Building a house. Plz help with selections.

[Assman 1830]

Now that the price to build is at record levels, the wife and I are moving forward with our build that we put on hold due to the pandemic.  Our build plans are complete so our next step is selections.  Our builder is 100% custom, so if we can dream it; we can build it.  There are 17 different categories within our selection process, and I'm asking for input on some because I'm generally not that smart. 

1.  Fireplace:  Wood burning vs. gas.  We currently have a wood burning FP and we actually used it for heat when we lost power during the winter storm, but I don't think it really creates much heat so not sure it's worth it.  Cleaning out the FP is a beating, so I like the hassle-free use that gas brings. 

2.  Hardware:  Cabinet and doors.  WTF should I be looking at or caring about here?

3.  Appliances:  Cook top will be gas.  We're going with the standard double ovens and a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

4.  Low voltage:  Audio/video/security/interweb.  Besides wiring the house with CAT6 and pre-wiring for surround sound in the living room, what else should I be thinking about?

5.  Plumbing fixtures:  Kitchen/shower/bath/etc.  Not an f'n clue. 

6.  Flooring:  Wood vs. luxury vinyl plank.  Most of the house will be wood, but our builder said to really consider the LVP.  He said you can't tell the difference, it's cheaper, and it'll hold up better.  Anyone have any experience with LVP?  Anyone do wood/LVP in the kitchen and/or bedrooms and regret doing it over the traditional tile (kitchen) and carpet (bedrooms)?  I like carpet in the bedrooms, but we also have 3 kids under the age of 9 and what feels like 20 pets.  

7.  Windows:  Vinyl vs. fiberglass?  I don't know much about either.  Our vendor is Pella. 

Those are the categories I need the most help with, but I'll take any feedback for those that have built a home or just have experience with any of these.  This is our dream home so we don't want to fuck it up.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

26 minutes ago, Assman said:

Now that the price to build is at record levels, the wife and I are moving forward with our build that we put on hold due to the pandemic.  Our build plans are complete so our next step is selections.  Our builder is 100% custom, so if we can dream it; we can build it.  There are 17 different categories within our selection process, and I'm asking for input on some because I'm generally not that smart. 

1.  Fireplace:  Wood burning vs. gas.  We currently have a wood burning FP and we actually used it for heat when we lost power during the winter storm, but I don't think it really creates much heat so not sure it's worth it.  Cleaning out the FP is a beating, so I like the hassle-free use that gas brings. 

2.  Hardware:  Cabinet and doors.  WTF should I be looking at or caring about here?

3.  Appliances:  Cook top will be gas.  We're going with the standard double ovens and a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

4.  Low voltage:  Audio/video/security/interweb.  Besides wiring the house with CAT6 and pre-wiring for surround sound in the living room, what else should I be thinking about?

5.  Plumbing fixtures:  Kitchen/shower/bath/etc.  Not an f'n clue. 

6.  Flooring:  Wood vs. luxury vinyl plank.  Most of the house will be wood, but our builder said to really consider the LVP.  He said you can't tell the difference, it's cheaper, and it'll hold up better.  Anyone have any experience with LVP?  Anyone do wood/LVP in the kitchen and/or bedrooms and regret doing it over the traditional tile (kitchen) and carpet (bedrooms)?  I like carpet in the bedrooms, but we also have 3 kids under the age of 9 and what feels like 20 pets.  

7.  Windows:  Vinyl vs. fiberglass?  I don't know much about either.  Our vendor is Pella. 

Those are the categories I need the most help with, but I'll take any feedback for those that have built a home or just have experience with any of these.  This is our dream home so we don't want to fuck it up.

I didn't build a true custom home, but recently went through this process with a higher end production home builder so I'll just share my experience (disclaimer, this was not in Texas):

1) We too had a wood burning which was a life saver this past Feb. Our new house we actually chose the natural gas because it looked nice the way it came with the inset and for the rest of the reasons you described. We also liked we didn't have to have a hearth and tiled all the way to ceiling.

2) I not only chose the higher end cabinets with the glaze for all the cabinets, but I actually paid to add cabinets everywhere I could-- laundry rooms, mud room, bathrooms, etc. My feel is that you can never have too many cabinets/cabinet space or closet/storage space.

3) Can't help you here, there was just one deluxe kitchen upgrade which of course was the biggest no brainer.

4) No clue-- just told them where we wanted the phone lines/internet and cable on a blueprint. We added the special outlets in the garage for wet/moisture exposure for a couple of freezers/fridge, etc.

5) We did the deluxe/lux master bath upgrade so that took the work out of thinking about it-- the drop-in tiled grand tub, the deluxe shower with the bench seating, etc. It was pretty much pick off a menu type deal. We picked the tile design in the shower which seems pretty subjective-- did the big tiles on the floor, medium ones in the shower-- don't remember the dimensions. All fixture types we did brushed nickel except the front door which we went the antique rust or whatever because it matched the upgraded door.

6) We didn't do hardwood believe it or not-- the stairs have hardwood which was the only option there, but we did a matching Luxury Vinyl in the living, dining, kitchen, mudroom, laundry, study. We did carpet in bedrooms and media rooms. I too have a gaggle of children. We gave one of the kids a Juliet balcony; let's see how that works out.

