Orchard Hills - Capella by Taylor Morrison

[Bubba]

Ask the design center to not put any flooring wherever standard ceramic tile is installed if you want to change the flooring after COE. Several of my neighbors took this route (we also live in the Groves). They really shouldn't be objected to it because technically you?re still paying for standard material. This definitely gets rid of the headache involved with demo-ing tile, not to mention the extra cost. Don?t be afraid if they say no at first. Just stand your ground until they say yes. Bring up your concern about damaging the kitchen cabinets, and tell them that you aren't completely satisfied with the flooring options they had to offer at the design center to really put the icing on the cake.

Won't happen in this area.  None of the builders will ever agree to this, as there are warranty liabilities on their end.  It's not a matter of standing your ground.  It's their legal teams that will prevent it from happening...ever.

Well, I could certainly tell you that the builders agreed to this in my subdivision in the Groves. I've also seen this in other tracts in homes that have closed escrow in the area. Not completely out of the ordinary. But maybe I just let the cat out of the bag? My family didn't take this route and I'm not exactly sure how the process goes, but I'm sure you have to agree to certain terms before going forward with not getting any flooring installed.

Perhaps your neighbors all paid cash and bought their homes outright.  The official line from Irvine Pacific is that unless you're paying cash for your home, you have to have the type of flooring they designated or better.  That is, you cannot choose lineoleum instead of tile in the kitchen because that is inferior to tile, but you can upgrade the tile to hardwood floors.  If you cay cash, then they can leave flooring bare.  I think it has to do with the banks because if, let's say, you don't get your loan, the bank can easily turn around and sell a finished home versus a home with bare floors.  Let's be real, the builders are not in it to help the buyers save money, it's all about what helps line their pockets.

 

[lnc]

If the builder or the lender won't allow bare floor to COE for whatever the reason, let's see if the builder allow all carpet option.

Carpets are easiest to remove and less likely to cause damages.  Instead of standard ceramic tiles or the vinyl flooring, ask the builder to place the standard carpet on the entire floor instead.

Edit: Never mind, just read Paris's comment.  All carpet are not allowed.

 

[OC troll]

whats the standard tile usually? Is it the 12x12 or are they now 12x24?

 

[aquabliss]

12x12, sometimes 14x14

 

[ChasingRainbows]

If the builder/lender won't allow for bare floors, how about other less essential items? Could they skip the standard granite backsplash in the kitchen so you can put in your own backsplash after COE (and avoid demo)?

 

[aquabliss]

don't you just love the people who put a custom tile or stone backsplash on top of the 6" granite standard backsplash.

 

[Paris167]

don't you just love the people who put a custom tile or stone backsplash on top of the 6" granite standard backsplash.

Omg that is so ghetto! People do that???

 

[bones]

don't you just love the people who put a custom tile or stone backsplash on top of the 6" granite standard backsplash.

Omg that is so ghetto! People do that???

Yea come on. No one does that. Pic or it didn't happen.

 

[Bubba]

don't you just love the people who put a custom tile or stone backsplash on top of the 6" granite standard backsplash.

;D
I recently went to visit a friend and saw they have white 4x4 tile backsplash on top of the granite standard backsplash.  I couldn't look away, it was awful.

 

[bones]

don't you just love the people who put a custom tile or stone backsplash on top of the 6" granite standard backsplash.

;D
I recently went to visit a friend and saw they have white 4x4 tile backsplash on top of the granite standard backsplash.  I couldn't look away, it was awful.

You guys are bad friends. Friends do not let friends do this!!

 

[aquabliss]

I'm telling you guys, this is not that uncommon! 

Here's some pics from qwerty's and ps9's house (jk guys)...

 

[tentfox]

Argh! That granite backsplash is easy to remove as well.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Seems like OpenSky is the only one who did it right.

If I remember correctly, when he redid his backsplash, he had the installers remove the granite footer.

The white 4x4 tiles would probably be the least offensive as it would almost be like a plain wall... the stone ones that aquabliss posted are ugly but if you think about functionality, the granite is easier to clean than the stones.

 

[Paris167]

When you're talking about a home over a million dollars in price there are certain design expectations that come with that. Whether you do upgrades before or after COE things like square white tile and the above massive design flaws do not belong in homes at that price point.

Anytime you do even a small upgrade on a more expensive home I would assume you would get that investment back more upon selling than if you did that same upgrade on a $400k home in the inland empire.

And if people don't know which design choices look good, please ask an interior designer. I think that consultation is worth it. Some of my neighbors actually took their designer to the design center appointments to help them make the right choices which is very smart, esp if you have no clue what you're doing with interior design.

 

[JBean72]

Unbelievably hideous - having coinage does not always equate to having good taste! But if they have $$ to splurge on a mil plus home, they have money to consult with an interior designer as Paris said! We always remain neutral and classic with our design palette too for resale purposes.

 

[aquabliss]

Looks like the sellers of this $1.8M gem in PP also tiled their backsplash on top of the standard  6" granite splash:https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/180-Osage-92618/home/85395025

 

[lnc]

Looks like the sellers of this $1.8M gem in PP also tiled their backsplash on top of the standard  6" granite splash:https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/180-Osage-92618/home/85395025

Actually this one doesn't look bad at all.  Maybe it's the color of the tile that matches well.

 

[aquabliss]

If you look at the entire kitchen I think it will still look tacky.  Look at the pic below.  You will notice:
- On the left side, the tiling doesn't match up with the backsplash.  I think they decided to end it there because that's where the cabinets end.  However this leaves the counter and backsplash shifted by about 3 inches.
- There's a niche on the right side that they left drywall on, makes it look inconsistent.

 

[bones]

Matching or not matching - I don't like it.  IIRC, it's not hard to get the design center to delete the 6" standard splash.

 

[Jonah]

It's not to my taste, it's all far too heavy looking and there's some inconsistency in that they've left the other side completely devoid of any backsplash.  I guess beauty does indeed lie in the eyes of the beholder.