Arborvitae is a great option.

West of the civilian factors and out of the prevailing downwin of the ICBM and bomber sites too.

Maybe already mentioned (i didn't read the whole thread), but here is my list:
1. Insulation. Go overboard. Basically you are paying your future utility bills upfront.
2. Windows and roofing should be the highest quality you can afford.
3. Storage space. Don't skimp on closets, shelving, and cabinets. Use space in the house creatively.  We built storage cabinetry over / under our stairway to take advantage of available space that would be wasted in most houses.
4. Garage. Build it as large and with as high a ceiling as you can. Enough said.
4A. Insulate the garage just as well as the rest of the house, and make it a conditioned space.
5. Large straight stairway from either the garage or outside into the basement. Obviously does not apply if you have a walk out basement.
6. Tornado shelter / wine cellar / vault. I have seen these done under exterior porches when budget and space were limited.

Consider the "exterior insulation" concept.
Check out Matt Risinger on youtube. Lots of good ideas for any level of budget.

For everyone saying as large a garage as possible, what is the upper limit of reasonable?

36x28?

48x32?

I was planning on 42x30 for the attached garage

Wire your theater room for 7.1 speakers

Wire the exterior of your house for cameras even if not installed initially

Hardwire network wiring to major electronic spots like TVs, game consoles, printer locations, desktop PCs

Wire for WiFi mesh setup

consider Home Automation - lighting, AC/furnace, door locks, smoke/CO alarms, etc

Plan for freezer location and possible 2nd fridge

Have at least 2 separate circuits in the kitchen - forf when you have griddles, waffle makers, etc going at the same time.  Maybe make the 20A circuits

2 sinks in the master bath - you don't want to be fighting for use of the sink while wifey is getting ready

I'd do a semi-detached garage, connected by a covered porch or breezeway.

Helps keep noise, smoke, and dust out of the house. Helps in a possible fire situation. Lets you make the garage a little bigger without looking odd or otherwise disrupting the lines of your house as much. Depending on where you are, it could help with taxes (especially if you put a workshop or bonus room above it).

There will be a breezeway

Pretty sure that's been a code requirement for a while now. I'd suggest more circuits than the minimum, including dedicated to refrigerator, dishwasher, freezer.

Insulated garage doors, garage heater, and garage floor drains for all the snow melt.  Add at least one 220v outlet for welder / air compressor etc.

There is no upper limit. Go as large as the wallet will allow.

For example, my garage contains the following and I am out of space.

- 2 large vehicles (only one will fit presently)
- 2-4 mountain bikes
- 2 push scooters
- 54 inch rolling toolbox
- 36 inch push tool cart
- Large double door fridge/freezer
- Wall mounted power washer and reel
- 30 gallon air compressor with wall mounted reel
- Wall mounted extension cord reel
- Car wash/detailing/fluids/glues/gasket maker/carb cleaner/contact cleaner/rags cabinet
- 2 large Industrial racks (each holds 12 lg storage bins) for irrigation, paint, car parts, sports equipment, yard maintenance, electrical tools, wood working, lawn chemicals, coolers, generator, etc.
- Hanging space for backpack leaf blower, hedge trimmers, battery powered blower, jump pack, battery chargers, string trimmer, lawn edger, chainsaw, rakes, shovels, aerators, helmets, skateboards, hoes, umbrellas, gutter blower attachments, pry bars, long reach pruners, pruners, extension cords, etc.
- Ceiling mount for 2 kayaks
- 12 NATO fuel cans
- Lawn equipment and generator gas tanks (93 and 50:1)
- 5 gallon Home Depot buckets for collecting used oil, coolant, diff fluid, etc.
- Folding tables, step stool
- Large catch basin for draining coolant
- 2 Sets of Jack Stands
- Shelf space for 2 pairs of Muck Boots
- Shelf space for boxes of motor oil, oil filters and air filters

I’d still like a movable scissor lift, workbench, welder, hot/cold sink and room for a neighborhood cruising golf cart.

TL;DR

As much garage as possible.

We did 28x32. Would have liked to go bigger, but that was a sweet spot design wise. Going bigger would have complicated grading and required some significant additional earth moving to keep the workshop above the garage level with the side door of the house.

Summer afternoon fuckin'

If she's into that.

Kharn

You need a pole barn and garage

Great resource.

Also check out Tstuds. They eliminate a lot of the thermal bridging that a solid stud brings, as well as being dimensionally accurate and stable.

I'd love one. That said, I'm just showing the readers "normal" things that accumulate for a family of 4. I wish I had seen this list when I was house shopping.

This too!

Those look pretty interesting. How much extra does Tstud framing cost?

My attached garage is 32x24 with 10’ ceilings.

10’ is pretty low for the lift and I wish it was at least 12’

24’ is not that deep, I like the idea of 30… plenty of room for tool boxes and benches… could even store a sports car on dollies sideways.

A three car at 36’ is fine if you have that extra depth.

That's a big garage.  Mine is a wide 3 car that I can almost get 4 cars in if I had to.  35' wide.  I love my garage but do wish it was deeper on both outside bays(stairs on both sides cut into that depth, so my truck only fits in the middle)

Arborvitae becomes explosively flammable.

