New House Build (What I would do different after a year of living in it)

[JasperFrank]

I would have put in a 500 amp service panel on the garage with more 220 V outlets.
Would have tripled the underground water storage cistern and routed all the down spouts of the garage to fill these over the winter.
Would have worked with a professional landscape designer.
Set the house further away from the easement road for privacy.
Paved at least 400 feet of the easement road, with permissions of the owner, up wind from the house.
Staked the survey line with a neighbor's property with permanent markers right after it was blazed and done.
I would have used an electric only sub-floor heating system, instead of a hydronic electric boiler, Plex tube system.
Should have placed the septic system in much earlier so the temp construction trailers could be plumbed in to that.
Should have just hired out heavy equipment to get rid of the rocks very early on.

Had no idea I'd be digging out and moving rocks for the next 30 years. And I should have started the terracing earlier in a more thought out overall landscaping plan.

Wasted so much time in the late nineties wiring the house for twisted pair Cat 3. That never got used. We didn't get DSL till 2011. Buy then, all the DSL Modem/ Routers were N wireless. Good enough for a home network.

Glad I didn't invest in a windmill. The first five years here had wind potential, all the time, but after that five years, its been a dead calm, for the next 25 years, and I can't even fly a kite.
The solar system, I should have set up to be entirely off grid and smaller and have it set up to just move water around. I done working with the local utility over this, and their requirements for inter-tie. So after putting everything in place, and running for a short time, they change the rules, and added some extra service charge, upped the Bond and after the last ice storm, a 100 year event as they say, knocked it all down, it all has to be re-certified $$$, by one of their accepted contractors. Hell with that.

Metal Roof.
More mud room areas.
More closets.
Cork flooring was not a good idea if you have dogs.

Metal clad wooden windows are not a good idea in the
Pacific Northwest.

And don't ever build a wooden kit Geo-Desic Dome. Those now, 30 year old, triangular sky lights, are not made any more. If they get broken, or the shell gets cracked, you have to have one custom made for thousands of dollars.



Glad I stayed away from any wood decking. No one is happy after 10 years in our climate.

 

[ultrarunner]

I would have put in a 500 amp service panel on the garage with more 220 V outlets.
Would have tripled the underground water storage cistern and routed all the down spouts of the garage to fill these over the winter.
Would have worked with a professional landscape designer.
Set the house further away from the easement road for privacy.
Paved at least 400 feet of the easement road, with permissions of the owner, up wind from the house.
Staked the survey line with a neighbor's property with permanent markers right after it was blazed and done.
I would have used an electric only sub-floor heating system, instead of a hydronic electric boiler, Plex tube system.
Should have placed the septic system in much earlier so the temp construction trailers could be plumbed in to that.
Should have just hired out heavy equipment to get rid of the rocks very early on.

Had no idea I'd be digging out and moving rocks for the next 30 years. And I should have started the terracing earlier in a more thought out overall landscaping plan.

Wasted so much time in the late nineties wiring the house for twisted pair Cat 3. That never got used. We didn't get DSL till 2011. Buy then, all the DSL Modem/ Routers were N wireless. Good enough for a home network.

Glad I didn't invest in a windmill. The first five years here had wind potential, all the time, but after that five years, its been a dead calm, for the next 25 years, and I can't even fly a kite.
The solar system, I should have set up to be entirely off grid and smaller and have it set up to just move water around. I done working with the local utility over this, and their requirements for inter-tie. So after putting everything in place, and running for a short time, they change the rules, and added some extra service charge, upped the Bond and after the last ice storm, a 100 year event as they say, knocked it all down, it all has to be re-certified $$$, by one of their accepted contractors. Hell with that.

Metal Roof.
More mud room areas.
More closets.
Cork flooring was not a good idea if you have dogs.

Metal clad wooden windows are not a good idea in the
Pacific Northwest.

And don't ever build a wooden kit Geo-Desic Dome. Those now, 30 year old, triangular sky lights, are not made any more. If they get broken, or the shell gets cracked, you have to have one custom made for thousands of dollars.



