New house construction

[AlohaMaui]

Hi,
We bought a lot and now we are in the process of designing our new home with the Villages. What would you suggest to be the best way to compare prices between the villages and outside contractors not connected to the villages? Do you recommend the Villages or the outside contractors to do non structural work such as solar tubes, molding, recess lighting etc if we have a budget? Any outside contractors you recommend?

[retiredguy123]

I'm not sure what you are asking, but I think The Villages will have to do most of the construction work to include everything needed for a complete, occupiable house. There are a lot of non structional items, but most of them are going to need to be constructed by The Villages builder.

[Goldwingnut]

You can't have an outside contractor build your home here in The Villages. As far a the extras go The Villages is very competitive and competent with all of the "extras" and non-structural items. There is no fair way to compare the actual home pricing for a house in The Villages to other communities. You will pay more for the house itself but the true and extra value here is in the community and amenities that are a part of living in The Villages. There is a huge difference between shopping for price and shopping for value, the value shopper will find what they are looking for here in The Villages for an incredible retirement lifestyle and know they've come out a winner, the price shopper will leave disappointed.

A couple of items to consider:
1) warranty, if TV does it when they build the house, you have one number to call with any warranty issue and there is no finger pointing or "not my responsibility", it gets fixed if there is an issue, you done have to call each individual contractor who put in the extra feature.
2) convenience, it's one stop shopping with TV and it will be done when the house is completed and on time, in some cases they also use the same contractors you would use but you don't have to do all the leg work and contract it after the fact. Do you really want to spend the first 6 months in your new home making changes to something you just paid for when it could be done once and ready when you move in.
3) cost, in general it will cost you less overall to have it done at the time of construction instead of after you move in, you don't have to pay the electrician to come out twice to put in light switches if they do it all while the walls are all still open. Yes, the price sheet may say $500 for putting in an extra _______, and you can find company "x" to do it for $400 or bargain with them to get the price down a little, but what's your time worth to you and is it really worth the extra effort? And will they respond quickly on a warranty issue.
4) Taxes, this is the loser for you, the value of the home will be higher when you have the builder put everything in so you property taxes will be higher on closing day. The county will catch up with it all in short order, every time a contractor pulls a permit with the county to do "extra" work on your house that becomes a tickler for the property appraiser at reassessment time that your home value has gone up and it's time to raise your taxes. You my dodge the bullet for a year or two but they will catch up eventually and it may be a bigger hit if your improvement adds substantially more value than it cost. Depending what you are adding you may save a at most couple of hundred dollars until the tax collector catches up.

For the stuff you know your are going to do or want, let The Villages do it for you and save yourself the headache and enjoy it from day 1 after moving in. You will find plenty of other things you want to do to your home after you get settled in and see what your new neighbors and friends are doing.

Most importantly, WELCOME TO THE VILLAGES, you're going to LOVE it here.

[ColdNoMore]

Hi,
We bought a lot and now we are in a process of designing our new home with the Villeages. What would you suggest to be the best way to compare prices between the villages and outside contractors not connected to the villages? Do you recommend the Villeages or the outside contractors to do non structural work such as solar tubes, molding, recess lighting and etc if we have a budget? Any outside contractors you recommend?

Something isn't quite right here.

Are you saying that it wasn't explained to you when you bought your lot, that The Developer...is the only one who can build your house?


On Edit: I think I misread your post. Since you're "in a process of designing our new home with the Villeages," I think you're asking about having an outside contractor vs. The Villages performing work other than the actual house itself.

My bad. :ho:

[CWGUY]

:shrug: Where is the lot? Is it south of SR44 or on the "Old Side" ?

[graciegirl]

I think your issue is this;

You are having a home built here in The Villages and wonder what additions to include or do later; such as pool, additional footage etc.

We had the pool added later, not sure if we wanted one. Most people add attic stairs, downspouts on sides and back of house later. And some add solar tubes.

Get as much garage space as you can when building, it's your extra storage. Ditto with additional square footage. Much cheaper now than to add it later.

