Thinking of getting a patio?

When we first built, I mentioned going ahead and getting your patios poured with Ryan while you built.  I said it was much cheaper to do it then vs. waiting to do it later.

I also mentioned in another blog entry that I wish we had made our patio a bit bigger.  Can you see where I'm going with this?

We have the morning room.  So when we built, we added a patio the length of the rest of the house out the morning room door, and the width the length of the morning room (roughly a 10 x 22 pad).  It's a nice size, but we also have our fire place jetting out in the middle of it.  Still more than enough room for a table that seats 4 and a grill.  However, we want more.  So now we are adding to the patio.  And YIKES! 

First of all, yes, it is a WHOLE lot cheaper to get any patio poured through Ryan when you are building.  But the cost isn't the only headache.  There is the grading issue.

We have a bit of slope on the side of the house.  That makes this tricky.  Plus they have dig down and grade in order to get to the level my existing pad is at now.  Metal bars will have to be inserted into the side of the existing pad to connect the new pad to it.  Then there will have to be a bit of grading done after the fact so there is not a 6" drop off the patio into the yard.  You see, when they do the grading for the house when it's built, there is a slope to the yard for water drainage.  Our current slope is not conducive for the new pad.  Oh, don't get me wrong, it could be a whole lot worse!  We don't have the nearly the slope some people have. We will need to reseed, again, when all is said and done.  More cost.

In the end we hope to have what we envision in our heads. A nice place to have family gatherings and cookouts with friends.  A place we can retreat too and just relax.  I think getting the backyard exactly how we want is going to take a few years.  We hope to add fence, flowers, perhaps a weeping willow in the corner.  But for now, this is a good start.  And we're very excited about it.

When we first thought of all this, we didn't realize all the extra work having an extra slab of cement poured was going to entail.  So I just wanted to share this all of you out there still considering building.  If you know you want a patio, and go ahead and let Ryan do it for cheaper and be saddled with the headache.  The cost is cheaper, and you won't have grading headaches to worry about, or a lawn to replant.  lol

In the mean time...wish us luck!

Happy Building!

A change in the Verona!

If you are building a Verona, you may want to check out this post from a fellow blogger:

http://buildingourverona.blogspot.com/2012/03/pleasant-surprise-new-feature-for.html

It notes some changes in the Verona's building!

Happy Building!

Neighborhood News

So, it looks like the actual building of homes behind me won't start until more towards the end of year.  They still need to determine the lots and do some work back there.  So I am guessing no homes back there until after the summer.  We'll see.

Also:  Big changes coming up in our covenants and HOA rules.  I don't want to get into too many details just yet, because a lot is still up in the air.  But I can tell you we were told changes were coming and we will be notified of the final changes within the next 30-90 days.  If you are thinking of doing anything major, wait! 

Happy Building!

Coach Light Update

Hello Bloggers and Readers!  I hope you all are doing well!

In my last entry I talked about our garage coach light issue.  My rep had told us we got two but when we went to pre-settlement, we only had one.  PM said we only got one, yet we knew the Rep had said two.  I was willing to pay for a 2nd one.  This was something that gnawed at us and gnawed at us.

When the garage is side entry, you don't get that added bonus of porch light to help light the way.  The one garage coach light does not do a good enough job of keeping things lit.  So anyway, while going through emails, I found the email from our Rep stating we got both lights and forwarded it to her to see what could be done.

A few weeks later, and guess what?  We are suppose to get the 2nd coach light tomorrow!!  WOOHOO!  I'm so happy.  And I'm so glad I found email.  And I'm thankful our Rep went to bat for us again and got it fixed.  For future reference:  If you get a side entry, you only get one garage coach light (light outside the garage) unless you pay for the 2nd light.  There was some confusion in the begining and now we are getting what we originally asked for.  YAY!   I'm so happy Ryan is making this right.  =) 

Thank you Rep for all you've done!!  We'll miss you while you're away.  And Congratulations!  ;-) 

If you live in my neck of the woods, here is the latest update:

The next phase of the neighborhood to open is behind me (the big field).  Supposedly, a portion of each homes sales will be put aside to finish the club house and pool.  I certainly hope so!  With any luck, we'll have pool by next summer!  =)  WOOHOO!!

