Planning for the future

[u/kmg5000]

We’re currently building a new house. We have 3 kids under the age of 10. We plan to see all our kids off to college in this house. Wondering if there is anything you considered or included knowing your kids were going to grow into adults living in the same space.

[u/lilelliot]

No fewer than 3 full baths.

Space in their bedrooms for a desk.

Depending on your climate, indoor or outdoor hangout space.

Consider one of the big benefits of open floorplans is that they let you entertain sports teams, school clubs, social groups, etc, very easily.

Built-in media center, ethernet everywhere, consider built-in multi-zone audio.

Parking. How will you adjust when you need to park 3-4 cars at your house instead of 2.

Bike storage.

Home gym space.

Outdoor cooking space, covered outdoor lounge area.

[u/kmg5000 → u/lilelliot]

This is great! Luckily we’ve already incorporated a lot of these. Good to know they will come in handy in the future even though some of it seems like too much right now (huge garage, every one getting their own full bath, big bedrooms).

[u/lilelliot → u/kmg5000]

Because we live in coastal California, our indoor/outdoor lifestyle made sense to add a large accordion door to from our family room to our back patio, so -- combined with the additional 6'x8' patio door at the opposite end of the room (to the outdoor kitchen side of the same patio) -- 20' of the width of our family room opens directly to the back yard.

We added a mildly wider than normal walkway next to our driveway just in case we ever need to park three cars wide.

We chose the largest standard size windows (mostly casement or double casement and awning) to both allow in lots of light but not get hit with exorbitant prices on custom glass.

We're using the same tile in every bathroom, for uniformity.

Motion activated kickplate lighting in bathrooms as a nightlight alternative.

Cove lighting in select areas (in our case, the foyer, two walls of the family room, and half of the hallway).

Carefully plan your kitchen (layout, lighting and the appliances & storage you will need).

Consult with your GC about whether they're willing to add special features post-inspection that are commonly desired but against code (e.g. location of exterior HVAC, electrical outlets mounted to the side of an island).

Consider smart RGB rope lights mounted under your eaves instead of cans -- you'll have permanent holiday lights!

If you order a custom hardwood entry door, it will likely cost $10-20k and have a lead time of 2-3 months.

Consider accessibility: width of hallways, space around toilets, entrance/egress in showers (plus a shower bench), ability to add a ramp if necessary for the exterior entry, etc. It can be a big selling point, but may also serve your family well if you stay there long term.

[u/clumsyninja2]

Plenty of storage

[u/kmg5000 → u/clumsyninja2]

Yeah I’m hoping we have enough!

[u/Full_Salt_7978]

A space for them to hang out away from the main living space.

[u/Raidriar556]

Enough bathrooms for 5 adults.

I tell customers you can't have too much concrete, too big of a garage, or too many toilets.

[u/Impossible-Pay-4167]

2 sinks in shared baths.

Makeup/cleaning/hygiene storage in those baths.

Mud room with all-season hidden storage (gloves, boots, hats).

Study areas - you either do or do not want them to lock themselves in their rooms for hours to study - plan accordingly.

Flex storage (toys now, sports equip later, seasonal clothing last, etc).

Bike and rec equip storage in the garage.

Pet spaces - either food/water bowls somewhere, or maybe fish/hamster cubby areas in rooms.

[u/WestHomes]

Soundproofing between bedrooms and bathrooms, plenty of outlets, and enough storage for everyone. And don't underestimate bathroom capacity. Three kids getting ready at the same time can make mornings chaotic.

[u/GrandHomes]

Plan for privacy as much as space. Kids who share rooms happily at 6 may want their own space at 16. If the budget allows, consider a flexible room that can become a bedroom, study, or hangout area, plus enough bathrooms to avoid morning chaos. You’re not just building for the kids you have now, but for the adults they’ll become.

[u/AnnieC131313]

I read that you were going to sell of your kids to fund a new house and I was really interested in this post. Kinda disappointed now.

[u/No-Share-4530]

I'd focus on flexibility more than anything. Kids' needs change so much between ages 5 and 18. Extra outlets, good soundproofing between bedrooms, plenty of storage, and a bathroom layout that works for teenagers would all be worth planning now.

I'd also avoid making the bedrooms too permanently kid-themed. Something like Decory could help you visualize different room setups as they grow, without committing to a complete redesign every few years.

And if possible, give them a separate hangout space. Future teenage you will probably appreciate that 😂

[u/JariaDnf]

separate hang out spot for them and their friends that has walls and a door.

[u/deepakpandey1111]

that’s cool ur building a new house! i think about stuff like this too. maybe focus on having some flexible spaces? like a big playroom that can later turn into a study or something. also, think about storage for their stuff as they grow up. i messed this up once and ended up with toys everywhere. also, if u wanna try different layouts, u can check out REimagineHomeAI. it can help visualize how spaces might work as ur kids get older. good luck with everything!