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For me, I didn't have many complaints about the home I just sold, but a huge dislike was that the bedroom was street side so that the living space could face the view of the breathtaking preserved trees and hills of the state park it overlooked. You'd think that was an amazing idea, until trash day when the garbage men are waking you up with their diesel trucks. So, my next home will definitely have the bedroom on the opposite side of the house which the trash is picked up (be it a front or back pick up).
It will also have less steps to enter (it only takes one knee injury to realize the importance there).
Where do I start? My biggest pet peeves are the lack of storage, the too small size of the utility room, the too small size of the kitchen pantry, the placement of phone jacks, the lack of a large children's playroom, the lack of a guest room, and the ridiculousness of putting so much square footage in an enormous master bedroom.
This was a compromise house because there were so few houses on the market when we were buying. If I were buying today, there would be many better choices for the same price.
not having a formal dining room in a 6000 sq ft house is kiss of death for resale--IMO--
because some people do use formal dining rooms even if only 3 times a year
three features I regret about our current house is that the fireplace is not outside-venting, wood burning
that my prep sink in the kitchen island has no garbage disposal--stupid when you are using it to clean vegetables
and we did not hold out for two LA downstairs when we bought it--
finding design we wanted on first floor of any house was proving to be real problem--and this house had every thing else on first floor
the reason we wanted two LA was really to have a place to have a large Christmas tree--
we need that space
and ANY house I look at I ask myself: where do we put the Christmas tree? So think about that
You only need it once a year but it is a very important placement
Here we put the tree in one corner of family room -which has two archways separated by fireplace into front entry hall
we put it in corner of wall where large tv is -- that entry we never use when going into front hall--
part of the presents and the tree can overflow into front hall--
that is nice because the tree is more visible--but it crowds the room and takes away a chair we use there
This LA is small--normally that is not problem because we don't entertain that much or have anyone here but us but at Christmas or when our daughter/SIL come to visit and we have friends over to visit the room is really too small...
BUT I love the HUGE pantry --5 x11 or so with an outside window and shelves up to the 10 ft ceiling
It is a pantry to make a Mormon proud...
the large laundry room is away from the master bedroom/main LA so I can do laundry anytime and not bother anyone -- it also has counter for folding that is taller than normal, a sink, hanging rack, a window, AND space to put the cat's litter box...w/ drop down ironing board...
I don't mind that I have to walk kind of across the house to take/put up laundry--don't do it that often and it just is more private away from the master bedroom
the only problem is that I could not get a drop for U-Verse cable connection from the attic...
had to use a portable dvd player when I ironed or my wifi-Ipad w/Netflix
but we are probably getting one of the U-verse WiFi cable boxes so I can use it in there and mount tv on wall...
we have study for my husband off front hall that is not visible from front hall/door w/a door that slides into the wall so there is no wasted door swing space--and it has a closet for storing his printer paper and office supplies...
Many homes switched formal living to study off front hall--which is good--but they are very visible and often messy
we have large island in kitchen that is great to use for serving buffet syle, has a prep sink, and extra storage
Kitchen also has 2 ovens--6 burner gas cooktop with two high power burners
microwave that is set at waist-height,
dishwasher that is raised about 18 inches off the floor which makes taking dishes out very easy...
a tall bank of drawers with three shallow and two pretty deep so you can store different type of stuff
roll-out shelves on all bottom wall cabinets--with some close to the dishwasher--so putting dishes away is super easy
Glass doors in most upper cabinets, appliance garage, good number of outlets
One negative is that there is little drain space by the main sink (which has two basins same size) and there is wood trim around the sink--easy to get water on it...
I would have preferred 1 single basin or sink with 1large/1small basin...
and doing things like running water, getting ice, cleaning up can be noisy since this is open to LA/tv
can be annoying to person trying to watch when there is noise in kitchen...
we have split 3-car garage but either entrance is convenient to kitchen
double garage has windows because that wall is on front of house--nice for light in there
sink with h/c water big enough to bathe a dog is in single garage -- don't use it for that--but it is there
it is oversize garage bay big enough for long-bed pickup I think--not that we need it
we also have driveway parking area big enough for another car to park and still get in/out of garage--that is nice when we have company staying or my cleaning lady is here...they don't have to park in our culdesac and take up space...
