What began in 2022 with some rough requirements and loose sketches was at long last finaled last month. Yes, our home addition is officially done!
Before you start wondering why it took so long, I should clarify that the major construction was done and we moved into our new addition just before Thanksgiving, 2024. What remained were a few (mostly exterior) odd jobs to finish up, as well as working with the very thorough county building inspectors to get the whole project finaled. Were there hiccups and frustrations along the way? Absolutely! Would we do it again? In a heart beat!
Here are some of the highlights and frustrations:
The biggest highlight is a tie between our amazing new primary suite bathroom and enormous walk-in closet/dressing room* (a huge improvement over the minimal closets in our pre-construction Eichler home).
Our biggest waste of money stems from the county requiring us to put in a VERY expensive drywell to collect rainwater and keep it onsite (think swimming pool). Between our adobe clay soil and the less-than-ideal contours of our backyard, only minimal water can collect before the overflow system engages and water starts flowing to the street. Sigh!
Our biggest frustration was no doubt the faulty tankless water heater that seemed to know exactly when our shampoo was at maximum lather before shutting off the hot water - which required someone to walk outside to reset it! It was eventually replaced under warranty, but not before the manufacturer had us jumping through hoops then waiting for the replacement on backorder.
The most amusing construction impact was when Chase and Jack were both home during construction and living in two tiny "rooms" defined by our clothes racks in our dining room. They literally had about 6'x8' for a bed, desk and clothes pile, no door and little privacy. They were rockstars!
If you are contemplating an addition to your home, we are happy to sit down with you and discuss our experiences in greater depth. Chances are we can save you some time and money!
* The photo above was taken from our bedroom doorway looking across the bedroom with our (Janie's!) new closet/dressing room in the background.
