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OT Your House
Blaundee
Reg. Dec 2006
Posted 2013-11-20 8:39 PM
Subject: OT Your House



Keep those crap slapping tails away!


Posts: 8871
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Location: Around here somewhere...
Whether you built, bought, or remodeled your home, what do you love, like, dislike, and hate about it?
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Blaundee
Reg. Dec 2006
Posted 2013-11-20 8:41 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Keep those crap slapping tails away!


Posts: 8871
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Location: Around here somewhere...
We want to build our home, and have a lot of different ideas... we want to get other's experiences, ideas, & opinions. We're thinking a huge bathroom with big shower, hard floors throughout the house, in-floor heating (with the water heated by a wood fire), large woodstove, big kitchen with LOTS of cabinets, garage, gun room, mud room, etc.

Edited by Blaundee 2013-11-20 8:45 PM
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KatieMac88
Reg. Apr 2012
Posted 2013-11-20 8:41 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 1035
100025
Location: TN
I bought an older home and remodeled it. I love that I got to make it my own, but I wish the layout was a little different. I would love it if the door in the carport went straight into the laundry room instead of the kitchen to help keep our muddy boots and clothes out of the rest of the house.
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-20 9:22 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Accident Prone


Posts: 22277
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Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR
 I love my big kitchen and bathroom. We have separate vanities, which I love. Separate closets, which is nice not to have to share. Soaker tub (no jets) and a 4x6 tiled shower. My makeup vanity is nice to have too. The kitchen has 2 islands, one with a raised bar, lots of storage and counter space. Some of my favorite things are the pot filler, instant hot water, walk in pantry, and solid surface countertops. I had a kitchen designer help me with the layout and that was very helpful. My husband teases me that we must have too many cabinets since I have an entire one dedicated to Wal mart sacks. Haha I wanted an open layout for the main living areas, so the living room, kitchen, foyer, and dining area are all one big room with pillars, beams, and area rugs to help break them up. I love it most of the time. What I would change: make the laundry/mudroom and garage bigger--they seemed huge on paper. Shift the wall 3' between the living room and master bedroom to make the bedroom smaller and living room bigger. I didn't make the back porch big enough either, but we were able to fix that fairly easily. It went from 9x19 to 20x19 and now has room for the grill, porch swing, table and chairs, and the dog area.
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RocketPilot
Reg. Jun 2006
Posted 2013-11-20 10:02 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



No Tune in a Bucket


Posts: 2935
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Location: Texas
 Our house is a two story.  If I were building again, it would NOT be a two story.  As we age, the knees don't handle steps very well.
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pinx05
Reg. Nov 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 1:43 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Chicken Chick


Posts: 3562
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Location: Texas
We have a double wide. While I am content with it because it was dirt cheap there are some things I would change, and when we build a house in a few years these are my must haves.

Shelves or counters in the laundry room, and a bigger space to hang clothes. I have to fold my clothes and pile them up in different spots on top of the washer and dryer depending on whose they are and where they go while I am folding them. I would much rather have a counter or something I could do my folding on. For some reason my husband and son go through a ton of clothes so I feel like I am folding clothes all day. That would just make it more convenient for me.

 More counter space in the kitchen, and an island. I feel very cramped in my kitchen because of the layout and how I only have small sections of counter space to work with in each area. I would be fine with the same amount of counter space if it was just mostly in one spot.

I do like how my husband and I have seperate closets and they are both in the bathroom. So you can get completely ready without having to leave the bathroom.

I wish we had more windows, at least on the sides of the house that don't face west. That part of the day is hot and windows on that side of the house don't help when we are trying to keep the house cool. We have about 1 window in every room, and I like to open all the blinds during the day while I am cleaning or whatever... and it just isn't enough windows for me.

I want a covered porch on both sides of the house and that is in the works.

I wish our food pantry was bigger, the smallest closet in the house is bigger then our food pantry lol. That is aggravating. Especially when I have to hear my husband complain because all of the canned vegatables aren't in seperate rows. They are all just piled in there on top of each other and you have to dig through them to find what you want usually.

I also wish we had a mudd room. Not because we have mud or anything here, but because it would be nice to have a place to take off nasty shoes where they aren't piled in front of the door, and you can hang your coat up or whatever.

The layout of the house isn't ideal. We have a hard time rearranging furniture because in most rooms there is only one way you can place furniture without blocking a door, closet, walkway. Even then it just doesn't look right, it looks like that is the only place we could find for the furniture, and it is lol. There is also a lot of space that is wasted. Like this dumb little built in tiny desk in a cubby hole that is piled sky high as a catch all. That space could be taken out completely and added onto the back of my closet, which I would much rather have.

I do like how niether of the kid's bedroom windows are on the front of the house. So if anyone wants to get to their window they have to be in the back yard with the dogs to do it.

That is all I can think of right now.
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hammer_time
Reg. Jul 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 1:53 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Money Eating Baggage Owner


Posts: 9586
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Location: Phoenix
 I wish I could figure out how to share my "For the Home" Pinterest board!!

I've only rented, but I have my wish list:
  • Lots of counter space by the stove.
  • I love it if the stove faced the TV in the living room.
  • Cabinets designed for pots and pans.
  • I would DIE if there was a remote controlled section of the counter that raised and lowered that contained the toaster, blender and whatnot.  They could stay plugged in on their platform, but once you're done, they disappear into the countertop (or below it rather).
  • i like the idea of the closet and bathroom together--nice to keep the sleeping area free of clothing.
  • one story, high ceilings.
  • An entryway/foyer.  Where you put down your stuff, put your coat away and THEN enter the house.  
  • Separate sinks.  Separate vanity would be even better.  Exposed bathroom sink area, and toilet/bathtub/shower off to the side behind a door.  
That's all I can think of right now.
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Ridenrun4745
Reg. Sep 2010
Posted 2013-11-21 5:19 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Expert


Posts: 1543
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Location: MI
We built, and it's unique :) I'll add some in a bit...
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rodeomom3
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 6:13 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Shelter Dog Lover


Posts: 10277
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We are meeing with an architect next week.  I like to see out so lots of windows, lots of closets, big back deck for entertaining with another fireplace, grill.  This is what I have drawn up for him:  3/3, open floor plan, one living/dining area, floor to ceiling windows across the back wall, windows instead of upper cabinets in kitchen. I tis just down to my husband and me, I want what will be the guest bathroom to have freestanding bath tub and furniture. I want a mud room seperate from my laundry room, office for my husband and a weight room you can access from the master bath and the hall way.  BIG master closet with built ins.  I have also hired a kitchen designer and a friend of mine who is an interior designer to be sure we get this house right as hopefully it will be our last.  These pictures are from a website houzz.com.  Going to copy the living room pretty verbatim and tweak the bathroom just a little.
 

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Murphy
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 6:59 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Midget Lover


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Location: Kentucky
I like mine because it has an open living room, a nice kitchen, and a big master bathroom. I don't like that it doesn't have an attached garage or a mud room. 
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-21 7:49 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Accident Prone


Posts: 22277
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Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR
RocketPilot - 2013-11-20 10:02 PM

 Our house is a two story.  If I were building again, it would NOT be a two story.  As we age, the knees don't handle steps very well.

