Your Villages Building Experience..

[Kenswing]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:

[villagetinker]

We did this 7 years ago, I imagine the process has changed a lot. Basically, we bought a lot, were informed that we had to start building within 6 months. We decided to start immediately, met with our sales rep to go over details and pick specifics for our house. Approved a set of preliminary plans (we had requested 4 stretches, could only get 3). 80 days from ground breaking to completion. Since we were not in the area, we were sent electronic photos of the process of the build.
What went wrong, we missed getting upgraded carpet, will be doing this shortly. We did not have tile laid on the diagonal (additional cost), in hindsight it probably would look better. there were a few other small items that there was no way to predict until after we lived in the house. Good luck with your project, hope this helps.

[DeanFL]

We did this 7 years ago, I imagine the process has changed a lot. Basically, we bought a lot, were informed that we had to start building within 6 months. We decided to start immediately, met with our sales rep to go over details and pick specifics for our house. Approved a set of preliminary plans (we had requested 4 stretches, could only get 3). 80 days from ground breaking to completion. Since we were not in the area, we were sent electronic photos of the process of the build.
What went wrong, we missed getting upgraded carpet, will be doing this shortly. We did not have tile laid on the diagonal (additional cost), in hindsight it probably would look better. there were a few other small items that there was no way to predict until after we lived in the house. Good luck with your project, hope this helps.
.
.
Ditto to all for us - we designed/built 6 years ago. SO agree re diagonal tile - I balked due to cost 25% upcharge - I balked as our tile was $$$$. Every day now, I kick myself - not literally. Overall we did a good job with our design (a Holly model). Stretched as much as we could (smaller lot). We did make quite a few changes - biggest was have the builder make our lanai into a Florida Room - same level floor, HVAC in etc etc. We use it every day. And we optd for the color interior paint rather than white - wise choice for small $$. Back 6 years ago what we DID NOT LIKE about the process was that the Designer would/could not tell us the $$$$ charge for line items ie cost difference between this cabinet vs another... hopefully that's changed now.

In the end BE VERY CAREFUL regarding choices that may be very costly to change later such as tile, any stretches or changes to things as interior wall moves, outlet positioning, water spigot positions outside, etc etc.

We optd out of all appliances and bought a complete set of high-end LG stainless from Home Depot for a bit more $$ than our credit. Same for ceiling fans. We also had low-end cheap light fixtuures installed (had to have to close), but got much nicer ones around the house and I installed - sold the originals online.

Looking back, the one 'major' item I would change is the diagonal tile. oh well.
.
.

[graciegirl]

We have seen built 11 of our homes. We are no stranger to it. This was the smoothest of them all.

We were here renting so we were at the site every night. Things were always prepared for the next day. Materials ready etc. The "boss" builder would occasionally leave notes for the subs, for example; "Remove all end caps in the kitchen and do it again right. " When it was time for the roof, on a very hot August day, 14 people arrived at seven and stayed until dark. When it was time to caulk the baseboards etc, three women did it expertly. When they were digging at the very first, they had a digging team. Teams for framing, teams for plumbing. Worked like clockwork.

This is now nine years ago. I am spending every day in this house during the last six months and sometimes I would like to hunt the builder down and tell him what a great house it is, what a good job and how much we enjoy it. I can't say enough good about this home. Please come to our house, O.P. and look around. Right now we won't invite you in but as soon as this virus thing is over you are very welcome.

P.S. On our choices, We saw a Seabrook model home finished and decorated and asked for every finish choice to be duplicated. Tiles were neutral. Good idea to choose neutrals in case you want to sell and go smaller or bigger later on. I know, I know, but neutral choices in tiles is always a good choice.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

built a year plus ago. First, spent your money on the permanent items which you don't want to replace because that is expensive and disruptive , ie, tile, electrical, air conditioning, stretching, counter tops. Replacing these items are expensive, do it right the first time. Stretch first, ask questions later, see point one. Stretching is not that expensive vs what you get. If you want like natural light, get light tubes in strategic places. Small one in the bathroom, large one in the kitchen. If you want natural light in the garage, put in clear blocks or a light tube or two. If you are internet inclined, get the house ethernet wired for flexibility. Wired is faster, more secure and better for streaming. Have galaxy do the specs, NAT router and a gigabyte switch in addition to the modem in the wiring closet, I have two wiring closets as just one isn't big enough. At least one ethernet outlet in each room, forget the phone outlets, really!. You can still get wireless, and you can place the wifi modem in better places for better coverage or put in individual access points in the ceiling. Convert 2 gang outlets to 4 gang outlets near each rooms' entertainment center, to eliminate power strips. Get a whole house surge protector. don't skimp on air conditioning quality, go at least mid range. If gas, be sure to get an outlet outside where a bbq grille will go. Much better than tanks, and less danger. The standard appliances package is adequate, but better to get your preference at a box store. get gutters all around. Air condition the garage if you spend alot of time in the garage with a work bench added later.

Search and I have a post on how to internet wire a house.

sportsguy

[Kenswing]

Great stuff. Thanks everyone.

We plan on postponing the actual build by a couple of months after we choose the lot. When we come back to pick our finishes how much time should we allot? We plan on having a pool built too so I'm sure that will add to the time required.

Thanks again!

[dewilson58]

One thing our neighbors missed and regret 7 years later.........expanding the house with moving the INSIDE walls. Most expansions only move the external walls, our neighbor wish they knew the option of expanding the size of the house and moving the internal wall so the living room (which is placed between a bedroom & kitchen) would be larger.

[DeanFL]

.
.
a bit off topic, but>

Our Holly designer house in Glichrist is now 6.5 years old. We designed the home thru TV Builders (not a Spec home). I was in Leesburg, she Lake Mary FL before moving to TV together. Being local, I came out a few times per week to watch construction, take photos etc. Was extremely pleased with all SubContractors and Head Builder.

So 6.5 years later.
Before the warranty expired we had a reputable home inspector check the entire house out - clean bill of health. Over those years, we have had>

2 nail pops in drywall (my fix)
1 little 'stairstep' slight crack in exterior stucco (my fix)
Master shower tile floor not draining properly (warranty)
A few grout cracks in kitchen tile floor (warranty)
Door entry side window not set properly (warranty)
Exterior drainage issue on home side (warranty)

That truly is about it for going on 7 years.
Overall the quality of our build was wonderful. Kudos+
.
.

[graciegirl]

Great stuff. Thanks everyone.

We plan on postponing the actual build by a couple of months after we choose the lot. When we come back to pick our finishes how much time should we allot? We plan on having a pool built too so I'm sure that will add to the time required.

Thanks again!

They give you a closing date on the day you begin building and in our case they were finished a week ahead and we would have had to pay a fine to change the closing date. I am thinking the build was just over three months.

[Kenswing]

built a year plus ago. First, spent your money on the permanent items which you don't want to replace because that is expensive and disruptive , ie, tile, electrical, air conditioning, stretching, counter tops. Replacing these items are expensive, do it right the first time. Stretch first, ask questions later, see point one. Stretching is not that expensive vs what you get. If you want like natural light, get light tubes in strategic places. Small one in the bathroom, large one in the kitchen. If you want natural light in the garage, put in clear blocks or a light tube or two. If you are internet inclined, get the house ethernet wired for flexibility. Wired is faster, more secure and better for streaming. Have galaxy do the specs, NAT router and a gigabyte switch in addition to the modem in the wiring closet, I have two wiring closets as just one isn't big enough. At least one ethernet outlet in each room, forget the phone outlets, really!. You can still get wireless, and you can place the wifi modem in better places for better coverage or put in individual access points in the ceiling. Convert 2 gang outlets to 4 gang outlets near each rooms' entertainment center, to eliminate power strips. Get a whole house surge protector. don't skimp on air conditioning quality, go at least mid range. If gas, be sure to get an outlet outside where a bbq grille will go. Much better than tanks, and less danger. The standard appliances package is adequate, but better to get your preference at a box store. get gutters all around. Air condition the garage if you spend alot of time in the garage with a work bench added later.

Search and I have a post on how to internet wire a house.

sportsguyThanks. I'm a big proponent of doing it right the first time. I've never regretted spending the extra money doing it how we wanted it but I've certainly regretted cheaping out and wishing we had done something different.

Since you are the most recent to have built, how long did you spend with the design people picking your finishes and choosing what stretches you wanted?

[HIgolfers]

Thanks. I'm a big proponent of doing it right the first time. I've never regretted spending the extra money doing it how we wanted it but I've certainly regretted cheaping out and wishing we had done something different.

Since you are the most recent to have built, how long did you spend with the design people picking your finishes and choosing what stretches you wanted?

We built 3 years ago. Flew in from out of state and spent 5 days here selecting finishes, hardware, etc. it really only took us 2 days selecting because we had a very good idea of what we wanted but everything had to be reviewed by architects which ate up 2 days (this was over a weekend so maybe you could shave a day off there). House was ready approx 80 days after we signed contract. We bought lot in Nov and did the design trip in January.

Agree with poster who suggested getting WiFi outlets in multiple rooms. Don’t need phone jacks- who needs landline anymore? Also agree that better to buy all your own appliances. We bought our own washer and dryer but went with builder provided for the rest. Even tho we upgraded they are still crap. Best to buy all your own and take the credit.

