Building A House Remotely
The Lessons We Learned
House under construction—photo by author Anita Wasko
From our home in scenic Pennsylvania, my husband and I imagined our beach dream home.
Our building lot, bought years earlier in Flagler Beach, Florida, fueled that dream.
Then, as the pandemic landed, we began building our dream home remotely from Pennsylvania.
I often wished I knew more about building in Florida. I wished I knew people in the beach community to ask questions as they popped into my head. But instead, I was left wondering, imagining, and yearning for clarity.
Since then, I gained lessons about building from far away.
Meeting the Neighbors
My enthusiasm was high when we visited the small beach community. When neighbors walked by, I waved, said hello, and invited them in to see the progress. I didn't realize then how my new neighbors would become precious far-away eyes. As the house build unfolded, I received photos and updates, sometimes before hearing from the builder.
Staying Open to Options
I liked marking off building decisions. It meant we were making progress, which felt like a big win. Until brute siblings Obstacles and Challenges showed up, bringing in situations where I had to reconsider decisions. I soon learned to dance around them and go with the flow of the situation--a pirouette here, a pivot there. Bye, bye porcelain flooring I swooned over; you no longer work for me. I'm mustering my enthusiasm for vinyl flooring now.
Documenting Decisions
Building the house took many months. Our build was a long-haul process where emails or notes could get buried. So, unwittingly or simply from work experience, we had documented decisions. I also photographed every finish selected, including their item number, just because I liked posting them on my Pinterest board, pulling together the color schemes for the house. But when the contractor's office called periodically for a reminder of our decisions, I realized the value of our documentation. I was glad I had my house decisions at my fingertips while the office juggled fifty-some other houses.
Planning for Unexpected Expenses
While the construction contract accounted for our budget, sometimes a cost surprise would pop up. For example, in one case, our living experience in the Northeast didn't inform us about Florida living. So who knew gutters would be an extra cost? Well, a Florida resident, perhaps.
Conclusion
I would have liked a superhero power—to see what was happening in Florida while teleworking. Or the ability to know the future—to know we were making the right decisions. But, I relied instead on the superpower of Trust, stayed open to the process, and adapted at sideway turns. And not to worry too much about running into those brute siblings mentioned earlier because once you get through them, you get to find Joy.
To learn more about our journey, check out Building A Dream: The Joyous, Twisty Journey to Breaking Ground on a Beach House. Book release date: summer of 2023.