Framing continues

I haven't posted lately because I feel like it's been moving at a near glacial speed over the last week or so, but as I look back at these photos that Patrick took last week, I realize that there's been a steady hum of activity as the walls progress around the perimeter and the rooms within are finally beginning to take shape. I'll have to get some more photos soon.

We stopped by a house in our neighborhood that's being built by a different builder over the weekend and were astonished by the difference in quality. We had initially considered this builder, but pulled out of the deal at the last minute because of a mold clause they had in the contract. Basically, the clause freed the builder from any liability should mold appear--even if it was the result of builder error. While I believe that we probably could've negotiated this clause out of the contract, I strongly feel that any builder that would put a clause like that in their contract probably isn't going to deliver the kind of quality we want, so we bailed. And I'm so glad we did, too. We noticed the difference immediately--from the squeaky, bouncy subfloor to the rickety and steep stairs from the garage inside to the debris everywhere. You never know for sure how things will turn out, of course, but at least we feel like we made a good decision going with our builder. We are definitely pleased with the work completed to date.

And here's yet another window update: we went with the Marvin Infinity, which is a fiberglass and not vinyl window. It's basically in between the wood and vinyl options. Apparently, around here, wood is seen as bad. According to the GC, about 15-20 years ago, the wood window manufacturers had to change their sealer to meet new EPA guidelines, but the long term effects of the sealer weren't fully tested. The wood windows that were installed around here during that time frame have had considerable problems with dry rot, so the public perception is that wood windows are bad. So, it's fiberglass for us. We were really happy with the Marvin Integrity windows we installed on our last home and are hopeful that these will be very similar in quality.

We've started ordering some light fixtures for the house and have gone outside the recommended lighting vendor. Rejuvenation had a 25% off sale on certain fixtures so we jumped on it and now have fixtures for our pantry, bathrooms, laundry room, and MBR closet. I'm not quite sure where we'll store all the boxes, but so what?! We love their stuff!! If you haven't been there--check it out. If you like anything from Victorian to mid-Century, you'll love their period fixtures, although you may not like their prices. Now, we just need a chandelier, island lights, exterior lights, (and possibly kitchen table light). I'll try to get some images uploaded of the lights as they come in.