[Bilyclub]

The phone jacks in my 7 year old house are all Cat 5 so they can be used for ethernet use. Only problem is the irrigation stuff takes up most of the low voltage cabinet.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

First be sure you will be available for the required design time frame which starts ticking when you put down the deposit. We had 45 days and flights got cancelled the day we were scheduled to depart. Two-three days for selections. One day for architects to price out and one day to review for moves/adds/changes. Don’t forget central vacuum

Spent time looking at pre-owned houses for sale to get ideas. Go to a tile store at home to get ideas.

Select a house model you like and then be sure to have plot dimensions to check the stretch amount front to back and sideways.

CoachKandSportsguy

[kendi]

We have seen built 11 of our homes. We are no stranger to it. This was the smoothest of them all.

We were here renting so we were at the site every night. Things were always prepared for the next day. Materials ready etc. The "boss" builder would occasionally leave notes for the subs, for example; "Remove all end caps in the kitchen and do it again right. " When it was time for the roof, on a very hot August day, 14 people arrived at seven and stayed until dark. When it was time to caulk the baseboards etc, three women did it expertly. When they were digging at the very first, they had a digging team. Teams for framing, teams for plumbing. Worked like clockwork.

This is now nine years ago. I am spending every day in this house during the last six months and sometimes I would like to hunt the builder down and tell him what a great house it is, what a good job and how much we enjoy it. I can't say enough good about this home. Please come to our house, O.P. and look around. Right now we won't invite you in but as soon as this virus thing is over you are very welcome.

P.S. On our choices, We saw a Seabrook model home finished and decorated and asked for every finish choice to be duplicated. Tiles were neutral. Good idea to choose neutrals in case you want to sell and go smaller or bigger later on. I know, I know, but neutral choices in tiles is always a good choice.

Wow! 11 homes. Bet you’ve set a record. How many in TV?

[dsnrbec]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:

We built less than a year ago and we were pleased with the process. We were assigned a designer who we met us at The Street of Dreams and guided us through the process. We were done in less than 5 days (not full days). Make sure you have your model picked out and decide if you want to do any stretches. As far as interior and exterior finishes go, tour as many models and open houses as you can and write down your favorite things in each. The designer can look that up and do the same for you. You may even find one that you want to copy completely and that really speeds things up. We were pleased and impressed with the abundance of selections and the overall knowledge of our designer. Relax and have fun. You’ll be in your new house before you know it!

[jrieker68]

Current builds are about 5 months. I would definitely go with quartz, not granite. I prefer hardwood in main living areas rather than tile, but that's just me. Get your own appliances, lots of complaints on what builders are putting in.

[grumpy@turton.us]

Our build started last September.
We lived in Windermere (50 miles away) so had a lot of opportunities to go to open houses both new and preowned. And I mean for like 2 years we did this so we had a pretty complete list of what we wanted.
During the design, we gave them addresses of features we liked and the looked up what we saw so we would get the exact feature. Once the design was completed we were taken to several new homes to see the exact feature we picked out. So there were no surprises. So we have no wish I did that for our home.
We did tile throughout and on the diagonal. The build took 2 months and 12 days to complete.

[jimbo2012]

Just finished, yes you can get the cost of any item, you don't get a list of what options you can get you have to ask them.

Stretches are a very good buy on sq ft basis, so max them out.

I did a lanai ceiling 10' rather than 8' dramatic difference, but I saw it it home under construction and asked about it. Also no center column have a 24' clear span view.

Flooring is very expensive 16-28,000, do it later.

Do a 3/4 lanai floor, it raises the floor almost flush with interior no cost option
Another is smooth curved sidewalk & drive no cost

Larger hot water $13

Look at as many homes under construction as you can for ideas.

Any option you select ask to see it in a home cabinets & counter tops

Quartz/granite 7-9K Corian looks like quartz 2K

No appliance

Garage door windows $100

Recess fridge 6"

ungraded landscaping super deal.

If you have a view lot the pano screen or have the horizontal bar at the top rather than the bottom.

Pool from T&D 65K & up, if paying cash do it later

As to interior walls rooms you can do almost anything

[txfan]

Construction currently underway with closing date Nov. 24.

Process started with lot selection and $2,500 "hold" deposit. We had 10 days to secure it fully with $10,000. (the $2,500 was returned to my credit card)

** "Winning" the lot is a whole other story! **

That started a 45-day clock within which we had to complete the design process and "contract" the build.

Design actually began virtually with about five separate 2-hr meetings to design the OML (outer mold line) of the house. This is where we stretched everything we could to accommodate our requirements.

The in-person design and selection process began on a Monday and the pool design meeting was the following Monday.

Within that first week, we completed all the selections, made adjustments to the basic OML and changed windows/sizes. Also within that week were meetings with landscape and closet design.

The pool took most of a day, but others will tell you it can take only 1/2 a day most of the time. Again, this depends on the specifics of the "customization."

After about two weeks, we contracted which requires 20 percent down. At that meeting, you are given the closing date. It will not be sooner. It will not be later. It is that date. That 20 percent does two major things: It secures the funding to buy and order all of your selections so they're on hand when needed for installation, and it guarantees no PMI on a mortgage (if you'll have one) since you will have instant 20 percent equity in the property.

If the house is completed early, it will sit there until your closing date. If you want to close early, you pay extra.

Our construction start date was Oct. 5. The house and pool are being built in integrated fashion and will be completed sooner. It's an assembly line in new neighborhoods, which is good in that all of your workforce is in one concentrated place until it's time to move down the road to the next row of lots.

So far, all is going quite well and quite fast. We visit about once a week and a friend stops by once a week. We've caught one minor issue thus far, but that's it. They are thorough and know what they're doing.

[grumpy@turton.us]

Construction currently underway with closing date Nov. 24.

Process started with lot selection and $2,500 "hold" deposit. We had 10 days to secure it fully with $10,000. (the $2,500 was returned to my credit card)

** "Winning" the lot is a whole other story! **

That started a 45-day clock within which we had to complete the design process and "contract" the build.

Design actually began virtually with about five separate 2-hr meetings to design the OML (outer mold line) of the house. This is where we stretched everything we could to accommodate our requirements.

The in-person design and selection process began on a Monday and the pool design meeting was the following Monday.

Within that first week, we completed all the selections, made adjustments to the basic OML and changed windows/sizes. Also within that week were meetings with landscape and closet design.

The pool took most of a day, but others will tell you it can take only 1/2 a day most of the time. Again, this depends on the specifics of the "customization."

After about two weeks, we contracted which requires 20 percent down. At that meeting, you are given the closing date. It will not be sooner. It will not be later. It is that date. That 20 percent does two major things: It secures the funding to buy and order all of your selections so they're on hand when needed for installation, and it guarantees no PMI on a mortgage (if you'll have one) since you will have instant 20 percent equity in the property.

If the house is completed early, it will sit there until your closing date. If you want to close early, you pay extra.

Our construction start date was Oct. 5. The house and pool are being build in integrated fashion and will be completed sooner. It's an assembly line in new neighborhoods, which is good in that all of your workforce is in one concentrated place until it's time to move down the road to the next row of lots.

So far, all is going quite well and quite fast. We visit about once a week and a friend stops by once a week. We've caught one minor issue thus far, but that's it. They are thorough and know what they're doing.

Curious, when we bought our lot the clock for finishing the design was 120 days.

[Travelhunter]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:

I built recently and was extremely disappointed with the quality of the workmanship and list of items that needed to be fixed
I was told all these items would be taken care of during the one year warranty period however each item required an appointment with up to a four hour window
There were holes in the ceilings, grout covering the tile spacers, pieces of flooring missing, broken countertops, and a long list of obvious defects
If I did it again I would hire a home inspector and delay closing until the house is “finished”
I would take the inexpensive carpet and countertops, buy my own appliances. After closing I would rent while my contractors installed granite counters and tile floors
It will cost much less and you will control the quality of the workmanship

[jimbo2012]

During the build I checked the work every few days, yes minor issues they missed, I simply emailed my designer who contacted the builder and was corrected.

I also left notes and put blue tape on minor stuff so the builder would see it.
The guest bath cabinet was not level, a few days later the cabinet, mirror & plumbers were there removing all of it. Now perfect

The only major error was my bird cage they had the wrong plans on site, I happened to be there. Met the TD supervisor who checked our contract he had new plans which were texted over in 30 minutes. If I wasn't there it would have to be taken down & redone.

When elec was being done I made numerous changes and went over everything with the sub as they were working (not supposed to do that) but they were very happy to do the work once rather than redo it.

Because I was on top of everything as of today there is nothing to adjust or fix.
So the walk thru in about two weeks will take 5 minutes. :coolsmiley:

Also not going to bothered with people coming in to fix stuff later.

100% happy with the quality of build (my designer) and the subs on the home, we close on the 29th.

Having built a few homes back in NY I had experience in construction.

[steve1025]

Number 1:
You're not buying a house, you're buying a project. Number 4 is the floor plan. Numbers 1, 2 & 3 is location.
Check the satellite shot. You dont want to be near a Pickleball court or across the street from the mailbox station, or on a busy street.
After an 11 week build we moved into an empty house. I went out and bought a 32 in
TV, a blowup mattress and paper plates, and I was never happier. Then one piece of furniture would show up every Friday. Leave the old furniture behind, we just took one bed.

[MandoMan]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:

1) No one has mentioned insulation. I don’t know what the standard amount of insulation is, but adding 6” to 12” of extra blown in insulation in the ceiling should only add a few hundred dollars to the price but should be recuperated in the first year.

2) A more efficient HVAC system has a slower payback—several years—but then it’s gravy.

