After a few weeks lull, we had some progress today. We met with the builder and lumberyard rep and made some decisions so everything can be accurately priced and ordered. We chose our siding, roof, windows, doors, trim, stairs and railings, doorknobs and probably a few more things.
Siding and roof have both been downgraded from our preferred metal to vinyl and asphalt. HUGE price difference. Siding will be "autumn red" which is very close to brown, but it will be a vertical board and batten look, which is one of the reasons I wanted metal siding. Roof shingle is "black walnut" which is very dark black with some brown that matches the siding.
A significant cost savings came from downgrading our doors from 8' to a standard 6'8". The taller doors was a choice made by our architect because it would be proportionately appropriate with the 9ft ceilings. The builder and lumberyard rep both dismissed this issue with "The architects always push that- THEY aren't the ones paying the bill." This also means the windows will be shorter. Did decide to keep the taller windows in the living room though. Another window that changed was the round window on the back of the house, which will now be square. Not too worried about how the back of the house looks, and, like the metal roofing, the cost difference was orders of magnitude smaller. Did keep the round one on the front though.
Our doors will all be a country style with plank-look insets. We went with knotty alder, stained not painted. Trim will be painted, and stairs with stained treads and painted risers. Stair railing downstairs will be simple square posts and spindles, but loft railing upstairs will be a simple half-wall for now, with plans to upgrade to railings later.
The kitchen and baths were not discussed today. The kitchen will be purchased from Menards. They have a line of cabinets that is modular- doors can be switched out for drawers, and vice versa, after installation, if needs change. Or fronts could be changed for a change of style. I've chosen a Shaker style in a soft brown. I've had the layout for the kitchen planned for months, but I need to sit down with a rep at Menards to get the order written up and find out how to time it with the rest of the build.
The master bath will also be done through Menards. For the shower we're going with a solid-surface product similar to Corian counters, with a plate-glass door. The cabinets in both bathrooms will be made-over dressers (MUCH cheaper considering the length of them) and the tub upstairs will be 6' long, so an adult can soak in it (or a grandchild can go swimming.)
If you have a Pinterest account, I have a board here showing close approximations of our choices. Most of the pictures I found would not let me copy to paste, but they would let me "pin" them. https://www.pinterest.com/wendyww/build-a-house/choices-made/
