15 Mistakes I Made When I Built My House
Building a house? You shouldn’t already have regrets.
But until you actually live in the space, you don’t always think about certain conveniences or details until you don’t have them (or wish you did). Here’s a list of some mistakes we’re kicking ourselves for not knowing before the big build.
1. Keeping unused rooms for the sake of tradition.
Some rooms (like formal sitting rooms and dining rooms) that contractors are accustomed to building no longer suit the modern families buying them. Make sure you know your family’s habits and whether or not you’ll be getting the best use of space with those rooms.
“We built our home and it came with a formal dining room. Unfortunately, we’ve never used it that way. A few years ago, we kinda turned it into a sitting area (no renovation or anything – just moving furniture around) and it has worked better for us. I wish we would have just turned it into a sunroom instead.” – Mary
2. Not going with the taller kitchen cabinets.
Where you can, add tall kitchen cabinets that go all the way to your ceiling (or as high as the manufacturer will make them). These not only provide ample storage space, but they also make your kitchen look more custom.
“We had short cabinets in our new kitchen. With 10′ ceilings, this left us with two feet of open space that didn’t do us any good. I would have rather had added storage.” – Jamie
3. Not planning enough storage for guest’s coats and shoes.
Whether you plan to host large family dinners or invite just a few friends over, having some space for their stuff when they come in is important, too.
“I first realized where we went wrong with our build when we had our house warming party. 80 people and 160 shoes later, we realized we should have built a bigger coat closet and a designated place for shoes when coming through the front door. It was so embarrassing having to pile winter coats all over our office floor.” – Sara
“We mistakenly built our house without a coat closet or a place to hang coats and organize shoes. BIG mistake! It was so annoying when guests came over, as there was nowhere for them to drop their stuff. My office (which was the first room by the front door) became the dumping ground for shoes and coats.” – Collin
4. Skipping extra ceiling lighting (or hookups) throughout the house.
Adding light fixtures, later on, can mean tearing into walls and additional electrical work (and expense). These are easy and inexpensive add-ons while you’re building. And while you’re at it, make sure to request dimmer switches to really set the scene.
“I’ve had to add so much in-ceiling lighting to our home, because it had almost none – and it can be a lot of drywall work and tying in electricity. It’s just too dark without it, and the difference is amazing!” – Lina
5. Forgetting to add extra outlets in places that matter.
The right placement (or having enough outlets) will make or break how well you use each and every room in your new home.
“I really wish we had added more outlets in the basement. We ended up putting a lot of gym equipment down there (half of which needs to be plugged in) and also a TV and sound system. Running all of this off the two standard plugs has been a huge pain. I can only imagine what it would cost to add more with the cement walls we have down there.” – Sara
“Extra outlets in the bathroom would have been nice. I have one outlet in my bathroom, and I wish I had added more! I have a warmer plugged in and my toothbrush, but I have to unplug one when I need to use the hairdryer or hubby needs to charge his razor.
An outlet in the walk-in closet would have been a great idea, too. We have two walk-in closets, and neither of them has outlets. It would be nice to charge electronics in there, or to even have an extra lamp/lighting plugged in so you can actually see your stuff.” – Chelsey
6. Ignoring light switch placement/functionality in your layout.
Light switches are most useful when they sync with the flow of your furniture. Go through each room on your floor plan and make sure that the switch is connected to the light you want to turn on when you walk into each room.
7. Adding too few hose bibs outside.
Make your outdoor living, watering, cleaning cars, etc. easier by placing hose bibs in convenient areas. It’s an easy add-on that could cost you much more to install down the road.
“My husband loves to wash out the garage floors, hose off the lawnmower, etc., so it would be so nice to have a hose set up in the garage. Plus, if you ever wanted to add a sink, it would be super easy to connect.” – Chelsey
“We totally forgot to add a hose bib towards the front of our house to easily water the garden. We have one out back, which for us has been useless, and stretching the hose from the very back has been nothing but a hassle!” – Sara
8. Not choosing self-closing hinges on your cabinets.
Some may consider this a luxury, but self-closing hinges are going to last a lot longer than some of the cheap hinges builders tend to use. Plus, they make opening and shutting doors easier (and quieter).