 Our house is also a 2 story, but we built it with old age in mind. Everything we need is down stairs, and the kid area is upstairs along with attic storage. So we can basically shut off the second floor when we get old and just live on the main floor.
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bocephus's mama
Reg. May 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 7:55 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Baby Blue's


Posts: 7306
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Location: Texas
Single story
Closets with BUILT INS
High ceilings
Bathroom access for every bedroom -- so either a master, jack and jill, or it services a bedroom and a "public" area
No wasted bathroom space - why is there SO much space with no purpose these days?
Bonus room
No formal dining or living room 
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Canchasr1
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2013-11-21 8:12 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Special Somebody


Posts: 3951
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Location: Finally horseback again....
We built ours two years ago.
I LOVE my house but there are a couple things I would add next time.
I have porches all the way across the front and back
Huge kitchen open to the living room
Big closets in the bedrooms
I added a toy closet for our son( keeps toys from being scattered everywhere)
I love the walk in shower with no door
Love my clawfoot tub
outside door into the laundry room
 No wasted space or hallways
 I have windows all the way across the back of the house.

I wish I had made the laundry room bigger, it is 8 x12 and still not big enough 
I have one coat closet but should have made it bigger for more storage
And I would have made the master closet even bigger. It is 10x14 with built ins, which I love, but with both our stuff in it, its still not big enough.
I would also add a safe room if possible, for gun safe and tornado shelter.
 
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chuckie31
Reg. Aug 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 8:16 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 984
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Location: Southwest Minnesota
 We built our house 10 years ago.  My Entry, Living Room, Dining Room, and Kitchen are pretty much one great room.  I love that about my house because no matter what my family is doing, homework, cooking, watching TV, computer, we are all together.  I like that everything is on one floor and the doors are all wide enough to accomodate a wheel chair should my hubby or I ever need one.  We have a big mud/laundry room which I love.  I definitely would have more storage/bigger closets.  Now, that might be okay once my girls are all out of the house.  But, until then I don't have enough.
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CrossDRanch
Reg. Nov 2012
Posted 2013-11-21 8:17 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 823
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Location: East Texas
My wife loves the gas log fireplace in the bathroom. A microwave that mounts under the counter with slide out drawer. I am tall so we made the counter top heights taller than standard in my bathroom and kitchen. Laundry room with an island for folding, sorting, etc.
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thomas paine
Reg. Nov 2011
Posted 2013-11-21 8:18 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House





100252525
Location: Philly
here's the stock plan of the house we "were" going to build. made a bunch of modifications, took out the angle in the house, made living room larger and more open to the kitchen, made mud room larger, second laundry room (a must if you have a number of kids) and so on. then the appraisal came back $80k less than the cost to build. We knew what the house was going to cost, but were being fed incorrect info from the banks. Have put everything on hold as we can either come home 7 days a week to a "nice" house or have enought disposal income to do what we want on the weekends (horses)

keep that in mind as you go through your process of drawing out your plans.

http://www.garrellassociates.com/featured/amicalola-cottage-rustic-...





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CrossDRanch
Reg. Nov 2012
Posted 2013-11-21 8:19 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 823
500100100100
Location: East Texas
My wife loves the gas log fireplace in the bathroom. A microwave that mounts under the counter with slide out drawer. I am tall so we made the counter top heights taller than standard in my bathroom and kitchen. Laundry room with an island for folding, sorting, etc.
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pippy
Reg. Oct 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 8:20 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Extreme Veteran


Posts: 502
500
Location: United States
Lots of windows, good closet space, easy accessibility to the laundry room. Pantry. A mud room, or a well designed garage for boots and winter jackets.
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Crowned Image
Reg. Jan 2011
Posted 2013-11-21 8:24 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



I Chore in Chucks


Posts: 2882
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Location: MD
Don't really have a dog in the fight because we rent. We live in a double wide, never thought it would be enough room. The kitchen has plenty of space, three great sized bedrooms. Medium sized closets and the bathroom are big. Eberything is easy to clean and because its kind of a small house it forces us not to keep a bunch of crap. If i could i would add a pantry and make a better walk in area with a small seperate laundry area that seems to be the biggest probelm for us. But i forsee us getting a double wide with either a basement or adding on or something of the sort. Makes so much sense for us!

Excuse my typos,im on my phone
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rodeomom3
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 8:27 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Shelter Dog Lover


Posts: 10277
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bocephus's mama - 2013-11-21 7:55 AM Single story

Closets with BUILT INS

High ceilings

Bathroom access for every bedroom -- so either a master, jack and jill, or it services a bedroom and a "public" area

No wasted bathroom space - why is there SO much space with no purpose these days?

Bonus room

No formal dining or living room 

 I agree, some masters are likemausoleums  they are so big.  I also love my roll out shelves in the bottom cabinets in the kitchen.   Had them in the house we just moved out of and really miss them.
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Cashbaby
Reg. Oct 2006
Posted 2013-11-21 8:40 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Cotton Balls are the Devil


Posts: 1271
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Location: My own little world!
My husband is a builder and my advise would be:

Walk through as many houses as you can. Houses you think you would like AND not like. See all kinds of different floor plans.

Look at the plans. Plans are hard to visualize, so seeing them on paper and then in real life will help realize what all the details and knooks and kranies will be like from the plans to the real house.


I also suggest an extra "half bath". Exspecially if you have kids. This way there is always a clean bathroom for guests.

Close the door to the bathroom the kids use all the time and have a half bath that is always clean and ready for a drop guest to use at a moments notice.
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barrelracin85
Reg. May 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 8:42 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Works Hard For The Money


Posts: 4469
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Location: Memphis, TN
Having 2 young kids and a 3 bedroom house I really wish we had an extra bedroom. I would use it as a playroom for now and a guest room once the kids were older. Our next house will have a mud room no matter what. As it is now I am constantly battling mud and hay in the doorways. I'd also build a closet somewhere for all of my husbands hunting and fishing gear and big enough to put a gun safe in it.
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SC Wrangler
Reg. Jul 2004
Posted 2013-11-21 9:01 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Nut Case Expert


Posts: 9305
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Location: Tulsa, Ok
What is like most about my house is that it is paid for and has been for lonnnnnnnnggggggggg time.  That pretty much offsets all inadequacies in is size or layout. 
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luvropin
Reg. Jan 2011
Posted 2013-11-21 9:08 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 1100
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Location: Southeastern Idaho
We built 5 years ago...my husband just said the other night he wouldn't change a thing. What we did is look at TONS of house plans. Decided on the house plan for a double wide home and modified it. You do not find better use of space that in those homes.

We have a heated mud room (door to outside) with a sink, no nasty items come in the house! Another room in the garage that is heated for storage...I use it as a huge pantry.

Door from the garage leads into the laundry room, also have a 1/2 bath off of the laundry.

Bedrooms are on one end of the home, my husband works off the ranch and its shift work. Needs to be quiet during the day.