Take your time after you move in to think what you want to add and there will be neigbors adding things too and you can compare notes. Almost everyone uses and likes Solar guys for tubes. We haven't added any.

[Packer Fan]

Something isn't quite right here.

Are you saying that it wasn't explained to you when you bought your lot, that The Developer...is the only one who can build your house?


On Edit: I think I misread your post. Since you're "in a process of designing our new home with the Villeages," I think you're asking about having an outside contractor vs. The Villages performing work other than the actual house itself.

My bad. :ho:

I think her post is pretty clear - She is not asking about someone else building the house. She is asking if she should have peripheral items like Solar Tubes, a pool, etc done by the villages when she builds the house, or is it cheaper to do these things later with an outside contractor. In other words she is asking if the Villages prices for add on's are fair and reasonable, or should she build a bare bones house and upgrade stuff later.

It is a good question. How reasonable are the villages prices when building a home?

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you so much for your input. It was very helpful.

[villagetinker]

We bought a lot and built. We used the villages builder(s), as far as I know there are no other options. We already knew to basic house we wanted (Gardenia) so we discussed options for this design, in the end we got 3 of the 4 stretches we wanted, hit the build lines on the 4th. 36 other minor changes and the major birdcage addition were done after we moved in and got settled, and figured out what we wanted.
The only items that you really want done before you move in are items that affect the floors, upgraded rugs, changes in tile, coating the garage floor, etc. NOTE: you will need to wait at least one month for the concrete to fully cure before applying any coating.
You can ask about the cost of upgrades (like crown molding, back splashes, under counter lighting) and get the costs of the villages builders then compare to doing this later. In the case of under counter lighting, we were quoted $2000, we declined this option, I installed my own, both under counter and over head cabinet lighting for less than $300. IMHO there are several of these upgrades that are better done after moving in.
hope this helps.

[Joeg180]

The advise we received and knew in advance was to put your $$ into Structural changes now. You can swap counter top, pool, solar tubes, molding later on. We got all the stretches we wanted, we kis the build lines in several spots.
After closing we added attic stairs and epoxy coated the garage floor. Good luck with your choices.
We knew what model we were interested in before coming down. WE had scoured the homes for sale in the villages app and listing from a non villages agent (for existing homes). We didn't see any existing resales that fit our criteria so we decided to build. We are very pleased so far with the house.

[vintageogauge]

If you are used to having a basement, build a 4 bedroom home and designate one of those bedrooms to be your basement. You will find no matter what you build, there will not be enough storage. The storage locker business is booming down here. If we would not have bought a 4 bedroom home we would have moved into one within a year.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for your very helpful information. We appreciate it very much.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you so much for your information. They are all helpful. We are excited about our new house.

[jflynn1]

We have been here 10 years and have had multiple projects completed by 1ST IN HOME REMODELING,
They are fair priced, excellent quality, on time, Craig Northover is their
superintendent. Tel#352 255 9898.

[Packer Fan]

What is fairly annoying to me is that you can't design your house BEFORE you buy the lot. That way you would know exactly what it cost, and how big a lot you would need. In my case, I would want to do this in anticipation of when the lots open up just south of Brownwood. However, I have been told you have to buy the lot first. Kind of stupid if you ask me. It sounds like several of you have bought a lot slightly smaller than you actually needed to get all the bumpouts.

[gomsiepop]

What is fairly annoying to me is that you can't design your house BEFORE you buy the lot. That way you would know exactly what it cost, and how big a lot you would need. In my case, I would want to do this in anticipation of when the lots open up just south of Brownwood. However, I have been told you have to buy the lot first. Kind of stupid if you ask me. It sounds like several of you have bought a lot slightly smaller than you actually needed to get all the bumpouts.

If you work with a really good salesperson you can find out how much your home will cost with the upgrades you desire. All you need to do is make an appointment with your salesperson and he/she can give you an estimate (really close) of everything you want. He/she can tell you the size of the lot you would need with the stretches of the home you want. I know because I am in the process of doing it now.

