[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by Penguin

When I put my deposit down on my cottage home I was never offered a design team. Is the design team only for the designer and premium homes?

My understanding (directly from a TV sales rep) is that it's up the the sales rep as to whether or not the buyer goes through a design team to pick everything out. The cost for doing that comes out of the pocket of the sales rep.......hence some people might not be having that option offered to them.

I'd suggest poking your sales rep about it to see if they'll cough up for it.

Bill

[Happinow]

Thanks for the heads up Penguin. It does seem a bit much to charge for a cabinet color change, but I guess they don't want to be bothered going back to make changes after its all said and done. I'll make sure I pick the right color cabinets. Still undecided whether to do white or not.. I love the look of both brown and white cabinets. have to wait to see them again in person when we speck out our house.

[angiefox10]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Listen carefully everyone. If you make your choices and sign on them you are gonna be charged $250 if you change anything. This is not like your daddy's home building. They have it down to a science. They have teams scheduled to go in and do their job. My kids who were here at Christmastime watched a home's entire external walls go up in ONE day. The hoards of workers, more than 25, parked in a vacant lot, all at one time, and walked down the street with their long levels in their hands. When they went home that day the walls were up. The next day a different team arrived with a crane and put up the roof. It is like clockwork. It is a well oiled machine, right down to the day and time of closing.

Tough as it is to hear that you were charged one day after you signed, the process was already well under way. If they keep changing things, well it slows things down. We are completely satisfied with the process and they correct things just as quickly. It is what it is. We are not new to building a house. How they do it here is by far the most efficient with the least errors that we have ever experienced.

I agree... It was made clear when we signed the contract that any changes after that, even if it was an hour later, would cost us $250. When we went through the process of choosing what we wanted for our home. They made sure we were sure... went over it again and again. Brought out all the color samples, took us through each home with our choices, etc.

When you sign the contract.... It's a done deal!

As Gracie said, if people can change their minds it will slow down the process for everyone.

To be honest, I don't think I've seen a bad build in The Villages!

[CarGuys]

I think that is why the design team is two days long. It gives you time to process the first days choices, Next day when you leave that is it. As all have said it will cost you to change after that.

[Yankee Quilter]

Originally Posted by Happinow

Thanks for the heads up Penguin. It does seem a bit much to charge for a cabinet color change, but I guess they don't want to be bothered going back to make changes after its all said and done. I'll make sure I pick the right color cabinets. Still undecided whether to do white or not.. I love the look of both brown and white cabinets. have to wait to see them again in person when we speck out our house.

I have the same concern, but am leaning white. Currently, I have beautiful cherry but it has to be dusted every week or so. It is sort of a pain! There are 2 models now with one of each -doesn't help, both are beautiful.
Good luck

[Happinow]

Originally Posted by Yankee Quilter

I have the same concern, but am leaning white. Currently, I have beautiful cherry but it has to be dusted every week or so. It is sort of a pain! There are 2 models now with one of each -doesn't help, both are beautiful.
Good luck

That's one of the reasons I was leaning towards white....can't see the dust! I am a dust freak...can't stand to see dust. Would probably calm me down if I didn't have dark cabinets to see the dust on.

[graciegirl]

Happinow...if you intend to create a tropical, beachy,cottagy feel to your home here, white is the choice. If you plan to be more traditional or even a West Indies, tropical feel then medium is best. If you plan to have a very traditional, more formal feel than maybe darker would be best. Darker also lends itself to contemporary depending on the lines.

However...you can have beachy with dark and contemporary with all and ...It is a difficult question and all of the answers are RIGHT. Just don't change your mind into the process and have to pay the $250.

I didn't help, did I?

But.....the people who help you make choices are excellent, EXCELLENT, decorators and can guide you once they know what you want to create in your new home. (And they do NOT try to steer you toward the more expensive...)

Here's a hug.