3) I love to take a bath, but I need a long, deep bathtub. Six feet long, two feet wide, and deep. The average bathtub is a waste. A larger one costs more, but it is more likely to get used. (By contrast, jacuzzis in bathtubs seldom get used, and shallow oval or triangular tubs are a waste. Get INTO the tub and make sure there is good neck support. Many baths are designed only for sitting up—too sharp at the edge.)

4) Put in lots of security grab bars in the bathrooms, whether horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. If horizontal, they double as towel rods. These have to be screwed into studs or into horizontal lumber set into the studs, so you need to plan for them in advance. One slip, fall, and trip to the E.R. Costs much more than do these grab bars. I have 15’ of horizontal bars and one vertical in my bathroom, and I’ve learned to use them all the time. They’ve saved me from many falls.

5) I installed kitchen cabinets in my bathroom over the sink, six feet wide and three feet high (two 24” doors and two 12” doors). I had a glass company put mirrors on the 24” doors. Thus, I have medicine cupboards six feet long and a foot deep. I also had four outlets put in the cupboard for recharging my shaver and things like that. I also had outlets installed below the counter for plugging in a blowdryer. It hangs from a hook below the counter.

6) Have Panasonic ultra quiet fans installed in all bathrooms and something similar in the kitchen over the stove. These must all vent to the outside. The bathroom fans should be 100 cubic feet per minute, and they should be wired to a timer that offers several presets. A stove should always have a strong but quiet fan above it and a range hood, and it has to vent outside so that smell of broccoli doesn’t fill the house. Don’t mount your microwave oven above the stove. That’s too high, anyway, for safety.

7) have your closets well-designed, ideally with a row of shelves as well as hanging room. (I use shelves instead of drawers.) Include hooks for hanging things, too. (Closets are easy to add later, but don’t skimp. They repay the cost on resale.)

[Dgodin]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:
We built 2 years ago. Used TV builders so it was almost turnkey (no washer/dryer). Chose a model and spent 4 days doing "street of dreams" selections. Mods: Stretched the garage, stainless appliances, tile walk in shower, extra outlets.
TV builder would not expoxy garage floor, install lights in ceiling fans, install steps in garage crawl space (but did put a light and switch)
So we did those with outside contractors.

[Altavia]

Max out the garage, they can never be too large in FL.

[KRM0614]

Since it looks like we're going to be choosing a homesite and building a house, I'd love to hear from those of you that went through the process.

Your overall impression of the process. What is the process? How long did it take from start to finish? How long to pick all your finishes? How flexible are they to customization? What were some of your concerns during the process?
Granite during the build or after? Appliances? Window coverings?

Let me hear it all. I love details. :coolsmiley:
Find out before you sign a contract how much the bond is because they increased it 30%. Much of what you read here are residents who built a long time ago. Anything older than 2-3 years is irrelevant. They have a quota of houses to built whether spec or pseudo custom.

Make sure your house doesn’t face East or west the A/C will be blaring.

Don’t believe the sales person about anything. It’s their job to sell you and you bring them referrals. They don’t care they just need to meet their sales. The standard appliances are junk ! If you buy them on your own MAKE sure you get an appliance credit. Don’t get sucked into attic ladder whatever you put up there will be destroyed from the heat humidity and bugs. The aluminum drainage is garbage and where they locate them. Figure that out on your own.

Compare pricing for the junk linoleum against vinyl plank flooring. Where they put in carpet they use the worst padding you can get and no strip between carpeting and other flooring. Don’t get a glass front door everyone can look inside.

If you want extras get quartz not granite. It’s poor quality granite they don’t seal it just like they don’t seal the grout in tile. For bathroom get your own shower head there is not enough flow from the ones they but in bulk! Same with fans ! Make sure you get your own especially one in the kitchen which for some reason then never install. On your own get backsplash other upgrades the design center process are crazy.

Pick out your own landscaping the stuff they put it dies and is junk. You need to be there to watch everything. If you want trim moulding you have to pay extra. Get soft close cabinets that are installed all the way to the top. Under cabinet lighting you can do on your own their price is nuts !

The more you do with TV is more time you spending dealing with warranty ! At closing be there and the next month because your grass will die.

Everything that isn’t fixed before closing will take you forever to get it done and they don’t document the repairs. My house is a year old. It took me a year to fix faucets falling off cracks all over house being repainted and the door and cracked tile.

Don’t use citizens bank you can get a better rate wherever you live now.
You don’t have to pay for title insurance the property is owned by TV. Everything the do called realtors tells you is not gospel. Find out on your own.

In the last 3 yrs the quality has been very mediocre. It also costs a lot more than they tell you. Make sure you get the original deed. I paid cash and they sent the deed to TV even tho it’s my house. I got a photocopy instead now I have to go to the county and pay for another original. I’m going to sell and move north where it’s cooler.

[VApeople]

We had our Laurel Oak designer house built in Osceola Hills four years ago and I disagree with almost everything the previous poster said.

However, I have heard the bonds have increased significantly. Ours was $22K. I heard the bonds in Fenney were $29K and the bonds in Chitty Chattty were $38K.

Since our interest on the bond was 6%, we paid it off in 2018. Probably the interest rates on new bonds are lower.

[dkaufnelson]

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!!

[JC and John]

We picked out a corner lot in Aug 2011 and had 1 year to build. In Dec TV sales agent was encouraging us to build sooner in order to take advantage of a $12,000 incentive to do so. Old house sold and closed the end of Jan 2012. We came down and rented CYV through TVs relocation program until our house was built. We met with a designer to pick finishes etc for 2 days. She showed us the flooring and cabinets etc as installed in the various model homes and was expert at guiding us along the way. Very exciting but tiring indeed. Start of our Lily build was 2/13/12. We went every day to see the progress. Closed on home 4/11/12. Very few minor items on the punch list during walk thru. Our builder and his subs did an excellent job. Warranty had to fix one item after move in and that was a hardwood plank had come unglued and a hardwood door sill had a gouge in it. They were promptly fixed. Before 1 year was up had a reputable home inspection done. No real glaring issues found Only regret, not stretching back 1 foot on lanai and making our birdcage 1 foot wider. We are extremely happy with our home. Most of our home finishes etc were taken from the model home which we both loved. BTW, our Whirlpool Gold appliance package has held up very well. We didn’t see the need to run out and trade them in and get top of the line appliances since neither of us cook that much. I am sure the process has changed since 2012 but I am sure it will be an easy process for you. Good luck and enjoy your journey!

[Duneahh]

1) No one has mentioned insulation. I don’t know what the standard amount of insulation is, but adding 6” to 12” of extra blown in insulation in the ceiling should only add a few hundred dollars to the price but should be recuperated in the first year.

2) A more efficient HVAC system has a slower payback—several years—but then it’s gravy.

3) I love to take a bath, but I need a long, deep bathtub. Six feet long, two feet wide, and deep. The average bathtub is a waste. A larger one costs more, but it is more likely to get used. (By contrast, jacuzzis in bathtubs seldom get used, and shallow oval or triangular tubs are a waste. Get INTO the tub and make sure there is good neck support. Many baths are designed only for sitting up—too sharp at the edge.)

4) Put in lots of security grab bars in the bathrooms, whether horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. If horizontal, they double as towel rods. These have to be screwed into studs or into horizontal lumber set into the studs, so you need to plan for them in advance. One slip, fall, and trip to the E.R. Costs much more than do these grab bars. I have 15’ of horizontal bars and one vertical in my bathroom, and I’ve learned to use them all the time. They’ve saved me from many falls.

5) I installed kitchen cabinets in my bathroom over the sink, six feet wide and three feet high (two 24” doors and two 12” doors). I had a glass company put mirrors on the 24” doors. Thus, I have medicine cupboards six feet long and a foot deep. I also had four outlets put in the cupboard for recharging my shaver and things like that. I also had outlets installed below the counter for plugging in a blowdryer. It hangs from a hook below the counter.

6) Have Panasonic ultra quiet fans installed in all bathrooms and something similar in the kitchen over the stove. These must all vent to the outside. The bathroom fans should be 100 cubic feet per minute, and they should be wired to a timer that offers several presets. A stove should always have a strong but quiet fan above it and a range hood, and it has to vent outside so that smell of broccoli doesn’t fill the house. Don’t mount your microwave oven above the stove. That’s too high, anyway, for safety.

7) have your closets well-designed, ideally with a row of shelves as well as hanging room. (I use shelves instead of drawers.) Include hooks for hanging things, too. (Closets are easy to add later, but don’t skimp. They repay the cost on resale.)

These are excellent call outs & considerations!

[Kenswing]

Wow! Some absolutely great advice here. Thanks, Everyone!

So far we have it down to two models. The Laurel Oak and the Bridgeport. There has been a Villages couple that we've corresponded with that shared their experience with the upgrades and stretches they did on their Laurel Oak. You know who you are.. Thanks again!

So this is kind of where we're at now. I know we'll change our minds some once we get there and put eyes directly on things.

Will most likely add third car garage and maybe even a forward stretch. No such thing as a garage that's too big. Especially since the house we're leaving has a four car garage and a 40'X40' and a 25'X30' shop. :D

The wife is leaning toward vinyl plank flooring. She doesn't want carpet anywhere. I kinda like carpet in the bedrooms but she said I can have an area rug - lol..

I was worried about doing granite after the fact but am leaning that way. I'm not real familiar with quartz and what I've seen didn't give me the fizz like granite does. Will look at more quartz between now and then to give it its fair chance. Bottom line, wife has the say on this.