We have 1 guest bedroom down with a large double door closet and an attached bath that has a roll-in shower
house was designed for family who had older family member living with them who used wheelchair at times...so one garage has slight ramp into the house vs step--
doors with lever handles vs knobs..
light switches are still set too high on wall for truly handicapped accessible--but there are other features for someone older/handicapped
3 rear doors along the back wall of house into back yard--makes letting our pets outside very easy even at night and if we have party/cook out easy for people to go in/out of house
half bath just inside 1 door for pool bath if we get pool
enough outside faucets--three in front (one inside the gated drive area), two in backyard
Master/bath--
two 5-drawer chests built into master closet with triple hanging rods in some sections--
shelving for shoes
The master bedroom is smaller than one we moved from and we almost did not buy this house because of not having room for all our bedroom furniture
BUT because we have so much storage space in the master closet we did not need the furniture that we filled the other bedroom with
The triple dresser we have fits on wall across from the bed with the flatscreen above it--
use it to hold the cable box and DVD player and some books
we put the tv armoire upstairs in guest bedroom, the Welsh dresser we needed originally for my husband's folding clothes like shorts/t's/sweaters is in the hall to back bedroom storing stuff (not clothing), and the blanket chest is in the master closet
We never spend any time reading in the bedroom and rarely watch tv in there except if someone is sick or at night before bed so we don't really miss any of that extra space we gave up--
but this room faces north with patio overhang outside so it does not get as much light as our old bedroom that faced south with patio overhang...and we hear the bad weather easier--because it usually comes from north
Master bath--large roll in shower w/high window, separate vanities with lot of counter space on mine, has jetted tub which we never use, and toilet stall...
some newer homes with big master baths are doing two toilet stalls for his/her facilities or maybe having a urinal for the guy in one and regular toilet in the other--I like that idea really but you would have to tile the entire urinal area (not a problem for master bath)...
Problem in our bath is that both counters are tall--my husband likes fact that his is--but mine is almost too tall for 5'6" woman--
they either did not catch that in plans/construction or the original owners were both pretty tall
The counters in other baths are all conventional height so I know they planned the xtra height in ours
We don't have a linen closet per se in master bath but plenty of shelving and room to have two dirty clothes baskets == 1 for dry cleaning, 1 for home laundry
Negative--large master roll-in shower get COLD in winter...no door and tall ceiling height means water heat disperses very quickly even with multiple shower heads...
we have talked about adding a glass door but it is the tall ceiling more than the door that creates the problem...
These big showers look great/lux/spa-like but they are not too practical...
would never have large shower with high ceiling again...
OR would use heating mats behind the tile walls--like you use under flooring...
they do it in Europe--or super insulation which I know this house does not have...
AND make sure when they install the plumbing fixtures that you can turn the hot water in your shower ALL THE WAY ON--many valves now have self-limit control feature so you cannot get max hot water--even if you have two separate handles for hot/cold water
supposedly prevents you from scalding yourself but is a PITA to me...I like HOT water
We have two gas hot water heaters Iin the attic) that are tied together so we are never supposed to run out of hot water...the people who build this had 5 adults at home (two college age girls)--
so they probably needed that feature more than we do most of the time...
our gas bill is always pretty high because our plumbing is continuous flow hot water--meaning it runs back to the tank and keeps hot water in the line
nice but you pay for it
there was also no convenient place to hang towels when we came out of shower--had to add two hooks on facing around shower entrance
make your drawers in cabinetry deeper than normal in at least one drawer--
give yourself enough cabinet space for items like pill bottles/cosmetics/toothbushes--
I would really prefer medicine cabinet type mirrors across the wall to store all that stuff rather than sitting on countertops or in drawers...
give yourself enough electrical outlets and a charging station facility
some people place electrical outlets through drawers into the wall so there is no cord hanging down for hair dryers and electric shaver type stuff
This house has couple of neat design features--
one being that there are only three windows facing the west--where sun goes down--
1 is high in master shower, 1 in utility room, 1 in guest bedroom's bath--and they pick up minimal heat
few windows facing south to gain heat as well--
which is better for the AC
so check the orientation for your house/lot and see if you can minimize west windows or build with inset window frames to block sun's rays better
You should read the link I posted about Building a House--there are probably 5 threads like this on it and other threads like PLUMBING Suggestions, Electric suggestions, Problems to avoid,
it is really a good source of information
Frankly and with all best intentions I would say you and your wife are taking on a huge job if you are really considering building a 6000 sq ft house from scratch
you don't know anything about home construction/design (self-admitted)
you apparently are getting a really good salary and you are looking to buy a really nice house--
but you are jumping from the high board right off the bat---and this is not jealousy talking--
I am happy for you that you are in good financial shape
Maybe you will have a great experience but it is hard to understand the pitfalls if you don't have some experience/knowledge to base your judgement on...and what works for other people does not always work for you...
and some things you learn the hard way--
like my dislike for big showers now...
Last edited by loves2read; 01-21-2012 at 06:01 PM..
I need to add that currently I have 2 50-gal hot water heaters connected in series. The one closest to the house pipes is kept on med-high all the time. The second one is kept on low to pre-heat the water. If I have house guests I turn both on high and we have never run out of hot water, even with 2 deep jetted tubs, one of which is 6 ft long. For a bigger family, you might want instant on water heaters. My house was remodelled before those were readily available and the setup saves me a lot on my gas bill. Or altnatively, 2 100-gal water heaters.
I think we need to get plumber out and rethink our hot water heater set up
for two people we don't need both units running all the time--
just the ability to open up the second tank when we have a house full...
but I must admit I love being able to turn on the hot water and get pretty much immediate response in this house--even in master with the longest run line--
our other house had two water heaters but there was long time to get hot water in master bath...
