I stalked the Gold Winner. And I got caught.

Despite my quasi-genuine smile above, Brian is making the pose I really wanted to strike in this pic.  Unfortunately, I couldn't handle that pose while also holding my drink and that enormous banner sign.  And I wasn't gonna let go of the drink.

Make no mistake, I went to that banquet seeking Gold.  Sold & Gold was the goal.  I got the Sold part taken care of early.  And then when we were standing there last week and they announced my house as the Silver winner, I think I was stunned more than anything.  Sold & Silver?  What the heck was that?  It was a scenario I just hadn't even considered.  Brian says I walked up to the stage so fast he could barely keep up with me and trailed at least 10 ft behind.  I don't remember walking fast, I only remember thinking, 'who the hell beat me?' and simultaneously, 'I really hope I don't fall in these shoes.'

I sound like a brat but I can't help it.  I know Silver is great.  I know Silver is an honor.  But I went to that banquet like the Golddigger Kanye was singing about in his duet with Jamie Foxx.  To my knowledge, they don't make songs about Silverdiggers.  And if they did, it would be moot cuz I wasn't going there hoping for 2nd place.

When they announced the Gold Winner...I'm fairly certain I made a 'who the hell is that?' kinda face.  I would be awful at any sort of televised award ceremony but I would make for great tv.  I didn't recognize the builder nor did I recognize the neighborhood.  I was totally and completely blindsided by this unknown who just kicked my ass.  The only thing I knew was the house that won Gold wasn't a single family home and was located in downtown Raleigh.  Which inspired my Facebook status that night to read, 'I lost to an apt inside the beltine. So pissed. Silver... Whatev..,' 


As you can see, I handled the loss with the same grace and dignity I never really had in the first place.

So last Friday, after pumping myself up for a few days on happy, if not somewhat consoling positive thoughts, I decided to be a big girl and visit the Gold winning townhome.  Turns out 'apt' may have been an unfair description.

I called up my friend, Jenn Nowalk to go with me.  Jenn works for Homes By Dickerson and she's been a great friend and very supportive BLAG cheerleader.  Incidentally, Jenn and her team took home two Silvers and two Golds on Parade night.  She's no slouch.

So Jenn and I roll up to the Gold Winner and in the midst of trying to take a picture of me making a rude gesture towards the GOLD WINNER banner across the sign in the front of the townhome, I hear, 'ALAINA MONEY, is that YOU?' coming from inside the home.

My first thought was, 'OMG, did he just see me trying to flip off his sign?' and my second thought was, 'OMG, I know that voice!'  It was the voice of a very fun, very cool agent I worked with on a transaction a few years ago...a different life working for a different builder.  His follow up question, 'Did you come to check out this apartment inside the beltline?' did little to calm the OMG's in my head.  We're Facebook friends so he was well aware of how well I handled the loss.

It was time to come clean.  'Yes, I did!' was all I managed to say.  Jenn and I toured the townhome together and guess what?  It was lovely.  And it was deserving.  The hardwood floors were 400 yrs old...from a barn in Tarboro, NC.  The windows were casement.  The bathrooms had furniture style vanities and don't get me started on the super-size mac-daddy spa shower.  It was gorgeous.

Just before we left we had the chance to meet one of the builders...the 'Hill' from the building team of Gephart-Hill.  He was just as lovely and charming as the home he built.  And I told him as much.  His Gold Winning townhome isn't Sold so I've included a link to their home here.  As you'll see, it's kind of spectacular.  And whoever buys it is getting a great deal not to mention a beautiful home.

I still like my house best...but seeing that Gold Winning house gave my Silver a whole new sheen.

Sold & Silver.  Built in Seventy-Four Days.

I'm good with that.

A house full of gratitude.

There she is...MY PARADE HOUSE!!  All done.  Gorgeous.  Lovely.  Sweet House.  And SOLD.  Tomorrow night we find out if we won GOLD but in the meantime...


Take a look INSIDE...you know you wanna.  


And then come back here and read all about the amazing people that built this home with me.  It takes more than a village to build a house.  It takes a small army of very hardworking, very talented people.  And I'm lucky to know them all.  

Mel...thanks for grading the lots just like I asked and for making me laugh hysterically every time I see you.  You’re good people.  

