This would be perfect for the 1st world problems bumper sticker thread.
I had to buy more stuff I didn’t need just to fill my massive closets.
Conveniences in a house build.
- Thread starter keepngoal
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This would be perfect for the 1st world problems bumper sticker thread.
I had to buy more stuff I didn’t need just to fill my massive closets.
My parents just built a house. They put a cabinet sized door from their garage into their pantry for unloading groceries. On the garage side they put a bin to collect empty cans. A win on both sides
Also, if you have kids, do/will they ever do their own laundry? If so, may I point out that teenagers and college students visiting like to do laundry at very odd hours of the night. I would suggest the laundry NOT be a part of the master bedroom.
Yep, we put a second set in the basement mechanical room and this was one reason for that!
Garage door/space extra wide so garbage cans, kids not singing up cars.
We have a door from garage to yard and I made a change so that the garage door to basement lined up with that outside door instead of perpendicular. Great for hauling patio stuff up or down.
Utility sink in garage would have been nice, we'll do one in basement when finished.
Not having two shower heads in our master is a regret.
Pre plumbed basement and planned it out so electric, water, gas in the right places for the future.
We have water spigot on 2 corners of house, wish we had at least 3 now.
Have a good landscape person go over the outdoor plan, not just whoever the builder uses unless reviews show they are good.. Our edging was too tight to house for any decent plantings and mulch/rock setup not ideal. We've torn most out and redone in our 5 years. Shoveling rock sucks. Have also found spots of poor grade next to house.
We were supposed to have a garage drain but they missed putting it in. There's enough grade it hasn't been a problem.
We have a door from garage to yard and I made a change so that the garage door to basement lined up with that outside door instead of perpendicular. Great for hauling patio stuff up or down.
Utility sink in garage would have been nice, we'll do one in basement when finished.
Not having two shower heads in our master is a regret.
Pre plumbed basement and planned it out so electric, water, gas in the right places for the future.
We have water spigot on 2 corners of house, wish we had at least 3 now.
Have a good landscape person go over the outdoor plan, not just whoever the builder uses unless reviews show they are good.. Our edging was too tight to house for any decent plantings and mulch/rock setup not ideal. We've torn most out and redone in our 5 years. Shoveling rock sucks. Have also found spots of poor grade next to house.
We were supposed to have a garage drain but they missed putting it in. There's enough grade it hasn't been a problem.
You can also excavate the ground under your front stoop and use that as additional storage in your basement, depending on your layout. We didn’t do that but I have friends who did - makes for additional storage that doesn’t eat into your livable space.
Also can make a tornado shelter out of this space. Stairs from the garage to the basement are nice as well as a shoot from the garage to the water softener.
We put our microwave in our island and I hate it. It is so low that I have to kneel to see the buttons. But the wife wanted a hood over the range. In our next house, we are looking at options. If any of you have design ideas, let me know.
We are also looking at two dishwashers with cabinet fronts. We run the dishwasher but don’t always have the time to unload it so dishes pile up in the sink. Two dishwashers so one is empty. Yes, it is an extravagance and, yes, first world problems. But it will be awesome.
We are also looking at two dishwashers with cabinet fronts. We run the dishwasher but don’t always have the time to unload it so dishes pile up in the sink. Two dishwashers so one is empty. Yes, it is an extravagance and, yes, first world problems. But it will be awesome.
There are at least 3 doors in bathrooms/laundry room/closets in my new place where the amount of space would be so much bigger if we had the sliding hidden pocket door style.
Small counter in a pantry. Hide away the microwave, other appliances. Lot of people do toasters in there.
In your master bathroom have a cabinet that’s sink level and opens up to the sink that you can slide your tooth brush and other items that usually sit out in the sink into. If you have an electric tooth brush or shaver put an outlet in it. Just takes care of some of the clutter on the sink while still making it easy to quickly access.
I really like the butlers closet’s like this where you keep all the small appliances instead of having them cluttering up your kitchen counters.
I'd plan for an easy expansion of the electricàl system to your garage (40 or 60 amp outlet) for a future electric car since that seems to be the future now. Or just build it in now.
You mean like those three I see? Butlers closet many times is a fancy name for a pantry closet.
Something our house has that has really been nice is a laundry chute. Keeps the clutter and musty clothes off the bedroom floor. Less hiking of clothes down the stairs. It's a bigger win since we have a two-story and laundry in the basement.
