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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:42:32 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Porch and patio urinals. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:44:16 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So... flower pots? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Porch and patio urinals. Flowers are a decision best left to your wife. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:44:27 AM EDT
[#3]
workshop / gun room with a faraday cage, store all SHTF electronics here
in the age of wifi I still like Cat6 run everywhere. movie / video game / nap room with acoustic panels and Dolby Atmos Mudroom between garage and kitchen Utility sink in garage two post lift in garage Solar and home generator hookup in wall wired cctv |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:45:59 AM EDT
[#4]
Ret. painter here
I started noticing a cheap out trend around here on interior windows even on high end houses.. Not adding that overhanging bottom sill (stool) Just simply trimming it in without that sill looks cheap |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:52:03 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: wide stairs that go straight down especially if it is not going to be a walkout basement, getting things down there is SO much easier in my current house vs my old 1950s house I had previous The best thing we did in our new house was the walkout basement. The door from upstairs to the basement is a clusterfuck design. It is between two bedrooms, and should have never been built that way. My wife insisted my dumb ass gave in to her. edited to add. The second best thing we did is make the basement walls 10' ft high. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:53:24 AM EDT
[#6]
Separate enclosed room for toilet in master bathroom.
Set up wiring for external security system. Think placement of cameras. Have plenty of external lighting (flood lights) controlled from master bedroom. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 10:57:59 AM EDT
[#7]
Super insulated/energy efficient. Hallways and doors very wide. I would prefer no stairs.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:00:43 AM EDT
[#8]
My buddy says:
"IFC or at minimum block construction, with lots of rebar. If cheaping out with frame construction, use Miami Dade wind code as a bare minimum. Spray foam insulation. Uponor Pex A supply plumbing, not the garbage Pex that uses metal crimp rings. Mitsubishi mini splits. Auxiliary gas,oil or pellet heat with an emergency heat wood stove. Metal roofing, and not the cheap exposed screw 29 ga crap. Make sure there's not too much ground water at the bottom of the basement depth and you spend extra for waterproofing and extra drainage around the basement. Go big on the garage in both square footage and door height. Insulated and heated garage, with a hose reel so you can desalt your car at home. Pex heat for your driveway. 300 amp service for when ICE vehicles are effectively banned. The best windows you can afford. Extra high ceilings, including the basement, even though it costs extra. Low ceilings are ghetto. Curbless showers with the Schluter system. Body sprayer jets are nice, if you've got adequate water pressure. Nuheat wire for the heated bathroom floors. Led perimeter lighting and frameless shower doors/glass. Heated towel racks. Subzero fridge. Remember to remove any GFI or Arcfault breakers on circuits with motors, like fridges, freezers, garage door openers, etc, after the final inspection." And: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/10/15/us/mexico-beach-house-hurricane-trnd/index.html |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:01:04 AM EDT
[#9]
Room for TWO washing machines and TWO dryers in the laundry room if you have a family. One of my employees did that and I thought it was pretty genius.
On a related note, I located my laundry room on the bedroom level and I'm happy with that decision. No going up or down stairs with baskets of clothes. It's right off the hallway between my kid's rooms and the master bedroom. We used insulation and quiet rock drywall in the laundry room so you can't really hear the machines running when the door to the laundry room is closed. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:03:02 AM EDT
[#10]
Power outlets in the soffits for xmas lights. If you plan on stringing lights every year.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:04:47 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Room for TWO washing machines and TWO dryers in the laundry room if you have a family. One of my employees did that and I thought it was pretty genius. On a related note, I located my laundry room on the bedroom level and I'm happy with that decision. No going up or down stairs with baskets of clothes. It's right off the hallway between my kid's rooms and the master bedroom. We used insulation and quiet rock drywall in the laundry room so you can't really hear the machines running when the door to the laundry room is closed. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:04:48 AM EDT
[#12]
Is plumbing and wiring actually required to be inside of walls? I would leave them exposed and concealed behind a simple cover. Leave them easy to access for when shit needs fixing without having to tear up your walls.