I think we need to get plumber out and rethink our hot water heater set up
for two people we don't need both units running all the time--
just the ability to open up the second tank when we have a house full...
but I must admit I love being able to turn on the hot water and get pretty much immediate response in this house--even in master with the longest run line--
our other house had two water heaters but there was long time to get hot water in master bath...
Do you know anyone who's gone tankless, and how that's worked for them? I keep thinking about it, but don't know enough details yet.
Wow, you guys all live in different worlds than I do!
I love my 1200 s.f. house. It's the basic design I decided I wanted a few years before I saw it; brick construction, large, privacy-fenced back yard, attached garage, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house in a quiet neighborhood, in the middle of the block. Even so, it was built in 1974, and it could use remodeling (is that even practical for a 40 year-old house?).
I wished the bathrooms had more heat than the heat lamp overhead. Electrical outlets would be nice, too.
I would like solar hot water.
The kitchen feels crowded, and lacks electrical outlets.
Every house could be improved by the existence of secret passageways and hidden chambers.
Pooua, my house was built in 1921 and it had 987 sq ft of livable space when I bought it. By finishing the basement and adding a little, it now has 2340 sq ft.
Frankly and with all best intentions I would say you and your wife are taking on a huge job if you are really considering building a 6000 sq ft house from scratch
you don't know anything about home construction/design (self-admitted)
you apparently are getting a really good salary and you are looking to buy a really nice house--
but you are jumping from the high board right off the bat---and this is not jealousy talking--
I am happy for you that you are in good financial shape
Maybe you will have a great experience but it is hard to understand the pitfalls if you don't have some experience/knowledge to base your judgement on...and what works for other people does not always work for you...
and some things you learn the hard way--
like my dislike for big showers now...
L2R,
Again, your post has a lot of great info and I'll be sure to re-read it again and again so I can digest the info properly.
Regarding our current lack of knowledge of homes (self admitted of course), you'd be surprised what I can learn in 6 months. I'll do my best to minimize gross errors (though I'm sure some will still seep through).
We will not be building right away, we are staying with my brother in the meantime while we peruse the areas and find the right builder for us. Then we'll build.
More water spigots outside. My biggest irritant, mostly because it's essentially impossible to fix after the fact. Gas line to outside. See above. I'm stuck using propane for my built-in outdoor grill. Deeper garages - in my 2-car, with the door closed, I can park my pickup to walk in front of it or behind it, but not both. My pickup won't even fit in my 3rd "garage", which is full of bikes, tools, and gardening stuff. Hell, I'd put on a 4th garage if I were building today. Outdoor utility sink in "work" garage. Hide the guest bathroom. The one I have is tucked under my main spiral staircase, right off the living room. That makes using the facilities a public affair (plus, it's far from soundproof). I end up sending my guests into my master bath. It would be better to have a guest bath, say, right off the laundry or some such. 86 one of the living areas. I have a dining room AND two living areas. I rarely use the front area, and wouldn't miss it if it weren't there. Get rid of excess rooms. I have TWO spare bedrooms. One was used, I think, 3 times in 5 years. Eventually I moved my kid into that room and converted his room into additional office space. Definitely overkill. Better HVAC. The lazya$$ that did my house ran the vents to just inside the door of several rooms. That means the far corners of the room don't get enough heat/cooling. Better sound insulation. The interior walls are not insulated, and you can hear conversations happening in another part of the house. Locate water heaters in the garage. Mine are in the attic. So far, so good, but someday, I'll be paying the piper.
What I'm particularly glad I did do:
Deck the attics and add half-height doors from closets for access. My last house had limited storage space, and you had to climb up and down a rickety ladder to get there. My current situation is much better. Huge pantry. Who wants to be shoving canned goods in drawers? Over-the-top master bath. It's the first and last thing you see every day. Make it special. Oversized tub. This is the first tub my (very tall) wife has ever bothered to use, since it's finally long enough for her. A bathroom for every bedroom. Extra can lights throughout the house. Network wiring from just about every room to the attic. Beverage coolers in kitchen and media room. Main garage leads to front of house, not laundry. I'm in the minority on this one. But I don't care for having to walk past my undone chores to get to the relaxing part of the house. Call me crazy. Left some rooms to be finished later. Rather than blowing every last dime on the house at construction, I had the builders leave the office, the media room, the game room, the closets, and some other stuff as blank "4-walls" areas. I was then able to knock those out one at a time, every year or two. That way, I got specialists in that type of room. For example, my office blows away anything my builder was putting in. Same for my media room. Plus, each time, I had a hefty home improvement budget saved up for the project. Much less stressful than doing it all at once, and cheaper or better (usually both) than having the builder do it.
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. I end up sending my guests into my master bath. It would be better to have a guest bath, say, right off the laundry or some such.
So far, so good, but someday, I'll be paying the piper.