Will definitely do our own thing with appliances. Wife demands a range hood. The fan on the microwave just won't do. I'm trying to convince her that she doesn't need a double oven - lol

I know we'll need additional outlets and will learn more about ethernet outlets instead of phone line. I doubt we'll get a land line so that will be a waste for us. Also a hose bib on the lanai.

We plan on doing a pool during construction. We've heard the wait for a pool after the fact can be months and we would rather pay the markup now than have the intrusion of construction later.

I'm a big fan of insulation so that will certainly be something to look into.

At our current house we have a tankless water heater with hot water recirculation. We will look into having a recirc line installed during construction. Also need to look into having a larger gas meter. Our current heater is rated at 199,000 BTU's. Had to have a larger meter installed to accommodate. If we can't do it I won't cry too much..

Thanks again. This thread should be helpful to a lot of people. Some great things to take into consideration.

[Kenswing]

Max out the garage, they can never be too large in FL.
They can never be too large anywhere.. :1rotfl:

[joshgun]

My wife and I had five homes built for us. Two years ago after my wife passed away I decided to build in the Villages, orange Blossom Gardens. I knew exactly what I wanted in my home and it only took 2 hrs and 15 minutes to make all selections with the designer at the Street of Dreams design center. I have Hammock plan and I stretched what I could. The options available were more then any other house I was involved in. I knew what I wanted and I was the only decision maker, so decisions could be made quickly. The home was built in about 75 days and finished more than 30 days prior to the estimated closing date. I went with the high end appliance package except I requested a GE Advantium Microwave, which the builder was able to get.

[Pmarlow]

We built less than a year ago. We selected a lot and put down $10,000 in order for us to get 120 days to start the design. This gave us time to sell our house in Michigan. We rented a house in the villages starting August 1st last year. Second week of August was our design week. Took most of the week to get it done. We didn’t add a pool and that can add a significant amount of time to the process. We ordered a Iris 10 model with garage stretched 6ft and lanai stretched 4 ft. We used some of the garage space to add a utility room between the garage and kitchen. Only cost was additional doors and cabinets. Also added a large patio in back for grill, smoker, hammock, etc. Also added gas line for grill and smoker.
Once design was done we paid remaining amount needed to get to 20% on Friday of design week. We received a closing date of November 21. Wood for forms for concrete floor was dropped off at lot before the end of August. House probably could have been ready by November 1st if we were willing to pay to move closing date. We didn’t get fans, major light fixtures and appliances from the Villages. We ordered these while the house was being built and had them installed starting the day after closing. We moved in about 6 days after closing. We have been very happy with the entire process and of course the house.

[Dond1959]

Lots of good advice above. Agree with the stretches and garage. Add an extra outside water outlet, very cheap. We didn’t like the standard mirrors in baths so we had them not install any. Much easier then ripping out something And adding our own. We went with luxury vinyl flooring. Had lots of problems, Great Lakes eventually agreed to pull out all original flooring and replace at no cost. Took about 8 months to get it done but very pleased with the new floor. We had a great installer the second time who obviously knew what he was doing. The first floor was not done correctly which caused all the original problems. If I had to do it over again, I probably would get the standard flooring and replace after closing. We went with quartz, we had it in a previous home and we really like the ease of care. The design process and build went smoothly. We had some minor problems in the first year that were quickly addressed. The floors were the only major issue.

[jump4]

We were please with our sales agent and the construction crew, but not the design process (our closing was April 2020).

Since we were not living down here, we did the design process in a single week. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life! There are so many ways the process could be improved. Although the construction process seems to be efficient and well done, the design process stinks.

Opportunities for improvement include: allowing buyers to more freely browse the design center and make tentative selections BEFORE starting the formal design process; providing a clear schedule and milestones at the start of the process; proactive transparency around the full-range of available choices and selections (e.g. which Homecrest cabinet colors are not available in TV, what upgrades are available for garbage disposal, HVAC, garage opener); providing a floorplan that shows everything that is standard or typical (e.g. placement of outlets), transparency of pricing, having a broader range of materials and colors to select from (e.g., not everyone wants gray!); providing a list of top 10 enhancements buyers make when designing any house in TV such as widening driveway to go straight back from cart garage to street, and top 10 enhancements buyers make for each specific model), offering to provide the above information prior to start of formal design process. Good luck!

[jimbo2012]

I was given pricing on each item no issue,
when we weren't sure of an option we were given homes to look at with them in a finished home.

We spent about 9 partial days in design and several trips in homes as I said above,

As for upgrades we asked and were given answers & cost on the spot or next day

you don't need a floor plan for standard, just visit the model you want.

Overall it was a great enjoyable experience, we're in the home now about a week


.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

for those who want to grill, have a natural gas outlet piped to where you will have a grill station or close near by. Natural gas grill is much easier and cheaper to use than propane tanks.

sportsguy

[nyjets53]

Looking at different lots and see prices of 11k to 99k...
What does it cost to build an average designer home on a lot you buy... 1900 Sq foot and just like the ones that are pre built...

[Kenswing]

Looking at different lots and see prices of 11k to 99k...
What does it cost to build an average designer home on a lot you buy... 1900 Sq foot and just like the ones that are pre built...You can spend waaaaay more than that on a lot. Some with water views go for well over $200k.

As far as what it will cost to build is model specific. I've found out that a Bridgeport model which is in the 2100sqft range has a base price of $325k. But the average cost after stretches and upgrades is $457k.

[valuemkt]

My wife probably set a record for the number of visits to the design center. Impacted by the designers existing appointments, that process took nearly a month. We already lived here, and were (obviously) in no hurry. The end result was extensive modification to an existing floorplan, with changes we were told would never have been done just a few years ago. Because we decided to build vs buy existing and undergo an extensive remodeling project, we (she) locked everything down in the process and consequently submitted ZERO changes after contract signing. This project was done, per contract in 3 months. in any other universe, this was an easy 6-8 month build project. The Villages supply chain is remarkable. We followed the process very close, as I had a prior affiliation with a northern construction company. I have ZERO complaints about the quality of construction.. We have extensive cabinetry and tile work, and it is exceptional. Nearly all materials were selected from the design center, with the major exception being appliances. Changes outside the design center are problematic and costly, with the cost being RETAIL + sizable markup. Consequently, we bought our gas cooktop through the villages as it was integrated into the quartz island. Post closing, we added wall ovens, refrigerator, wine cooler and beverage cooler from an Orlando dealer. Villages openings and prep for those were precise, to manufacturers specs. Other post closing items were: custom chandelier in foyer hung, garage floor epoxied, lanai screens removed and replaced with double pane sliders, along with split system and shades. Closing was right before christmas 2019. PM if you need anything else.

[Heartnsoul]

We have lived here 13 yrs and did the street of dreams yrs ago. Our best advice to you is watch the building very carefully. you would not believe the mistakes they made in our 1st home. Too long to go into. But if possible for u to watch the building, do it!!

[NatureBoy]

We’re a bit over a year out from moving down. I’m very interested in the “buy from TV vs aftermarket” discussion. It sounds like structural items - stretches, outlets, concrete work - should be done by TV but there are other items like flooring & appliances that may be better and cheaper afterward.

I’ve also heard that the tax assessment is done on the closing cost, so keeping that low can be advantageous. Anyone care to comment on that?

Are there any businesses to help navigate the TV design process? Some of the advice given here could save someone several thousand dollars and be worth paying for.

[GNXGuy]

Keep the information coming. We are heading down next week to look for a lot to build

[tomlklein]

Two years in with a designer build in Fenney. Here are some things that worked for us:
1. Stretched to 3100 sq ft, also stretched garage on all sides to get extra storage. Less expensive to do up front as opposed to changing later. We opted to remove the lanai and enclose it instead.
2. We put insulation in some interior walls to limit noise between rooms. Insulated garage door and above attic will help with energy cost.
3. Did not upgrade carpet from TV. Instead had high end LVP sent from American Wholesalers and had Jason's Flooring remove the carpeting and installed the LVP in the entire house. Total cost of $15K for the upgrade. If TV had done it, would have been double plus it would have been part of the cost basis for the house and would have to pay property taxes on the upgrade.
4. Install a Nova Water Softener and Whole Home Water Filter. Potassium Chloride from Sparr is better then salt and will not kill the grass/plants when it recycles. If you do not get a water softener, you will start to have calcium buildup within 6 months on dishwasher, shower heads.
5. NEVER pay for any services in advance. NEVER use Good Neighbor / Service Smart. Within first week of moving in, you will have people coming around trying to sell you stuff, turn them away.
6. Solar tubes (Solar guys) helps with light in the house, plus you get a tax credit for the cost.
7. Quartz is the best option for kitchen. We also replaced the cheap garbage disposer with a high end 1HP. Also easy and inexpensive to put in under cabinet lighting later.
8. If you expand the house, consider going for a higher end AC unit. Having a home with Lanai/Florida Room facing North will also help keep home cooler.
9. Be sure that each room is wired for a ceiling fan and box, as you may want to add later. Adding ceiling fans up front is cheaper. Consider ceiling fan with remote or alexa in the master bedroom.
10. Go for upgraded 4" molding, two tone paint, round corners.
11. Get garage epoxy done up front. We used Tim Miller and he also put in an attic stairs. Has numerous positive reviews.
12. We also got garage door with windows to provide light. For $10, you can get magnetic garage door accents from Amazon. If you get the garage door from TV that has the accents installed it will be $2K extra. I went for the $10 option and works great.
13. Concrete block construction (not wood frame).
14. Easier to put extra electrical outlets and outdoor water faucets in up front .
15. We did pocket doors on all bedroom closets
16. Higher ceilings will provide a more open look as well.