So that's life over this way.   I can't wait for our 10 month so we can paint!!   That should take place sometime in May I think.  We will put in a service call for it the end of April.

I hope everyone out there is enjoying their new homes, or the process of getting their new home.  =)  Take Care!

updates

We have a sidewalk now!!  WOO HOO! 

I'm so glad to have the public walkway in now.  They came and paved next the house in November.  They cleared the area for the walkway, but never poured it.  It is now poured!  =)  I'm so happy.  Having a big muddy area every time it rains attracts both my little white dog and my 2 year old.  NOT FUN!  They need to come either sod or seed now and it'll be finished.  VERY HAPPY about that.

During our building process, I had emailed our rep about how many coach lights (outside garage lights) we got.  She wrote back and confirmed we got two with our elevation (elevation L).  But at pre-settlement when we asked our PM about it, he said that it was up to us to purchase and put in the 2nd light.  We only had one.  Um... okay?  I knew our Rep had told us two, but what could we do?

Well, I think things got screwed up when we went from a front entry garage to side entry garage.  On the side, you don't have the light from the front porch/stoop area.  It's too dark with one light.  It has REALLY bothered us.  So, I while digging into old emails on day, I  found the email from my rep stating that we got 2 lights.  I forwarded it to the rep and asked how we go about getting the 2nd light now.  (I wish I had found this sooner).  I am still waiting on answer.  But it's only been a week.  We still have the same elevation, so I'm thinking we should get the 2nd light.  We'll see.  I did have it in "writing" (email) that we should have it.  So I'm hoping Ryan makes it right.  I'll let you know.

This was one of the things we weren't happy with at closing.  This and a mishap over a light at the end of our island.  I wanted one and was going to pay for it.  We were told we were getting it.  We never did.  And when we asked about it before pre-settlement, we were told it wasn't included in our light package.  *heavy sigh*  I was willing to pay for one and now we have none.  It was too late.  =(

At one point, I did go through another model like mine being built up the street to see if they were getting it.  I wanted to know if we were just lied too.  But the wiring and stuff hadn't been done yet.  Wasted trip.  I know believe the rep must have confused our package with someone else's.  I don't think she out right lied to us.  I do think it was not in our package.  I just wish we would have handled it all better in the beginning.

Other than those things, we have been here 6 months now and love our home.  Love our neighborhood.  And the few people we have met seem very nice.

There is one person here does not think fondly of me.  And to be honest, they have made me a little scared to meet anyone new.  We went through so much drama where we use to live with some neighbors, the last thing I want is more drama.  I'm quite content to stay to myself and those whom I have met to avoid any further disturbances.  But those I have met seem extremely friendly and nice.  =)  I just love it here.   And my kids do too.  They are thriving and happy.  Life is good.

We got everything settled with the HOA.   If you missed the last update, the closing attorney still had our HOA contribution and is mailing us a check back.  =)  

My sister had her 30 day not long ago and I am over-the-moon excited they are here.  My cousin is building in here and I'm excited for her.

We have a daddy/daughter dance this weekend and a super bowl party to go too.  So a busy weekend ahead. But a good one. 

Who are you rooting for in the big game?


Anyway, thanks for checking in!  Hope y'all are doing well!

Neighborhood News

Well, from I'm told, most of the lots in here that were open and for sale have now sold.  The next section they are going to "open" up will be right behind me.  I'm going to lose my beautiful view.  =(  

We knew we would.  We knew that eventually, a house would be right behind us.  We were just hoping it would take a bit longer. 

