Building a new home can keep you pretty busy. From financing the project to choosing the perfect location, there are plenty of things to do. One of the most important aspects of building a new home, however, is ensuring that it is being built to best suit your needs. Overlook these five features, and you may wake up to find your dream home disappointing.
1. Space
Space includes more than just your planned square footage and allotted yard. Think about the house in terms of your everyday needs. Will you have adequate room for your sectional couch or 50” flat screen? Will you have an area for sorting and hang-drying laundry? Is there a craft room or home office for you and your spouse to pursue your respective hobbies? Will there be enough bedrooms after the new baby arrives?
Consider the width of the hallways and closets, which direction doors open, and the distance between your garage and pantry. Your ideal home will have more than just square footage going for it: space will be optimized for your family’s everyday use.
2. Clearance
High ceilings add an elegant air to your formal dining room and great room. They also increase the comfort and aesthetic appeal of your home. This doesn’t mean you need to spring for vaulted ceilings in every room, but you should check the height of individual door jams and ceilings to ensure they are the right height.
Low ceilings block light and make a room appear smaller (not to mention they may pose a threat to the tallest members of your household). Check that you have adequate clearance for the front and back door, main living area, and ceiling above the stairs.
3. Energy-Efficiency
Building a new home gives you the opportunity to decrease your energy usage (and monthly power bills). Newer homes have fewer leaks, inefficient appliances, and insulation gaps, which help with temperature regulation and effectiveness.
Talk to your builder about using eco-friendly building materials such as APEX ULTREX siding. APEX ULTREX is made out of an abundant natural resource: sand. This natural siding is made to withstand extreme harsh weather and serves as an efficient insulator. Install CFL or LED light bulbs from the get-go to decrease ambient lighting heat and energy consumption. Invest in Energy Star rated appliances and home systems as well.
4. Number of Bathrooms
It’s no secret that a shortage of bathrooms can quickly escalate to a full-blown crisis. Use your previous house or apartment as a reference to help you determine exactly how much space you need: did you have frequent traffic jams in front of the bathroom mirror while getting ready for work? Was there a bathroom specifically for guests? Was it a hassle to upkeep the mostly-unused downstairs bathroom?
Anticipate your household’s future needs when you’re deciding how many bathrooms to build. A family with two little ones may be able to live comfortably in a home with 1.5 bathrooms, but a family with two teenagers who need to get ready for school simultaneously every morning? Don’t count on it.
5. Lighting
Lighting can make all the difference in the atmosphere of your home. Consider the color palette of your home décor to determine whether you’d prefer white or yellow lighting. White lighting works best with the following:
- Bright colors.
- Basic neutrals such as white and gray.
- Clean lines.
- Minimalistic design
Yellow lighting is better suited to complementing: - Earth tones.
- Muted hues such as rose, mustard, and gold.
- Cozy home interiors.
- Rustic furnishings.
The amount and placement of your windows can also provide the ambient light that will make your home more comfortable and visually appealing. Look for floor plans with bay windows in the dining and living areas to let in lots of natural light. You may even want to consider installing a skylight or Solatube to let in more sunlight in rooms with fewer or smaller windows.
Ask your builder about touring finished homes with the floor plan that you are considering. This can give you a better idea of what your new home will look like. Consider each of these five aspects so that your finished home will truly be the living space of your dreams.
