Best impressions? The incredible blownglass sink. The troweled-on wallcovering of recycled materials that supposedly is good in high moisture areas. The incredibly cushy cork flooring. The laundry rooms with extra counter space.This year, I noticed they are using some new gadget on closet doors-the door knob’s dont turn. Very noisy. I bet in a few years there will be too much wear for it to hold the door closed.They butt-edged all inner corners on the expensive maple baseboard.One home has tall counters that this tall person was very impressed by. Then I climbed the steps, where my entire foot didnt fit on the step-they hadn’t allowed for the thickness of the carpeting…not to mention the carpet curved up over the top step creating a 1 inch high threshold as you head down the steps…Am I the only person that dreams of a huge, deep, walk-in shower that is groutless?But my all time favorite was a few yrs ago. The child’s bedroom was across the hall from the master suite. If he had a bad dream in the night and ran to his parents, he would fall down the steps. The top step of the steep staircase intruded into the runway!
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I did the large groutless walk-in shower in my basement this winter. I used 4" concrete block, tiled the floor(epoxy grout) and block filled and epoxy'd the walls. Self cleaning(that's my story and I'm sticking to it) Did the 1-1/4" copper supplies to the shower valve(very crude brass unit) and bored and honed a Price Pfister shower head to put out 10 GPM. I did one in the shop , and it worked so well I wanted one all for myself.
Parade houses are losers for us. We did a few 15 years ago, got a few deals from it, but not enough to warrant the headaches.....BIG EGO TRIPS.......lost that ego thing a while ago.
10 GPM, Sweet, always wanted a shower big enough not to need a door. Your wife like it?
I don't know if she likes it or not. It's the MAN shower...no funny smelling soaps, no conditioners, no pink razors, no flowery curtains and towels. Just cold hard walls and floors, and water...lots and lots of hot water, flying at you at what seems like the speed of light!
Am I the only one who tours all the homes starting with the high dollar ones and takes notes? (I've given up being critical since I had buddy who worked like a fool just to have things presentable in time, He planned on when the parade was over going back and correcting the oops that were glaring)
Anyway the first day of the parade he wanted to overhear comments, so he put down his tools, cleaned up a little, sat down with a note book, and promptly fell asleep. He woke about 1 in the morning....
What I enjoy are the clever/crafty touches that really make a differance. Oh sure I like looking at all the high dollar/high tech stuff, but I don't want those things nor am I smart enough to fully use them, (Heck I can't evan program my VCR or post pictures ....) My favorite homes are ones where you don't see everything in one glance. I can't tell you how sick I am of those Mc Mansions with a great room at the entry and from the great room you can figure out where everything is. That's the kitchen/dining area that's the bedrooms that's the entertainment area etc.
The absolute best house I've ever been in didn't have that many big rooms, but it did have several ways to get around. the back hall, the thru the walk-in closet tour, and from the great room. OK, they say halls are a waste of space etc. but boy does it add to the fun/mystery of the home. I almost wish I was a little boy in that house, the fun I'd have exploring, sneaking up on people and playing hide and seek. Every home should have a hidden room or passage way.
I've done work in some of those Parade homes and prefer never to go there again. Same old story year after year when the deadline nears. I recall one where there were windows missing while they wanted me to put some engineered hardwood in. Another was the poor tile setter, as he had some areas not completed and they were moving furniture in. At the same time I was getting walked all over. One particular job had nearly every freakin' trade inside and out of the place at the same time.
Fish
That must be the way it is all over, we do some entertainment units in parade homes each year and same thing every stinking year, every tradesman that builds the damn house is there on the last day before the show finishing up, must be the nature of the beast.
Doug
A friend of mine who builds counter tops told the "Showcase of Homes" promoter to go flt a kite when he wanted him to participate.... They are a zoo! For sure....
I keep telling people those tiny cramped bathrooms are a mistake-plan for one, big, locker room! It is fun to see how the other half lives (guess which half I am) and as I told a friend, when I am walking thru one of the parade homes, I feel like I live there, and when I close my eyes, I am still there!
p.s. forgot one more detail-one of the parade homes advertised the 100yr old live oak trees...Yep, they were something to see...the completely dead trees still standing around and over this brand new house were interesting as well :-)