raindancer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,095
Jun 26, 2014 20:10:29 GMT
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Post by raindancer on Apr 25, 2016 13:57:26 GMT
This is the second time we have built. We learned a lot from our first build and had some regrets we plan on not repeating.
One was not upgrading elevation (we are using a builder not building custom), and not upgrading fixtures. By the time we finished it was nearly as expensive and was just a huge hassle all around. We included pull outs in the cabinets and loved that and plan to do it again.
I just wondered if you have been through it what you learned or wished you had done differently. Might learn from someone else's mistakes/good choices that I would have not thought about.
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scrappinspidey2
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,511
Location: In the Parlor with the Fly
Mar 18, 2015 19:19:37 GMT
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Post by scrappinspidey2 on Apr 25, 2016 14:09:27 GMT
When we built our house, I wish we had just sucked it up and gotten the flooring we wanted. We ended up with a mix of stuff and carpet in the worst areas. I hate carpet for so many reasons. we kept saying we would replace it in a few years, and that few years turned into 10+ and they still weren't replaced by the time I had to sell the house. If I were to build a house again, I would get the flooring I want and cut back somewhere else.
Also every single available electrical upgrade they allow.
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gloryjoy
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,332
Jun 26, 2014 12:35:32 GMT
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Post by gloryjoy on Apr 25, 2016 14:18:49 GMT
Finishing your entire basement.
When we built we only had the playroom/recroom finished and it took us years to finish the rest of the basement. It wouldn't have added that much to our mortgage to have had it all finished when we built.
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Post by ntsf on Apr 25, 2016 14:21:04 GMT
put laundry near bedrooms.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Apr 25, 2016 14:27:59 GMT
Haven't built but did a major remodel three years ago. There are only a couple of things I would do differently, both in the kitchen. Instead of double wall ovens and then a 36" cooktop on my island, I would go with a 36" range in the island and no wall ovens. I really miss that 30" of counter space that the wall ovens take up. Also, I'm only 5'4" and have found the upper oven to be a bear to use so mostly just use the lower one.
The other thing I did was have built in trash and recycling drawers built in. In a do over, I would just have one drawer, but a bit wider to accommodate both cans. That would have cut down on the space required and allowed me more space on the cabinet next to it. Everything else is perfect, a testament to our fantastic designer!
You mention doing pull outs on your cabinets. Have you considered drawers instead of cabinets? Other than our trash drawer, all our lowers are drawers. We love it so much I don't plan to ever have lower cabinets (even with pullouts) again. If you look over at GardenWeb, there are cabinet fanatics who have figured out how much extra storage space you gain by having drawers vs. pullouts. While the extra space is nice, I like the ability to be able to see everything in that drawer. We have some that are narrow and others are deeper. So much easier to put away things, stay organized and find what you want.
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Post by LilyRose on Apr 25, 2016 14:35:03 GMT
Will you have a fireplace with a mantel? If so, consider an outlet next to the mantel (at that height) for holiday lights, small lamps, etc.
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Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,639
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jul 8, 2014 16:31:47 GMT
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Post by Loydene on Apr 25, 2016 14:38:55 GMT
Think about Christmas trees and lights. Do you put lights in the eaves outside? If so, then get outlets UP THERE! I placed a Christmas tree on the upstairs landing, in the only place available and realized that the extension cord was going to cross the walking space since there wasn't on outlet anywhere close on that wall!
Shut off valves -- at each water place! This house doesn't' have shut off valves in places that I think it should have them -- under EVERY sink! The whole water system has to be shut off to change a washer!
Outside water faucets -- and electrical. I have one outside electrical outlet -- in the back yard. I really could use one on each side of the house - at least -- maybe two on the longest side. Similarly with water faucets outside. To water the few flowers on the end of the house, I have to drag a hose from either the back or the front all the way across the span of the house. A couple of extra outdoor water faucets would go far to help that situation (as would a sprinkler system - which would be way better but also much more expensive!)
