First - congrats! Awesome! Then to add to Weeg's list:
Obviously these all depend on the money you have to spend :) 1. DEFINITELY make the deck as large as possible. You will kick yourself later if it's not the biggest you can make it. You want to comfortably fit at least a dozen people, plus tables, chairs & a BBQ. AND - if possible - you want stairs going down into the yard. 2. Get privacy fencing put up ASAP. Maybe the builder can offer you a deal? Fencing helps sell a house down the road and you'll love it if you ever want a dog. If you do have a fence put up - put a gate in the back and one on each side of the house. Make sure the latches for the gate can have a lock put on them. 3. Tony mentioned water taps outside - definitely front and back, and make sure they make sense where they are. If you can get one run to the back of your property too - you might find it a blessing when you start tinkering around the yard and want to landscape it - depending of course how large your yard is. 4. If you ever think of putting a pool in the yard - tell the builder now. In case there's anything underground in the back that can be located more sensibly. 5. I'll repeat the wires thing: run them yourself or dictate where an how they are to be run. Run network outlets in as many places as you can. Even the bathroom. You never know. 6. If you can get a deal from the builder on granite - that is the better option than Corian. 7. If there is a loft or attic and you can walk in it - get the builder to lay down plywood everywhere. 8. If the builder is finishing the basement, or if he is not, get a third set of plumbing run down there in case you want to add a third bath in the future. GREAT resale value. 9. If the basement is a daylight basement - make sure the room that has the doors is large enough to be a party room. Try and get sliding glass doors. They let in lots of lovely light into a basement. 10. If you are getting a fireplace - see if they can put in built in shelves on either side. We have that and they are fabulous. 11. Don't be stingy on the fireplace mantel. 12. Echoing Brian's comment - stay involved in the process as much as possible. If you can afford it - and they let you - buy the workers a pizza lunch every once in a while. Treat them like a big group of casual friends. Be nice and courteous and genuinely interested in how your house is going up and what the process is. Builders love to brag about their work. Then when it comes to little things - they are more likely to be in your favor. Never stomp around the building site angry or miffed or like a spoiled child - saying things like "It's my house and I want it the way I want it". You won't get any favors that way. 13. If the option is available and you like that sort of thing - scope out a spot for a wet bar and have them run plumbing. You can do everything else yourself - but running the plumbing now is a bonus. Even if you never use it - the resale will be great for it. More and more people are putting in home bars and entertainment rooms than ever before. 14. Electric/Phone/Network outlets on every possible wall. If you plan on having something up high that needs an electrical outlet - you might want one located high in an inconspicuous spot. 15. Braces for ceiling fans in every room. They are a hot hot hot item when it comes to resale. That and they make cooling and heating the house a lot easier. 16. DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS. What you will save on heating and cooling will pay for them and then some. Do NOT scrimp on the windows. 17. Install a security system wired into EVERY WINDOW and EVERY DOOR on EVERY FLOOR. It is easy for them to do this now and will be a VERY AWESOME resale point. They did it in the house we are in now and it's LOVELY to have such a great security system. 18. Since you are getting the bumps - will there be room in the kitchen for a U-shaped counter or an island? If so GET ONE. You will be thankful for it down the road. Everyone thinks they don't need counter space until they are cooking a big meal and run out of room. From the picture you gave us - that kitchen layout doesn't have enough counter space AT ALL. 19. Any chance of them running a bigger stoop slab across the front of the house? If it looks good? You might want it to be a place to relax and sit. 20. Any chance of them putting the kitchen sink on the outside wall so you have a window to look out when doing dishes? You'll prefer this to looking at a wall. If they put in a built-in microwave - get them to vent the microwave outside instead of inside. Same with the stove-top vent. Why people vent them in is beyond me. Run the vents outside. It is dead easy for them to do this. And there - I've run out of ideas for now. But I may come up with some more! :D Cheers, Erika -------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:167991 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54