Keep nice long straight runs leading to any stairs and exterior doors. Make sure whatever rooms are likely to have heavy bulky stuff in them have easy enough access to get it in and out because once the house is built, now you gotta drag a bunch of big heavy furniture into it, and eventually out of it once in a while. If you want to be fancy, add a laundry chute from the upstairs bedrooms to the washing machine in the basement. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:06:34 AM EDT
[#13]
Tankless water heater
Dual shower heads in the master shower Water softener and filter Extra hose bibbs on all side of the house Gutters Extra exterior electrical outlets Walkin pantry |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:08:41 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This is Arfcom: gun vault. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:09:50 AM EDT
[#15]
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:10:40 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: First floor as steel/concrete construction $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:11:09 AM EDT
[#17]
Somebody posted this in one of these threads if you really want to jack up the cost per square foot
 https://honeybramble.com/home-interior-design/custom-new-home-must-haves-features/ |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:11:47 AM EDT
[#18]
10’ ceilings. In basement too if possible.
Huge kitchen. Very good quality windows and roof (most new construction I’ve seen uses trash windows and practically construction paper shingles). Brick exterior. Plenty of electric outlets. Definitely a wood burning fireplace. Outdoor kitchen/living space. Whole house generator. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:12:45 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: A poured in place tornado shelter. That coincidentally is large enough to house your entire gun collection and pepper stuff. Don't forget to add a bathroom to it, no one wants to shit in a bucket in front of everyone while the nukes are flying. Which brings me to my next point. Don't tell anyone about your vault. I mean tornado shelter. Generator plug in and switchgear. Eta - cat6 wiring for most rooms and for your security cam setup. Which can be viewed from the "tornado shelter" Also have them insulate under the slab as if they were going to install in floor heat, even if you don't get in floor heat (which you should) It will help make the basement more comfy in the winter. What is pepper stuff?  Attached File |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:13:44 AM EDT
[#20]
36 inch doors damn near everywhere. Makes furniture moving easier and cost very little more. A slightly wider hallway . Outside motion lights. More water hose bibs and sink in the garage. Add 6 feet to the width and length of the garage.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:15:33 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you are gonna do an upstairs laundry room, I'd put in a shower type floor with a drain incase of a leak or ruptured hose. Hell, I'd do this for any laundry space in the interior of the house. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Room for TWO washing machines and TWO dryers in the laundry room if you have a family. One of my employees did that and I thought it was pretty genius. On a related note, I located my laundry room on the bedroom level and I'm happy with that decision. No going up or down stairs with baskets of clothes. It's right off the hallway between my kid's rooms and the master bedroom. We used insulation and quiet rock drywall in the laundry room so you can't really hear the machines running when the door to the laundry room is closed. It would certainly help that one time you needed it but I suppose you could justify a room drain for any room that had water at that point but people never do. Kitchens have water all over the place (fridge, pot filler, sink, dishwasher) but you almost never see a drain in one. That's not me saying you are wrong though. Just making the observation. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:15:53 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: A poured in place tornado shelter. That coincidentally is large enough to house your entire gun collection and pepper stuff. Don't forget to add a bathroom to it, no one wants to shit in a bucket in front of everyone while the nukes are flying. Which brings me to my next point. Don't tell anyone about your vault. I mean tornado shelter. Generator plug in and switchgear. Eta - cat6 wiring for most rooms and for your security cam setup. Which can be viewed from the "tornado shelter" Also have them insulate under the slab as if they were going to install in floor heat, even if you don't get in floor heat (which you should) It will help make the basement more comfy in the winter. What is pepper stuff? /media/mediaFiles/sharedAlbum/confused-britney-spears--83.gif Sigline fail.  He’s beating around the bush calling the gun fault a “tornado shelter” so I’m going with intentionally misspelled “prepper” 
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:18:45 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Id put the laundry room on an exterior wall so the vent is 10 inches long instead of routing over 30 feet through the house. My dryer is on an exterior wall and for some fucking reason they ran a U and decided to run it 30 feet under the house anyway.... 
