Building a new home from scratch or doing a complete renovation on a current home is both an exciting and stressful time. So much planning is involved, including budget, services and vendors, and of course the style of the home.

It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of building a home as it’s a big project that can take months or years to complete. Here are seven features commonly forgotten about when building a home that you can include in your checklist.

Power Outlet and Light Switch Placement

When building a home, we often think about the large to-do items such as woodwork or flooring. What’s often overlooked are power outlets and light switch placement. These may seem like a very small detail yet can make a big impact on daily life. Not enough power outlets in a room or forgetting to include a light switch are headaches that you’ll end up fixing later, so putting them into your plan now will save you time, frustration and money in the long run.

Insulation

Insulation is often forgotten about when building a home because insulation is one of those invisible yet crucial elements. Improper insulation can wreak havoc on your electricity and gas bill in the long run due to poor air temperature regulation. Insulation helps regulate the temperature of the home all year long because it helps keep the house warm during the cooler months, and the home cooler during hotter months. Blown-in attic insulation helps with the overall insulation of the entire house that decreases the cost of energy bills while increasing the value of the home.

Laundry Functionality

The laundry area serves a high function in any home yet is usually forgotten in the planning stage. Make sure that your laundry area includes necessary piping and electricity, as well as other features like deep shelving or a hanging rack to air dry clothes. Laundry area functionality is especially important for larger families who constantly need to do the laundry.

Bathroom and Shower Height

The bathroom and shower is an area of the home that we use multiple times a day by everyone in the household. Having the proper heights of features throughout the bathroom and shower is crucial for everyone in the family to better utilize their time in the bathroom. Remember to consider bathroom shelf height, mirror height, and shower head height into your building plan.

TV and Stereo Location

When designing your dream living room or game room, remember to include a TV and stereo location. It’s easy to remember to include larger features into your plan such as a fireplace or built-in shelving, but make sure to keep in mind where the TV and stereo will be plugged into so you can allocate the appropriate space and also install power outlets in that location.

Kitchen Storage

Kitchen storage goes beyond planning for a pantry. Kitchen cabinets also serve the function of storage, and cabinets that don’t have organizational elements built-in, or not enough cabinets all together, can result in an ineffective use of kitchen space. If cabinet units are confusing to plan, consider a consultation with an interior designer that will help build your dream kitchen to include all the storage and functionality you need.

Outdoor Design

We focus the majority of our time on planning the interior of our home, but we often neglect the outdoor design. This can mean building a pool, BBQ installation, firepit, outdoor seating area, or landscape lighting. If you plan to host guests then outdoor design planning is also important yet often forgotten about when building a home.

Building a home is exciting but can also be overwhelming. There are many elements that can be forgotten about during the process of building a home, but with proper planning you can ensure you’re building a completely functional dream home that you get right the first time around.

By Daniel