Hi,
I'm replying for my friend who just moved into her beautiful new home in Deluna, but hasn't been able to get internet connected yet.
Home was built very quickly in about 2 months. Design center required about 2 days but tough now due to virus. Best to spend extra money on construction items to make rooms larger, stretches, extra elec outlets, size of cabinets, raising ceiling height etc. Order taller kitchen cabinets as you always need more cabinet space. Making ceilings higher in bedrooms... low cost but huge difference in appearance. She extended depth of home by 2' to allow converting her small walk in master shower into a gorgeous Roman type shower and added a much needed window above shower for extra light. This meant whole back of house had the same extra 2' which made all rooms at back of home deeper and thus bigger. Well worth the small extra cost. She widened kitchen island and had cabinets installed on both sides of island which greatly increased cabinet space. Best to take their credit for kitchen appliances and buy what you want elsewhere. Definitely cheaper to just take their basic countertops and linoleum floors and put in what you want later. Take their basic kitchen sink/faucet and replace later with something nicer and far less expensive than what they would charge you. They wanted $1200 for a white porcelain kitchen sink and she got a gorgeous granite sink for just $350! Get the color cabinets you like as expensive to change those. Order/install your own laundry room cabinets. Pat's in Leesburg has the identical wood kitchen cabinets for a fraction of the cost TV would charge you to add cabinets. If your kitchen pantry is the small closet type, pay extra and order the built in pantry with pull out drawers as so much more space than shelves. Order the corner lazy susan in kitchen corner if you have the space as stores so much more than just a regular corner cabinet. Make sure you check where and how many elec outlets in each room as important to have enough outlets where you want them, especially on lanai. Surprisingly stretches and raising ceiling heights wasn't that expensive. Get size windows you want for extra light and pay attention to direction home and rooms will face to decide where to spend money for larger windows/higher ceilings if facing north or east. Larger outside window trim makes a huge difference especially if your home is on a corner. Taller baseboards very attractive. If you plan to keep window shades, then just get theirs, but if you want nicer/different window treatments, just take the credit and get what you want later. The sliding window panels sold online or through Home depot online are inexpensive and so much prettier than vertical blinds on sliders. Sadly they still won't tell you the price difference for extras when making your choices, but you can always start with the basics they give you, then tell them you want new price for various upgrades, changes you want after your first price given. All in all, her home is beautiful and well worth the small, extra money she spent for construction changes, stretches, raising ceilings etc.
I just had my one year inspection by an independent home inspector and he found very few and only minor items that needed to be repaired. I agree that basically they do build quality homes here in TV and amazingly so quickly that most homes are ready in less than 3 months from the day you pick your lot!!
If you're picking a lot, you're obviously building south of rte 44, so strongly consider location before deciding where to build. Lots/homes in Marsh Bend/Deluna have quickest access to Brownwood town square and those in Chitty Chatty very long golf cart ride to ever reach Brownwood, which is a problem as golf carts are the only way you'll ever find parking places at Brownwood even now.
Good Luck and welcome to your dream retirement community!!
|