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I get to build the dream home. Whoop!

Matata

Matata

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 10, 2003
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This will be our second home where we'll live part-time until we're frail and demented and then move permanently because we'll be near family who can watch over us. It's going to be a passive energy home with LEED certification and I am very excited about that. The challenge will be finding a level lot or slightly sloped one in the area we want to be. DH is adamant he wants a single story but I'm ok with having to put in an elevator if we can't find the unicorn lot. I anticipate there will be sumo wrestling matches between DH and the architect/realtor over the single-story vs 2-story house and I suspect DH will cave if the decision becomes $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a level lot vs $$$$$ for a sloped one.

First conference call with the realtor is next week and with the architect at the end of the month.

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That was always a dream of mine. CONGRATULATIONS.

My new dream is a house in Germany or Italy or Portugal or Spain.
 
Gypsy said:
My new dream is a house in Germany or Italy or Portugal or Spain.
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I tried to convince DH to move to any of those probably for the same reason you want to. We would do it if his younger son decides to move to Portugal or Germany which he's been planning to do for a couple years. If we were younger, we'd just go but age and its accompanying health issues for DH makes it scary to move abroad without any family there to have our backs.
 
What fun/horror lol! In 2015-2017 I did a major renovation and rebuild of a 1908 home. It was equal parts amazing and terrible. We won’t live in this home forever. It’s just too big and expensive to maintain. So my fantasy is, like you, to one day build the dream home for our golden years. After this experience renovating I plan to build from scratch too. It’s a real treat to plan a home that perfectly suits your needs (this was the amazing part of renovating/rebuilding our current home). I’m also hoping when we do that we will be able to downsize so I can afford to get exactly the fixtures and finishes I want.

Please post updates! I love following along with this stuff.
 
What an experience this will be!! I hope you let us all tag along for fun!
 
Dreamer_D said:
I’m also hoping when we do that we will be able to downsize so I can afford to get exactly the fixtures and finishes I want.
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I feel you. We did an update and partial reno 3 yrs ago and a floor lamp and two sconces in the half-bath were a small fortune but I love them to bits.
 
How exciting, good luck with the project!

DK :))
 
How exciting and fun!!!
 
Hanging OUT for updates on this! I am all in for a new build or a restoration project!
 
How exciting, congratulations! Both new builds (as well as large renos) are usually all-consuming in terms of time/energy/money/aggravation, but worth it in the end if you know yourself and what makes you happy and what you will really need in the future.

Sending good vibes for your property search and for the architect & contractor search too.

My 80+ year old parents built their dream retirement home a few years ago, and I MADE them put in an elevator (theirs is a 3 story house because the lot is narrow). Good Lord they use that thing constantly. Since moving in, they've had (between them) a broken ankle, a broken pelvis, and a major stroke. But they are aging in place like champs, all thanks to the elevator and the supportive, close-knit community on the little peninsula they moved to. (Both of which they "poo-pooed" ahead of time, but both of which they admit now they could not age in place without.) Surprisingly too, they love having their three flights of stairs bc going up and down helps keep them mobile and fit, and unafraid.
 
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Glad you are happy.
Enjoy!

Personally, I can think of no worse torture than fighting with contractors over a trillion things.
It'll take twice + the time they say, and cost double +.

I rank that nightmare down there with becoming a parent.
 
kenny said:
Personally, I can think of no worse torture than fighting with contractors over a trillion things.
It'll take twice + the time they say, and cost double +.
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I'm prepared for the stress. The firm I chose is design-build. I didn't want to look for an architect and then a builder and all the crap that comes with the communication issues between two companies. The firm is also an award winning B-Corp with a lot of happy customers. I'm confident I'l get an excellently built passive energy house. I've dreamt about building a house for 30+ years and my aesthetic and style tastes have solidified and I know exactly what I want on the inside and how I want it to look. I've probably narrowed the trillion things down to a couple thousand. Poop will happen, weather may not cooperate, supply/permit/inspection delays and all that jazz. However, I won't have to deal with the city, which has very strict building codes, over permits and inspections and water runoff testing, and conservation set-backs because the firm will take care of all of it. All I have to do is sign off on the blueprints.
 