[Happinow]

Ah thanks Gracie. Always good words of wisdom. Ya know, living in the cold all my life, it's attractive to have that light, airy feeling throughout the home, which white lends itself to nicely. But, I don't want to get "caught up" in that beachy, feeling and get sick of it. On the other hand, I've lived with brown cabinets for all of my life so I guess it may be time for a change. By the way, hubby and I LOVE the beach and the ocean. Perhaps if I decide on white, my spare room will have a nautical feel. Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

[Yankee Quilter]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Happinow...if you intend to create a tropical, beachy,cottagy feel to your home here, white is the choice. If you plan to be more traditional or even a West Indies, tropical feel then medium is best. If you plan to have a very traditional, more formal feel than maybe darker would be best. Darker also lends itself to contemporary depending on the lines.

However...you can have beachy with dark and contemporary with all and ...It is a difficult question and all of the answers are RIGHT. Just don't change your mind into the process and have to pay the $250.

I didn't help, did I?

But.....the people who help you make choices are excellent, EXCELLENT, decorators and can guide you once they know what you want to create in your new home. (And they do NOT try to steer you toward the more expensive...)

Here's a hug.

Graciegirl
I love your educational posts ... Want to come with me when I get to g to the decorators!!!,,
SERIOUSLY THANKS

[Yankee Quilter]

Originally Posted by Happinow

That's one of the reasons I was leaning towards white....can't see the dust! I am a dust freak...can't stand to see dust. Would probably calm me down if I didn't have dark cabinets to see the dust on.

I had white in our last house but it was before they learned that the plastic coating yellowed. They say that has been taken care of, they were easy to take are of.... However, like you, Like you I am not sure what direction I am going to go in. It will be fun to see all of the choices ...well maybe fun,maybe more confusing. Let us know your decision!

[Happinow]

Originally Posted by Yankee Quilter

I had white in our last house but it was before they learned that the plastic coating yellowed. They say that has been taken care of, they were easy to take are of.... However, like you, Like you I am not sure what direction I am going to go in. It will be fun to see all of the choices ...well maybe fun,maybe more confusing. Let us know your decision!

I'll let you know next month. You do the same. I keep looking on the website at the model homes to get ideas. The problem is it all looks so good! So many decisions!!

[Victoriada1]

Hi Happy People,

My husband and I are coming down for 10 days in March, and I'm sooo excited! I've printed out every floorplan,and fall asleep at night studying my future dream-houses. At this point, I'm crazy about the Bridgeport, Aspen, Elm and Lily. We'd also love to put in a pool and birdcage, but I'm wondering how much that will add to the cost of the house. First of all, we'd needed a larger lot, wouldn't we? I'm worried that I'm dreaming beyond our means, but better that I figure it out now, I guess.

Thank you for all your experience and knowledge. It really helps us Frogs of the Future!

Victoria

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Victoriada1

Hi Happy People,

My husband and I are coming down for 10 days in March, and I'm sooo excited! I've printed out every floorplan,and fall asleep at night studying my future dream-houses. At this point, I'm crazy about the Bridgeport, Aspen, Elm and Lily. We'd also love to put in a pool and birdcage, but I'm wondering how much that will add to the cost of the house. First of all, we'd needed a larger lot, wouldn't we? I'm worried that I'm dreaming beyond our means, but better that I figure it out now, I guess.

Thank you for all your experience and knowledge. It really helps us Frogs of the Future!

Victoria

Frogs of the Future has such a nice ring to it. Welcome Victoria. May all of your choices bring you happiness.

We'll leave the light on for ya.

[Happinow]

Hi Victoria. We are going through the same process. We.ve toured some models and looked at one with a pool...it was a gardenia. I believe ot was also stretched in the garage, the guest bath and the lanai. It also had a birdcage. It was beautiful. It think our salesman said it was 415,000.00. You will pay a large premium for a lot that will accommodate a pool. We will have a pool and are unsure of the model we will build at this point. Will retour homes in February. We bought a premiere lot to accommodate which ever home we pick. It is expensive, but it never hurts to dream big! All of the homes are beautiful in person.

[jchase]

We used Jim Lane as our designer thru our realtor. He was great! Remember, they don't always ask you what you want, don't be afraid to ask. We built a Gardenia, make several stretches and changes. We asked for these options and sometime he would say, I don't know lets ask, everytime they approved the stretches and changes. That's if your lot will abide. If your lot is big enough and you can spare the exra money, expand your lanai and garage. We pushed both sides out as well and glad we did!

Good luck, and if you can get Jim Lane as your designer you won't be sorry. Great man to deal with!