You’ve planned your dream home. It’s clear what you want and what your home should look like. But, have you really thought about what isn’t important and what is necessary? You haven’t really considered it all. It is likely that you have considered all the options and thought carefully about what would work best for you. But have you ever taken the time to consider what wouldn’t work?
Poor planning and too low budgets can lead you to make costly, unplanned, and dangerous mistakes. The home must be viewed from all angles when building a new house.
1. Pay attention to HVAC systems
Poor planning can lead to problems with moisture and mold growth. This can cause serious health issues. It is important to pay attention also to the size of your units. Smaller models will produce poor performance and not heat or cool your home efficiently. This can lead to your home being too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter. But, too large homes can use too much energy.
2. Poor space planning
Space planning and design are important, even though you do not plan on building a large home. While ample storage is important, you should also be aware of where you store your storage. What is the point of a walk-in storage closet for the master bedroom? It could be added to your master bath, or maybe a bedroom with fewer needs. Make sure you are careful about where you put your closets. There should be at least one closet in each bedroom. Too many will make your living space less spacious.
3. Poor overall planning
It is important to consider your lifestyle and your habits when designing your home. How long do plan to live in this home? Do you have to offer safety features to young or new children in your home? Are you thinking about your retirement years and what you might need? Look ahead long-term to see where and what you’ll need from your house.
4. Homes with poor lighting
It is important to have enough outlets and light fixtures. The same goes for windows. Windows should be present and as large as they can in all rooms. Natural light, whenever possible, should be your main source of lighting. Also, consider adding skylights.
5. Under-utilized rooms
A playroom, game, or multipurpose room is a great idea. However, make sure it will actually be used. What good is a useless home gym with clothes on the treadmill? It is common for an unutilized room to become a place where you can store those items that have never been used. If you’re looking to add a spare room, be sure it can convert easily from one type of space to the other.
6. Placement in the laundry room
This is a very personal choice. I have had laundry facilities in the basement. Both of these were less than ideal. The laundry rooms, or washer and dryer, should be placed relatively close to your bedrooms. A laundry room upstairs is something I enjoy, but not everyone does.
7. Placement of your bedroom
You should keep the bedroom as far as traffic and noise can be found. If family members are likely to be in your bedroom at night, or while you are sleeping or resting, the master bedroom should not be above or near the garage. It would be best to keep your master bedroom separate from the central living spaces. If your home is on one level the master bedroom should be at the far end, which is the closest to the garage.
8. Placement of kitchen
There were two places in my house where the kitchen wasn’t at the main entry point. For groceries, one had the option to enter the house and walk through it to place the groceries. I was disgusted by its location. The kitchen should be situated near a back or garage as well as close to the living and dining areas.
9. Placement
It is far more practical than the garage at the main level that is near a mudroom and kitchen. My garage can sometimes feel like Grand Central Station. Many people are coming in and out of the house with heavy backpacks, bags full of groceries, dirty sports clothing, and other large items. I prefer that dirt and chaos be kept in the kitchen or mudroom.
10. Allow someone to tell you what YOU want!
It’s important to understand your family, their lifestyle, and what they need. Professionals can make suggestions but cannot tell you exactly what you need. Only you and you know what’s best for you and those you love. Was there anything I missed that you feel is important for your home’s design?