7) Not sure about the windows; I think they came with the highest end ones. In my old house I paid what felt like a ton of money to upgrade all my windows and sunroom a few years ago...never again.

Some things you didn't ask that I think are worth discussing: have to go a minimum of 3 car garage these days-- with a J-swing if available because you have more room and I like the look. Cedar garage doors are what we went with, but I hear they are on back order.

We also extended the covered patio to add some area and we upgraded to St. Augustine versus the Bermuda that came with the plan, which wasn't cheap; irrigation/sprinkler system was the only one option and seemed to be fine, but apparently St. Augustine is a water hog compared to Bermuda, but we really like the look and feel and find Bermuda to not be as pleasing. Like you, we felt like if we were going to do it, do everything we wanted no matter how trivial (like the sod).

Edited June 15, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Upgrayedd 5803]

15 minutes ago, Assman said:

Now that the price to build is at record levels, the wife and I are moving forward with our build that we put on hold due to the pandemic.  Our build plans are complete so our next step is selections.  Our builder is 100% custom, so if we can dream it; we can build it.  There are 17 different categories within our selection process, and I'm asking for input on some because I'm generally not that smart. 

1.  Fireplace:  Wood burning vs. gas.  We currently have a wood burning FP and we actually used it for heat when we lost power during the winter storm, but I don't think it really creates much heat so not sure it's worth it.  Cleaning out the FP is a beating, so I like the hassle-free use that gas brings. 

2.  Hardware:  Cabinet and doors.  WTF should I be looking at or caring about here?

3.  Appliances:  Cook top will be gas.  We're going with the standard double ovens and a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

4.  Low voltage:  Audio/video/security/interweb.  Besides wiring the house with CAT6 and pre-wiring for surround sound in the living room, what else should I be thinking about?

5.  Plumbing fixtures:  Kitchen/shower/bath/etc.  Not an f'n clue. 

6.  Flooring:  Wood vs. luxury vinyl plank.  Most of the house will be wood, but our builder said to really consider the LVP.  He said you can't tell the difference, it's cheaper, and it'll hold up better.  Anyone have any experience with LVP?  Anyone do wood/LVP in the kitchen and/or bedrooms and regret doing it over the traditional tile (kitchen) and carpet (bedrooms)?  I like carpet in the bedrooms, but we also have 3 kids under the age of 9 and what feels like 20 pets.  

7.  Windows:  Vinyl vs. fiberglass?  I don't know much about either.  Our vendor is Pella. 

Those are the categories I need the most help with, but I'll take any feedback for those that have built a home or just have experience with any of these.  This is our dream home so we don't want to fuck it up.

1. Wood.  Pressed-wood logs leave little message.  Unless you are using for actual heat.

2.  Robust interior hardware.  Soft close.  Have wife pick pulls.

3.  Gas is good.

4.  Doubt you’ll use the data drops.  It’s all Bluetooth and WiFi these days 

5. Dual flush shitters with bidet.  Don’t get cute with faucet set geometry.  Too much height and throw can make unusable for face washing 

6.  Carpet = Dirt Sponge.  Tile kitchen and bath.  LVT is legit 

7.  Vinyl is solid.  Insulated glazing of course 

8. Pics of wife?

[Enchubben 5509]

We did the LVP and love it. Had natural wood in the old home and hated it. This stuff cleans super easy, is basically indestructible and looks great. If you have a pool it’s no problem with dripping kids/wives etc. in the house. Left carpet in all bedrooms, but no common areas and not in the office. Make sure you get a good thick pad for the carpet, it makes a huge difference.

Low voltage - make sure you consider wiring to any outdoor patio should you want to have whole home audio etc. With wireless Sonos you could avoid having to do that, but may as well in case you choose something other than that.

Appliances - really love the GE profile series smart appliances. Being able to preheat the oven via Alexa and the phone notifications of timers etc while away from the kitchen is handy. “Smart” dishwasher with top controls looks sleek.

Hardware - whatever you like or choose is wrong. Your wife will make you replace it within a year or two anyways. For shelving/cabinets in general, make sure the shelves are deep enough for larger plates, towels, other items. Don’t forget about the pantry too. The may have a standard 12 inch depth vs 16.

Agree with convenience for gas fireplace. Even with an electric starter, you can manually light pretty easily in the event of a winter storm. I hated the idea of kids fucking around in the fireplace with a real fire or wife leaving damper closed and smoking out the house.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

That's a list...  So many decisions to be made when designing, and building a home.

1. I like gas log sets in real wood burning units inside the house because those wood burning pre fab units have a much more realistic look rather than the sealed glass look of a strictly gas unit. I want wood burning units on covered, and screened porches.

2. Solid plywood boxes, and solid wood doors w/ plywood inset panels... no particle board anywhere.  Consider a different finish for the island than the surrounding cabinetry.  You might also consider a marine grade finish on a wood (walnut, mahogany, maple, etc)  island top because that space becomes a gathering spot, and is more tactile friendly than stone or man made substance with glasses, plates, silverware clanking around on it.