@Cincinnatus Other than lathe and plaster, or masonry, how did they used to do it?

Always had them on lot lines. One house back lot line, another house lot lines on each side of backyard, another 3 sides of backyard. None were close to the house.

My county limits the size of outbuildings.  You may want to verify there isn't a limit.

Builders who do not employ active meth-heads for construction workers. Straight 90 degree corners are a must have.

Metal roof b/c f*ck fires.  
No trees close by (b/c of roots)

Is it a walk out basement built into a hill or a dug basement?

If its walk out you don’t need garage space for anything other than cars.

Architectural tricks

Insulation along with a radiant barrier in the attic. Not just the attic floors but also the rooftop ceiling with a radiant barrier.
Whole House Fans
Gable/Attic Fans
A very high end HVAC
Extra insulation with a radiant barrier on the western walls (including an attached garage's western wall)
Double pane insulated windows
A steel front door frame and a very solid front door with multiple dead bolts
A good perimeter fence/wall
motion detectors along fence/wall with cameras and an alarm whenever someone comes up the driveway or anywhere onto the property
A safe room with a steel door and door frame
Kitchen with Wolf or Viking or Thermador range, Commercial Hood Fan, Commercial grade refrigerator
Garage storage freezer
Pool and Jacuzzi
Exercise room
A study
A pantry - very useful for lockdowns during a pandemic or someother emergency
A room for a gun safe and reloading equipment
An indoor range (if you have the space and money)
A good fallout shelter that also doubles as a wine celler/man cave
LED lights throughout entire house
A GENERATOR for power outages
Solar Panels and an Inverter and some battery banks to store the power with a grid tie in.
A dual usage wood/coal burning stove that can also not only heat the home but cook/bake on.
Oil lamps in case the entire electrical system/power goes out.
Preferably a well on the property for water

An orchard/garden area
A workshop

No limit for attached garage on the dwelling

Walk out

I'm having a place built.

Walk out basement, two car garage.  That extra space I added into the garage will really come in handy for benches, tools, a UTV, etc.

I put in a glass rinser like they have in breweries.  The wife loves it.  I just plumbed it into the old nozzle for the spray hose.  The new faucet has a spray nozzle built in.

2x6 construction

10' ceilings

10' ceilings in the basement.  8" cast in place concrete walls with a minimum of #4 @ 16" oc ew.  5000 psi concrete.  Walk out door.  Proper drainage.  Control joints in the concrete slab.  Water stops at all construction joints in the wall at at the bottom of the wall where it meets the strip footing.  15 mil vapor barrier.  

12x12 concrete vault. in basement.  12" walls with (2) layers of #5 bar at 8" oc.  Each layer is offset so there is no more than 4" between bars. 12" concrete ceiling.  Entry door is hidden. Entire basement reloading and gun room is hidden behind a wall.

16 ga steel entry doors with 1/4" thick HSS steel jambs

Marvin windows & sky lights

oversized 4 car garage with car lift.

More outlets in each room than required by code.

Lots of lighting.  Natural wood trim.  Full craftsman style woodwork and stain glass windows.

Decorative tile floors and bathrooms.

Single story

Steel joist floor with 5" concrete slab on mtl deck over the basement.   With this setup the joists could easily span 30' and you would not need a steel girder with columns cutting through the basement.

Have the main floor at least 1' above the exterior grade to prevent water from flowing over the basement wall.

Make master bedroom a safe room.

Foundation:

Fiber-reinforced concrete
1.5”x12” recess in slab at overhead door openings instead of sloping entire garage slab

Framing:

16” TJI’s (360 or 560 series) or floor trusses (design to L480)
AdvanTech floor sheathing applied with AdvanTech polyurethane foam adhesive and screws
2x6 exterior walls at 16”OC
Simpson CB/CBS/CBSQ cast-in-place post bases
Simpson SDWF floor-to-floor screws
Simpson SDWC-15600 truss screws at rafters
ZIP System sheathing
LVL ridges
LVL window & door headers pushed up to bottom of top plate

Windows & Doors:

Impact-rated glass
Clad wood
Andersen A series or 400 series
Sierra-Pacific H3 series
Factory mulling only
10x7 overhead doors for single bays
18x7 overhead doors for double bays

Roofing:

26ga standing seam metal (Sheffield Mfg or similar)
Certainteed Landmark Pro 50yr shingles
Ice & water shield under metal roofing and any shingle roof 3:12 or lower
Drip edge flashing

Siding & Trim:

Hardie fibercement products
Hardcoat stucco
5/4x6 composite decking, blind fastened, with a rim plank
2x12PT#2 deck joists at 16”OC

Insulation:

Open cell foam at all roof planes, attic walls, and around windows & doors
Fiberglass batts at exterior walls and wood-framed subfloors
Polyurethane foam sealant at bottom plates of walls

HVAC:

Zone master suite separate from common area
Zone guest bedroom suites together
Zone bonus room over garage separate from common area
Distributed returns
Air handlers and all ducts in conditioned space
Variable speed heat pumps