9. Ignoring the future load of your electrical service panel.
While an electrical panel isn’t very pretty or something you’ll look at frequently, upgrading it so you don’t constantly blow fuses is a hassle you’ll want to avoid for everyday conveniences.
“Thankfully our builder recommended upgrading our service panel, as it could have cost us up to $4,000 to change later! Basically, when you have a lot of things plugged in, you require more amps, so upgrading your electrical panel when you build saves you from blowing fuses. This is super nice if you have an unfinished basement that you plan on finishing, want to put a shop in your garage, etc.” – Chelsey
10. Overlooking adding enough drawers in your cabinets.
Opting for all drawers or adding drawers inside of your kitchen and bathroom cabinets will make reaching for (and finding things) a lot easier. Plus, pull-outs help keep things more visible and organized.
11. Not installing a laundry chute for all the clothes.
Not that a laundry chute needs any explaining, but I love how Lina took hers a step further and even incorporated her chute as a part of her overall bathroom design, making it fit seamlessly.
“We installed a laundry chute when we realized our laundry room was right below our bathroom. We were able to conveniently disguise it by placing it in as a cabinet at the sink. I would totally recommend this addition to anyone building to save from moving any plumbing, electrical, etc. down the road. It has been so amazing with the kids and makes doing laundry so much easier.” – Lina
12. Planning for too few (or too small) windows.
You can never go wrong with too many windows or larger windows. Natural light makes any room feel bigger and airier. Plus, adding them, later on, tends to be costly and very inconvenient.
13. “Upgrading” instead of waiting to install higher-quality materials.
Certain upgrades aren’t worth the price you have to pay to get them while building (and the quality isn’t always up to par). Go with standard builder options, then upgrade things like flooring and light fixtures on your own so you’re sure to get exactly what you want for the price you want.
“When we built our semi-custom house we were so excited to have hardwood floors that we didn’t even think about the quality we were actually getting. In just 3 short years we have so many knicks in different planks, some of them are peeling up, and even though we were told we could sand it down and restain it down the road, it’s pretty clear that the wood is way too thin. So disappointing! I wish we would have gone with the standard flooring and replaced it with a wood that we would have loved and would last a very long time!” – Sarah
“When we built our house, we weren’t really keen on paying for anything extra as it was our first house and were trying to save every penny. However, now that we’ve lived here for 5+ years, I’m realizing that the carpet already needs to be replaced because they generally use the cheapest possible carpet unless you upgrade.” – Chelsey
“In my experience, ‘builder grade’ is synonymous with ‘disposable’. Don’t settle for builder grade appliances, flooring, paint… anything! Even if you’re building on a tight budget, I think it’s a better investment to take the credit they offer for those items and apply it towards an upgrade. Otherwise, you’ll just be upgrading on your own dime in a few short years down the road.” – Jenna
14. Allowing for more hallways instead of open space.
While most people already seek an open floor plan when building, make sure you’re using all of your available square footage and eliminating unnecessary use of square footage – like hallways.
“I would have planned for fewer hallways so our living spaces would be larger. I would have rather had a big playroom that opens up to bedrooms instead of 100 square feet of passages.” – Jamie
15. Not considering the kid factor.
If you plan to have kids and are building your forever home, it helps to understand how children use space differently than adults. Spending time with other peoples’ kids (and talking to their parents) helps you understand what’s important so you can use your space wisely.
“Oh my gosh. I totally wish we would have had our kids first because we didn’t think ahead about a lot of things! LOL! Our biggest mistake was actually the placement of our master bedroom. It’s above our living room, and everything is hardwood. Plus, my husband works nights 6 months out of the year, so we constantly struggle with everything being too loud. Had our room been placed in a better area, I know this wouldn’t be such an issue.” – Jessica
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This is such a great post! I would also add these can be mistakes can also be made when renovating and not just building from scratch. Few mistakes/ regrets I would add more with renovation than build from scratch:
-not adding extra soundproofing/insulation on bedroom walls that connected to living spaces and main halls. It’s not that expensive to add a extra layer of drywall for keeping babies and children sleeping. Sleep is everything.
