AZ Desert Home

[Hank]

Well, it has started!! Though I'm still in MD for a mere 3 more weeks, our stem walls and slab are in. Framing starts next week, and is expected to be more-or-less closed within a week (walls and roof sheathed, windows and exterior doors installed).

The contract allows six months (March) but the builder is now saying he'll be done about the end of December.

I will be arriving about Veteran's Day. We are having full RV hookups put in for later visitors, and they will be ready for me to park and camp right on our property while the house is being finished.

So....no pics until I get there [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Attached is a snap of the lot, looking north; not much there now but creosote bushes, occasional yucca, palo verde, and mesquite. All of that will change, as the first major purchase once I get there will be a CUT [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Gatorboy]

Hank,

Too bad you could not be there now -- I am surprised you are allowing work to be done without you having the ability to check on things each day.

When I had a house built in Florida, I went to the jobsite each day and found many things that needed to be corrected, that if I wasn't there would have been a disaster.

The biggest item was that I wanted an 8' garage door so the garage was to be dug down an extra foot to keep the elevation of the front looking the same, but allow for the higher ceiling and door.

Guess what? Yep, they didn't see that the garage was to be done that way on the plan, and I was able to catch that before the slab was poured. Boy would I have been an unhappy camper.

Hopefully, nothing like that will happen with your new home.

I wish you happiness in your new chapter in life.

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> I am surprised you are allowing work to be done without you having the ability to check on things each day </font color>

We have mixed feelings about that, and have worked around them with these rationalizations:

1. We trust the builder very much. He is a neighbor, has built 8 houses so far in the community (including three for himself, two of which he subsequently sold), and he builds a very high quality home.

2. The few "must-have" details, (pvc conduit for my communications wiring, granite counters, 8ft garage doors, to name a few) are all spelled out in the contract. The overall floor plan is attached to the contract, and we are willing to leave the details to the builder. We have seen his work and like it.

3. the builder only builds one house at a time and does most of the work directly, and is on-hand to supervise his subs

4. I have a friend in town checking on things anyway, mainly to see that the appropriate stage is complete before I send the next check [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

He and his wife drove out there last night to verify the slab, clearing me to send a check this weekend. Here's his email reply, which almost gave me a heart attack:

<font color="red"> Man do I have good and not so good news....

First off the good news, the pad is down.

Second, the bad news. Who the hell is your new neighbor??

When I was out there I was being buzzed by about 8 kids on dirt bikes, their yard looks like crap, bunch of chickens and rosters, three cows, five mutts, a huge pink metal barn, and a house that looks like it is going to be a four story condo!!!! The stench from the cow dung and dog crap was putrid. They were all in their back yard jamming to a 2000 watt stereo playing some crap that even MTV would run away from.....

Third: Only kidding on number two &lt;grin&gt; Every thing looked great... </font color>

[Gatorboy]

Hank,

It appears you have your ducks in a row -- you have sure minimized the odds of having any difficulty.

I love friends with a sense of humor -- I think he earns a "gotcha" -- you will have to get him back in the future [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Hakim]

Hank,

That's a beautiful setting. I look forward to watching your new abode take shape.

There is an old saying in the East: "When looking for a new home, first find good neighbors." Good thing your pal was joking...but a very good point was made.

Where exactly in AZ are you? I am in Tucson. We need Compact Tractor folks out here, since without much grass, seems the population of tractor nuts is thinner than back in NY, PA, MI, etc. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Hank]

Hey Hakim!

<font color="purple"> Where exactly in AZ are you </font color>

North of Wickenburg on US 93, just inside Yavapai County.

Here is where all the pictures will be, along with individual uploads here. Right now, there are only a couple of maps and a bird's eye view of the community, with our 6 acre lot highlighted.

[TimSullivan]

<font color="red"> Second, the bad news. Who the hell is your new neighbor?? </font color>

Hi Hank,

Sounds like a few friends of mine.

Your builder sounds like a fellow that did a lot of work on my house. He was the first contractor I was sorry to see leave on the last day. What a beautiful home site.

Tim

[Hank]

<font color="purple"> Good thing your pal was joking...but a very good point was made. </font color>

I've actually met the neighbors Roy was jokingly referring to. They are our age, both retired LEO's from Ohio. Neighbor to the back (north) is a local businessman, a steel fabrication company. I am hoping to make some sort of arrangement with him (limited apprenticeship in his shop?) to learn welding with first hand experience.

One of the reasons we chose this community is its few covenants...miminum 1800 sq ft home, stick built (no prefab). Also the paved county streets and underground utilities are already in. Too much rural property in AZ is down a washboard dirt road with no utilities in place, and can cost big additional bucks to get that stuff. We liked the idea of a community for our retirement years, and this one has enough room on each lot so we don't get in each other's face everyday.

[Hank]

Some pix received from the builder; our modest house is framed and more or less closed in:

Front elevation from the street, looking north

Front elevation closer in

East elevation

West elevation

Rear elevation

Rear elevation, will be my view from the RV hookup spot

[hazmat]

Looking good hank! Which garage bay is for the tractor?