3. Appliances have so many details, pick which brand checks the most boxes, but try to stay domestic, except the dish washer: Bosch or Miele (doesn't matter which as they're both the best for about a grand). I like the French door look of refs. and definitely cabinet depth refrigerators unless you can push the wall back behind your fridge to make it look cabinet depth. Avoid thru door ice makers, they break/freeze up all the time, and suck.  Think about a steam oven, they are fucking great.

4. Lutron smart dimmers on your lighting fixtures is a nice detail for complete flexibility in light level control.  Low voltage exterior lighting fixtures, and think about where all your switches are located during a walk thru with your electrician once its time to install those items.  Do you have art work ? think about lighting for each piece.  Electrical outlets mounted in your baseboards if possible instead of in the sheetrock.

5. white, white white (stainless steel or white porcelain for kitchen sinks), with soft closing toilet seats, undermount sinks, avoid counter top mounted powder room sinks, (trendy, and don't work well).   A small work sink on the island is nice to have. Don't be obsessed with it being in the center of the island, put it at one end to create a long uninterrupted work surface instead of it being right in the middle of the work space.  Goose neck faucets in the kitchen for damn sure at both sinks.

6.  Yeah you can tell the difference unless you've lived in a trailer your whole life. LVT is a great product, but I wouldn't be putting it in public spaces like living rooms, kitchens or even bedrooms. It's great for laundry rooms, mud rooms, and other work, less formal spaces in my opinion, it's very durable, and does look pretty good for what it is.   It just doesn't have the feel, or warmth of real wood....... personal preference.  Think about heated floors in the master bath.

7.  Windows are one of the single most important features in a home. I can't over emphasize that fact.  Larger units instead of lots of smaller, ganged units is always better. Taller units that get closer to the floor is also a detail that makes the space seem bigger, looks more custom. Screw the yeah but you need to temper the glass. it's not that much more to have tempered units in some key public spaces, and makes a difference visually.

Pella is one of the most over priced, and over hyped windows on the market IMO.   Historically they've given contractors kick backs to specify their products.  I've always refused to speficy them.  There are better brands for less dollars: Weathershield, Anderson, Kolbe, Sierra Pacific.  Choose a supplier/local dealer who stands behind their products, and has in house people to service your windows, and doors when they require adjustment, repair etc.  Your Buying the dealer not the product if that makes sense.  Avoid double french doors in locations that get opened, and closed a lot. They get out of adjustment quickly, and then they get fucked up (kids mostly). I like single french doors surrounded by window units in stead of double door units.

That's 35 years in the residential design world bits of info.  You got a shit load of other decisions, but these are harder to change than some other things you do to a house.

 

 

 

 

[Parliament 14112]

Whole-home backup generator because you know why.

Windows are expensive, let in sound and let out heat.  Be real smart about placement. How many do you really need?

Casement not double hung.

Marvin Windows are the gold standard.

 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

17 minutes ago, Parliament said:

Whole-home backup generator because you know why.

Windows are expensive, let in sound and let out heat.  Be real smart about placement. How many do you really need?

Casement not double hung.

Marvin Windows are the gold standard.

 

Yes, good.

Yes, and you need a lot 

Yes, depending on the style of the house

Yes, and you pay for it, they're great

[Assman 1830]

Thanks for the input fellas.  This is a lot to sift through but it definitely helps.

A few follow-up questions:

1.  Fireplace with or without the hearth?

2.  Trim:  Baseboards and crown molding.  Tell me what I should be going for here.

[Enchubben 5509]

If you have a big enough space where the fireplace is to accommodate the hearth I would go for it. We do, but builder didn't put one in due to the prefab gas fireplace and we are thinking about adding one now after the fact. Harder with the low placement of the gas fireplace too.

Pay attention to grout colors as well when you choose tiles for walls, bathroom - it makes a huge difference. 

Also fuck anything herringbone patterned (tile,flooring etc) . I think that trend is already worn-out and is going to look silly in 5 years.

Pos rep to the comment on placement of switches, outlets etc. You may want to layout your TV locations, lamps, office desk etc throughout the house so you can plan exactly where you want your outlets to minimize cord visibility.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

17 minutes ago, Assman said:

Thanks for the input fellas.  This is a lot to sift through but it definitely helps.

A few follow-up questions:

1.  Fireplace with or without the hearth?

2.  Trim:  Baseboards and crown molding.  Tell me what I should be going for here.

Not a big fan of raised hearths indoors unless the room is big enough to keep your furniture about 2' min. away from it.  Yes to outside always, and as wide as possible, sometimes from wall to wall.  Also depends if you're putting a TV above it (which I do not like), with a TV above a mantel you want the firebox as close to the floor as possible.

Baseboard depends on ceiling ht.  10' or less 2 piece 7 1/4" tall 10' and up 2 piece 9 1/4" tall.

Crown I like a larger 1 or 2 piece cove mouldings (6- 10" cove for 10' and up ceiling hts.) set up instead of crown.  Cove is a simpler, cleaner shape that isn't seen as much, and makes a room look a bit larger, and fresher.  Crown and walls painted the same color with different sheens.  Crown can also always be added later so if budget is an issue bag it for now, and come back later when you can do something more impressive.  In modern design homes you can skip the crown altogether.

Windows are expensive, and you should visit the dealer to see why a particular window brand is more expensive than others.  You pay for what you get.  Cheap windows are CHEAP for a reason.  

