Discover Tips and Advice from Lindal Homeowners

Having called 19 different houses "home," Bill and Mary Lou Bryden had plenty of opportunity to put together their wish list for their retirement home. In addition to this experience, they bought every home planning and design magazine they could lay their hands on. "We clipped every home plan and design idea we liked and created a 'new home design' folder," admitted the Brydens. "A year or so into this process, we came across a Lindal Cedar Homes ad. We sent for their home design book and were hooked. The only question left was which design."

The Brydens began working with Lindal Cedar Homes and Rogers Enterprises in the early 1990s. They started by writing down their requirements:

• Designed for their retirement years
• Easy floor plan to allow for entertaining
• Maximize shared open space
• Accommodate personal hobbies and special interests
• Provide a large, open work area

Then in 1991, they purchased their lot. The lot provided several limitations that dictated design restrictions. "After selecting the Lindal plan that most closely met our desires, we tested Lindal's offer to modify any plan," said the Brydens.

In September of 2000, they had completed more than eight iterations and their final building plans. All these plans and revisions were covered by the initial design fee and planning deposit. "For us, this phase lasted for over 10 years," admitted the Brydens. "It could have been much shorter (we just started planning for retirement early), but in many ways this was one of the more enjoyable parts of our building experience."

The next step was mastering the approval process for the groundbreaking. "This is definitely a new experience for anyone who has not built a home before," the Brydens reported. "Thankfully, our builder and Lindal Representative assisted in getting the various approvals necessary."

Finally, it was delivery time. "What a sight seeing those big flatbed trucks roll up with our new home on board!" shared the Brydens. "We got a first-hand look at the quality of the components of our home." After the inventory was complete, their Lindal Rep then sent the inventory report to the Lindal office and the discrepancies were corrected immediately. "The planning was fun, the construction exciting, but the living is the absolute delight we had hoped for. We have found our dream home, and it is a Lindal."