As of this afternoon the paint touch up had been done and the white (wrong color) quick port jacks for phone / ethernet had been replaced with the correct almond ones.
The remaining open punch list item is for replacement of a damaged cabinet door. Cliff, our builder, says it is to be installed first thing tomorrow.
The final cleaning was scheduled for either late this afternoon or first think Tuesday morning. We're supposed to close at 10:30 AM Tuesday.
It's been and interesting and fun five months for me, and Judi says it has at least be interesting. Overall, we're very happy with the construction phase.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Finishing Touches
Today the last towel bar was installed. This was an accommodation by Pringle. They had missed installing a towel ring and we decided we would rather have a towel bar instead.
The drywall subcontractor was in finishing up a few items. Tomorrow the painter is supposed to finish touch up work.
Orientation
We're essentially done with the construction stage. Today we had our official walk-through / orientation. We spent three hours at the house with a Pringle Warranty Coordinator and our Builder.
The program consisted of review of the customer responsibilities (e.g. normal homeowner maintenance, caulking, filter replacement), discussion of the Pringle warranties, and a detailed review of the home for open items.
There was some good news on the warranties. For LoMD homes, there is an additional one year major systems / structural warranty, beyond the the initial full one year warranty. Also, for LoMD owner occupied (vs. empty for-sale, rented, or away for the season) homes, the landscaping warranty is extended from two weeks to two months post closing.
Our builder was busy getting issues fixed during the morning, so they would not be on the written punch list. There were still some caulking / patching / paint touch-up and alignment opportunities. Judi turned out to be very good at finding small tile corner chips and grout defects, most of which were fixed on the spot with a tile / grout repair kit. Our builder and some of his co-workers did alignment of a few of the bi-fold doors. The landscaper replaced a dying plant. Awesome Home Theatre toned out and labeled the wires in the structured wiring box.
We ended up with two open punch list items (wrong color quickport connectors for the structured wiring and one replacement cabinet door), two "homeowner accommodation" (provide a towel bar ilo a missing towel ring, provide splash blocks for the downspouts for the gutters between the lanai and cage), and one "note in the file" item about the concrete flatwork color / finish.
This is, in my opinion, a great finish. I had 60+ items on my punch list developed over the weekend. Now we are down to a handful, with only the concrete color / finish item projected to be open at actual closing. The last house I built (in Michigan - not w/ Pringle) had over 200 items open at closing.
Now we've got five days to wait until closing, and then all the post-construction fun begins.
The program consisted of review of the customer responsibilities (e.g. normal homeowner maintenance, caulking, filter replacement), discussion of the Pringle warranties, and a detailed review of the home for open items.
There was some good news on the warranties. For LoMD homes, there is an additional one year major systems / structural warranty, beyond the the initial full one year warranty. Also, for LoMD owner occupied (vs. empty for-sale, rented, or away for the season) homes, the landscaping warranty is extended from two weeks to two months post closing.
Our builder was busy getting issues fixed during the morning, so they would not be on the written punch list. There were still some caulking / patching / paint touch-up and alignment opportunities. Judi turned out to be very good at finding small tile corner chips and grout defects, most of which were fixed on the spot with a tile / grout repair kit. Our builder and some of his co-workers did alignment of a few of the bi-fold doors. The landscaper replaced a dying plant. Awesome Home Theatre toned out and labeled the wires in the structured wiring box.
We ended up with two open punch list items (wrong color quickport connectors for the structured wiring and one replacement cabinet door), two "homeowner accommodation" (provide a towel bar ilo a missing towel ring, provide splash blocks for the downspouts for the gutters between the lanai and cage), and one "note in the file" item about the concrete flatwork color / finish.
This is, in my opinion, a great finish. I had 60+ items on my punch list developed over the weekend. Now we are down to a handful, with only the concrete color / finish item projected to be open at actual closing. The last house I built (in Michigan - not w/ Pringle) had over 200 items open at closing.
Now we've got five days to wait until closing, and then all the post-construction fun begins.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Punch List
We're all just working on the punch list at this time.
Over the weekend Judi and I did a detailed inspection of the house. We put color coded, removable labels on walls, cabinets, etc. to indicate areas that needed caulking, patching, paint touch up, or adjustment. We also generated a punch list of specific issues (e.g. loose thermostat) that need to be addressed. I emailed the list to our Builder Sunday evening.
Today I met with the Builder and he had several of the trades working to handle the open punch list items. There is only one that is a major item, and it is a cosmetic issue, not a functional issue. He expects to have most items handled by our Orientation and official walk through on Wednesday.