-in an older home when replacing heating, cooling, water heater units think about all the possible placement options and sound impacts. We put them back in the same place in hall closets and the noise is terrible. Moving it to a less central location would of been best.
-Also making sure your contractor is giving you and you ask for all your options on AC units, water heaters windows and Heating units. They affect your bills for years to come so best to know what your getting.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share these tips A.Lee! Super helpful!
Very helpful information! We’re currently having our forever home built so it’s too late to implement these. I’m already second guessing myself for not getting the extra windows in the master bedroom or the extra can lights in the living room. We did add extra windows in the dining room so I’m very glad about that! I know we’ll love our new home, even if we have to buy a few more lamps. 🤣
Aww, How exciting! Congrats on your new home, Michelle!
When we built our first house, we built on a concrete slab. 2o years of walking on concrete just about did my legs and feet in! Now we have a house with a basement and hardwoods. I am so thankful! Also, we built a 2 story ‘open concept’ with the bathrooms upstairs(because that was what we could afford). Having children and going up and down those steps a hundred times a day was SUPER HARD on my legs and I fell a ‘few’ times. Now we are living in a ranch style house with no steps unless I have to go down to the basement.(Basements are wonderful to have! Esp during storm season) This house is NOT open concept because in our first house, I hated the fact that when some one came to the door they could see our entire house and mess. I love having an entry way and separated rooms! So at least one room can be ‘company ready’.
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to let us know what features you have liked best in your homes, EH!
These work for remodels too!
-When we did the kitchen, I added an extra bank of drawers. I wish I would have just done ALL drawers everywhere I could on the bottom. So much more functional and easier to organize!
-When we did the bathroom, we neglected adding the extra outlet. That was about 10 years ago and we are ready for a refresh in there- the first thing on my list was MORE OUTLETS!
Thanks for sharing with us, Cristine! I’m a fan of extra outlets too!
Wonderful post! I have bought several houses that were spec as we moved around the country and my biggest regret is just accepting the bathroom layout. I have had several homes with jetted tubs that were rarely used, but it was considered as standard. Standard means nothing if you do not use it! Also, really consider the placement and type of shower fixtures. When building/remodeling it is is not a big deal to place the controls so you can access easily when outside the shower. There is no need to put up with water not yet warmed up. Also, we ordered a shower with an adjustable shower head for our young kids bath. So much easier for bathing them, than something fixed and also easier for cleaning. Have made sure I have something similar in everything house since. My husband had a good eye for gaining extra livable space by adding a dormer extension in one house and adding additional floor space to the second floor by forgoing a 2 story entrance. Our homes were much more livable in both cases, P.S. I loved your comment on placement of electrical outlets. My mother placed a crazy number of outlets in the house my parents built in 1963. She also built in storage in every nook and cranny , such as around stairwells. She always was ahead of her time
Thanks so much for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed these suggestions!
I understand the great ideas but they add a lot to the bottom line. Each change you make to the existing plans costs way more than you would expect and add up quickly. If money not an object, great. But for many people there is simply not another cent in the budget for “you might as wells”. I think I remember each change or addition to the electric plans was $75 for the change cost plus $75 for the cost of the outlet. Again, of adds up fast.
Yes, changes can really add up if you are using existing plans from a builder, Lynne. When we wanted to build, we talked to a lot of friends who had built and asked what mistakes they made. Then, when we built our home, we came up with our own plans and told the builder everything we wanted up front (based on our friends’ suggestions) so we didn’t have extra costs for making changes.
2)You can still store stuff on top of shorter cabinets.
9)When building or renovating, electrical panels are required to be outside. If possible, I would suggest putting concrete/brick/stone below the box, a sidewalk to the box, and a covering over that sidewalk and the box. It sucks to have to go outside to trip the breaker when it is raining and the ground is mushy. I would like to have a conversation with the bonehead that decided requiring the boxes to be outside was a good idea.