[villagetinker]

What is fairly annoying to me is that you can't design your house BEFORE you buy the lot. That way you would know exactly what it cost, and how big a lot you would need. In my case, I would want to do this in anticipation of when the lots open up just south of Brownwood. However, I have been told you have to buy the lot first. Kind of stupid if you ask me. It sounds like several of you have bought a lot slightly smaller than you actually needed to get all the bumpouts.

Packer fan, sorry for your experience, we had the opposite experience. Our sales agent knew the style house we wanted, found a suitable lot, then we built the largest version of that house we could, hit the build lines in 2 opposing corners. We did try to have the house rotated 5 degrees to get the last stretch, but that was refused.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for your recommendation and the contact information. We really appreciate it.

[Joeg180]

What is fairly annoying to me is that you can't design your house BEFORE you buy the lot. That way you would know exactly what it cost, and how big a lot you would need. In my case, I would want to do this in anticipation of when the lots open up just south of Brownwood. However, I have been told you have to buy the lot first. Kind of stupid if you ask me. It sounds like several of you have bought a lot slightly smaller than you actually needed to get all the bumpouts.

Our agent had a overlay of the model we were interested in so we could fit the house to the lot. The only thing we could do was have the driveway/garage on the left. Everything else was possible. Our agent was able to build out the model get a price, then remove a stretch so we would have a sense of the the costs involved. No disappointments at all.

[AlohaMaui]

That is great that your sales agent is knowledgeable about upgrade costs. It certainly gives you a peace of mind if he/she can give you a sense of what your dream house will cost in advance. We are still in the process of choosing all the materials and hoping that we won’t get a heartattack when we get the estimate.

[Packer Fan]

If you work with a really good salesperson you can find out how much your home will cost with the upgrades you desire. All you need to do is make an appointment with your salesperson and he/she can give you an estimate (really close) of everything you want. He/she can tell you the size of the lot you would need with the stretches of the home you want. I know because I am in the process of doing it now.

Wow, thanks for the advice, when we are about a year out I will do that. I had no idea they would. I had never asked Michael about that! I am sure it will be 2 years before they will be in the area we are thinking about....

[Aloha1]

That is great that your sales agent is knowledgeable about upgrade costs. It certainly gives you a peace of mind if he/she can give you a sense of what your dream house will cost in advance. We are still in the process of choosing all the materials and hoping that we won’t get a heartattack when we get the estimate.

Are you coming here from Maui?

[Brandigirl]

The Villages will not put in solar tubes for new construction homes. We asked. Anything structural, let TV do it. Expand garage length and width if you can. The way TV build the garage, you cannot get standard, free standing shelves against the walls without it encroaching into the garage space. We put in the cheapest carpet (must have some type of flooring. TV will not let it stay as concrete) and then we ripped it out and put in Luxury Vinyl Plank . TV wanted a lot more for this. We put in our own back splash into kitchen, under cabinet lights. We expanded the house so we could have a walk in pantry in the kitchen. We left the closets bare because we didn't want to pull out the cheap wire shelving and have to repair/paint the walls again. Put in custom closets. We added his/her closets in master bedroom. Who wants to share a clothes closet! Didn't want an outdoor lanai so expanded back and enclosed as a Florida room under air. This all adds to the cost of the house and thus your property taxes too so be aware of that. We just put caps on every room that had a ceiling fan and since my husband is handy, we were able to get the ceiling fans we wanted and he installed them. Much less expensive doing it this way if you are handy. Had TV make a recess area into wall in laundry room and then added a fold out ironing board in that spot ourselves.

[AlohaMaui]

Yes, we moved from Maui. It was a hard decision to make to leave Maui after living there so long but we feel good about our move so far as we feel being welcomed at the Villages.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for the very useful information. If you don’t mind me asking how much you saved when you put the floor in by yourselves after the house was built? Any custom closet company you recommend?

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for explaining my questions. You made it easier for everyone to understand what I wanted to ask.

[HoosierPa]

Hi,
We bought a lot and now we are in the process of designing our new home with the Villages. What would you suggest to be the best way to compare prices between the villages and outside contractors not connected to the villages? Do you recommend the Villages or the outside contractors to do non structural work such as solar tubes, molding, recess lighting etc if we have a budget? Any outside contractors you recommend?