[CateS]

Lots of good info here! My husband and I were down last week and chose a lot in St. Catherine. Our Design appt is set for the end of December. We are still trying to decide between a Woodside or Mossy Oak.

We both love the Woodside, no room for side stretches, more expensive.

The Mossy Oak would require a 6' side stretch to meet our lot requirement. We hear complaints that the living room is small and I am not a fan of the configuration of the Master Bath (both of these rooms would be fighting for that 6' of space).

We plan on building a pool.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[dbcolli]

We built in 2004 in Winifred a 2400 sq ft Lantana. I am surprised at the new bond prices we paid $10,000. We wanted hardwood floors in the Family room but not the bedrooms so I was advised to have TV place the no cost linoleum in the areas we were putting hardwood to act as a vapor barrier, and we bought the hardwood from Paradise Flooring . The thought was to keep the house price lower that would help keep the property tax lower, I have no idea if it actually did, but after living here for 16 years I would not want to live anyplace else, we love it here.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Two years in with a designer build in Fenney. Here are some things that worked for us:
1. Stretched to 3100 sq ft, ...
16. Higher ceilings will provide a more open look as well.

Excellent summary, very well done!

sportsguy

[Toymeister]

My recommendations:

For a home with a garage pushed out to one side, add a rear door and 6'x8' concrete pad (relocate the ac unit to do this). This way the door can be screened and opened for the best garage ventilation. Later the pad can have some brick added as a decorative wall. This can be used as a grilling area or a place to hide a garbage can.

If you have a pool or anticipate one add extra garden hose bibs. Typically a home has two or three. You will want extra outside of the pool area. I have six, five would have been enough.

If the budget allows have the home plumbed and wired for an exterior kitchen.

[CateS]

My recommendations:


If you have a pool or anticipate one add extra garden hose bibs. Typically a home has two or three. You will want extra outside of the pool area. I have six, five would have been enough.

If the budget allows have the home plumbed and wired for an exterior kitchen.

Both excellent ideas!! Noted, thank you! We decided to go with the Woodside, so no room for side stretches.

[GNXGuy]

Following

[Toymeister]

If your design and budget allows add a bar sink to the kitchen island, while you are add it add a beverage hot water tap. These give you 2 quarts of 200 degree water now, great for tea or coffee from a French press.

A suprise to me is how nice a whole hose vacuum is. Perhaps this is how my spouse gets me to help clean.

[NavyVet]

The bonds are up to $38,000? Holy crap!
True story: Our previous home was an Iris model that we had built a few years back. When we were in the designing process, we were only given a few 'packages' to pick from. The whole thing was done in a couple of hours. The sales person asked hubby if we wanted to add the option of an outdoor kitchen. Hubby looks at him, starts laughing and says: "Why would I want that? My wife doesn't even use the kitchen that comes with the house." LOL

[Kenswing]

The bonds are up to $38,000? Holy crap!
True story: Our previous home was an Iris model that we had built a few years back. When we were in the designing process, we were only given a few 'packages' to pick from. The whole thing was done in a couple of hours. The sales person asked hubby if we wanted to add the option of an outdoor kitchen. Hubby looks at him, starts laughing and says: "Why would I want that? My wife doesn't even use the kitchen that comes with the house." LOLThe (Designer) lots in St. Catherine have a $32,800 bond. In Chitty Chatty there are some >$41,000 bonds. At least that's according to a sales rep I spoke with.

They told us to set aside ~nine days for our design process. That includes a full day for the pool.

[Elkiehound]

These comments are great. Wondering if there is a list with all the upgrades available?

[CateS]

These comments are great. Wondering if there is a list with all the upgrades available?

Our designer has been great in giving us prices that we ask for, like cost for specific stretches, but, it is always a "+/-". They seem pretty tight-lipped on price lists.

[Buffalo Jim]

We did this 7 years ago, I imagine the process has changed a lot. Basically, we bought a lot, were informed that we had to start building within 6 months. We decided to start immediately, met with our sales rep to go over details and pick specifics for our house. Approved a set of preliminary plans (we had requested 4 stretches, could only get 3). 80 days from ground breaking to completion. Since we were not in the area, we were sent electronic photos of the process of the build.
What went wrong, we missed getting upgraded carpet, will be doing this shortly. We did not have tile laid on the diagonal (additional cost), in hindsight it probably would look better. there were a few other small items that there was no way to predict until after we lived in the house. Good luck with your project, hope this helps.

Folks this gentleman is one of the most knowledgeable , intelligent and practical of anyone you may have the privilege of meeting here .
You would save yourself a lot of potential pain to listen closely to what he has to say about anything related to becoming a homeowner in The Villages or anywhere else .
He is that very knowledgeable no BS friend that you would hope to meet . I respect him very much .

[txfan]

Lots of good info here! My husband and I were down last week and chose a lot in St. Catherine. Our Design appt is set for the end of December. We are still trying to decide between a Woodside or Mossy Oak.

We both love the Woodside, no room for side stretches, more expensive...


The Woodside was our absolute first choice...until we saw the
Linden.

Having the bedrooms on three corners, each with full bath was appealing and the ability to stretch in all directions sealed the deal.

Designers are so custom these days, they might as well be Premieres.

[Elkiehound]

These seem to be the common upgrades | extras from this post.

* Stretches - Garage / Lanai
* Diagonal Tile
* Upgrade HVAC
* Outside Water Spigot
* Ethernet Wiring (skip the phone wire)
* Put outlets in lanai
* Buy Own Appliances
* Buy Own Ceiling Fans
* Convert 2 gang outlets to 4 gang outlets near each rooms' entertainment center, to eliminate power strips
* Light Tubes (Small one in the bathroom, large one in the kitchen
* outlet Gas outside where a bbq grille
* Gutters all around
* Central Vacuum
* quartz, not granite
* 3/4 lanai floor, it raises the floor almost flush with interior
* Recess fridge 6
* extra blown in insulation in the ceiling
* Insulation in some interior walls to limit noise
* security grab bars in the bathrooms
* Panasonic ultra quiet fans installed in all bathrooms, kitchen
* get your own shower head
* taller kitchen cabinets as you always need more cabinet space
* Making ceilings higher in bedrooms
* install your own laundry room cabinets
* Nova Water Softener and Whole Home Water Filter
* Lanai/Florida Room facing North will also help keep home cooler
* Each room is wired for a ceiling fan and box

[GNXGuy]

We just signed a contract for a lot in St Catherine yesterday. Our design appointment will be mid February!!!!

[CateS]

Congrats! We have our design appt the 1st week of January. We purchased in St. Catherine too. Beautiful area!

[Ccbarb]

How did you know the cost of your choices if they didn’t tell you through the design build?

[Ccbarb]

If they aren’t transparent with pricing how do you know the cost of what you’re building during the week?

[dtennent]

A lot of great suggestions. Two things I would note:
1) The kitchen. When we stretched the house we added 2 feet to our kitchen. When we built 5 years ago, we were not impressed with the quality of the kitchen cabinets nor with the creativity of our designer. So we installed the basic cabinets and countertops. We have since redesigned the kitchen, have new cabinets, quartz countertops, and a much better hood. If you are serious cooks, gas cook top is much better than induction. Wish we had figured out a way for real pantry. Also, you should upgrade the water shut off to your sinks and refrigerator. The ones that they install are junk.
2) Closets - we replaced the wire racks in the closets with closet inserts. Increased our storage immensely. If your are not a DYIer, there are a few companies in the area who do quality work.

Have fun and Good Luck.

[Kenswing]

If they aren’t transparent with pricing how do you know the cost of what you’re building during the week?
For us, we did our design on a Monday. On Tuesday they gave us the price. The whole price, not an itemization. If we would have blown our budget we could have started changing to less expensive options. Luckily we were within our budget. :a040:

We did communicate a great deal with our designer before the actual design process and got ballpark figures for the things we wanted. So there were no big surprises come pricing day.

[jimbo2012]

I asked & received a price for every single item down to a $13 up charge.
they don't itemize it on the final contract you need to keep trac

If you don't ask you must be very wealthy:1rotfl:

[cj1040]

