5 Features You NEED To Consider When Building Your Custom Home

You NEED to consider adding these things when building your custom home!

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[jasondawson]

1. Heated Garage
2. Under porch storage room. Wine cellar/safe room ect. Don't just backfill the area.
3. Closet for comms, Wi-Fi, electronics, ect
4. Backup Generator
5. Radiant Heat

[imscanon]

Sidenote: Do the heated garage AFTER the build. If it's not heated initially, it won't be considered 'conditioned' space and not included in the sqft for property tax purposes. Lower taxes is always good. Just add it after all that inspection stuff is done and prop, taxes are set. Same with attic and basement spaces. You can do all the pre-stuff, electrical, etc. just don't add a heating unit or vents to the main house system until after.

[sardi]

I’d clarify - an insulated garage rather than just heated. Here in Texas, it will help keep the garage cool rather than warm. Add a mini-split that does both. I’d say frost-free hose bibs too!

[fixittony]

A few items we added to our 2005 built home were:
-Receptacles on each side of the bed, kitchen counter, kitchen desk that has USB A/C built in

-GFCI receptacles with nightlight in bathrooms

-hot and cold water supply to the outside

-French drain in garage floor so melted snow and wash car in garage

- medicine cabinets in every bathroom

- water spigots on every side of the house

- keep can lights far enough away from ceiling fans so you don’t get the flickering from fan blades

- two EV chargers access

[johnpeters]

Seems that I have 4 out of 5 of your recommendations in my home built in "03, But I would add a premium insulation package as number 6. The gift that keeps on giving.

[TDH_]

As for a backup generator, my recommendation is to install a generator transfer switch kit when you build (less than $1000) and come back later and install the actual generator. You may never need a generator, but if the need ever arises, it's just plug and play with no additional expense... aside from the generator itself of course.

[liesascott]

Radiant in floor heat has been mandatory and is state of the art engineering in Germany for 40 years now..
Because they also have universal health care it's required to get a building permit for a home.
What I like about it is that it gives you a very different cozy feeling in the house. The heat is incredibly even and warms the home from top to bottom. I installed this system in a home in WA I built. You can't beat the quality. Especially in homes with higher ceilings it increases the natural flow of warm (raising) to cold air (coming down).

[ccoder]

I GCed a house not far from where you are. I did the under porch setup, the EV plug, and sort of the generator. I wired my critical loads into a subpanel. Later I added a solar system that can run off grid, so it is effectively a backup generator. And while I didn't do a heated garage, I did do a finished insulated one. A few other things:
1) Network wiring. The wire is cheap and you can DIY pretty easily. Wireless networking is good, but wired is better.
2) Add spots for multiple access points for good WiFi coverage on these large custom houses. Ubiquiti makes some great APs that are reasonable. (Oh and forget the stupid structured wiring box - get a wall mount 19" rack instead and use rack mount gear or shelves in the rack)
3) Have a look at what Linus from LTT did for his house, particularly the video matrix stuff. It sounds really fancy and expensive, but it really isn't, at least to prewire. Pretty much just Cat 6 wires from your mechanical room to where you might want TVs.
4) Plumb an RO system into your fridge (ideally from the mechanical room). It's cheap to do and keeps your nice kitchen counter uncluttered with extra faucets.
5) Wired security cameras. You just have to run Cat5e or Cat 6 wires from your mechanical room to wherever you want a camera. The camera gets power and data over the single wire. It's cheap and gets you a nice stable signal with no battery changes.
6) Kitchen computer desk. I have one and love it. It's a great place for kids to do school work, I eat breakfast there, and its great for looking up recipes for cooking. It ends up being one of the most used computers in the house.
7) Hot and cold garden hose faucet in the garage. I've even seen a few houses put a laundry tub under that. Great idea - you can have hot water for washing the car and make double use of the faucet for washing dirty stuff you don't want in the house.

[KJSvitko]

Every home and business should install a rain water collection and storage system along with solar panels.
Even in areas where rain is infrequent it is crazy to waste the little rain that does fall and waste it.
We need to stop planting green lawns and switch to local native plantings around homes.
It is crazy to plant lawns and build golf courses in dry desert areas. We waste too much water and electricity.

[morninboy]

My list : Passive solar heating and cooling, solar PV system with battery storage, high insulation values with under slab insulation as many natural materials locally sourced as possible and an attached greenhouse for fresh herbs and veges all year.

[garyball]

First on the list is to select the correct lot to place your home! What direction is the home facing? If you are in an area that receives a lot of snow….garage door should not be facing to the west. Snow drifts, frozen door and a colder than normal garage area. For max sunlight look for a lot that the home will face to the south. I always take an inexpensive compass with me to make the right choice.

[kellyebullock]

Not sure about heated garage here in Mississippi! Maybe one with an ac? 😉🌞 My recommendation is a tankless water heater. We installed one several years ago and it is wonderful!

[TheShannie]

If the radiant heating starts leaking, do you have to demolish your floor to fix? I worry about costly problems down the road.

[Techreux]

I have to admit.. only 2 out of 5 of these even makes sense for us. Out here, everything is heat pump; ergo, forced air, and we need A/C as well as heat. Yes, radiated is better, but the need for A/C kind of makes that option a pretty expensive addition for us! I DO agree that Auxiliary power is a must in our locale, and you speak my language (as an experienced Low voltage/tech installer) in having dedicated conduits for tech stuff - in my current home, all of the tech is invisible - except Video screen and speakers. I hate having my house like like a Best Buy store! I would add that making sure you have more storage space for tech. Most of my friends and I have "wiring closets" for our tech.. and "spider web" it through the house. I DO need receptors for remotes in the right places! Now, the other not need item for us: In our current garage, A/C would actually make more sense in the summer, than heat in the winter. I do realize you are talking about Colorado, but you might wish to consider some other "needs" that the not-so-cold weather folks could make use of. Thanks for the Video!

[khuramali]

it would be really nice to show all those features running in those houses to give a better understanding

[debwinfrey]

I would love radiant heat! Great list!

[bushnj]

Great Ideas. My favorite was heated floors.

[jennifer]

1. A heated garage (doesn't apply to people living in a warm climate)
2. Under-porch storage (not something you want living in a warm climate - because bugs) $15k
3. Communications Closet (not necessary if you have a cabinet console)
4. A backup generator $10k
5. Radiant heating (doesn't apply to people living in a warm climate... unless you choose to forego on forced heating) $40k

[michelejames]

For me and my house plan...1. Separate tool shop so my projects don't get the garage a mess. 2. Wired for solar! This is a must for me. 3. Hurricane shelter, aka super reinforced basement with second entrance not under the house, hidden in landscape. 4. Laundry room OF THE GODS. 5. Hidden spaces in walls to secure things away (medication, valuables when house sitters are here and I'm on vacation). 6. Screened in porch. Anyone who lives in the deep south knows why. The mosquito is damn near the state bird here.

[winstonsmith]

The under porch storage is pretty standard in my part of the world (Ontario Canada). There is always an exterior door to the space, which typically is used as a “cold cellar” pantry. My mother would always store jams and canning in that area