What, we built a 2 story house?!

Kidding, kidding- of course we built a 2 story, it's a Florence! Went back out today to see some progress and we were SHOCKED!! After I put up the post on Friday, our PM texted a pic literally minutes later of a bit of the 2nd story on- not much though. However today we pulled up to the entire 2nd floor framed (minus the roof), the entire house wrapped and the windows were installed!! So I'll let the pics speak for themselves....

From the front right corner- and the grading looks nice too!

From the front left corner

Front

Front again

Back right looking at the morning room- it is wrapped over where the slider will go

Right side of the house

Front left- you can see the morning room poking out in the back with the extra windows on the side! LOVE!

From the garage looking into the kitchen and morning room. You can see where they are starting to build the counters! Can't wait for that gourmet island!

From the garage looking at the stairs going up and into the front "sitting room"

We were good kids, it was tempting to walk inside and look around but we didn't. There was so much mud- Nick made it to the one side for the pics but to go in the back would have been a mud bath. You could see into the basement- still filled with some snow. PM's plan is to roof by Tuesday! Which is GREAT timing since another snow storm is moving through Wed- but word now is not a horrible one. Some showers with a little snow tonight, but nothing that should stop work tomorrow. I seriously want to hug people, I don't know who and they probably wouldn't appreciate it, but I want to hug someone! This is so exciting! Pending schedules- will try to make a trip out this week but if not, then next weekend. The only downside of this is living so far away now, I wish I could see it daily, but it is what it is.....

Framing!

We received a text from our PM on Wed that they laid the first floor. So yesterday we ended up with a few hours free and took a drive out. I was so nervous to turn the corner! But when we did, I think both Nick and I gasped! The first floor is framed and the guys were working away putting the joists up for the 2nd floor as we were leaving. We also received our date for the pre-drywall walk through! On March 5th at 2pm and Guardian will follow directly after. I was hoping the pre-drywall walk through would already have the Guardian stuff in, but we can go back out to double check it, no big deal. Our PM said the storms may slow em down today, but since they weren't too bad, we are gonna head back out this weekend too! Our PM was great and at minutes notice met us on the lot and spent 15 minutes with us too. He set up a propane heater in the basement to help warm it up and also put protection down in the garage floor- so concrete should be soon! His plan is roofing by Tuesday- let's hope mother nature agrees. I have pics on my cell phone of a view with the morning room, it just looks so pretty- but will get some more with the camera this weekend.

When we met our neighbor on the last trip out, he told us this is when it starts to fly and he wasn't kidding! Still just amazed to see the skeleton of the first floor in after only a day. Really exciting and very pleased with the progress! Til this weekend!

Is that sunshine I see outside?!

Not too much to update. We went out on Saturday to take a peek after the PM let us know that back fill and grading was completed- but no go on beginning to frame. The area got about 20 inches with Thursdays storm. Under 20 inches of snow, the grading looks great, haha! Seriously, there was so much snow the only pics my husband could get was holding his iPhone over his head to get over the ridiculous mound of snow on the sides of the street. You could barely see the basement walls poking through. But they did deliver the windows and exterior doors! So it's literally all sitting there waiting to be pieced together. And hey, maybe Mother Nature heard my plea (along with a few tears and insistent begging)- appears the weather is going to behave this week! Our guardian meeting is suppose to be pushed back, but no word from Gaurdian Debbie about this yet. You never know- they could get in there and kick butt and still make it happen. I tried convincing my husband we should drive out tonight after work to look, but he just smiled (smart man!). So until this weekend or maybe even Gaurdian appt Thursday!

Waterproofing!

We spoke to the PM on Friday and to much surprise, they were able to finish the waterproofing. Our area had a horrible ice storm, so once again, I have to say I was shocked to hear much of anything was done! He wanted to back fill but the inspector could not come out on Friday because their offices were without power. So off to the lot we go! A few pics....

 View from the front right of the lot.

 View from the back looking into what will be the basement walkout slider.

