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ArmyofOne

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Posts posted by ArmyofOne

  1. 9/12/17:

    80-21740547_1854683457879726_65450660058
    We have garage doors!
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    French doors are in the study
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    Rough-cut cedar mantle is in place
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    Brick is almost done!
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    Window seats are closed in
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    We have french door entrances to the master bedroom and master bath.

     

    9/19/17:

    Granite got here early!

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    beautiful natural markings in this granite

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    Big deep single basin undermount stainless sink.
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    Counter space! Don't mind the dirty cabinets, they will clean up. Remember, they are going to have to replace a few doors.

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    Master bath double vanity

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    Shower seat and divider wall between shower and tub.

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    Upstairs double vanity

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    ^Found a few crooked wall sections on the window seat ledges...Foreman has the subcontractors coming back to fix the screw up. They aren't just a little crooked. My wife noticed it from the doorway of every room.

    9/21/17:

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    80-21687836_1863188810362524_39761173631
    80-21687551_1863188893695849_79498768208

    ^Exterior trim is painted!

    9/24/17:

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    Ready for driveway and sidewalk pours.

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    Ceramic tile is going down in living room, kitchen, dining room, laundry room and powder bath.

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    Travertine in baths and shower surrounds, as well as bathroom floors upstairs and in master bath.

  2. 7/28/17: All windows are in!

    20294548_1807141445967261_28807524244950

    20294548_1807141445967261_28807524244950

    7/29/17: exterior trim work has begun on our new home.

    80-20170729_202149_1757c97dd425c7bff1176

    ^Roof soffett vents. Seamless gutters will go on last i think.


    80-20170729_202009_c3df359e5b5fc5ba3a12e

    One of the few areas trimmed in siding on our home. 99% of it will be brick or stone.


    80-20170729_201834_65c5f5c5e7a8615060293

    Looking into the front entry, looking much larger now that its all closed in!


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    Garage all framed in (sorry for blurry pic)


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    Dining room (which we will most likely use as a formal living room, as we dont have a dining room table fancy enough for it yet.


    80-20170729_201932_73cee2a9131407041578a

    Living room storybook window


    80-20170729_201956_491b40adf8b8ed672786c

    All moisture barrier is up!


    80-20170729_202043_4cf8bd6e2707f5bfcb98c

    Master windows on east wall, our bed will go between them.


    80-20170729_202044_0a09f2037bd260798721c

    Master bedroom storybook window, overlooking back patio/yard.


    80-20170729_202057_77ab0c8fafe28ebd62647

    Frosted bathroom glass is in place!


    80-20170729_202053_ff9bb93e3897838f4c956

    The rest of the master bath. Its yuuuge! :D

  3. Until I am of senior citizen age (I am 32), this will likely be the last home we buy. So my wife and I are trying to "build for the future", incorporating nearly everything we can think of that we would want, that isn't feasible to add later. Things like stonework on the outside, a pool in the backyard, hot tub, those are all things I can add at a later date relatively easily, and for not much more money (and in some cases less) than it would cost now.

    However, things like radiant barrier roof decking, radiant barrier tyvek, dual pane low-e, argon windows, HomeTeam Slab and Frame Integrated Termite and Pest Control System, 220v in the garage, a dryer vent on the exterior wall so that I can put a couple of portable AC's in the garage and vent the hot air out, bolts in the garage floor for my 2-post lift, copper piping in the garage walls for my air compressor lines for air tools, solar ready (inverters, wiring and panel mount supports already installed so a solar system would literally be plug&play), wiring and bracing for a ceiling fan on the back porch, adding a back door from the 3rd car garage bay to the backyard, there is even going to be a granite seat in the master shower. These are all things I wanted added because they are things we anticipate needing and in the grand scheme, they cost next to nothing to add, and when you figure later on, they would cost a comparable fortune. We added a double stainless undermount sink in the kitchen instead of the standard single sink. We moved the pantry under the stairs (which ordinarily is walled-in, wasted space) and freed up the space where the pantry would have been in the corner of the kitchen, and put in more cabinets. We also selected hand-scraped hardwood-look ceramic tile, instead of real hardwood because we are dog people, and its going to age better, even if I have to have it regrouted every decade. I even planned ahead and made every downstairs doorway at least 36" wide to accommodate for wheelchair access.

    If we are going to spend the next 3 decades living here, we want it to be everything we have ever wanted, or could ever want. In the end, the only reason I want to have to leave is either A-someone makes me an offer to buy that I can't refuse, or B-we can't get up the stairs anymore. And with the master being downstairs, the latter is really not as much of a concern except that we would be heating and cooling a large portion of the house that we couldn't even use. But, as they say, cross that bridge when you come to it. It is hopefully a long way off.

    It is our hope that we can live here for the next 30+ years, raise a family, send our children to the school that's 200 yards down the street.

  4. 7/18/17: framing has commenced!

    80-20170718_194331_0a85241d68f48dc0ee4bf

    7/20/17:

    80-80_20170719_190700_faeee459cc4c046b95

    ^Street View


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    ^From garage into house


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    ^Powder bath
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    ^Kitchen and living room, fireplace will be in that far right corner.


