When working with a custom homebuilder, you have a chance to create the house of your dreams, which sounds great, but it can be a bit overwhelming. The endless options and possibilities can make getting a finalized list to your custom homebuilder a pretty daunting task. Take a look at these 10 must-haves when building a home. Start with this list & let your creativity flow from there!
Talk about MUST HAVES when building a new home – this feature is a MUST MUST HAE. No more lugging dirty laundry all over the house! Have laundry chutes installed in key places like the family bathroom and mudroom so you don’t have to worry about rounding up dirty hampers from all around the house. Below, you’ll see the three primary options we see that are asked for – in-wall, in-floor and in-cabinet laundry chutes that are beautifully camouflaged & incredibly useful.
If you’ve got kids and/or pets, a mudroom is definitely a must. Create a space by a back door that has towel hangers, shoe storage, and a small shower/drain area with a hand-held sprayer. By putting everything you need right by the door, you can make sure muddy shoes get hosed off and wet dogs get dried properly so that your home will remain better protected from tracked-in dirt. As must-haves when building a new home go, this is a universal need for most families with pets, kids, or an active lifestyle. The room can be country casual, downright rustic or even elegant as the photos show below.
If you’re going to spend time and money on creating a beautiful kitchen backsplash, why ruin it with power outlets? Talk to your custom home builder about installing electrical outlets under the cabinets so that they remain hidden from view but are still easy to access for when you need to plug in appliances.
This is such a simple feature that will make a huge difference in your kitchen’s daily appearance. Take the decorative drawer cover
under your sink and make it flip out for quick-and-easy sponge storage. Your sink will be free of soggy sponge clutter and you’ll be making use of previously pointless space.
If you plan on using any sort of power tools, outdoor appliances, or decorations that require a plug, you will thank yourself for thinking ahead and installing plenty of easy-access outdoor outlets. Forget about long, tangled extension cords that create trip hazards and inevitably create an ugly, bright-orange line in your yard. With numerous outdoor outlets, you can easily install outdoor lighting and work on projects outside with much less hassle.
Bring on the tunes! If you already know where you want to put the sound system and entertainment center, talk to your custom homebuilder about installing built-in speakers in the room. You’ll save yourself valuable floor or wall space and have the luxury of having your house literally be filled with music.
7. BATHROOM DRAWER WITH OUTLETS
Solve the bathroom clutter problem before it starts. Install a bathroom drawer with built-in storage for personal care appliances like blow dryers, electric shavers, hair straighteners, and electric toothbrushes and also add some power outlets. Not only will this save you the headache of untangling power cords every time you need to use one of these appliances, but it will also keep your sink area clear of charging stations.
8. DEEP KITCHEN DRAWERS INSTEAD OF CABINETS
How many times have you lost the matching storage lid into the dark abyss of a deep kitchen cabinet? Or had to get on your hands and knees to search the very back of an under the counter cabinet? Solve these problems by switching out deep cabinets for deep drawers. You’ll be able to see and reach your kitchen items much more easily, and your back and knees will thank you.
Bring on the tunes! If you already know where you want to put the sound system and entertainment center, talk to your custom homebuilder about installing built-in speakers in the room. You’ll save yourself valuable floor or wall space and have the luxury of having your house literally be filled with music.
Are you sick of fighting over taking out the trash? Make the trash take itself out. Ask your custom homebuilder if it will be possible to install trash and recycling chutes in the kitchen that lead to bins in the garage or outside. No more trash cans full of last night’s fish stinking up the kitchen, and no more soda cans attracting ants.
10. SMART THERMOSTATChances are your home doesn’t need to be at optimal temperature 24/7. Invest in a smart thermostat so you can program your home to ease up on the energy use when no one is in the house. You can also program it to warm up the house a little before you wake up on cold winter mornings, or cool the house down right before you get home from the gym in the summer.
It will feel pretty luxurious, and it will also save you money on your energy bills.