Who's built a house? Looking for tips on what to not forget!

[vr4Legacy]

Wow guys. As I suspected, lots of great suggestions.

Of course, money is the limiting factor on some suggestions. If I had the funds, I'd probably just print this thread off and say "here ya go" lol

We chose a split bedroom ranch with the plan on being there a long time. Laundry is on the first floor and there aren't really any hallways, as the master bedroom opens into a foyer/kitchen area. The other 2 bedrooms are on the other side of the great room, with a very short hallway on each side. We couldn't swing the top of the line bathroom, but have the bathroom laid out so it won't be hard to rip out the prefab and add in a walk in shower. That's definitely will be one of our first upgrades down the road.

Good tip on lights in closets. Again, something I assume is standard, but likely isn't.

We are doing a single car garage. I intend on putting in a pole barn in a few years, and pouring a floor in there and adding plumbing if the budget allows at the time. Unfortunately, the budget doesn't allow making it any bigger. I'll check on adding a drain to the garage. I think it's a great idea, cost will be the determining factor there.

Exterior receptacles are another great suggestion. I don't have any in the front of my current house and every time I drag a cord out the basement door I say "I'm gonna have them in my new house". And guess what.... I never even asked about them.

Same goes for the exterior spigots. Never thought about it, but I certainly want 1 on front and back.

I intend of putting in all LED bulbs from the get go. Just gonna give the electrician a box of them and have at it. Going to try and use what ever direct install LED fixtures I can too, but I like the idea of having a replaceable LED bulb v a fixed LED fixture. LEDs may last forever, but my experience is the power supply isn't nearly as reliable. I'd rather be able to put a new bulb in than replace a fixture.

I already had them add an exterior vent for the kitchen fan. Something I don't have in my current home and something I definitely want in the new one.

I'm also putting in a Nest or Ecobee thermostat. Leaning towards EcoBee right now because it supports Apple HomeKit, and thus can be controlled with Siri through my AppleTV (priorities )

Thanks again for all the info. I wish I could afford to do it all!

[Sam Mac]

Just my 2 cents but I don't like floor drains in the garage, when the get plugged up from the crap that cars drag in you have a problem. I suggest that you just pitch the floor towards the door then you can just hose the crud out the door.

[finsruskw]

I have built 4 houses and placed 1-1/2" foam insulation under the basement floors and also around the exterior basement walls before backfilling.

On my pole barn, back in '77, The holes for the poles were drilled in rotten limestone. I concreted them in solid in the holes with a rebar alongside them, bent horizontal and stretched between each pole. Then formed and poured a stub wall between each pole, dug down as far as feasible onto the ground, Then poured the floor inside the wall with foam insulation under it. Has held up well and the floor in the heated portion stays pretty much the same temp year round.

Make sure you get the poles in the ground far enough into undisturbed earth if possible. I visited a fellow a few years ago to pick up a sandblast cabinet. His pole shed was only a couple years old and already, all 4 corners had heaved out of the ground about 6". It had been built on fresh fill to level the lot before construction.
Insulate the ceiling if at all possible during construction. I did not and have been kicking myself ever since.
Good luck and enjoy!!

[Mike McKown]

Originally Posted by vr4Legacy

Wow guys. As I suspected, lots of great suggestions.

Of course, money is the limiting factor on some suggestions. If I had the funds, I'd probably just print this thread off and say "here ya go" lol

Something to think about...................

When I built my current house in 1970, interest rates were about 7%. At that rate, when paid off in 30 years, I would have paid back $2.50 for every $1.00 I borrowed on the loan. After a couple of years, I refinanced to a lower interest rate and assumed the loan at 20 years for only $10.00 more/month.

Don't skimp now because if you decide you under built down the road, inflation will guarantee that you'll pay more and more to correct it. I offer this because you say you intend to stay in place for a long time.

[finsruskw]

Mike, good deal you did not wait a few more years to build!!
IIRC, rates were about 10 points higher!
I think the 1st Peterbilt I bought, the rate was something like 18% or thereabouts.

[vr4Legacy]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

Something to think about...................

When I built my current house in 1970, interest rates were about 7%. At that rate, when paid off in 30 years, I would have paid back $2.50 for every $1.00 I borrowed on the loan. After a couple of years, I refinanced to a lower interest rate and assumed the loan at 20 years for only $10.00 more/month.

Don't skimp now because if you decide you under built down the road, inflation will guarantee that you'll pay more and more to correct it. I offer this because you say you intend to stay in place for a long time.

Very sound advice.

Rates will definitely rise in the coming year, if not months. I'm ticking every "want" box off that isn't easily changed down the road, and is relatively cheap (when compared to total build price). For example we did 9' ceilings and a vaulted ceiling in the great room, not something you can really change. Same goes for roughing in plumbing in the basement or adding fan boxes and 12/3 wire to the switches. Upgrading the bathroom to our "want" was a big chunk of money, and not really much less than it will cost to do it after the fact. I don't plan on financing any renovations. If I don't have the cash in reserve, it can wait.

I was fortunate and bought my current home when rates were rock bottom. I bought a fixer upper so bought it cheap and was able to afford a 15 year mortgage. After doing basic upgrades and refreshing, I have a bit of equity now 7 years in, which is really helping me offset a few of these upgrades.

Unfortunately, this time around it's gonna be a 30year. But I don't see rates getting any lower. Hopefully I can hit the principal hard in a few years and get it paid off before I expect to retire.