The way windows designed to fit in a rough opening is really really important. Nailing fins that cover the sheathing around the opening, and can be taped are best. That way you can choose your own exterior casing.  Know who is going to install the windows, and doors, and that they know WTF they're doing because if they leak fingers get pointed between the subs as to who did what.   Make sure all your doors are panned (that may not be an issue with doors on a slab installation) but make damn sure every single door everywhere has a covered roof of at least 24-36" above it

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by Onboard 2.0

[Handcruser 2805]

For the love of god, don’t do browns. Brown cabinets and brown floors and brown themed granite counter tops scream “we don’t know what we’re doing”.

Wire your house for AP’s (ubiquiti) and alarm. Don’t get sucked in to the wifi alarms like simplisafe. Hardwire that shit, buy the components up front, and then you can find monitoring for $15 per month.

You don’t need cable tv drops. Use an app.

Alabaster is the best white. That’s what most high dollar designers use. You can’t go wrong.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10134]

Random items having had a home built to living in ones that were almost perfect

Security Cameras...figure out where your want security cameras and have a power outlet there

Garage...I would love to have an extra 2-3 feet width on every garage I have ever owned, if building a custom home I would make this happen.

A/C vents/runs... I would have this designed by someone who knew what they were doing. It pays for itself to be done correctly the 1st time

Patio ... if you plan on making it bigger later... do it now

Like has been said about windows, you will never regret upgrading your windows if you plan on staying for awhile.

[Jkwellborn 6649]

Weirdest humblebrag ever.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

4 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Random items having had a home built to living in ones that were almost perfect

Security Cameras...figure out where your want security cameras and have a power outlet there

Garage...I would love to have an extra 2-3 feet width on every garage I have ever owned, if building a custom home I would make this happen.

A/C vents/runs... I would have this designed by someone who knew what they were doing. It pays for itself to be done correctly the 1st time

Patio ... if you plan on making it bigger later... do it now

Like has been said about windows, you will never regret upgrading your windows if you plan on staying for awhile.

Good call on security cameras-- and flood lights.

[BurntOrange&White 39486]

16 hours ago, Assman said:

Now that the price to build is at record levels, the wife and I are moving forward with our build that we put on hold due to the pandemic.  Our build plans are complete so our next step is selections.  Our builder is 100% custom, so if we can dream it; we can build it.  There are 17 different categories within our selection process, and I'm asking for input on some because I'm generally not that smart. 

1.  Fireplace:  Wood burning vs. gas.  We currently have a wood burning FP and we actually used it for heat when we lost power during the winter storm, but I don't think it really creates much heat so not sure it's worth it.  Cleaning out the FP is a beating, so I like the hassle-free use that gas brings. 

2.  Hardware:  Cabinet and doors.  WTF should I be looking at or caring about here?

3.  Appliances:  Cook top will be gas.  We're going with the standard double ovens and a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

4.  Low voltage:  Audio/video/security/interweb.  Besides wiring the house with CAT6 and pre-wiring for surround sound in the living room, what else should I be thinking about?

5.  Plumbing fixtures:  Kitchen/shower/bath/etc.  Not an f'n clue. 

6.  Flooring:  Wood vs. luxury vinyl plank.  Most of the house will be wood, but our builder said to really consider the LVP.  He said you can't tell the difference, it's cheaper, and it'll hold up better.  Anyone have any experience with LVP?  Anyone do wood/LVP in the kitchen and/or bedrooms and regret doing it over the traditional tile (kitchen) and carpet (bedrooms)?  I like carpet in the bedrooms, but we also have 3 kids under the age of 9 and what feels like 20 pets.  

7.  Windows:  Vinyl vs. fiberglass?  I don't know much about either.  Our vendor is Pella. 

Those are the categories I need the most help with, but I'll take any feedback for those that have built a home or just have experience with any of these.  This is our dream home so we don't want to fuck it up.

1 - I prefer wood but gas is easier to maintain. Completely subjective opinion fire puts out more heat than gas version, no facts involved in that.

2 - Don't go cheap, get soft close hinges so your kids can't slam the damn things. LET YOUR WIFE PIC COLORS AND STYLE HERE OR YOU'LL NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT!

3 - The home we're building come with Whirlpool stainless steel. I've researched and saw that that is a good brand overall for all home appliances. After February, I'm glad our new home will have gas stove, plus gas stoves cook better IMO.

4 - Do you need low voltage now days with all the bluetooth capability?

5 - Don't go cheap on fixtures either, you're wife will want a say so in the sink, let her pick as she will mainly use it.

6 - With kids I'd recommend something that won't stain easy and can handle liquids/messes and easy to maintain and clean but don't go cheap here either.

7 - not sure about windows.

[Damor 1232]

Lots of good advice here.  A few more random things:

Agree to oversize the garage and covered porches.  They're never big enough.

For cabinets, definitely soft close drawers.  Get the drawings and label every cabinet with what you want to put in it, then make adjustments as needed.  Get sliding shelves for larger and heavier cookware.  We put trash/recycling bins both next to the main sink and the island prep sink, a small add which makes a huge difference.  My wife likes to bake, so we put two stand mixer lifts in one of the cabinets.  Be sure to put an outlet inside. 