I really like motion detector lights around the house up against the roof line. I had a backyard that was darker than the hubs of the lowest depths of hell -- I had motion detector lights installed and they were great!
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Post by cakediva on Apr 25, 2016 15:25:42 GMT
I really wish we had gotten lighting under our upper cabinets in the kitchen. We have pot lights in the kitchen, and the corners are kind of dark to work in.
I also wish we would have specified that we wanted our kitchen island to be stationary on the kitchen floor. Ours moves! We paid extra for fixtures above the island, and I think they put them too far out - so I have a good 5 ft between my island and the cupboards/stove against the wall. Of course, we can move the island, but then the hanging lights are not centred above the island.
And I wish we had really looked at the master ensuite floor plan. It is a giant waste of space with things in stupid spots. The big blank wall that I could put a really great shelving unit against? The freaking heating duct is smack in the middle of it. And the door opens against the shower, so any mat we have in front of it always gets caught up in the door. Really poor design. That room is my bucket list for redoing for sure!
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Post by lbp on Apr 25, 2016 16:08:08 GMT
We built our house 30 years ago when we were young and foolish! I wish we had went with a single story house now that I am older and wiser! I also wish I had a larger laundry room with sinks. We also don't have large enough closets.
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Post by refugeepea on Apr 25, 2016 16:20:15 GMT
I have not built a home, but I agree with the flooring. I would skimp in other areas. Maybe not a popular opinion, but I don't care about tile in the showers. I'm fine with a surround.
My home was built in the 90's and I have learned I would go with very traditional features. Nothing trendy when it comes to kitchens, flooring (hello blue carpet!), bathrooms, and light fixtures. Make it more trendy with furniture and accessories.
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Post by coaliesquirrel on Apr 25, 2016 16:31:00 GMT
Think about Christmas trees and lights. Do you put lights in the eaves outside? If so, then get outlets UP THERE! and make those outlets operable from a light switch! Ours is in our coat closet so it doesn't get accidentally switched. We made a cupboard to accommodate a full-sized (tall, 13 gal, maybe?) kitchen trash can and LOVE not having to empty it super frequently. One of my favorite things about our bathroom is that on my side of the counter, there's a deep (12", maybe a bit more) drawer with a power strip screwed down inside. That way every morning, I can just chuck my hairdryer and curling iron back in and close it to get them out of the way without having to unplug each time. We have 2 other drawers below it, and then a cupboard with shelves above to the ceiling. At the back of the bottom shelf, there's an outlet too, which is great for DH's razor charger thing, etc. - stuff we don't access REAL often and don't want sitting out. We did this same setup in DD's bathroom as well. After all the electrical, plumbing, HVAC is in but before the walls are sheetrocked, take photos of each wall, with a tape measure if there aren't enough landmarks like windows, etc. We have accessed our photos innumerable times in 8 yrs. to be sure we weren't about to hammer into a ductwork run or electrical line. Also, if you're handy, before those walls are closed up, get some lumber scraps and piece them into the studs in places where you anticipate hanging large/heavy items, putting up outside-mount window treatments, etc. It makes it a LOT easier when you know you've got a long stretch of lumber to hit and you're not just hoping the studs are spaced right for what you need! My biggest suggestion, though, is to know who you are and embrace it. We know we're pokey with laundry, so we made a 10x10 laundry room upstairs with our bedrooms - plenty of space for things to sit until we get to them. If you're someone who can't deal w/ clutter on your kitchen counters, make an "appliance garage" for your mixer, etc. If you hate shoes being worn in your house, make sure there will be a natural place to leave them at the door. Just think about whatever makes you CRAZY and address it in the plans.
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Post by sincity2003 on Apr 25, 2016 16:32:01 GMT
We just finished building and closed last week so are getting acclimated to things.
My biggest I wish right now was I wish we had upgraded the landscaping to not include mulch. It rained really hard Friday night and I woke up saturday morning to find the mulch all over the driveway and sidewalk to the house. It was a PITA to clean up.
And inside, we wished the light switches in our master bathroom were on the opposite wall.
