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Message
re: Things You Wish You Would Have Done When Building
Posted on 2/3/22 at 9:07 am to GAFF
Posted on 2/3/22 at 9:07 am to GAFF
Lots of good advice in here. We are halfway through a build and I've read about 100 of these threads on different message boards and gotten some good ideas.
Get comfortable on the front end with the fact that no matter how much you read and no matter how much money you spend with draftspeople/architects/etc., you are always going to find something wrong down the road. Hindsight is 20/20. My best advice to you is to try your best to enjoy the process. If you sweat every single dollar, you're going to be miserable. This is a very volatile and objectively bad time to build a house because of material pricing, so make sure you have excellent communication with your contractor on the front end to minimize surprises. Order your windows early.
Some things we are doing that I gained from reading threads like this:
1. Cat 6 and coax drops to every single potential TV location. Even if you don't use them, you can cover them.
2. Cat 6 and coax drops to two locations in detached garage.
3. Whole home audio system with different zone capabilities. I priced several (HTD is recommended a lot) and wound up going with Russound and a certified installer.
4. Multiple water heaters if your house is bigger and you are going tankless. It sucks waiting on water to get hot.
5. Add more closets than you think you need.
6. Hot water bib on outside of house near garage for boiling crawfish and cleaning boats/cars/etc.
7. Switched outlets in eaves for string lights or Christmas lights.
8. Pre-wired security cameras.
9. Central safe room/media closet/brain.
10. I haven't seen this mentioned on forums, but our living room is adjacent to and shares a wall with part of our master bedroom. We framed that wall with staggered studs to help with soundproofing. My contractor calls it hotel wall framing.
11. Pre-wire for a generator and get a transfer switch even if you can't afford to buy a generator during your build. It's a lot easier to install one later when you do that.
12. Handheld fixture in master shower for washing dogs in the cold.
13. Floor outlets in living room (at least).
14. Build a bigger garage than you think you need. Take into account space for work benches, car doors opening, etc. Ours is 27' deep x 40' wide with a lean-to on one side and I love it.
15. People have differing opinions on this it seems, but I put two windows and two side doors in my garage so some natural light could get in.
I'm sure I'll think of more.
Get comfortable on the front end with the fact that no matter how much you read and no matter how much money you spend with draftspeople/architects/etc., you are always going to find something wrong down the road. Hindsight is 20/20. My best advice to you is to try your best to enjoy the process. If you sweat every single dollar, you're going to be miserable. This is a very volatile and objectively bad time to build a house because of material pricing, so make sure you have excellent communication with your contractor on the front end to minimize surprises. Order your windows early.
Some things we are doing that I gained from reading threads like this:
1. Cat 6 and coax drops to every single potential TV location. Even if you don't use them, you can cover them.
2. Cat 6 and coax drops to two locations in detached garage.
3. Whole home audio system with different zone capabilities. I priced several (HTD is recommended a lot) and wound up going with Russound and a certified installer.
4. Multiple water heaters if your house is bigger and you are going tankless. It sucks waiting on water to get hot.
5. Add more closets than you think you need.
6. Hot water bib on outside of house near garage for boiling crawfish and cleaning boats/cars/etc.
7. Switched outlets in eaves for string lights or Christmas lights.
8. Pre-wired security cameras.
9. Central safe room/media closet/brain.
10. I haven't seen this mentioned on forums, but our living room is adjacent to and shares a wall with part of our master bedroom. We framed that wall with staggered studs to help with soundproofing. My contractor calls it hotel wall framing.
11. Pre-wire for a generator and get a transfer switch even if you can't afford to buy a generator during your build. It's a lot easier to install one later when you do that.
12. Handheld fixture in master shower for washing dogs in the cold.
13. Floor outlets in living room (at least).
14. Build a bigger garage than you think you need. Take into account space for work benches, car doors opening, etc. Ours is 27' deep x 40' wide with a lean-to on one side and I love it.