Plumbing:

Gas-fired tankless water heaters (Rinnai RU199iP or similar) installed in conditioned space
All fixtures home run to plumbing manifold with shutoff and drain cock for each circuit
Plumb gas line to deck to supply grill

Electrical:

Decora switches and outlets
USB charging outlets at kitchen and at each headboard wall
Wireless charging pad installed in recess milled into bottom of kitchen countertop
LED lighting
Schluter Ditra floor heating system at all bathroom/tile floors
Outlets installed horizontally in baseboards
12-3 Romex to ceiling fan locations
Broan 744 bath exhaust fans (or similar)
Switched landscape/holiday lighting outlets at exterior

Low Voltage:

In-wall structured wiring enclosure with integrated power supply
(2) runs of Cat6 cable from the enclosure to each network location (TV’s, VOIP phones, wireless access points, smart appliances, etc)
Coax feed from street to in-wall structured wiring enclosure

Drywall:

1/2” drywall throughout, screwed & glued
Purple board at bathrooms and behind cabinets
Densglass below flood elevation and potentially damp, unconditioned spaces
Level 4 finish

Paint:

Sherwin-Williams products
Latitude exterior acrylic
Duration Home interior latex
Emerald urethane trim enamel
Minwax Polycrylic clear
Latex caulk interior
Polyurethane sealant exterior

Fireplace:

Isokern masonry (wood burning)
Superior VRT3536 or VRT3542 (ventless gas)
Superior DRT4040 (direct vent gas)

Architectural:

10’+ ceilings at first floor
9’+ ceilings at second floor
8’ interior doors (or 8’ at first floor and 6’8” at second floor)
2’8” interior door widths wherever possible
3’ interior door at laundry
42”-48”min hallways and stairs
12’x13’min bedroom
8’min between windows at headboard walls
2’8” closet depth
All exterior landings 3” lower than adjacent subfloor
Dedicated mechanical room for breaker panels, structured wiring panel, air handlers, and water heaters with tile and/or waterproof membrane floor and floor drain
Laundry adjacent to master suite
42”x6’ water closets at master bath and any shared baths
Bedrooms separated by closets and baths for noise
No bedroom door with direct view of bed when opened
2x6 interior walls at pocket doors
25’x25’ garage (2-car)
Service yard for heat pumps, electric meters, gas meters, trash cans, and pool equipment

40 by 60 garrage with a temperpedid bed a big fridge and a big freezer a gas stove and a grill/ smoker on a lake with no houses within a mile

A 4 roll toilet paper holders in every bathroom and a heated wipe dispenser.

Plan for things you may not have money for now but may want in the future or what buyers may want in the future.   Easier to add electrical circuits / home runs when the walls are just studs rather than when fully finished.  

Triple pane windows.  Huge difference in transmitted sound.

Bathrooms:  heated floors and an outlet behind the toilet on its own breaker for the bidet (here come the GDers).  Did both on a remodel and the floors are huge during the winter and the outlet is a pita if you want to add a bidet later.  

Garage:  Subpanel if needed.   220 outlets, sink with hot and cold if possible if you work on anything.  Provisions for mini split if not initially installed.  

Exterior:  one electrical outlet on each side of the house.  Provisions for a penetration and path to where the outdoor patio will be for electrical later on if not initially planned.  (Allows TV, fans on a pergola, other lighting, etc out at the patio).   Provisions for a sprinkler system with penetrations through the foundation / water stub.  

Enough basement height to have a room even after adding a drop ceiling.  


Budget is key to prioritizing what you want out of a house

A buddy has a 60x100 metal building and he's running out of space….  I put up a 25x30 and I'm kicking myself for not doubling that...

I subscribe to the idea that you'll fill up any space you allot yourself. That said, my list isn't atypical. The only items that might raise an eyebrow is the number of NATO cans. Even those make sense once you remember the gas pipeline incidents over the past 5 years.

ground source heat pump(s).  have the tubing buried during basement excavation.
Ventilation zone control.  Minimum of 1 zone per level.  
HW infloor heat for at least the basement and garage, with boiler piped & controlled to also furnish auxiliary heat for HP.
Proper vapor barriers, venting, & transfer fans.
Stairway from garage to basement.
Large floor drains with cleanouts in garage.
HP or HP mini spit in garage.
sidewall exhaust fan interlocked with outside air louver on opposing garage walls for fast ventilation.
Snowmelt for front entry/sidewalk, and first 18-36" of slab infront of the garage doors.
3/4 bath adjacent to mudroom adjacent to garage.
sliding window at height that allows for easy shooting from workbench into backyard.

Infloor heat in basement - i did mine with tubing

Infloor heat in master bath room - resistive mats for me

2 sinks in master bathroom



consider a drain centered in each garage stall

Nails.

It must have nails.

Toto Washlets, SubZero, Viking, Steam Shower, pool, whole home gen.

For us it would be large walk in pantry with counter for freeze dryer and dehydrator and cabinets for bulk storage.

Would also need 120amp to my shop.