Sit, Listen, Ugh!

We have gotten through a few more steps of the building process. One of those steps being finding a surveyor. I made phone call after phone call getting prices and then Chris made the decision on who we would be using. After I made the phone call to Joe Burgett to go ahead and survey the land he was out within the week to draw the property lines. To me it was a bunch of lines on the paper when we saw the plans and all looked good but how quickly I learned it was so much more. It actually took me back to high school when Mr. Lyter was teaching us topo maps and what they meant and how to read them. Still to me it was lines on the paper because I knew what the land looks like. Anyhow...to save us $500 I made the choice to go to the township meetings ourselves. So here goes the story...

Just to rewind a little when you are going through the subdivision process you have to go to a planning commission meeting and then a supervisor meeting and they will approve or deny the subdivision of the land. How hard can it be to go and sit through a meeting....right? 

So the third Monday of the month (November 21) myself, Chris, and my dad loaded up and drove the mile that it is to the township planning commission meeting. We had sent 7 plans out to the members already so they all had our plans and were supposed to review them. We were 3rd to arrive and from what I understood they go in the order that you arrive, not the case. First, they had to wait on 2 more people to get there in order to vote on anything so while they waited for those people to arrive they started doing building permits. Boring. 

I quickly realized Chris and I didn't bring any money and I started to panic thinking we would have to write a check. So I drove home while they were continuing with building permits. Made it back just as the other members of the planning commission were meeting. So I sat. And sat. And sat. Yup the surveyor that was there representing his peeps took FOREVER! The committee was just going on and on about everything he needed to change and what was wrong. I felt one word...Panic. Yup, so I wanted to save $500 and what if everything on ours was wrong and we can't answer the questions. Panic. 

It was our turn...Everyone was familiar with the plans and there were 3 things that they pointed out that needed changed. Nothing big, no hard questions, except for one thing. Yup it's still haunting us...the driveway. The road isn't posted at 35mph so we need 500 ft of site distance for our driveway and where we have it doesn't work. Ummm....not our problem? I'll be happy to post the road myself but it doesn't work like that. So the committee said we need to make a decision-move the driveway or go to the supervisor meeting and tell them to post the road. Even though the driveway was the issue we got an address and were approved to move on the supervisor meeting. PHEW! 

So the first Monday of December we will load back up and drive the 1 mile and go to the supervisor meeting where we will fight to get the road posted at 35MPH so we can put our driveway where we want it. Everything has gone as planned except for one thing....the driveway. So here it to hoping that after the 5th of December the driveway issue will be resolved and we can keep on keep on.

This land is my land...

Wow! Yup that word sums up everything since the last post. We got our probe holes dug with no problems. I just stood around a watched as holes were dug to about 6 feet and the dirt was looked at. Fun times. Then it came time for the perc test. For starters all we had to do was dig post holes, put rocks in the bottom, and pre soak them. My dad and Chris dug the holes and Chris and I were in charge of getting the water to the holes. We needed barrels of water at each test site and there were three of them. Easy enough so we thought. My dad left for a trip to Canada and Chris and I had a couple days to fill the barrels before we left for Disney. We filled the 55 gallon drums of water bucket by bucket until they were overflowing. Why not fill them by using a water tank (like farmers use) because it would make life much easier. Oh yeah....because the great flood of 2011 started after the small holes were dug. Chris and I had to get the buckets filled before we left for vacation and we couldn't get the truck close enough to the barrels due to it being so muddy so bucket by bucket the barrels got filled. We worried that the sites wouldn't perc due to the face the ground hasn't seen that much water since 1972. No worrying because we were off on vacation. We arrived back home safe and sound and came to find out all 3 test sites passed!! YAY!!! Now what?? The next step was to call surveyors and get boundary lines before subdivision and before we could get our sewer permit. So I called, I talked, I explained, and I learned. I have been on the phone for hours already and we haven't even started to build. But I have learned. As a people lover I have learned to work with and talk to all kinds of people and to make sure everyone was on the same page. I need to call 2 more surveyors and am waiting to hear back from 1 for an estimate. Here's to hoping for a reasonable estimate and a smooth process.

Perc-Probe-And everything in between

A lot has been happening in the building world. No walls are going up, no footers are being laid, but there have been a lot of phone calls, a lot of meetings, and a lot of research happening. This is such a learning experience and an interesting learning experience at that. Where shall I ever start is the big question?

We got our first estimate from Contractor #1 a couple weeks back and we were a little taken back because it was above what we were initially hoping for. Contractor #2 called on my birthday while I was getting ready to sit down at Red Robin for my free birthday burger and broke the news that the estimate they were coming up with was much higher than where we wanted to be at but I assured them to just keep going with it and we can talk about it when we sit down and review everything. So we waited....

While we waited for contractor #2's numbers to come in I was on the phone. I was on the phone about perc test, probe test, and driveway permits. I call about the tests and the guy (I don't really know what his exact title is), who was my softball coach as a kid, decides maybe he should just come look at the land and get a slope reading so we can determine where we want to dig the different test holes. Yup all foreign language to me. So I meet with him take some slope readings talk about the perc test and what we need. While he was there I asked about driveway permits and he doesn't hesitate to tell me that an unmarked road in PA is 55mph. My facial expression must have said it all because he repeated himself. I had to laugh because if you know the lane we are building on there is no way anybody travels 55mph. Well nobody has since Katie (my cousin) picked me up from school and was running late and getting dressed all at the same time. It might not seem like a problem and it's not a huge problem but it doesn't allow us to put the driveway where we wanted to. One more to do...get a speed limit posted on the road that is not 55mph.

