If you were creating a house from scratch, what would you make sure it had?

[clevername]

We're currently converting a building into a house and it suddenly occurred to me that I should really think about all those little things that could perhaps be thought about and incorporated that would make life easier. It's prob a bit late to ask this question (rooms are built, plasterers are nearly done!) and, frankly, budget is beyond TIGHT but there might very well be simple /easy things that we are missing...

For example, I was just outside in our current garden and was thinking how I defo need to have decent storage for outside toys / furniture in the new place because they are all disgusting from being exposed all winter.

Don't get me wrong - we have been sort of thinking about this kind of stuff (eg we've incorporated a big porch / boot room with loads of storage for shoes, coats, book bags etc) but I just wondered if anyone had any more ideas?

Cheers

Also, get lots of sockets but the usb type sockets.

I’d have a clothes washing room upstairs with wash and dryer up high.

A second bathroom
Waste disposal unit
A second sink in utility room for pet dishes/dirty jobs/litter trays etc.

A garden hose on one of those could wheels attached to the wall. We had one in the house we left 4 years ago and it was brilliant. Need to get one here.

ROUND not COULD!

We have a laundry chute from the main bathroom to the Futility room, I loath lugging laundry downstairs (especially as I never remember to take a laundry basket upstairs with me so end up hugging the stinking washing all the way down the stairs) so this makes me smile a little bit every time I use it.

*loathe

Decent sized front and back porch so you've somewhere to change (footwear, coats etc). Also good for security if you can have 2 external locking doors front and back.

2 or 3 cupboards, one for coats/shoes etc, another for the vacuum, ironing board etc and one for bedding/towels etc.

Boarded-out loft space for plenty of storage.

Nothing to add, just saying that every time I see this thread in Active Conversations, I read it as 'If you were creating a HORSE from scratch...'

A bidet

built in storage

This is the most useful thing in the house.A pop up socket in the kitchen island .Means I can plug in Kitchenaid, phone charger,etc.

No random radiators on the one decent wall where you'd put the bed / cupboard / wardrobe / settee etc. And no tall radiator - all the heat is at the top

A big cupboard in the hall for shoes boots and bags.

Upstairs windows that open inwards as they do in many French homes as they are so easy to clean.

Garage with driveway and a conservatory.
Kitchen diner.
Utility.

A big hall -it was life changing when we moved to a rural area and all the houses (even the small ones) have a large entrance hall.

5 amp sockets. You then can wire up any lamps with a special plug and switch them on and off at the main wall switch.

An outside hot water tap. Perfect for cleaning the car, bikes and filling up paddling pools. And washing your hands if you're a bit soft like me.

Ground source heat pump. Solar panels. Lounge, kitchen diner, dining room, playroom, downstairs loo, utility room, boot room, snug, 4 bedrooms, study, bathroom, 1 ensure, garage, greenhouse, shed, enough land to grow food and have a play area.
Detached. Insulated with sheepswool/ strawbales for lovely deep windows.
Lots of powerpoints, underfloor heating, storage everywhere.

Storage was a big thing for me when I moved from a one bedroom flat in London to a two bedroom maisonette with masses of storage. A walk in cupboard, a half height door in my bedroom wall which opens up to storage space the length of my bedroom wall and two good sized cupboards outside down the side of the house, big enough to hold all my gardening gear and a couple of kitchen units left by the previous owner.

Lots of garden lighting. Our house is very old but we're gradually getting all the lighting/outdoor sockets/outdoor taps installed, including a nice lit up area at the end of the garden where we have a fire pit and new patio. It would have been lovely to have just had it all there from the start!

HoraceCope
Do people really still use bidets? We have one in our holiday house and have NEVER used it (maybe we're just dirty, haha!) I resent cleaning it every time but still haven't got round to taking it out.

Another thing I've thought of is the front door having to be one that you lock behind you so that you don't ever get locked out by accident.

Washer/dryer upstair if possible - game-changer

Washing machine / dryer upstairs. Ironing space to if possible.

I'd also have data cable to every TV corner, spot.

Curtain tracks that are sort of inset into the ceiling so no light comes through over the top of the curtain. Have seen it in hotel rooms. Plus looks so sleek and neat and tidy.