10)If you put a drawer in a stationary kitchen island, don’t make it too deep. I looked at a house where the island drawer was so deep that I couldn’t open it all the way if I was standing in front of it.
12)I wouldn’t want a bunch of windows. That would mean more curtains to buy and more time spent washing the windows. Windows also complicate furniture placement.
14)Most open concept layouts are too open. I want privacy, adequate storage, and walls that I can put furniture up against. Joanna Gaines has an irritating habit of taking out upper kitchen cabinets to make an open concept layout and not replacing that lost storage elsewhere in the kitchen.
9)I meant to say some places require the boxes to be outside.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, Sara!
I agree. I don’t need too much open concept and I don’t like it when Joanna removes the upper cabinets and replaces it with shelves where dishes/glasses can collect dust. I think open concept is a phase that will change down the road, just like all the other trends like paneling, borders, split level, and so forth.
Absolutely love this post! As I’ve mentioned a few times already, we are in the process of building. In fact, I met with our electrician this past weekend and if there is one thing he definitely knows is overkill, overkill, overkill. I said that for switches, outlets, dimmers, etc. I even explained about having a huge Christmas village on a platform that I do plus the tree that requires a ton of lights, moving parts, etc. He said he’ll set all that up for major outlets under the windows. He said we’ll do quads instead of just upper and lower where I want them. Anyway, these are all great things and I’m very happy to say that because of all my research, we’ve thought of all these and more and really tweaked what we wanted. We’ll have five outlets outside not counting the one on the light pole in the front yard that will have a convenience outlet for, of course, Christmas yard decorations. I even read that it’s a great idea to put an outlet on top of the cabinets so if you’re like me and like to string garland and lights for the holidays above the cabinets, you have an outlet there and don’t have wires running down to an outlet on the wall. And all of my cupboards on the bottom are drawers except for under the sink. I just have pull outs there. The pantry is all pull outs and the island has drawers and pull outs as well. It really does pay to do your research and mostly to remember that you want what works for you when it comes to everything in your home. We tweaked just about every wall, floor, window, etc while our home was being built. Our carpenters were awesome though and even when I asked them to move walls or I decided I wanted something different even after the fact, they just did it. Oh, and the basement…Superior Walls. I can’t recommend that enough.
Thanks for all your suggestions and helpful information, Nancy!
Such a timely post as we continue our own home renovations! I think talking with other people and try to find layouts of spaces you like is huge. Right now working on our kitchen and one thing many people don’t plan for is enough space (counter top) between stove/oven, sink and refrigerator. We are sinking the fridge under our stairs (and opening up the remaining part for storage) and adding an island (with lots of drawers!) to create more space and allow more room for food prep and movement within the kitchen. I’m already thinking we need more outlets in the kitchen and am making a note to add them tomorrow as we just opened the walls to start all that rewiring 🙂 Anybody have thoughts on under cabinet lighting? We have lots of cans going in and some pendants above island plus two larger windows in the kitchen area.
I agree, Danae! SO important to find more space for kitchen items! I’m loving how you are placing your refrigerator! Also, I really like under cabinet lighting! It sure is a pretty feature to have. Good luck on your continued renovation!
I am sure you thought of this already, but ‘just in case’, don’t forget to put an outlet on each end of your island. The builders of our house, did that, and I think of thanking them, every time I need to plug in a crockpot, ice shaver, air popper, mixer or etc in!
That’s a great reminder, EH! Thanks!
For Forever Homes, I suggest adding in features that make it simpler and more comfortable for senior and infirm folks. Many were mentioned already. I’d add zero entry shower, floating hardwood floors, pedestal sinks, wider doorways and lever handles on doors.
Good point! Thanks for mentioning that, MaymeV!
Such great ideas–all of you!! One I would add is to install floor electrical outlets in your great room (maybe other rooms, depending on your use). They are essential if you want to float furniture!
SO true! Thanks for mentioning that!