Building a home: The reality

The reality is that it is excitingly frustrating. It is slow process that moves way too fast. It is a chaotic process that is under control. You get important phone calls on the days you work, and you can't get anyone to answer the phone on the days you don't. Truthfully, it is a roller coaster: today you're feeling good about everything, tomorrow shit hits the fan. And when you really need to discuss some issues with your contractor, he is off hunting some burly animal out of cell phone range.


Our foundations are complete but our frustration arose after their completion when we realized there were some changes that needed to be addressed during the process instead of after the fact. Don't get us wrong the foundations look great; however, there are some changes we wanted to make that affected the foundations. (Of course, we were oblivious of this fact until after the masons had finished, packed up, and gone home.) Indy is on vacay (yes, again, maybe we should be contractors) for a week, and we need some answers. Monday, we will be taking matters into our own hands. Changes mean shelling out dough for those changes. 


Lesson #1: Sit your contractor down and discuss ALL changes up front.

The garage foundation (middle right) and the house foundation (left).

See our house.

See our house's pillars (just in case she gets sleepy).

The positive reality: everything is fixable, and we will love the finished product. Building a home is a great way to practice patience, be each other's best friend, and laugh at that which you cannot control.

Lesson #2: Take a deep breath, have a beer, and spend some quality time with Soxy Paws.


It is fair to say that up to this point we are happy with the end product and we are having fun, but it would be unfair to hide the rather vexing side of the whole process. Building a house is a bit like selling one: once is enough for any person.