Pre- Drywall Meeting pictures!!

I know I've been gone for a while, not so much because I'm a blogger slacker which I totally am but because I had my little thing going on with my  foyer window. Well, for the last two weeks I 've been stalking the site hoping to see the foyer window being put up but to no avail. Our PM had told me the window got broken when the framing was done and a replacement was supposed to be put. One whole week went by no window, I would stop by the house every day after work hoping to see the window. I was getting really fed up about the situation. The second week went by with the same disappointment. I kept telling myself that I will only update my blog once I could take a picture of the house with the window. On Saturday our PM told me the framers would be back Monday or Tuesday to install the window, Monday I reluctantly drove by, no window. Yesterday was the first day I was able to refrain from stopping by, even then I asked our SR to take a picture and send to me if on her way home she saw the window. I waited, na-da, it meant no window.Well  we had our pre-drywall walk through today and I went to meet with the PM at the house and guess what I saw? Foyer Window finally! I thought I would be excited but I wasn't, I guess I had waited too long and the excitement was gone. So that was my foyer window episode. 

Before I proceed with the pre-drywall meeting which of course is the topic of the day here are a few updates since the last post:

• Roof has been installed.

• HVAC installed

• Electrical wiring connected
  
  

• Plumbing Installed.

• Guardian cables connected 

• Garage door installed

• Front steps and  stair welled exit completed.

• Fireplace installed  
• Entire Framing completed

So today at the pre-construction meeting, the PM and I walked through all the plumbing, electrical and HVAC installations with him explaining every single connection. I took my notes and of course pictures of everything. He answered all of my questions to my satisfaction except the question on the insulation in the garage. I asked him if the garage would be  100% insulated so I don't run into Brian's issues with the bonus room but he said no but then went ahead to explain why it did not need 100% insulation. Hope I don't get heating and cooling problems in that room!

 I also got a letter stating our  pre-settlement walk through date and our closing date which are 10/16/2013 and 10/18/2013 respectively. We still have ways to go! Oh  did I mention dry walling starts next week? Yes, our PM said they will be putting the dry walls on Tuesday which will take anywhere from 4 to 6 days. Insulation of the home will take place by the end of this week. Can't wait to see the actual walls in the house!!

In other news, I have been shopping for appliances and furniture, haven't bought anything yet but trying to catch all the labor day deals. Wish me well.

Enough long talk, I bet you are ready for some pictures. Here they are.Until next post remained blessed. (I promise it won't take this long again.

Framers doing last minute fixes

Stairs from garage

Back of the house taken about two weeks ago

Fireplace

Looking at the living dining room from the living room

Bonus room

Double doors to media room

Foyer view from upstairs

Guardian box for cable and phone cables

Loft window

Water heater

Soaking tub being protected.

Sliding glass door from kitchen

Single stair welled exit

HVAC unit

This is what the house looked like for the last two weeks during the foyer window ordeal.

As of Today

I stopped by the house again today after work and this is what  it looks like.

Love the raised garage roof, thanks to the bonus room

Our PM told me they should be done with the framing this week and electrical wiring and plumbing should begin next week (boring stuff). It will so not be exciting for me. He said this would take a while and if the weather is not very cooperative I should expect delays. Oh well, I believe we're still a long way from October so I couldn't be bothered right now. 

The next phase I'm looking forward to is the drywall phase when the rooms in the house will actually come to life. Inside the house everything looks like a skeleton right now, can't wait for it to get some flesh. I don't have any pictures of the inside as I've been given an "embargo" by the PM not to go in unaccompanied, y'all know the drill. Oh well, until next post remain blessed.

We are getting there!!

This is what I got today from our PM. Are those windows am seeing? These guys really got me speechless. Our SR had told me once they start I'll be amazed at how fast they go but then..... Hope it continues like this because I do not hate this pace at all, in fact I am loving it!! Our Victoria Falls is coming along really nicely.

I  had to drive there after work to see for myself, so I took this one.

Framing has begun

Some friends of ours came to visit us today at our apartment and we decided to take them to the site. We were last there on Friday when they had just finished the foundation. We were not ready for what we saw!!. The framing had not only begun but was far gone. The ground floor and basement had been framed already. I could recognize all the rooms as I walked in. It was interesting though.  Those builders work with the speed of lightening!! and they work on Weekends too!! I was totally surpised at what I saw. I have read about these surprises on several blogs but that still wasn't enough to get me ready for mine. AMAZING! is all I could say. Here are some pictures we took.

Front view of the house

Family room window and back sliding glass door from dinette

Basement, recreation room facing media room

Basement

Leslie, friend in front of the house

View of the family room

Powder room

Leslie & TK

View of dining room from Kitchen

One step closer!!

I've been gone for a couple of days because we were moving. We moved into our temporary apartment yesterday. It wasn't bad at all as we had movers over, we started at 9.am and by 3 pm we had all our stuff in the storage and apartment. We just went back to the townhouse today to do the final cleaning touches and hand over all keys to the new homeowner. What a sigh of relief!!

Truck loading in front of the townhouse early Saturday morning.

My toddler having a blast with the whole moving show

Living room now empty

Front of townhouse, will miss it though.

We are now cramped up in our tiny apartment about 10 minutes drive from our new construction where we'll be until our Victoria Falls is ready for us.. Very exciting to be able to zoom in and out of the site. Check my next post coming soon for updates.

We have a foundation

Our SR sent me this picture yesterday at about 7.pm and I was truly amazed at how far they have come. The foundation is all set and even looks like the walls are coming up. According to our PM this week they will be installing the underground sewer lines and water lines and spraying the foundation with a waterproofing tar that protects the basement from moisture.They will also be installing all the under concrete plumbing as well as the drain tile pipe and sump pump in the basement. They will also be pouring the garage and basement concrete. Starting next week the framing should begin, exciting!!

On to other news, I made another change to the recent change. Our LO gave me another GFE including the $9000 changes and it did not change much. I had expected to see at least a 3k drop in cash outlay  but what did I see? The total cash due at settlement just came down by only a few hundreds and the monthly payments were still as high as ever. So you know what, I called up our SR and asked if I could at least add my granite countertops back. She had to check with her manager and two days later the answer was a yes. Thumbs up to my very dynamic SR for putting forward my case to her manager and pleading on my behalf so I could get my "100th" change order through. Hmm I just didn't see the point in making that sacrifice and then still having the mortgage at about the same amount.