Quote:
Originally Posted by alum
Carpeting is less expensive but I would go with hardwood for durability and beauty. I would not have wood floors in the kitchen or bathrooms.
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I can't think of a contractor or architect in their right minds who would specify wood in a bathroom or kitchen. No professional is going to take on that liability.
Clearly, I'm coming at this from a different angle than most people, but my primary concern would be to ensure that water cannot get in the house, and that it's comfortably warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Vaulted ceilings aren't the most energy efficient, even though they may look pretty.
Estimate 10-15% of the cost of construction for things that pop up. That's where the contractors make a lot of their profits--those things that weren't considered part of the original contract and the client isn't in a good place to negotiate. There's a contractor in my hometown who has a yacht named, you guessed it, "Change Order," since that's what paid for the boat!
