Is it standard, option, upgrade or custom?
Options, upgrades and standard packages, oh my! It’s always good to have choices. The more you have, and the more you research, compare and contrast them, the better quality decisions you’ll make.
That’s why it’s important in the newhome buying process to know where to look for choices and to line them up for informed decision-making.
Make sure you understand the difference between terminology around standard features, options, upgrades and custom features. The terms apply to everything from paint, trim, flooring, cabinetry and lighting to electric, tech or structural features.
Your builder should have a brochure or checklist that will distinguish between standard features, design options and upgrades.
Know the builder timeline
The builder timeline weighs more heavily on the decision-making process for home design details than any other factor.
No one wants you to pay unplanned costs or surcharges and some changes can’t even be made after a certain point in the building process. That’s why it’s important to understand the builder’s timeline and your deadlines within that schedule.
When starting with an empty lot, you get to decide on every detail, often including your home’s floor plan and elevation. From there, everything that happens with your home will take place on a schedule that allows both you and
my cannonball run.
Now I’m in San Francisco, and last night, we drove to an elderly gentleman’s house that should’ve been 25 minutes away, and it took seven minutes to get there. This city is bizarre right now. We had a guy who ran three red lights in front of us just because he didn’t give a damn. There was no one on the street, so he just kept running red lights.
Q
Do you think those 10,000 words will remain in the book? Or does the trip-to-come determine everything?
A
I had this trip so planned out. I’d been planning it for 18 months, down to specific hotel rooms I was staying in, such as where Lizzie Borden murdered her stepmother with an axe. I had all of these cool things set up. The way I see the first part of the book is this: I’ve got everything all lined up — bright eyed, bushy tailed — and this trip is going to happen, so I’m going to buy all these nonrefundable rooms and not worry about it.
The second part is me sheltered in place and what this new reality looks like. I hope the third part is the triumph of getting out there and seeing how the world has changed and finally getting to see the other 43 states.
Q
Will the podcast content be part of the book?
A
Yes. All of the podcasts are directly abbreviated versions
of chapters of the book. What I just told you about the guy with the magic show in San Antonio, that became an episode. I’m also going to get into webcam work, virtually visiting places that I didn’t get to and trying to do Facetime interviews with people from those locales.
QThat will be part of the book, as well?
AYeah. Steinbeck’s granddaughter reached out to me while I was in Texas, and I was going to meet her in Charleston. She’s been a great supporter saying, “I love your writing. This is something that my grandfather would’ve been proud of.” I’m hoping to have an interview with her and then eventually meet her in person.
How do you feel now?
QAAs we look at how serious this virus is, I know my setback is small compared to the large scheme of what is happening. I stubbornly tried to hang on, and then I’m sitting in that restaurant in Louisiana, and there’s no one there. It’s their last meal that they’re serving for a month, and the wait staff starts telling me they don’t know how they’re going to pay the rent this month. I realized this is just a trip. This is not something that I can’t postpone. I’ve got to get home.
I’m sad about it, but I also think about all the things that I’m going to be able to write about. Originally, it was going to be a book about where the country is and the election — that’s not even interesting to me anymore. It’s really about how we’re going to hopefully come together and unite during this time and take care of each other.