Make sure you are active and double check on things as you go. We asked for a wood fireplace and the contractor thought gas fireplace. Took some doing to get that made clear.
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lookout hill
Reg. Nov 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 9:35 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Water Weight Barbie


Posts: 6829
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Location: Oz, Kansas
First off I would never have built an earth contact.  My next house will be a reverse story & 1/2 with the kids rooms down stairs.  My bathroom will be much bigger with a seperate shower & tub with 2 vanities.  I would have built ins in the closet so I don't have to worry about dressers in the bedrooms.  I would have a designated mud room off the garage which would be a 3 car garage.  Have heated hard wood floors throughout except in the mud/bath/laundry.  One thing I do love is my laundry room is off my master bath & I love having it there, I just wish it were bigger. 
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DLV
Reg. May 2013
Posted 2013-11-21 9:37 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Expert


Posts: 1432
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Location: Never in one place long
I LOVE our wood floors, look good and easy to clean, multiple bathrooms, nice BIG master bedroom which we need with 5 mutts sleeping in our room with us! walk in closets are nice. Wish we had a wrap around porch or nice desk off the back for company! Garage attached to the house would be awesome as well.
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Dodge629
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2013-11-21 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Some Kind of Trouble


Posts: 4430
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My house is tiny but the size doesn't bother me a bit.. now, if I had kids, I might want to get away from them once in a while which would be impossible.    But my biggest peeve's with my house is that it is old and all the rooms are seperated... definetly want an open layout!  I rarely even use my dining room or living room which take up over half of the house because they are closed off, it's a waste.  Second is don't save space by making small bathrooms!  Being that cramped makes everything extremely hard to clean or keep clean and it drives me crazy and face it, that is a room that EVERYONE has to use and spend time in.  Other than that, in-floor heating and good windows would be my next picks for being economical.
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RocketPilot
Reg. Jun 2006
Posted 2013-11-21 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



No Tune in a Bucket


Posts: 2935
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Location: Texas
Three 4 Luck - 2013-11-21 7:49 AM
RocketPilot - 2013-11-20 10:02 PM  Our house is a two story.  If I were building again, it would NOT be a two story.  As we age, the knees don't handle steps very well.
 Our house is also a 2 story, but we built it with old age in mind. Everything we need is down stairs, and the kid area is upstairs along with attic storage. So we can basically shut off the second floor when we get old and just live on the main floor.

We did not build our house, but it is sort of like that.  There are 2 rooms upstairs that end up as basicly storage for like Christmas stuff.  My sewing machine and ironing board are up there, but heaven knows they don't get used often.  There is a computer and tv upstairs for the grandkids when they come over and a hugh desk that they previous owners left because they put it there before they finished the stairwell and could not get it down.
   
The house was built in two parts and there is a step down to the stair and a 2 step down to two bedrooms.  Some mornings my knees don't like those 2 steps.

Oh, and to the OP.  Make the master bedroom as large as possible.  The master is my least favorite room in my house.  Too small and not enough closet space.

 
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thomas paine
Reg. Nov 2011
Posted 2013-11-21 9:53 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House





100252525
Location: Philly
lookout hill - 2013-11-21 9:35 AM

First off I would never have built an earth contact.  My next house will be a reverse story & 1/2 with the kids rooms down stairs.  My bathroom will be much bigger with a seperate shower & tub with 2 vanities.  I would have built ins in the closet so I don't have to worry about dressers in the bedrooms.  I would have a designated mud room off the garage which would be a 3 car garage.  Have heated hard wood floors throughout except in the mud/bath/laundry.  One thing I do love is my laundry room is off my master bath & I love having it there, I just wish it were bigger. 

laundry room with a backdoor to the MBR closet. only downside is if that is your only laundry room, mud everywhere. pretty easy to have an extra washer/dryer in a mud room for everything that you dont want to haul through the house to clean / wash with everyone else's clothes
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Puddy
Reg. Oct 2010
Posted 2013-11-21 9:54 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Elite Veteran


Posts: 989
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One thing I will always look for in a house is a bathroom (sink/toilet) right inside a door to the outside for easy access and not having to track dirt across the house to use the washroom and go back outside again.. too many people are too lazy to take their shoes off!

One thing I do not like about my house is the fact the woodstove is upstairs and not downstairs, we will be changing that.

I like vaulted ceilings.. but do not like the angles roof in the rooms as the roof comes down.

I love the pine slatted ceiling.

I love open concept with partial walls for room privacy in say the tv area so hubby can watch tv and I can read a book in a different room and not feel like I am getting yelled at by the tv.
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Vickie
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 10:08 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



To the Left


Posts: 1865
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Location: Florida
I built mine (with help from my family and friends).  Since we nailed every nail, and wired every switch, I could make changes as I went along.  I have changed some things since then (30 years).  Took out the sliding glass door and put in windows, added a bay window in the dining/kitchen area, changed doors and bathtubs, etc.  Since we built it we know exactly what can change without a problem, kinda like getting a new house whenever I feel like it.  I would highly recommend building your own, or at least keeping really hands on with the contractors.
 
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addysmom821
Reg. Sep 2013
Posted 2013-11-21 10:48 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Regular


Posts: 67
2525
Do's- Open Concept, more cabinets and counter tops than you think in your kitchen, mudroom with at least 1/2 bathroom...NO CARPET, vaulted ceelings, celing fans everywhere

Don'ts- waste to much room in master and utlity rooms...also we have cathedral celings..I HATE THEM!!! I love vaulted ceilings but our are ridiculous....In the Texas summer you can forget about your living room being nice and cool and it costs a fortune to heat and cool that one room..

When we finally get to build again we are putting in seperate A/C units for living and sleeping spaces
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Blaundee
Reg. Dec 2006
Posted 2013-11-21 10:55 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Keep those crap slapping tails away!


Posts: 8871
5000200010005001001001002525
Location: Around here somewhere...
Thank you so much everyone! I have written down all of your suggestions. We will at least be vry hands on, if not actually building it ourselves.
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Blaundee
Reg. Dec 2006
Posted 2013-11-21 10:56 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Keep those crap slapping tails away!


Posts: 8871
5000200010005001001001002525
Location: Around here somewhere...
What is an "earth contact"?
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 11:20 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 



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jlazyc
Reg. Jul 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 11:23 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Military family

Extreme Veteran


Posts: 494
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Location: La Frontera
We have built a house and now we are remodeling another house.  Here's what I've learned.

In floor heating is the BEST!
I prefer my laundry area close to the kitchen.  Let's face it, you spend most of your time in the kitchen and when the laundry is on the other side of the house and the washer or dryer stops you have to walk all the way across the house to get it.  It's annoying and I prefer it closer.  The only other way I would have it is if it's next to the bedrooms.
You can't have enough kitchen cabinets.  No pantry is ever too big.
You can't have enough closet space.  His and hers closets in the master bedroom is nice.
An extra 1/2 bath for guests is nice (but only if you can keep your hubby from using it .....).
If you can swing it, a wrap around porch is fantastic.  It's an extension of your house for dirty boots, cleaning tack, etc.
Make sure you have ample eletrical outlets for a room.  Also if you're building and know how you're going to layout furniture in a room, put in-ground electrical outlets where you may need them.

 
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lookout hill
Reg. Nov 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 11:32 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Water Weight Barbie


Posts: 6829
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Location: Oz, Kansas
thomas paine - 2013-11-21 8:53 AM
lookout hill - 2013-11-21 9:35 AM First off I would never have built an earth contact.  My next house will be a reverse story & 1/2 with the kids rooms down stairs.  My bathroom will be much bigger with a seperate shower & tub with 2 vanities.  I would have built ins in the closet so I don't have to worry about dressers in the bedrooms.  I would have a designated mud room off the garage which would be a 3 car garage.  Have heated hard wood floors throughout except in the mud/bath/laundry.  One thing I do love is my laundry room is off my master bath & I love having it there, I just wish it were bigger. 
laundry room with a backdoor to the MBR closet. only downside is if that is your only laundry room, mud everywhere. pretty easy to have an extra washer/dryer in a mud room for everything that you dont want to haul through the house to clean / wash with everyone else's clothes

Next house will have a laundry in the mud room & a kitchenette in the garage so my hubby can do his canning out there.  I love an open floor plan with lots of windows.
But make sure you really think about the layout of the house & which direction it will be facing.  If you plan on having a nice back deck for entertaining make sure it doesn't face west or you'll never use it in the Summer.   
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 11:37 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
jlazyc - 2013-11-21 11:23 AM We have built a house and now we are remodeling another house.  Here's what I've learned.



