Wondering what some of your must haves would be in a new custom home? I read some older threads from 2011-14 but with technology and trends changing I am curious as to what would be on your wish list.
Some things that come to mind for me:
1. Sink and drain in the garage
2. In ceiling speakers throughout the house
3. Butlers pantry (with a second fridge)
4. Pool table/games area in basement
- triple pane glass wall facing green space or trees (preferably north facing)
- air conditioning
- triple garage
- enclosed steamshower/sauna combination
- 8ft bathtub
- giant master bedroom with room to stretch for me (I do this nightly before bed)
- CAT7 wires everywhere
- smarthome, light automation
- 220v in garage
Triple Car Garage with drainage
Dual sink in master en suite
sound proofing between floors
Upgraded windows
We concentrated on stuff that we couldn't change or upgrade later.
- Triple garage with drains.
- Wider and taller garage o/h doors.
- Skipped the garage sink but added an extra hose bib.
- Durable main floor finishes (we upgraded to tile that looks like hardwood).
- Added as many windows as possible.
- Made window bigger in multiple rooms.
- Added insulation to some interior walls for soundproofing.
- Payed extra for a larger lot.
- South facing driveway so you dont have to deal with ice buildup all winter.
- Dual ensuite vanity is a must have.
- Oversized ensuite shower.
- Huge kitchen and island.
- Completely open concept main floor.
- Finished basement stair (we'll develop the basement later).
- 9' basement would have been cool but skipped due to cost.
- Vaulted or 9' upper floor ceiling would have also been cool but skipped due to costs.
- With Bluetooth speakers we skipped the in ceiling speaker BS. Seems like a waste of money and a pain in the ass to upgrade later.
Heated garage floor and heated basement floor.
Custom steam shower.
Mature trees on the property.
word.Quote:
Originally Posted by ExtraSlow
Also, garage HRV / dehumidifier. My F150 rusted like an Ontario car.
Ventilation fan will do it. Calgary air is so dry.Quote:
Originally Posted by benyl
My List:
Completely decked out triple+ garage, if you can buy it for a garage I want it
A wolf stovetop 36”+ and dual wall ovens
Spatial audio run in wall through my “media room” for atmos without cables everywhere
Cat6 runs everywhere
One of those digital Moen shower controllers, press one button to heat shower to exact temp I know I like every time
Top quality windows to avoid heat loss and frosting
Dedicated HVAC for each floor
The rest of the house I couldn’t give 2 shits about
For me:
- Large, fully finished garage with Epoxy'd floor, heat, 220V, sink and drain
- Soft water hose bib to garage area
- Flat property
- Covered patio(s)
- Dedicated theater in basement
- In wall/in-ceiling speakers throughout home
- Every room soundproofed
- 9-10ft ceilings
- Gigantic shower w/ 2 heads, double en suite sinks
- Proper air purifier on furnace
- Wired Ethernet going to every room (this is unbelievably hard to find on new builds)
- Top notch insulation / triple pane windows w/industrial shutters on basement and bedrooms
- Renewable energy sources if possible
- In floor heating everywhere
- Full sized wine/beer fridge
- No hardwood - tile everywhere that looks like hardwood
- Big trees
- No street parking
Probably lots more I'm missing haha.
Currently I have about half of those things, so i'll have to wait until the next one to get everything I want (and maybe win some money lol).
This is bonkers expensive. I was involved with a house in Chestermere that had more controls and zone dampers then some office buildingsQuote:
Originally Posted by killramos
I'm sure you've mentioned this before but was your garage heated and did you have floor drains?Quote:
Originally Posted by benyl
10 ft. ceilings on the main & second floor (if applicable) and 9 ft. in the basement. I've just got 8 in my house but my parents have 10 and I never noticed it as a kid but fuck I feel like I live in a cave at this point.
I went from 8 --> 10 on main and second floors and 7(?) --> 9' in the basement and I agree it makes a huge difference in how open everything feels. You don't really notice until you experience both (like you say) but it makes even the smaller rooms feel very open IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Masked Bandit
- In floor heating
- Heated attached double garage /w driveway in front for 2 cars
- Sink with the laundry up by the bedrooms
- A den or office that is away from the bedrooms, preferably down a floor or two so I can make noise
- Ethernet wired everywhere
- Smart bulbs/plugs all over to set timers for things
- Smart plugs in all the bathrooms so you can make sure no hair things are left on
- Low maintenance front/back yards
- Gas stove
- Open concept so I can see the TV while cooking as well as guests have seating but can have conversations while prepping dinner
- Fenced back yard, even if tiny, enough for the dog to go outside in winters
- I'd actually rather a townhouse than a house (less maintenance + cheaper utilities long term)
- No fireplaces, fuck them
I'll add epoxy floor (already mentioned) with parking hoist.
Also miss having a laundry tub/sink (already mentioned). That's also a good thing to have in the garage.
Forgot about upstairs laundry. I used to have it in the basement, and upstairs is soooooo much better. Some builders now are putting them right in the master bedroom closet.
We have a sink roughed-in in the laundry room but so far haven't had a desire to have a sink there.
Both infloor and drains. Humidity hits 70% because it is so tight. The heat not only melts the snow that drops of the car, it evaporates the water as it drains.Quote:
Originally Posted by 88CRX
28x40 A frame, west facing. 10' cantilevered eave to cover deck on West end.
PV and solar water heaters on South roof.
10x10 cinderblock basement for furnace/WH only, grade beam & footings for rest of perimeter.
Open family/living room Master up 2bed down.
Corian/cheapest finishes since they get outdated and can be upgraded later.
Triple car entry tandem garage
Sidewalk and driveway heaters
HVAC zoned on every floor including basement
HEPA filtration
Cats in every room
Steam and Sauna
Backing into river with downtown and mountain views
Swingers
5 minute drive to downtown
5 minute drive to Costco
As prestigious as Aspen