Clint, Martine and all the masons...thank you for working in triple digit temperatures to get my foundation out of the ground as quickly as possible.  And thank you for dropping everything and coming back to fix the back porch post when I called you in a panic a few weeks later.

Tommy, Hannah, Laura and the Super Mario Bros at Arteleye...thank you for letting me pick the most beautiful granite slab in your entire warehouse.  And thank you for letting me see countless others before I decided on ‘the one.’  The island is spectacular and I owe it all to you guys. 

John, Edtzon, Flavio and everyone at The Go Team...thank you for making sure all the pretty stuff I was so worried about came thru. And thank you, Flavio, for telling me you thought I was 28.  That was a great day.

Bill, Ginene, John and everyone at Imperial Electric...thank you for walking the house with me and agreeing to design the lighting plan on the fly...the recessed cans above the garage roofs are such a nice touch...and the outlets on their side in the baseboards and the backsplash are a winner!  And most of all for passing your rough-in inspection on the first try.  That rocks. 

Ben, Adela, Claude, Alonzo, Cookie Monster and everyone at Carnell’s Plumbing...thank you for surprising me with a super-size shower in the optional bedroom-bathroom.  That thing looks killer.  And for being pretty much the nicest group of people, like, ever.  

Gerald, Will, Michelle and everyone at Yellow Dot Heating & Air...remember when I told you we weren’t finishing the 3rd floor and it was no problem that the HVAC unit installed up there wasn’t large enough to accommodate that space if we finished it...and then I called you and told you we were finishing it and you didn’t try to strangle me.  That was awesome.  Thanks!

Rick, Chris, Rolando and all the guys on the framing crew...when I grow up I might want to be a framer for a few weeks.  Just so I can hang out with you guys.  Thanks for not killing me when I got the window sizes wrong on the 2nd floor and then wrong again (and again) in the Master Bedroom.  Good times.  

Andrew...I know we blew your mind with the trusses on this house.  Thanks for keeping me sane when we lowered the trusses on the Master Bedroom and I just about threw myself out the wrong sized window frames.  

Ric at Tri-City...thanks for rescuing me from the firecaulk boys that asked me if I was pregnant. And thanks for hooking me up with those sweet shower doors...seeple handles, who knew how kick-ass those would look!?

Matthew at Professional Builders Supply...thanks for all the 4hr tickets for the endless amount of materials we needed.  The front doors are still my favorite.  I don’t care what they cost.  Don't tell Dan that part. 

Adam at Builders First Source...thanks for introducing me to the fanciest trim and casing a girl could ask for...it looks spectacular.  Dan’s still mad you showed me the expensive stuff...how will I ever go back?  

JD and everyone at the Light House...thanks for designing a light package from scratch with me. I love the drum shades.  

Green Zebra Interiors and the wonderful Jess...you literally fell from the sky and drove up right when I needed you!  Your style and your vision for the interior made the house 1000% more spectacular than it already is.  Thank you for not putting tassels on anything and for saying things like, “you do not want to spend a lot of this furniture-you want pieces that are flexible” You ROCK.  Bigtime.  

Ammon...thank you for that phat phat island.  It rocks my world.  It’s my favorite spot.  And soft close cabinets make me feel like royalty.  

Neil & Matt at Environmental Stoneworks...thank you for letting me bring my 3 kids + my nephews with me to pick out the prettiest stone you had to offer.  

FlatRock Landscaping...thanks for a whole lotta sod and for tricking out the landscaping in the front.  

C&W Concrete...Ronnie, Scott & Pedro and all the guys...thank you for coaching me thru how to ‘be like a girl’ so I could get our driveway poured like we wanted.  And thanks for giving me your best work, every time.  And for bumping Gerry in your schedule when I would call too late to schedule you when I needed you.  

Blake & Beth and everyone at Wayne Dalton garage doors...thanks for getting the doors on the house in time for judging.  And for teaching me the importance of ‘backjams’ which sound really gross but aren’t.  

Matt & everyone at Fireside...thanks for my custom mantle, sorry it took me two tries to get it right.  It’s real real pretty. 


Dave, Kelly & everyone at CTI...thanks for helping me pick out all the cool stuff.  The accent tile in the shower niche is so fabulous.  And the carpet still makes me swoon.  

