I found this posting, has lots of ideas. You should take a look at it. "Small things that get forgotten" Posted by Laura12 (My Page)

I wish I had known we were going to get a dog...I would have made my mudroom bigger and included a dog washing station!

So definitely think about the future, not just the now.

I wish I had known where the septic and sewer were located on the property before selecting our lot. We didn't find out til the end and ended up having a grinder pump put on our lot(only one in neighborhood) because of the location. If I would have known this upfront we would have selected a differnt lot!

Good luck and post lots of pics!

Here is a link that might be useful: Our home sell/build blog

Have a hot water tap on the outside of your garage - for washing vehicles, animals, etc.

Kick plate vacuum in the bathroom for sucking up hair.

Master bedroom, put a three way light switch on the wall beside the bed so that you can turn out the lights without getting up.

Perhaps one of the important things to remember is that there will likely be some changes and added expenses during construction, thus the need for a contingency of, say, a minimum of 10% of the initial construction cost.

There's lots of reasons for this, so don't fight it, just do it and avoid a lot of the subsequent surprises and frustrations. If you can't afford to add a 10% contingency, you may not be ready for construction, since even if your remain very disciplined in your decision-making (most owners are not), unexpected surprises happen!

Speaking of construction-phase changes, one of the important keys to minimizing change orders, inadequate allowances and other costly surprises is to have your construction drawings and specifications as complete as possible. The more left undecided and undone before construction, the more likely it is that costly changes and additions will occur. Leaving lots of decisions to be made during construction, and including a long list of allowances, is a sure strategy for major expenses beyond the initial construction contract budget.

Good luck on everyone's project.

10% is good, 15+% may be more realistic depending on how well the contract it written.

@Xclusive -- thanks for that link! Good info there.

I'm so nervous that I'm going to get halfway through and realize I totally overlooked something! eek! Being a total perfectionist is going to be the death of me....

carsonheim...although you strive for perfection...always remember that we do not live in a "perfect" world...things will happen...so either be prepared to pay to change them or be able to live with whatever might happen.

Do NOT let the builder hire a 3rd party inspector for any of your required inspections!! Especially in the beginning!!!-- Make him use the county/city officials. !!!!!! For your footers / waterproofing / backfill/ and any concrete work!!Just trust me on this one!!! PERIOD!

Permits cost more than you expect.

I did not realize that when I sat in the bathtub, I would not be able to see out of the window to our excellent view!

All of our hvac registers are along the exterior wall usually under windows. I wish I had remembered to leave room for window treatments. I have to be careful that the drapes don't cover the registers.

Wow, you guys have some great points here. Keep it coming! :)

That there are a LOT of out of pocket costs before you start. We had a nice little savings account that quickly dwindled down with septic drawings, septic approvals, plan drawings, plan re-drawings, appraisal fee... it seemed endless. Plus a lot of people don't fully plan for interest payments during the build since you may also have OTHER out of pocket costs during the build. Towards the end, the interest on the construction loan can be the same as a second mortgage/rent payment.

Not to mention the things that come AFTER the build- new furniture we will need, landscaping, a shed, a small fence, bar stools...again it goes on.

Bottom line: I wish I knew how expensive it all would be! (although maybe not or I might not be doing it and I am glad I am doing it!)

@carolinawren -- Wow, thanks for the candid feedback! I'll take your comments under consideration as we work with the architect on our plans. One REALLY important thing to me is having plenty of natural light in the kitchen. I'm already planning to change the location of the garage and ensure I have some windows in the kitchen -- not just in the breakfast room portion.

Do you have photos of your home? I'm always interested in seeing people's alterations to the original AL floorplan and how they choose to lay things out... Would *love* to see your home!

I plan to keep the two-level family room, as I think this windows up on top will bring more light into the room, especially with a covered back patio.

Thanks again for your insight! :)

I love what "phoggie" said, so true!! We have to let some things go and if truth be told, if I knew too much before I built, I don't think I would :) Some have the luxury of building over and over again, ours was a one shot deal, the dream of a lifetime, and we love our home. Who ever says you can build for less than you can buy is CRAZY!

The great thing about "Abberley Lane" is that it is very conducive to personalization. I will try to post plans and photos today. I don't like to post just the negative aspects of the plan, but it's very hard to see some of these in the excitement of the planning process.
Just a few other things to consider. The first floor ceilings are 10 feet tall, making the stairs, especially the front set, very steep. The mudroom off the garage has no windows and a single light fixture, making it extremely dim. I am like you...I like natural light. Moving the garage is brilliant and getting windows into this area will change it dramatically. I would also consider putting windows on either side of the living room fireplace and in the side wall in the upstairs bedrooms. Leaving the family room open to two stories is a great idea and changes the light for the upstairs bedrooms and hallway. Wish the builder would have left ours open.
The positives of the plan, in my opinion, the covered back porch, breakfast area in front of windows where we can view the pond and bird activity, laundry area in master bedroom (I use this more than I thought I would). One of my favorite parts of the plan is the classic good looks of the front of the house. It lacks the overlapping, multi-gabled roof line that so many homes have today. I think this house will stand the test of time and not look dated, like the two story entry feature of the '90's, I think the multi-gable will also look dated some day.

Thanks carolinawren! I look forward to seeing your photos and floorplan!!! :)

We're about 2 months away from finishing our build.
We were arrogant enough to think we could be discipline with our budget.

While we are ~2% over & expected to look at 3% when all is said & done.
Our advice - don't disrespect your personal vanity ie your need for your house to look the way you want it.

It's hard to think of everything up front - all contingencies won't be accounted for. Impossible. We thought we had it in the bag. But who can account for glass mosaic tiles we picked for our bathroom niches which had a water impervious rating of greater than 3% thus spooking us mold fearing people?

Your build will never be a final made production from the beginning. It will always be a beta product with various upgrades until you finally get the certificate of occupancy.

Enjoy the ride, there will be lots of down days but mostly it will be up days.