We bought our lot in July via phone and photos by the realtor. We were there in Sept to design and they book you daily for one week.
I had selected my model and the changes I wanted to make - stretches 3 ways, eliminating one of the three bathrooms to make a storage closet and reconfigure the laundry area and making a large walk in closet for my sewing room. The items in the design center are not priced - tile, counters, faucets, knobs and handles. This would make it much easier if you are trying to control cost. The cabinets are not the quality we are used to having previously build a home with solid wood Woodmode cabinets. They are disappointing in fact. Lowes and Home Depot have a MUCH bigger selection of colors and quality and the same with flooring choices. After we got over that and had to work with what was available we finally moved on. The hardware-- faucets, handles, knobs - that is not standard is expensive but unless you want to deal with replacing it all just bite the bullet and order what you like. We went with the blind company they book you with even though it is expensive for plantations just to get it done and also the closet company but just the master. We will have the others done with a less expensive company. After selling our lovely lake home in NY and cramming into a rental for a year with things in storage we just wanted to be able to put our clothes away properly once we move in. We bought only the microwave from them because installation is expensive. We got all LG appliances ordered at Black Friday sales from Home Depot to be delivered the day after we close in Feb. We got a laminate flooring throughout as I have been there and done that with tile cracks and grout upkeep. We got quartz counters in the kitchen and other solid surface in the bathrooms and nice tile for backsplash and shower/tub areas. We got some of the pre wire internet deal but just the basic pkg. We went to TD pools to see what that was all about and ended up with a 12 x 25 fitness pool with splash deck and waterfall and pretty tile trim, chose the style of the bird cage and chose the finer screening for SPF factor and bug barrier. Just cutting 1 foot off the pool width saved over $1000 as it affects the deck and birdcage size. So - measure out what size pool you want on a floor and think carefully about it. We just wanted a fitness pool 4 1/2 ft deep and big enough to bob on a float or play mini volley ball or basketball . We are only 5 min from the community pool but with the virus and crowded aqua classes we can just do our own thing with music whenever we want.
The villages will now let you move rooms all around - put the kitchen in a different place, change windows and sizes of windows, remove a bathroom all sorts of things for a price of course. So use graph paper and plot out the furniture you really need to place and pin them down on final room sizes so you can make sure everything will fit the way you want. I have certain pieces that I needed to be sure of so this is what I did and also for the house we had built in NY. As for the color of the house I chose swatches from a paint store and they matched them for the house and front door color I wanted. i did not want landscaping that needs trimming as I like a spiky natural look for Florida so we went to a nursery and took pix of plants there as well as driving around. They do not give you very long with the landscape person and ours was not really knowledgeable about the plants I had wanted. That was the least impressive of all the appointments. You have to be very careful with all of this as there is a $500 change fee if you change ANYTHING after you sign. We close in mid Feb so just hope we will like it all put together.....With the selections we saw I cannot really think of anything I would change at this point EXCEPT to find out if our lot was in a flood zone before all this started - it is.....

[cj1040]

Just replied about how we made our selections and designed our home in Sept for Feb closing - number one is be sure what direction you want your lanai to face - is some shade important to you? And ask if your lot especially if on a pond is in a flood zone. We did not and turns out it IS and we have to have flood insurance for our mortgage. Realtor never disclosed this and apparently most of them do not. VERY annoyed about this and just found out when shopping for homeowners insurance last week.

[Dotneko]

Dear Lord. We spent the two days the week before last choosing everything for a Sequoia - stretches, moving walls, cabinets, flooring, adding a soaking tub. Went to cad/cam weds and got back friday PM with prices over budget. Went back in Monday to tweak to see if we could save a bit. Back to engineering. Designer on Christmas break. We made the mistake of looking at some more houses and it appears we are changing our minds on the house - a Sycamore is more in line with what we want and will need much less tweaking. I suppose better to find out now......
Oh, very little communication on pricing unless you specifically ask - how much is changing the elevation for example.
We are also in St Catherine. Shauna Lane.

[GNXGuy]

Dear Lord. We spent the two days the week before last choosing everything for a Sequoia - stretches, moving walls, cabinets, flooring, adding a soaking tub. Went to cad/cam weds and got back friday PM with prices over budget. Went back in Monday to tweak to see if we could save a bit. Back to engineering. Designer on Christmas break. We made the mistake of looking at some more houses and it appears we are changing our minds on the house - a Sycamore is more in line with what we want and will need much less tweaking. I suppose better to find out now......
Oh, very little communication on pricing unless you specifically ask - how much is changing the elevation for example.
We are also in St Catherine. Shauna Lane.

Nice to meet you neighbor. We are also on Shauna lane. I’ll send you a private message

Joe

[Laurawilcox]

Interested in knowing more about “winning your lot choice” please. What is involved in that process.

[Laurawilcox]

What did you need to change to add your soaker tub? Is it in the Master or guest bath? I know they aren’t preferred in the Villages, but favorite of mine

[GNXGuy]

Interested in knowing more about “winning your lot choice” please. What is involved in that process.

The most desirable lots are few and far between and typically have multiple people trying to secure them the second they are released at noon on a given Friday

I have learned that the villages sales people are informed of new lots to be released on a given Wednesday for later release at noon on that Friday.

You must be working with a real estate person at the villages and let them know what you’re looking for. If on a given Wednesday a lot that is scheduled to be released meets your criteria your sales person will be sitting at their computer at 11:59 AM on Friday waiting for the lots to be released and they must be the first one in the queue to hold the lot.

Luckily We had been working with a sales person for a month or so prior, did a lifestyle visit and knew the area and just waited for a lot with an awesome view that would fit the house we wanted to build. Sales person notified us on Wednesday and at the same time included a drawing of the lot along with the house positioned on the lot. Once we gave him verbal go ahead to try to secure the lot, We waited for the call and at 12:10pm that Friday we were told we were the lucky one. 17 lots were sold on that first day of release in that small section of St. Catherine.

Joe

[Dotneko]

Yes! We were first in line when those lots were released and had our rep hold it. There was a backup buyer within the hour.

The soaker tub in the Sequoia was going in the guest bath - we added a stretch and pulled the tub/shower out and added a corner tub and separate shower.

It will be much easier in the Sycamore - in the master bath, no need to stretch, eliminate some of the counter area or steal some space from one of the two walk in closets.

Our designer is pulling her hair out with us I'm sure lol.

[Sthawkins]

We are building in St Catherine’s as well. Our home will be off Mincey Loop so just down the street from Shauna Lane. We liked both the Bridgeport and Woodside plans but ultimately decided to build the Bridgeport with a few modifications.
Our designer was very patient with us but I’m sure needed a few drinks after our meetings. Good luck with everything. I’m sure it will turn out great.

[Laurawilcox]

Thank you for your thoughts on on acquiring lots and putting in soaker tub. Very much appreciated.

[GNXGuy]

Be sure you get 8 foot tall garage doors.

With 7 foot doors, if you have a hatch back when the rear door goes up it will hit the garage door when in the up position. We experienced this during our lifestyle visit. Not to mention 8’ doors look much better

Joe

[Dotneko]

Discarded the Sequoia, then the Sycamore. It is now to be the Sunflower or Begonia depending on final price with the stretches. The difference from frame to block will be about 15000 with the stretches. Thats it. No more looking. Unfortunately, it means we lost our place in the queue. They will be fitting us in as they can. Love the added cabinets in the kitchen and the big living room.
If we go beyond the 45 days in the contract to order a house, we need to pay an additional $2500 to hold the lot. It will all come out in the final price - not a penalty, just more earnest money.
One thing we did learn - it costs very little to add a room in your stretched garage. It is now my walk in pantry :). Plenty of room for the jacuzzi now also.

[GNXGuy]

Nice, we are adding a room to the garage as well but it will be my shop off the garage

Block is the only way to go. Looks much better!!!

Discarded the Sequoia, then the Sycamore. It is now to be the Sunflower or Begonia depending on final price with the stretches. The difference from frame to block will be about 15000 with the stretches. Thats it. No more looking. Unfortunately, it means we lost our place in the queue. They will be fitting us in as they can. Love the added cabinets in the kitchen and the big living room.
If we go beyond the 45 days in the contract to order a house, we need to pay an additional $2500 to hold the lot. It will all come out in the final price - not a penalty, just more earnest money.
One thing we did learn - it costs very little to add a room in your stretched garage. It is now my walk in pantry :). Plenty of room for the jacuzzi now also.

[Garywt]

We briefly looked into it but decided it would be quicker and easier for us to buy a new home that was build already. Worked out great.

[La lamy]

We have seen built 11 of our homes. We are no stranger to it. This was the smoothest of them all.

We were here renting so we were at the site every night. Things were always prepared for the next day. Materials ready etc. The "boss" builder would occasionally leave notes for the subs, for example; "Remove all end caps in the kitchen and do it again right. " When it was time for the roof, on a very hot August day, 14 people arrived at seven and stayed until dark. When it was time to caulk the baseboards etc, three women did it expertly. When they were digging at the very first, they had a digging team. Teams for framing, teams for plumbing. Worked like clockwork.

This is now nine years ago. I am spending every day in this house during the last six months and sometimes I would like to hunt the builder down and tell him what a great house it is, what a good job and how much we enjoy it. I can't say enough good about this home. Please come to our house, O.P. and look around. Right now we won't invite you in but as soon as this virus thing is over you are very welcome.

P.S. On our choices, We saw a Seabrook model home finished and decorated and asked for every finish choice to be duplicated. Tiles were neutral. Good idea to choose neutrals in case you want to sell and go smaller or bigger later on. I know, I know, but neutral choices in tiles is always a good choice.

You were very fortunate to be able to witness the build so closely and consistently. Might be a reason for everything being so top notch. I know a friend who wasn't around who had many things that had to be redone once he took possession.

[SusanKD]

We pick and built last year. Came down on life style package. That put us with a realtor. He showe us around look at at houses newly built. Looked at new villages. Found a lot and then found a house plan that would fit the lot. Put a deposit on the lot the end of February. We had to come back and complete the finished and details on the houseincluding a couple of stretches. Spend the better part of a week with one if the design team the end of April. The contract was 22 pages.made deposit of 20%(the lot deposit was include in this). The closing date was set and it’s a firm date they never miss a closing. So 90 days from contrAct signing the house was completed and we closed. All our custom changes was done correctly . It went great.

[GNXGuy]

We are in St Catherine as well.. Design appointment Mid Feb. We are on Shauna Ct how about you?

Joe


Congrats! We have our design appt the 1st week of January. We purchased in St. Catherine too. Beautiful area!

[CateS]

We are on Auster Ave. we finished our design appt. yesterday. We close 5/19.

[JCTJ18]

Cate- do you mind my asking how much you spent in upgrades? We just purchased a homesite on Mincey Lane. We are planning on having a Iris built. We were given a base price of $350 which included a stretch lanai, quartz kitchen counter and laminate flooring.
Someone on here stated they spent over $100K in upgrades and that seems very high.

