Building a New Home
When we set out to build a new home, I wanted to incorporate a few specific things because I knew that adding them later would be expensive. Here are a few things to keep in mind when building a new home.
We had been living in a four-window townhome since 2001 and finally decided to make a move in 2013. We were fortunate enough to find a builder that already incorporated many of our “wish list” items, but for other items, we had to watch our budget. As my dad would say, “Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.” There are many items that, even with a builder mark-up, will be much cheaper to add during the build process than once you’ve moved in. Here are just a few that I wish I could do over…
Electrical
Pre-Wiring
If you want hidden wires, electrical wiring is something that will be difficult to do in the future. We skipped the added expense of doing under-cabinet lighting and adding outlets above cabinets in the kitchen. Big mistake. I though this would be a simple future addition but apparently, it’s not easy. At this stage, it’s virtually impossible to have lighting with hidden wiring that is controlled by one light switch. There are cabinets, a tile backsplash, and 3 completely separate banks of cabinets that could never be connected with one light switch unless lots of sheetrock was removed. It would have been much easier and economical to have the cabinets pre-wired.
If you’re unsure of future wiring needs, consider running conduit. This will give you the option to add more wiring after you move in.
Exterior Outlets
I also wish we would have coughed up dough for landscape outlets. Every once in awhile, I get the urge to buy a set of lighted reindeer or outdoor tree that would look great in Winter. If we would have installed wiring before the sod, we could have outlet boxes at the base of our trees. Uplighting on trees looks beautiful at night. Unfortunately, once your landscaping is in, the only way to achieve it is to use a bright orange extension cord across your lawn (a real pain when mowing) or digging up your landscaping and adding it later. I take immense pride in our lawn and the last thing I want is to tear up several areas so we can lay ground wiring. Also, if you ever choose to add holiday lights to the perimeter of your house, you’ll be glad to have a few exterior outlets installed near the roof soffits. Make sure you have enough outlets in the garage too.
Interior Outlets
It seems that a room can never have too many outlets. Take time to think about how you’ll use each room and where outlets will be needed. Should they be closer to the floor or should they be waist-height? For instance, we added a waist-height outlet in the laundry room for the iron. Many builders install cable jacks and outlets near the floor, as has been done for decades. If you think about it though, most TVs today are flat-screen with wall-mounts. Depending on your floorplan, it might be smarter to think about putting cable jacks and outlets for the TV higher and possibly in the corner of the room. In your master bedroom, instead of centering one outlet on the bed wall, put outlets where the bedside tables will sit.
You may know how to add an outlet yourself but electrical that is on a home’s exterior wall will be tougher to change or add because there’s insulation to work around. Keep that in mind.
Light Switches
Placement of light switches should carefully be considered- especially if a room has French doors leading into it. Think about when the doors are opened into the room and whether the switch will be accessible. It’s a pain to have to go behind the French door to turn a flip a switch.
Pocket Doors
Builders don’t tend to like these and may discourage their use. However, pocket doors can be a huge space saver—especially to close off areas only occasionally. For instance, if you have a private water closet with door, the door between your master bedroom and master bathroom may rarely get closed. Pocket doors require a special frame in the wall so they are difficult to add later.
Carpeting
Builders install what’s loosely referred to as “builder grade” carpet. This carpeting looks good in a model but won’t hold up against kids or pets. This is something that we didn’t upgrade but I’m realizing what a pain it will be to change now. Think about every room that has carpeting. Consider where you’re going to put every single thing that’s in those rooms when the carpet gets replaced. To say you’ll be living in complete chaos for a week or so is a vast understatement. And don’t start thinking you’ll just have the carpet installers move everything out of the way and then magically move it back while you’re at work. Most carpet installers won’t move your personal property. If they will, you can bet you’re going to pay through the nose for it.
Plumbing
We (fortunately) had the foresight to include several plumbing rough-ins for future water/drain needs. This included a bathroom rough-in for a lower level bathroom as well as a rough-in for a utility tub in our garage. Drains will be an expensive addition after the house is built. For plumbing rough-ins, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Also, don’t skimp on hose bibs around the exterior. Ask anyone who’s dragged a 100′ hose around the yard. I’m sure they’ll attest to how great it is to have at least 2 hose bibs on the exterior—ideally on opposite corners of the house.
Miscellaneous
Curtain supports are also a great idea. If you like to hang anything that requires a curtain rod, ask the builder to install some blocks of wood at the top corners of the windows. This will provide a solid “stud” for you to drill into for installation of curtains or other window treatments.
Bottom Line
If you’re in doubt about whether you’ll need something in the long run, you can always rough it in. Talk to the builder about your options for adding things during the build process versus adding them after you’ve moved in. If the builder is unsure, talk to a plumber, electrician, or other applicable professional and ask them if it’s worth doing during the build process or whether it’s an easy addition after the move.