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Having a wheelchair door to a bathroom is code not an option. At least one bathroom must have a 32" door. If you make it the 2nd bath, be aware that the room should be 5' 2" wide, not the typical 5' 0".
If it doesn't conflict with shower plumbing, install a pocket door between master bed/bath.
Code requires only a footer that is 8" deep , a reason for stair step stress cracks in the block motor joints. Consider paying for 12"
As previously stated, it doesn't matter if you build a $100,000 or $500,000 home[sq. ft] , contactors build only to code. If a room requires 3 electric outlets, that's all it gets. If you want a 4th, you pay for it.
Code requires a switch at the entry door to a living room outlet. If you want the convenience to turn the light off at a different location as in a 3 way, it's extra and costs$$.
Roof shingles. Contractor installs 15 year shingles. Consider upgrade to 25 year.
Kitchen appliance allowance is a joke. You WILL pay more. Remember when you walk thru a model with all that tile that the basic house gets vinyl. Tile is an option.
Any extra plumbing you want must be installed BEFORE the slab is poured.
Any extra electric you want must be installed BEFORE the drywall is hung. Talk to the electrician on site, NOT the builder about all extra electric.
If you buy a lot and there is the possibility that you want to save natural/native vegetation, stake and yellow tape the tree, palmetto or whatever before the clear cut bulldozer guy gets there.
Everyone had great ideas. Depending on who your builder is will also depend on what options are included. Crown moulding for us was part of the base price, you couldn't take it out and get a credit. Be prepared to pay after you make our design center selections. Most 'cool' stuff is an upgrade. Definitely visit model homes, it helps you visualize what things will look or feel like.
Coming from the north as well, the biggest thing here is lack of storage! Not having basements means you will need at least an additional car garage. They have a concept here called a 'Florida Basement' which is basically a climate controlled room off your garage for storage.
I've also noticed that they don't have coat closets here. Granted you don't need a lot of coats but there is till a need for jackets. I like to have mine close to the door and not have to go all the way to the master closet, plus it's nice for kids too!
Pool cage, outdoor kitchen, and stacking sliding doors are a must! Windows and doors stay open 6 months out of the year here!
I don't know about must haves, but here's my likes/dislikes and "wanna haves".
I love my 4x4 kitchen corner built in desk. The previous owner forgot to drill a HOLE in the Corian top for the wires, though.
As a pet sitter, I've been in ALOT of homes.
Lighting is a big deal. Nothing worse than a dim house, IMO. Spring for quality lighting and dimmers and LAMPS!! I cannot cook with two little spot lights shining down 8 feet away from the stove! LOL. Go for the full commercial florescent in the kitchen (besides the spots). You can put full spectrum bulbs in.
I despise my divided sink. What a dumb idea. I want a huge stainless farm sink type thing.
WHY do I have a window BEHIND the sink? OK, I know - it's a rhetorical question. No option in my style condo but that. Or do without. But it's a ROYAL PITA to open and shut etc.
My #1 MUST HAVE: I have a client with a LONG stainless commercial free floating workcounter on the wall of her kitchen next to the fridge and door to the patio. No cabinets underneath, just the work surface. It's outstanding. Place your groceries on it, prep on it, hold food for serving or for BBQ outside on it. Also, her cat lays on it in the sun LOL. Doubles as a pet grooming stand, too. Or baby changing table haha. I would probably do my entire kitchen in commercial stainless counters if I were starting over. Not so great for re-sale I guess. I'd have made it a little deeper.
Also concrete would be cool. I have Corian and like it.
I ADORE the keypad entry my clients have (with optional key). I thought I'd hate it but I'm getting one myself. They range from $75.00 to 1500.00!
MUST HAVE tile/concrete. I would NEVER have any other flooring but tile or polished concrete. Mine is patterned like wood and aesthetically (and temp) cool. One of the main reasons I bought this unit.
I hate trim/moulding. Another dumb idea LOL. Just something else to clean and paint.
I put a UV light on my new central AC unit.
I have a hospital grade IQAIR air purifier that I cannot live without. NO ODORS at all even after cooking FISH. No allergies in the house no dander etc. IQAir | First in Air Quality
Water filtration system. My hair & skin is completely different with that water. Bonus you can drink it.
I love pocket doors.
STORAGE/PANTRY. All my best client's homes really excelled in this area. Several of them actually build a "room" like 6 x 6 or even a full size 10 x 10 or something....and if you google all the options it's mindboggling. One of he best houses made that room the "catch all room" including dog stuff and kid stuff (backpacks, crafts) and the focal point of "where to find the keys" etc. Very smart. BTW, I don't know how I lived without these Oxo containers LOL! And Ball jars everywhere. OXO
One client built slide in and out dog feeding station in the kickplate/cabinet base in the kitchen under a counter! Hilarious. The food was stored right on top of it. Like this:
The same people had these plate drawers, and a "appliance garage" on the counter so you didn't have to look at all the crap on the counters. People with these garages had the heavy KitchenAid mixer on wheels on the counter.
If you have a dog, a mud room with a drain in the floor. Doubles as a "kennel". Please put a window in there. You can even put a portable dog bath or hose there. Or kids after baseball haha.
I have a client who built a small building for a pool cabana with a toilet and shower. With dog door, windows and AC. The two dogs live out there during vacation but restricted access to the pool. The building is outside of the patio gate area. I thought it would be mean but no, it's like their own huge dog house. A little furniture, etc.
