Gaining a House; Losing a Life?

To paraphrase Bette Davis…Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy blog post.

Just in case you thought building a house was all a bed of roses; paint chips, lovely fabric, and a sunny move-in day, I’m here to give you the lowdown—this will be one of the most (if not THE most) stressful times in your life.

At some point you will wonder why you ever started the project. You will worry a great deal about whether you can afford to finish it. You will hang on every real estate story watching to see if house prices are falling or rising, and then calculate whether you can still get out without losing everything. And that’s just the stress over the project itself.

Dear Readers...

When I started this blog, it was with the expectation that friends and family would enjoy hearing about and seeing the progress of our project. I also thought it would make for a memorable record of our experiences in building the house--a keepsake of sorts for the future.

Both of those expectations have been realized, but I have also been pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy writing the blog. Something about it is just very satisfying! And much to my surprise, there are a few--not many, but a few--readers from around the world too who I know are not part of the obligatory "friends and family" readers. (Afghanistan, Poland, Canada, Chile, Hungary, Australia, Thailand, Belgium, Brazil...I know you have visited at least once!)

So, first, thank you for finding this blog and reading it, whether just once or twice or on a regular basis!

Second, how can I made this blog more relevant or interesting or useful to YOU?

What did you come to the blog hoping to find? Was it there? What would you like to know about our house building experience that I haven't talked about? Do you have house design and experience to share that you think would be useful to us?

And to you loyal friends and family, the same questions--more or less--apply. What else would you like me to blog about? Don't be shy--please let me know! Leave a comment or write me directly at andresiz@aol.com.

Cheryl

Making an Entrance: What Does Your Front Door Say About You?

Of all the 100s of items we are buying for the house, what is one of the most visible and well-used of them all? The front door.

There is a lot of pressure on a front door. It has to keep out the wind and rain, deter burglars, operate consistently year round, and withstand slamming, cat- and dog-scratching, and other abuses—all while presenting a welcoming face to residents and visitors alike.

It gets even more complicated when there is more than one exterior door that is visible from the street. Which one does the deliveryman go to? Which one does the family use? What about guests—are you familiar enough to go in through the back or side door that the family uses? Or should you start with the formal entrance?