The house is substantially complete and we now just need to close out the punch list items and get the actual closing done.
Over the weekend Judi and I did a detailed inspection of the house. We put color coded, removable labels on walls, cabinets, etc. to indicate areas that needed caulking, patching, paint touch up, or adjustment. We also generated a punch list of specific issues (e.g. loose thermostat) that need to be addressed. I emailed the list to our Builder Sunday evening.
Today I met with the Builder and he had several of the trades working to handle the open punch list items. There is only one that is a major item, and it is a cosmetic issue, not a functional issue. He expects to have most items handled by our Orientation and official walk through on Wednesday.
The house is substantially complete and we now just need to close out the punch list items and get the actual closing done.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Almost Done
The Punch List items are gradually being cleared. Today the last kitchen counter section was installed. The trash compactor was adjusted. The chip in the Master Bathroom counter was fixed. Many other items have been addressed.
Tuesday, I had set out some empty dog food cans around the yard so I could check to see that the correct amount of irrigation was being done daily. The cans were dry, indicating that the irrigation was not running. When I went to turn on the valves, I found that the system had been turned completely off. I suspect that some trade, working outside had turned them off so they wouldn't spray on their work, and forgot to turn them on at the end of the day. In any case, I ran the system for 20 minutes to be sure my yard and plants will get water.
The "final" building inspection is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, and then Pringle will apply for a Certificate of Occupancy.
Our official meeting to build the final punch list is next Wednesday.
Tuesday, I had set out some empty dog food cans around the yard so I could check to see that the correct amount of irrigation was being done daily. The cans were dry, indicating that the irrigation was not running. When I went to turn on the valves, I found that the system had been turned completely off. I suspect that some trade, working outside had turned them off so they wouldn't spray on their work, and forgot to turn them on at the end of the day. In any case, I ran the system for 20 minutes to be sure my yard and plants will get water.
The "final" building inspection is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, and then Pringle will apply for a Certificate of Occupancy.
Our official meeting to build the final punch list is next Wednesday.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Punch List Progress
The trades have been in doing punch list items.
The Powder Room vanity cabinet doors were changed out and are now correct. Many of the kitchen cabinet items were addressed. The trash compactor was leveled.
The painters were doing the painting around the windows along with various touch up items. Our builder said he met with the lanai / front porch flooring company this afternoon and they would be doing touch up on their items this week.
The Pringle internal Quality Assurance review is scheduled for tomorrow. That's when they have three or four Pringle people walk through and critique the fit and finish of the home in preparation for the customer walkthrough a week later.
We're now down to less than two weeks to closing.
The Powder Room vanity cabinet doors were changed out and are now correct. Many of the kitchen cabinet items were addressed. The trash compactor was leveled.
The painters were doing the painting around the windows along with various touch up items. Our builder said he met with the lanai / front porch flooring company this afternoon and they would be doing touch up on their items this week.
The Pringle internal Quality Assurance review is scheduled for tomorrow. That's when they have three or four Pringle people walk through and critique the fit and finish of the home in preparation for the customer walkthrough a week later.
We're now down to less than two weeks to closing.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Pre-Walkthrough
I met with our Builder Monday afternoon for the Pre-Walkthrough. He said that he knew I would find some punch list items at the official "orientation" next week, but his goal was to have the number of punch list items to be very low.
We walked the house and discussed several items, from caulking yet to be done, adjustments with cabinets, missing light bulbs, to drywall and paint touchup. Cliff made half a dozen calls to the trades while we were doing the review to get them out in the next day or so to finish up.
RCS Construction was hanging the pegboard in the garage. They are supposed to do the powerwash on Tuesday.
Ro-Mac had been out and installed the screens on the windows and weatherstripping on the front doors. Cliff found some problems with the weather strip and will have them correct it.
We discussed the exterior concrete flatwork on the drive and walks. I'm not happy with the appearance of the surface. The shape and grade are ok, but it just looks very bad in terms of finish. Cliff thinks it will bleach out, but I'm not sure. We'll see how it looks after powerwashing is done.
We walked the house and discussed several items, from caulking yet to be done, adjustments with cabinets, missing light bulbs, to drywall and paint touchup. Cliff made half a dozen calls to the trades while we were doing the review to get them out in the next day or so to finish up.
RCS Construction was hanging the pegboard in the garage. They are supposed to do the powerwash on Tuesday.
