Quote:
Originally Posted by Cappy
Many good ideas
I would argue for the need of separate "his" and "her" areas when the are feasible.
Walk in closet? Split it with the hallway to the bathroom, both getting one side.
Two sinks in the bathroom? Make them separate counter spaces.
Prevents spillage that surely happens
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Two bedrooms? Two might sound expensive, but if you're practical and go with a twin each, it's really not that bad.
Bedrooms? Couple of places I looked at had a second master bedroom setup, which is nice, and eliminates the need to draw straws to see who gets the adult sized room + ensuite. If there's only one master, give it to your child (or favourite child, if you have more than one). If they ask questions, use it as a great chance to explain to them the importance of only sleeping with someone you're truly in love with. Deflect once they begin to figure out the implications of that statement.
In all seriousness, there are some amazing suggestions in this thread, with one of the biggest takeaway pieces of advice I'd give to anyone looking for the first time.. If your timeline & budget allow it/ you have the patience, absolutely build vs buying used or a spec home. Of course, do as much research as possible, flesh out your family's list of must have's & wants (as well as what you'd be willing to sacrifice and under what conditions) and consult a realtor to vet a list of builders in your area that match your budget and style. There's no substitute for seeing homes with the things you want in person; I helped s friend who was building narrow down, then expand his list and a lot of the changes from his initial "dream home list" were the result of seeing things with his own eyes.
With the integration of technology and smart home features about as likely to likely to taper off and fade into obscurity/labelled a fad as say, running water or electricity, it's a safe bet that even if you have no intentions of utilizing it right now, pre-wiring every room in your home with the highest standard cabling your budget allows could potentially save huge dollars and reap huge rewards for convenience sooner than you think.
Lots of lighting, a huge kitchen (something I overlooked as I made the transition from apartment dweller who never entertained/cooked for more than 3-4 people), main/same floor laundry, lots of
quality storage space/shelving, abundant & *accessible* soft-close cabinets to really enjoy that big kitchen (have a friend who designed his own home and for some reason the bulk of his kitchen storage is either too high for his wife, or below counter height and kind of a PITA to access regularly, all because he was brilliant and added some strange windows and strange accents where the majority of the standard "put everything you use regularly here" eye level, above the counter cabinets would have been).
I have fairly plush carpet in all 5 bedrooms and throughout the entire basement, and as a pet owner (just a rag doll cat for now, searching for that perfect breed of dog to match our lifestyle though) with a very active, curious, vocal and intelligent yet rambunctious 24 year old roommate, I'd definitely have went with an alternative like bamboo or cork if Id had my home custom built instead of purchasing it (just checked, and my roommate is actually 24 _months_ old, so it's more excusable). Carpets held up surprisingly well for 4 1/2 years, but some of the high traffic areas have definitely made me realize why so many of my friends with children and pets had casually asked if I'd selected the flooring when I got the place, or purchased as is after it was complete. Something to think about if you have kids/pets/anything in between.
A big yard was absolutely crucial for me, and I also wish I'd put a bit more emphasis on a large deck for entertaining. Bonus points for either an additional independent balcony, or wrap-around extension of an existing deck that provides direct access to the master bedroom. Nothing like enjoying your morning coffee in an awkward bath robe while proudly surveying your kingdom, or watching someone steal bottles from someone's backyard somewhere down your back alley.
Congrats either way, home ownership is a big deal