15. People have differing opinions on this it seems, but I put two windows and two side doors in my garage so some natural light could get in.
I'm sure I'll think of more.
2
Posted on 2/3/22 at 9:23 am to GAFF
Mop sink in laundry/utility. Very versatile. New washers sometimes dump the water if you try to let clothes soak. Soak as long as you need in a mop sink. Plus it’s easy to bathe small/medium size dogs.
Big pantry off the kitchen. N the house we just bought they built a new laundry off the garage and turned the old laundry into a walk I pantry. I would have made the mistake of knocking down the pantry wall and making the kitchen bigger. But you dont need as big of kitchen. We keep small appliances plugged in and use them in the pantry. It keeps the kitchen cabinets clear from clutter.
Oversized garage with regular door going outside. Really love that.
Floored attic above the garage. You don’t have to lug stuff through the house to store it.
Vinyl floors with rugs. Easy to clean and you can replace the rugs easily.
Big pantry off the kitchen. N the house we just bought they built a new laundry off the garage and turned the old laundry into a walk I pantry. I would have made the mistake of knocking down the pantry wall and making the kitchen bigger. But you dont need as big of kitchen. We keep small appliances plugged in and use them in the pantry. It keeps the kitchen cabinets clear from clutter.
Oversized garage with regular door going outside. Really love that.
Floored attic above the garage. You don’t have to lug stuff through the house to store it.
Vinyl floors with rugs. Easy to clean and you can replace the rugs easily.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 9:29 am to GAFF
Bigger back porch!!
Plywood sheets in the attic. So easy to do during construction, not so much after the house is built.
Plywood sheets in the attic. So easy to do during construction, not so much after the house is built.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 10:12 am to bluemoons
quote:Question on this. Where would you order your windows from? I'm sure there are lots of options, but what are your and other's thoughts on this?
Order your windows early
Posted on 2/3/22 at 10:37 am to AFtigerFan
It really just depends on your market. Talk to your contractor and see who he typically deals with, then have him send your plans to those suppliers to bid and get purchase orders put together. I would do this prior to even doing foundation work at this point. Mine normally sources windows from one of our four local lumber companies. We wound up going with a local window, door, and millwork company instead because of availability and pricing.
The problem with ordering windows prior to framing is that layouts and other things often change during framing, but our changes were minor. That said, waiting until after you're framed to order windows can set you back significantly in the current market. Most reputable window makers are 15-25 weeks out right now.
The problem with ordering windows prior to framing is that layouts and other things often change during framing, but our changes were minor. That said, waiting until after you're framed to order windows can set you back significantly in the current market. Most reputable window makers are 15-25 weeks out right now.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 11:04 am to bluemoons
quote:
11. Pre-wire for a generator and get a transfer switch even if you can't afford to buy a generator during your build. It's a lot easier to install one later when you do that.
Absolutely do this. At the very least, have them put in an interlock switch kit with the power inlet box to plug in a regular portable generator. You may not be able to run A/C and electric stove/hot water heater on it but it makes a world of difference after a hurricane to be able to run fans and flip on light switches.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 11:31 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
Have a dedicated notebook for taking notes of where everything is in the walls, what walls have irregular stud spacing, etc.
I have about 200 pictures of my house from the day before insulation was installed. You can never take too many. Walls, floors, ceilings, attic, etc. This has come in handy so many times I can't count.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 11:37 am to TheBoo
quote:Solid list. One note...
TheBoo
quote:
Radiant barrier in attic.
