date: Sept. 20. A week or two later than I was expecting, but our SR had just given us an early September time frame. Oh well. Happy to have a date.
-- We're getting pilings! Our PM did some test drilling earlier in the week, and wasn't crazy about what he was seeing. So they're bringing out the drilling equipment next week (sorry neighbors). But at least we know this house will go nowhere. And this reminds me of what I love about RH: Extra cost to us for the engineer, the drilling, the pilings, etc -- ZILCH.
-- Went over the blue prints and our selections list. Everything was correct. PM had several good suggestions (like where's the cable in the bedroom going, and do you want me to put a plug there?). We got the carriage lights for the side-entry garage also switched by the front door, and he's laying pipe under the sidewalk and driveway.
-- We walked away with the contact info for the pavers (to get a wider driveway) and the electrician (to get those basement-to-attic pipes).
-- Super pleased with the PM's level of detail already.
-- And, they've started excavating and grading. After the meeting we walked the lot and (of course) took pics:

Standing in what will be our driveway.

Looking up from the back corner. You can see the yard slope. 

The lot across the street just got staked.

That little jut-out in the dirt wall is just about where our front door will be.

And they rolled out the black carpet for me ;) Actually no clue what that was about. But good side view of the neighbor's house, also a Waverly.

Where bluebirds fly

Drove up to the dirt tonight and saw this:

Other than the rainbow, not too much to report. Blueprints are supposedly in. After many nagging phone calls to our SRs and a stop-in, we finally have a pre-construction meeting set for Thursday. Not sure why this has been so difficult to accomplish. Fingers crossed that it actually happens Thursday and we get started. (Diggers are sitting on the lots ready to go and mocking us.)

So, what have we been doing with ourselves while we wait? First we've been exploring every RH development in the greater Pittsburgh area. We're like RH crack addicts. Well, perhaps dorky bird watchers is a better analogy. It's not so much pre-planned, as the excitement of spotting the RH sales signs and finding a new development. Which leads to the "what model do you think that is?" game. "Is that a Yorkshire?" "Nope, Jefferson, look at that roofline by the garage." (Now auditioning for boringest reality TV show ever ...)

And we've started appliance shopping. Not actual shopping, but we went browsing over the weekend to see what we might like. It's fun to shop when you're not looking at price tags. Which is probably why we both totally fell in love with this:

Samsung 32 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator

Because you know (goes my rationale) we will have 2 teenage boys in this house. We'll NEED the big fridge. I'm not even sure it will fit, but how fun. Plus I do really like how slim the ice maker is inside.

So, any fridge recommendations out there?

Al...most...there...

Old house closing ... check! Equity in bank account ... check! Final deposit given to Ryan ... check! Pre-construction meeting scheduled .... well ...

Yup, still waiting on that last part. But everything else today has gone swimmingly. Our regular SR was off today, so we had the alternate. The good news is that we are on the build schedule for next week. Blue prints are in. And now we're just waiting for a call back from our PM (Bill) on when this meeting will be. Although, it may be next Wednesday. Damn you holiday weekend! <shakes fist in air>

But, when we visited the dirt today, we did see a great surprise ... stakes! There's so much construction going on on the street, I didn't quite get back far enough to get the full view of the lot. But some pics:

We're one of the later builds on our street, so we've been the dumping ground for other stuff. Here : mulch.

Stake on the right is the garage corner (we think).

Dirt

Dirt from a different angle ... oooooooooo ;)

Twiddles thumbs

I'm really horribly impatient. We close on the old house tomorrow -- yea! (Is it appropriate to ask for our equity in small bills so I can roll around in it?) We're supposedly on the build schedule for next week, but .... no pre-construction meeting yet. Need to pop in our our SR tomorrow and see what the scoop is (perhaps the big final deposit check will help). Frankly he should be glad he didn't give me his cell, because I'd be tempted to text him right now and find out.

In the meantime, the husband and I found some cool pendant lights that we both actually like ... a lot! Finding pendant lights (that we will install ourselves six months from now when our house is done and we've moved in) have become this week's obsession.

From: RailroadWare

Itching to get this build started ... and then to make this house our home!

Commence compression

We've almost crossed the finish line. Part 1 of our 2-part move complete. We just spent the first night in our rental townhouse. We've got a few things to bring over and clean up at the old house, but then the movers come back on Monday to move the rest of our stuff to storage.

The husband noted that this is a little like Frank Lloyd Wright's compression/expansion practice. (Wright likes to take you through a narrow space and then release you into a large room.) Fitting analogy since we've gone from a 2800 sqft house to a 900 sqft townhouse, then will burst out to the 3900 sqft of finished space in the new house (unfinished basement not included). Also fitting, because we got engaged at Falling Water. =)

There is something very first apartment post-college about this teeny townhouse. Maybe it's the fact that the living room, dining room and kitchen are all one space. Or maybe it's the well-worn carpets or the brown (yes brown) sponge paint. It's amazing what seems perfectly fine when you know you're only going to be dealing with it a few months. Life is an adventure. Wonder where I can buy some milk crates?