In floor heating is the BEST!

I prefer my laundry area close to the kitchen.  Let's face it, you spend most of your time in the kitchen and when the laundry is on the other side of the house and the washer or dryer stops you have to walk all the way across the house to get it.  It's annoying and I prefer it closer.  The only other way I would have it is if it's next to the bedrooms.

You can't have enough kitchen cabinets.  No pantry is ever too big.

You can't have enough closet space.  His and hers closets in the master bedroom is nice.

An extra 1/2 bath for guests is nice (but only if you can keep your hubby from using it .....).

If you can swing it, a wrap around porch is fantastic.  It's an extension of your house for dirty boots, cleaning tack, etc.

Make sure you have ample eletrical outlets for a room.  Also if you're building and know how you're going to layout furniture in a room, put in-ground electrical outlets where you may need them.


 

 SO MUCH THIS!!! They are having to go back and break concrete to put floor outlets in the living room and run under floor in the media room upstairs. The builder should have thought of this not us!
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sorrel horse ranch
Reg. Apr 2006
Posted 2013-11-21 11:46 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Military family

Angel in a Sorrel Coat


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Put electrical outlets in closets so you can plug in vacuums, etc. that need charging instead of having to have them sitting out in your rooms charging. 
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 11:55 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
rodeomom3 - 2013-11-21 6:13 AM We are meeing with an architect next week.  I like to see out so lots of windows, lots of closets, big back deck for entertaining with another fireplace, grill.  This is what I have drawn up for him:  3/3, open floor plan, one living/dining area, floor to ceiling windows across the back wall, windows instead of upper cabinets in kitchen. I tis just down to my husnband and me, I want what will be hte guest bathroom tohave freestanding bath tub and furniture. I want a mud room seperate from my laundry room, office for my husband and a weight room you can access from the master bath and the hall way.  BIG maters closet with built ins.  I have also hired a kitchen designer and a friend of mine who is an interior designer to be sure we get his house right as hopefully it will be our last.  These pictures are from a website houzz.com.  Going to copy the living room pretty verbatim and tweak the bathroom just a little.

 

I'm in love with these two rooms.  They look soo cozy.  I love the warmth of beiges, browns and wood.  These pics look like a beautiful kitchen and bath up in the mountains.  
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Ridenrun4745
Reg. Sep 2010
Posted 2013-11-21 12:15 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Expert


Posts: 1543
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Location: MI
Rodeomom3, I love Houzz! I got a ton of ideas from there when we were building.
Our house is different, I know it's not for everyone, but it works awesome for us. It's very straightforward, 3 bedrooms (or 2 beds, 1 office) on the main level with 2 full baths, the walkout basement is unfinished, but we will eventually have 1 full bath, 2 more bedrooms, a great room area, the laundry room (finished) and a workshop space for my husband (also our 'dog room'). It is around 1560 sq ft on the main.
We built with passive solar in mind, as I just thought it was smart, based on our property, to use the suns energy to heat/cool. We have in floor radiant heat on the main and in the basement, and it is powered by a wood boiler (or propane). We have polished concrete floors (love!) and a big mud room (double love!!). Our kitchen, living room, and mud room occupy a 24'x30' rectangle, I love that we are all together and that the house is so open. We have a lot of cabinets in the kitchen 'rectangle' :). We also have an indoor wood stove in the great room area, we both like the ambience of the fire.
Hmmm....oh, and it is barrier free. We think we'll be here for a while, and we've talked about fostering special needs kids. In my occupation I see a lot of people wheelchair bound and I didn't want my house to be someplace I couldn't invite people over to, and also, if something was to happen to us or a member of our family, we will be able to handle it. :)
My husband was big on a double shower head, so that's why we have that. My step father in law built all of our countertops. Our house is a mixture of farm and industrial. Here's a picture of the exterior. I have more, just don't want to bore anyone! I could blab about house building for a while, lol.

Edited by Ridenrun4745 2013-11-21 12:23 PM




(Exterior.jpg)



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luluwhit
Reg. Dec 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 12:23 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Popped


Posts: 20421
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Location: LuluLand~along I64 Indiana
i am not a fan of my gas log fireplace and wish we had put in a real log anywhere in our floor plan.  with all the covered decks we have nowhere to go up with a chimney in our floor plan now.
i wish we had put radiant floor heating in the basement floor.  this can be done yet after the fact but i sure wish it was already there.
i am super happy with our floor plan and wouldnt change anything about it.  open living/dining/kitchen area.  Vaulted living room celing has a wood cover.  it looks really nice. 
i have a huge bathroom and put in a corner tub to take up some extra space.... hate it.  would rather have a full length soaker tub or a huge closet there instead. 
fyi.... the garage can never be big enough.... figure in opening doors to your vehicle, and stuff stacked up all along the walls.  i hate banging car doors.... grr 




(dine kitch0907small.jpg)



(lauras house 003.jpg)



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luluwhit
Reg. Dec 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 12:25 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Popped


Posts: 20421
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Location: LuluLand~along I64 Indiana
thomas paine - 2013-11-21 9:18 AM here's the stock plan of the house we "were" going to build. made a bunch of modifications, took out the angle in the house, made living room larger and more open to the kitchen, made mud room larger, second laundry room (a must if you have a number of kids) and so on. then the appraisal came back $80k less than the cost to build. We knew what the house was going to cost, but were being fed incorrect info from the banks. Have put everything on hold as we can either come home 7 days a week to a "nice" house or have enought disposal income to do what we want on the weekends (horses) keep that in mind as you go through your process of drawing out your plans. http://www.garrellassociates.com/featured/amicalola-cottage-rustic-...
i so would love to build and live in this floor plan....
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cow pie
Reg. Nov 2009
Posted 2013-11-21 12:44 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Military family

Sock eating dog owner


Posts: 4557
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Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah
I have rented 2 different houses. One was log outer (love) huge living room with full window to the east and full window to the west so the sun came in on rising and setting with a full rock fireplace and bedrooms on the end with sliding doors and mud room at the entrance. Warm in winter cool in summer Loved that house. the other was a log house front country porch fireplace with attached brick oven. all wood flooring bedrooms upstairs. Love wood floors fireplaces open floor plans and large windows . My current house has several large windows, wood flooring open floor plan. I just wish the bedrooms were at one end of the house, but it is peachy. We've re did the walls and put in new cabinets , all new windows next will be doors and back bedrooms. It's just peachy.
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akammes1997
Reg. Jan 2013
Posted 2013-11-21 1:29 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Regular