Ro-Mac had been out and installed the screens on the windows and weatherstripping on the front doors. Cliff found some problems with the weather strip and will have them correct it.
We discussed the exterior concrete flatwork on the drive and walks. I'm not happy with the appearance of the surface. The shape and grade are ok, but it just looks very bad in terms of finish. Cliff thinks it will bleach out, but I'm not sure. We'll see how it looks after powerwashing is done.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Pre-Pre-Walkthrough
I spent several hours Saturday afternoon reviewing the home status, after it was mostly cleaned.
Most of the problems are normal ones of paint touch-up. However there are some more difficult issues to be resolved.
The plastic covers have been removed from the countertops. This has exposed a major chip in the Master Bath countertop. This may have to be removed and replaced.
Some of the baseboard nails were not driven to, or below the wood surface. It will be interesting to see if carpenters will still use the old fashioned hand nail set and hammer to fix this, or if they pull off the baseboard and install new so they can use the airgun.
One of the kitchen cabinet pull out shelves was installed in a way that prevents it from rolling out.
The master bath shower does not drain.
I don't consider any of these to be major items. It will just take some time to get them fixed. However, it does take time to walk around each room and really look at it for issues that need to be fixed. This is especially important for cosmetic issues, as once the closing is done, the presumption is that newly discovered cosmetic issues occurred after the closing and are thus a homeowner responsibility.
Most of the problems are normal ones of paint touch-up. However there are some more difficult issues to be resolved.
The plastic covers have been removed from the countertops. This has exposed a major chip in the Master Bath countertop. This may have to be removed and replaced.
Some of the baseboard nails were not driven to, or below the wood surface. It will be interesting to see if carpenters will still use the old fashioned hand nail set and hammer to fix this, or if they pull off the baseboard and install new so they can use the airgun.
One of the kitchen cabinet pull out shelves was installed in a way that prevents it from rolling out.
The master bath shower does not drain.
I don't consider any of these to be major items. It will just take some time to get them fixed. However, it does take time to walk around each room and really look at it for issues that need to be fixed. This is especially important for cosmetic issues, as once the closing is done, the presumption is that newly discovered cosmetic issues occurred after the closing and are thus a homeowner responsibility.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Inspections
The "final roof" and final mechanical inspections were today. Minor issues were addressed. Cleaning continues.
Unfortunately, we found that someone had washed out a container with white residue (paint, grout?) and dumped it on the mulch and stone facing beside the garage. When we showed it to our builder he was definitely not pleased.
We set a pre-walkthrough meeting for Monday afternoon.
Unfortunately, we found that someone had washed out a container with white residue (paint, grout?) and dumped it on the mulch and stone facing beside the garage. When we showed it to our builder he was definitely not pleased.
We set a pre-walkthrough meeting for Monday afternoon.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Refrigerator, Compactor
The refrigerator has been delivered and put in place. After all the work on the space for it, both the wall niche and the cabinet enclosure, it fits well.
The compactor was delivered and put in the recess for it, although it is not yet really installed.
The countertop to the left of the refrigerator has been removed. They should be making a new one or adjusting the one removed, based on the latest cabinet installation.
Cleaning of the home has started, with the Study, 1/2 Bath, and Guest Suite cleaned.
The access stairs to the garage attic storage were installed, and they have started the installation of the pegboard on the garage wall.
Now it is time for the "punch list", or minor finish work. We're seven working days from our walkthrough, and twelve working days from closing, or about two and a half calendar weeks.
Today, Pringle emailed my closing letter which shows how much money they expect me to bring to the closing meeting. It is what I expected, so no surprise. I've also started making arrangement for utilities to be put in my name.
There are new pictures which can be accessed from the link on my LakesofMountDora.org home page.
The compactor was delivered and put in the recess for it, although it is not yet really installed.
The countertop to the left of the refrigerator has been removed. They should be making a new one or adjusting the one removed, based on the latest cabinet installation.
Cleaning of the home has started, with the Study, 1/2 Bath, and Guest Suite cleaned.
The access stairs to the garage attic storage were installed, and they have started the installation of the pegboard on the garage wall.
Now it is time for the "punch list", or minor finish work. We're seven working days from our walkthrough, and twelve working days from closing, or about two and a half calendar weeks.
Today, Pringle emailed my closing letter which shows how much money they expect me to bring to the closing meeting. It is what I expected, so no surprise. I've also started making arrangement for utilities to be put in my name.
There are new pictures which can be accessed from the link on my LakesofMountDora.org home page.
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