Good news, I can get what I want.

I had planned to go to Sterling Homes in Manteca (a 200 mile round trip from San Rafael) to put in an order for the home, but I was so bummed learning that what I wanted to build couldn't be built on the site, I thought I should rethink the entire house, maybe drive up to Woodland (both Silvercrest and Skyline factories are in Woodland), and see what was on their lots that would fit on my lot.  So, I dithered for a while Thursday morning, and finally realized that I really did want a Skyline home, and that all the models were on the Sterling's Manteca lot.   So got into the car and headed off.

As an aside:  (a) VERY glad I have a Prius and (b) I know there are folks that commute daily from Stockton, Tracey and Livermore to San Francisco and Oakland, and I dunno how they do it.  That is the suckiest commute EVER!

David, the gentleman I spoke with previously was great.  I told him there were two issues with the home I had been planning to put on the lot.  (1)  it was too big, I could only put a 52' long home there, and that the floor plan I liked would only fit on the lot with the front facing the cul-de-sac, or the dining room looking into the neighbor's yard.    He tells me, "No problem, we'll just flip the house (mirror image) and knock 4' out of it.  Huh?  Wow!    It was that easy.  So my two basic assumptions were totally erroneous (1) not cheaper, as there is a modification fee and (2) I could actually have the floor plan I wanted!

I spent four hours there, picking out all the details, reviewing a preliminary plan, picking colors, and generally making sure that (as lovely as the folks are) I don't have to make that drive to Manteca again.

So, here's my real floor plan.

So, next step, meet with the Skyline Contractor on the site.  Once the order is received by the factory, it takes about 15 days to build, and about 3 days to get up and on the site.

The house, itself, is pretty much finalized.  There will be nit-picky details, but on the whole, details are selected, price quoted.

So, for the most part, the fun stuff is done.  Now I have to coordinate the removal of the house, get the lot prepped, pack (UGH!! I hate this part), figure out how to move to someplace that might not be ready when I am, de-clutter and downsize.  Oh yeah, and pay for all of this.