I understand what you are asking. We went through the same process.

In general, all upgrades you do with TV will be at full retail price. You never pay full retail when you shop around with multiple contractors. You also have to consider convenience and what that is worth to you.

Personally, I would do the following non structural upgrades with TV and everything else after closing:
base boards upgrade width, possibly cabinets, recessed lighting (you don’t need as many as you might think)

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for your helpful inputs. We really appreciate it. Are you going to get your own appliances and install them after market? If so, what appliances (brand and model) are you getting?

[graciegirl]

I understand what you are asking. We went through the same process.

In general, all upgrades you do with TV will be at full retail price. You never pay full retail when you shop around with multiple contractors. You also have to consider convenience and what that is worth to you.

Personally, I would do the following non structural upgrades with TV and everything else after closing:
base boards upgrade width, possibly cabinets, recessed lighting (you don’t need as many as you might think)


???? I don't understand what you mean by full retail price. It is cheaper to add square footage when building. We have done this many times with many different builders over the course of our lifetime.

[dewilson58]

Thank you for your helpful inputs. We really appreciate it. Are you going to get your own appliances and install them after market? If so, what appliances (brand and model) are you getting?

Did you check.............My understanding (which means nothing) Is TV will not sell a new home without an appliance package. Maybe it has changed.

[DangeloInspections]

Great topic....as others have said, in The Villages, their builders build your home. The better question to ask perhaps is...."What options should I add during the build by the builder, and what improvements should I add aftermarket?"

Things you may want to have your builder do;

Things like extra receptacles, (like one near the storage waster heater for a possible recirculating pump, gfci receptacles near toilets if adding an aftermarket bidet, receptacle in the master closet on some models if you iron in there, extra receptacle under the kitchen sink if you plan on adding a point of use water heater. Soffit receptacles for Christmas lights. Jamb switches for the master closet(s). Extra Can Lights if needed. LED fixture upgrades. Extra Insulation. Upgrade to insulated sandwich garage doors. Upgrade to Liftmaster garage door openers. Cabinet and countertop choices. Driveway and patio slab extensions. Extra hosebibs. Bathroom venting upgrades. Extra shower heads, like ceiling rain shower, etc. Upgrade to solid core interior doors. On large homes an extra doorbell chime in the Lanai.

Things perhaps better left aftermarket;

Interior paint upgrades (cheaper if done before moving in). Crown Molding. Solar Tubes. Whole house Surge protection. Hardscaping...(make sure they do Not compromise zones). Attic stairs. Gutters. Epoxy garage floors. Driveway painting, etc. Fancier ceiling fans.

This is just a partial list....I am sure I am forgetting some....this is just off the top of my head.

Hope this helps...

Frank D.

[AlohaMaui]

I will double check on the appliance package with TV. Thank you.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you so much for the very helpful information. Wow, your answer is exactly what we looking for. Thank you again.

[villagetinker]

One more item to consider, if you are planning on a security system, have the wiring for door and window alarms and cameras installed when the house is being built. We did this and it completely eliminated the need for wiring. This also allowed us to install our own security system, completely eliminating the very high cost some companies charge. It also eliminates the need for battery operated systems.
If you do this, also specify where you want all the cable run to. We did do this, all the wiring for the hard wired door and window contacts went to the master closet, while the Siamese cable for the powered cameras went to the den, not a major problem but controls are in 2 different rooms.

[DangeloInspections]

Also to add to the "have the builder do" list.....if you are considering a whole house central Vac system, it is easier to install BEFORE drywall is up.

I am sure there are other things I am forgetting. The thing is, a few years ago you have pretty much NO options...this is what you get, take it or leave it. Now it is different. Sometimes however, the designer you get may tell you "No, that is not an option" , only to find later that your neighbor was able to have it no problem. Sometimes it is easier to say No than to go the extra mile.

I would also add, in some models, make sure you place your kitchen island EXACTLY where you want it, and have it documented. We see poorly chosen island placement quite often.

