@laketime checking for clarity…it sounds like you have a second stacking washer and dryer in your closet…in addition to the main washer and dryer. Is that correct?
“Lights off outside here are important because even though we have huge lots, our lights bother the neighbors if left on all night.”
Thanks for being a considerate neighbor, @thumper1. I wish my neighbors were more like you. Plus, it is a waste of electricity.
Unless you are shining spotlights in your neighbors’ windows, I don’t understand this. Put up some curtains or window shades if the light bothers you.
It’s the opposite in my neighborhood. It is so dark around here, my neighbors would like everyone keep their lights on.
@notrichenough lots of us like to have the view of the woods…sans curtains or blinds. With our long driveways, some of us have two, three or more lights just on the driveway.
Honestly, I don’t have a problem turning my lights out in deference to my neighbors who I really like. But it sure would be easier to have a switch upstairs for when we forget…and we do…to turn the lights outside off.
Get DSC (dark sky compliant) lights pointing downwards. Problem solved.
@ thumper 1 Yes. I have stacked w/d unit in master closet and another in the laundry room.
Our new neighbors installed very bright security lights. I can read a book by the light that comes through.
We have blackout shades that lift/drop from the top and bottom. I like having the bottom dropped and the top lowered a bit so I can see the moon at night and wake up to natural sunlight (not at the crack of dawn). The security lights spoil all of that.
Don’t know what kind of bulbs they have, but the floods in our carport aren’t as bright as those.
Oh god. Not those floodlights. I hate them with a passion. What we have are small downward LED lanterns and one big MCM fixture in the front porch that produce soft, diffused light. I would hate to be the only house in the neighborhood with a dark front porch. 
My only experience with motion-detector switches was in a hostel in Vienna where the bathroom would be plunged into darkness while you were sitting on the toilet unless you waved your arms up in the air.
@CountingDown Have you considered asking your neighbors to tone down the lights? The fact that you can actually read a book by the light in your house is probably something they don’t realize.
We have light pollution rules in our town. Our neighbor who is about 2 acres away has a bright light they sometimes leave on, it’s annoying but they are good neighbors. Honestly, I don’t know how I’d live in a place with bright lights going all night. My city days are over.
@Silpat curious what brand inductiob you are looking at. We have Miele. It is good but has some annoying features with respect to the controls. We are building a vacation house and will be shopping for another induction cooktop within the next year.
@LBowie , this Miele is one that I was considering: https://www.mieleusa.com/domestic/cooktops-and-combisets-2473.htm?mat=09775920&name=KM_6375 and I also wanted to check out this Bosch: https://www.bosch-home.com/us/productslist/cooking-baking/cooktops/induction-cooktops/NITP668UC
Browsing through real estate listings, I saw a potential second home/retirement home that has a 30" GE radiant cooktop. GE says all of their cooktops are made with the same cut out dimensions, so I want to check out these since I’d definitely change the radiant cooktop to induction: https://appliances.monogram.com/us/specs/ZHU30RDJBB#specifications-anchor or https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-specs/PHP9030SJSS
There is a lengthy discussion about Miele induction. People liked it initially but issues popped up. I think I am going with Wolff induction.
With a hurricane happening and many other reasons for energy savings and safety…great windows are worth the price. It’s one item I wouldn’t cheap out on.
Gouf78, I also have a hurricane front door and a garage door that meet the Dade county standards.
I’m watching Hurricane Michael and the destruction in its path.
I will have to find that Miele induction thread! My issue with Miele induction is it takes a long time to adjust the temperature. You have to hold your finger down for a long time (I know, first world problem!). Of course ours is about 6-7 years old, so that may have changed. The other thing is, it gets mad when you place things on the ~8x8" zone where the controls are, even when everything is off. We sometimes put stuff on it when we are unloading grocery bags. It does act like countertop when you are not using it. It’s flat and usually clean.
One thing I really like is the ability to set a timer. For example, if a recipe calls for cooking for 20 minutes, you can set the burner to turn off after 20 minutes and it actually stops boiling or simmering almost instantly. Induction is kind of amazing. You can place a paper towel on the burner, put a kettle of water on top, boil the water very quickly, and the paper towel does not burn (but don’t do this when saute-ing with oil because oil gets much hotter and the paper towel will singe.) You can also place silicone pot holders between the pot or pan and the cooktop. We used to do that, thinking it would keep the surface from scratching, but decided it was unnecessary.
With that said, I will be looking at Bosch and Wolf for our vacation house. Or at least comparing features.
One thing to keep in mind about induction is different pots and pans have different preferences for what they consider “hot.” I have two similar-sized non-stick frying pans where one needs to be set to 10, and the other to 8 to achieve the same cook temperature.
We had our offer accepted on the lots we’re buying, we’ve chosen the builder and we met with the architects on the property. We had previously sent them a spreadsheet of must haves and like to haves, and I shared with them my pinterest page. It was quite interesting to sit there while they incorporated all of it and drew out a floor-plan. I was able to talk through things at the time, they adjusted things on the fly and then the other architect, based on the floor plan, drew the outside! These are some talented people. I’m really quite excited, the view up there is beyond glorious, the lot at the top of the summit is actually flat and very build-able. The builder has given us a per sq ft budget to keep the house in budget and from there breaks it down into a spreadsheet that gives us a price range for each area. They incorporated nearly everything. I chose a walk in pantry off the mudroom to store appliances and food. We are staying with the office over the garage. There is no living or dining room, but an area for a kitchen table next to the kitchen and a sitting area hearth room. 2 bedrooms downstairs, 2 upstairs and we’re making a separate tv room upstairs between them. I’m doing a screened in porch with a fireplace off the kitchen. I don’t want huge high ceilings in the great room, but elevated and curved. I’m finally getting a decent closet for myself. It has to go through 3 stages of architectural review and right now we’re waiting for the topographical survey so they can start on the legit plans. After they drew out the floor plan they went back up to the lot the taped off the approximate house so we could walk through it and check the views out the different room windows, etc. It was great to get a good visual how it will be on the lot itself.
Still a ton to do and choose, and we can still tweak the floor plan, but we’re pretty happy with it right now.
Sounds awesome, @eyemamom. Maybe you could start a thread about your house building experience once you get going. I’d certainly read it!
We have a lot and are still on the fence about building. We’ve done it twice before and know what a beating it can be.
Especially in the mountains, are sure the heated bathroom floor is a MUST HAVE!! Congrats.