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Home Building Check list

Jan 2010 by  Pike Brant

This is my list of things to consider when building a house.  I have noticed many people miss doing some very basic things when building.  Basically, think of how you will actually use your house; a few simple things might make daily living much easier, more efficient and cheaper.  I have added some stuff that my seem excessive, but the real cost to value they bring might be worth it.  Buring wire and pipe before sheet rock is easier than after. 

Electrical and other wiring – wiring is cheap at the framing stage so do the extra.

1. Prepare electricity for a future detached garage.  Run an RV plug & septic clean out
2. Have at least 1 20 amp (not 15) outlet on each exterior side of house.  And extra 20 amps in the garage.  Consider plugs in far out areas of yard.
3. Run speaker wires to most rooms for surround sound.  Also, run 2 (not just one) cable runs in wall to the central accessible media area.
4. Wire for solar, wind & back up generator.
5. Wire for an alarm system.
6. All closets should have plug and light (may not be code, but very handy) Plan for ironing board in laundry & master closet
7. Wire for hot tub
8. Lights and electric for attic and basement crawl space. 

Yard

Sprinkler plan

1.        Install 4” conduit under driveway and sidewalk before pouring

2.        Install anti-siphon valve and box near meter, make sure main pipe to surface can be drained

3.        Install 1” conduit into house for sprinkler wires to control box, usually to garage

4.        When installing sprinkler put hose bibs away from house (avoiding long hoses)

5.        Use septic for some sprinkling (a Texas water saving technique)

        Landscaping plan

1.        No trees yet?  Plant fast growers like willows with slower growers adjacent (pines and oaks) so you can fill in the yard more quickly then eventually cut out the willows.

2.        Get all extended yard areas smooth enough to be mow able, a lawn mower is the easiest way to maintain weeds and brush. 

3.        Avoid buying plants at nurseries, wait a better deal can be found or you can do your own potted plants from cheap.  Fruit trees are cheap and grow fast.  You can dig your own trees

Sealing – (slow down those bugs)

1. Caulk (using polyurethane, not silicone) in addition to sill seal the exterior base plate when standing walls (closes bug entry points).  Caulk bottom couple feet of exterior OSB.
2. Use flanged gaskets on all pipe penetrations through slab (bug screen).

Build it Right

1. Ask for extra thick sheeting upstairs in rooms and in attic space for better flooring.
2. Use trusses that Utilize the attic space for storage, not too much more expense
3. Paint – a few dollars for better paint saves time and future repaints
4. Insulation – time and care here is your best money spent.  Leave no gaps, and use lots.  All vents, penetrations, electric chases and fixures need extra care to not leak air. 
   1. Use foiled OSB in roof (a Texas energy saving technique)
   2. Consider foiled OSB on siding and/or ½ - 1” Styrofoam over walls for extra R value and frame with 2*6 and use blow in insulation.
   3. Sound proof interior walls and between floors.  At least master bedroom and pipe chases.
   4. Add extra deep insulation in attic to account for settling, (will need to put extra screws in ceiling sheet rock)
5. Quiet the pipes - by using cast iron pipes where there is a possibility of hearing draining water.  Cast iron doesn’t transmit nearly the sound as ABS drain pipe.  Mostly use cast iron on 2^nd or 3^rd floor bathrooms. 
6. Layout –
   1. Kitchen –

                                                               i.      consider a 4’ wide island that can have full drawers on both sides. 

                                                              ii.      Wine storage –quality and convenient wine storage area can more than pay for itself by saving and buying good deals.

                                                            iii.      Think efficient cooking and cleaning.

2. Garage – 4 cars garage (lessen need and cost for a detached shop and less junk outside)

                                                               i.      Two walking doors to garage one if  front and back.  So you don’t always have to open the full big doors.

                                                              ii.      A crew cab pickup needs at least 25’, an RV needs more

                                                            iii.      8’ doors with 10’ ceilings – more storage space air room

                                                            iv.      Dog kennel with doors to inside and outside – dogs are family too.

                                                             v.      Clothing storage area coming in from garage(or house entrance) little mini lockers or stalls, consider boot drier

                                                            vi.      Finish the garage, tape and texture and paint when building, this saves lots of time.  .    