Matata, I sincerely hope the house is, and the process goes perfectly for you

It IS very exciting, and my dream house is certainly something I would LOVE!
But, I'm WAY too old and curmudgeony.
 
Sounds like a fun project! Keep us posted on your progress!
 
Congratulations!!!!! How exciting and …….Wooooooohoooooo for a passive energy home! That’s the stuff of my dreams!

Will be following along with much excitement!
 
Very exciting! I look forward to following your progress.
 
There will always be a few hiccups along the way with building home. You realize this so it should be a fun experience. I can’t wait to hear all about this project unfolding. So exciting.
 
Ok, I'm gobsmacked. I just had a convo with DH to give him time to think about my initial thoughts about the house before our first chat with the architect. I used words like Snaidero (for aesthetic examples), Wolf-SubZero, Thermador, & Viking when talking about the kitchens and said that's one place where I'll spend the most money and won't compromise on quality. He said "whatever you want honey." :-o

And yes, I said kitchens because I love that skulleries/dirty kitchens are back. Most of the prep and cooking will be in the back kitchen with the primary kitchen having minimal appliances that are used primarily for entertaining and light meal prep. DH cooks with strong smelling spices and he likes fish and some of his dishes smell like the town dump so we'll be able to keep the odors out of the main part of the house by using the back kitchen. It'll be accessed by a door that looks like the primary kitchen cabinetry. I'm lovin' the whole idea.

I'm also thinking about our needs/uses for the house now and in another decade or two when we're decrepit. To that end, the dishwashers ovens, microwave, and other appliances that are typically up high or down low or require bending over will be raised higher for easier reach. Doorways will be wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair just in case and the showers will be seamless with the rest of the bathroom floors, no lip, for a smooth entry.
 
I'm very happy for you! I didn't build a whole house but I did build an addition to our house when we lived in Massachusetts It was over 1,000sqft so kinda felt like it was a house!

We did a prebuild which meant that we missed a lot of inspections that we would have had to do with a stick build.

We were over budget by about 60K because of some drainage issue that had to be fixed (be prepared for this)

Also one more thing; be very aware of any on site inspections; we STILL had various on site inspections, 6 to be exact.

  • Beginning inspection because we extended the basement.
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • HVAC
  • Roof
  • End inspection for occupancy

IMO find out the types of inspections that need to take place onsite just for your own knowledge and peace of mind. And frankly you may want to be present for the major ones like electrical.
 
Matata said:
Doorways will be wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair just in case and the showers will be seamless with the rest of the bathroom floors, no lip, for a smooth entry.
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This is soooo important!! Glad you are smart and planning ahead. Also, don't forget handle bars for showers/toilets, or even if you really don't want them to clutter your design now, please make sure you have room to install them down the road when needed.

Watching my parents age in place is a continual eye-opener for me, personally. When they needed to install handle bars (after various broken bones/stroke) some areas they weren't able to because of the space that was/wasn't there.

I don't know if this will be an issue for your house, but my parents have to use a water softener where they live bc they are on well water. The bag of softener is extremely heavy and neither of them can lift it and pour it in the machine by themselves, even though they are both fairly physically fit and mobile. They hadn't realized this ahead of time bc they had never had to have a water softener before.

Sorry if any of these ideas/suggestions are offensive in any way, I'm just sharing bc I'm watching my parents wrestle with these things at the moment with a house they intentionally had built to age in place, so I thought they might be helpful.
 
So cool! Have you considered painting it purple? :appl:
 
decodelighted said:
So cool! Have you considered painting it purple?
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Deep dark purple or deep blue. But, no, the exterior will be made to blend into the environment. Think Pacific Northwest natural environments.
 
RunningwithScissors said:
Sorry if any of these ideas/suggestions are offensive in any way, I
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No way are they offensive. I've already included on the "must have" list the attachments for the handlebars in the showers. We did that with the remodel of the master bath 5 yrs ago. I have the plans where the attachments are located but we won't drill out the granite to attach them until we reach the necessary level wobbleyness.
 
Contract with realtor signed yesterday. Now begins the search for the unicorn level lot in a walkable low-crime area.
 
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