Your walk in shower? Get the kind without the rim on the bottom. A "barrier free shower". Like the kind a wheelchair could just zoom into. Barrier-Free Shower I also heard on a real estate/builder show that almost nobody ever ends up using the Jacuzzi.
A reliable safe generator.
I don't understand builders putting the AC unit outside right on the patio or NEAR where people sit. NO!
I don't hate the idea of a safe room. But it would have to be big-ish.
A covered veranda outside adjoining the pool with a birdcage screen around the pool. And if not a kitchen, at least a sink out there.
Last edited by runswithscissors; 09-11-2013 at 08:41 PM..
Thank you everyone !!! great ideas... i have looked at models and when we go down the end of month to design we will look at model again, or atleast i will take my wife to model so she can get ideas, she is in charge of everything except, outlets, ceiling fans, water heater, alarm, tv placement...etc,,, so basically she picks all the stuff i will get yelled at for if not right !!! hopefully !!!
we do like it on the colder side via A/C, is there a website that i can input square footage andget a accurate size for a/c ??? house is approx 4,000 sf but that includes the lanai/pool area and 3 car garage,
3 BR, 3 bath, den, and bonus room in rear that can be used as another BR for visitors..great room/kitchen/DR all open floor plan, dont want to short the A/C...Thanks again..
Thank you everyone !!! great ideas... i have looked at models and when we go down the end of month to design we will look at model again, or atleast i will take my wife to model so she can get ideas, she is in charge of everything except, outlets, ceiling fans, water heater, alarm, tv placement...etc,,, so basically she picks all the stuff i will get yelled at for if not right !!! hopefully !!!
we do like it on the colder side via A/C, is there a website that i can input square footage andget a accurate size for a/c ??? house is approx 4,000 sf but that includes the lanai/pool area and 3 car garage,
3 BR, 3 bath, den, and bonus room in rear that can be used as another BR for visitors..great room/kitchen/DR all open floor plan, dont want to short the A/C...Thanks again..
Yes you want to do it right and get three estimates from companies who will double check your calc. Unless you're in a new subdivision where it's already done for you. If you get TOO MUCH power, you will get the opposite result of what you're going for. Get the right size for the place. If it cools too quickly all the moisture won't be extracted from the place. My new AC took a few days to get itself running correctly. At first I was freaking out because it seemed to run too often, then it was fine.
Just google it there are a zillion sites with that calc info and message boards of people discussing it and brands etc. I think there are even thread HERE about that discussion and the benefit of a Humidistat control - something I have that I happen to like, while not everyone does.
OH one more thing. I've seen people put the dryer in the garage. At first I thought it was dumb but it keeps the thing from heating up the bedroom or kitchen or whatever. Something to consider.
I've also worked in homes who stack their full size H/E washer and dryers. NO. Don't, please. It's really annoying!
Some garages in Florida are REALLY REALLY REALLY hot, you can't stand to be in them more than a few minutes and the HOA may prohibit you keeping your door open endlessly for no reason. I've seen some people put a garage "screen door" out there and thought WHY? Now I know LOL. But they may be prohibited too in places. But if I were in a single house I would totally do this.
just to add...
kitchens will have only 2 circuits for the small appliances. consider adding more and/or looking at the circuit lay out so you don't overload a circuit with a coffee maker and a waffle maker together. also, the bathrooms will all be on the same GFCI circuit. 2 hair dryers will overload this. consider a second circuit. if you have outdoor Christmas lights, consider prewiring some outlets on a switch for this.
Luby162,
No HVAC expert here, but we redid our MY 2005 built 2,000 sq ft SFH house A/C this past winter.
I shopped hard, read until my hair hurt, got 3 quotes, etc. Went with American Standard 16 Seer, ~3 1/2 ton and a 'poz' air flow, with electronics downstream of conditioned air. Also, an aluminum condenser vs the multi metal that many condensers have. Just background, but it runs like a champ, and our electric bill is a full third less than the previous years, even on ~80 while we are absent all Spring, Summer & Fall. The 8 seasons old oe builder unit was croaking...
On to new houses: most codes now req' unit and air handler to be 'inside', which helps considerably. (The anecdote above is of our current/old FL seasonal house which had the unit and handler in garage, getting fried all summer, while we were back in the mtns.)
Most new construction will not offer an option or upgrade, unless it is really custom building, or a very flexible community area builder. Our new, soon to be completed FL seasonal SFH in the Venice area had options up the wazoo, but no options for A/C. Thus, our new joint for this upcoming season has an OK 14 seer, of middling quality, but it is 'inside'.
If you have a choice I rec'd 16 SEER, and check out the 'poz flow' and downstream electronics versions. Above a 16 SEER rating currently, is very pricey and probably overkill, unless you are in 4,000 sq ft or more, with many zones, etc. And, proper tubing in attic, flow, vents, and a good humidistat and ceiling fans all help.
Buying a new joint is a semi-nightmare, yet many of us continue to do it, chasing that new blank canvas.
My 50Cts...
GL, mD
Last edited by motordavid; 09-12-2013 at 08:35 PM..
Thanks for all the info.....apparently there are ALOT of things i need to look into !!! yes, new construction is a mini nightmare !!!! uggggggg, looking fwd to it all being done and us moving in next summer !!! WE only have 1 floor does that make a difference in power for the a/c unit ??? This will be my first home without a/c in every window !!! Thanks again and keep them coming !!!
Steve
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You can even put a portable dog bath or hose there. Or kids after baseball haha. 