And steal beams! How exciting! Plus some nifty construction equipment.

And our wood! Wooo Hooo! It looks awfully cold though!

As you can see from the pics, man, we can't catch a break with the weather. They are hoping to back fill then start some framing this week. But, as mother nature does, another storm is coming Wednesday night through Thursday. Calling for a Nor'easter. But hey, 4 days of no Nor'easter may mean progress. Let's hope for no ice with this storm- it just destroyed the Philly area. There was even a power outage here.

And we were able to schedule the walk through with Guardian for the 20th. Now lets hope we can stay on schedule for this!

Until next weekend :)

Let there be walls!

This is a bit of a delayed post. We went out this weekend and we officially have basement walls! With the storm last week, it was quite a nice surprise! Our PM texted today to say they should be finishing the waterproofing today. Again, after another snow storm on Monday, another great surprise today!! So we sit and wait for the next storm to plow through any minute, ice to say the least. And yet another looming forecast of snow dump for this weekend. Man, didn't we pick a great winter to build a house or what?! It is what it is though.....

So here are just a few pics, the lot was so ridiculously muddy we didn't dare venture to the back of the house.

The first one is in front of the garage and the second one is in front of the future front door!! Wow, the garage looks huge and the house looks tiny! But so great to see some progress even throughout the awful weather- kudos PM Rich!

Also kudos to SR Chris-  he went to bat over the NVR fiasco and all is well. We are going with our Allstate insurance also. A little higher quote but they cover A LOT more and the amount they will take off to bundle- it all evens out with other competitors. Until this weekend, maybe..... if snowpocalypse doesn't strike!

NVR help!

So I stated a little while ago about NVR was telling me I need WAY more at closing. The papers I signed say we need X amount- it's not much because we rolled in closing costs. Then my loan processor states I need a decent amount more but when I spoke to my loan officer, he says no, wrong, I will get you updated numbers. My updated numbers still aren't here- apparently due to an addendum they are waiting on from RH. Last week I get another email followed with a replica letter that came on Monday stating I need to liquidate funds, again! So Nick spoke to out loan officer yesterday and he says ignore, still waiting on RH so I can redo numbers. Literally an hour later my loan processor sent an email saying I need to come up with XX- now even MORE than the inflated amount before! Call sales rep, loan officer and processor. Sales rep off but responds to email (his hands are really not in this pot as he's not NVR per say- but Chris gets us answers), processor says she needs to talk to LO- which then she calls back and says still numbers aren't right and to wait for new ones and LO never calls back but emails at 830 last night stating my closing costs are lower, about 4k lower, than what the processor is telling me and still waiting to updat the numbers. This 4k lower is still double the amount! My take on this is two fold- NVR isn't communicating with each other or they playing bait and switch. We were very clear up front the amount of money we could bring to the table and if that didn't work, then no house. Since we signed the agreement- I only added on an additional 5k in upgrades- how does that increase closing by 4k when that goes into the loan amount? I guess there isn't a whole lot I can do until I get the redone paperwork and see exactly the amount, but I am not pleased. That's an understatement!! Did anyone else have this happen- given an estimate for closing then told WAY more??

Construction update

Nick spoke to our PM to get an update on the house.... Last week the only progress included the footers were inspected and passed. It wasn't really the issue of the snow but more the ridiculous temperatures. So Monday they will place the forms and pour the walls that day or next. Weather is looking at highs in the teens Tuesday through Thursday, so hopes are high they get it poured Monday! If not, not a big deal. As anxious as we are to see some progress, I prefer right versus rushed. Also on the agenda for this week is to trench in the utilities and pass inspection.

Sent documents to NVR and our loan officer is still waiting on one addendum from RH before he can send the updated numbers. Both Chris'- loan officer and sales rep had our backs for the ongoing numbers discrepancy. Info also sent to hour insurance agent at Allstate and hope to get a nice quote next week to seal the deal with that.

PM said he will touch base on Wed to see if anything was actually able to take place. Again, mother natures fault, not RH.