Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Conflicting Values?

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

Norman -- what is your community and where is it?  Thanks1  AZ
On 5/22/06 4:52 AM, "Anne Jackson" <a.jackson [at] rocketmail.com> wrote:

> If affordability were our #1 concern, we would not have included a swimming
> pool and spa in our project.  We also would have designed the exteriors to
> be less expensive.  Instead, having a complicated roof line covered with red
> tile and having stucco siding instead of cheaper aluminum or vinyl
> contributed to the extra cost.  Often cohousing projects save by building
> 4-unit or 5-unit buildings.  Instead, we built duplexes and triplexes.
> Because of the extra space needed for these 2- and 3-unit buildings, there
> was not enough room for parking, necessitating the construction of a 31-car
> underground garage (very expensive!).
> 
> Having the buildings designed like row houses would also have saved money.
> Instead, most of our buildings had multiple floor plans and some even had a
> mixture of one- and two-story living units.
> 
> In developments, having a feeling for the costs of the various options early
> in the design process is a great help.  Unfortunately, our architect could
> not provide any cost info.  We didn't learn about costs until most of the
> design process was finished.  Also, many change orders submitted to the
> building contractor increased our costs even more.
> 
> It's nice to have affordability as your #1 value.  But, if your community
> members have higher standards than what emphasis on affordability provides,
> this value will not be easily achieved.
> 
> Norm Gauss
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Regan Conley" <reganconley [at] earthlink.net>
> To: "Cohousing-L" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 4:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Conflicting Values?
> 
> 
>> 
>> On May 19, 2006, at 1:44 PM, Eileen McCourt wrote:
>> 
>>> We lost virtually all the members concerned with affordability as
>>> their #1
>>> priority before move-in and the homes were ultimately more costly
>>> for those
>>> who did move in.
>> 
>> Why did you lose all the members concerned with affordability?
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>