This is covered quite extensively on here.
Check out the link below for a start.

Here is a link that might be useful: Helpful link

The non-sexy stuff is the real must haves. More insulation than code requires. maybe 2x6 construction or if you're in a colder weather climate, offset 2x4 construction. A better quality HVAC system than builder grade. Planned for up front makeup air to keep the well sealed home healthy and so you can actually run your kitchen vent without creating a health hazard situation. Actual waterproofing and a perimeter drain system for a basement, not just "damp proofing". A high quality roof that will last as long as your mortgage will. Aging in place bathrooms and hallways that come with blocking already behind the walls for safety bars that can be attached later. Maybe a closet that can be converted to an elevator later.

Do all of the invisible behind the scenes things first with your money. They will make the home more livable than choosing an exotic wood floor will above a lesser cost domestic. If you've got the money to choose both, great! But, if the priorities come down to picking something decorative or something functional, functional should always win.

And finally, the most important must have of all is a good plan for your home. You can purchase house mill plans, but they often aren't engineered for your location or site and it will cost more to get them altered for you. A good architect can create something for you from scratch that will have less "oops" factor, and that will take advantage of the site. You only build a home maybe once or twice in a lifetime. Do the things that will keep you comfortable in that home for the rest of your lifetime.

If you are focused on features, you are focused on the wrong things.

You should be focused on "critical needs" vs. "desirable wants". There's a current thread on this subject and numerous past ones that a search should find.

Good luck on your project.

The thread below has a ton of responses. TONS of ideas !! Also near the very end of the thread are links to a bazillion other similar threads ...

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg042250409404.html

This website has many ideas you could incorporate in to your new home. Hope it helps. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/building-a-custom-home-any-must-ha-dsvw-vd~84124

Here is a link that might be useful: [Houzz discussions[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/building-a-custom-home-any-must-ha-dsvw-vd~84124)

All these practical responses! Wow. Where's the fun in that? Of course those things are important. But the fun part for many of us is in the stuff we see and use every day. Those things are important too... they bring joy to our lives every day. :)

My big wish list item after living in over 30 houses over the years (eek)... is a kitchen that my entire family can be in and I can still safely cook on the range. This includes a massive pantry. :) After that, everything else is gravy to me. But honed marble countertops with a butcher block island would sure be nice. And I would absolutely take them over spray foam insulation any day of the week if I had to choose.

I've also never talked to anyone who regretted putting in hardwood floors. Except the dark ones... those show dog hair like crazy!

Those other threads are great... Have fun planning.

IMO, it is those practical things that count as you live and feel them on a daily basis. The house is a thing of beauty, and the house is an industrial machine which needs to perform well to provide the desired services and the house needs to be affordable. What good is a beautiful home if it doesn't keep you warm and dry? What good is a house that meets your desires if you can't afford it?

The sweet spot is when all those things come together to create the perfect environment for you and yours.

When I first saw the title of this thread, I immediately went to all the energy efficiency elements we put into this home which makes it very livable and affordable...not attractive, but critical to how the house feels.

I think the "must-haves" are totally personal, but for me, it was important to have a foyer that is large enough to greet a family, with a closet and a place for someone to sit and take-off or put on shoes (we live in a cold climate, so coming and going can take a while, with all the cold weather gear).

Our old house had tons of space for entertaining once people were inside, but coming and going was awkward.

I agree that the main thing you need is a good plan-- features wear out, but good design endures. Be sure to think about sightlines and grouping rooms in ways that make sense-- your master bedroom door shouldn't be in the foyer, guests shouldn't have to go into private parts of the house to hang up a coat or go to the bathroom, etc... Also think about what kind of rooms you like. It's easy to pick out rooms that look good, but also consider what spaces you tend to seek out-- do you like cozy rooms, or rooms with lots of natural light, or big rooms?

One of the things I'm most excited about is having a space on the main level for projects-- we're a creative family, but no one wants to hang out in the basement, so projects would tend to take over the formal dining room (with carpet & nice furniture-- not a great mix with paint or power tools) or the kitchen, where they would be in the way. We've passed on a formal dining room in this house, so we can dedicate space to something that's part of our everyday life, as opposed to something we use 6 times a year.

If we had more money, we would have a bigger garage, soapstone counters in the kitchen, higher ceilings (we'll have 8', which I'm ok with, but I'd prefer 9'), a different exterior finish-- maybe stucco, or painted brick? I could go on and on-- spending money is easy. But I'm actually quite happy with what we're building.

A must have for me if I were building now would be a "get-away" room or extra room on the first floor that can be completely closed off from the rest of the house. I still have children at home and they, my husband, and their friends take over the upstairs and downstairs living areas and are a bit noisy. (Love 'em, but don't always love their noise. :) ) I'm tired of being relegated to my bedroom. :( Some might refer to it as a "flex" room since it can serve different purposes over the years - office, reading/tv room, guest room, nursery, sick room, hobby room, etc. If you're planning on staying in the house, it just makes sense to have a multi-purpose room downstairs.

Good luck!

This post was edited by bird_lover6 on Tue, Jul 2, 13 at 12:01

great list. I had to look up that "tornado" body dryer. I had pictured a F5 intensity with loose skin and appendages flopping all around but the video shows it to be a most soothing breeze.

the tornado body dryer was curious for me, too. I had to re-read it, as I thought it was some sort of protection from tornadoes. I was picturing everyone crammed into the shower stall during a thunderstorm. Some bathrooms have heat lamps instead.

No, not the same thing. Heat lamps are for heat. A tornado body dryer is kind of like a big version of the blowing hand dryer that you see in public rest rooms: It takes the place of a towel.

Why use it? This is a retirement house, and we're trying to include things that'll make it easy for us to stay in the house in our older years. And because it'll also dry the shower itself, lessening the need for cleaning.

Must haves for me: Silgranite sink in the kitchen and bar areas, large mudroom, foyer and pantry.

In Master bathroom: walk in shower with built in seat, raised toilet, grab bars. We want this to be accessible for crutches/a cane, but not necessarily for a wheelchair - that would require too many modifications...

Wow Mrs.Pete ... you have quite a list there. I like a lot of what you have and may add some of them to my own list. I will have a large pantry that includes our freezer since I don't want to put it in the garage and we will not have a basement. Other than that your pantry sounds alot like what I want.

I have never heard of heated granite on counter tops. What is the purpose for that? Is it for baking??

FWIW the tornado dryer sounds interesting. I will have to check it out.