Little Things Not To Forget When Building…!

As you know there are many things to consider when building a house… here is a compilation of lots of little things you may want to do or at least consider when going through the planning or design process. Including my own experience as well as researched what other buyers did that they loved, or wish they had done 🙂

Closet & Organization

• Make sure your closet has enough space for both double hung rods, and singles to accommodate long clothes
• Full size broom cupboard in pantry or laundry room to hide all the cleaning items out of sight
• More closet/linen space than you think you’ll need!
• Plenty of storage for holiday or seasonal decoration
• Cubbies in mudroom with an outlet in each one (may want to consider outlets with USB ports for charging phones, tablets, etc.)

     

Bath

• Outlets inside vanity cabinets (upper and lower) in bathroom for dryer, and other accessories
• Heated towel racks
• Don’t let them caulk the bottom of your toilet to the tile (which can hide potential leaks)
• Make use of room in between wall studs and pony wall by turning it into extra storage- which you can never have enough of

Outdoor

• Pre-wire for speakers (both indoor and outdoor)
• Hot/cold outdoor water is good for washing pets
• Motion sensor pre-wire for selected exterior lights
• Keypad entry on garage door (and front door as well!)
• Gas line to grill

Kitchen

• Recess the fridge (there’s nothing worse than a beautifully designed kitchen where the refrigerator juts out too far)
• Pasta filler faucet near the stove top (so you don’t have to lug the pots full of water from the sink to the stove top)

• Custom storage organization in kitchen drawers
• Warming drawer in dining room or butler’s pantry- great for entertaining
• Custom shelves and place to plug appliances in pantry
• Pantry door on swivel (easy access when your hands are full)
• Pantry light on motion sensor
• Knife drawer
• Pull-out garbage/recycling/laundry (for dirty dish towels/napkins/bibs, etc.)
• Drawers for all lower cabinets (more efficient use of space)

• Easy-access place to store frequently used appliances

Electrical & Plumbing

• Pre-wire security system and cameras or look into automated home security systems (digital systems are cheaper from what I’ve heard and allow you to easily control settings while away from home)
  
• Photos of electrical, plumbing and windows before drywall goes up for future reference
• Separate 20z circuit with outlets at waist height in garage to plug in tools
• Pre-wire for surround sound and music (inside and out)
• iPad controllers in the walls to control whole house music systems
• Pre-wire for generator to essential areas
• Include a 220v to garage (tools, future electric car, etc.)
• Measure the location of anything under the slab, and various utilities out in the yard
• Run an electrical line with a few floor outlets, especially since we have very open floor plans these days and the couches are not always against the walls

Lighting

• Light switch to the attic in the hallway
• In cabinet lights and outside lights on timers
• Check the cost ratings of ceiling fans
• 3 way switches are helpful
• Master switch from master bedroom that controls all exterior lights
• A master switch at each exit (front, back or garage) that turns off all the power to the switches/lights in the house so you don’t have to go to each room)

Master Bedroom

• 4 plug outlets near the bed in the master (again, consider the new outlets with USB ports for charging phones, tablets, etc.)
• A light switch at the head of your bed so you can turn out the lights once you are in bed

Pets

• Plan a specific place for your dog or cat food
• Place for the kitty box if applicable
• Place for dogs to be bathed
• Place for dog crates

Overall

• Check out Myron Ferguson’s book, “Better Houses, Better Living”
• Receptacles for fire extinguishers. Maybe plan some cutouts so they are flush to the wall.
• Where possible, pocket doors
• Soundproofing where needed (ex. in between laundry room and bedroom wall)
• Additional support during framing on the top side of windows for curtains
• Ensure builders don’t “box” off spaces where storage or shelving could go
• Minimal walls, lots of windows
• Actual laundry room (not a hall or closet, a room)
• Spindles on hand rail made that can be removed for moving furniture
• Handicapped accessible

Related articles

• 37 Builder Upgrades You SHOULD DO (houseofbrokersrealty.wordpress.com)
• The Pantry (donnaparkerblog.wordpress.com)
• Creative New Home Electrical Ideas (sandfordnoah.wordpress.com)