Well, I thought I would start a blog about this new and exciting adventure of us buying a new construction home through Ryan Homes so that we can share this with our friends and family, of course for anyone else that wants to read yet another blog about another Ryan Home being built from the ground up.
**The picture above is Darla and I in Rome, Italy.. I thought it was a good way to start it off :)
We chose the Rome model mostly because of the room requirements for our family. And of course, its the best model offered at the community we are looking to move to.. I never realized how popular this particular model was until I started reading all of the blogs written about it.
So before I get into the ugly details of where we are at in the process now, I am going to let you know that we currently live in Hawaii, and our home is being built just south of Quantico VA.. Yes, this will be a full ocean and cross-country design, development, bargaining, and utterly confusing way of doing it, but we don't really have any other choice. My wife (Darla) just got military orders to move us to Washington, DC. So we just decided to buy our first house.. and a NEW CON at that:) . Please bear this in mind as you read this ongoing blog when we get disgruntled in the process, as we don't have the luxury of feeling the carpet choices, walking on the wooden floor examples, nor feeling the coolness of granite counters options. I will end up flying out to meet with the PM maybe once during this entire process... RH reps say this is very doable, and therefore are going to get it done this way.
We literally just started this process 30 Dec 2012. We received the phone call from the Mortgage rep this morning, and are now gathering all those documents needed to start the application. We are almost done getting them.. Then hopefully tomorrow we get the email that has color selection choices for cabinets, counter tops, carpets etc... so we can somehow make a decision without having hands-on reference.
We have pretty much decided on majority of the house options, they are:
>EXTERIOR
ELEVATION??? Still haven't decided.. We really like the C with the porch, but porch is not available in the area. We might end up going with Elevation A to save money, As C is $4000 without the porch... ack!!!
> BASEMENT (absolutely wanted the finished basement with bathroom)
WELLED EXIT BSMT ~REAR MASONRY WALL
> BASEMENT LAYOUT
FINISHED BASEMENT
2 PIECE PLUMBING ROUGH-IN BASEMENT
PDR RM BSMT ~BATHTUB BSMT
> MORNING ROOM
MORN RM ~FIN BSMT
> KITCHEN
lots of decisions here... mostly the cabinet color choices, the countertops, and backsplash (if any)
DOUBLE PATIO DOOR DINETTE
KITCHEN GOURMET ISLAND
KITCHEN FAIRFIELD SQUARE MAPLE SPICE TIMBERLAKE (this will probably be changed)
> 42 INCH CABINETS (SKD)
42" WALL CABINETS KITCHEN
> GRANITE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
GRANITE COUNTERTOP KITCHEN UPGRADE #1
GRAN KIT UP1 ~MORN RM
GRAN KIT UP1 ~GOURMET ISLAND
> APPLIANCES
RANGE GAS HOOK-UP
PREMIER VI FRSTNDG ~MICROWAVE ~RANGE
FRIDGE G ~ICEMAKER KIT RI
> FAMILY ROOM
FIREPLACE SIDE ~STONE (Really want the Stone Mantle vice the Wooden mantle)
> OWNERS SUITE
OWNER'S BATHROOM TYPE E W/SOAKING TUB & SHOWER (Stanhope model had the best
layout for bathroom.. oh well)
> VANITIES
DOUBLE BOWL VANITY OWNER'S BATHROOM
> VANITIES OWNER'S BATH
Maple Spice (this will change) Double Bowl
> VANITY TOPS OWNER'S BATH
VANITY TOPS OWNER'S BATHROOM GRANITE WHEAT (this will change)
> VANITIES SECONDARY BATHS
VAN FFIELD-MPL SP ~SGL BWL VAN BATH1
> INTERIOR SPECIFICATIONS
PINE STAIR W/OAK HANDRAIL, BASEPLATE/WHITE BALUSTERS
> ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
RECESSED LIGHTS KITCHEN OPTIONAL
6 - CEILING FAN ROUGH-IN (EA)
> FLOORING (still trying to figure out what the choices of "A" are?)
HARDWOOD FOYER (A)
HARDWOOD POWDER ROOM FIRST FLOOR (A)
HARDWOOD KITCHEN (A)
HARDWOOD MUD ROOM (A)
HARDWOOD DINING ROOM (A)
HARDWOOD LIVING ROOM (A)
HARDWOOD FAMILY ROOM (A)
HARDWOOD STUDY (A)
HARDWOOD HALL FIRST FLOOR (A)
Anyway, this is just a start.. and I will be posting pics of the table that is next to me that has our layout plans.. i went and got poster boards and will be sketching out each floor to follow each of our decisions.
Here we goooooooooo.!!!
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