When buying, building, or renovating a new home, there are so many factors to consider. If you’re buying, you might not have control over the design of the home, but you can impact the design. If you custom-build your home, you’ll have a say in everything from the layout to the actual materials used to build the home. Either way, you have an opportunity to get creative.
We’ve compiled some features that you should consider when buying, building, or renovating a new home so that you can maximize your investment and create a truly beautiful space.
1. Custom Shelving
Whether you build or purchase a home, you can install custom shelving. A built-in can act as a functional focal point in a room, such as bookshelves or a multimedia system in the living room that doesn’t take up any additional space in the room. Custom shelving can also be used in your closets to maximize space and make your walk-in closet one of your favorite areas of your home.
Custom shelving provides any room in your home with additional storage without taking up any additional space. If you’re someone who enjoys working from home, you can use custom shelving in a small bedroom or office to maximize your space.
2. A Deep Pour Basement
If you’re purchasing a home, you won’t have a say in the basement. However, if you’re building a home, you can have a say in the height of your basement ceilings. If you want to finish your basement or leave it as-is, you can add an additional foot or so of height through a deep pour foundation so that you can give the room the feeling of more space.
This is something a home builder will have to account for from the beginning of the build, so if it’s something you’re considering, make sure to tell them immediately.
3. High Ceilings
When you build a home, you’ll also be able to determine the height of your ceilings. If you’re purchasing a home, some rooms in your home might be able to be redesigned so that you can give the feeling of higher ceilings without being able to make the ceiling itself rise.
Taller ceilings or a sense of taller ceilings give you a sense of space that can make your rooms feel larger and more luxurious.
4. An Upstairs Laundry Room
Between working remotely and handling all of the household chores, it can be difficult to get everything done. Who decided that laundry rooms should be in the basement or on the other side of the house? Our clothes accumulate in bedrooms, so an upstairs laundry room can be a real lifesaver if you’re the one who does the family’s laundry. Instead of walking up and downstairs, your laundry room can be near the bedrooms where it makes the most sense.
With an upstairs laundry room, doing laundry is less of a chore and will make your task more convenient.
5. A Mudroom
A mudroom provides you with a place to take off your dirty shoes and hang up your coat before you enter the house so that you’re not dragging dirt into your home. If you’re designing your own home, you can leave space for a mudroom. If you’ve purchased a home that doesn’t have a mudroom, you might be able to create a mudspace by adding a bench near your garage or basement door for people to take off their shoes and installing hooks for them to hang their coats.
6. A New Air Conditioner
If you’re building your new home, you’ll be blessed with a new air conditioner no matter what. However, if you purchased a home in which the air conditioner hasn’t been replaced for a number of years, it’s a good idea to install a 2 ton AC system that can ensure your house stays cool during the hottest months of the year. A new AC system will also improve energy efficiency to help reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your electricity bill.
7. His and Hers Closets
It will be difficult to purchase an already built home that offers his and hers closets, but this easy renovation can help you separate your clothes so that they don’t get mixed. If your spouse struggles to keep his or her clothes off the closet floor, then it might be beneficial for you and your marriage to separate your clothing.
8. Heated Floors
If you live somewhere that gets uncomfortably cold in the winter, you may realize that your floors are cold no matter what temperature you have the thermostat set at. Heated floors have warming coils under the floorboards that can be turned on with a switch and make a luxurious addition to your bathroom but can be used all over your house for a cozier feel.
9. Heated Driveway
Going to work can be difficult in the winter when you wake up only to see that you’ve gotten six inches of snow overnight. Not only do you have to shovel your driveway just to get to work, but you’ll likely be late. If you’re someone who hates shoveling in the winter, a heated driveway can save you time and reduce back pain.
These driveways melt snow on contact so that you don’t have to worry about shoveling or salting your driveway to ensure that it’s safe.
10. Smart Devices
Whether you’re buying or building, you can add smart devices to your home. A few smart devices you should consider are self-programmable thermostats and smart heating and cooling systems, which can reduce your total energy usage (and your electricity bills). You may also want to consider smart doorbells and locks to increase your home security.
Final Thoughts
There are so many things to consider for your new home, from the furnishings to the layout to new cookware and even the way you design your home. No homeowner is the same as the next, so make sure that you find the items and solutions that can help you save money, increase comfort, or both when you move into your new place.
Matt Casadona
Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. He is currently a contributing editor for 365 Business Tips. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys the San Diego life, traveling and music.