One of the best bang-for-the buck small details we did was heated floors in the master bathroom.  It was remarkably inexpensive for a pleasant luxury.  We also put in a heated towel rack.  Pro move:  heat the master shower floor and bench on a separate circuit which you can operate at a higher temperature.  Your wife will appreciate it, and will show you her appreciation.  If you sized the master shower appropriately, that is.

We put floor drains in the laundry room and the game room.  Great for peace of mind in case something decides to leak one day.

Put lots of quad outlets in.  Both sides of the master bed for chargers, lamps, and, uh... etc.  Lots of quads in the kitchen for small appliances, Google stuff, etc.

Don't forget to put soffit plugs on a switch (smart switch is even better) for Christmas lights.

If you are putting in a pool, make sure you have a hose bib nearby for filling and cleaning equipment (kicking myself over this one).

We ran Cat6 from a homerun AV closet errrwhere.  It may be overkill, but allows me to wireless backhaul my Google mesh and gets streaming devices like smart TVs off of wifi.

Love our Blue Star gas cooktop.  Be sure to get your vent sized appropriately, both dimension and volume.  We put a warming drawer below ours, honestly could use another one.

Best kitchen splurge was an undercounter pellet ice maker.  Couldn't live without it now.

The best advice we got on picking out anything cosmetic that matters to both of you was this:  when you're looking at options/selections, don't pick out what you each like best and try to come to an agreement.  Instead, cross off what you hate or is a no-go.  Eliminate until you're left with stuff you both find acceptable, and somebody pick.  We're pretty chill with similar tastes, but we found this really sped the process up and gave us a much more satisfying result.

Good luck.  We put a lot of thought into it and love our house, but I don't ever want to do it again.

[CooterBrown 17875]

You’ll hate a low microwave especially if you have to clean it yourself.

[deadshank 24651]

@Assman

1.  Fireplace:  Wood burning vs. gas.  We currently have a wood burning FP and we actually used it for heat when we lost power during the winter storm, but I don't think it really creates much heat so not sure it's worth it.  Cleaning out the FP is a beating, so I like the hassle-free use that gas brings. 

Wood burning with a gas assist is nice.  

2.  Hardware:  Cabinet and doors.  WTF should I be looking at or caring about here?

Hire an interior decorator

3.  Appliances:  Cook top will be gas.  We're going with the standard double ovens and a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

Dual fuel: electric oven / gas range-top.   As @Onboard 2.0 said, investigate a steam oven.  Steam ovens are awesome and have so many great cooking options.  I haven't used a microwave in 7 years.  

4.  Low voltage:  Audio/video/security/interweb.  Besides wiring the house with CAT6 and pre-wiring for surround sound in the living room, what else should I be thinking about?

Whatever.  Low-voltage guys are worthless geeks.  Too interested in the latest gadgets and not actually showing up to just wire your dang house.  Keep them under control and focused on work.

5.  Plumbing fixtures:  Kitchen/shower/bath/etc.  Not an f'n clue. 

Hire an interior decorator

6.  Flooring:  Wood vs. luxury vinyl plank.  Most of the house will be wood, but our builder said to really consider the LVP.  He said you can't tell the difference, it's cheaper, and it'll hold up better.  Anyone have any experience with LVP?  Anyone do wood/LVP in the kitchen and/or bedrooms and regret doing it over the traditional tile (kitchen) and carpet (bedrooms)?  I like carpet in the bedrooms, but we also have 3 kids under the age of 9 and what feels like 20 pets.  

Do real wood or enginereed wood with the proper vapor barrier.  Laminates suck and look cheap. LVP can be good in wet areas.  Any exterior door opening that meets your wood floors needs to have a stainless steel or copper door pan installed into the rough door opening prior to the installation of the door.  This will keep blowing rain or errant water hose stream from blasting water under the door unit and then under your wood floors.

7.  Windows:  Vinyl vs. fiberglass?  I don't know much about either.  Our vendor is Pella. 

Pella is all marketing and not much window.  As @Parliament said, Marvin is the Duke but expensive and they will  stand behind their product.   Don't do wood window exterior face.  Clad wood exterior / exposed wood interior is great but expensive.  All windows need to be head flashed with 1.0" side turndowns and a peel and stick membrane back tape.

Those are the categories I need the most help with, but I'll take any feedback for those that have built a home or just have experience with any of these.  This is our dream home so we don't want to fuck it up.

Cost plus or fixed price contract?

Slab on grade, pier and beam or structural slab?

Borate first floor if in high humidity climate and termites are an issue.

Consider using MultiVista to image document construction so you know where all the wires and pipes are /aren't.

Consider a whole-house water filtation system.

Don't get conned into 5" gutters.  Accept only 6" and look into 4" round downspouts with downspout clean outs and downspout standoffs to keep you d/s off the masonry or siding.

Back-up generator and switch are great if you don't mind the price tag.

As @Onboard 2.0 said, above countertop basins / salad bowls are trendy, ugly and regarded.  Don't do it.

Make sure your framing / cornice contractor, masonry contractor and roofing /  SHEET METAL-FLASHING contractor meet and understand what the other guy is doing.  Those 3 trades can really cause you problems if they just put their stuff on your house without thinking about what the others are doing.  See how much pre-finished (24-ga. Kynar) flashing metals are.  Pre-finished looks so much better on exposed and non-soldered flashing techniques than galvanized does and is much less expensive than copper.

