Occupany switches in the closets, baths, pantry, etc. are really nice. There was one spot the electrician missed, and my wife specifically told me she wanted me to put one there because she was tired of fumbling for switches in the dark.

We intentionally laid the site plan and house out in such a way that the front door gets used (vs everyone coming in the entry near the garage). It's nice that the area that are supposed to be used to greet guests actually gets used to greet guests.

I also really like my double swing door into the pantry but that is pretty floorplan specific. :-)

Kitchen with windows to front and view of back.

Somewhere, probably a utility room of sorts with a concrete double sink and a durable floor, maybe with a drain in it.

Everything Rower 76 said plus hose bibs on every outside wall. Dragging water hoses around the yard is heavy work. For us the most important was the blocking in the walls of every bathroom for the future installation of grab bars, etc as my parents aged and/or we needed them.

Ceiling fan in master bath. I don’t mean a ventilation fan. A real fan. Love mine.

did someone already say garage drains?

Ooh, grew up with garage drains, great in winter. With the heater on, no snow and ice glommed on to the wheel wells or made the garage floor messy. But, when my cousin wanted to include them in their new build, they were against code in their town.

Plugs on outside porch roofs for string lights and Christmas lights. Automatic safety light in garage for power outages. Many auto switches in pantry, laundry, etc. Nightlight outlet on stairway. Auto timed outside lighting. Outlets inside bathroom cabinets for hairdryers, etc to keep mess hidden. Laundry chute from upstairs kids bath to laundry room. Spice drawer directly under Cooktop. Pull outs on side of that for oils, etc.
Cabinet for cookie sheets and cutting boards.
Lots of natural light.
All of our main lighting and master are dimmable and Lutron.
Really think about speaker locations and wire for good sound.

I forgot to add:
-Wired for a generator
-Wired for plug that would accommodate an electric car in the future
-Stair lights to basement.
-outside garage and pendant lights on timers

Good flow that makes sense for my family, good location (near water!) on a quiet street, pleasant business district nearby, trees.

Sound isolation. We like 2 doors between master bedroom and public areas.

Great kitchen ventilation.

Tight sound isolating structure.

Enormous fridge/freezer

Tons of drawers in kitchen.

CV in garage

Doorless shower.

Built in coffee maker in master suite but isolated enough to make coffee while the other sleeps

Include USB ports in the bedside outlets, and at least one in the kitchen.

Sound-insulating windows

Elevator and highly efficient HVAC system.

Love our Lutron light switches, really consolidates having 4-5-6 switches in a row. Can change what does what with your phone, set scenes, 1 button controlling multiple lights, allows dimming on everything, infinite timers for exterior lights and inside night lights

LED strip lighting under cabinets, and we also put it under our kitchen+bathrooms cabinets along the floor (integrated with lutron). They make great night lights, especially in the bathroom. You can old-school set the bathroom ones to work on a motion sensor, or just leave them on manually as night lights. Beware though, LED ribbons down on the floor really show dirt/scratches on hardwood

Rough in security + cameras even if you don't want them now

Lighting (in general) is so important. Have a lighting professional help, there's nothing worse than having a room too dark. Can't skimp out here

Plan how you'll entertain. Most people people hang out in the kitchen. This is why the whole "open concept" got so popular, opening up the kitchen into the family room. But if you'll be outside, pour that concrete patio or build that deck now. If you want shade, figure that out now. Adequate outlets, decide if you want sonos or hardwired for music, etc etc etc. I see a lot of people finish their home and cut out some "extras", then right away say "crap, if I'm going to use my back yard I really ought to build a grill/pergola/roof/etc so it functions realistic"

Everything is wifi today but I still hardwired everything in my house. Eliminates bottlenecks. If you want to only do wifi, consider multiple routers (WAP's) and plan a dedicated space for IT equipment. Nobody wants to see your modem and giant wireless router sitting on top of your entertainment center in the living room

