Update

Yesterday I sent an email to the construction superintendent on my new house and asked for an update. In the afternoon I got a reply from a man with a Del Webb email address. The man I had been corresponding with had a Pulte email address. The new person said they are installing the "electrical rough" this week, the house had been "frame punched" and there would be a "plumbing top-out inspection" this week. I am not quite sure what all those terms mean, but it sounds like progress. I am driving up to Frisco on the 15th of June. I am really ready to see the real thing.

 

I am going to have a limited amount of time in Frisco. I have made appointments with one lady who installs plantation shutters. I am going to contact a couple more. I want to get three bids. I made an appointment with the landscape architect. He has an office in the Frisco Lakes sales center. I also want to meet with the construction superintendent and my sales associate. I thought I would go by the Sears store in Stonebriar Mall. I am going to watch the Sears sales, and I want to have a sales person at the Frisco store that I can call if a good sale price is offered. I am hoping I can get a good price and have them hold off on delivery. I am also going to check out the Home Depot and Lowes stores. There is going to be a Frisco Lakes town meeting to discuss a temporary park and after the meeting there will be a wine and cheese social to meet your neighbors. I am also going to take some of my books to donate to the library.

 

The Texas PUC has a website that allows you to compare electrical utility rates. AT&T also has a website for movers that allows you to sign up in one place for your utilities. Gexa is the electrical power company that partners with American Airlines to offer AAdvantage frequent flier miles. I am pleased to find they have the lowest rates. I have only found good comments about them on the FlyerTalk and Frisco-Online forums. Unless some unfavorable information turns up I will sign up with Gexa. In Southeast Texas the electrical power is still regulated. Entergy Texas is the only provider. I tried to figure out what I am paying for a KWHr with Entergy. It is really complicated. I think the rate is about 1.5 cents cheaper than Gexa, but I am not certain. Entergy Texas had tremendous expenses due to Hurricane Rita and is asking for rate increases. I doubt if their rates will be less than Gexa for very long. The new house is one story. My present home has two stories. Since there will be more roof area exposed to the sun I am expecting my cooling bills to be higher. The new house will be Energy Star rated. My current home is well insulated, and I have felt that my energy bills have been quite reasonable. With the Energy Star rated house and with new Energy Star rated appliances I should be in fairly good shape

 

There is a possibility of more rain today. I do not think any fell at my house yesterday. The paper said that the final total in the hardest hit places was over 17 inches. Hurricane Rita only dropped 9 inches on Beaumont, but that was horizontal wind-driven rain. In 2001 Tropical Storm Allison dropped 12 inches on this area. Allison was the storm that caused the terrible flooding in Houston.