Juan and everyone at the Cortes Empire...keeper of all the paint, drywall, roofing, siding and cleaning...thank you for always coming when I call and for coming each and every time I called after that.  For all the touch ups...for making me those house earrings and for making me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants when they turned out like jack-o-lanterns.  

To Design House...thank you for this wonderful plan.  And for letting me name it the Nook & Crannies.  I loved building it.  

To my team...Laurel & Kendall...thank you for selling a bunch of houses while I was busy trying to build just one.  You guys are the best. 

To Dan...thank you for letting me cry when I didn’t pass my inspections.  And for being sympathetic instead of making fun of me-which, you totally could have done.

To Gerry...thank you for running interference with the Town since you're the cool kid there and for copying my rain soaked plans on a Friday afternoon so I could go to the beach with my family.  You’re the best.  

To Brian...thank you for being my wingman...for helping me finish this house and for letting me do everything myself so I could be a real builder.  

To everyone at Bryan Properties...Jim, John and D.R.  Thank you for letting us build homes in your beautiful neighborhood.  To Gretchen, Kathy & Kerrie...thank you for selling our homes!  

To Jim...thanks for letting me build this home.  And thanks for the best job in the world.  

And to my family...thanks for loving me even when I turn into evil builder woman.  And for countless family outings to the job site.  Thanks for being the people I get to come home to in the house I live in.  

The Last 5%

A few days ago Brian told me I was in the last 5% of the building phase.  And according to him, this was the phase that could make all the difference...the phase that distinguished the good builders from the great ones.  

It felt like the last 2 miles of a marathon.  And I don't throw that comparison out lightly...I've actually run the last two miles of a marathon.  Well...ok, maybe 'shuffled deliriously' is a more accurate description but it was the closest thing to running I could manage.  A few miles before the end I ran past my cheering family members...I remember my brother speed walking alongside us as we shuffled on by.  A few hrs after the race he told me when he was walking (turns out there was no real speed to speak of) I kind of grabbed onto his arm and somewhat dramatically spit out an, 'I luuuuuv you.'   Exhaustion tends to amp up my affectionate side.

And after days and days of combing thru every inch of the Parade House looking for flaws and then looking again...and then again...and then calling people out to the house to do the same and then getting on my knees to wipe up the floors and calling in every last minute favor from every trade in my phone...I'm definitely ripe to hand out some random I luuuuuv you's.  

Tomorrow the judges arrive and I hope to be coherent enough to offer a friendly smile before I vacate the premises (that's the rule for judging, builders can't be in the home and can't talk to the judges).  

I think I can keep it together.  I'm just hoping I don't randomly hug any of them on the way out.  There's nothing in the rules about physical contact.  But if by chance I can't keep it together tomorrow, I bet they add that clause next year.  

Fingers crossed I can keep my hands to myself and my lips sealed.  Until they leave and then it's I luuuuv you's all around!!  

Come and get yours.    

Oh, and check out the house.   

The Green at Sunset Oaks:  504 Redhill Road, Holly Springs, NC 27540. 

It ain't easy building pretty.

This is a clip of the plans for our Parade House...see the fancy details at the end of the roof gable?  The things that look like house-earrings? Well...it has taken WEEKS & WEEKS to get anyone to even consider making these for us.  And don't even get me started on the birdhouse detail at the top of the smaller gable.  

That sucker took several failed attempts before we were finally able to arrange a 'Clinton-esque' peace talk between Juan (from Cortes Siding) and Matthew (from Professional Builder Supply).  They negotiated a plan of attack on the birdhouse that was so successful we decided the time was right to go for it on the house earrings. 

It was a stretch for us and for them.  We've never built anything like this before and neither have they.

As evidenced by their first attempt shown below.

It's not that bad, it's just not quite right.  And it's that fraction of not quite right that makes it look all kinds of wrong.  

I was sitting on the front steps when I heard Brian laughing...then I heard the siding guys laughing...so I walked over to check out what was so funny and I was presented with the trim piece shown above.  Hysterical laughter ensued and that's the exact moment I knew the siding guys were a perfect fit for us.  

We're all out of our comfort zone on this house.  I mean, duh, right?   But none of us is going to let our lack of expertise deter us from trying something new.  And we're certainly not going to let our ego's get in the way when we fall short.  Especially when we fall short in such a funny way.  

I mean look at that thing?!  It looks like something we could attach to the gables on our 'jack-o-lantern' collection of homes.  