Frank

[retiredguy123]

Have the builder run some speaker wires across the living room (or other room) for surround sound speakers.

[AlohaMaui]

Hi Dangeloinspections,
Thank you for your great input. We chose Laerul Oak 10 and it has one large inslad parallel to a main kitchen cabinet. What should we be aware of regards to the island?

[AlohaMaui]

That is a good suggestion, retiredguy123. Thank you.

[DangeloInspections]

Laurel Oak is a nice floor plan! You have some room there to adjust exactly where you want that big island. I have seen it installed too close to the main counter and suddenly you have a galley kitchen that is tight. I have also seen it installed too close to the garage entry hallway.....your main everyday entrance. I was in one last week that the homeowners moved it out quite a bit to allow for future wheelchair access around the island. This MUST be decided early on, as plumbing and electrical is brought up for the island in the slab...so it cannot be moved. Double check many times and MAKE SURE the builder plans accordingly and that it is clearly in the blueprints.

We do over 600 one year warranty inspections in The Villages every year, so we know the models and see plenty of great ideas...and some things the homeowners wished they did different. Hope that helps!!

Frank

[dewilson58]

One more item to consider, if you are planning on a security system, have the wiring for door and window alarms and cameras installed when the house is being built. We did this and it completely eliminated the need for wiring. This also allowed us to install our own security system, completely eliminating the very high cost some companies charge. It also eliminates the need for battery operated systems.
If you do this, also specify where you want all the cable run to. We did do this, all the wiring for the hard wired door and window contacts went to the master closet, while the Siamese cable for the powered cameras went to the den, not a major problem but controls are in 2 different rooms.

Good addition.

We did this as well.
TV suggested Galaxy do pre-wire during construction.
Been very happy with Galaxy.

[VApeople]

We chose Lural Oak 10 and it has one large inslad parallel to a main kitchen cabinet. What should we be aware of regards to the island?

We had a Laurel Oak built two years ago and we chose to not have the island. My wife and I fix food in the kitchen at the same time and we thought an island would get in the way as we are both moving around.

We also left out the stupid desk and one of the wall cabinets n the laundry room so now we have more space to dry our clothes.

We also added a golf cart garage and extended the lanai out 3 more feet and had it extended across the entire back of the house.

We liked the Iris floor plan, but the Laurel Oak had 20% more space and the base cost was only 10% higher ($286K compared to $258K), so choosing the Laurel Oak was a no-brainer.

We absolutely love our house.

[AlohaMaui]

Great to hear you love your Laurel Oak! We are going to extend our lanai too.

[DangeloInspections]

I'm sorry...I apologize....I got the Laurel Oak mixed up with the Indigo...my mistake. I am sorry if I caused any confusion. The Villages has so many good choices!

Frank

[Spoiler]

Great topic....as others have said, in The Villages, their builders build your home. The better question to ask perhaps is...."What options should I add during the build by the builder, and what improvements should I add aftermarket?"

Things you may want to have your builder do;

Things like extra receptacles, (like one near the storage waster heater for a possible recirculating pump, gfci receptacles near toilets if adding an aftermarket bidet, receptacle in the master closet on some models if you iron in there, extra receptacle under the kitchen sink if you plan on adding a point of use water heater. Soffit receptacles for Christmas lights. Jamb switches for the master closet(s). Extra Can Lights if needed. LED fixture upgrades. Extra Insulation. Upgrade to insulated sandwich garage doors. Upgrade to Liftmaster garage door openers. Cabinet and countertop choices. Driveway and patio slab extensions. Extra hosebibs. Bathroom venting upgrades. Extra shower heads, like ceiling rain shower, etc. Upgrade to solid core interior doors. On large homes an extra doorbell chime in the Lanai.

Things perhaps better left aftermarket;

Interior paint upgrades (cheaper if done before moving in). Crown Molding. Solar Tubes. Whole house Surge protection. Hardscaping...(make sure they do Not compromise zones). Attic stairs. Gutters. Epoxy garage floors. Driveway painting, etc. Fancier ceiling fans.