We love our house, but based on other issues, we would never use our builder again.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,502
Aug 28, 2015 22:31:17 GMT
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Post by AmandaA on Apr 25, 2016 16:59:02 GMT
Will you have a fireplace with a mantel? If so, consider an outlet next to the mantel (at that height) for holiday lights, small lamps, etc. Our electrician suggested that when we built! Ours is recessed into the top of the mantel. I will do that again for sure if we build another house.
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Post by shutterbug2sue on Apr 25, 2016 17:02:32 GMT
Add more electrical outlets (maybe a double bank/4 outlets) at busy spots; bedroom nightstand uses two (lamp and clock radio) and I have to add a power strip for the phone cord, or vaporizer when needed. The kitchen is our phone charging station and we're always short plugs.
Add enough storage options; we don't enough closets and the official coat closet (placed at the not-used but "front" entrance) is turning into the board game/puzzle closet.
Make sure the laundry room is functional and has room to store laundry baskets (short term or long term). My husband works outside so he usually dumps those in the laundry room instead of tracking the dirt through the house.
Review the floor vents. I hate how they are usually under the window and I have to watch my toes as I go to raise/lower the shades.
Add ceiling fans to rooms.
Try to visualize the space and how it will be used; our master bedroom is BIG but the extra space is wasted (I want to add a craft table in there to use up the space!)
Our kids' room have dormers - hate those - as they get double closet (yeah) but the dormer space is hard to make functional - and then the wall adjacent to the dormer wall is too short for a normal dresser.
Keep in mind that the layout may need tweaking even though you pay good money for that design. We had some odd wall configurations... we pushed out the kitchen wall to make the kitchen nook into a full size dining area and it allowed us to use the "dining" room as a study. We widened the kids' room by pushing a wall to the roof joists - it was another 3' of width for that room! We also enclosed the covered walk way from the garage to the house and added the mud room/laundry and a 1/2 bath in that space.
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,787
Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Apr 25, 2016 17:07:01 GMT
DH and I built house #2 for us in 2004. No builder, we did it all ourselves.....I still love it 12 years later!
Pot filler in the kitchen
Central vacuum
No carpet anywhere
Maximize Windows if you want a bright house
Eve outlets for Christmas lights
In floor outlets for reading lights
Ceiling lights/fans in all bedrooms
Island with a small but deep sink, no cooktop on the island
Eat in kitchen
Large 5 burner gas range with electric ovens below- one standard size oven and a smaller "side" oven. Believe me, that side oven gets used all the time! I thought it would be a waste
On demand water heater that is plumbed as a manifold not series. Add in a recirculating pump with a button easily accessible
Huge covered back porch
Very large laundry room with a regular sink (not a plastic laundry tub) in a large cabinet with lots of counter space. A spot to hang up clothes and places to put laundry baskets while laundry is being done.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,502
Aug 28, 2015 22:31:17 GMT
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Post by AmandaA on Apr 25, 2016 17:19:07 GMT
If we did it all again.... I would spend the extra money for a paneled fridge (instead of stainless). Have my dishwasher and trash compactor paneled and LOVE it. I can't live without my trash compactor We still got a pull out trash can cabinet for recyclables and love how it works for us Finish the basement at the same time- I swear there is still drywall dust floating around 2 years later. You cannot swiffer hand scraped wood floors- lesson learned. Think about what kind of window coverings you will use and make sure you pick windows that can accommodate the hardware and are deep enough Would do our geothermal system and spray foam insulation again for sure We pre wired for all kinds of speakers and AV stuff that we added later We had a huge tv antenna put in our attic with cable run to each room so we get awesome reception for local channels (and there are a ton!) We had blocking added in between the studs in all of the bathrooms where the towel bars and such would go, curtain rods too. This way we knew we would be in solid wood and never had to mess with anchors or things getting loose or tearing up the drywall later. We took photos of every single wall, from every angle, before the drywall went up. We know where all of the wiring, plumbing, and studs are! And that has come in handy on many occasions. If you get tile, pay the extra for power grout that doesn't need sealed and is stain resistant. I wish we had used a no-maintenance composite decking material. I let DH talk me out of it and we both regret it. We did the landscaping ourselves a bit later, but hired a professional to design it and just followed her plans. And be picky! It is a huge investment and should be exactly how you want it
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Post by lancermom on Apr 25, 2016 18:33:50 GMT
Almost 20 years ago, we did have some stuff I was glad we did.
