If you were building a new home, what would be your must haves?

[Redart59]

We purchased a piece of land in a 55+ community in Florida and we are heading down next week to do our design meeting to pick out all the stuff for the house. We have the ability to move walls, do stretches to the entire house, basically, anything we want. (Wel, my wallet may disagree with that last statement

this is our 1st time building and hopefully our last time moving so I want to get it right.

is there anything that your home doesn’t have that you wish it did or something that it has that you are so happy it does?

any advise is welcomed but looking for inexpensive add ons that would be difficult or expensive to add later. Thanks!

list so far.
Cabinets all the way around the island. (No pantry in our floor plan)
Gas line Spicket (probably not the right word) in back for the grill
1 outlet plug on each exterior wall
An outlet plug on the center of the living room wall for the tv
Garbage can holder in kitchen cabinets
Long thin window at the top of the master shower for light
Windows in garage door

 

[MillauFr]

In Florida I would recommend air conditioning. The weather is horrible 8 months out of the year.

 

[Minnie1222]

Full house generator.

 

[Redart59]

In Florida I would recommend air conditioning. The weather is horrible 8 months out of the year.

Haha. Pretty sure that is standard but thank you!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

If I ever build a house I will include a sizable storage room on each level and use them to store holiday decorations, cleaning supplies, hide the kids’ gifts prior to Christmas/birthdays, etc. All the things that I either want to keep centrally located or don’t want to store in a sweltering attic or freezing garage.

 

[tikilyn]

I built my house three years ago.
In the kitchen all the base cabinets were drawers except for under the sink and the trash pullout.
We have outlets installed in the eves for Christmas lights.
laundry room close to the master bedroom. I'm lazy and don't want to walk far to wash my clothes. LOL
In the living room if it's open concept get one or two floor plugs. I have two that my sectional soft sits over.
water spigots on each exterior wall. I have four, one on each corner.
If you have pets a feeding station. That's the one thing I wish I would have consider when designing our house.

 

[Redart59]

I built my house three years ago.
In the kitchen all the base cabinets were drawers except for under the sink and the trash pullout.
We have outlets installed in the eves for Christmas lights.
laundry room close to the master bedroom. I'm lazy and don't want to walk far to wash my clothes. LOL
In the living room if it's open concept get one or two floor plugs. I have two that my sectional soft sits over.
water spigots on each exterior wall. I have four, one on each corner.
If you have pets a feeding station. That's the one thing I wish I would have consider when designing our house.

Thank you. Great suggestions. I never would have thought into a feeding station. I love that idea.

 

[wowsmom]

Doorways & halls wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Our house was built in 1960 and our bathroom doorway is narrow. I don't need a wheelchair yet but most likely will at some point in the future, so we'll have to do some remodeling before then.

Lots of kitchen storage

Double wide fridge & full freezer

A craft room

 

[sasywtch]

I like the cabinets in the kitchen where each shelf pulls out so you're not wondering what that can is in the back or banging your head trying to get that big pot way back there. Also the skinny pull out cabinets by the stove that holds spices. My son makes a lot of spaghetti so one of those water faucet above the stove. In each one of our bedrooms, we have an 18" shelves on one end of our closets. Each room has their own storage for sheets/pillow cases. I wish that was the same for the bathrooms/towels. Instead, they are folded in the hall closet. I'd rather have a designated cabinet in the bathroom.

 

[MouseOfCards]

Secret bathroom that the kids can't find.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

