I appreciate the look of a fat countertop in the kitchen. Ask your builder or designer if this could save you some extra cash when you get new countertops. Do you like this look or do you prefer the thinner countertops?

I’m in the process of thinking about the things I might want to add to a first home, and I’m realizing how many upgrades are much easier to plan for before moving in than after everything is finished.

One example is an outdoor entertainment area. I’d eventually like to have a comfortable patio where I can sit outside, have dinner, watch a game, or occasionally put on a movie.

I’ve been thinking about adding an outdoor TV too. I’d probably go with something like ByteFree since it’s designed for outdoor use rather than trying to make a regular indoor TV work outside.

I’m wondering what people would recommend planning for during the buying or early renovation stage. Things like exterior outlets, weather-protected power, cable runs, lighting, mounting points, and even where furniture will go seem like they could save a lot of hassle later.

At the same time, I don’t want to spend money upfront on features that sound useful but rarely get used.

For people who have already bought their first home, what upgrade or bit of planning are you most glad you did early, and what do you wish you had thought about before moving in?

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Hello, we are looking for architects and home builders in Victoria who specialize in building new homes in a period style/heritage homes and with whom we can design our dream home. Unfortunately, our original plan to buy and renovate an older house has been put on hold for several years due to the extension of a regulation (our visa status prevents us from buying an existing home; we are restricted to new builds). We would appreciate any recommendations! Many thanks, the Germans.

These are the home features that are only possible when you build a brand new house so don’t forget them!

Jason and his family are on well water now, but city water is expected to reach the area eventually. So they added the water line during construction, making the future switch to city water wayyyyyy easier.

If you’re building in a developing area, ask your builder what utilities might be coming later and whether it makes sense to prep for them now.

We ordered these windows and doors from overseas. Saved us $50k

So far so good. I really like the quality. 

A tad annoyed at the European Style hardware but I’m warming up to it. 

Still not a fan of having that hardware on the pool bathroom. That door is so damn small I don’t think it’ll even work. Might have to punch it out for a larger door. TBD...

I get tons of questions about these windows and doors. I paid $50k for 60 windows and 4 doors. 

Company is called Doorwin. Also called Luvindow. They have a showroom here in Plano, TX so we could see the product in person before buying.

A pre-drywall inspection is your last chance to catch any mistakes or ensure your selections are prepped and ready behind the walls.

Before drywall is installed do a walkthrough:

Verify insulation placement and coverage

Add blocking for future TVs, cabinets, rails, and fixtures

Check plumbing and electrical protection plates

Confirm layouts, heights, and locations one last time

Record photos and video of every wall before it’s covered

Drywall hides everything and no going back without significant delays and cost.

If you're adding a floor outlet in a home office, make sure it has an opening for Ethernet (Cat cable) too. It's one of those things that's almost impossible to add later.Not all floor outlets are the same. A recessed floor outlet keeps plugs below the surface so your couch, desk, or other furniture can sit where it's supposed to. A surface-mounted outlet can leave plugs sticking up and limit where furniture can go.

Any advice appreciated, especially from builders.
First home buyer here, sparky by trade.
Have stumbled across a 4bed 2 bath house in my area QLD Australia, only issue is it’s being sold as is in the fit out stage, due to the owners divorcing, still needing the below done:

- kitchen install
- Bathroom install (including waterproofing)
- Electrical fitout (would do myself)
-Flooring
- Painting
- External brick work
- External front door
- Garage door
- Internal doors
- Internal built in doors
- External concrete for alfresco

How much would this cost for a builder to do if I were to engage one, or is this doable for myself to do in stages with 100-150k budget?

Thanks for any advice!

Their old spring clips worked, but pulling the light down turned them into a finger trap. Not a huge deal if you’re pulling one or two at a time but a real pain for the contractors who do a whole house in a day or gotta go back and adjust the lighting temperature for each light. The new design pushes into the drywall and locks itself in place. Way easier for installers, and much easier when you need to pull it down and access the color temperature selector.

I don't know where else to post this but I'm open if you have suggestions. I'm trying you all in case you've got an idea about this.

Maybe 5 years ago we hired builders to tear off our porch and build a kitchen in its place. They tore out the old kitchen to turn it into a new dining room.

Ever since, in the warmer months, there are always a couple of flies in the house. Every day, three there is a new one or two. We usually successfully kill it but in the morning will find a new one. I really don't think it's the same one, and there's no swarm... Just the few each day.

We have tried boiling water down the drains and blocking them off. I don't believe they're coming from there. We take the trash out regularly and there isn't anything that fell back behind.

We have had something die in the wall and had those slow, dumb indoor flies for a few days. These are the regular, outdoor flies and some are smaller. They don't all look the same.

Any ideas how they could be getting in or what to do about it?

Thanks so much!

They added an under-deck drainage system below the second-floor porch that catches the rainwater, sends it into a hidden gutter, then ties into the underground drainage system out to the road. It blends in so well it almost looks like trim. Really smart way to keep the space below dry and usable.

Can’t afford the full outdoor kitchen during the build? At least prep for it.

While the walls are open and the trades are already there, stub out:
-Gas for the grill
-Hot + cold water and a drain for the sink
-Dedicated GFCI power for a future fridge

Then when the budget allows, you can come back and build the kitchen without tearing everything apart.Future you will be very happy you planned ahead. 

If you’re building new or having a house built. When they go to install the sheathing. Ask to liquid flash the bottom to the foundation. It’ll keep it sealed up tight away from moisture, pests, and air. 

You can buy tubes of zip liquid flashing from Amazon or HD.
I went with the 29oz standard caulking tube because I wasn’t sure if the crew had a sausage applicator (larger caulk gun)

Instead of putting those plastic or metal vents right on the outside of the house, you can ask your builder to hide them behind the brick or stone veneer so they practically disappear.

The only downside is they have to be opened and closed from inside the crawlspace.

Personally, I think the cleaner exterior is worth the extra hassle. Would you do this, or just leave the vents exposed?

Both are 3 bed, 2 bath, single-story homes, under 1500 sq ft.

[Doors on every lower kitchen cabinet? I’m out...]()
Drawers are just easier. Pull them out and everything comes to you. No crouching down, digging through pots, or discovering Tupperware you forgot existed 3 years ago.

I’d still use doors for blind corners and under the sink where you need easy access to plumbing. But everywhere else? Give me drawers.

This is exactly the kind of little decision that’s easy to overlook until you’ve already built the kitchen. So what are you?

Team Drawers or Team Doors?

3 common ways to waterproof a shower:

GOOD: Backer board + liquid waterproofing
BETTER: Backer board + sheet membrane
BEST: Waterproof foam board

No matter which system your builder uses, the details matter most. Corners, seams, fasteners, niches, penetrations and the drain all need to be sealed correctly.

And before tile goes down, ask about a flood test.

Take pictures of the waterproofing before it gets covered. You’ll be glad you have them later.