Posts: 57
2525
Location: Wishing I was riding
The house that we just moved out of I absolutely loved. It had 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, it had enough bedrooms for each of us kids before the baby was born, and plenty of storage space. Most of the rooms had more window than walls, which I loved. My room had he best view, it overlooked 40 Rollin acres of pasture and the barn. We had a large kitchen and seperate dining room, and a huge living room. We had a seperate mud room that we kept the doors closed in. It was about the size of a bedroom and held all our barn clothes and shoes, plus the washer and dryer. If I was going to build, I'd make a house similar, but add more closet space for the bedrooms and bigger bathrooms. And I would have a finished basement. The house was over a hundred years old, but was completely remodeled. and it had all hard would flooring, which was nice, but got really cold during the winter in Wisconsin. My dream house is a huge Victorian over looking a field full of horses :)
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rodeomom3
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2013-11-21 1:59 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Shelter Dog Lover


Posts: 10277
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Kaycee - 2013-11-21 11:55 AM
rodeomom3 - 2013-11-21 6:13 AM We are meeing with an architect next week.  I like to see out so lots of windows, lots of closets, big back deck for entertaining with another fireplace, grill.  This is what I have drawn up for him:  3/3, open floor plan, one living/dining area, floor to ceiling windows across the back wall, windows instead of upper cabinets in kitchen. I tis just down to my husnband and me, I want what will be hte guest bathroom tohave freestanding bath tub and furniture. I want a mud room seperate from my laundry room, office for my husband and a weight room you can access from the master bath and the hall way.  BIG maters closet with built ins.  I have also hired a kitchen designer and a friend of mine who is an interior designer to be sure we get his house right as hopefully it will be our last.  These pictures are from a website houzz.com.  Going to copy the living room pretty verbatim and tweak the bathroom just a little.

 
I'm in love with these two rooms.  They look soo cozy.  I love the warmth of beiges, browns and wood.  These pics look like a beautiful kitchen and bath up in the mountains.  

 Aren't they gorgeous?   As soon as I saw them I said that's it, don't need to look any more.
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roanrider
Reg. Apr 2004
Posted 2013-11-21 2:58 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Expert


Posts: 1414
1000100100100100
We're converting a barn into our house.  We had the building but wanted to add nooks and crannies to make it look more homey.  Hands down the best thing I ever did was buy a software program for home designing.   I can't even begin to tell you how much that helped us for the exterior and interior.  You can view it as 2D or 3D so you can do a virtual walk through of the house, easily move walls, swap carpet for tile, etc.  The possibilities are almost endless and it gets really addicting!  LOL 

I worked on it for about a year and fine tuned it to exactly what we wanted.  After we picked our builder we gave our prints to the architect and he drew them to make them official for the building permit.

I had a very specific vision of what I wanted our house to look like and wanted the challenge of designing it ourselves.  I'm soooo glad we did.
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Canchasr1
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2013-11-21 4:29 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Special Somebody


Posts: 3951
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Kaycee - 2013-11-21 11:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 

It is looking great !!!!  
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Delta Cowgirl
Reg. Apr 2005
Posted 2013-11-21 5:50 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



The Vaccinator


Posts: 3810
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Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo.
We will move into our new construction home around Christmas... we downsized and built a home at our farm.  House is about 1800 total square feet heated / cooled.  Husband retired this past March.  We have a split plan.... big room in the middle of the house with cathedral ceiling (beaded cypress wood)..... with a gas log fireplace.... large kitchen island with Viking gas cook top in the island.....  so husband (who loves to cook) can face everyone and visit / talk with everyone while he cooks ().   It's been really fun to build.  I would never hesitate to build another -- contractor has been wonderful and the stress level has been very low - I have enjoyed working on the interior and exterior design, etc., working with the contractor and all the subs, etc.....  husband cooked hamburgers for everyone this past Monday.  We have built a "farm house" with a "Mission / Shaker" interior style.  No carpet. There will be no drapery / curtains..... the trim is very farm house... base boards are the old style.... six-inch width.  Subdued "natural" colors.   (We also added a storm cellar!!)

Edited by Delta Cowgirl 2013-11-21 5:52 PM
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canchaser_412
Reg. Aug 2004
Posted 2013-11-22 9:39 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



John Deere Green


Posts: 12272
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Location: ~Kansas~
Our Modular is about ready for us to move in... things we changed made pantry and mud room bigger
Things we added a recessed area above fireplace for tv ,cabinets to unused space under bar area, more lights in kitchen area
I LOVE IT and it fits us perfect only thing I am wishing now is we went with a 4 bed instead of 3 we dont have kids yet but that extra room would come in nice in the future I am sure. 
Good luck to you and wish you the best ! 
 
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fulltiltfilly
Reg. Dec 2008
Posted 2013-11-22 6:46 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



I hate cooking and cleaning


Posts: 3314
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Location: Jersey Girl
We bought a older fixer upper that was built in the 1940's. While I love the character it has, I don't love all the work it still needs...... 
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-22 6:52 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
Canchasr1 - 2013-11-21 4:29 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 11:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 
It is looking great !!!!  

Thanks girl!  Yall have got to come over when we get moved in or even before then. Heck, you know where it is!  
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-22 6:53 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
50001000500100100
Location: Red Raiderland
Delta Cowgirl - 2013-11-21 5:50 PM We will move into our new construction home around Christmas... we downsized and built a home at our farm.  House is about 1800 total square feet heated / cooled.  Husband retired this past March.  We have a split plan.... big room in the middle of the house with cathedral ceiling (beaded cypress wood)..... with a gas log fireplace.... large kitchen island with Viking gas cook top in the island.....  so husband (who loves to cook) can face everyone and visit / talk with everyone while he cooks ().   It's been really fun to build.  I would never hesitate to build another -- contractor has been wonderful and the stress level has been very low - I have enjoyed working on the interior and exterior design, etc., working with the contractor and all the subs, etc.....  husband cooked hamburgers for everyone this past Monday.  We have built a "farm house" with a "Mission / Shaker" interior style.  No carpet. There will be no drapery / curtains..... the trim is very farm house... base boards are the old style.... six-inch width.  Subdued "natural" colors.   (We also added a storm cellar!!)

PICTURES???? You gotta have some pictures. 
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sodapop
Reg. Feb 2005
Posted 2013-11-23 3:16 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


10D Crack Champion


500050005000500020001000500100100100
cow pie - 2013-11-21 12:44 PMI have rented 2 different houses. One was log outer (love) huge living room with full window to the east and full window to the west so the sun came in on rising and setting with a full rock fireplace and bedrooms on the end with sliding doors and mud room at the entrance. Warm in winter cool in summer Loved that house. the other was a log house front country porch fireplace with attached brick oven. all wood flooring bedrooms upstairs. Love wood floors fireplaces open floor plans and large windows . My current house has several large windows, wood flooring open floor plan. I just wish the bedrooms were at one end of the house, but it is peachy. We've re did the walls and put in new cabinets , all new windows next will be doors and back bedrooms. It's just peachy.
 If a person is building in say Oklahoma....or a place where it gets miserably hot in the summer.... I would not recommend lots of windows facing the west. The afternoon & evening sun in or on a west window will make the home blazing hot & cost more to keep it cool. It would require black out curtains/shades to help keep it cool.....no enjoying the west windows at all in the summer. The windows will be hot to the touch inside & outside.....an option would be tinted windows to help. I just wouldn't recommend many west windows in a hot place......unless you have a big covered porch helping to shade that side of the house. Even the east side with lots of windows can get the house pretty hot on a summer morning.

