10 Home Design Mistakes to Avoid

Designing custom homes you see many mistakes that a homeowner might make, especially when they are not working with an architect. Here are 10 of those mistakes that I have learned to avoid in the projects that I design.

Resources:
- 5 Tips to Start Your Project
- Book: The Homeowner's Guide to Residential Design and Construction Projects

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[narchitecture]

Hey there - thanks for watching - if you have come to the comments to make mention of the music, I'll save you the trouble and yes, I know the music on this video is too loud and monotonous, several people have already informed me. I hope that didn't take away (too much) from the messages Im trying to share with you. As I learn, I hope to get better at editing. Thanks - Chris

[odkhuu]

lot of vloggers big mistake is background music is louder than their talks. keep it simple it's not an advertising and English learners can't catch your words even your audiences tired too

[nmbrkid]

I would prefer less busy music behind your dialogue so I can hear you and not feel the music pace is pushing. Great information. Thank you.

[HyperfineArchitecture]

Great video Chris, aka my hallway-loving, door-hiding brother! Thought some timestamps might help people out:

0:45 - Bathroom/Powder Room locations
2:36 - Proper Depth and Width of Home
3:56 - Views
5:55 - Roof Forms
6:53 - Sun and Daylighting
9:02 - Storage
9:55 - Acoustics
12:20 - Furnishings & Access
14:38 - Kitchen Pantry
16:05 - Correctly Prioritizing Finish Materials

[cocokai]

So glad you mentioned the roof design. I've been looking at house designs and I've been horrified at all the messy roof lines. I'm sure the designers think they're 'interesting' but they look like a hot mess! And yes, they'll be a nightmare to maintain and replace.

[cocokai]

Yes, function over form! Every time! This is what always drove me crazy on all those HGTV shows. It was all about the cosmetic aspects of a house and not the actual function of the house. So load baring walls were knocked down, storage eliminated, and banks of windows added! Yes, I'm looking at you Chip and Joanne! I've lived in Texas. I know what a bank of windows will be like in the heat of an August day. It will render that room unusable. So it's so important to be practical and not just think of that instagram photo. How you will actually be able to live in a house ( and not just whether your family/friends are impressed) is so important.

[ToIsleOfView]

Great advise! Sound control? You nailed it. You left off one of my don'ts. Windows are getting too big and too many. Floor to ceiling windows are expensive and the view they offer is limited by what the ground looks like right next to the window. Oversize windows can create drafts in winter and hot rooms in summer. They consume needed wall space for furniture or art. Bedroom windows should start 48 " up from the floor and only 1 large window is needed by fire code. Picture windows need to actually frame a nice view. Bay windows need to be limited to areas where sitting in front of the window is planned like breakfast rooms. Dark areas can be illuminated with roof mounted solar tube lights. Every window does not need to operate for ventilation. Fixed windows are more energy efficient and cost less. Rooms with too much sunlight will make you want to wear sunglasses indoors. Sun light angles can help or hurt you. Large windows with direct Southern & Western exposure are not needed as much as large windows on the North wall because there is no direct sun. Plan your windows very carefully & you will get the most bang for the buck.

[debraduhon]

Currently looking into floorplans (might be buying/building in the next couple of years), and so many of them have 2 of my pet peeves. A stove in an island or in a coutertop facing a living area. There's nothing to keep splatters (grease, etc) from going into the living area. And a laundry room in the middle of the house with no easy venting to the outside for the dryer.

[user-awubt]

Lots of good points 👍👍 the background music is drowning out your voice though..looking forward to next video

[GForceFitness]

Excellent suggestions and I appreciate the fact that you talked about building science toward the end (prioritizing air sealing, using a rain screen behind the siding, etc). Those are vitally important points in the build that most people would skip or skimp on to afford the more expensive fixtures and eye-catching items that could be upgraded at a later time.

[buds]

Totally agree with last point! Trying to do deep/moderate energy retrofit on an older home is SO hard where I am! To find a contractor to do the unseen, but extremely important things necessary in climate zone 6 usda zone 4 is almost impossible-they give lip service, but then want to do outdated, 30 year old techniques so the can hire untrained labor and can hide sloppy work . When the homeowner is more aware of the building science, there is something seriously wrong! Not having outrageous heating and cooling bills, having a draft free, well balanced HVAC, a house that doesn’t leak or stink, one that breaths and drains well-PRICELESS! Everyone here wants to sell some lick & stick curb appeal look for resale instead of helping us obtain carbon neutrality and age in place! So sick of it! I wish it were easy to hire New England or Canadian building companies to do work in the Midwest! They need the competition!

[merryhunt]

This is just plain wonderful. So intelligent! We renovated our house and never gave a thought to acoustics. It's not a problem, because we're quiet people, but we should have thought about it. I agree with you about the fancy roof on McMansions. I call them "witch's cottages."

[FairyRosee_]

I can NEVER pee when someone has a powder room in the entry. You can always hear the sink turn on from the outside, the flush etc and it makes me tense. Putting it beside the pantry and near stairs is so genius for soundproofing.

[cruztube]

A few weeks ago I've decided to build a new custom house and as a rookie you can only imagine how I'm overwhelmed by all those details I need to consider. This video helped me so much because there are a few things that I wasn't even thinking about at all, but now are on my list. I'll meet my architect in a few days, I've written so many things that I wanna show him. But I haven't thought about for example bathroom placement, furniture installing, glare on TV, importance of a bigger pantry etc. So, THANK YOU for your valueable advice!

[Miti-Nik]

Thank you for raising this very important and crucial point that what goes behind your drywall and the material that determines the performance of your house is so much more important than for example your stone countertops (which can be changed at ant point down the line) and other superficial items in your house. Unfortunately a lot of builders don't want to bother with these critical details and even more unfortunate is that most consumers (home owners) are not aware of these details and important criteria.

[melindawallin]

You pointed out some really useful things to consider when designing a home, things I don't think I would have thought of. I bought a already built home and wish I had seen this first, just to give me other things to think about. Thanks!

[hereforit]

I live in an old home and don’t have a powder room. But the bathroom is nicely tucked away off the hall (builders took these things into consideration back in the day).

What I like to do when I have company is have music softly playing in the bathroom. This gives guests the impression that whatever they’re doing in there can’t be heard outside the bathroom and actually makes the bathroom more soundproof. Guests feel comfortable and relaxed.

[saskatoonsask]

Information I would never think about when building a custom home and what is important when designing a home Thank you thank you thank you

[johnbeckwith]

Excellent presentation. It is a pleasure hearing from a building designer with real-world experience. You know what needs to be done, but then you need to get the client to listen. That can be a problem. After the house is built they come back and say "I wish I had listened", a little too late??? 😂❤

[walkerb]

Great, insightful video! We will be building in a couple years and this really helped give us some things to think about