                                                          vii.      Lift system – to suspend things from ceiling

3. Covered porch (at least 12’*20’).  On both sides.  How will you use the porch, BBQ
4. Eaves – need to be correct for max winter/summer sun usage.  Make at least 2’ overhangs
5. Snow – plan for effects of snow and ice, such things as:  on exceptional snow years where will the plowed piles go and what if roof needs shoveling, where will puddles and ice form.    
6. General – don’t waste space with useless haul ways, keep quiet and noise areas separate.
6. Consider building to suit people with disabilities (accessible toilets and showers, wide doors, stronger walls for future hand rail, etc) Your house may be more sellable
7. Sturdy
   1. Doors – Use extra studs and blocking to make door shut more solid and not shake entire house.  Especially main entrance doors.  Also entrance should be 36” for wheel chairs
   2. Floor – Extra thick joists; do one better than basic code.  And block a little better

Traffic Flow

1. No Steps on main level (sunken living rooms) Figure for a wheel chair.
2. Hallways short and wide ( consider handicap accessible for one bathroom).  
3. Flatwork extra wide and smooth curving transition lines.  No square step over grass type corners

Air Flow

1. Vent house through bathrooms (so smell and humidity always goes out side).  Secure vent flaps as to not have wasted heat or cool.
2. Consider an attic air circulation system to warm house (even in winter an attic gets warm)
3. Tall ceilings need to be circulated down to basement to cool, put ducting in vaulted areas to bring hot air down low
4. Possibly catch air from recessed lights and circulate it.  This is a big heat escape on homes(each can needs some sort of collection system)
5. Vents – all through roof in a manifold system causing less protrusion through roof

Lighting –can make the atmosphere.

1. Center lights and windows in rooms (check before sheetrock).  Also, don’t use fluorescent in living area.
2. soffet lighting, under cabinet lighting, hidden lights
3. Wire for Christmas lights inside and out
4. Switches – use dimmer switches inside and outside. 
5. Have all exterior lights switch controlled in an inside central area ( also a control from the master bedroom would be good, for security make it so you can turn on all exterior lights )
6. Exterior lighting – use economical low voltage lighting facing down; soffet lighting.  Have recessed lights on porches.  Place lights at corners so one light can light two sides.

Solar and wind – advances are being made so that these might be more common in the future

1. Some roof has to face south for panels.  Make sure there is enough.  Winter needs 43.5 degrees( a 5.4/12 slope)but consider a flatter roof and movable panels.  Make sure to prewire if you think these are possibilities or even consider the framing and mounts . 
2. Wind turbine on top of house?  This would need special framing
3. Battery room.  Get sizing.  Inverter goes where? Generator room and vent.  Make it quiet.

Fire Place (if real wood burner) – make it actually an efficient heat source rather than negative (modern code will require this in cities)

1. Of course have a quality heat exchanger blower that is possibly connect to main ducting  (or at least an individual run that spreads the heat away from the fire.  Also, possibly have a water heating system
2. Outside air connect to fire box (rather than pulling warm inside air and shooting it up the chimney.
3. Have a sealed firewood box loadable from the outside, then unloadable from the inside.  A tilting V shaped box that tilts open to the inside or open to the outside.
4. Have a double damper system to securely close the chimney (no leaks).
5. 4 way fireplace in interior of house to maximize heat usage

Perks

1. Boot Drier – have a closet with a heated boot drying rack, you can hang your boots on a blow drier type thing set on a timer, could be connected to main ducting of house
2. Clothes line – some think it is unsightly, but build a summer time close line that starts from inside the laundry room and runs outside.   The cable needs to go back and forth.
3. Possible elevator – At least frame a closet as a shaft to some elevator specs.  It can be used as a closet until somebody needs an elevator ( this is for a tall house,  could help resale to handicap)
4. Plumb and wire basement or separate wing for a bath and full kitchen.
5.  Recycling tubes for cans, glass, plastic that go from kitchen to bins in garage with air pressure.

Things to consider

1. T.V. Glare and noise
2. Don’t block views unnecessarily

General – Always think of realistic life.  How will traffic flow impact dirtiness and sound.  Where will people actually hang out (not in formal living rooms) and how will that affect others.  Does the kitchen have more than one effective work area.  Does the garage have space to conveniently store gear, yard tools, and still comfortably open the car door?  Is there a good mix of shade and sun areas for different times of year.   Your home needs to be comfortable for two people or 12 for dinner at any time of the year.