Edited by sodapop 2013-11-23 3:20 AM
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-23 7:53 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Accident Prone


Posts: 22277
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Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR
Kaycee - 2013-11-22 6:53 PM

Delta Cowgirl - 2013-11-21 5:50 PM We will move into our new construction home around Christmas... we downsized and built a home at our farm.  House is about 1800 total square feet heated / cooled.  Husband retired this past March.  We have a split plan.... big room in the middle of the house with cathedral ceiling (beaded cypress wood)..... with a gas log fireplace.... large kitchen island with Viking gas cook top in the island.....  so husband (who loves to cook) can face everyone and visit / talk with everyone while he cooks ().   It's been really fun to build.  I would never hesitate to build another -- contractor has been wonderful and the stress level has been very low - I have enjoyed working on the interior and exterior design, etc., working with the contractor and all the subs, etc.....  husband cooked hamburgers for everyone this past Monday.  We have built a "farm house" with a "Mission / Shaker" interior style.  No carpet. There will be no drapery / curtains..... the trim is very farm house... base boards are the old style.... six-inch width.  Subdued "natural" colors.   (We also added a storm cellar!!)

PICTURES???? You gotta have some pictures. 

 She's got lots of pics on FB. I've really enjoyed watching her build happen--they did lots of cool details.
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dawnb
Reg. Jan 2008
Posted 2013-11-23 8:15 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


I keep my change in my pockets


Posts: 2985
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Location: MN
Love, love our in floor heating, will never have anything else! This is well worth the money.

Washer and dryer on the main floor. Ours in the basement and as someone said old age not have to do stairs.

Make sure all you bedroom and bathroom doors are at least 36" wide for moving in furniture plus also think if you have to be using a wheelchair due to accident. Some are going wider plus make sure hallways are wide enough.

Metal roof will last longer then shingles.

Remember the foundation and the roof are the back bone of the house and scrimp on money there. If either of these are weak so is your whole house.

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CowboyUp!!!
Reg. Aug 2004
Posted 2013-11-23 10:08 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



MEOW!


Posts: 4477
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Location: High heels in the air...
 I love my little house..it was built in 1902 so it was an expensive remodel...still not done!!! The negative is the smaller windows...I like light...the positive is the original wood ceilings and walls...I did spray foam in the roof this year and my electric bill is half of what it was plus I get an energy tax break...something to think about...I want new countertops and have to finish the master bath but I love my home...
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sorrel horse ranch
Reg. Apr 2006
Posted 2013-11-23 12:38 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Military family

Angel in a Sorrel Coat


Posts: 16030
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Location: In a happy place
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 10:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 

Your house is looking so good.  Glad things are working so good now. 
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rodeomom3
Reg. Dec 2007
Posted 2013-11-23 12:46 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Shelter Dog Lover


Posts: 10277
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Kaycee - 2013-11-22 6:52 PM
Canchasr1 - 2013-11-21 4:29 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 11:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 
It is looking great !!!!  
Thanks girl!  Yall have got to come over when we get moved in or even before then. Heck, you know where it is!  

 Beautiful home!
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F Bar
Reg. Oct 2006
Posted 2013-11-23 12:52 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



California Cowgirl


Posts: 14973
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Location: California
My thermostat is on the first floor of my 2 story home so it will run the heat until the bottom floor gets to the set temperature , leaving the 2nd story very very hot.

Someone decided to put the A/C & heater vents in a position where when you have the bedroom doors open , they are behind the door , thus blocking the air flow.

There are no cieling lights in the bedrooms  , all my bedrooms needed floor lamps which doesn't dispense the light the same as overhead lights.

I also have the garage going straight into the kitchen , I would have preffered the laundry room to be your first entry point. 
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vjls
Reg. Mar 2005
Posted 2013-11-23 1:04 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Miracle in the Making


Posts: 4013
20002000
love my house lots of windows lots of light  its compy for me all doors are 36"  the only thing i wish i had was in floor heating  as i am just cold



i also love my home in the arena we built it was way to big  but..... 
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whatadoll
Reg. Nov 2007
Posted 2013-11-23 5:25 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


Veteran


Posts: 278
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Location: Whitney, NE
Slate tile and rough cut hardwood are beautiful, but so hard on your feet! It's crippling to walk around without shoes!
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hammer_time
Reg. Jul 2007
Posted 2013-11-24 12:36 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Money Eating Baggage Owner


Posts: 9586
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Location: Phoenix
 I despise our shower/bathtub combo with slider glass panels, so I advise against one of those.  I would love to have a walk-in shower.

Backsplash in the bathroom/smaller mirror,  think how clean your mirror would be if it were smaller, and you had a tile backsplash!
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 1:25 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
sodapop - 2013-11-23 3:16 AM
cow pie - 2013-11-21 12:44 PMI have rented 2 different houses. One was log outer (love) huge living room with full window to the east and full window to the west so the sun came in on rising and setting with a full rock fireplace and bedrooms on the end with sliding doors and mud room at the entrance. Warm in winter cool in summer Loved that house. the other was a log house front country porch fireplace with attached brick oven. all wood flooring bedrooms upstairs. Love wood floors fireplaces open floor plans and large windows . My current house has several large windows, wood flooring open floor plan. I just wish the bedrooms were at one end of the house, but it is peachy. We've re did the walls and put in new cabinets , all new windows next will be doors and back bedrooms. It's just peachy.
 If a person is building in say Oklahoma....or a place where it gets miserably hot in the summer.... I would not recommend lots of windows facing the west. The afternoon & evening sun in or on a west window will make the home blazing hot & cost more to keep it cool. It would require black out curtains/shades to help keep it cool.....no enjoying the west windows at all in the summer. The windows will be hot to the touch inside & outside.....an option would be tinted windows to help. I just wouldn't recommend many west windows in a hot place......unless you have a big covered porch helping to shade that side of the house. Even the east side with lots of windows can get the house pretty hot on a summer morning.

 Soda, we are in Texas and we have 4 big windows in the back that will be facing southeast not directly east but we plan on putting the blackout shades on them and they are all under a fairly good sized covered porch.  I wondered how hot it would get but the view is so gorgeous you couldn't not put windows there.  It actually only had two windows in the original plans but we added two more.... I guess we'll see how it goes in the summertime this next year....
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 1:27 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



Texas Tenderheart


Posts: 6715
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Location: Red Raiderland
Three 4 Luck - 2013-11-23 7:53 AM
Kaycee - 2013-11-22 6:53 PM
Delta Cowgirl - 2013-11-21 5:50 PM We will move into our new construction home around Christmas... we downsized and built a home at our farm.  House is about 1800 total square feet heated / cooled.  Husband retired this past March.  We have a split plan.... big room in the middle of the house with cathedral ceiling (beaded cypress wood)..... with a gas log fireplace.... large kitchen island with Viking gas cook top in the island.....  so husband (who loves to cook) can face everyone and visit / talk with everyone while he cooks ().   It's been really fun to build.  I would never hesitate to build another -- contractor has been wonderful and the stress level has been very low - I have enjoyed working on the interior and exterior design, etc., working with the contractor and all the subs, etc.....  husband cooked hamburgers for everyone this past Monday.  We have built a "farm house" with a "Mission / Shaker" interior style.  No carpet. There will be no drapery / curtains..... the trim is very farm house... base boards are the old style.... six-inch width.  Subdued "natural" colors.   (We also added a storm cellar!!)
PICTURES???? You gotta have some pictures. 
 She's got lots of pics on FB. I've really enjoyed watching her build happen--they did lots of cool details.