Glad I stayed away from any wood decking. No one is happy after 10 years in our climate.

Tell us what you really think...

Excellent post and enjoyed reading...

Grid Tie keeps changing so it's like a moving target and generally every change is a win for the other side as compared to saving their bacon and the grid during hot summer afternoons when the grid would crash without existing solar input...

 

[2LaneCruzer]

We built our house in 1972, and are basically happy with it, although I wish it were bigger and had an upstairs walk in attic. One thing I did later (our garage is a nice 2 car garage) was to build a floor-to-ceiling cedar lined closet on the far side of the garage, with some storage shelves, all covered by doors, nothing open. We store Winter clothes in there in the Summer, and vice versa. When we remodeled, put the old cabinets in the front of the garage, above my workbench.

With a little time and forethought, I would have built more such storage, all matching. Oh, one other thing, I would have made sure our wiring was able to handle more heavy appliances, with more outlets through out the house. I would also been more circumspect with the placing of our outdoor faucets, and even though I couldn't afford it at the time, I would have put in a sprinkler system (we're on a well).

 

[tom3]

I really like the design of the OP's house. The keys over the windows is a nice touch too. In today's climate I would have put a metal roof on though, too much mold/alga, black streaks in shingles. When looking for our first house we looked at a place, I went in the detached garage and said "we'll buy it." Can't live without a garage, now we have two and a large storage shed. But if doing it again I'd forget the basement. One big junk hole in the ground and constant worry in my area.

 

[East30]

Nice build! I Recently finished a new build of my retirement home. Put two refrigerator's in the kitchen. We entertain quiet often, and have always looked for extra space. One has become a purely beer/Seltzer/pop fridge, the other is strictly food. Nice to not have to walk to the garage for a second beer and bait fridge. Also built a gun room. No more safe, now a locked walk-in room with bows/guns/ammo with A/C and heating.

 

[WVH1977]

I really like the design of the OP's house. The keys over the windows is a nice touch too. In today's climate I would have put a metal roof on though, too much mold/alga, black streaks in shingles. When looking for our first house we looked at a place, I went in the detached garage and said "we'll buy it." Can't live without a garage, now we have two and a large storage shed. But if doing it again I'd forget the basement. One big junk hole in the ground and constant worry in my area.

I really wanted a metal roof but again it was a money thing when I was worrying to death about the appraisal. I should have added to my list if I do it again I will more than likely put a metal roof on. I wanted green like my door and shutters.

 

[K5lwq]

If I could build anything I want it would be a very large climate controlled shop. I mean big enough to pull a DC3 in if I want. Then in a corner just a modest living area. But afraid I would lose a wife in the process so it will never happen.

 

[Torvy]

If I could build anything I want it would be a very large climate controlled shop. I mean big enough to pull a DC3 in if I want. Then in a corner just a modest living area. But afraid I would lose a wife in the process so it will never happen.

Maybe get her a GPS so you don't lose her in you giant shop.

 

[CalG]

Just a note:

The wife and I bought the only house we could afford. Raised our family here and still reside in the same place.

When we moved in, We made a ten year plan. (tore out the wall to wall carpet the first day in ;-)

Well, the kids are grown and out. We are about at year 3 on the 10 year plan (it's been 30 years)

I'm ******* deep in a tile bath redo at present. (curb-less shower , opened the walls and re-studded , lowered the floor.. etc. etc..)

There sure are a lot of decisions and choices that need to be made. I'm just glad I got the SHOP built in the first years!

 

[tom3]

If I could build anything I want it would be a very large climate controlled shop. I mean big enough to pull a DC3 in if I want. Then in a corner just a modest living area. But afraid I would lose a wife in the process so it will never happen.

I was telling a buddy that my dream 'house' would be a huge shop with a single wide house trailer behind it. He said why not built it big enough to put the trailer inside? Probably not practical but would sure make for a quiet place with no leaking roof.

 

[bigtiller]

I was telling a buddy that my dream 'house' would be a huge shop with a single wide house trailer behind it. He said why not built it big enough to put the trailer inside? Probably not practical but would sure make for a quiet place with no leaking roof.