This can affect your wireless phone service. I built in an area with a weak signal and the radiant barrier made my house a dead zone. My neighbors still had service. Foil on your roof can drop you a couple of bars. Also, don't do radiant roof sheathing if you want to put a TV antenna in your attic. It will block that too.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 12:58 pm to notbilly
Water manifold to separate your water lines into zones. That way if you have an issue with anything you can just turn off the supply to that zone and continue to have water in the rest of the house. Also would let you turn the outside water off at the manifold then let it run out outside for hard freezes.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 2:39 pm to Wiseguy
solid core interior doors 
trust me, the little extra you spend is well worth it. makes your house instantly feel higher end and most people don't even realize why. added advantage: they don't warp when the weather/humidity changes causing the doors to sag or stick in the frame.
might even go ahead & find a good place to install a low voltage lighting box for when you eventually get around to installing landscape lighting. i've seen so many boxes attached in awkward locations later on that mar the look of the house. you want your outdoor transformer box to look like its part of the house.
i would also spend the extra to go with composite fascia where your gutters hang. nothing sucks more than gutter leaks rotting the fascia around the exterior of your home and you'll have to replace both.
and on the subject, spend the 25% more and go with a composite deck.
trust me, the little extra you spend is well worth it. makes your house instantly feel higher end and most people don't even realize why. added advantage: they don't warp when the weather/humidity changes causing the doors to sag or stick in the frame.
might even go ahead & find a good place to install a low voltage lighting box for when you eventually get around to installing landscape lighting. i've seen so many boxes attached in awkward locations later on that mar the look of the house. you want your outdoor transformer box to look like its part of the house.
i would also spend the extra to go with composite fascia where your gutters hang. nothing sucks more than gutter leaks rotting the fascia around the exterior of your home and you'll have to replace both.
and on the subject, spend the 25% more and go with a composite deck.
This post was edited on 2/3/22 at 2:47 pm
Posted on 2/3/22 at 7:18 pm to GAFF
Have some type of roofing over every door.
Every house I've lived in had at least one door that didn't have roofing directly above it and they always will end up rotting out with the rain
Every house I've lived in had at least one door that didn't have roofing directly above it and they always will end up rotting out with the rain
Posted on 2/3/22 at 7:32 pm to GAFF
If you have a kitchen island, get a strip of electric outlets on each end of the island.
Dimmer switches on all lights.
Get a large and deep sink in your laundry room.
Pull out drawers in your kitchen cabinets for pots and pans.
Soft close cabinet doors.
Dimmer switches on all lights.
Get a large and deep sink in your laundry room.
Pull out drawers in your kitchen cabinets for pots and pans.
Soft close cabinet doors.
Posted on 2/3/22 at 9:30 pm to notbilly
quote:
This can affect your wireless phone service.
Good point. I’ve also seen higher end houses with spray foam insulation over the entire underside of the roof, and those attics were damn near pleasant to be in during the summer.
Also +1 on the above mentioned solid interior doors. Have a buddy with solid doors throughout his house and it makes a big difference.
Posted on 2/4/22 at 7:40 am to GAFF
We finished building in sept 2021 and did a lot of things right but there are a few regrets.
We did solid core doors on bathrooms, laundry and master bedroom. I wish I would’ve spent the extra 400$ to have them put on the three other bedrooms and pantry but I was being cheap. They make a huge difference.
Hot water hose by the boat is awesome!
Enlarged the patio and extended slab 8’ beyond under beam patio. This makes a huge difference.
I decked most of the attic before Sheetrock.
Took all of the scrap 2x12 and put them between studs in tv locations and took tons of pics before insulation.
Tile guy convinced me to go to ceiling with tile for spare baths. I wish I would’ve stopped at last full tile and put an border bc with dark grout against crown it’s easy to see the house isn’t square. Would’ve been a cleaner look.
Most of our cabinets are drawers which are awesome.
Cat 5 and coax to all tv locations
Pre wired for cameras, alarm, and surround sound in living room/patio with different zones.
We put a small closet by the master bedroom we use as a media closet that holds receiver, printer, router and switch etc.
tons of can lights everywhere with dimmers in br and living areas.
I wish we could’ve done real wood crown. Contractor put in mdf and now that it’s cold and we’re running the heater it’s shrinking like a mfer
Big sink with counter in laundry is very practical.
