When building a house, many small things get forgotten in relation to functionality, comfort, and efficiency. It’s easy to think about how many bedrooms and bathrooms and what kind of floor plan you’d like to have, but have you ever considered how many light switches and electrical outlets you may want and their placement in each room? Have you ever considered the best layout and accessories for your laundry room? What about the most efficient lighting in each room? These are just a few home-building details that get overlooked, and since most people aren’t professional builders, we’ve compiled a guide to help you think through some of the small things that get forgotten when building a house.

12 Interior Must-Have New Home Features & What Not to Overlook

The list of interior must-have new home features can be lengthy and unless you have prior home-building experience, you’ll likely overlook these details. Therefore, when our CMS Homes designers meet with new-construction homeowners, we share these often overlooked and generally affordable must-have new home features that can make a huge difference to the look, feel, and comfort of their new homes.

1. Interior door style, width, and direction. This can really upgrade the look of your home!
2. Number of electrical outlets. We recommend adding extra in the kitchen, bathrooms, basement, home office; some with USB ports.
3. Location of light switches and outlets. Where will you put the TV? What about a media cabinet? What voltage do you need for high-powered professional tools? Still need TV cables and phone jacks? Home office?
4. Media technology areas with cabinets, drawers, lighting.
5. Additional windows and their placement. Natural light can reduce electrical usage.
6. Window styles. Have you looked into transom, paned, or etched options?
7. Laundry room shelving, closets, cabinets, utility sink. Deep shelves and room for ironing board and vacuum storage are helpful.
8. Entryway organizer for coats, shoes, leashes, keys, and backpacks.
9. Shower specifics: shower head height and type. Need a bench? How about cubbies for shampoo and necessities? Glass doors, no doors, sliding door, or one that opens in/out?
10. Smart home thermostats and keyless entry future-proof your home and reduce utility costs.
11. Hardware style, color, and grade. Think door handles, faucets, cabinet pulls, railings.
12. Bathroom storage with a linen closet or cabinet that can handle the height of bottles, cleaning supplies, towels, sheets, beach towels, and miscellaneous linens.

When you are in the planning stages of building your home, give these features some thought and then talk to your designer about how to incorporate them with the layout of your home and budget.

12 Exterior Must-Have New Home Features & What Not to Overlook

Spending time outside whenever possible, especially in an area you love, like your very own covered deck or porch, improves mood, productivity, and quality of life. Also, an inviting outdoor living space with well-planned aesthetics can add value to your home. So why wait? The best time to get the outside home features you dream of is when you’re building. Plus, it’s often less costly to do it during the build as outdoor areas can be created without tearing out and re-building things, such as removing siding or tearing up a cement slab for an outdoor kitchen or large deck. Additionally, material costs will likely be less due to the builder’s bulk buying capabilities.

Therefore, we urge you to consider these must-have exterior home features and a few optional ones as they can expand your living space and create value.

1. The placement and type of outdoor lighting, including entertainment, landscaping, security, and motion sensors.
2. Extra outdoor outlets and spigots. Gardening tools? Hot tub? Spa pool? These require different fuses and outlets.
3. Shutter color, style, placement, or no shutters at all.
4. Mailbox size, material, and location.
5. The number and location of and the length and width of walkways.
6. Size and type of driveway and setback.
7. Gutter drainage placement: above-ground or underground? How far away from the house does it need to drain?
8. Landscaping around the house and into the yard. Raised beds? Rocks or mulch? Plant trees and shrubs?Keep or remove trees?
9. Where will you put your trash bins for easy, out-of-sight access?
10. Garage door style and type of foot traffic entry. One side door and a back door? Keyless manual entry in addition to remote?
11. Patio and/or deck size and style: multi-level, wrap-around, wood or composite? Cement slabs, pavers, coatings? Screens, railings, or glass surrounding the area?
12. Awnings and covers for your porch and deck: trellis, roof extension with shingles, electrical wiring, and fascia, or a gazebo?

New home exterior features are often not a priority because homeowners want to maximize their budget on the inside and fix up the exterior later. However, experience has taught us that “later” is often many years away or not at all due to circumstances that get in the way. However, with a little planning and creative budgeting, you can plan on loving your new home’s exterior as much as the interior, and if you build it upfront, you won’t have regrets later.

Contact Us to Discuss Your List of Must-Have New Home Features

Armed with this list of 24 small things that get forgotten when building a house, be sure to speak with your interior designer and builder about how to incorporate those that work for you into your new construction home while staying within budget.

If you’re in the Troy, Missouri, area, CMS Homes’ in-house designers will help you review and select these and other often overlooked new home features, ensuring they work within your budget and fit your desired layout. Many of our semi-custom home plans offer these awesome options as standard features at no extra cost, while others may incur an upcharge. Be sure to let us know how we can help as you embark on your home-building journey. Our consultations and estimates are free. Contact us today.