Gas fed water heaters.  Better to burn your own fuel than pay someone else to do it.  Tanked, gas-fed water heaters still work in a black out.  Tankless, gas-fed water heaters still require electricity to operate and you'll have no hot water.

If you go spray foam insulation, do the entire building envelope (not  just the bottom of the roof deck....I don't care what anyone says....do the entire building envelope) and your HVAC contractor is responsible for positive air pressure and fresh air intake.  You may have trouble with a wood burning fire place and spray foam insulation.  A competent HVAC contractor can remedy if they pull their heads out of their asses.

What else?

Edited June 15, 2021 by deadshank

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3867]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

You’ll hate a low microwave especially if you have to clean it yourself.

Most of the worst burns I witnessed in the kitchen were from people handling hot foods that were above waist high.

Edited June 15, 2021 by ShaggyBevo RIP

[Jkwellborn 6649]

Most of the worst burns I witnessed in the kitchen were from people handling hot foods that were above waist high.

I can believe it. We put a double wall oven in and I really wish we had just done some type of side by side model. I don’t like the stuff being nipple high coming out of the top oven.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

36 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

I can believe it. We put a double wall oven in and I really wish we had just done some type of side by side model. I don’t like the stuff being nipple high coming out of the top oven.

Hehehehehe you said nipple.....

[Assman 1830]

Thanks for all the input.  I'll address a few things that seem to be common themes:

1.  Our builder is fantastic and has a reputation as one of the best high-end truly custom builders in the area.  You guys are getting pretty in the weeds for me and some of it is way above my head so I'm just going to rely on him.  We have a project manager that is on-site daily as well.

2.  Re: garage space.  We have 2 separate 3-car garages in the plans in addition to another half stall for the mower with it's own door.  If I need more than that then I'm fucked.

3.  I am going back on forth on the Cat6 throughout the house vs. keeping everything wireless but I like the idea of hard wiring the TVs.  This community has Google Fiber so hopefully we'll be able to take advantage. 

4.  Kitchen cabinets will be white with a different colored island.  Microwave will be next to the sink, opposite the dishwasher, unless someone can talk me out of that.  Hardware will be up to the wife.  All counter-top appliances will be in the pantry. 

5.  We do have soffit outlets in the plans.  I didn't think about putting them on switches but I guess you'd have to.  Good call.

6.  Our propane will be fed through an underground tank on our property.  I think they said we have an option of a 500 or 1000 gal tank.

Keep 'em coming.

[Godzillatron 292]

Item 6 - post Snowmageddon 1000 gallon propane plus a feed to the standalone whole-house generator is the correct answer.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

3 hours ago, Assman said:

Thanks for all the input.  I'll address a few things that seem to be common themes:

1.  Our builder is fantastic and has a reputation as one of the best high-end truly custom builders in the area.  You guys are getting pretty in the weeds for me and some of it is way above my head so I'm just going to rely on him.  We have a project manager that is on-site daily as well.

2.  Re: garage space.  We have 2 separate 3-car garages in the plans in addition to another half stall for the mower with it's own door.  If I need more than that then I'm fucked.

3.  I am going back on forth on the Cat6 throughout the house vs. keeping everything wireless but I like the idea of hard wiring the TVs.  This community has Google Fiber so hopefully we'll be able to take advantage. 

4.  Kitchen cabinets will be white with a different colored island.  Microwave will be next to the sink, opposite the dishwasher, unless someone can talk me out of that.  Hardware will be up to the wife.  All counter-top appliances will be in the pantry. 

5.  We do have soffit outlets in the plans.  I didn't think about putting them on switches but I guess you'd have to.  Good call.

6.  Our propane will be fed through an underground tank on our property.  I think they said we have an option of a 500 or 1000 gal tank.

Keep 'em coming.

I'll take your word for it, but any builder who says "oh you can just use LVT instead of wood, it's the same" doesn't sound very high end to me.

[52-80 19066]

nothing in the winter beats the feel of toasty toes from floor-heating.  bathroom mandatory, rest of house nice to have.

[CooterBrown 17875]

With regards to hard wiring TVs, it’s not a given it will be faster. Manufacturers seem to be focusing on wireless components. I hard wired all my TVs, 2 Samsungs and 1 Vizio and running a speed test on them, they were all slower with the LAN. Like 5MB vs 30MB wireless. A laptop connected to the same Ethernet cable tested at 800MB. All results were shit but the wireless card seemed to be less shitty than LAN connector. These were circa 2014 TVs. I have not tested my new Samsung TV.

[52-80 19066]

you wouldnt want to rely on tv's native platforms/app and connectivity hardware anyway.  typically you would want to replace the media device (roku, appletv, whatever) which benefits from the wire and then broadcast signal to tv

[dmtx 159]

Garage Door Height - make them 9 or 10 feet tall. I have a five car garage, with standard height doors from back in the day. If I get a truck a little taller than my yukon, it will not fit. I'm seriously considering having a contractor to raise the height. 

Also, make sure their plugs on all sides of the garage.

[dmtx 159]

We had a custom cabinet built for the coffee maker. You can have it made with slide in doors and a slide out shelf.