I'm a garage snob. Insulate right away, heat it, floor drains (linear drains are so much better than 6" cans), plan OHD height (8' high fits most any truck, but will you ever have a boat or utility trailer? Many are taller than 8'). I hang out in my garage so I added windows in it as if it was my living room

I could go on but there's many threads here with the exact same question and great answers

hot and cold in garage for dog washing or people washing...

outlets ceiling porch for string lights xmas lights

think about where you will want your tv wifi etc. and plan outlets

think about HVAC have that planned out before walls

outlet for where you will hang cordless vac.

outlets for where you will charge phones, etc.

think about steps into and out of house front back garage

The things that my builder did wrong (in my opinion): not enough exterior receptacles, outside switch for porch lights, not enough hose bibs (and too small piping to the one hose bib he did put in); not paying attention to where wall receptacles in the LR were placed, i.e. not centered under the windows nor spaced evenly between the windows. We added additional hose bibs and also ran hot water to the same locations. Of course, some of these things were the responsibility of the architect, but he didn't do anything on site. We have a little alcove in the front hall and he did put receptacles there, but I changed them for ones which have USB ports. He did put a cable TV port and an HDMI port there but they are useless in that location. Also, I wish he had run empty conduit throughout the main floor, for running AV wires later.

@mtvhike these are things you should have addressed during the electrical meeting. Did you not do that?

Wired internet connections in office and by all TV locations (and future/possible TV locations).

Speakers with wires in ceiling and hub in closet with wired internet connections for SONOS (one per floor, probably? We haven't gone through this level of detail yet in design but I've read one hub per floor is good). If you have plug-in speakers, receptacles by the speaker locations.

Insulation/sound proofing in interior walls around bathrooms, laundry and between adjacent bedrooms, and in floors between bathrooms and lower levels (minimum). Maybe even in floor between bedrooms & louder living spaces (TV rooms).

If you have a detached garage, outdoor lighting that can be turned on and off from BOTH the garage and the house (we had to replace our lights with motion lights instead, since we can only turn on the garage light from the garage, and the porch light from the house.

I wouldn't give up my potfiller faucet.

Dimmer switches.

Ceiling fan switches.

Stairway lighting.

Undercabinet lighting.

Thanks everyone! These were really great ideas. And as far as meeting with electrician, things move a bit different around here. And we haven't gone over the final decisions on electrical and plumbing till its closer to their time.

In a house with two floors, place to install an elevator.

Ready for a generator and an electric car.

Sound isolation.

Dimmer switches.

USB plugs in every room.

Wood floors,

Lots of windows.

Drawers cabinets in kitchen.

Plenty of storage in mudroom/laundry room.

@Aleesa Helton, I met with my electrician 4 days before he started wiring the house. LOL. But they got everything well done.

Here's my list as I approach retirement:

1. High ceilings in downstairs 9-10'. I'm not looking to impress anyone, but it makes it much less claustrophobic than 8' ceilings.

2. Fewer Sq ft - but more flexibility. I don't want a ton of space to clean, maintain, etc. But I do want flexible space I can work on projects, entertain, etc.

3. Low maintenance, but quality - I don't want to stain a wood deck every spring anymore. Give me materials that look good without a lot of maintenance. Ceramic and hardwood floors, pavers instead of treated wood, Stainless Steel counter top in the kitchen - at least around the sink area. I want my living space to be simple, beautiful, light and inspiring.

4. Good insulation and high efficiency appliances. I don't want to be worried about utility bills or the weather. If it's -20, that's cool - I'll stay home. But I want to be comfortable and not concerned about it.

5. The option to age in place. Laundry on the main floor. Bedroom on the main floor. Master Bath on the main floor with thoughtful shower/tub and grab bars - without looking like a nursing home. Wider doorways and hallways. Few level changes from where the car is parked to the main floor. Even if you are young, having this option for parents who may come to live with you is important.

