Options

So, we are moving along in the build process and I have been slow to get this blog moving. But let's forget about that and go through our choices of options.

Structural Options:
The house will be a standard Elevation A.

First Floor

1. Added the study so my wife can work from home
2. Added the 2' extension to the garage
3. Added the 3 car garage
4. Added a non-standard optional window centered between the 2 windows on the rear wall of the family room

Second Floor

1. Kept the loft instead of a 4th bedroom
2. Kept the half wall for the stairs
3. Added the alternate upgraded master bath, which includes the separate tub and shower w/ bench seat.
4. Added the double bowl vanity in the 2nd bath (this room looked a little too big without it)
5. Added Werner Fire Escape Ladders  to all three bedrooms (http://us.wernerco.com/fire-escape-ladder/products.php).  Pretty nifty built in ladders for a very reasonable price.

Colors/Flooring/Counters/Cabinets/Etc.

Outside Colors

Siding will be Spanish Olive (http://variform.plygem.com/wps/portal/variform/variformroot/products/siding/traditionallapsiding?family_name=Contractor%27s%20Choice&product_name=Contractor%27s%20Choice%20Double%204%22  Hover over the colors, the 2nd to last should be Spanish Olive)

Shutters will be Grizzle Gray (http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7068-grizzle-gray/)

The front door will be Rookwood Shutter Green (http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW2809-rookwood-shutter-green/)

Inside Colors

Linoleum in the kitchen and front hall up to the closet will be Ancient Slate - Autumn (http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/vinyl-sheet/ancient-slate-autumn-resilient-vinyl-sheet-66204/floor-92220.asp)

2nd floor bath vinyl will be Carrizo - Vanilla (http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/vinyl-sheet/carrizo-vanilla-resilient-vinyl-sheet-94610/floor-76612.asp)

The Master bath floor, tub surround, and shower will be daltile's Parkway ceramic floor tile in BK96 Beige (http://products.daltile.com/series.cfm?series=419)

The master bath shower has a row of accent tile that will be daltaile's Marble Collection Warm Waterfall Blend DA92 (http://products.daltile.com/seriesdetailStone.cfm?item=5894&series=105&item=5894&)

The remainder of the house will be done in carpet which will be Shaw Intuitive (HGL57) in White Wash color (00100)  (http://s7.shawimg.com/is/image/ShawIndustries/HGL57_00100_MAIN?$SWS_ProductDetailMain_w950h590_crop$)

The kitchen cabinets and 2nd bath cabinets are the standard natural oak color.

The kitchen countertops are Carrara Envision formica alminate (http://www.cabinetparts.com/p/formica-laminate-sheets-for-countertops-FORM7494104X8)

The Master bath cabinets were upgraded to the Scottsdale Square Maple Espresso color (http://www.timberlake.com/wp-content/themes/tbl-three-oh/images/doors/scottsdale-maple-espresso-600h.jpg).

Electrical/Stereo Upgrades

First Floor

1. Added a quad outlet to the wall opposite the windows in the family room.
2. Added a quad outlet to the rear windowless outside wall of the study.
3. Converted the downstairs hall, stairway and upstairs hallway lights from 3 circuits into 2.
4. Added a ceiling fan rough-in in the family room and dining room.
5. Converted the fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen into 2 dome fixtures.
6. Moved the light over the sink to centered over the breakfast bar.
7. Added a switched light to the study.
8. Turned the standard garage light sockets into dual outlets centered over each garage space so I can added LED lighting.
9. Split the outlet in the cabinet for the microwave into two circuits and added a switch for one circuit so I can add undercabinet lighting.
10. Pre-wired for surround sound in the living room.
11. Pre-wired for in-ceiling speakers in the dining room and kitchen.
12. Added an ethernet jack to the wall opposite the windows in the family room.
13. Added an ethernet jack to the windowless outside wall in the study.

Second Floor

1. Added a second bath fan to the master, so the bathroom and toilet areas have their own fans.
2. Added outlets in both master bedroom closets.
3. Pre-wired for surround sound in the master bedroom and loft.
4. Pre-wired for in-ceiling speakers in the master bathroom.
5. Added an ethernet jack to the wall opposite the windows in the bedroom.
6. Added an ethernet jack in the loft to the wall shared with bedroom 3.
7. Pre-wired for ceiling fans in all bedrooms.

Other/Outside

1. Added a future tube from the basement to attic.
2. Added low voltage wiring to all soffits for future LED lighting.
3. Added pre-wiring for speakers behind the house.

Next up: One Step forward, two steps back

Welcome to the blog.  This blog is going to follow our journey through construction of a Ryan Homes Milan model in the Graywood Meadows community in New York.  Our adventure begins with my wife being relocated for work and our decision to look at building a new home (again).  After looking around at houses that were for sale in the area, we decided to look at building again.   So we stopped in the model in Graywood Meadows and met our salesperson Craig Schneider.

After walking through the model house, a Venice, we decided that model wasn't for us.  Our current house is a Savoy model and we loved it but wanted something different.  We are a family of three, so 4 bedrooms was one too many, plus we never really used the formal living room or dining room, preferring to always spend time in the family room and eat in the morning room.  So, downsizing we thought, what a great idea.  Well, after looking at all of the models, we chose the Milan.  So much for downsizing.

So, we have decided to build a Milan model as a three bedroom with the loft.  The only major structural changes we made were to 1) add the study on the first floor in place of the living room, 2) add the 2' extension on the garage, 3) upgrade the owners bath to have a shower with the bench seat and the soaking tub, and 4) (at my wife's request) add the three car garage.  We signed our contract back in April with a contingency on selling our home.  Now a few months later, we are living in an apartment as the house is just getting started and we have already sold and closed on our old Savoy.  I will post some more shortly about the options we chose for the house, i.e. colors, flooring, etc.