Where did you splurge?

[Pat]

NS, There is a 5 foot by 5 foot Jacuzzi tub at the other end of the bathroom from the shower. It doesn't see much service. That is what I expected... but when I do NEED it, it is TERRIFIC!

Pat

[midlifecrisis]

We have been in our new home 4 years now. If we splurged at all, it might be the heated floor in the attached greenhouse or the heated slab in the attached garage. But then it might have been getting just the right faucets/fixtures throughout to the tune of about $3800.00. But then, it might be the 3 levels of Corian countertop on the 10 ft island with built-in, raised dishwasher. Or it could be the 1 or 2 built-in closets in each of the 6 bedrooms. The gas fireplace was a nice touch, but if I built again, I'd probably not include the fireplace. We weathered the extra expense and put lever style door hardware instead of knob style. ALL interior doors are 36" solid oak 6-panel. There are 5 fiberglass exterior doors as well as sliding patio and French doors. We have several personal touches, like a handicap shower in one bathroom and a whirlpool in another and just a plain tub and shower in the other. Most rooms and some closets are wired with coax and cat-5. But if I really spluged anywhere, I'd say it was in my kitchen. If I built again, I'd even go more overboard in the next kitchen. I'm not posting to brag (although it sounds like it) I'm just giving some ideas of splurge and what they mean to me.
Thanx, steve

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] We jacked up our dishwasher as well. As long as I was building the island, why not, eh? We ended up with a very small refrigerator in a space that was desgined for the largest models so I jacked it up as well by making a nice rolling pallet out of leftover 5" oak trim boards. We'll get a bigger box one of these days. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Steve, I for one am really glad you made this post! I sometimes felt a little self conscious talking about the house I designed and helped build (South Central Oklahoma Farmhouse thread) but I really didn't intend to brag, just discuss lots of things I did and why.

I am amazed at some of the parallels between us although I am proud to say you have a larger more grand house than I. I too have levers instead of round knobs. I have 3 gas log parlor stoves (one connected and working) and a large gas log fireplace in the great room (never been lit.)

I have oak 6 panel doors in some of the interior where trimmed in stained oak but solid core wood doors with added trim to dress them where the color scheme is white. My safe room doors (master suite) are HD steel but trimmed out to match the solid core wood door's trim. I too have F/G exterior doors except for the big slider in the walkout basement. My shop has 5 each 3-0 doors and a roll up. Of these 4 are F/G, 3 with BIG glass, one with small opening glass and one solid core (leads to house.)

Thanks for this post. It shares first place in the good news contest with another another bit of news. The guy who a couple years ago bought the acreage across the section line (gravel road) from me is building a barn and house. The good news is (according to rumor) that he is building about 4ooo-6000 sqft house. I hope it is 6000 or more and I hope it is in sight of mine. I get a lot of "comments" for having built a large house and I'd just as soon be replaced as the largest house around these parts.

Pat

[midlifecrisis]

Pat, thanx for the vote of confidence. Now Ill tell you the rest. I have a terminal illness and don't count on too many more good years. We built this house with the intent of having an adult foster care business. Could not get lisenced(sp). I stretched as far as I could stretch and pushed the envelpoe when it came to design, finance, constructing, etc. I wanted to leave my family the most I could posibly leave them when I'm gone. I went so far as to build a 1/12 scale model of the whole works, to include swinging doors, furniture, cabinets, stairs, etc. I didn't want any surprises when the final build happened. Some say I went a little overboard and some say I had my act together. I had fun doing it and that's all that counts. Well, someone was looking out for us. We couldn't do adult care, but my mother is selling her place and moving in with us. She will have the lower level, which will include 3 bed, 1 bath, laundry, kitchenette, family room and more storage than anyone needs. She will have a walkout to the patio. She wanted her own garage and storage and craft area, so she is financing the garage and I'm building it. It is about 3/4 done. 28'X56' and half of it is 2 story. The front half is 28'X28' with 12' side walls and a 10' door and 8' door. The back half is 28'X28' with 8' walls down and 8' wall up. There is a cantaliever deck off the back with a sliding door. 8" I-beam is the main structural component supporting the upstairs. There is also a 7' door on the back wall for a total drive through. The entire main floor is all open with the exception of 2 support beams. If I really got carried away, I could park 7 vehicles in there, or 8 if you include my Kubota. One of the vehicles is a 1-T dump truck and one is a Freightliner FL70 semi tractor. I have been involved in all the work except the actual pouring of concrete. I went to almost as much planning with the garage as I did with the house. It has been a very fun journey. This summer will either be extensive landscaping or build the 12'X72' deck off the back of the house and build stairs from it to the garage deck. TOO MANY PROJECTS!!!
thanx again Pat.
steve

[egon]

Steve:

Looks like you have done more than very well for the circumstances. Extravagance it is not! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Consider it dispersion of assets. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] The thoughts behind all are also those of a very far seeing sharing fellow. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] May good things happen for you.

Now in Pat's case -- well lets not say it but maybe the years spent living on a small boat gaining navigational knowledge will all balance out with the large present domain that has to be navigated! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[midlifecrisis]

Egon, thanx for seeing past the fluff and seeing the actual meat and potatoes/mechanics of the big picture. You yourself are a man of depth and observation.
thanx, steve

[Pat]

Steve, I know it may sound trite but I really do take to heart the fact that none of us will get out of this alive and one thing we all have in common is a terminal condition called life. When I was younger I used to think once folks got "old enough" that dying was no big thing since statistically they had such a small percentage of their life expectancy left, how could it be a big deal.

Well now, as I have successfully lived long enough to start getting "old", I have evaluated my philosophical position and found it lacking. I have found that the older I get the more precious life gets to me and surely this is not an isolated phenomenon.

I too get a wide variety of comments about the size of my house. Folks assume since I have a big house I must be rich which is of course not true. In fact, I was much richer before I built the house.

With respect to aging, I purposely built straight stairs from basement to main floor and from main floor to upstairs so they could be retrofitted with chair lifts. The master bath is handicap accessible. I put the master suite on the ground floor. If either my wife or I become disabled or live long enough to become frail and incapable of using the basement and top floor, even with chair lifts, we can live quite comfortably on the ground floor and our "keeper" can occupy the basement which has its own kitchen and full bath and bedroom.

I think it is a wonderful and selfless thing you have done and it speaks volumes for your character. I would only hope that faced with similar circumstances I would measure up.

Pat

[midlifecrisis]

I think most people focus on the $$$$$$ when buying or building and don't give much thought to 5 years or 15 years down the road. They plan on today and sometimes tomorrow. A lot of people have the attitude of that will happen to someone else, but not me. The problem with that is , THEY are someone else's someone else. Most people don't go through life planning to fail, they just go through life failing to plan. Nuf said.
Thanx again
steve