New Home: What are your “must haves”?

Under cabinet lighting in the kitchen.

We like having a trash compactor.

A media closet that is easily accessible.

I would probably go with a hot water circulation pump to get quick hot water to any faucet if it is a house of any size.

Attached storage would be nice as well but not a must.

I would want gas appliances, so knowing I have gas I would want tie-in points outside for use with things like burners or a grill.

That is just a quick wish list that popped into my head.

not really "must haves" but "damn, sure would be nice"

a shop
a big laundry room with access from outside
a big kitchen with access from outside
a walk-in vault
a walk-in cooler to hang meat
a smokehouse
an large ice maker

Gigantic shop for me to do as I please with. Wife can do whatever with the house. As long as the HVAC and plumbing is correct, and I can have myself and all my shite outside in my own shop, I don't care about the house.

Garbage disposal

Framed in attic with permanent stairs for access

Gas heat/hot water/cooking

-Pool
-Outdoor kitchen
-Lots of covered patio space with at least a portion of it screened
-Ice machine
-One of those swamp cooler fans

We split time between Nola for work and family acreage in MS, only being there part time has made me pretty good at this game while daydreaming at work about giving them the finger and heading there full time.

Things that I have now and couldn’t live without;

60x30 open shop/barn on a slab with tool room/workshop on one side, outdoor kitchen on the other, and drive through in the middle. The kitchen is pretty basic but has a full size fridge/freezer, 4x10 island with sink, and allows for the green egg to sit close. Outdoor fridge is one of those things that once you have it you’ll never go without, it’s awesome to be able to prep/smoke meat out there and have a case of white cans handy. Gives me a place to process my deer and not have to rely on icechests entirely or hear about how the inside fridge is full of sausage tubs.

Basic 8x10 shed for yard tools with lean-toos off both sides for firewood and zero turn. Wouldn’t change a thing.

Potting shed with half poly roof facing south for starting seeds, keeping garden shite. Works great for the size it is.

What I wish I had and plan to build at some point;

Modern steel shop with roll up doors, 240V, and with at least a wall fan if not full A/C, dedicated to woodwork and fixing motorized shite with a climate controlled bow/gun/reloading room in a corner, lean-too for tractor and implements.

Larger greenhouse with solar power for heat and powering drip irrigation.

Pole barn open style covered lumber storage with a solar kiln off one end, and eventually a mill.

What I’ve learned;

The problem with the big barn is it is the place to do prettymuch anything, so it attracts all the clutter from everything. Once a few saws and a drill press made it into the tool room there was no place to work, so I drag that stuff out into the drive-thru portion to use it, then have to put it back. With a larger dedicated shop the tool room would become a mud room for hunting stuff and fishing tackle. If the budget allowed I would have standing structures for each thing that needed doing: cooking/entertaining, processing deer, working on mechanical shite, woodworking, gardening/planting, etc. Spend the money on weatherizing/pressure treated lumber up front, it is an absolute pain in the dick to have to replace things that were built less than 10 years ago, and to chase plumbing leaks every time it freezes.

We built years ago. One thing that I did when built is now a “must have” for me going forward.

I have a hot water faucet next to cold water faucet by garage. I hunt and fish a lot. Hot water melts mud off waders, boots, 4 wheelers etc.. unbelievable.

Rinsing off fishing reels, washing out coolers, cleaning out the boat is awesome. 35 F outside… don’t give a shite when you are using warm or hot water to clean up outside.

So inexpensive to do and useful. HIGHLY recommend.

Stand by GENERATOR

Outlets are generally under represented. I'd have an outlet every 4' in my garage at waist level or whatever the height it. I wish I had more outlets on my back porch as well. We have outlets at TV height throughout the house and I like it. Keeps from having to put holes in the wall or drape cords visibly.

I'd also plum a gas line to various places. If you think you'd even want a propane heater or fireplace near a certain area, plumb it in.

When they run plumbing and electrical, at our previous house, I had to move both in order to have a pool installed. They usually run in the most straight line path possible, but I'd suggest running it in a line that makes sense for future placement.

We are on 2.5 acres. I wish I had water in more places along my fence line. I added two spigots when I built my pipe fence and put in irrigation and I use those outlets about as much as I use the ones on my house.

Oh and an irrigation system.

Dedicated gun room
Outside kitchen

Other than that the wife can have the rest of the house