One of the 53 houses I walked through, I actually liked so much that I decided to write an offer. It was a new construction but unfortunately I was a few hours too late and it already sold. But, I loved the floor plan so much along with the details added by the builder, it was an easy decision to select the builder and the plan. I liked the particular floor plan because it had a 4-car garage, no formal living room (which I do not need), 2nd floor utility room, and a great big family room with lots of windows and high ceilings. There are several other details throughout the house that this builder is known for which I just love.
I met with Armstrong Builders (www.buildarmstrong.com) several weeks ago and I took what was an already awesome layout and started making it better! They are based in Bloomington, IL but build in the Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, and Peoria areas. I started off by adding a 5th stall to the garage (no this is not a typo... I said 5-car garage!). It looks like a 3-car garage from the outside but two of them are double deep which means I can pull my boat and truck completely inside without unhooking from the trailer! I also upgraded to 8ft garage doors with windows and put an additional smaller door on the other end of the garage to the back yard for mowers and pool equipment. I also added a utility sink and a bathroom that is accessible both from the garage and directly from the back yard where the pool will be placed. And what pool house bathroom would be complete without a urinal? Yes please. The pool won't go in until next spring because the ground needs to freeze and thaw through the winter before digging it out, but I can wait on that. Additional changes and upgrades include: buried downspouts, a covered patio on the back, a basement reconfiguration to include an oversized wet bar, pool table room, and movie theater, outlets in the master closet for ironing, speakers in the ceilings and outside controled wirelessly with an ipad, an irrigated lawn, slide-in oven with tiled backsplash, built-in desk in the kitchen/breakfast area, wired for ethernet, gas line for outside grill direct hook-up, fenced yard, under cabinet lighting, landscaped yard, tiled pool table and bar floors, a few extra windows in the family room, tiled glass block/doorless master shower with sprays, corner whirlpool tub, and chair rail/wainscoating in the dining room.... and, I think that about covers it.
Next step was to decide where to put it. I could choose between the builder's subdivisions in Morton or Dunlap or put it wherever I wanted for additional cost. Because the Morton lots were lower cost, property taxes considerably lower, and it being the closest to work, that's what I chose. There were a few different lots that this house would fit on. After looking at them all, I ended up choosing one that backs up to a road. I wasn't sure about this at first just because of traffic noise but it is not really that busy of a street. I'll be able to build a berm and landscape it so that I won't see the road. The benefit is I will not have a neighbor butting up to the back of the lot, looking down into the back yard and pool. Good decision I think. I've attached a few pics of the lot below.
Next step is to get the plans appraised... something about wanting to make sure this thing is going to be worth what I'm paying for it when it's finished. I've been waiting on the appraisal for a week now and living in a hotel in the meantime. Last week was Motel 6, this week upgraded to Super 8. I can already tell this is going to get really old, really fast. I'm trying to find some kind of furnished temporary housing during construction but no luck so far. Anyway, as soon as the bank gives the go-ahead, they will start digging the basement immediately. I'm hoping it can happen this week, but would be surprised if it actually did. I'm told it'll take 4 months to complete which is hard to believe and only 100 days if the weather cooperates. I'll have to see it before I believe it. I was hoping it would done just before Christmas so I could move in over the break but it's getting late enough now, that is probably no longer a possibility, but we'll see. That's all for now!
What does it mean by builder's sub divisions? And does the price quoted by the builder include the lot? Also do they provide any animation on how the inside would look?
ReplyDeleteThe builder owns all of the empty lots so you get a better deal building on one of those because he bought in bulk and is already building several houses there so doesn't have to move all of his guys and equipment around. The price does include the lot. However, they will build it on another lot, it will just cost more. Another advantage is if I build on one of their lots, I don't have to get a new construction loan. They finance the house through the construction after I put some money for a downpayment in escrow and then I purchase it from them at the end after it is complete... also an incentive to finish and not delay. No animation on the inside but I have walked through several of their model homes and pretty much know exactly what it will be like.
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