If you have not read Part 1 of this series, click here. If so, let’s get right into the next areas of concern.
Poor Planning – one of the first considerations that must be made when building a new home is if this is your forever home or you plan on reselling it in the near future. If you are going to resell it, that needs to be considered when designing the home, meaning some of your “dream” features may not work with future potential buyers. If it is your forever home, have you thought about access as you get older? For instance, should you put in an elevator or possibly consider building a rancher so you do not have to walk steps at an older age? These are all considerations to make for the home design.
‘Dream’ Rooms – I have heard this a million times… when I build my home, I am going to have an epic mancave or workshop or hobby room or a host of other theme rooms. Well, that gamer room may have seemed like a good idea, and it probably looks great, but if it is not getting used, what purpose does it really serve? When you design these rooms, we recommend designing them so they can be transitioned into other uses in case you find out your “dream” room is really something that is never used and could be better utilized as a guest room.
Laundry Room Placement – what is the best location for a laundry room? Well, let me ask you one simple question… How far do you want to lug that laundry basket? I can remember when I was a kid and our washer and dryer were in the basement. It was such a chore to drag laundry up and down two flights of steps. The best place for a laundry room is near where you fill up the laundry basket, which would be near the bedrooms.
Closet Space – we touched on this just a bit earlier, but I want to address this as its own issue, specifically in the bedroom. Take a look at your bedroom furniture to estimate how much of your clothing will be put in drawers and how much needs to be hung or put on shelves. If your wife has 50 pairs of shoes, is a 4’x10’ closet really going to work? If you are jammed for space, consider going vertical with your closet with multiple hanging rods and shelves. There is nothing wrong with keeping a step ladder in your closet if need be. Put some serious thought and planning into your closet space, especially in the bedroom.
Stay tuned for Part 3.