My neighbor had a 1.5 car garage and wanted more space for working on projects.
He built a 50x70~ tin shed around and over his garage.
With the garage inside the shed, he didn't need to "move in".

 

[Mike1955]

We built this one in 2014. Our second. I did not put enough plug ins or water outlets on the outside.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm working on a long term remodel of my house where I'm making the back of the house, the front of the house. The current kitchen is OK, but it's in the wrong place. I'm also converting my attached workshop/garage into a Great Room. We want the kitchen to be part of the Great Room so everyone can see everything regardless of what they are doing.

This is the plan that my wife and I have come up with for the kitchen. It will be open along one wall to connect to the Great Room. We want 2 refrigerators. We thought about a commercial fridge, but don't want to pay for it when two fridges will give us more options. Neither fridge will have a water dispenser. They take up too much room. Our current fridge is a LG that we really like, so we'll get another one, and have them next to each other. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LG-25-5-cu...tproof-Stainless-Steel-ENERGY-STAR/1002543648

We also want to have 2 dishwashers. We have 6 dogs, and they are fed twice a day. Some of them get two bowls of food, so it's normal to wash 18 dog bowls a day. My wife is a little crazy, so she washes the bowls after each feeding. It's so bad that we'll have dishes in the sink because the dog bowls need to be cleaned first!!!!

She wants a gas stove with six burners, so we're going to get one that's 36 inches wide. I'm not 100% happy with it's location in the corner, but it will have counter space on both sides, so it's a doable compromise. The sink will be as big as we can get one. She's just recently decided that she wants a stainless steel farm sink. Counters will be granite.

There is 7 feet of open space between the cabinets. Not enough room for an island, so we are going to get a 5 foot long stainless steel table on wheels and keep it in the Pantry most of the time. Then wheel it out when we need it. She likes to can and we're going to start grinding meat for dog food, sausages and ground for ourselves. That will all be done on the stainless steel table.

Floors will be tile. Walls are sheetrock and ceiling will be tongue and groove with exposed beams and as much height as I can get out of it and still have good insulation.

There will be plenty of outlets, and lighting. Otherwise, it's a pretty basic design.

I'm currently building an attached three car garage so we can get everything out of the shop. Once that happens, I'll be able to start working on the Great Room, and the new Kitchen.

 

[Torvy]

One common water wall with kitchen, baths and utility/laundry all located close to each other. NO plumbing to other areas.

We are doing this in the shop. Our original plan was to have an apartment on one end and live there while they finished the house. We are still putting in the stubs for toilet, shower bath sink and kitchen sink.

 

[dodge man]

One thing, and this is hard to describe, is know what you are doing. It’s very easy to come up with a plan that you think is great but an architect or home builder knows is terrible. Unless you know what you are doing trust a professionals judgement.

 

[tom3]

See many houses in my area (Applachia) that started out one room on corner stones. Have a kid, get some money saved, add a room, dig a basement. More kids, better jobs and add a second story. Way before any permits and regulations. Real interesting to go down in the basement and look how it all started and grew. See where the old coal furnace was with the big bonnet and 12 inch ducts to the rooms. And original electric with four fuses for the lights and radio, cloth covered wires. (got way off topic, sorry)

 

[ponytug]

I'm working on a long term remodel of my house where I'm making the back of the house, the front of the house. The current kitchen is OK, but it's in the wrong place. I'm also converting my attached workshop/garage into a Great Room. We want the kitchen to be part of the Great Room so everyone can see everything regardless of what they are doing.

This is the plan that my wife and I have come up with for the kitchen. It will be open along one wall to connect to the Great Room. We want 2 refrigerators. We thought about a commercial fridge, but don't want to pay for it when two fridges will give us more options. Neither fridge will have a water dispenser. They take up too much room. Our current fridge is a LG that we really like, so we'll get another one, and have them next to each other. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LG-25-5-cu...tproof-Stainless-Steel-ENERGY-STAR/1002543648

We also want to have 2 dishwashers. We have 6 dogs, and they are fed twice a day. Some of them get two bowls of food, so it's normal to wash 18 dog bowls a day. My wife is a little crazy, so she washes the bowls after each feeding. It's so bad that we'll have dishes in the sink because the dog bowls need to be cleaned first!!!!