While we wait to dig the first piece of ground on the property, the probe test, I get a phone call. Contractor #2 has their estimate. We meet, we talk, we review. Let's just say Contractor #2's estimate is about $30,000 less than Contractor #1. A decision has been made! Contractor #2 it is. So a phone call will be made tomorrow to let them know they are the builders of our project.

We have a contractor, perc test has been ordered, and we have a final floor plan. PHEW! I feel a sense of accomplishment with all of this but there is a long road ahead....

Builders

How hard is it to find a builder? I should learn by now when I start a question with "how hard is it..." it's not going to go as smoothly as I think in my head it should. I googled searched builders in central pa because as my motto always goes, if google doesn't know it, it doesn't exist. I came across some and I quickly emailed them about building our garage/living space and then later building our home. Some just didn't email be back and others simply replied with we only build in developments or we only build our own home plans. That's just not going to work for us so off the list they went. I asked around and one dear friend quickly replied that they were thrilled with their contractor but our trusty neighbor right down the road said I would highly recommend our builder and I quickly wrote down the phone number. A phone call later we had an appointment with a response of we will build whatever you want.

Tonight was the night for the "big" meeting. I am the first to admit I haven't a clue how to build a home or what all I need to get in order. But I'm learning the process since this isn't going to be our only build. We met with Todd from S&S Homes and he was patient, trustworthy, and knew his stuff. We showed him what he wanted, I told him I NEEDED a pantry, Chris a urinal, bigger steps, bigger garage doors, and radiant floors, and I NEEDED a pantry. Yeah I said that a couple times just to make sure I got what I wanted. He wrote it down, we walked the land to get some advice and for the first time I could visualize where our home will sit one day and where our garage/temporary home/"in-law" quarters will sit. Oh and we can't forget where the pool will be. :)

Yeah I might talk to more builders after we get an estimated cost to build and see if anyone can beat it but I'm happy. I'm happy with what he said, there were no gimmicks, no suites/ties, no business deals. It was straight forward advice.

As I sit here writing this there are 1,000 things running through my head. None of which has to do with windows, garage doors, lights. It's more like ovens, stoves, washers, dryers. If you know me you know that I am in love with appliances and go to Lowe's just to hang out in the appliance aisle to open up every fridge, oven, stove, etc. and explore. So here's to the million steps that stand between me and appliances.

A bank is a bank...

So I thought. Up until this point a bank was a bank to me. When the "no pay" crisis hit Chris right before we got married he quickly opened up a PSECU account and since that day I have loved everything about PSECU. The no interaction with people, doing everything online, and getting interest in our checking account-i love it. But then it came to finding a funding source for our project. For a week I was on the phone with countless banks and I thought why wouldn't a bank fund the project, it's just a construction loan. I learned quickly.

PSECU, Wells Fargo, the other credit union we belong to, FHH-FAIL. I called, I spoke, they hung up quickly. I quickly learned the bigger the bank the less willing they are to work with you. They all wanted you to buy a house that is already standing and if you take out one construction loan you don't get another one. So I went to my roots.

I called JVB and of course they would fund the project. FNB Mifflintown-of course they would fund the project. I let out a huge sigh of relief when both of those banks didn't hesitate to say yes to doing a construction loan now and then another down the road. In fact I had to ask JVB again (they were the first to say yes) if they really would fund the project that we envision. The guy chuckled and said of course we are a community bank we are willing to look at anything. Oh how I love small town thinking.

Now that we can get funding (upon approval of course) the next step is to find a builder that is willing to do the project and here's to hoping this search is less stressful than the whole funding fiasco.

Plans, Plans, and more Plans

For those of you who were reading my other blog I decided to delete that one and start anew. The reason? I changed the direction of the last blog and I just felt like everything was jumbled so I wanted a fresh new "sheet." The posts will be similar but we are about to start on a new journey that will prove to lead to some great memories and great stories. So sit back and enjoy this journey that includes two people and a dog.

Saturday morning Chris and I got the news that it's time to move on. Literally. We have been blessed beyond belief with the opportunity to live in the home we do and help it come back to life but it is now time to move on. My dad came down and told us that if you're going to build you better start now. So with that swift motivation we are quickly underway. We have 1 year to build a place to live and start the next journey in life. Now if you know me at all you have an idea that I can be a bit of a picky person. So with that being said panic quickly set in. Not only because Chris and I had separate plans for the day and no time to actually talk but also because how am I supposed to plan the house of my dreams in 6 months?!? Chris is the more calm and collected one and simply said let's do what we always talked about. So we quickly agreed that we would build his garage with a living space above so we had time to decide on a house that worked for us and I could figure out what exactly I wanted to build. Since Saturday it has been a whirlwind of searching for plans, realizing which ones worked, didn't work, and were just plain silly.

A 3 car garage it is, 1100 sq. feet of living space, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath upstairs, walk in closets, living room, kitchen, and a pantry. As far as the garage goes all I want is somewhere to park my car so I no longer have to clear off snow. Chris will be in charge of the garage but it will consist of places to park the cars, a workshop, and a utility room.

Join us for this journey that will prove to be one for the memory books.