The kitchen is designed as an open plan with a long island integrated with a seated space.

I was going to get new cabinets but a designer friend of mine said the shiplap cabinets would look beautiful if we painted white with a black hardware.

Can you change the countertop color/design by glazing? 

The Hasbro, Hasbro Gaming, Parker Brothers, and Monopoly names and logos, the distinctive design of the gameboard, the four corner squares, the Mr.

Hand textured walls and ceilings, new kitchen and bathrooms, new windows and sliding door, tiled floors throughout the house, painted interior and exterior, replaced water heater, plumbed in a utility sink and built a large workspace in the garage, even tiled the front porch.

The key here is to designate in your lease the order in which monies received will be applied, in this case to utility bills first, rent last.

If I know from the start that I can't get the addition all the way through permitting and inspection, I'll just specify tearing it down to begin with and save $5-10k in fees to redo the drawings and go through Urban Design approvals again to come to the same conclusion.   

Bigger Pockets has a forum designed just for this type of a question under "Finance, Tax, and Legal". 

That sounds like a potential road block or at least a pain.While waterfront property is the most desirable, I'd be very nervous about starting a spec house that likely won't be complete for 2+ years (after approvals, design, etc.).

@Josiah SiaIt can be done I've been able to pull it off a few times, but like many others have said it really is best designed for cash paid deals for a number of reasons.With that said don't be discouraged if your not in a position to pay cash give it a shot.