She wants a gas stove with six burners, so we're going to get one that's 36 inches wide. I'm not 100% happy with it's location in the corner, but it will have counter space on both sides, so it's a doable compromise. The sink will be as big as we can get one. She's just recently decided that she wants a stainless steel farm sink. Counters will be granite.

There is 7 feet of open space between the cabinets. Not enough room for an island, so we are going to get a 5 foot long stainless steel table on wheels and keep it in the Pantry most of the time. Then wheel it out when we need it. She likes to can and we're going to start grinding meat for dog food, sausages and ground for ourselves. That will all be done on the stainless steel table.

Floors will be tile. Walls are sheetrock and ceiling will be tongue and groove with exposed beams and as much height as I can get out of it and still have good insulation.

There will be plenty of outlets, and lighting. Otherwise, it's a pretty basic design.

I'm currently building an attached three car garage so we can get everything out of the shop. Once that happens, I'll be able to start working on the Great Room, and the new Kitchen.

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View attachment 759039

Sounds great. For the dog bowls, you might look at a bar dishwasher, if it is big enough; they only have one level. Very rapid cycle times, with sanitizing rinses make them great for food service uses, like cleaning meat utensils, and, say, dog bowls. It doesn't dry, but you just pull the rack out and toss a new rack in.

I worked one place where there was an eccentric guy who had two dishwashers; both with magnetic labels that flipped from "Clean" to "Dirty". He never unloaded the dishwashers. He used them to store the dishes, grabbed clean ones from the "clean" dishwasher and put the used ones in the "dirty" one until it was full and the cycle repeated. It seemed very sensible to me, but the consensus view on him was that he was brilliant but a few cards shy of a full deck.

If it were me, I would move the stove out of the corner. I have never been in a kitchen with a stove in the corner that I found that I liked, as it is so cramped to have the counter right at the edge of the stove. You don't have much room to maneuver, and the cabinets get in the way. You also lose all the under cabinet space in the corner where you can normally put a lazy-susan, or pull out storage, though it isn't a bad place for an electric hot water booster tank. Our current house was built by the prior owner, who originally put their stove in the corner (adjacent to the sink!), and then sometime later moved it ten feet down the counter away from the corner and sink. Two stove vent ducts through the roof, and two gas outlets. (The old gas line wasn't even capped! Shutting a drawer could have opened the valve. Sheesh.)

One advantage of commercial stoves is much higher BTU ratings, if that is of interest. The downsides are cost, that the hoods have to be larger and venting has to be more powerful.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Torvy]

Our current stove top is on the island. I like it there because I can cook dinner and still be part of the conversation when kids are home. The new house will have the same thing but bump the height up 6". I am 6'1" and my back hates counter height.

Another feature we had customized is the top of the cabinet under the stove has a real drawer rather than a false one. Fits griddles and skillets just right. Had to notch one corner to work around the lines, but only lost about 4 Sq inches rather than a whole 36" wide drawer. New place gets a similar setup, but 30" cooktop since kids are grown.

 

[ultrarunner]

What will the finish height be above the floor with the 6” height?

Looked at a home that was the opposite… the wife is 4’9” and the husband 5’2” and the entire kitchen was custom and all lowered and she was a gourmet cook.

Everyone viewing said new kitchen needed but the existing was a thing of beauty!

 

[oosik]

This is our second house here in Ea WA.

We choose a design with a LARGE kitchen and centrally located island. The stove/oven is in the island. A microwave is tucked in to the end of the island. This design gives us more than twice the counter space from what we had in our first house.

This house is orientated to take advantage of the weather. The SW side of the house has no windows. The blazing hot summer sun beats down on this closed side. We open big windows on opposite ends of the house and big fans draw in the cool night air. This is our air conditioning system and it works great. The house remains cool all day.

Our first house was in Anchorage, AK. It was a split level. Not so very great for retirement.

Otherwise - this design has been just fine for retirement.