Pictures of banisters...for The Bukers

I tried to find some pictures that would resemble our upstairs but couldn't find any that were the exact same...so heres some that are close...

This one is probably the closest.

Heres a picture of a 1/2 wall.  This is the standard .



Done Framing :)

They finished up framing yesterday.  It was VERY cool to finaly walk through it and get a feeling of the floorplan.  Im glad we went with the elevation we went with (instead of my first choice with the stone) because it really adds a lot of space to the dining room, my sons room and my daughters closet!

SO much wood!!  lol

All wrapped up nice and pretty!  Its like Christmas!  lol

Archway into Master suite.  Will have double doors

Hubby and princess standing in Master suite.  Picture taken from down the hall in the laundry room

Master bedroom and master bath to the right.  Can see the start of the tray ceiling...very cool!

"Hi Daddy!"

Family room and "sunroom" looking out to backyard

Kitchen will be to the left

Great view from my sons room!

More pics...

Hubby got to go in with our PM and take some pictures of the inside so far



Kitchen and dinette





View from family room  ...
Note to the Bukers...The full banisters are SO worth it!!  Otherwise the 1/2 banister is just those bottom 2 steps.



Putting up the walls to our Master Suite  :)




Other side of the upstairs ....and our great PM!




View from my bathtub window!  Can't wait!!  The sun sets SO beautifuly over those trees.





"Across the board change..."

SO I guess my window rant wasn't without merit.  When I talked to my rep today (poor guy was supposed to be on vacation this week...turns out he was at Atlantis in the Carribean for 24 hours before they evacuated and sent him a packin') he said that when my PM called corporate about the window change I requested, they stated that all the floorplans are supposed to have the same windows...so they are making an "across the board change" to all the blueprints down here!  YAY go me!!  ;-)

More framing pics.

We got a roof today  :)

...and a sexy backside!   ;-)





The amazing-ness they can do in 7 hours!

We went from this....

To THIS in just about 7 hours!!  WOW.....

NOW this is exciting  :-D 

Its a LOT bigger than I thought it would be!

Almost have a 2nd floor :)

More frustration....I should be used to it by now

So BEFORE we signed anything I asked if the windows in our house were going to be 6 over 6 (so 12 small panes)  I was told yes.  I asked again at the precon meeting and was told yes again....

I noticed today that the other Palmetto Grove that is going up across town has 2 over 2...so 4 HUGE panes.  I personaly don't like the look of this AT ALL!  So I emailed my PM about it and said "hey I noticed this and just want to make sure ours have the 12 panes" and I got this back...

Hi N,

The Palmetto Grove windows for the front elevation comes with the 2 over 2, or "4 large panes." This is what is shown on the blue prints so that is what is ordered. The style varies from house to house and elevations- all Palmetto Groves have the same style- as you saw in Lake Charm. I have forwarded this email on to S- for him to address with you, however he is out of town until Friday. Please feel free to call me if you have any further questions.

Thanks,
 J-

"address it" with me ALL you want...Im NOT taking this house with those windows after you told me twice they would be different.  Im so fed up with all of this.  NEVER AGAIN!

In lighter news, I guess...they started framing.  Im not all that excited because they also told my husband that instead of the original projected mid Oct close...we are looking at mid Nov.  GREAT THANKS...so happy to be moving in right before Thanksgiving when I was supposed to be having everyone over my house for dinner.  OH and the fact neither me or my husband are aloud time off in in the month of Nov.  Thanks again.  So happy this house is going to take almost 7 months to complete from start to finish.

Welcome the Bukers to our RH e-neighborhood!

I have a new neighbor!!  In e-life and real life!!!

Welcome The Bukers blog to our little e-community

Here is they're blog site...  http://bukersblog.blogspot.com/

Block, Wood....and Kittens

Some updated pictures.  Down here, the first floor is made of cinderblock.  More hurricane and termite resistant.

Front...Driveway, garage and front porch

My roof I believe  :)

...And introducing our two new additions (we're crazy)!

 This is Luke and Leia (my husband and daughter are dorks)

We have SLABAGE!! ..and a birthday

They poured our slab yesterday..YAY!!! 

And I want to wish my little man Ryan a very happy 2nd birthday!!!

Hard to believe we went from this.... 

to THIS in just 2 years .....

One quick pic before bed.....