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:24:05 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 36 inch doors damn near everywhere. Makes furniture moving easier and cost very little more. A slightly wider hallway . Outside motion lights. More water hose bibs and sink in the garage. Add 6 feet to the width and length of the garage. This. Garages are almost universally built to small. You drive through any subdivision and half of the houses have cars parked in the driveway because they can't fit them in their garage along with their stuff. It's one of the biggest disconnects between design and actual use that I see on single family homes. They simply don't design cookie cutter housing for how people actually use their homes and people who buy homes don't think about how they are actually going to use them before they buy them. In my neighborhood, some of the houses have 20x20 garages which mean that your 2 car garage becomes a 1 car garage the second you even as much as park a lawn mower inside. Drive a full size truck or SUV like millions of other Americans? Sorry, you are parking in your driveway. It's really stupid. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:24:54 AM EDT
[#25]
Icf construction
10ft ceilings Atleast a 3 car garage, and make each Bay atleast 12 x 26 If there's a basement, make it a walk out Minimum of 5 acres Minimum of a 1/2 acre pond All bedrooms have an en-suite bathroom Atleast 150ft off road Atleast 100ft from any property line Keep any septic lines atleast 50ft from any trees |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:26:05 AM EDT
[#26]
Closet in the living room. So you can just roll your Christmas tree into it, fully decorated, and just roll it back out the next year.
Tony |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:31:16 AM EDT
[#27]
Around here a basement is out of the question.
Screen porch In ground pool Man cave Gun room High ceilings in den / family room. Plenty of plug ins Big shower Big closets Island in kitchen Gas appliances |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:41:40 AM EDT
[#28]
I have the following and attest to the need. Will not be without again:
two dishwashers two ovens, makes holidays easy outdoor kitchen really good windows. We have that and meh insulation and our electric bill on 4,400 square feet is under $300 a month in the south with the AC at 67* all day upstairs laundry wet bar gun room with space for tools and repairs walk in giant shower toilet "room" in bathroom garage closet/workshop/storage so you can use the garage as a garage (and gym) hoses on 3 sides of house tons of landscape low voltage lighting wish I had but we bought an existing house so didn't get: water and power to the shed pit/shelter in garage for oil changes and car repairs in-law suite |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:42:32 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Id put the laundry room on an exterior wall so the vent is 10 inches long instead of routing over 30 feet through the house. Edit: beat like a red headed rented step-mule. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:49:35 AM EDT
[#30]
If you do a lot of outdoor grilling / smoking
Put it on the back porch so you can do in inclimate weather. But you want to be able to push / move the smoke out from under you covered area, so it does no stain everything A sink by your grill area & along with a enough counter top space. CAT6 cable EVERYWHERE!!! TVs, & security system 4 post car lift in your garage, turns your 2 car garage into a 3 car with the bonus of being able to get under & fix stuff. Put your gun safe or gun room or " tornado shelter " behind a hidden door. A lift to get the Christmas decorations in & out of the attic not climbing those damn stairs. First floor master, for when you get older or maybe break a foot or leg, there might come a point in your life where going up & down stairs everyday is very hard. Multiple AC & heaters. 1) for master, another for basement, another for upstairs, another for main floor {that way you only have to heat & cool the areas of the house you are using ) Centrally located you laundry to where most of the laundry will come from. If multiple story, still keep the laundry room location in mind!!! With either laundry shoot maybe hidden in a closet, or a dumb waiter for from clean & dirty clothes between the floors Also a drain middle of the laundry in case something happens to the washing machine, or that spare fridge or freezer you keep in there goes out. Also a dog wash shower To wash pets, or your dirty work boots, can also be used to fill the mop bucket, and give you extra hanging space. ( starting to work on house, plains my self and as you can tell, I have way over thought the laundry room )  |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:52:02 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Wood burning stove and a whole home generator. as well as Off grid solar capabilities wired for modern electronics IT room with fan coil unit Rinnai demand duo (best warranty in the industry for tank and heater) Skylights across major living quarter. HVAC system zoned for different areas Separate shop (If on land) Wired for Christmas lights Warm floors on all tile floors Dedicated ice maker Safe room Hidden gun room (possibly underground accessed through basement) |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:53:06 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Porch and patio urinals. Thats what a front and backyard is for. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:54:20 AM EDT
[#33]
Why does this feel like "A Wakeboarder Thread," and not a "Someone who's actually building a home is asking for ideas" thread?