6. Natural light. I want windows and outdoor living spaces. I'm learning to hate Low-E glass. Where's my shotgun?!? I'll fix these windows!

7. Pet friendly. Direct access to a fenced in back yard. Transition from yard to pavers to entry so mud isn't an issue. Yep, kids... you've been replaced by the dog.

8. Mud room / entry (see #7 above- but for people). If I'm muddy/dirty/greasy I want to drop my clothes and jump in the shower.

9. Room for Shop/Hobbies/Etc. For guys that might be a shop, garage, man cave or gym - for ladies that might be something else such as sewing/crafts/etc. It could be a usable kitchen for aspiring cooks where 2 don't get in each other's way. Trust me, retired couples will get along much better if they have their own space.

10. A real porch (front and back). Something large enough to accommodate furniture. Not only is transition space important, but having a space outside to socialize is important also.

11. Garden space. This doesn't have to be a major plot, but having some flower beds and having some (raised) beds for vegetables is good.

We are in month 10 of a major renovation (all but 1 bedroom affected) and incorporated many of these ideas. We were fortunate that our designer connected us to some great contractors who specialize in AV/lighting (e.g., wired Ethernet for TVs and desktops, built-in speakers in kitchen and great room, Lutron lighting), transition/aging-in-place (e.g., zero threshold shower, blocking for grab bars we'll add a few decades later, master suite/laundry all on 1st floor), etc.

Things I'm glad we splurged on::

- soundproofing/extra insulation for noisy rooms like the bathrooms and laundry (DH is a light sleeper)

- Lots of floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy the gorgeous outdoors

- 10' ceilings give our great room an expansive spacious feeling

- Fujitsu splits (so much more effective to have 3 zones instead of our old central HVAC system!)

- special/upgraded lighting indoors and outdoors (e.g., Lutron, LED lights, timers, etc.)

- AV (hard-wired Ethernet lines to each desktop and TV, higher grade WiFi system, etc.)

- Doors with huge glass windows (although I know others might be concerned re: break-ins but we're pretty safe given our semi-rural location)

A dedicated area for recycling. There are ones that attach outside of your home. I would love that!

2 at least dishwashers. 3 if you do a lot of entertaining. Right now we have three and we get our dishes done in no time. Mind you we cook all the time.

A bathroom in the garage.

A pet friendly utility room. That includes a place to bathe and groom the animals.

A fenced outdoor play area for indoor cats.

A natural gas hookup for the barbecue.

If no direct route from garage a pass through window for groceries Etc

Remote control blinds Inserted in between all of the window panes.

Windows that flip in so that you can wash them easily.

An elevator or a stair chair

Roof sprinkler system to help with wildfire loss prevention.

Heated driveway.

https://www.angieslist.com/articles/are-heated-driveways-worth-cost.htm.

Adding to this again. We spent over a year designing and planning every aspect of our home, and we are 99% happy with it. There's always something though!

Things we added that we love:

Electric - Again the Lutron lights. Very flexible, programmable, any switch can control any "connected" light in the house

Outlet planning. Both sides of bathroom countertops, power strips under kitchen cabinets so you don't have to look at them in the backsplash, where you might install a future Sonos speaker (high on the wall, outside where you entertain, front porch, etc), in every closet (cordless vacuums etc), 220v for a garage air compressor, 220v for future electric car

Extra circuits. I've had kitchen circuits trip during holidays for having just a few crock pots plugged in. I think every "wall area" is on a separate 20a breaker in our new home. Also (funny example) we have a huge christmas tree that pulls close to 5a so turn the TV on and some lamps then pop goes the breaker. We did a dedicated "christmas tree" circuit right in front of our big window where it will always sit. Dedicated circuit to IT rack and/or security panel... Oh and I forgot soffit outlets for hanging christmas lights. Did I mention those are on the Lutron system so I can program them to turn on/off from my phone whenever ;). Rough in a PVC chase from your IT rack up to the attic, future proofs ever needing to add wiring/security/etc

