Building a House. Without Building One.

Did you know that you can start building a house before you really start building it? Sort of confusing, huh? Well, that is what has been happening with us. Although we do not close on our land and construction loan until March 15 we are already starting to get things picked out and minds made up.

Last week Wade ate lunch with one of the contractors who told him we needed to pick out our appliances in the coming week. One week? I had ONE WEEK to figure that out? I was a little stressed to realize this. And I proceeded to spend the entire next day researching, pricing and reading reviews online. From 8 am until 2 pm I was online and ended my marathon appliance shopping with sore shoulders from typing with my hands/arms at the wrong level. (We have our laptop on our kitchen table which is not a good height for typing.)

Alas, my list came in budget even with the refrigerator. Our budget didn’t include the refrigerator but if we were under then of course we can include it. I also realized since I’m doing a separate cooktop with a mantel hood over it that I needed a hood vent which costs an additional $300-$400.

Ah, the learning this will involve. My friend, Annie, is excited for us and has asked that I take notes - physically or mentally - as they hope to be building in a couple of years. I told her I plan on blogging it mainly for our memories but she (or anyone else) can go back and see how we did it if she wants. ;)

This Tuesday I was to meet with the "kitchen designer" at Builders First Source. I wasn't sure how this would work. Would I sit there and tell her what I want and we would work on it then? Would I leave her my house plans and then she would put something together?

Here's what happened. She made copied only the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room from the house plans so she would have the size and configuration. Then I looked at the cabinets (we are using KraftMaid for my kitchen), picked a couple of different cabinet styles I liked, and showed her ideas of what I wanted. I want a mantel hood as I mentioned earlier so I showed her some examples I had pinned on Pinterest.

Aren't they gorgeous? I love how it becomes the focal point in the kitchen, adds a beautiful space to decorate and is also useful (like those storage pull-outs directly above).

I told her I want a clean look. I want all white but I want a red island. I want simple for the laundry room too but for the bathrooms I do want stain and a more decorative cabinet style.

What I didn't tell her is what my budget is. I wasn't sure how it all worked in that area but I am cautious and cynical when it comes to salespeople. (Sorry to any salespeople out there who may stumble across this.) I don't want to say I can spend X amount and miraculously the total comes exactly to that amount. Okay, so maybe this has been something I have learned from experience in the past. You can get me once and you may get me twice but after that, I have probably learned a lesson.

We made an appointment for me to return this Friday for my designs. I could not wait. This is one thing I have wanted to design for evah. Okay, not really. It has been a dream for a while, and now my dream is coming true (Lord willing and budget permitting - I think that may be my mantra throughout this whole process).

Anxious I went Friday to get my plans. I love them. She went through them with me. I know I will change a few things but in black and white I am seeing a little more of what this house will look like. I love how I'm finding my style in this too and how I can create my own style if I want.

We are using three different cabinet companies for the house (as of right now, since this is so early it is subject to change). As I said we are using KraftMaid for the kitchen. For the bathrooms we are using Mid Continent Cabinetry. They have beautiful pictures on their website and are more of a mid-grade brand but have a very nice product inside and out. The laundry room will have pretty cheap stuff. It is better than what they sell ready-made at the big box stores but will be fine for the laundry room. Anything to stay in budget. ;)

Friday afternoon we met with one of our contractors, Travis, and went over our budget again. We had questions after getting to study it for a few weeks. He also gave me numbers of people I needed to go ahead and meet with to get more things started - the flooring guy and window guy. I have appointments to meet with them next week.