[fattyflattie 4636]

13 hours ago, Assman said:

2.  Re: garage space.  We have 2 separate 3-car garages in the plans in addition to another half stall for the mower with it's own door.  If I need more than that then I'm fucked.

 

Baller. 

[Jkwellborn 6649]

Garage Door Height - make them 9 or 10 feet tall. I have a five car garage, with standard height doors from back in the day. If I get a truck a little taller than my yukon, it will not fit. I'm seriously considering having a contractor to raise the height. 
Also, make sure their plugs on all sides of the garage.

Go ahead and get 10’ doors.

Whose plugs?

[dmtx 159]

11 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

Go ahead and get 10’ doors.

Whose plugs?

damn... wtf was i thinking as I typed.... i meant ELECTRICAL OUTLETS,  i must of had electrical plugs in my head

[Jkwellborn 6649]

I was actually giving you hell about their

[MonkeyDoughnut 10134]

14 hours ago, Assman said:

3.  I am going back on forth on the Cat6 throughout the house vs. keeping everything wireless but I like the idea of hard wiring the TVs.  This community has Google Fiber so hopefully we'll be able to take advantage. 

TVs would be the one thing I wouldn't worry about hardwiring... although knowing they need a power outlet, might as well run Cat6 as well. Wiring now would mainly be focused on wireless connectivity to access points with the access points hardwired in most places.

Don't need cable everywhere, but definitely in central and far areas of house, both garages (damn I'm jealous on your 2x3) and I would now add at least one protected outlet somewhere outside for patio, pool, outdoor wireless access point.  You just want coverage to be there if needed.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

2 hours ago, dmtx said:

Garage Door Height - make them 9 or 10 feet tall. I have a five car garage, with standard height doors from back in the day. If I get a truck a little taller than my yukon, it will not fit. I'm seriously considering having a contractor to raise the height. 

Also, make sure their plugs on all sides of the garage.

and depth.

I have a buddy who can't fit his customized half ton truck in the garage because it's too short. He had to hire someone to extend the garage at the expense of the mudroom. Standard is too small.

Also be aware of your water heater; had another buddy try to do this but couldn't extend because his water heater was there. Great example of where going tankless would have helped as well.

[DonkeyCigars 144]

1 hour ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

TVs would be the one thing I wouldn't worry about hardwiring... although knowing they need a power outlet, might as well run Cat6 as well. Wiring now would mainly be focused on wireless connectivity to access points with the access points hardwired in most places.

Don't need cable everywhere, but definitely in central and far areas of house, both garages (damn I'm jealous on your 2x3) and I would now add at least one protected outlet somewhere outside for patio, pool, outdoor wireless access point.  You just want coverage to be there if needed.

yes, 2x3 is sweet. jealous.

Edited June 16, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Bevo 13493]

So what is the consensus on the fireplace? I'm in the same boat. A log fireplace is better looking but it requires a lot of support structure, places are beginning to outlaw them in new construction, they are inefficient, and they are a lot harder to clean. Gas fireplaces don't require as much support or chimney structure and are much more efficient but the better looking ones like fireplace Xtrordinair overcharge plenty for what they are. Personally, I don't think I want to use real logs again, but I wonder if gas has a negative impact on resale.

[obigbo 8]

For the fireplaces - we went with a normal log burning fireplace with gas assist.  For the inside fireplace we had gas logs installed and they look great.  They get really hot and put off a nice amount of heat.  For the outside fireplace, used gas assist but burn real logs.

 

[obigbo 8]

A couple of other items that I included in our build a few years ago.  We had a recirculating pump installed for the hot water heaters.  We get hot water is less than 5 seconds in the master bath.  Saves water and time.

We also put the master bedroom on its own HVAC system.  Would not have it any other way now. 

[Jkwellborn 6649]

Fuck a fireplace. That’s all.

[Tonesky 907]

We are building now.

3. Appliances:  Almost every selection you will make is back ordered.  You can move into a house without a dining room chandelier, but you need a stove....  Make your appliance selections NOW.  Look at Thermador gas cooktops, even if you are going with another brand for other items.

4. Low Voltage:  Wire is relatively cheap and now is the time to pull it.  At a minimum, pull CAT to access points, TVs, desk/work locations (including for network printer), door bell, and camera locations.  I would also pull CAT to things like garage door opener and sprinkler controller.  Just because you can go wireless doesn't mean it is your best option.  And. you will be pissed if you find after you move in that you want wire somewhere you didn't pull it during the build for under $100.  Also, if there is any chance you will want power shades, pull LV power (basically 14-16 gauge speaker wire) to an upper corner of each window frame.

5. Plumbing:  One of the very first things the builder will need from you is tub and shower valves.  Select your tub and shower trim (the part you will see) ASAP, so that builder can identify the required valves that get framed in early on during construction.  Also, look at Toto Drake II toilets.