[CateS]

We were actually over $100k in upgrades, BUT we stretched our home almost 300 sq ft and had a lot of top end fixtures/appliances with vinyl plank flooring and quartz countertops throughout the entire house.

[JCTJ18]

This may be a shot in the dark, but is there anyway to get a list of upgrade costs?
:pray:

[JCTJ18]

I know this is probably a shot in the dark.... But, is there anyway to get a price list for upgrades?

[Sthawkins]

They gave us a closing date of April 27th when we signed our contract on Dec 12th. It sounds like the build timeline is a little over 4 months now, with a pool.

We drove down to our lot yesterday morning to see footings poured. Very exciting! The home next door signed their contract a few days after we did and they have concrete walls going up already. It looks like they aren't putting in a pool so their closing date might be earlier.

It's crazy how quickly they are building. The St. Catherines area looked completely different yesterday. Homes are popping up like daisies. :)

Tracy

[JCTJ18]

Can anyone provide a approximate cost for individual upgrades I’m trying to make an educated guess on the final cost and which upgrades I’ll get Thank you.

[Kenswing]

They gave us a closing date of April 27th when we signed our contract on Dec 12th. It sounds like the build timeline is a little over 4 months now, with a pool.

We drove down to our lot yesterday morning to see footings poured. Very exciting! The home next door signed their contract a few days after we did and they have concrete walls going up already. It looks like they aren't putting in a pool so their closing date might be earlier.

It's crazy how quickly they are building. The St. Catherines area looked completely different yesterday. Homes are popping up like daisies. :)

Tracy
We signed on 12/11 and close on 4/26. We must have been at the design center at the same time.

Our lot has footings in. I suspect the pool will be dug this week. :coolsmiley:

[Kenswing]

Can anyone provide a approximate cost for individual upgrades I’m trying to make an educated guess on the final cost and which upgrades I’ll get Thank you.
Prices are just short of being a state secret. If you ask your designer for prices as you go they will give them to you.. Sort of.

Here are some examples. We are building a Laurel Oak.

Extended lanai across the entire back of house. That added 18 feet. ~$12,500.

Wall to build the summer kitchen against ~$2,900.

Stretch laundry room by 3' ~$2,000.

Add golf cart garage (Laurel Oak comes with 2 car standard) ~$14,000

Summer kitchen $25,000 - -$30,000

Upgraded air conditioner ~$3,500

Hard to get prices on actual design choices. Flooring, counters, cabinets, plumbing and light fixtures can all vary greatly in price.

I so over estimated what everything was going to cost that we actually came in under budget. lol

[GNXGuy]

Did

[Kenswing]

Did they allow for the vinyl plank flooring in wet areas like the in the kitchen area and baths?
Yes. We went with LVP throughout the entire house.

[GNXGuy]

Did they allow for the vinyl plank flooring in wet areas like the in the kitchen area and baths?



We were actually over $100k in upgrades, BUT we stretched our home almost 300 sq ft and had a lot of top end fixtures/appliances with vinyl plank flooring and quartz countertops throughout the entire house.

[GNXGuy]

Thank you fellow veteran!!!

Yes. We went with LVP throughout the entire house.

[ItsaCin]

Wonder which one you settled on? WE were trying to figure that out as well. We rented a MossyOak for a week and didn't like the living area or master suite at all, the rest was perfect. Curious what you decided to do?
:faint:

Lots of good info here! My husband and I were down last week and chose a lot in St. Catherine. Our Design appt is set for the end of December. We are still trying to decide between a Woodside or Mossy Oak.

We both love the Woodside, no room for side stretches, more expensive.

The Mossy Oak would require a 6' side stretch to meet our lot requirement. We hear complaints that the living room is small and I am not a fan of the configuration of the Master Bath (both of these rooms would be fighting for that 6' of space).

We plan on building a pool.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[ItsaCin]

Would you share the modifications you made? We were sold on a woodside, but now thinking Bridgeport. We like the woodside "privacy" for the master...

[Dotneko]

Can anyone provide a approximate cost for individual upgrades I’m trying to make an educated guess on the final cost and which upgrades I’ll get Thank you.

Figure 7000 for a 6 foot side stretch on a block garage
6000 to add a jacuzzi and surround
We converted our lanai to climate controlled space on our begonia for 4500 then put a 12x18 lanai on the side for 13000
Took tub shower out of guest and added shower for 2000
Inside we made bedrooms 2, 3 and guest bath large utilizing some of the added square footage from the enclosed lanai piece less than 1000

Added a full walk in pantry.
Made kitchen a cooktop and separate range for 3300.

All ballpark numbers.

[graciegirl]

Today was another day that I thought I'd like to call the lead builder on this house.

It is a dream to live in. It is comfortable and nicely built and perfect for the three of us. You can tell that he and his teams did their best work and we so appreciate it. We are not a stranger to having homes built. We had built our first home when we were 22 years old. Conventional mortgage and we wondered why the president of the bank did the walk through. Now I know not too many our age had dated for four years and saved every penny we could for a down payment on the little three bedroom, one bath, house with a basement and one car garage. We lived in it for less than two years and my husband got an opportunity in another state. I was heart broken.........

We have since seen many homes built over decades. This one where we now live is the most carefully done of all. Not the biggest but just right for us now. I hope God will grant us a few more years to live here.

[Dotneko]

We had our final design appointment today. Left the check and they break ground the first week in February.
Closing scheduled for May 23. House will be in St Catherine.
Shanna and Traci are the best! They went above and beyond to get this done.

[graciegirl]

Prices are just short of being a state secret. If you ask your designer for prices as you go they will give them to you.. Sort of.

Here are some examples. We are building a Laurel Oak.

Extended lanai across the entire back of house. That added 18 feet. ~$12,500.

Wall to build the summer kitchen against ~$2,900.

Stretch laundry room by 3' ~$2,000.

Add golf cart garage (Laurel Oak comes with 2 car standard) ~$14,000

Summer kitchen $25,000 - -$30,000

Upgraded air conditioner ~$3,500

Hard to get prices on actual design choices. Flooring, counters, cabinets, plumbing and light fixtures can all vary greatly in price.

I so over estimated what everything was going to cost that we actually came in under budget. lol

I have found you never find yourself "goudged" here when building. It is always a pleasant surprise. Our experience and others as well shared with us.

[GNXGuy]

Awesome neighbor

We had our final design appointment today. Left the check and they break ground the first week in February.
Closing scheduled for May 23. House will be in St Catherine.
Shanna and Traci are the best! They went above and beyond to get this done.

[Dotneko]

Awesome neighbor

I should have taken a picture. The cul de sac is home to extra portapotties and 5 dumpsters.
The lot to the left of us is starting to build soon. No word on the house between us. Our color and house were approved lol.

[Kenswing]

I have found you never find yourself "goudged" here when building. It is always a pleasant surprise. Our experience and others as well shared with us.
They try to gouge you on some things. I asked for quotes on the appliances we wanted. They quoted me prices almost double what I could get the same items for at Lowes or Best Buy.

The reason we came in under budget was I overestimated how much they do gouge you.. :1rotfl:

[tghoul]

Figure 7000 for a 6 foot side stretch on a block garage
6000 to add a jacuzzi and surround
We converted our lanai to climate controlled space on our begonia for 4500 then put a 12x18 lanai on the side for 13000
Took tub shower out of guest and added shower for 2000
Inside we made bedrooms 2, 3 and guest bath large utilizing some of the added square footage from the enclosed lanai piece less than 1000

Added a full walk in pantry.
Made kitchen a cooktop and separate range for 3300.

All ballpark numbers.

In the Begonia where did you add the walk in pantry? Did you take garage space off the nook?

[Dotneko]

In the Begonia where did you add the walk in pantry? Did you take garage space off the nook?

We did a very cool (at least in my opinion) redesign to the begonia.
We enclosed the existing lanai. A piece of that became the new master closet. The rest became part of the living room.
So, then we had the two walk in closets in the original design to play with. One closet turned into the walk in pantry with its entrance obviously switched to the kitchen side rather than the bedroom side.
The other walk in closets space added to the master bath - where we added a lovely jacuzzi and linen closet and turned the shower into a roman one.
I would be happy to share the plans.
Our new lanai now comes off the side of the house instead of the rear.
We did the basics and Traci in the design center blew the bathroom design out of the park.
The nook did not change.
We did a 6 foot stretch on the garage just because - nothing added to the house from there.
The house is now 2160 sf livable area

[Laurawilcox]

Thank you!

[cj1040]

You are on an escalator when your design meetings start. They allow 4 to 5 days with appointments every day. It is fast and stressful so best to have a pretty good idea of what you want. We just did this in Sept and close in Feb. They set up pool meeting ...about 1 to 2 hrs, closets and smart wiring and shutters if you want. They set up landscaping meeting and all of it happens that week. Selections are limited and pricing is sketchy until you see your contract so that is when you can ask questions, check for errors and make cuts. It is stressful but we survived and house almost done. We bought LG appliances on sale at Home Depot, and capped off most o the lighting so we will buy our own. Got master closets only custom and plantation shutters just to get it done as we moving from northeast. Good luck

[cj1040]

So did you get the pushed out sewing room like I did on my woodside? With stretches we are at 2452 under air...almost done...we close in Feb and people have sent photos...we are in NH and won't be there til the closing. We capped off all lighting/ fans except for the lanai and will shop when we get there. What other changes did you make? We also got flooring throughout and LG appliances thru Home Depot. Getting excited....