I'm not sure when they will open up this section for sale.  The road isn't even there yet.  There are tire tracks from hunters that go back in there to hunt dear, but that's about it.  So I'm assuming they'll be paving and putting in drains and curbs.  But than again, I may be assuming too much.  You never know.  I would think that a road with drains would be on the top of the list, so people could drive back there and pick lots.  We'll see.  If that is what needs to happen, it may be later in the spring when they open it up.  Who knows.  A girl can hope!  We were hoping for a year with nothing going on back there (that would put it in July).   It will be what it will be.  We'll see what happens.  It'd be nice if they finished the sidewalk beside my yard that has been a mud hole since NOVEMBER!  Maybe they are waiting to do it and the curb for soon-to-road all at once.  I just wish someone would tell us something.  I have a dog and 3 kids.  Muddy yard is NOT good.  Especially when the original plan was to have all this done back at the end of July/beginning of August.  I think we've been patient.  I guess I'll have to shoot the PM a email.

The lots behind me are smaller (50-55 ft lots I believe).  I'm not sure how they are going to fit these 2200+ sq ft homes on those sites.  That will be interesting.  I'll have to check the bi-laws.  They may be able to build smaller homes (ex. Sienna or Florence).   It will be interesting to see what happens.  As of right now, my street is all 60 ft lots.  And the only houses really being built are the Venice, Milan, and Naples.  No one wants to put the Rome on one of these smaller lots.  (The Rome is the biggest house allowed on these smaller lots.  We do have a section of 80 ft lots.  You can build the Milan, Naples, Rome, Verona, Dorsey Hall, James Joice, and few others on those lots, but like I said, they are almost out of lots).

I suppose it's a good thing we have so much going on in here.  The prices for the size of these homes are low.  Interest rates are crazy low.  So now is a great time to buy.  And the more homes we get, the closer we get (hopefully) to getting that pool put in.

I'm still not happy about that.  We were told in the beginning we'd have pool THIS summer, that the funds were there and put aside for it.  But I suppose something changed, because most of the people after us were told "hopefully 2013".  I'm guessing that they want enough homes in here to pay for it.  That makes sense, right?  But again, I'm only guessing.  It could be that the bank developing the property has decided NOT to do the pool since they are hoping to sell to a new developer (something they have been trying to do for a while a now).  Who knows.  I guess when construction starts up there, we'll know.


It's hard to believe they aren't going to open up some more of the bigger lots first.  Those are selling like hotcakes!  And the road is already paved and everything up that way.  But, I suppose they have plan.  Maybe they are wanting another builder to come in and build on those lots.  *shrugs*  It'll be interesting to see what happens. 

Over all, it seems like we'll have a pretty full neighborhood soon enough. 

HOA Uproar: Update (if you live in the neighbor, you may want to read this)

So we made some calls once we calmed down.

The HOA company never received any of the funds from closing.  HMMM

So we called the attorney's office that handled closing and had several questions.

We got this wonderful blue book at closing:

This book has ALL our closing information in it, our paperwork, our everything!  On one page, it stated we gave $500.00 as an HOA contribution.  Uh...what?  Contract said we were suppose to pay nothing.

This is where we got upset.  At closing, the attorney's office told us to take this up Ryan.  They were charging it.  Ryan said we'd get a refund or a credit with HOA management company.  Something wasn't adding up.  We know we didn't get the refund, we never got the check.  So where was our credit at?

However, in a plastic sleeve insert inside this book, is our actual receipt for closing (settlement statement).  The book is made up ahead of time.  So any changes made prior to signing paperwork, are not reflected.  The paper receipt in the sleeve is actually printed up just before leaving closing.  It is accurate.

On the bottom of 2nd page (settlement) it said we actually gave just less than $250 to the HOA contribution/assessment.  Ok, bettter.  At least it's not $500.  But whatever happened to that money?

Answer:  NOTHING!  The attorney's office still has it. We called.   >=/     Really guys?   It's been 6 months.  So a paralegal is speaking with an attorney and we are waiting for another call.  Either they will forward that money over to the HOA management company and we'll be credited it, or we will receive check in the mail.  They are suppose to let us know something in the next 24 hours.

So that money was just sitting there.  My advice to anyone living in this neighborhood:  Look at the bottom of your settlement papers, see what you paid.  And then if you got a bill from the HOA management company, call the attorney's office and find out where YOUR money is.

I'm just glad to know that one way or the other, it's being taken care of.

If it does just get forwarded to the HOA management company, we will be calling to make sure they credit us and not take it for granted.  That's for certain.