How's this for cold and dreary?
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| Gray and gloomy day |
This was Saturday. Got there about 9:30am and it was overcast, gray, windy and in the 50's. Not COLD per se, but definitely a bit cool to be outside in the wind. The ground is also still a bit too wet for mowing but oh my, you can see the grass growing and these little white flowers on some kind of weed.
Last weekend, you may recall that we posted about going to look at some modular homes by a couple of different builders. We went with a higher end dealer at first but wow, they are really high end. The dealer said they run about $175/sq foot. So a 2000 square foot modular/manufactured home would be $350,000. Plus delivery, plus a permanent foundation, plus whatever else we needed to have done. Probably a hard no, on that brand at least. Another brand was a step down but still a lot. We have to acknowledge that if we are going to spend a lot, what do we get for it?
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| More gray and gloomy from another angle, ha |
Now, we are leaning toward a new build but instead of a standard home, we're considering something a bit different. More on that to come as we get more details...we've reached out to three companies and one is already working up some estimates for us.
We used to always joke, early on when we met and talked about the future, that if we ever built a house, we'd start with the kitchen and work our way outward, ha. A new build may give us that chance to get something that is exactly "us" and that we have a hand in helping to design/create. If we're going to spend money on something, we have to consider what we get in the end and how it will work for how we live.
As we mentioned with the remodel, we'd spend the lowest amount but end up with a pretty house that's still old with potential problems underneath.
If we go with the modular or manufactured, we spend a whole lot on the high end but can't modify it to be something that works for how we want to live.
If we spend somewhere in between the two for something a bit bigger than we have now but not over the top big and we get to help design it exactly the way we want it...
Maybe that will be just right!
We actually have a list with pros/cons for each option. When all the decision making is done, we'll go with one of the choices!
There are some other things coming soon as we prepare for the house change.
Stay tuned!
Taking for granted that will be your retirement home; I would have it built/designed to your liking.
ReplyDeleteWishing you both the best of luck.
There's a lot to think about when having a home built.
Have a great day and enjoy your evening.
Yes that is another thing we have to consider this should be our forever home so we want it to be exactly what we need. Even if we go a bit smaller than if we bought something new we could make it "ours" and in the end, that's what makes us happy, ha.
DeleteThere's SO much to consider when building a house. And you'll probably get lots of advice, asked for or not.
ReplyDeleteWe explored the insulated concrete form construction - love the idea of super insulated and quiet, but it was too costly. Stick built - time consuming and 2nd most costly IIRC. Prefab - limited floor plans and finishes. So we went with a hybrid construction - all walls, floors, trusses were assembled in a factory, then the construction crew set them up.
Even though at the time it was lots of headaches & stress, for the most part the whole house came out well. There are some things I'd change again after living here of course.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you end up with for the house.
If this is going to be your forever home I would have a new one built. There is a lot to it but you'll have input on the layout, finishes, etc. I don't know about the two of you but we purposefully downsized on our forever house and we've been here 11 years and do not regret it. Less to maintain, less to clean equals more time to relax and enjoy other things.
ReplyDeleteThe two of you know how you use space and what is most important to you. You will make the best decision for what you really want.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could solve all the "old house" problems and then add a dream kitchen. Whatever you do, make sure door openings will handle a wheel chair and bath is large enough for a potential walk-in tub. In this house, Tommy with his walker cannot be passed in the hall. My old house had a very wide hall. But, I would never have thought of the width of a hall before he used a walker.
ReplyDeleteMy friend had a house built with a bath that is larger than any room in this house. The doors are about six feet wide and one of the two rooms is a bath that a wheelchair can be used! Then, the second room of the bath has a tub, another shower and commode. The bath is commodious. No, I am not suggesting a two-room bath.
Yall have lived in Houston a good while, but I'll say this anyway. WHen we were in Waco, and F5 tornado when by west of town and ultimately took the streets and sidewalks up from the ground as it destroyed Jerrell, TX, The weather man who said "If yuo're in a moblle home, FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO BE!!!" was fired from his job. What he said was true anyway.
ReplyDeleteYour little farm house has been there a long time and has survived becaue it was well built. Please thing twice about a mobile home.
Sorry for the typos, I'm typing white text on a white backgound and that = invisible.
Hugs!
i can't wait to see what you end up doing! i am loving my tin and it's in my new pantry. i look at it every day!
ReplyDeleteThere are many mobile or prefab homes here in Florida, a lot of them withstood two hurricanes this year but lost the patio and add ons. They are so well strapped down here the newer ones seem safe. We bought an older home remodeled it and added on. It is everything we wanted but my husband passed away right after we finished just the way we wanted it. Now I am left with a big house that I cannot take care of the little things that go wrong. I am 78 and my kids think I am too old to climb on a ladder. I will need to sell it in a few years or find a good man that loves me and my house. lol
ReplyDeleteWith your careful considerations of the various options, I know y’all will make a great choice. So excited for you!
ReplyDelete