Outlets in eves, with a switch behind front door. Really nice not to have to go outside to unplug.
Lights under cabinets. Just want to replace with smaller LED.
Open floor plan. Love it.
Things I regret. Wish we would have opted for fourth bedroom instead of open ceiling. Pushed house out one foot. We have this weird landing. A header to separate the rooms. Painting is a pain. Make sure counter lined up with window. Two inches off, do you paint to counter, or window? (Counter to be replaced in a year) Window above front door, make it a decorative window. Lastly if I could really start over, a single story. We have three + acres, plenty room to do whatever we wanted.
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Post by knit.pea on Apr 25, 2016 19:28:28 GMT
We made a cupboard to accommodate a full-sized (tall, 13 gal, maybe?) kitchen trash can and LOVE not having to empty it super frequently. After all the electrical, plumbing, HVAC is in but before the walls are sheetrocked, take photos of each wall, with a tape measure if there aren't enough landmarks like windows, etc. We have accessed our photos innumerable times in 8 yrs. to be sure we weren't about to hammer into a ductwork run or electrical line. Also, if you're handy, before those walls are closed up, get some lumber scraps and piece them into the studs in places where you anticipate hanging large/heavy items, putting up outside-mount window treatments, etc. It makes it a LOT easier when you know you've got a long stretch of lumber to hit and you're not just hoping the studs are spaced right for what you need! My biggest suggestion, though, is to know who you are and embrace it. We know we're pokey with laundry, so we made a 10x10 laundry room upstairs with our bedrooms - plenty of space for things to sit until we get to them. If you're someone who can't deal w/ clutter on your kitchen counters, make an "appliance garage" for your mixer, etc. If you hate shoes being worn in your house, make sure there will be a natural place to leave them at the door. Just think about whatever makes you CRAZY and address it in the plans. Definitely these. Walk the proposed house layout in your head, so you know if it all makes sense. Our garage door opens into the house at the dining area. I did not realize how much that would bother me, with shoes and snowy clothes. Our furnace is directly under our family room, and the blower is very noisy when it runs. We have to turn up the tv Someone else mentioned outdoor faucets. Be sure you have one on each side of the house. Connecting two hoses to reach is really annoying. We should have added another outlet on the back patio, for string lights. And inside, I would have made sure all the light switches were in logical, within-reach distance of the work area. Our thermostat is located within 5 feet of our oven (different room, though), and that can change whether the heat goes on. Makes for some cold nights upstairs when we forget. (My ILs house thermostat is across from their fireplace, which is equally an issue.) Love our pantry cabinet. Should have sprung for the roll-outs. Laundry room is big enough, but then we got a cat. Her litter pan, food, and water is in there so now there isn't room for the dirty clothes bins Love our pots and pans drawers. And love the full-width silverware/utensil drawer above those (open just one drawer).
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Post by workingclassdog on Apr 25, 2016 19:33:30 GMT
We didn't have a custom build but a regular house built.. track home, I guess you call it... we were limited to how much we could upgrade, (not much)... but I sure do wish we had picked better windows. Our windows suck and SO expensive to replace.
We did upgrade carpet/padding and that was a good choice.
We added extra outlets (actually wish we added more).. and ceiling hookups so we could put ceiling fans/lights up....
Also, we did add more to the cement patio out in the backyard... but wish we made it a bit bigger and added a cover for shade.... our backyard just gets way to hot in the afternoon and there is no shade.
BUT of course.. as you know upgrades are expensive.. but wish we could have at least done windows and a porch covering for shade..