HVAC - While we never use "programming" I'm happy we did zoning. Helps when you like bedrooms colder, or if an "entertaining area" will have the door open all day and you don't want to overwork the condenser etc. Since I use/work/hangout in my garage so much, I heated the floor (boiler, hot water). Can't beat warm concrete, completely silent, there's no fan to blow dust around, and keeping it low at 65 feels like 75. However, it was stupid expensive, another thing to break, and I'm gonna have to stay here 20 years to justify the ~$15k cost

Our outside AC condensers are close to our entertaining space (didn't have a choice). I have 3 of them. Chose to upgrade to the more quiet/efficient and VFD Carrier options. Super glad I did, literally all 3 will be running full blast and I can barely hear them from 5' away.

Plumbing - hot/cold mixed spigot in garage for washing cars. Utility sink in garage. Line drains in garage instead of dinky 6" can drains. Floor drains in basement area where you might see flooding/water on a bad day. Rough in radon vent PVC if it might be in your area, so if you need it it won't be on the outside of your house. Multiple hose bibs outside for cleaning/play

Things I missed:

I wish I planned better for a future screen porch

Some doors hit cabinets when open instead of opening all the way to sit flush against the wall

One light switch ended up on the wrong side of the door swing

Didn't realize my custom front door lock wasn't the same as the other exterior doors, now I have 2 house keys...

Should've done a ceiling fan on my outdoor porch (plan how you'll entertain)

Underestimated landscaping cost. I figured we would just "worry about it later"

Plan furniture arrangement very well. We made some mistakes but made it work in the end...

One half bathroom is too dark, we only did sconce lights but it should have also had a can light for its size

A maid.

Well, I can only tell you a few things based on living in a 1000sf, 80 year old house (with updates):

Love: Lots of light from good sized windows, which are energy efficient and easy to clean too,
especially in the north facing rooms.

Very well insulated (this is work I had to do), with very efficient HVAC

Remodeled kitchen to include LED lighting and all base cabinet drawers (except corner and sink cab) and increased efficiency of storage with built ins, organizers, roll out shelves etc

Nice laundry space - I don't mind that it is in the basement at all - and efficient storage in the basement for tools, excess pantry items, and everything else that has to live there.

Easy to clean surfaces in bath and kitchen

Good drainage surrounding house (something that I had to fix)

Ceiling fans in FR and bedrooms

Large patio and trees to shade house

Wish for: a mud room by the back door

a large screened in porch, that wouldn't block needed light from the main living areas

better attic ventilation

more outdoor electrical outlets (they could be useful in so many places- I would even run one through buried conduit to the rear of the back gardens; and enough indoor capacity to anticipate additional gizmos in the future

A water spigot also at the rear of the back yard (I grew up in a 1914 farmhouse that had these, so handy!)

a dedicated, separate, secure storage area for yard equipment and one for the bicycles

a room for exercise

If I were building I would certainly make energy efficiency a top priority.

Circuits! Lots of circuits. A circuit for every room. Dedicated circuit to every appliance like fridge, dishwasher, microwave, etc.

Plenty of receptacles that are available in every room no matter how you set up the room.

Skip the USB receptacles, IMO. Standards change so often, they'll be obsolete in 2 years when the next fast-charging standard comes out.

Pre-wired soffits: Switched receptacles for Christmas Lights and switched boxes in the corners for security lights.

Network cable. Even though WiFi has taken over, Mesh networks need a hardwired backbone. Cat6 or 6A or even 8 to key areas of the house, if not every room. Also Cat 6 or 6A camera runs for outdoor POE security cameras, strategically located under the soffits and by entrances.

Run all those network cables into a data closet, add plenty of receptacles, at least one coax line, and room for a FIOS line. Also, add a small AC return to that closet to keep air flowing...not an AC register, since you won't want to blow heat on your equipment in the winter.