Building your own home means you have the chance to include features that make the home functional as well as beautiful, and truly your own. While many new homebuilders may have a standard layout they offer, they are also often willing to work with home buyers to create and incorporate certain special features. Note a few of those here that you may want to discuss with your home builder or contractor.
1. Upstairs laundry room
A first floor laundry room can mean less work to carry heavy laundry up and down stairs, but you might also consider an upstairs laundry room instead. If the bedrooms are upstairs, why can't the washer and dryer be upstairs as well? Running the plumbing and creating the vent needed for the dryer isn't typically more complicated for an upstairs laundry than it is for a first floor laundry, so talk to your home builder about this option.
2. Zone heating and cooling
Why waste energy heating and cooling all the rooms of the house when the family is all in the living room or the kids are at school and dad is just working in the home office? Zone heating and cooling can mean switching off the furnace or air conditioner, or adjusting the temperature for different zones, giving you maximum control over your utilities and cutting your energy usage.
3. Hidden storage
Storage is often an issue for any family no matter the size of their home, and having hidden storage can mean a home that looks less cluttered and messy. Talk to your home builder about hidden storage options, including creating drawers out of stair risers, storage under floorboards or underneath exposed staircases, drawers that slide out from underneath window benches, or cabinets that drop from the ceiling.
4. Elevated ceiling
Sometimes just adding another foot or meter to the height of a ceiling can make a room look and feel more expansive, and elevating the ceiling of your space can mean being able to add larger windows for more light and a better view. You may want an elevated ceiling just in the back family room area or for the sunroom, or you may prefer an elevated ceiling for the entire first and second story. Don't assume that standard ceiling heights or two-story open foyers are your only option for adding height and space, but discuss how your builder may elevate the ceiling of your new home even slightly for a more unique look.
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