New Home Considerations...

Considerations when building a new home should be carefully thought out.  Whether you design it and become the general contractor or you find a builder that is building in a development, these are things to  consider when building a new home.

Build for future needs. Remember, builders create homes with defined demographic groups in mind, sometimes known as first-time buyers, move-ups, empty-nesters and retirees.  Developers create new communities based upon timing and marketing conditions for the phases represented above.  Two story homes have been the market for the past few years, but there seems to be a shift in the market toward single or reverse 1 1/2 story homes with two master bedrooms and baths.  This might be a consideration you may want to talk over with your builder.

Another consideration in building a new home is to build a few multifunctional spaces that can change as the family changes.  A large room that can serve as a playroom when children are young, and a multimedia room, exercise room, or a pair of home offices later. Add a few pocket doors so that larger spaces can be separated into smaller ones as needed.

Also, consider incorporating the principles of "universal design" into your plan in building a new home so your house will be accessible to everyone from the walking toddlers to the elderly in wheelchairs. Maybe vary the countertop heights in kitchens and baths so they are accessible to both tall adults and young children.  Wider doorways and hallways could give a wheelchair access through them and grab rails in baths.  Consider using graded slopes rather than steps in pathways leading up to your house. If your home has more than one story, consider putting in an elevator or at least stacking closets on each floor that could be converted into an elevator shaft later.

Cut corners carefully. Everyone wants the best of everything when building a new home, but few can afford it. So while you're in the planning stages, think carefully about where you invest your dollars.  New home builders typically spend the most money on the things you can see and touch and cut corners behind the walls.  Behind the walls is just as important as what you see.

Paying for quality materials and installation for the things unseen such as the framing, insulation, sheetrock, foundation, plumbing, wiring and heating and air-conditioning systems, will give you piece of mind that you can avoid the worry about nail pops, drafty rooms, leaky basements and similar problems. It pays to upgrade roofing, siding, exterior doors and windows, even if it means starting out with cheaper grades of kitchen appliances, countertops and interior trim. You can always add some sizzle later, as your budget allows. But a thoughtfully planned, solidly built house will last you a lifetime.

What do you think about these items in building a new home?