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Post by gale w on Apr 25, 2016 21:32:47 GMT
Instead of pull outs in the kitchen I would do drawers. I did that and LOVE my drawers. With pull outs you still have to open the door all the way to pull out the tray, and you still have the risk of stuff falling off the tray. The drawers were 100% worth the extra cost.
As for what I wish, I wish we had a coat closet and I wish there were light switches in more places. I am so lazy I don't want to walk across the living room to turn out the light before going to bed. I wish I had a switch at the end where our bedroom is (in our house the master bedroom is right off the living room). I also wish we had a walk-in closet in our bedroom but we do have a big closet. It just isn't deep.
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Post by mom2rjcr on Apr 25, 2016 21:48:05 GMT
I wish I had gone ahead and upgraded ALL of our flooring. We did wood floors and tile downstairs. I wish we had gone ahead and done that upstairs too. The carpet is now nasty and needs to be replaced and it is going to cost me about 12,000 to replace them with wood floors. I also wish I had upgraded the light fixtures and faucets too. Expensive to do now. One thing we did do was to put some outlets in the floor in our family room since it is open to the kitchen there isn't a wall near the sofas. Glad my parents reminded me to do that!
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danceswithtrolls
Full Member
Posts: 156
Location: Alberta, Canada
Jul 7, 2014 1:13:40 GMT
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Post by danceswithtrolls on Apr 25, 2016 23:33:00 GMT
What I love and would do again is: Appliance garage
Extending the driveway so it was wider and could fit three cars on it. We also made the double garage four feet wider so we would have room for storage shelves and somewhere to put a beer fridge and deep freeze.
Under cabinet lighting
Laundry on the second level. we had a pocket door installed in the laundry room so we have access to our master closet from the laundry room
Solar tubes(kind of like small sky lights). They really bring in a lot of light. We had one put in the kids bathroom (cause it had no windows)as well as our bonus room.
What I wish we had done:
Heated tile flooring in the master bath
Put more consideration into picking our lot. I wish we had picked a lot on a street that was nearly completed. Instead we picked a lot on a brand new street that had very few homes built and we lived in a construction zone mess for a year. Most of the lots are now filled thank goodness. I also would have picked a lot across from a house on a corner. The houses on corners have parking all along the one side of them. Parking in the newer subdivision isn't always easy cause they pack the houses in and they all have double garages in front. So there is no room for street parking unless you are near a corner.
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danceswithtrolls
Full Member
Posts: 156
Location: Alberta, Canada
Jul 7, 2014 1:13:40 GMT
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Post by danceswithtrolls on Apr 25, 2016 23:46:49 GMT
Just thought of another thing I would change. As pretty as our glass shower is, I hate having to squeegee it down EVERY single time we shower. I would go with a bigger, walk in style shower that was all tile.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,247
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Apr 26, 2016 0:01:43 GMT
Very few regrets, considering we built in 1999.
A couple things I wish we'd done differently: We have a screened porch on the back. There is one electrical outlet out there and it's on the back wall of the house - but the same side as the outside screen door. We should have put another on the other side of the back door.
We have only one outlet on the front of the house and if we had done another on the other side of the front door it would be easier to do Christmas lights out there.
We did not finish our basement and don't regret that at all (don't need the living space), but I wish we had gone with a wider doorway/door into the basement. It would make it easier to get things in and out of the basement since you have to make a turn to go into the basement. It would have cost more, but also would have been good to make the basement with a 9' ceiling, to allow more head space if someone does finish the basement some day. But we were on a tight budget and had to choose what we upgraded.
If I were building now I'd definitely do the drawers in the kitchen instead of lower cabinets with shelves or pullouts. And I'd have lighting under the upper cabinets. We did do outlets on top which are great, and the outlet in the mantel. Might have made the mantel a little deeper than it is.