Ok, how do you see them on FB?  Do you have to have FB to see them?  Love  all the house pics on here.  Everyone needs to add pics. Love it!  
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 1:28 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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sorrel horse ranch - 2013-11-23 12:38 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 10:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 
Your house is looking so good.  Glad things are working so good now. 

Thanks SHR.  Things were a little dicey there but they really did a great job on the foundation and now things seem to be really rolling.  I'm actually visualizing us living there. 
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 1:29 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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rodeomom3 - 2013-11-23 12:46 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-22 6:52 PM
Canchasr1 - 2013-11-21 4:29 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 11:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 
It is looking great !!!!  
Thanks girl!  Yall have got to come over when we get moved in or even before then. Heck, you know where it is!  
 Beautiful home!

Thanks RM!  
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sorrel horse ranch
Reg. Apr 2006
Posted 2013-11-24 3:26 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


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Kaycee - 2013-11-24 12:28 PM
sorrel horse ranch - 2013-11-23 12:38 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-21 10:20 AM We are in the process of finishing up on our new house and it looks like we should start moving in in mid January so I won't know just yet what I love and what I hate about this house but I will totally agree with Canchasr1 that if you live in a tornado prone area invest in a storm/safe room.  Ours is just big enough to get me, my husband,two weiner dogs and Doberman in but when a tornado is barreling down on you it's not going to matter how comfy you are just safe. 
Your house is looking so good.  Glad things are working so good now. 
Thanks SHR.  Things were a little dicey there but they really did a great job on the foundation and now things seem to be really rolling.  I'm actually visualizing us living there. 

It is absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!! 
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ndiehl
Reg. Feb 2011
Posted 2013-11-24 6:23 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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I love that my house is a bungalow with a very open concept and that the living area is separate from the bedrooms. We have lots of windows (at least 70 percent of our great room is windows. I love entertaining and when I'm cooking I can still interact with people instead of being in a separate room.

My friend has a house and the doors go the master are right off the living room. No privacy there at all. The kids rooms are on the opposite side of the house just placed randomly next to the garage and kitchen. I don't know what the designer was smoking when they built it.
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sodapop
Reg. Feb 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 8:01 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House


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Kaycee - 2013-11-24 1:25 PM
sodapop - 2013-11-23 3:16 AM
cow pie - 2013-11-21 12:44 PMI have rented 2 different houses. One was log outer (love) huge living room with full window to the east and full window to the west so the sun came in on rising and setting with a full rock fireplace and bedrooms on the end with sliding doors and mud room at the entrance. Warm in winter cool in summer Loved that house. the other was a log house front country porch fireplace with attached brick oven. all wood flooring bedrooms upstairs. Love wood floors fireplaces open floor plans and large windows . My current house has several large windows, wood flooring open floor plan. I just wish the bedrooms were at one end of the house, but it is peachy. We've re did the walls and put in new cabinets , all new windows next will be doors and back bedrooms. It's just peachy.
 If a person is building in say Oklahoma....or a place where it gets miserably hot in the summer.... I would not recommend lots of windows facing the west. The afternoon & evening sun in or on a west window will make the home blazing hot & cost more to keep it cool. It would require black out curtains/shades to help keep it cool.....no enjoying the west windows at all in the summer. The windows will be hot to the touch inside & outside.....an option would be tinted windows to help. I just wouldn't recommend many west windows in a hot place......unless you have a big covered porch helping to shade that side of the house. Even the east side with lots of windows can get the house pretty hot on a summer morning.
 Soda, we are in Texas and we have 4 big windows in the back that will be facing southeast not directly east but we plan on putting the blackout shades on them and they are all under a fairly good sized covered porch.  I wondered how hot it would get but the view is so gorgeous you couldn't not put windows there.  It actually only had two windows in the original plans but we added two more.... I guess we'll see how it goes in the summertime this next year....
I think you will be fine with them facing east with the covered porch & option of your blinds or blackout shades if needed, but facing the afternoon & evening sun on the west would be hot, hot without blinds or blackout shades in the summer. I know you guys get as hot or hotter than here in Oklahoma. I love your house!

Edited by sodapop 2013-11-24 8:03 PM
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 9:42 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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sodapop - 2013-11-24 8:01 PM
Kaycee - 2013-11-24 1:25 PM
sodapop - 2013-11-23 3:16 AM
cow pie - 2013-11-21 12:44 PMI have rented 2 different houses. One was log outer (love) huge living room with full window to the east and full window to the west so the sun came in on rising and setting with a full rock fireplace and bedrooms on the end with sliding doors and mud room at the entrance. Warm in winter cool in summer Loved that house. the other was a log house front country porch fireplace with attached brick oven. all wood flooring bedrooms upstairs. Love wood floors fireplaces open floor plans and large windows . My current house has several large windows, wood flooring open floor plan. I just wish the bedrooms were at one end of the house, but it is peachy. We've re did the walls and put in new cabinets , all new windows next will be doors and back bedrooms. It's just peachy.
 If a person is building in say Oklahoma....or a place where it gets miserably hot in the summer.... I would not recommend lots of windows facing the west. The afternoon & evening sun in or on a west window will make the home blazing hot & cost more to keep it cool. It would require black out curtains/shades to help keep it cool.....no enjoying the west windows at all in the summer. The windows will be hot to the touch inside & outside.....an option would be tinted windows to help. I just wouldn't recommend many west windows in a hot place......unless you have a big covered porch helping to shade that side of the house. Even the east side with lots of windows can get the house pretty hot on a summer morning.
 Soda, we are in Texas and we have 4 big windows in the back that will be facing southeast not directly east but we plan on putting the blackout shades on them and they are all under a fairly good sized covered porch.  I wondered how hot it would get but the view is so gorgeous you couldn't not put windows there.  It actually only had two windows in the original plans but we added two more.... I guess we'll see how it goes in the summertime this next year....
I think you will be fine with them facing east with the covered porch & option of your blinds or blackout shades if needed, but facing the afternoon & evening sun on the west would be hot, hot without blinds or blackout shades in the summer. I know you guys get as hot or hotter than here in Oklahoma. I love your house!

You got me thinking about it today, I went over there and took some pics to post.  I can say that while we have been building during the hot days the porch did get pretty hot during Aug/Sept. Yowza.  I'll have to report back in the summer.  We will have a couple of fans on the underside of the porch so hopefully that will help circulate the air because, yep, it gets a little toasty here. 



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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 9:51 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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You see the bay window to left of the 4 windows?  That is our breakfast nook window and I don't have plans for any shade, tint or even window treatment on that window.  I wonder if I will change my mind on that?
The view from these windows is so serene and beautiful I did not want to block anything from them.  
Blaundee, thanks for letting me post some pics on your thread.  I don't mean to hijack. Building is starting to stress me!  
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jtd
Reg. Jul 2007
Posted 2013-11-24 10:24 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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I loved my house when we built back in the 80's.  Not so much today.  Cathederal ceilings, and 18 rooms later,  I have had enough lol.  90 percent of the flooring is ceramic tile which are easy to maintain..  The biggest plus's are the 2 fireplaces and the woodstove.   When you live in Illinois you appreciate them lol.