And since we have yet to release our holiday inspired collection of homes-featuring the soon to be sold out 'jack-o-lantern' version...we decided to deviate from the plans and just freestyle the design.  Simplify.  For everyone's sake.  

And look...it worked!  

So close.  And still so much trial and error.  But we're still laughing.  That's the best part.  It's the part that counts.  

Fast Forward 60 Days...who knew we'd be here?

By yesterday afternoon I was ready to kick back on a big pile of cement fiber siding with my main man, Rolando and take in the view of 1 nearly complete house...

and 1 framed house that's mere days from getting siding.

And today I finally exhaled a tiny little bit...cuz it looks like we're gonna make it.  Sure, we still have enough loose ends to cause my throat to tighten from time to time but we're past the 'choking on defeat' stage so that's good. And by good, I mean, big freakin breakthrough good.  

For days I'd walk in the Parade House and only see what was wrong.  But today I walked in and all the small stuff started coming to life.  All the thought...all the agonizing details we begged the trades to master...it's all there:

The outlets turned on their side, installed in the baseboard with a little trim-house...they're there! 

So is the air return that Juan painted Antique White for me so it matches the trim paint.  

The smooth finish 5-Panel doors (wood grain doors are so 2 years ago) with 5' tall box-trim wainscoting is also there...

  

So is the little cutout in the foyer that matches the window on the other side of the foyer and above the built-ins...it was a game time addition but so worth the deviation from the original plans.

And the pretty pretty porch posts.  

These suckers are the Rolls Royce of porch posts and proof of just how far we've come.  

Brian sent me an email this week and reminded me that we poured footings on this house just 60 days ago and we only have 8 more days to go until Parade Judging...which sounds kinda badass.  And also explains my complete exhaustion.  

Lucky for everyone, I think I got about 8 more days in me.  And then I hope you'll all come see this gorgeous house in person.  

More on that soon.  Until then...fast forward continues.  

No Cookies for you...

When I left for the job site today, I felt like I was already running behind and it was gonna be a BIG day.  So I grabbed a tupperware container full of oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies on my way out because...you know...I thought there could be a chance I might need to do something nice for someone and I wanted to be prepared.   Seriously, that was my thought process.  Big day = I was gonna play it nice and lead with baked goods.    

Stay with me...

Yesterday I spent the majority of the day in the sales world, which means I didn't get back to the construction world at the end of the day to check on everyone's progress. Which means I was freaking out because we were on for 2 inspections at the Parade House and 1 inspection at the house next door and I had no idea whether everything that needed to happen yesterday...actually did.

You can probably see where this is going.  

I headed to the Parade House first...electricians were on schedule yesterday so I called in electrical final inspection today and walked in expecting all the lights to be installed.  I could hardly wait to see them!

Instead...what I saw were two guys moving lights around getting ready to install them.  For a second I actually paused and thought...'wait, is it yesterday?'   Once I confirmed today's date I told the guys the inspector was on the way.  And we were all about to fail.   Miserably.  And then I called the two people I know to call and fuss at when things don't go as expected with the electricians.  Whatever.

Yea, those guys didn't get any cookies.

It was harder to tell if the HVAC guys corrected the items they needed to correct from the first failed mechanical final inspection...but since there was no one on the third floor spraying paint on the walls to prevent the inspector from actually inspecting their work (the reason we failed the first time)...I felt pretty optimistic about it.

After I assessed the situation at the Parade House I made my way next door to check in on Rolando and his crew-they were on for sheathing inspection. Only...they weren't exactly ready.  A few doors weren't framed in yet...the sheathing was still being nailed onto the side of the house...Rolando asked if I thought we could pass with the house like it was.  Um...lemme think about it...yea, no chance in hell, dude.

I decided to take a minute and deliberately not freak out.  I walked outside.  I was standing between the houses looking from one to the other, trying to give myself a clearer perspective...I was feeling anxious that my only hope for success today was the mechanical final inspection...or...OR...maybe, just maybe the inspector would show up late enough in the day for Rolando to finish up his loose ends.  Yes, that was the silver lining I needed...if the inspector showed up later in the day we'd have a good chance of passing mechanical final on the Parade House and sheathing on this house.  I instantly felt better.  Two out of three, I could handle that.  Now all I needed to do was pray that the inspector would be late.

