If you've built a house recently anything you'd do over/again?

[Chaotic42]

You need room for a pool table.

 

[KentState]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: KentState
Two things that I regretted not getting in the house I belt were the not adding in the additional loft and having enough phone and ethernet ports throughout the house. The wiring of cat5/6 is very simple and many builders will let you handle that before putting up the insulation and drywall.

Most houses in our area/building price boast a 2 story family room. It's basically one big 20+ foot tall room. We are having the builder cap it and turn the space above into a second 20 x 14 family room on the second floor. Pretty much anyone with young kids have told us that they wish they had done that instead of the vaulted main floor room.

We get almost another 300 sq/foot for essentially free, and it's not wasted space that we'd just have to heat/cool anyway.

That's exactly what I regretted not doing. I basically had this huge room with 20+ ceiling but it could have been made into a loft or additional room for a little amount of money. Would have gotten more for the house when I sold it due to extra bedroom or loft.

 

[Greenman]

Whats the fascination with 20amp circuits? 90% of the outlets in a house will never go over 10amps of draw. Most of a house simply doesn't require more than 15amp circuits. The quick and dirty way of figuring out what you need for outlets is to assume 1.5 amps per outlet and only load to 80% of the breaker capacity. Kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms are all addressed in the UEC and those requirements are adequate.

 

[Analog]

2x6 walls.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Greenman
Whats the fascination with 20amp circuits? 90% of the outlets in a house will never go over 10amps of draw. Most of a house simply doesn't require more than 15amp circuits. The quick and dirty way of figuring out what you need for outlets is to assume 1.5 amps per outlet and only load to 80% of the breaker capacity. Kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms are all addressed in the UEC and those requirements are adequate.

Because builders love to put a crapload of outlets on a 15A breaker in moronic ways. I have to have my amps on their own 20A circuit.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Insulated garage door - check
In yard sprinklers and separate water meter for it no can do...on a well
Electric/voice/video/date outlets EVERYWHERE check
Dual zone/dual unit HVAC not needed with the energy minded construction of my builder
ALL brick not in the budget
Generator or at least wired for it check..wired at least not in the budget for another $3k-5k for a natural gas hardwired
Big exhaust fan over the cooktop - 6-8 burner stove top gas please. Oh, and a tile or stainless steel backsplash. 5 burner gas and a tumbled marble backsplash
Very amble utility room with big deep sink check
Washer/Dryer on same floor as master bedroom check

And yeh, all my walls will be 2x6. Plus they do some really elaborate insulating and sealing techniques and thermal imaging to identify heat leaks.

 

[dud]

Yes, this is an easy one ... DON'T!

These days it is easier (and much cheaper) to buy an existing home versus take out a C loan. Don't do it!

 

[spidey07]

Another point that is often overlooked, especially with builder grade crap.

GOOD/STRONG EXTERIOR DOORS AND LOCKS!!!!, including garage to house.
And alarm system or at least wired for one

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Greenman
Whats the fascination with 20amp circuits? 90% of the outlets in a house will never go over 10amps of draw. Most of a house simply doesn't require more than 15amp circuits. The quick and dirty way of figuring out what you need for outlets is to assume 1.5 amps per outlet and only load to 80% of the breaker capacity. Kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms are all addressed in the UEC and those requirements are adequate.

Because builders love to put a crapload of outlets on a 15A breaker in moronic ways. I have to have my amps on their own 20A circuit.

I just thought about that.
Not enough outlets and not enough current capacity for modern households. People have assloads of gadgets and other stuff these days. They need plenty of easily accessable outlets.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: dud
Yes, this is an easy one ... DON'T!

These days it is easier (and much cheaper) to buy an existing home versus take out a C loan. Don't do it!

Not true. At least in my area. Maybe if you lived in an area that is sprawling suburbia where every lot is the same little 1/5th of an acre or less postage stamp that's true.

But for me, there is very little new construction in my school district. Heck there's only 10-15 homes for sale at any given time. But I'm sitting on a 1.5 acre, heavily wooded cul de sac property in a very nice subdivision. In the 10 years it's existed, there's been 3 houses for sale in that subdivision.

 

[zerocool84]

Did they already rig the game room for a toilet so you never have to miss a game?

 

[Strk]

I would have a heat pump installed

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
8) Vent out the side of the house rather then top. This is probably not to code but it give you only less worry in regards to a leaky roof. Additionally having a straight V roof rather then some of the more complicated ones simplifies all that as well. Thats somewhat outside the realm of "small things" though. Then again so is point 7.

anything not to code will not pass a final inspection.

 

[Adul]

tankless water heater . Insulated garage door, dedicted 20 amp circuits for say a freezer, home theatre setup, computer room, etc ( we have 3 extra 20 amp circuits, I need to add 2 more)

Get any energy efficiency upgrades you can get.

 

[Adul]

sounds like a really nice house you have being built. Can I visit

 

[iGas]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I'm nearing the final bid process of a home construction and to the point where I'm really filling in the gaps on the smaller details.

I've go some little things included like running a natural gas line to my grilling area so I can hook up a line to a natural gas grill and free myself the propane tank.

I'm also going to have them wire up the electrical to so that the essential stuff like furnace/ac/fridge are hooked up and wired to a run that I can plug a generator into if needed.

Also considering a laundry shoot to drop from top floor to the main floor laundry.

Any other (relatively inexpensive) options that you had put into a home that you couldn't live without or wish you had done if given the chance again? Anything that you did get that you don't use or hate (like whole house vaccuums)?

Why not having a laundry room up on the bedroom floor?

I would pre install speakers wiring for in wall speakers in every room, and pre install wiring for a 9.1 surround entertainment room.

Double studs for isolation for the entertainment room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. All, pipping are insulated to dampen water flow noises. Every floor is insulated with Roxul, t-bars to dampen noises, may even have a layer of 1" close cell spray insulation as well, and double drywall layers for ceilings and walls.

HRV (heat recovery unit), and filter so that the air in the house is fresh with out the need to open windows.

And, last but not least is in floor heating for the entire house.

 

[iGas]

Originally posted by: Adul
tankless water heater . Insulated garage door, dedicted 20 amp circuits for say a freezer, home theatre setup, computer room, etc ( we have 3 extra 20 amp circuits, I need to add 2 more)

Get any energy efficiency upgrades you can get.

What you can do is spend the extra $1000-$1500 and jump from 200 amp to 300 amp service.

 

[dirtboy]

I would have bought from a different builder... this house is so energy inefficient and I built it new in 2004. Good thing it's gone as of Friday.

 

[WildHorse]

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