This is just a partial list....I am sure I am forgetting some....this is just off the top of my head.

Hope this helps...

Frank D.

Just wondering... what does this mean, “make sure they don’t compromise zones”?

[AlohaMaui]

Hi Frank,
You didn’t confuse us. One more question for you, do you have anyone (contractor) to recommend to do things like crown molding, solar tubes, upgrade fans and interior lighting textures etc after market?

[VApeople]

You may not need solar tubes in a Laurel Oak. The front of our house faces directly east and we get plenty of natural light in our house all day long. The window in our nook faces south.

[DangeloInspections]

Let me respond to some questions...

1) When most folks have hardscaping done, the landscapers will move the plant beds and boundaries, but never move the sprinkler heads. When The Villages installs your sprinkler zones, usually zone#2 is for plants and the rest are for your lawn. This is good, because you typically water your lawn longer than the plants. If the hardscapers do not move some heads and keep all the plant zone for plants and all the lawn zones for the grass, you can end up overwatering and under watering areas.

2) There are many crown molding companies in The Villages. One of the best is JSR molding. There are some others.

3)For Solar tubes I would stick with The Solar Guys, only because they are the biggest, and if you have a problem,(very rare) you know they will most likely be around 10 years from now.

4) Usually for Electricians sticking with whoever did your home insures that no one could say, "The other guy did it".

I'm sorry, I do not have a deep list of referrals....I only refer companies that I have first hand dealings with. I am not "in bed" with anyone as it is not ethical.

I know you did not ask....but beware of some water system sales folks who will harass you the first week you move in. I like NOVA filter systems....you can search here for reviews. I have that filter and like it.

Best advice I can give new homeowners is do a GOOD checklist within 30 days...some things are covered for only 30 days. If the builder says wait, get that in writing. We also do these checklists for folks who do not want to do it, but we will always find more in 10 months as the home settles, etc.

Hope this helps!

Frank

[AlohaMaui]

Hi Frank, Thank you for your reply and advise. Regards to #4, do you recommend TV to install the “upgraded” fans and lighting fixtures while the house is being built instead of getting the basic ones first then change to upgraded ones after market since we probably won’t get the contact information of the electrician who did the initial work.

[DangeloInspections]

Often I see some folks can get NO fans, and just have the wiring for it with a cover. Then you can buy your own and install them, (or a GOOD handyman) or go someplace like Dan's Fan City. Why pay for builder grade fans you do not want?

As for can lights, decide where you want them and have the builder install.

I see so many folks have the original fans shoved up in the attic because they upgraded them. I am actually looking for one...folks will sell them cheap because they do no good getting dusty in the attic.

When you close on your home there will be a sticker on your panelbox that will tell you the name of your Plumber, your Electrician, etc, etc.....

Frank

[Dan9871]

since we probably won’t get the contact information of the electrician who did the initial work.

You will get info about who built the house.

Even if you don't have the pile of paperwork you will receive when you close you can always call home warranty and they will be able to tell you did the work on any part of your house.

Also for a lot things, like electrical and cabinets, there will be labels in the house that will tell you who did the install.

For fans I think you can specify the no fans are installed when you design the house... if you are going to replace them anyway.

[AlohaMaui]

Hi Dan, That is good to know that we’ll get the information of who did the work. As Frank suggested, we will have TV does the wiring for the fans with cap and install ours after market. Thanks for the info again.

[AlohaMaui]

Thanks again, Frank. We’ll have TV does wiring for the fans with cap and install ours after market. TV’s fans don’t look attractive.

[Spoiler]

How about the bird cage? Is it better to get it afterwards from a third party, or let TV do that with the original home build?

And if you did it afterwards with a contractor, do they pull a building permit if it needs one (I assume it would)?

And does something like a bird cage need approval from some architectural commitee or something? Wonder how long that would take...

Just wondering...

-Spoiler

[DangeloInspections]

How about the bird cage? Is it better to get it afterwards from a third party, or let TV do that with the original home build?

And if you did it afterwards with a contractor, do they pull a building permit if it needs one (I assume it would)?

