DON’T MAKE THESE DUMB MISTAKES WHEN BUILDING A NEW HOME
A little pre-planning can save a lot of money and disappointment. My suggestion is that you walk the house where you presently live and think about every thing you really like and/or take for granted. Be darn sure you get these conveniences included in your new home. Then walk it again and think about all the things you really wish you had. Be sure you get these things included too. Don’t be one of those new homeowners who moves into a dream home only to find out you left all the things you really enjoyed behind in the old place! Here are a few things I encourage you to worry about in advance.
Take the electrical drawings very seriously. Give some thought to furniture placement. Do you need some floor outlets? Gotta have an outlet on the mantle for the Christmas décor; a few outside and definitely one or two on the kitchen island. Yup! These often get overlooked!
What are the sizes of your vehicles or the size of the RV you are planning to buy? Better make sure the garage is deep enough and the doors are tall enough. A four-car garage won’t do if your vehicle won’t fit in it!
Are you left-handed or right-handed? It makes a difference to me which side of the double sink has the garbage disposal. Decide before it gets installed not after. Good time to consider the location of the dishwasher and garbage can too. If you are the chief cook and bottle washer, you need to make your needs known early.
Really live in your floor plans while still on the drawing table. Think 3D. Consider views from every room into other rooms. Main floor masters are popular today. Just in case you are not an early riser or a diligent bed maker, be careful that a visitor doesn’t look right into the master bedroom from the front door. A vestibule will fix this but only if on the drawings before the framers start.
Early communication with the plumber can save you some agony. How many teenagers live in your house? Consider the size of the water heater. Do you need a sink in the garage? Better plumb for it before the slab gets poured; and how about a garage floor drain? Ask about the size of water lines required to accommodate your future sprinkling system. Don’t get mad at the landscaper; he will just be the messenger with the bad news.
I have a real problem with the location of the master tub faucet. The new faucets are so pretty and very costly, so they get installed right smack in the middle on the edge of the tub. Think about that hot water burning a hole in your thigh. I suggest that the faucet be placed at the foot of the tub, then put the handles any place you think is handy. And while we are on the subject of master bath tubs, be sure you choose one you can get in and out of without a ladder. You have seen those in model homes that are up on a pedestal so tall you’d never get out even if you could get in.
Better put a bench in the shower. It’s a leg-shaving pre-requisite, and tough to add after the fact. And while you’re at it, consider the location of shower heads - that’s right “heads” - plural. No reason not to have water coming at you from several angles, but important that the water hits the right places. After the shower tile goes in, these items can’t be moved without some major expense.
And last but certainly not least, be sure you understand what will be built on the lots adjacent to yours. If you have a wonderful view it just might not be there next year when your neighbor builds!
Written by Marianne Wise for Timber Ridge Properties