6. Flooring.  LVP has come a long way in both performance and acceptability, but you can absolutely tell the difference between it and wood, and your posts suggest you are building a house where LVP may be "beneath" the overall level of the home.  But, I'm a poor, so we are going with LVP, except for stairs, which we will stain to match the LVP selection.  The search has been a bit frustrating, because we want a floor that looks and feels like the sanded and stained in place oak floors historically installed in our area, which has proved hard to find.  The trend is wide planks, exotic wood that you wouldn't ordinarily see in a Houston house, lots of gray, and textured surfaces that try to mimic scraped, reclaimed, etc.  After a lot of looking, we stumbled onto a relatively new in the USA product (Swiss joint venture with USA manufacturer), that is both relatively good quality and relatively cheap - LIco Hydro Fix.  

 

[Tonesky 907]

On 6/14/2021 at 10:55 PM, Assman said:

Appliances:  We're going with ... a microwave built into the lower cabinets so the kids can reach it. 

 

19 hours ago, Assman said:

Microwave will be next to the sink, opposite the dishwasher, unless someone can talk me out of that. 

The ergonomics of microwave drawers are awful.  Think about putting in or taking out a bowl of (hot) liquid.  Think about cleaning it when the kids explode something inside.  Put it at counter height.

Edited June 16, 2021 by Tonesky

[NeverMarryAStripper 21780]

Yeah, every time you use it all that radiation will be going right to your balls at that height

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

57 minutes ago, Tonesky said:

 

The ergonomics of microwave drawers are awful.  Think about putting in or taking out a bowl of (hot) liquid.  Think about cleaning it when the kids explode something inside.  Put it at counter height.

I haven't ever used an under counter/ drawer microwave, but have clients who have, and they've all been pretty positive about them.

I agree with you about the ergonomics seeming to be bad.

[FizzleFish 137]

No outlets in kitchen backsplash. Look for hidden under cabinet outlet strips with usb. 

If you have a walk in pantry do a counter and outlets so all your small appliances can live in there. 
 

In master bath do an organized drawer with power for all your wife’s blow dryers, curling irons etc. get them off her counter top. 

if you have dogs add a dog wash and pull out dog food/water drawer in utility. 
 

deep drawers on lower kitchen cabinetry.

Floating cabinets in bath with lighting underneath. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 minute ago, FizzleFish said:

No outlets in kitchen backsplash. Look for hidden under cabinet outlet strips with usb. 

If you have a walk in pantry do a counter and outlets so all your small appliances can live in there. 
 

In master bath do an organized drawer with power for all your wife’s blow dryers, curling irons etc. get them off her counter top. 

if you have dogs add a dog wash and pull out dog food/water drawer in utility. 
 

deep drawers on lower kitchen cabinetry.

Floating cabinets in bath with lighting underneath. 

All very good points. I charge $200 an hour for that kind of client advice.  

Garage dog showers in a corner are a cleaner way to go. Pre fab fiberglass base and then vinyl wall panels on the corner walls and a hand held wand.

Never do doors on base cabinets. Install deep, and shallow drawers, much more efficient, but costlier.  The floating cabinet makes the space seem more open, and is easier to clean depending on the cabinet.

[FizzleFish 137]

11 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

All very good points. I charge $200 an hour for that kind of client advice.  

Garage dog showers in a corner are a cleaner way to go. Pre fab fiberglass base and then vinyl wall panels on the corner walls and a hand held wand.

Never do doors on base cabinets. Install deep, and shallow drawers, much more efficient, but costlier.  The floating cabinet makes the space seem more open, and is easier to clean depending on the cabinet.

Good point about dog wash in garage. I didn’t think of that. With 6 garage bays he can put in an automated dog wash. 

water line for 2nd fridge if you want. Water and drain line for big ice maker if you need one (we added one because on weekends we were making trips to store just for ice. Can stock up on beer and food but not ice without a deep freeze).

last house we had a switch on our pantry door that would turn the light on/off when the door was opened or closed. Very convenient and it never gets left on for days. Need to see if I can work this into the house we’re building now. Pantry is barn door and I blew it off that it couldn’t be done. But this thread got me thinking about how convenient that was. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21780]

Last house that I built had those switches in every closet door.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 minutes ago, FizzleFish said:

Good point about dog wash in garage. I didn’t think of that. With 6 garage bays he can put in an automated dog wash. 

water line for 2nd fridge if you want. Water and drain line for big ice maker if you need one (we added one because on weekends we were making trips to store just for ice. Can stock up on beer and food but not ice without a deep freeze).

last house we had a switch on our pantry door that would turn the light on/off when the door was opened or closed. Very convenient and it never gets left on for days. Need to see if I can work this into the house we’re building now. Pantry is barn door and I blew it off that it couldn’t be done. But this thread got me thinking about how convenient that was. 

Yeah, if you have little dogs an inside sink works, but anything  45 lbs or bigger needs more space.

It's not the size of a house, it's the details that matter.  

[FizzleFish 137]

9 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Yeah, if you have little dogs an inside sink works, but anything  45 lbs or bigger needs more space.

It's not the size of a house, it's the details that matter.  

Well, when I suggested the dog wash I was imagining almost a human shower with a basin and half walls in the corner of a utility with a wand. Not a sink. So we agree on general concept.  It was just something I looked into with this house but didn’t put a lot of thought into because our dogs are all on the older side of life and we aren’t getting any more. So I didn’t design any of that into this house. 
 

also, I’d look into the smaller washer/dryer stackable you could do in master if it worked for you. I didn’t look into it too much but thought it could be a good idea.