Trying to talk myself into a house

[Deleted]

We looked at a new build in a community yesterday.  Location is great.  Right next to DD school.  The view is nice.  It will resell well but every time I think about it, I just think "meh".  The problem is what I want doesn't exist here.  I want smooth walls and a basement.  I am getting heavy texture and a crawl space.  It just doesn't seem like a good idea to spend 500K on a house that you just don't like that much. 

[justme]

I'm guessing they're already built so you can't just tell the builder to make the walls smooth?

[Deleted]

Seems more like trying to talk yourself out of it  

I understand your frustration. How far are you from school now? It would be hard to spend that much on something I was meh about, for me, but I'm not sure of your financial situation.

[Peace Of Mind]

Trying to talk myself into a house

If you have to talk yourself into a house that is a clear sign you shouldn't buy it. 

[Ryan]

I guess it depends on the alternatives.  If I was building in my old neighborhood, that stuff would bother me because I could afford to be picky (tons of options).  In my current neighborhood, I have to look past a lot of things because there is no inventory and no place to build (unless you tear-down).

[souldoubt]

Smooth walls is something that can be changed.  As far as a basement goes if it's not something you get in that area then you either have to make that concession or have a place built to your specifications assuming it isn't against local codes.  I've always liked the concept of a basement but where I live houses aren't built with them so you make do with other rooms and/or storage areas.

[giramomma]

Sept 30, 2014 15:08:25 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Trying to talk myself into a house

If you have to talk yourself into a house that is a clear sign you shouldn't buy it. 

This.

We had been looking at houses for about 2 years, and we found one that worked. I HATED how it looked on the outside. DH told me we weren't going to buy a house just to buy a house.

It took a while, but we finally found the house that was right for us.

[ArchietheDragon]

Sept 30, 2014 15:00:59 GMT -5 pooks said:

We looked at a new build in a community yesterday.  Location is great.  Right next to DD school.  The view is nice.  It will resell well but every time I think about it, I just think "meh".  The problem is what I want doesn't exist here.  I want smooth walls and a basement.  I am getting heavy texture and a crawl space.  It just doesn't seem like a good idea to spend 500K on a house that you just don't like that much. 

Ideally you should look a the purchase of a house as a financial decision and not whether you emotionally like it or not..     but F- that. 

[souldoubt]

Sept 30, 2014 15:08:25 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Trying to talk myself into a house

If you have to talk yourself into a house that is a clear sign you shouldn't buy it. 

I don't agree if the hang up is "doesn't have a basement" when basements aren't something an area has.  That's like me saying I want a penthouse condo in a high rise when I live in the suburbs.  If you want to buy a house there are certain concessions you'll have to make in every part of the country.     

[Deleted]

House is only framed, so no walls.  They just don't do smooth walls, no one does smooth walls here.  So there isn't any house I could buy that would have them.  I am giving up the basement.  DH wants me to give up on the walls.  He thinks smooth walls here would just be weird and from the looks I get from people it must be.  Sorry to vent.  We can afford the house, but it is the top of our range and at the top, I expected more.

[Deleted]

What are 'smooth walls' ? 

[ArchietheDragon]

Sept 30, 2014 15:15:37 GMT -5 pooks said:

House is only framed, so no walls.  They just don't do smooth walls, no one does smooth walls here.  So there isn't any house I could buy that would have them.  I am giving up the basement.  DH wants me to give up on the walls.  He thinks smooth walls here would just be weird and from the looks I get from people it must be.  Sorry to vent.  We can afford the house, but it is the top of our range and at the top, I expected more.

are we talking interior or exterior walls?

[Deleted]

I mean drywall that is hung, taped, joint compound applied to cover seems and screw holes, sanded smooth, and then primed.  In the end you have an interior wall that is just flat.  No fuss, it is just a wall. 

[Deleted]

Ok. So interior. Uhm, sorry to be dense, but what do they do instead? Texture? 

[imawino]

Sept 30, 2014 15:25:02 GMT -5 pooks said:

I mean drywall that is hung, taped, joint compound applied to cover seems and screw holes, sanded smooth, and then primed.  In the end you have an interior wall that is just flat.  No fuss, it is just a wall. 

I'm not understanding why they can't or won't do that in your area? Do they do all plaster? Why?

[ArchietheDragon]

Sept 30, 2014 15:25:02 GMT -5 pooks said:

I mean drywall that is hung, taped, joint compound applied to cover seems and screw holes, sanded smooth, and then primed.  In the end you have an interior wall that is just flat.  No fuss, it is just a wall. 

If your builder can't do this, get a new builder.   not sure what your means it would not fit in with the neighborhood..  it is inside....  

[Peace Of Mind]

Sept 30, 2014 15:31:13 GMT -5 oped said:

Ok. So interior. Uhm, sorry to be dense, but what do they do instead? Texture? 

Yes, usually an orange peel type texture.

I don't agree if the hang up is "doesn't have a basement" when basements aren't something an area has. That's like me saying I want a penthouse condo in a high rise when I live in the suburbs. If you want to buy a house there are certain concessions you'll have to make in every part of the country.

You can still have a basement any where.  They are just called walk out basements and they are high and dry.    But I still wouldn't drop 1/2 a million on a house I have to talk myself into buying.   

We are in Florida and the water table is too high but people still have these:

[Tiny]

The problem is what I want doesn't exist here. I want smooth walls and a basement. I am getting heavy texture and a crawl space.

Well, if you want a basement and it's not normal to have one in your area (I'm thinking someplace like Florida where the water table is so high) then you may need to just come to terms with it. Kinda the way you come to terms with other stuff beyond your control (I always wanted to be a willowy blue eyed blonde balerina but I'm short and stout and mousey. )

As for the texture walls... well that sounds like something you can spend $$ on to change. Yeah, it's spending money but it's for something you VALUE and something that can be changed.