And does something like a bird cage need approval from some architectural commitee or something? Wonder how long that would take...

Just wondering...

-Spoiler

Yes they should, and yes you do. A proper birdcage involves pouring a slab, moving sprinkler lines and heads and installing a supergutter, etc. This always requires both approval by your ARC or HOA, and the proper permits.

It is sometimes better to pay a bit more and not have headaches...companies like T&D and Brian Terry are known to be a bit more expensive but less prone to do shoddy work. They and I'm sure a few others have better reputations than some other companies.

Frank

[Dan9871]

Yes they should, and yes you do. A proper birdcage involves pouring a sla
It is sometimes better to pay a bit more and not have headaches...companies like T&D and Brian Terry

Just curious but isn't the birdcage something that can be part of the original build which would be the least headaches of all?

And the diff in cost between a T&D birdcage added after the build and one done in the original build can't be that much especially when compared to the overall cost of the house... and T&D will probably be doing the birdcage if it is part of the original build anyhow.

[DangeloInspections]

Just curious but isn't the birdcage something that can be part of the original build which would be the least headaches of all?

And the diff in cost between a T&D birdcage added after the build and one done in the original build can't be that much especially when compared to the overall cost of the house... and T&D will probably be doing the birdcage if it is part of the original build anyhow.

I would agree. Also, this way you can plan on having a hose bib within the birdcage/lanai space, have the slabs look the same, etc. However, folks are all different. Some enclose the Lanai right away, some expand that wonderful outdoor living space. Personally, I really like our outdoor living space and value it more than additional square footage....but many others prefer not to have it at all. To each their own.

[Belmont4-150]

Generally you will do much better price wise if using secondary contractors after the fact. There are always going to be pluses and minuses. Initial cost savings, not in property tax values, better selection are positives. Biggest negative is all of this work will be done after you take possession/move in to the house thus being inconvenienced. I would personally go the 2nd contractor route.
I have a small list of great contractors if you are interested; for example, Chuck Abbey, Abbey Flooring, 352-480-4444

[AlohaMaui]

Hi Belmont,
I assume you did use secondary contractors. Did that give you substantial savings and what project did you use them on, if you mind me asking?

[OhioBuckeye]

I think her post is pretty clear - She is not asking about someone else building the house. She is asking if she should have peripheral items like Solar Tubes, a pool, etc done by the villages when she builds the house, or is it cheaper to do these things later with an outside contractor. In other words she is asking if the Villages prices for add on's are fair and reasonable, or should she build a bare bones house and upgrade stuff later.

It is a good question. How reasonable are the villages prices when building a home?

I agree with what you said but if they think they want to put Solar tubes in or anything else, they better do it now because later might mean costing a lot more because if some of the work has to be in the walls they're asking for a big bill. It would be better to do it now while it's being built. So if they're not in a big hurry to get it done, I would wait until you see if this is really the area you want to live in. I would probably have the builder do it because personally I think these outside people are a little high on their prices. Good Luck!

[OhioBuckeye]

Am I seeing things on the opening question where you see the house in construction. Is that snow on the roof of the house? Are you sure you're building in TV, LOL?

[villagetinker]

We added the birdcage about 2 years after we moved in. This gave us time to figure out exactly what we wanted. We had a very compressed timeline for the project, and we only found one contractor that could meet the schedule, Killcrease, BUT 95% of the work was done by Joseph Sweeting LLC, excellent work. We had additional electrical work done to avoid the need for extension cords in the future.
Yes you need ARC approval, IMHO, you should get the initial approval, they will need the final design for final approval. All permits are by the contractor(s), you should never get these permits, as it sets you up as the general contractor.
Our project took 2 weeks from start to finish. BTW, the size is about 800 square feet, total cost was around $18,000.

[Spoiler]

Thanks for the info everyone.. good stuff..

