30. Exterior Completion

When your flatwork is poured your homebuilder will continue with the completion of the exterior of your home.  This goes pretty quick depending on time of year and the weather.  Once your flatwork is poured and the forms are racked your homebuilder will final grade your lot/land.  The drainage will be touched up to ensure that it is working and the lot will be smoothed out and prepared for sodd and landscape installation.  Your drainage was established during your rough grade.  Your gutters will be installed after the final grade and prior to the placement of the sod. Different builders have different packages and address sod differently.  Some will sodd the front yard, some will sod the front and side.  Some will 'Sprigg' the rear yard, some will 'Hydro-Mulch' the rearyard, while others will completely sod the rear yard.  You should know what you and your homebuilder signed up for at the beginning of the process.  If you are having a privacy fence installed the fence contractor will need to be 100% complete prior to the installation of your sodd. This is so the sod can be watered without having someone track through it.  In neighborhoods your homebuilder should have a pattern established for how the fence installation is going to take place to avoid any confusion with his clients.  As you know, on fences you have a finished side and the side with the cross boards showing.  There are a lot of reasons for having and not having either.  Some are the boys will use the cross boards to climb on, or the cross boards will be great for the strings for my garden.  Here are a couple of things you can count on - Corner lots will have the finish side out, you will get one side run with the cross boards in your yard and the rear run will be determined by the homebuyer who's fence is installed first.  Now some homebuilders and communities require 'Good Neighbor' fenceing on the rear run and sometimes even on the side runs.  A 'Good Neighbor' fence is one where the panels are alternated,  finished side - cross boards -finished side - cross boards, all the way.  Usually the exterior of your home is completed around the time your mechanical trims are being punched and inspected.  This will mean your homebuilder will have to water your yard and he should mow it prior to move-in.  The exterior is complete and most homebuilders do not care if you come out and help with the watering of your grass and plants.  Don't abuse the privilege by leaving the water on all night or letting the sprinklers water the streets.  Your home is starting to  look like a Home when you drive up to it.