Our humble hovel has begun its life!  This is a picture from the back looking out into our street.  I still miss having a basment...But I think slab is quicker in building than a basement...so thats a plus...I guess  (trying to see the bright side  :-)

My two new additions to our family... :)



Dont know why it is sideways...I uploaded it correctly...sigh

Got my GE Induction convection range and the matching convection microwave.  The range I got at $1,700 off reg price and the microwave was about $200 off because its getting discontinued.  I didn't care if the microwave was convection or not, since the range is, but I guess its a nice bonus since it was on sale.  OH I also got a $100 rebate!!  So excited!!!  Dont mind the blankets...its in my living room right now since we are completely renovating our kitchen and I wanted to protect it from the skampering creepy crawlers that have taken over my home....aka MY KIDS!!  hehe  <3 them but boy can they wreck a place in T minus 3 seconds!!

I have a feeling that stainless steel is going to be a bugger to clean!

Appliance recommendations...

Anyone have any large appliance they prefer?  I bought my GE induction range today (SO EXCITED) at about 62% off sticker price because it was a floor model!  Now we need a fridge and microwave and eventually a good dishwasher.  Down the road we will be needing a washer too.  We have a LG steam dryer ...does anyone have a LG washer (or any other brand) they are fond of?

WE BROKE GROUND TODAYYYYY!!!!!

might I say....   YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would love to give NVR a piece of my mind...if I could afford it...

We are supposed to break ground tomorrow and NVR is STILL request various documents!!  Im am beyond annoyed with this company right now!  Everytime we send them stuff they ask for something else.  Get your S--T together and tell us EVERYTHING you need at once! 

If they dont get this figured out today we are waiting yet ANOTHER week to break ground and I will NOT be a happy camper!

EDIT:  And that is EXACTLY what happened!  We are delayed yet another week!  Im so ready to just throw the towel in!  If we didn't already fork over 14k to Ryan Homes, I would walk away right now!!

Another great home furnishings site!

So while I was on "vacation" at the family compound....I stole one f my sisters MANY catalogs.  I LOVED practicly everything in it.  They are always running some kind of sale.  Heres the site...

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/

Pre-construction meeting.

Had our pre-con meeting today.  Lasted 1 1/2 hours.  I wanted to change a few things and of course got no on all of it.  I also screwed myself over with my appliances (pardon my french but Im a bit PO'ed right now)  I originaly had the premier IV package which included all stainless with a double oven convection range.  I then decided I wanted an induction range and the DH said "thats fine but why pay XYZ for a package that your only gonna use the microwave and the dishwasher?" ...OK ...makes sense.  So I dropped down to the feature III package which is pretty inferior to anything I want, but with the mindset that I will get my snazzy new range right after closing.  Well DH says today that he doesn't think we can afford my snazzy range.... OR to get back the original premier IV package..... Ummm OK so you talked me into appliances that I ABSOLUTLY don't want at all with the idea that Ill get my range and we will upgrade the rest later  and NOW your saying I can't get the range I want.  Grrr !!!  I see the couch in your future! 

WOW I sound like a spoiled rotten brat BUT to my defense the only thing (other than wooden stair banisters) that I wanted in this hous was a totally rockin' kitchen!  He got his 3k worth of Gaurdian crap though!!!    Im so irritated at this point.  I also asked RH for a 60/40 sink because I HATE 50/50 sinks...nope can do that either.  I...at this point in time....am not even excited about this place at all anymore.  OH and its a pretty large 2 story and I asked if it was dual zone (which I was hoping since we ROAST right now in the upstairs of our townhome) and its not!  grrr   Tried to add the jacuzzi tub and was told no because the electrical is already laid out.  grrr.  At least they have made the wait for it to be done alot easier.  Again...im just venting and Im sure I'll love it when its done but I have gotten nothing but NO to everything that I wanted done to make this feel like MY home and not just another Florida cookie cutter house in a box. The excitement is totally lost.

Back from vacation with exciting news!

We're Back home!!  .....no thats not the exciting news  ;-)

We are FINALLY out of "permitting pergatory" as the DH has dubbed it.  We are scheduled for our pre-con meeting on Wednesday!  We couldn't be more excited right now!!!  ...Well...I suppose we could be...if we were CLOSING Wednesday...  hehe  Patience Noreen...patience.

How long is it between the pre-con meeting and breaking ground does it usually take?  We reaaaallllly hope to get started soon with the way the gov is right now.  Hopefully the rates wont sky rocket too much.  I would be devastated if we got priced out a week or two late.  :(

Also can you still make some changes at the pre-con meeting or is everything kinda set in stone (no pun)?  We would like to upgrade our bath tub but not sure if we can.

Permitting process

How long after they submitted everything, did everyones permitting process take?  We submitted our last change a month ago and have hear nothing from our rep in regards to pre-con meeting.  Now we are going on vacation tomorrow for 10 days so there goes another 2 weeks.  Im getting a bit PO'ed because my daughter starts school in the new town come end of August.