Then I turned around to face the street just in time to see him drive up in his truck.

I turned back around and caught Julio from Rolando's crew out in front of the house next door.  I yelled out in a panic, 'Julio, it's the inspector!  Go tell Rolando!!  HURRY!'  Poor Julio was probably thinking...'hurry and tell him what?'

I don't know what Julio told him but it worked because all of the sudden, the framers went from busy to fast-forward.  They were working so fast.  Like so fast they looked a little blurry.

The inspector walked right up and I led with, 'So, you only have 2 inspections to make today.  We're not ready for electrical final.'  He seemed ok with that.  He was actually pretty sympathetic about it after I shared why we weren't ready.  After our little chat he left to check the permit box and start the sheathing inspection.  I wasn't optimistic but I wasn't melting down either.  A little humanity goes a long way with me.

A few minutes later I caught my inspector at the back corner of the house watching Rolando and his crew furiously nailing boards to the house.  I walked up expecting, "I can't pass you because this isn't ready" and instead I heard, "they're just finishing up these boards here and then I'll sign off on it for you."

Um...wait...WHAT?  Did you just PASS ME?!?  The inspector turned his back and I gave Rolando the thumbs up.  I think even Rolando raised his eyebrows.  It was a good moment of shared surprise.

Then over to the Parade House to pass mechanical final, right? ...only, we didn't pass. We failed.  You need 10 PSI to pass...we were at a 3.  Clearly we had a leak somewhere in the house that needed to be addressed.

I was bummed but honestly, I was so happy we passed sheathing, not even failing mechanical final could wreck my day.  So I marched on over to the house next door and asked how to say 'cookie' in Spanish.  Then I presented them with my tupperware container full of treats and congratulated them on our single passed inspection of the day.

Love the framers.

What Good Looks Like.

You know your self-esteem may be in a lull when someone says, 'You think you can throw this rock and hit that port-a-potty?' and you reply, 'Probably not.'

I'm not sure if those were my exact words to Brian...but I distinctly remember replying with defeat as a forgone conclusion.

But I decided to try it anyway...

Brian took this pic on my first try.  He didn't even try to hide the surprise in his voice when he noted, 'that's actually pretty good form.'  I asked if he expected me to have bad form and he gave me a shrugged shoulder head bobbing, '...yeah.'  I deserved that, I was the one sending out defeat as my message.

I tried a few more times before I heard some laughter behind me from the house next door...this Hit the Port-a-Potty Challenge was basically on display for all the framers working on the roof next door.  They were definitely entertained.

Brian hit the port-a-potty after a few tries.

I never actually threw it far enough to hit it but I came really close.  And it turns out I could throw the rock a lot farther than I thought I could.  Which was fun.

It's occurred to me lately that I've forgotten to have as much fun this time around.  Or I've failed to focus on the fun parts and instead focused on the lulls.

So here's a fun part...I passed two inspections today.  Water & Sewer Undergrounds and Plumbing Final.  What, what?!?  Our plumbers rock the house.  Literally.  They're what good looks like.  We call them Hall of Fame Rock Stars.  Our houses wouldn't be the same without them.

Which reminds me of another Hall of Famer... and a fun moment a few weeks ago.

We were fresh off a successful meeting with the Town Engineer who advised us on how we needed to pour the driveway (since it was so close to the storm drain we needed to make sure we poured it within the right guidelines).

Before the Engineer got to the site Pedro thought I needed a little direction on how to win the engineer over, "you know...maybe when he gets here, you know, you just be real real nice...and you thank him for coming and you know, you just be, you know, like a girl."

Uh, yea, I think I can probably manage that.  I mean, I hope I've been managing that for the past 36 years.  But at the time I was thinking...how the hell do I normally act?  The opposite of 'real real nice?' Un-like a girl?

After the plan for the driveway was set and I successfully pulled of 'being like a girl' Pedro told me he thought I was doing a good job.  It mean a lot to me and I told him that.  And he went on to tell me how their crew works for lots of builders but they can tell that we're a builder that really cares.  He said he could tell I really care.  It was such a great moment.  I wasn't sure how to share it or how to accept it.  It seems like the kind of compliment you earn, rather than accept.

And then today over ordinary texts to sort out a problem with my lead walk, Pedro gave me another great moment...