If your house is two story - outlet on stair landing
Consider your bathroom - how you would like it 10 years from now - I for one hate sliding shower doors and wound prefer nice solid glass doors that open or a walk in shower
Do you want a tub ?
do you want your counters adult height ? My new house (I didn’t get to pick ) is adult height - I wish I was !!
Consider items you have had in houses you have had before and you liked - can you get them in your new house ?
I like my kitchen island - I like that it has electric at both ends
I love my huge walk in pantry in kitchen
The laundry room is never big enough - I know a lot of houses in FL it is in the garage - but myself - I wound want a laundry room
As others have stated - storage space - can never have enough !
my only other items - outlets - I finally have a house close to having enough inside - wish I had a few more outside - outlets in huge walk in closets would be great too
Water spouts ( or whatever they are called ) I would prefer one in front by garage - and one on each side of house - two in back on each end if house - if you have ever had to water grass to try and get it started and keep it going with 2 water spouts - omg - not fun !! Let me tell you I have a system since two can run at same time and I have 6 hoses out - 3 I have to move to cover all my yard - oh to have in ground sprinkler system !!! Which brings me to - in ground sprinkler system if your wallet can take it !!
So excited for you !!! Happy house building - it’s going to be so awesome !!!!

 

[kymom99]

We are building a house now. I’m 56 and husband is 61. We have land from my parents estate and are building our retirement house.

We changed a sliding door to French doors from back patio to get furniture and appliances in and out easily. This will also be an entrance with no steps. I know Florida is different but we will have a basement with a walk out.

A set of French doors will open to the master in case we have mobility issues.

There will be a wider bathroom door on master bath.

2 huge walk in closets in master. (I’m giddy over that)

The house will be a ranch with about 2100 sq ft. 3 bedrooms and a great room. 3 full baths, one in the basement for my husband to shower after gardening. The plan has the laundry behind the master but no door to the laundry, so we added a door between the master and laundry


We will not have an island. The kitchen would be crowded with an island. Instead there is a peninsula with an overhang for extra seating. The kitchen will have room for a dinette set.

I agree with a previous suggestion for floor outlets. Also we get 2 water faucets outside included. I think that’s enough. It’s what we have now.

Hope this helps

 

[footballmouse]

I would have outlets in the floor around the perimeter of the rooms instead of the wall.
I would have the duct vents at the top of the wall instead of the bottom.

 

[kdonnel]

400 amp electrical service.

Two 14-50 receptacles installed in the garage.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Very much, I would plan for how you might live in 10-20 years--wide doorways, few/no steps, that kind of thing. Definitely a walk-in shower with a seat. Even if you aren't permanently disabled down the line, one of you might be recuperating from something, where this would be handy.

You can never have too many outlets. In addition, have some put in that have charging ports--maybe by the bed, by where the couch will be in the living room, that kind of thing.

My BIL/SIL moved to one of those communities a couple years ago. Their favorite features? Their front porch and back deck. Mind you, they're smokers, but they still enjoy sitting outside and greeting neighbors as they walk by.

When we re-did the kitchen a few years back, we put a feeding station at the end of the island. Our contractor liked the idea so much, he stole it! We have shelves above it--I have pretty stoneware there, but you could possibly design something to hold cat or dog food.

Good luck, and have fun planning!

 

[legler2250]

I was thinking of having running water flowing right through the living room, similar to what Disney was able to do in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge. Is that too much to ask/hope for?

 

[KatheeME]

We purchased a piece of land in a 55+ community in Florida and we are heading down next week to do our design meeting to pick out all the stuff for the house. We have the ability to move walls, do stretches to the entire house, basically, anything we want. (Wel, my wallet may disagree with that last statement

this is our 1st time building and hopefully our last time moving so I want to get it right.

is there anything that your home doesn’t have that you wish it did or something that it has that you are so happy it does?

any advise is welcomed but looking for inexpensive add ons that would be difficult or expensive to add later. Thanks!

list so far.
Cabinets all the way around the island. (No pantry in our floor plan)
Gas line Spicket (probably not the right word) in back for the grill
1 outlet plug on each exterior wall
An outlet plug on the center of the living room wall for the tv
Garbage can holder in kitchen cabinets
Long thin window at the top of the master shower for light
Windows in garage door

AC and central vac

 

[Cadiewampus]

Window tint to keep out sun

 

[sheilafri]

If it is a two story house make sure everything you need is on the main floor—BR, BA, laundry, etc. Agree about looking ahead to electrical needs. At least one 50 Amp garage outlet for future EVSE installation. Think about electric outlets up high outside for Christmas decorations or party lights.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

All one floor.