Features to consider when building new homes
New homes can bring their owners years of happiness, but there can be lingering regrets after construction is complete and owners have moved out. These regrets stem from features homeowners didn’t think to add while planning and building their home, like extra storage or a finished basement. Below is a list of some commonly sought after features that people should consider when drawing up plans for their new homes.
For people who live in climates that experience extreme heat or cold, proper insulation is a must. Before construction is complete, a home inspector should perform a thorough inspection of the insulation to identify places where it is missing or improperly installed. Retrofitting insulation can be quite expensive, and checking things out early can save homeowners thousands of dollars in the long run.
Flat screen televisions are becoming more and more ubiquitous and people often choose to hang their televisions on the wall in their living room or family room. For this reason, many new homes have conduit to hide wires and cables inside the walls and keep them out of sight. These ducts can also be a good investment for people who want to add solar panels to their home at a later date. Like insulation, adding ductwork after construction is complete can cost a lot of money.
A conveniently located laundry room is another feature many homeowners don’t think about during the planning process. Doing laundry is usually a hassle, but placing the laundry room near bedrooms can make it a lot easier. Unfortunately, many people place them in whatever nooks and crannies the floor plan allows, such as a basement or garage. Since changing the location later will require access to plumbing and may require the floor to be broken up, it is much more economical to simply place the laundry room in a convenient location during the design process.
Many new homes feature an open, airy floor plan, with extremely large rooms and hallways that make it easy for multiple people to pass through at once. However, this is not always the case. If you later decide you want to expand rooms or hallways in your home, doing so can be expensive, especially if you need to add support beams and posts to make sure the ceiling doesn’t collapse.
The last thing new home builders need to consider is their plumbing systems. Inspections of the pipes and drains immediately after the pipes were installed revealed that construction debris such as drywall, mud, wood, and trash can sometimes enter the pipe system. Such blockages can clog sinks, bathtubs, and toilets or cause them to not drain properly. For this reason, it’s important to make sure you hire a licensed and safe plumbing contractor who has a good reputation and will make sure everything runs smoothly.