Pre-Construction Meeting Over!

This week, we had our preconstruction meeting. It was exactly what I expected. I met two really nice project managers. They seem to have a good handle on the house building process, but they are by the rules kind of guys for the most part.

A big disappointment I had was that we have a large family and so we have two deep freezers, which are kept in the garage. We had no idea where or how many outlets there are in the garage. We asked in the past, and we were told those things are discussed at this meeting. So...we had asked that we be allowed to insulate the garage and add a couple more outlets. We were turned down for both. WHY? If you never told me there is only one outlet, in the entire two car garage, why would you expect me to just know that? I think that is an epic fail. The same goes for an outlet in the master bedroom closet. If we were never told that there is not one there, how would I have known to add one? I offered to pay it out of pocket that day and everything. My house has not even had the ground broken yet, so there really is no reason why this request cant be accommodated. We even offered to give them the material, if needed. NO, NO, and NO was the answer. I'm extremely disappointed by this. So, that's the bad part. The good part is, several things were clarified and a few requests were granted. I am hoping that our PMs can maybe help out on some of that. They were really nice, and I dont blame them at all for this. Its more so the process. How do I know what I need if I dont know what is there. I also have no idea where the hall lights are, and how many there are. We were never told about this either. Anyhow, on to some good stuff. Here is a list of some questions we asked and their answers. 

Ryan Verona – Pre-construction Meeting

•  Upgrades and Options (things for which we are charged extra) - Confirmed
• Interactive Selections (Cable/Ethernet) - Confirmed
• Design Center Selections - Confirmed
• Lights package, placement / Fan rough-ins - Confirmed

Common Areas:

• Smooth or rough ceilings? Smooth
• Door Handles - Which rooms get locks? All bedrooms get privacy locks
• Will all windows have screens? Yes
• Insulate between rooms? TBD
• Future possibilities for 3rd full bath (plumbing rough-ins)? No

Kitchen: 

• Are there any cupboards over the fridge? Yes
• Is it safe to delete granite "lip" altogether because we plan on doing a tile back splash later? Yes
• Are there any power outlets for the island? Yes
• Size of the fridge that'll fit the design of the kitchen? Up to 35 inches
• Is there going to be a rough-in for ice maker (for the fridge)? Yes
• Outlet and switch for under cabinet lighting? No

Laundry:

• Outlets in Laundry room? Not sure
• Rough in for sink? No
• Reinforce Floors? Already done

Bedrooms: 

• Hang shelves in closet high enough for a second shelf to be hanged underneath? Yes
• Outlets in bedroom closets? MASTER? No, No
• Lights in closet? Yes, master

Bathrooms:

• Insulate for noise? TBD

Bonus Room:

• Are recessed lights standard? No

Garage: 

• Garage Opener wiring?
• Will the garage be sheet-rocked and insulated?
• Can I insulate it myself?
• Drainpipe in the garage?
• Will there be a deadbolt in the door to the garage and front door?
• Can we extend the driveway/get more concrete poured?
• Make sure there are power outlets in the garage for 2 freezers? GFCI?
• Frame garage for door later?

Outdoor: 

• Raised slab above grass? Yes
• Gas line (to deck) location? Yes
• Where are the hose bibs located? Front corner and opposite rear corner
• Grass in the backyard? Yes, sodded
• Gutters around the house? Yes
• Mailbox? Yes
• Blinds? No
• Screens? Yes
• Can I choose tree location? No, city does that.

Attic:

• Pipe attic for bathroom later? No
• Attic storage? Yes
• Reinforce floor for gym equipment? No