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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-24 10:36 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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jtd - 2013-11-24 10:24 PM

I loved my house when we built back in the 80's.  Not so much today.  Cathederal ceilings, and 18 rooms later,  I have had enough lol.  90 percent of the flooring is ceramic tile which are easy to maintain..  The biggest plus's are the 2 fireplaces and the woodstove.   When you live in Illinois you appreciate them lol.

Love, love, love your place...even if it was built in the 80's. Beautiful!
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Rolling J
Reg. Mar 2009
Posted 2013-11-24 10:43 PM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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jtd - 2013-11-24 10:24 PM

I loved my house when we built back in the 80's.  Not so much today.  Cathederal ceilings, and 18 rooms later,  I have had enough lol.  90 percent of the flooring is ceramic tile which are easy to maintain..  The biggest plus's are the 2 fireplaces and the woodstove.   When you live in Illinois you appreciate them lol.

With a barn and riding arena like that, who needs a house? You have a beautiful place!
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-25 8:08 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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Kaycee - 2013-11-24 9:51 PM

You see the bay window to left of the 4 windows?  That is our breakfast nook window and I don't have plans for any shade, tint or even window treatment on that window.  I wonder if I will change my mind on that?
The view from these windows is so serene and beautiful I did not want to block anything from them.  
Blaundee, thanks for letting me post some pics on your thread.  I don't mean to hijack. Building is starting to stress me!  

 Our back porch is southwest facing and we have 2 big picture windows (4x6) and a French door on the wall between living room and porch. It would get HOT in the summer, but was nice in the winter. The winter sun would blind you in the house tho.. I'm like you, I didn't want to impede my view. We added on to make it deeper, so it shades the house more and that made the whole setup work 1000 times better, besides having room to actually use it now. I can still see out but the sun doesn't come blazing in. The front of the house has the same 2 picture windows plus the front door is a 3/4 glass with double side lights, and open in the whole living area, so it has tons of natural light and I love that. If we weren't so isolated, we couldn't have built so open and left the windows uncovered, but you can barely see a quick glimpse of our house from the road, so it works. I have a 4x4 picture window above my tub in the master bath that is clear and uncovered, but there is no one to peek but the horses (and they do watch me sometimes LOL). I love natural light and being able to see out. I don't get as depressed as I used to in the winter.
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-25 8:12 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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Rolling J - 2013-11-24 10:43 PM

jtd - 2013-11-24 10:24 PM

I loved my house when we built back in the 80's.  Not so much today.  Cathederal ceilings, and 18 rooms later,  I have had enough lol.  90 percent of the flooring is ceramic tile which are easy to maintain..  The biggest plus's are the 2 fireplaces and the woodstove.   When you live in Illinois you appreciate them lol.

With a barn and riding arena like that, who needs a house? You have a beautiful place!

 I totally agree!
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graciemay
Reg. Nov 2006
Posted 2013-11-25 8:35 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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Three things I really, really don't like.
1. They put in white tile and white grout at every single entrance.
2. My kitchen is upstairs with all the bedrooms, and the living area is downstairs.  
3. None of my exterior doors are oversized, so getting anything large (sofa, dishwasher, ect) in or out is a total nightmare. 
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-25 9:11 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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Three 4 Luck - 2013-11-25 8:08 AM
Kaycee - 2013-11-24 9:51 PM You see the bay window to left of the 4 windows?  That is our breakfast nook window and I don't have plans for any shade, tint or even window treatment on that window.  I wonder if I will change my mind on that?

The view from these windows is so serene and beautiful I did not want to block anything from them.  

Blaundee, thanks for letting me post some pics on your thread.  I don't mean to hijack. Building is starting to stress me!  
 Our back porch is southwest facing and we have 2 big picture windows (4x6) and a French door on the wall between living room and porch. It would get HOT in the summer, but was nice in the winter. The winter sun would blind you in the house tho.. I'm like you, I didn't want to impede my view. We added on to make it deeper, so it shades the house more and that made the whole setup work 1000 times better, besides having room to actually use it now. I can still see out but the sun doesn't come blazing in. The front of the house has the same 2 picture windows plus the front door is a 3/4 glass with double side lights, and open in the whole living area, so it has tons of natural light and I love that. If we weren't so isolated, we couldn't have built so open and left the windows uncovered, but you can barely see a quick glimpse of our house from the road, so it works. I have a 4x4 picture window above my tub in the master bath that is clear and uncovered, but there is no one to peek but the horses (and they do watch me sometimes LOL). I love natural light and being able to see out. I don't get as depressed as I used to in the winter.

How much did you add on in order to cut the sun but not lose all the light?  Because of the pitch of our roof we could only go out so far, 9ft I believe. 
I also have the big open windows in the master bath, but only the deer and hogs will be able to see in. Heck, it's a good way to scare off the hogs! 
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Kaycee
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2013-11-25 9:16 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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graciemay - 2013-11-25 8:35 AM Three things I really, really don't like.

1. They put in white tile and white grout at every single entrance.

2. My kitchen is upstairs with all the bedrooms, and the living area is downstairs.  

3. None of my exterior doors are oversized, so getting anything large (sofa, dishwasher, ect) in or out is a total nightmare. 

They put the kitchen upstairs with the bedrooms? That is a funky setup for sure. And white tile w/white grout? I dang sure feel for you on that one. 
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Three 4 Luck
Reg. Sep 2003
Posted 2013-11-25 9:31 AM
Subject: RE: OT Your House



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Kaycee - 2013-11-25 9:11 AM

Three 4 Luck - 2013-11-25 8:08 AM
Kaycee - 2013-11-24 9:51 PM You see the bay window to left of the 4 windows?  That is our breakfast nook window and I don't have plans for any shade, tint or even window treatment on that window.  I wonder if I will change my mind on that?

The view from these windows is so serene and beautiful I did not want to block anything from them.  

Blaundee, thanks for letting me post some pics on your thread.  I don't mean to hijack. Building is starting to stress me!  
 Our back porch is southwest facing and we have 2 big picture windows (4x6) and a French door on the wall between living room and porch. It would get HOT in the summer, but was nice in the winter. The winter sun would blind you in the house tho.. I'm like you, I didn't want to impede my view. We added on to make it deeper, so it shades the house more and that made the whole setup work 1000 times better, besides having room to actually use it now. I can still see out but the sun doesn't come blazing in. The front of the house has the same 2 picture windows plus the front door is a 3/4 glass with double side lights, and open in the whole living area, so it has tons of natural light and I love that. If we weren't so isolated, we couldn't have built so open and left the windows uncovered, but you can barely see a quick glimpse of our house from the road, so it works. I have a 4x4 picture window above my tub in the master bath that is clear and uncovered, but there is no one to peek but the horses (and they do watch me sometimes LOL). I love natural light and being able to see out. I don't get as depressed as I used to in the winter.

How much did you add on in order to cut the sun but not lose all the light?  Because of the pitch of our roof we could only go out so far, 9ft I believe. 
I also have the big open windows in the master bath, but only the deer and hogs will be able to see in. Heck, it's a good way to scare off the hogs! 

 We added 11', so it's 20' deep now instead of 9. The addition has a metal roof so it didn't require much slope, and attaches under the original eaves. The original porches, front and back, were made under the main roof--we did a 1.5 story with dormers. .
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