We plan to build in the next year or two and a lot of our ideas have been mentioned. Although I am sure it will drive up the cost some but in Kansas we saw a lot of the new builds using the space under the porch as a tornado shelter so I plan to do that. After the derecho I plan to include whatever I need to plug a generator into the house from outside and disconnect all that fun stuff. I also plan to wire for electric car chargers and preplan for TVs, modems etc like has been mentioned. I would also very much like to have an enclosed deck as we love to be outside but my wife is quite allergic to gnats and such.
I would personally avoid pocket doors wherever possible.
Outlets are cheap. Go overboard.
I've never seen anyone complain their garage is too big. A floor drain is a really nice feature.
Outlets are cheap. Go overboard.
I've never seen anyone complain their garage is too big. A floor drain is a really nice feature.
Insulate the master bedroom walls. Don’t have to explain why their mom likes to scream while also wrestling naked.
Check custom cabinets vs box store. May be well worth the value. Was for us.
Comfort height toilets.
Screen in part of your deck (setup tv in a upper corner)
Think about inside height of garage, as well as storage in attic of garage.
If you use a gas grill, think about gas connection outside on house.
If you have a front porch, keep the underside empty - often time contractors dump their concrete in there. Keep it open extra storage from basement.
Outlets in pantry - we place our coffee maker and Margaritas machine in there.
Look into height of closets and determine if an additional shelve can be added vs piling up.
Look into extra outlets near headboard (low) if you have a sleep number or adjustable bed.
Quite fans in bathrooms.
Good exhaust fan in laundry room - help remove humidity.
Under cabinet lightning with hidden outlets.
Motion sensing lights in all closets.
In floor heat on entire first floor.
Soft close cabinets - pretty standard now.
Ceiling fans, even in screen porch.
If you do quarts or granite etc. Do not be afraid to use stone in bathrooms - have your supplier take you to their “bone yard”, you should be able to get slabs cut for you from their huge selection at 25% the cost. May match your kitchen, May not - but you should be able to match all bathrooms or ??
Don’t be afraid to have extra outlets outside.
At least two outside water facets.
Comfort height toilets.
Screen in part of your deck (setup tv in a upper corner)
Think about inside height of garage, as well as storage in attic of garage.
If you use a gas grill, think about gas connection outside on house.
If you have a front porch, keep the underside empty - often time contractors dump their concrete in there. Keep it open extra storage from basement.
Outlets in pantry - we place our coffee maker and Margaritas machine in there.
Look into height of closets and determine if an additional shelve can be added vs piling up.
Look into extra outlets near headboard (low) if you have a sleep number or adjustable bed.
Quite fans in bathrooms.
Good exhaust fan in laundry room - help remove humidity.
Under cabinet lightning with hidden outlets.
Motion sensing lights in all closets.
In floor heat on entire first floor.
Soft close cabinets - pretty standard now.
Ceiling fans, even in screen porch.
If you do quarts or granite etc. Do not be afraid to use stone in bathrooms - have your supplier take you to their “bone yard”, you should be able to get slabs cut for you from their huge selection at 25% the cost. May match your kitchen, May not - but you should be able to match all bathrooms or ??
Don’t be afraid to have extra outlets outside.
At least two outside water facets.
Built in speaker system throughout the house so someone taking a shower can turn to whatever station they like while someone in the kitchen has it on something else. As someone mentioned plan for TVs with outlets and if planning to have a projector plan a hidden area for it with cables wired through the walls to a closet or utility room. Washer/Dryer room on the floor with the most bedrooms. Deck that walkout from the kitchen so the grill is close. Heated cement floors in the basement, especially if it's a walkout. Lightly tented windows where there will be a lot of son exposure. Heater for the garage if planning to spend alot of time out there on cold months(this is an easy add on after the fact tho). Make sure the stairs aren't made with an even slightly slippery material, I have to walk up the stairs a friemds house like I'm 90 years old. If the basement is big enough a bar with a TV or 2 behind it, great for gatherings when multiple games are worth watching.
No, I don't have any of this yet. Pretty stolen ideas from older relative have built new houses over the past decade.
Oh and outlets with USB ports in strategic areas (bar, kitchen counters, floor below furniture)
No, I don't have any of this yet. Pretty stolen ideas from older relative have built new houses over the past decade.
Oh and outlets with USB ports in strategic areas (bar, kitchen counters, floor below furniture)