The trick with houses is to look beyond the cosmetics (the textured walls) and see how well it fits YOUR lifestyle (and not the lifestyle you wish you had - ie having a basement when basements aren't common).


I have a funny basement story... my brother's In-Laws found the perfect house - except it only had 1/2 a basement that wasn't really tall enough for what they wanted. So, they bought the house, had a new full basement dug - deeper than the old one. Every things great except they have lots of 'water problems' - they have sump pumps and drianage tiles and all cracks sealed - every year it some new water infiltration issue. They also now have issues with the upper floors since the house has 'resettled' - nothing big but those annoying little out of square things with doors or fine cracks in walls/ceilings.

So, yeah, they've got the "perfect house" but they are living every day with annoyances (damp basement, cosmetic cracks and out of square doorways) that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't messed with the basement/foundation.

Sometimes you need to pick your battles.

[happyhoix]

Sept 30, 2014 15:15:37 GMT -5 pooks said:

House is only framed, so no walls.  They just don't do smooth walls, no one does smooth walls here.  So there isn't any house I could buy that would have them.  I am giving up the basement.  DH wants me to give up on the walls.  He thinks smooth walls here would just be weird and from the looks I get from people it must be.  Sorry to vent.  We can afford the house, but it is the top of our range and at the top, I expected more.

If you're really wanting smooth walls, look at houses in the construction phase and tell the contractor you want smooth walls. You might pay extra for them if they aren't normal for the area, but you can get them.

However keep in mind that people that are from that area will probably be expecting to see textured walls when they look consider buying your house, at some point in the future. Will you make it more difficult to sell your house if yours is the only one with smooth walls? If it does, is it worth that to you, to have what you want?

[ArchietheDragon]

Sept 30, 2014 15:36:28 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Sept 30, 2014 15:31:13 GMT -5 oped said:

Ok. So interior. Uhm, sorry to be dense, but what do they do instead? Texture? 

Yes, usually an orange peel type texture.

I just googled that and I don't blame you for not wanting that.   talk about terrible walls. 

[Happy prose]

I have never seen textured walls. What state is this?

[Deleted]

I'm guessing textured walls hide flaws better? 

[Chocolate Lover]

Sept 30, 2014 16:17:13 GMT -5 oped said:

I'm guessing textured walls hide flaws better? 

Flaws/uneven work, potato/poatahto 

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2014 16:24:05 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Sept 30, 2014 16:17:13 GMT -5 oped said:

I'm guessing textured walls hide flaws better? 

Flaws/uneven work, potato/poatahto 

Yes smooth walls are harder, but they never change.  When you go with texture, finishes go in and out of style.  The current style here is a fake plaster like finish, prior to that you had orange peel I guess.  It just seems weird to have your walls make a statement beyond paint. 

[myrrh]

I guess I'd be one of the people giving you weird looks. Textured walls are the norm where I live. Although I am not a fan of the plaster look, since to me it's a sign that the house is either really cheap or REALLY expensive. But if the house doesn't have walls yet it can't hurt to ask for them not to put texture if that's what you really want. If you are buying an existing house, joint compound is relatively inexpensive, just takes some time to make all the walls smooth. (I'm assuming you are going to paint anyway so not counting painting costs.)

[tskeeter]

Sept 30, 2014 15:32:49 GMT -5 imawino said:

Sept 30, 2014 15:25:02 GMT -5 pooks said:

I mean drywall that is hung, taped, joint compound applied to cover seems and screw holes, sanded smooth, and then primed.  In the end you have an interior wall that is just flat.  No fuss, it is just a wall. 

I'm not understanding why they can't or won't do that in your area? Do they do all plaster? Why?

A textured wall helps hide imperfections in taping and finishing the joints between sheets of drywall.  This means you don't have to spend as much time sanding and finishing joints so they won't show, like you would in a flat wall.  It also means that you can use less skilled tapers.  A good taper is more an artist than a tradesman.  It costs more to hire a highly skilled artist who can lay in a perfectly flat joint that requires almost no sanding than it does to hire a guy who can slap some mud on the wall.  Walls are textured because they are cheaper to build than smooth walls. 

[tskeeter]

Sept 30, 2014 15:00:59 GMT -5 pooks said:

We looked at a new build in a community yesterday.  Location is great.  Right next to DD school.  The view is nice.  It will resell well but every time I think about it, I just think "meh".  The problem is what I want doesn't exist here.  I want smooth walls and a basement.  I am getting heavy texture and a crawl space.  It just doesn't seem like a good idea to spend 500K on a house that you just don't like that much. 

A couple of things to keep in mind.  You can change the finish on the walls.  You can even change the lack of a basement.  What you can't change is the location or the view.

The question is, are things you can't change worth the inconvienience of changing the things you can change?  If the answer is, "not to me", keep looking.

[Chocolate Lover]

Sept 30, 2014 16:34:06 GMT -5 pooks said:

Sept 30, 2014 16:24:05 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Flaws/uneven work, potato/poatahto 

Yes smooth walls are harder, but they never change.  When you go with texture, finishes go in and out of style.  The current style here is a fake plaster like finish, prior to that you had orange peel I guess.  It just seems weird to have your walls make a statement beyond paint. 

Oh, I totally agree with you. I hate textured walls. I'm renting and the walls are some weird cement board crap with massive texture. Try using the 3M hooks on that crap. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Maybe you'll start a new craze for smooth walls in your area! 

[lexxy703]

I've never seen a textured wall.  I've seen nasty popcorn ceilings though.  They were popular here years ago.