But fine, I'll play. Assuming you're in Michigan and building here... 2x6 exterior walls (or something like ICF) for good insulating properties Durable exterior siding (masonry/brick, concrete, etc) Central vacuum system that exhausts to the exterior All rooms wired for computer network, multiple receptacles in each room Security - wires run to all doors/windows for alarm system, and wired motion sensors Vault room/safe room in a not-easily-predicted spot - i.e. hmm, there's something under this floor but the basement doesn't extend this far, must be a hidden vault room. Properly-sized gas meter/supply lines to supply standby generator, with capped run to prospective generator location Transfer switch for generator - much easier/cheaper to install when building new Wires/boxes on all exterior corners of the home for security/floodlights One home we owned/lived in had a central vac. With kids, cats and an asthmatic wife, it was fucking tits. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:55:45 AM EDT
[#34]
Two tunnels hidden behind false panels or something. One leads to a hidden exit in the woods. The other to the ultimate underground man cave which also has a hidden connection to the other tunnel.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:56:21 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Why? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Generator, walk-in gun-vault, outdoor shower. Why? Because it's freaking awesome. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:56:29 AM EDT
[#36]
Nat gas ran
Vented range hood. It's such a pain in the ass to try and vent a hood outside once everything is finished. If you cook a bunch the difference is huge. Refrigerator not designed at the end of a cabinet run. Many refrigerators have wide throwing doors and if a wall is close on either side that is the same depth as the doors, they won't open. Wood burning stove would be nice in northern climates. Garage with enough Amps/outlets ran to it to run multiple high draw items. Think air compressor, large freezer, lift
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:57:56 AM EDT
[#37]
I have a great custom home design by an old school architect.
I am pretty sure I'll be almost scrapping it, because I have decided to separate the garage from the house. A few reasons include -noise -fire danger mitigation -adding an apartment later to the garage -aesthetics I also think it will cost less overall to build a larger, separate garage + shop space than the attached garage followed up by a shop Lot space permitting |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 11:58:24 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Dual Naveon Tankless, Master/Slave Water Heaters. Assuming its a normal sized Arfcom abode…4000+ Navien sucks. Better Warranty kicks ass on navien, and Rinnais support is far superior 
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:00:42 PM EDT
[#39]
Network cables run to appropriate places for fixed location stuff plus some extras. A few small shelves with network and power for wireless aps, placed to allow total coverage inside and out.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:10:39 PM EDT
[#40]
Floor drain in garage with hot/cold water and siding on the INSIDE walls-Turn your garage into a giant "mudroom"
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:12:05 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Studs measure at least 2x4. None of that 1.5" x 3.5" garbage. 2x6 is where it’s at. |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:20:40 PM EDT
[#42]
Armored wall over looking or at least near the front door. That way if some comes in thru the door with out being invited you have a good place to shoot them from with cover for yourself.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:31:27 PM EDT
[#43]
Drain in garage floor
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:56:23 PM EDT
[#44]
Coax and cat6 everywhere you want it fed from a distribution panel. Everyone forgets this and everyone lives off internet
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:58:14 PM EDT
[#45]
With a basement? Serious attention to foundation waterproofing and water management. Starting with footing drains that go to daylight.
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Posted: 8/7/2023 12:58:39 PM EDT
[#46]
Do your best to reclaim all of the empty space under stairs or in the attic. Turn them into storage or a comm room
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Posted: 8/7/2023 1:00:46 PM EDT
[#47]
Indoor plumbing
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Posted: 8/7/2023 1:01:57 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Id put the laundry room on an exterior wall so the vent is 10 inches long instead of routing over 30 feet through the house. Agreed - cleaning my duct takes 30sec! Add a drain to the floor though |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 1:03:04 PM EDT
[#49]
under counter beverage center(s) - this saves so much space inside the refrigerator
utility sink in the garage 3+ garage bays hardwire boxes along the ceiling for speakers (and outside near the deck) reinforced (plywood) where you would wall mount TVs outlets in the floor where you will be watching TV for a subwoofer small bar sink in kitchen along with main sink for coffee prep or other food prep |
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Posted: 8/7/2023 1:11:57 PM EDT
[#50]
2x6 walls minimum
Wider hallways-wheelchair/stretcher Wide inside doors to go with above Heated bathroom floor Nice big cold porch Biggest breaker panel you can put in Actual pipe for electrical to run wires as mention by somebody No carpet-only runners or 6x8 rugs Some Dutch doors inside |
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