Over the last 6 months, I’ve posted often about our decision to build a custom home and all the steps of planning involved.  We’ve been at planning stage for so long that I truly wonder sometimes if we are really going to build.

Update Time

Some of the gorgeous trees we are trying to incorporate into our house design.

The construction loan has been approved, the appraisal completed and the construction loan closing date is set for next week.  This means that building on our dream home could begin next week.  Of course, the actual start date will be determined by the weather and where we are on the builder’s list.  Our builder told us last week,  “Before long sticks will be in the air and the house will  take shape.”

Our builder has been very patient with the two of us.  He’s worked hard to help us stay within our budget and continues to reassure us that we can build our dream home.  We feel lucky to have him as our builder especially considering that our little home will be less than half the size of many of the homes he builds.  Never once have we felt that he was skimping on our home or that he didn’t want to spend time helping us.

Before the holidays, we met with the builder, the project manager and the purchasing manager.  The construction manager  went over our house plans with us in great detail making sure that he understood exactly what we wanted.  We made a few changes to some of the electrical items; but we actually needed very few changes.

After the holidays, we met with the builder and purchasing manager again to make our color, fixture and flooring choices.  I thought I was prepared for this meeting.  I had researched, planned for months; then, I was hit with all the choices.  They said they were impressed with how prepared I was for the day.  They said that that being prepared made it so much easier for them; but it didn’t help me.

I’m still second guessing myself on paint color and I have no idea which hardwood floor to choose.  I also had my heart set on Beau Monde Polly tiles in pearl and white to go behind the stove.  I knew it was expensive and had decided to splurge on it.  I just didn’t realize that it was prohibitively expensive.  I emailed the Ann Sacks store in Dallas to see if they would sell me just 9 tiles to make the mosaic behind the stove; but I didn’t get a reply. I’ve spent hours looking for other designs; but nothing seems to speak to me yet.  

Photo by Lauren Jacobsen Interior Design. See more traditional kitchen designs

We were able to mark “pick out appliances” off the list.   The refrigerator is a dream (if you were to dream about such things.) We’re going with GE‘s new slate color.  I think it will blend well with the gray cabinets.

I just need to decide on which gray. Benjamin Moore has 150+ shades of gray available; so it’s not that easy to choose.

At our next meeting, we need to pick out our flooring, master bath tile and kitchen back splash.  I’ll post our final choices soon.

Have your recently built a home?  What was the hardest part of the planning process for you?  How did you finalize all of your choices without second guessing yourself?