Friday, March 16, 2012

Update after 45 days of living in Victoria Falls

It's been 45 days since we moved in, and we are very happy with our house. I've deferred the 30 day meeting with the Project Managers until at least next week - I've been working 70+ hour weeks at work, and haven't had time to meet (and really haven't had any time to 'live' in the house to notice anything).

The list of compliants I have is short:
-The master bathroom floor is incredibly loud and squeaky (PM is going to look at this at '30 day inspection')
-There are a few minor drywall/touchup issues
-A few cabinets are not aligned right
-The sidewalk is cracked and crumbling at the edges (PM has agreed to tear out sidewalk after 30 day and replace. They have been understanding and apologetic about this. Driveway, porch and walkway to porch are fine.)
-There was no banister on the steps from the garage to the house. This was a major problem for my kids (3 and 1) - they just kind of stand at the stairs and stared at me like "How exactly do you expect me to get down those?". We had a handyman install a banister, so that problem is solved.

Things I'd change if I did it again (and money is no concern in my dream land):
-Put the third window in the middle of the family room. I wish we'd done it, but I'm sure once I hang pictures, it will look better
-Have them dig the basement a foot deeper so I had 9 foot ceilings down there
-Do Elevation E because it's cool and also there are no 'sidelights' next to the front door. Those sidelights are my dog's worst enemy - he can see every one drive by or walk by the house
-Tray ceiling in the dining room. I love the tray ceiling in the Master, and wish I'd done another

Everyone is adjusting well - my kids love their house and their rooms. My dog is an anxious mess during the day and is still not used to the windows, even now that we got blinds.

Since the last post, we haven't done much decorating. I've gotten tons of quotes for fences and patios - and will have that done in April/May once the PM finishes the final grading in the backyard.

The PMs surprised me this week and gave me SOD in the front (which I was NOT expecting until May). They really have done a great job following up with me. They are going to do the final grading and seeding in the back in mid-April.

We also got a sprinkler system put in last week - there is a company who has done a lot in the neighborhood, and his price and service were great. Can't wait to use it - the system is pretty amazing compared to the 1 sprinkler we used with a hose at our last house.

There are a lot of kids and families in the neighborhood, and we're excited about going to the park and the pool in the summer.

Here are a few pictures from my phone - our new yard, my poor tired dog, and my kids enjoying their house:










4 comments:

  1. Your home looks absolutely beautiful! I understand, though, about your dog having issue with the windows by the door. I'm glad that you are not having too many problems with the house and can have them resolved pretty quickly.

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  2. Your home is gorgeous! Glad to hear that you only have a few minor issues and hope they are resolved to your satisfaction. Good to "see" you around. Please continue to blog about your experience :)

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  3. we just starting the process of building the Victoria falls. We keep going back and forth if we should do the 4ft extension in the family room.. what is your thoughts
    thanks
    kevin

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