I’m totally Type A, and (secretly) take a lot of pride in making my own decisions, having lots of opinions and being independent. That being said, we’re about a month into this whole building thing, and I have to admit that I’m already overwhelmed!
Thankfully we’ve been in contract negotiations over a few small details during the past few weeks, which means that we’ve been able to delay our decision-making deadline a bit. (After we put pen to paper, it’s expensive to change things, so we’re trying to do our due diligence on the front end.) Ryan and I have researched like CRAZY up until this point, but the closer we get to having to declare our structural and design decisions in writing, the more things that seem to come up. We hope to be in this home for a loooong time, and thinking through all the tiny what-if details is exhausting! We’ve never done this before, and thinking about issues as simple as where to place can lights are driving me insane. I’m trying to look out for Future Talie so that she doesn’t disdain Past Talie every day for the next 20 years when she has to walk across the room to an poorly-placed light switch. (To say that seeing the forest for the trees is difficult right now is an understatement. :/ )
SO, for once in my life I’m admitting that I need help! I know that there are people out there who have been through this process already and are sitting there thinking, “Man, I wish I had some way to use all this newfound knowledge!”– and here’s your chance! I’m soliciting your advice and opinions, so don’t hold back!
I’ve set up an email at helptheshovesbuild@gmail.com. Feel free to vent or stand on a soapbox — this is your chance to use your negative and positive experiences for good, haha! What did you wish you had known at the start of building? What do you wish you had done that you didn’t do? What were some beneficial ideas that we might not be thinking of? What would you wait to do after-market rather than paying a builder to do?
Thanks in advance. ;)