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I think one point to consider when building your own model in TV, will you be in the area for the coordination / you being the general contractor for your additions, vs having it done by TV builders. We were not there, so we had everything selected through the design process. . . The pricing or margin on construction items are generally highest with skilled labor and smaller priced items, electrical etc, being the obvious one. . . however, there are also items that one should consider having installed at time of construction which are big items in a home renovation or can go wrong or difficult as an addon..

Our list of "do it right the first time" were stretches, legal bedroom count, floor types and countertops, electrical and smart (internet/ethernet) home wiring, including switch control locations, under counter lighting, and solar tubes. After that, the builder's choice was fine, and we will replace when we live there.

The pieces we missed was installing the home re-circulating hot water because we didn't realize the amount of heat loss in the foundation during the winter, as well as thinking about a pantry in the begonia's kitchen side of the walking closet.

I wrote up a small "home internet and electrical wiring design" somewhere here, you can search for it.

But suggestions on this site are the best to consider, and I would recommend moving down prior to close, and renting for a month or two to have everything in order prior to closing. . . a lot easier than doing everything at once.

[Dotneko]

What is this 'discussion with landscapers' people are referring to? We basically were told the standard package is a tree in front and small plantings around. You were able to pick things?
Closets were discussed with the designer and took maybe 5 minutes....

[HollyandPeter]

Hi - I have a quick lot question, are the floorplans already determined on which lots they are available or do you buy the lot and have an option of a couple of floor plan choices? Thanks

[Kenswing]

Hi - I have a quick lot question, are the floorplans already determined on which lots they are available or do you buy the lot and have an option of a couple of floor plan choices? ThanksIf you're buying a lot you have a lot of choices.
Some floorplans are too big for certain lots. Pick your floorplan first then have your sales agent show you only lots that will accommodate it. Or if there's a lot you just can't live without, you'll have to find a floorplan that will fit.

[HollyandPeter]

If you're buying a lot you have a lot of choices.
Some floorplans are too big for certain lots. Pick your floorplan first then have your sales agent show you only lots that will accommodate it. Or if there's a lot you just can't live without, you'll have to find a floorplan that will fit.

Thanks, so it seems that series and lot size are the only two guiding factors? I ask because I've noticed that some of the new areas seem to have specific floor plans. We are coming down for our lifestyle visit in early April :) yea! we can't wait!

[Kenswing]

Thanks, so it seems that series and lot size are the only two guiding factors? I ask because I've noticed that some of the new areas seem to have specific floor plans. We are coming down for our lifestyle visit in early April :) yea! we can't wait!
I "think" if you want to pick a lot and build you have to build a Designer home. But Designer homes can vary greatly in footprint and square footage.

Also when choosing your lot consider any stretches to the house and/or garage that you want to make. If you're going to want a pool add that to the equation as well.

[cj1040]

Yes we had a budget of1000 for landscape. I hate those scruffy bushes they plant so we chose our own design and plants. Fox tail ferns, and palm type plants so very little upkeep. Our closet design appt was custom for the 2 master closets and took a while to get it just right for us.

[Dotneko]

Yes we had a budget of1000 for landscape. I hate those scruffy bushes they plant so we chose our own design and plants. Fox tail ferns, and palm type plants so very little upkeep. Our closet design appt was custom for the 2 master closets and took a while to get it just right for us.

Thanks - we are planning on putting a palm in the back angle and redoing the front, but thats down the road.
Our closets were easy - we were going to do our own since we have done it before and are pretty handy, but it was so inexpensive to say put 6 feet of rod at 40 inches and 80 inches and shelving starting at 30 inches it seemed not worth it.
One thing i forgot to mention - Concrete pads are cheap, cheap, cheap. If you are thinking about a grill pad or an outside area, add it now.

[Elkiehound]

And new build is typically less than resale? Kinda hard to believe.

[Dotneko]

And new build is typically less than resale? Kinda hard to believe.

I'd answer 'it depends'. Houses older than 10 years are looking at potential appliance replacements, tired floors and walls, aging roofs and lanais. Some of the mature plantings look lovely, but many resales are going to mean a complete interior redo
Add to that the established neighborhood hierarchy that may make it more difficult to break in make them less appealing to me.

That being said, there is a price increase on new houses that happened last week or so. Anyone know the percentage?

[CateS]

So did you get the pushed out sewing room like I did on my woodside? With stretches we are at 2452 under air...

I did push out the sewing room.... best suggestion ever, thank you! I also added a walk in closet w/ 2 walls of shelves.

We ended up at 2,557 in our Woodside. We close 5/19.

[tghoul]

I'd answer 'it depends'. Houses older than 10 years are looking at potential appliance replacements, tired floors and walls, aging roofs and lanais. Some of the mature plantings look lovely, but many resales are going to mean a complete interior redo
Add to that the established neighborhood hierarchy that may make it more difficult to break in make them less appealing to me.

That being said, there is a price increase on new houses that happened last week or so. Anyone know the percentage?

Roughly 5% on a Begonia. I was told lumber prices and insulation prices are two of the
main reasons. When does the minimum wage kick in?

[Dotneko]

Roughly 5% on a Begonia. I was told lumber prices and insulation prices are two of the
main reasons. When does the minimum wage kick in?

Holy cow! We got in just under the wire.

[Elkiehound]

So on a 400k house lumber and insulation prices for builder went up $20k?

[Whodatsaywhodat]

I hadn't heard about this recent price increase but after we purchased our lot in august they raised the base prices on all the designer homes 15-17 thousand $$$ a couple weeks later and then subsequently raised the prices for the stretches. You are not locked in to a final price until after you go through the design process. We close in march.

[Parteeinga]

The pieces we missed was installing the home re-circulating hot water because we didn't realize the amount of heat loss in the foundation during the winter

Am I missing something with the re-circulating hot water? If you have a tankless hot water heater and you are recirculating hot water, aren’t you running the device more to keep the water warm?

What is the problem waiting a minute for warm water? We have had a tankles system for years. It takes less than a minute for the shower to heat up.

[Parteeinga]

The pieces we missed was installing the home re-circulating hot water because we didn't realize the amount of heat loss in the foundation during the winter

Am I missing something with the re-circulating hot water? If you have a tankless hot water heater and you are recirculating hot water, aren’t you running the device more to keep the water warm?

What is the problem waiting a minute for warm water? We have had a tankles system for years. It takes less than a minute for the shower to heat up.

[ItsaCin]

I had exactly the same reaction until I looked again at the size of the living room. There was a significant difference.

[ItsaCin]

would love to know what you guys did to expand. We are tracking along the same path

[ItsaCin]

would love to see your plans.

[CynthiaAnn]

You need AT LEAST a week. Do not plan to work on the weekends. We worked Monday to Friday, then finished the following Monday. We saw our design consultant at the Design Center (ask your sales rep to take you there), pool people, landscape people, and the ethernet/smart house person. All were very helpful. This is an intensive process, so do get some ideas of what you may want BEFORE you go.

[Elkiehound]

You need AT LEAST a week. Do not plan to work on the weekends. We worked Monday to Friday, then finished the following Monday. We saw our design consultant at the Design Center (ask your sales rep to take you there), pool people, landscape people, and the ethernet/smart house person. All were very helpful. This is an intensive process, so do get some ideas of what you may want BEFORE you go.

Challenging to comprehend taking 40+ hours to pick out designs.

[Kenswing]

Challenging to comprehend taking 40+ hours to pick out designs.
It takes a week but you seldom need an entire day out of that week. If you're putting in a pool, extra landscaping, custom closets, high tech wiring, etc.. You can fill up those days rather quickly though.

[Altavia]

Challenging to comprehend taking 40+ hours to pick out designs.

Helps to visit displays and homes for sale before and take photos of what you like.

[graciegirl]

We built less than a year ago and we were pleased with the process. We were assigned a designer who we met us at The Street of Dreams and guided us through the process. We were done in less than 5 days (not full days). Make sure you have your model picked out and decide if you want to do any stretches. As far as interior and exterior finishes go, tour as many models and open houses as you can and write down your favorite things in each. The designer can look that up and do the same for you. You may even find one that you want to copy completely and that really speeds things up. We were pleased and impressed with the abundance of selections and the overall knowledge of our designer. Relax and have fun. You’ll be in your new house before you know it!

Your Samsung appliances aren't yet a year old according to this. Have you called WARRANTY? I have found that they have tremendous clout with anything to do with your home. I know they would be mighty eager to solve your problem with your brand new appliances.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

You need AT LEAST a week. Do not plan to work on the weekends. We worked Monday to Friday, then finished the following Monday. We saw our design consultant at the Design Center (ask your sales rep to take you there), pool people, landscape people, and the ethernet/smart house person. All were very helpful. This is an intensive process, so do get some ideas of what you may want BEFORE you go.

For some people, yes, not for all people. It all depends upon your personal research and knowing what you want . . . if you don't know what you want, then making a decision with 10 different offerings for each choice is brain draining. It is a well known human behavioral issue, that the more offerings which are made, the harder it is to decide as the differences between appealing offerings start to become smaller. However, we did not have a pool, and I knew what I wanted with the home network wiring, being that they did not sell a smart home package 2 years ago, and I have worked with high tech for 30 years

We finished in 3 days, and made a couple of tweaks on the 4th day after seeing the total being lower than we anticipated, which allowed a few extras which we were contemplating.

So the more you know what you want, the easier the decisions are to be made. Also pays to search and look at as many homes for sale on the villages web site as possible to get ideas about what some people have done, such as replace the traditional nook with something else, etc.

a property brothers' guy