Oh yeah, one other thing. I was adamant about not wanting a step up to get into the house - so you go up three steps for the front porch and then it's plenty big enough to have multiple people standing there, but you walk straight into the house from there. Back door is two steps up into the screen porch and you walk into the house. Entrance from the garage is three steps up into the house. BUT nowhere do we have any railings. I only really thought about that problem when my brother broke his leg and was in a cast and on crutches for months. I hurt my knee about the same time and realized that the no railings could be a problem. And as my parents and my mother-in-law got older it became more of an issue for them. We have added a grab bar beside the garage door entrance into the house, and my mother only comes in and out that way now, but railings would be nice on the front steps.
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Post by Merge on Apr 26, 2016 0:06:14 GMT
Pay more attention to placement of light switches. There should be a switch at every entrance to a room, so you're never crossing a dark room to grope for a switch on the other side.
Have the patio plumbed with gas for a grill so you don't have to do it later. So much cheaper and more convenient than propane in the long run.
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Post by dewryce on Apr 26, 2016 0:21:27 GMT
Something I haven't seen listed that we really use and love is outlets and lighting in all of our closets, even the small linen closet in the hall and pantry. I like to keep some recharable items in our closets, so the outlets are great. Also, it is amazing how much our linen closet light helps, it's less than 2' deep, and the hall light is very close to it, but the light makes the biggest difference!
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Post by 5peanutsnana on Apr 26, 2016 0:42:57 GMT
I think a lot depends on what stage you are in your life. We built our first house in 1974 when our kids were 4 and 6. It was a 2 story colonial and we lived there 28 years.
We built our second house 14 years ago and it is on one floor. I still pretty much love everything about it. We did replace counter tops last summer with Cambria Quartz which are beautiful. Ditched the appliance garage.
Open concept.
Lower kitchen drawers for sure.
Laundry room near bedrooms.
No basement this time, poured concrete crawl space instead.
DH is electrician and he wired it, so we have tons of outlets and switches, including on fireplace.
Trex deck with built in benches.
My sunroom, oh how I love my sunroom!
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Post by sugarmama on Apr 26, 2016 1:02:35 GMT
I wish I would have built-in a dog kennel in the laundry or mudroom, along with a drip dry shower. I also wish I had gone ahead with the warming drawer--mostly needed during the holidays and big dinners.
What I am glad we did -- heavy insulation. Really helps with heating and air conditioning bills. Also, hardwood floors and shutters on the windows.
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Shel
Full Member
Posts: 408
Jul 16, 2014 0:32:12 GMT
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Post by Shel on Apr 26, 2016 1:39:10 GMT
We are in the process of building. It's our first time building but it's our 5th house so we really had a good sense of what we wanted to do from the outset knowing what we would and wouldn't ever get around to doing on our own. We also were able to really think through how we live and function and how we want the house to work best for us.
First we picked the ideal lot (we thought) but ended up changing the day we signed papers because after another drive by we realized the ugly electrical boxes were located on the original lot!
We are doing a complete basement finish and doing the flooring we want in each area. I will NOT have carpet in my formal dining room!!! Every house we've owned had carpet in there and I will never understand why! We also upgraded the carpet significantly and the padding. Having just replaced the carpet in the house we just sold we felt it was worth the money to get something we really liked and will last a long time.
I agree with the comments on outlets and would recommend making sure you have the type and quantity of lighting throughout the house. In my last house there was no light in the stairway going to the basement....my new house has 2 canned lights going down.
My husband worked through all the tv/wiring stuff to get everything how we want with some thought given to how things might change in the future as well. We will have a theater room so that was important.
I did splurge a bit on my kitchen but I cook/bake and spend a lot of time in there so I really wanted it to be a place where I had no regrets.
We also upgraded the trim package and added window sills. (We don't like plantation shutters so we prefer the sills).
Good luck!
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Post by flanz on Apr 26, 2016 2:31:28 GMT
Only one thing I wish we'd done differently with our addition: We have a small powder room off of our family room. We put the toilet on the outer wall because it was easier plumbing-wise, but all you can see if the pocket door is open is the toilet! I wish we had switched and had the pretty vanity with sink in that spot!!1
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