We're moving to Syracuse and after seeing what houses are available, we have decided to build a house. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas for things we should include? Also looking for things to avoid, any help or ideas would be great.
Anyone build a house?
- Thread starter Tom Hendricks
- Start date
Just don't build a crooked one. 
We have the builder, very highly recommended. We did our due diligence with that. We're meeting with them this Saturday to go over the plans for the house. We're trying to future proof our house, build as green as possible, yet not break the bank.
So we're looking for ideas to put into the house, questions to ask the builder and things to look out for generally in this process.
So we're looking for ideas to put into the house, questions to ask the builder and things to look out for generally in this process.
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You can never have enough electrical outlets.
What does "future proof" mean to you? What are you including?
Tom, good luck.
Glory to you....and your hoooooouuuuuuuse
Glory to you....and your hoooooouuuuuuuse
Thinking about running electrical up to the roof, maybe one day put in solar. That kind of idea.
- You need a master ensuite, no question.
- In that ensuite you need a walk-in shower with a glass door. You'll love it.
- In that ensuite you also need a walk-in closet. The convenience of having the entrance to your closet in your bathroom is unimaginable.
- Big windows, let the light in!
- Don't short change yourself on kitchen counter space or cupboard space.
- Lights. You need lots and lots of lights: fixtures, sconces, pot lights, counter lights, ect.
- Go for high ceilings if possible. 9' vs 8' makes a huge difference, if you can go 10'... do it!
- If you get any carpet, don't get cut-pile, its garbage. Get berber or better.
- Any hardwood or tile must, must, must be angled at 45 degrees to the wall. The improvement in room look and feel, and how large the room feels, compared to having the wood or tile parallel/perpendicular to the walls is unbelievable. When standing at the entrance to the room, looking into the room, make sure the angle goes away from you (ie you look down with the length of the wood or tile).
- Most new phones (if you even use a stationary phone) have one base station you plug in and the other hand sets don't need to be plugged in so don't worry about putting a receptacle in every room you intend to put a phone in.
- If you can avoid it, don't put bathrooms or bedrooms above garages, if you do ensure proper insulation so the floor of said room doesn't get super cold in the winter.
- Laundry upstairs is great, just ensure everything is hooked up properly, you don't want any leaks to ruin your house - in that vein try to place the laundry over the garage, that way a leak wouldn't destroy your kitchen or living room.
- In that ensuite you need a walk-in shower with a glass door. You'll love it.
- In that ensuite you also need a walk-in closet. The convenience of having the entrance to your closet in your bathroom is unimaginable.
- Big windows, let the light in!
- Don't short change yourself on kitchen counter space or cupboard space.
- Lights. You need lots and lots of lights: fixtures, sconces, pot lights, counter lights, ect.
- Go for high ceilings if possible. 9' vs 8' makes a huge difference, if you can go 10'... do it!
- If you get any carpet, don't get cut-pile, its garbage. Get berber or better.
- Any hardwood or tile must, must, must be angled at 45 degrees to the wall. The improvement in room look and feel, and how large the room feels, compared to having the wood or tile parallel/perpendicular to the walls is unbelievable. When standing at the entrance to the room, looking into the room, make sure the angle goes away from you (ie you look down with the length of the wood or tile).
- Most new phones (if you even use a stationary phone) have one base station you plug in and the other hand sets don't need to be plugged in so don't worry about putting a receptacle in every room you intend to put a phone in.
- If you can avoid it, don't put bathrooms or bedrooms above garages, if you do ensure proper insulation so the floor of said room doesn't get super cold in the winter.
- Laundry upstairs is great, just ensure everything is hooked up properly, you don't want any leaks to ruin your house - in that vein try to place the laundry over the garage, that way a leak wouldn't destroy your kitchen or living room.
^All of those are good except the angled wood/tile one. That's highly subjective to what a particular person finds appealing.
To add:
- insulation, get the highest R value you can afford. Once it's in the walls you''re stuck with it.
- run network cable throughout the house. Bedrooms, kitchen, livingrooms. Wireless may be more convenient to use, but it's still not as good a connection as plugging in. Plus, it gives you more options on where to plug in those wireless routers and thus eliminate areas with poor signal strength.
Start watching Holmes on Homes on hgtv. The show will give you lots of ideas on what to look out for. Heck, watch lots of hgtv and DIY tv in general. You'll learn lots of stuff about how houses are put together in general.
To add:
- insulation, get the highest R value you can afford. Once it's in the walls you''re stuck with it.
- run network cable throughout the house. Bedrooms, kitchen, livingrooms. Wireless may be more convenient to use, but it's still not as good a connection as plugging in. Plus, it gives you more options on where to plug in those wireless routers and thus eliminate areas with poor signal strength.
Start watching Holmes on Homes on hgtv. The show will give you lots of ideas on what to look out for. Heck, watch lots of hgtv and DIY tv in general. You'll learn lots of stuff about how houses are put together in general.
Best of luck with the project. 
My paternal grandparents built their house, and are still living there more than 30 years later. I hope you're as successful.
My paternal grandparents built their house, and are still living there more than 30 years later. I hope you're as successful.
the best advice I can give
http://www.robbiesbilliards.com/blogs/news/4540732-how-much-room-do-i-need-for-a-pool-table
also, don't forget to factor in for energy efficient windows as well as insulation
http://www.robbiesbilliards.com/blogs/news/4540732-how-much-room-do-i-need-for-a-pool-table
also, don't forget to factor in for energy efficient windows as well as insulation
Also think of the future of your family... Hallways and bathrooms wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. No unnecessary steps. Smooth transitions between floor surfaces. Grab bars in the shower -- they make ones that look like regular towel bars now, so they don't scream "nursing home".
And so on. Google "universal design" for ideas. Most of them are attractive and don't look like they were planned for accessibility. But you'll be grateful for them if you want to live there into old age, or even if one of you is just recuperating from an accident for a few weeks.Absolutely!
Dont throw money away on thing like "stainless steel" kitchen appliances.. Now worth what you pay. just simple white or black.
Believe me, I agree with this 1000%
I have been watching Holmes on Homes long before he came to HGTV. Believe me, with everything I'm trying to think like him when it comes to the house. We are doing the external waterproofing of the basement with a french drain, just like he does. There will also be a sump pump, so we are really trying to keep it water free. The basement will be finished, so we are going with spray foam. Not only there but we will have a bonus room over the garage, so the whole garage ceiling will be spray foam. Definitely doing the whole house with Cat 6 RJ45, including for future cameras. Also gonna have the Nest thermostate put in to control the heat and AC. We're also gonna pre-wire for a generator, so also running a natural gas line for that and where the deck will be for a grille.
We're doing most of what you said, we had the laundry upstairs at our last house and loved it. That was one of the wife's demands. The Master bedroom with have an ensuite, with the walk in closet in the bathroom. We originally thought it was kind of weird, but it has grown on us. We will have a separate shower and tub, I prefer it separate like that. While the Master Bedroom will be on the second floor, we are having a bedroom on the first floor with a full bathroom done as well. This will be used by guest and probably us eventually.
I'm just trying to cover all the bases. Don't want to forget or miss something, especially something simple and it comes back to bite us.
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