Picking a Plan

One of the best things about WH? Lots of floor plans. One of the worst things? Lots of floor plans. We went through models at 3 of the Ohio model centers, went to several open houses, and viewed maybe 6 houses under construction. As interesting as it is to look at all the plans on paper, it’s so much easier when there’s a physical space to walk through.

On our first visit to Wayne Homes many years ago, we met with Kristi. She told us to take our time- she had been worked with one client for 5 years before he built! I made a comment that 5 years was ridiculous, and no one should have to mess around that long. And here we are, 6 years later. Crow? It’s tasty!

Anyway, Kristi has been there from the beginning, and been nothing but supportive and accommodating. We had gone through the process w/ the Hartford II and were ready to sign when a family issue caused a holdup. We started all over with the Montgomery, and fortunately this one stuck. Ultimately we chose a ranch because this is our forever home, and we didn't want an upstairs we might not be able to access. The Montgomery had the size we needed and a layout we could tweak to suit our needs. The Craftsman exterior option sealed the deal.


We made several little modifications to the plan, and a few big ones. Whenever I asked about doing something I had seen on another model or in a magazine, Kristi made it happen. I’m not sure if all of the sales consultants are that talented at design, but Kristi is awesome. Fine tuning our plan took maybe 4 visits. The big decisions seemed to be the easiest, while I struggled with the small things.

One of the criticisms I had read about WH is that they lure you in with a low price then charge you for extras. Excuse me, but duh. It’s like buying a car. To get the lowest price, you’re not going to get a CD player, power everything and AC. You’re going to get the base model. We had a very definite budget, and Kristi worked with us to stay within that number. Are there WH clients for whom money is no object? Sure. We, however, are not those people.

When it came down to it, we spent our money on structural things- added sq. ft, full basement, etc. Cosmetic things can be changed down the road. While I would have liked granite countertops, a nice laminate will do for now. We also cheaped out on the flooring. With two very active boys, we went in knowing the flooring would have to be replaced sooner rather than later. Just go into the process knowing that there are upgrades you’ll want and you’ll have to pay for them. Also make sure of your wants vs. needs, and the things that are easy to change later if necessary.

I’ll also throw in here that our boys had to come with us on some of our visits to the model center. We were never made to feel that they were unwelcome. There’s a little lounge area with a TV that they would hang out in. And thanks to the fresh-baked cookies that are always available, they were happy little campers.