    80-80_20170719_190912_99869fb051c571e016

    ^Back patio (I know, its small. I plan to install a large deck shortly after I move in, as we have a lot of outdoor furniture and we love to entertain outside),


    80-80_20170719_190926_138bd3ae891f49bf1a

    ^Master and master bath


    80-80_20170719_190950_4354193d9e97c2233a

    Upstairs (can't get there as of now because there are no stairs yet LOL


    80-80_20170719_191014_303fe136df6173fca7

    Formal dining room and study (which could double as a 5th bedroom if need be as it has a closet. I will probably put a nice futon in there for the occasion when we have that extra guest and need the sleeping space that the other 3 extra bedrooms can't provide.)


    80-80_20170719_191032_3cc8aa64353b3f9de6

    3 car garage for the win!


    80-80_20170719_191039_2cafcb87d5da74965f

    1260 sq ft of garage! This garage is only 200 sq. ft. smaller than the house I live in now!

     

  5. Lots has been happening since I last posted.  Sorry about that.  I will be doing a series of updates with pix starting with this post:

     

    We broke ground today, 5/6/17, on our new home. Looks as though they are leveling the ground to prepare for forms and the post-tension slab to be poured. I have never been so excited to see dirt move in my life!

    This was Monday, 5/1:

    80-18222691_1708030499211690_58286201992


    80-18222014_1708030955878311_46614028493

    Today (5/7)
     

    80-18403395_1710069929007747_16158954781


    Temporary power meter is up. This provides power for tools and initial power to the home after it is up until the electric company can install the permanent meter.
    https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clublexus.com-vbulletin/960x720/8

     

    80-20170407_115230_bccfce5fc79548fabc2c3


    80-20170407_121143_deccc144734be1f844f92


    80-20170407_121333_876fad796674b90c6cf09

    We chose elevation B

  6. Things are looking up for me (us)!  We are putting our current home on the market June 1st.  For those that don't know, my current home was donated to me by Military Warrior's Support Foundation.  They buy, renovate, and donate homes to combat wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.  I have lived here since 3/2014. I went through a divorce here, got married again here, and had many memories here.  This home has been vital to my transition from active military to retirement.  At 30 years old, I never thought I would be retired, but the VA says no.  I am so blessed to have had this gift to give me a leg up.  Now that we are graduates of the MWSF Homes4WoundedHeroes program, we can sell the home and use the proceeds to buy something more suited to our needs and style, and indeed the Foundation encourages us to do just that if we find we have outgrown the home we were given.  So, after many months of deliberation, we have finally chosen a new place.  Best part is, it is only 5 minutes from our current one.  Without further ado, I present Casa de ArmyofOne 2.0:

    80-20170406_232122_02da2c1c772bcf7d1d86c

    80-20170406_232015_d8a262b0e827249801ade

    ^We chose elevation B.  Don't mind my expert artistic drawing.  :P

    80-20170406_232101_91eb7891969eaf09d9e2c

    80-ae733999_82b8_434b_ade6_6547bb468240_

     

    80-20170401_190105_2ba256a824a04a0617913

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    80-20170401_190115_df792569fe22ef4e008ce

    80-20170405_100946_2c74c8e25e9285e997772

    ^Cabinet finish we chose

    80-20170405_100847_01f972ada90bebcd54daa

    ^exterior brick we chose

    80-20170405_100700_d727566db6a37db0bb90c

    80-483996ebd79b1a6cd5761236ebef23b5_0e97

    ^hardwood-look ceramic tile we chose (with dark grout)

    80-4a7d021b_a94f_46bc_a758_de83ed590cec_

     

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    ^Master bath

    80-14d24edb_936a_48f8_bfec_f6e1d0b41dfd_

    ^master bedroom

    Upgrades we added:

    • a third garage
    • stone faced wood-burning fireplace with stained cedar mantle.
    • extended privacy fence to rear of 3rd garage
    • upgraded front landscaping
    • frosted master bath glass around tub.
    • dark walnut hardwood-look ceramic tile throughout the common areas of the home (kitchen, dining area, hall, and foyer)
    • 12" travertine tile in both bathrooms, and laundry.
    • mowhawk carpet with 3/4" pad in all bedrooms and front study
    • seamless gutters all around.
    • 220 in the garage and raised garage ceiling in center garage bay to allow for auto lift.
    • custom closet organization in master closet
    • extra 110 power outlets in garage
    • wired and braced for ceiling fan on back porch
    • ceiling fan in master
    • power outlets in the eves of the roof in the front
    • power outlets in the eves of the roof in the rear of the back porch
    • Upgraded exterior lighting

    Walkthrough video:

     

     

    Altogether, after closing, we will be at $285k.  We will put $182k cash down and finance the rest on a VA loan.  :)

    • Like 1
  7. All fixed!  They did an awesome job on the paint match!  The only thing they painted was the bumper and they managed to match the Crystal White Pearl Tricoat PERFECTLY:

     

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    I really thought they were going to have to blend it in.  They did a color match.  Their paint guy has been mixing paint and painting cars for 33 years.  He did an outstanding job.

    • Like 1
  8. State Farm is doing it, not me.  A local body shop I trust is doing the repairs.  State farm approved the bumper cover replacement with a Lexus OEM part, and the paint will be laser color matched to the car with DuPont tricoat pearl paint based off the color code 062 (Lexus Crystal White Tricoat) but then custom mixed to match the car exactly.

  9. 80-20170311_083042_7de924a80c7e816f90a62

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    Neighbors insurance (state-farm) called me today. I take it in wednesday to their adjuster to have them look at it.  If their numbers jive with my body shop's estimate, they will cut me a check and I can go get it fixed.  If there is a discrepency, They will still cut me a check, and my body shop can file a supplement with State Farm to recoup the extra cost on the back end.

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