-Spoiler

[Joeg180]

Hi Frank, Thank you for your reply and advise. Regards to #4, do you recommend TV to install the “upgraded” fans and lighting fixtures while the house is being built instead of getting the basic ones first then change to upgraded ones after market since we probably won’t get the contact information of the electrician who did the initial work.

f you choose to build you will have the opportunity to make those choices with your designer. We went over all of the placements for switches, recessed lights ceiling fans etc. You can move to them at that time. Remember once you sign your changes become a "Change Order" in the build process at $500 + the cost of the change.

We did our build with no change orders. Did we forget somethings, yes. Will we add them now, the jury is still out.

The morning/afternoon before you complete your final walk through of the house with the Builder, not the agent. They will show you all of the features and provide the contact info for the plumber, HVAC, electrician, etc.

[TheSolarGuys]

Hi folks,

Based on our experience brightening up your neighbors’ homes in The Villages with the genuine, patented Solatube brand tubular skylight, we would recommend waiting until your home is furnished and window treatments are installed and you are actually living in the home for a bit before you invest in natural daylighting solutions. This is because lighting needs are very subjective from person to person and so the size and placement of lights needs to be customized for each unique situation so that it can take into account various factors such as furniture location, paint colors, existing electrical lighting on the ceiling, the location of any TV’s or computer monitors in the room, and many other variables, most of which are not available to take into consideration when the home is brand new, unfurnished, and unoccupied. That’s why here at The Solar Guys we offer a free, in-home consultation for our customers so that they can have the confidence they are getting exactly what they need and want instead of paying ahead for something that may not actually suit their needs, much less be necessary for their wants.

Feel free to call us at 866-669-5259 if you would like to set up your own personalized visit with a daylighting consultant expert so that we can put the sun to work for you!

[NancyLee]

Hi,
We bought a lot and now we are in the process of designing our new home with the Villages. What would you suggest to be the best way to compare prices between the villages and outside contractors not connected to the villages? Do you recommend the Villages or the outside contractors to do non structural work such as solar tubes, molding, recess lighting etc if we have a budget? Any outside contractors you recommend?

Before you finish designing your house, read Super House by Donald Wulfinghoff. You can find it on Amazon. It will help you a lot to make sure your house has everything it needs.

[DangeloInspections]

Hi folks,

Based on our experience brightening up your neighbors’ homes in The Villages with the genuine, patented Solatube brand tubular skylight, we would recommend waiting until your home is furnished and window treatments are installed and you are actually living in the home for a bit before you invest in natural daylighting solutions. This is because lighting needs are very subjective from person to person and so the size and placement of lights needs to be customized for each unique situation so that it can take into account various factors such as furniture location, paint colors, existing electrical lighting on the ceiling, the location of any TV’s or computer monitors in the room, and many other variables, most of which are not available to take into consideration when the home is brand new, unfurnished, and unoccupied. That’s why here at The Solar Guys we offer a free, in-home consultation for our customers so that they can have the confidence they are getting exactly what they need and want instead of paying ahead for something that may not actually suit their needs, much less be necessary for their wants.

Feel free to call us at 866-669-5259 if you would like to set up your own personalized visit with a daylighting consultant expert so that we can put the sun to work for you!

Great info...I agree 100%. Just so folks understand, I have NEVER seen a builder installed solar tube. This is clearly an aftermarket product. Also, as this post stated, you really need to be IN your home to decide if and where you want these. I typically recommend The Solar Guys because they are the largest company out there doing this, and I believe in going with companies that back their products and will be around years down the road.

Frank

[navair4me]

we installed several solar tubes in our home and used "The Solar Guy" and later did more tubes in a rental villa, both were well done and completed as promised. Hope that helps!

[AlohaMaui]

Our designer at the design center told us that TV started offering solar tubes about 6 months ago. We decided to get them installed (if we need them) after market after living in our new house as you recommended.

[AlohaMaui]

Thank you for the info and feedback. It is very helpful.

[Aloha1]

Yes, we moved from Maui. It was a hard decision to make to leave Maui after living there so long but we feel good about our move so far as we feel being welcomed at the Villages.

We lived there for 17 years as snow birds. I completely understand your feelings. We were West Side at Kapalua. Here since 2016 and very happy!