We upgraded from our granite allowance to quartzite and it was worth every penny.
However, we ran out of cash and couldn’t do the whole home generator so the electrician installed and back feed plug for a portable by the panel.
Did a large 2 car garage my wife parks in and have some shelves and fishing rods. Make sure to do a 8’ tall garage door. Makes a bigger difference compared to a 7’ than you think.
Could only do a 12x20 detached shop due to lot size bc the under beam boat cover (12x30) took up too much room. Really wish I could’ve gone bigger as it got small quick with all the stuff I have.
We did solid core doors on bathrooms, laundry and master bedroom. I wish I would’ve spent the extra 400$ to have them put on the three other bedrooms and pantry but I was being cheap. They make a huge difference.
Hot water hose by the boat is awesome!
Enlarged the patio and extended slab 8’ beyond under beam patio. This makes a huge difference.
I decked most of the attic before Sheetrock.
Took all of the scrap 2x12 and put them between studs in tv locations and took tons of pics before insulation.
Tile guy convinced me to go to ceiling with tile for spare baths. I wish I would’ve stopped at last full tile and put an border bc with dark grout against crown it’s easy to see the house isn’t square. Would’ve been a cleaner look.
Most of our cabinets are drawers which are awesome.
Cat 5 and coax to all tv locations
Pre wired for cameras, alarm, and surround sound in living room/patio with different zones.
We put a small closet by the master bedroom we use as a media closet that holds receiver, printer, router and switch etc.
tons of can lights everywhere with dimmers in br and living areas.
I wish we could’ve done real wood crown. Contractor put in mdf and now that it’s cold and we’re running the heater it’s shrinking like a mfer
Big sink with counter in laundry is very practical.
We upgraded from our granite allowance to quartzite and it was worth every penny.
However, we ran out of cash and couldn’t do the whole home generator so the electrician installed and back feed plug for a portable by the panel.
Did a large 2 car garage my wife parks in and have some shelves and fishing rods. Make sure to do a 8’ tall garage door. Makes a bigger difference compared to a 7’ than you think.
Could only do a 12x20 detached shop due to lot size bc the under beam boat cover (12x30) took up too much room. Really wish I could’ve gone bigger as it got small quick with all the stuff I have.
This post was edited on 2/4/22 at 8:45 am
Posted on 2/4/22 at 8:27 am to magicman534
quote:
magicman534
amazing how much you learn as you go. some great suggestions here. my only minor disagreement:
quote:
Cat 5 and coax to all tv locations
i would skip coax and go with ethernet only. all tvs these days have roku or appletv, android, etc. built in with 100 different streaming apps and most dinosaur cable companies are reluctantly building apps as well so you only need power and ethernet to ensure that sweet 4K stream never hiccups. also cat5 is out.
we're up to like cat8 now for the same price cat5 used to be. might as well plan for the future. also the laundry/mop sink is a must-have but if you have big dogs, consider one that also opens from the front so you can stick their sorry asses in there to wash them after they get skunked.
ask me how i know
This post was edited on 2/4/22 at 8:34 am
Posted on 2/4/22 at 8:27 am to GAFF
Gazebo front porch.
Stand by generator.
Solar screens on windows.
Stand by generator.
Solar screens on windows.
Posted on 2/4/22 at 8:39 am to GAFF
Just don't forget your solid core doors.
Posted on 2/4/22 at 8:53 am to GAFF
Plenty of outlets in the garage. I had to add them, later.
Posted on 2/4/22 at 9:18 am to CAD703X
quote:
i would skip coax and go with ethernet only.
We stream exclusively, but I have and will always have an antenna that feeds a coax line for hurricanes/internet outages/etc.
Posted on 2/4/22 at 9:46 am to CAD703X
quote:
i would skip coax and go with ethernet only.
Coax is cheap and for those that use an antenna still its the best option as far as I know.
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