If you could change or upgrade something, what would it be?

[nanahey]

We are moving into a high quality new build house next year and currently going through the process of selecting kitchen, bathrooms and flooring. There are some things that we are going to change or upgrade but wanted to ask if anyone else had ideas about something they wish they added to their house at the time, or if they’d redecorate, what they would add in now looking back after living in the space?

We are moving from a small apartment so want to ensure we get it “right” the first time round when it’s easier to do before moving!

Here’s what we are thinking so let me know if you think any or the below is or is not worth it:

Kitchen/Utility

• adding integrated recycling/compost bins
• upgrading to quartz from laminate worktop
• upgrading ceramic to induction hob (gas not an option)

Bathroom & Ensuite
We can select integrated sink storage cupboards, but the options aren’t to our taste. Liveable, but would cost £350 each bathroom to change to one that’s more to our taste. Is it really worth it or should we just go with the ones included that are fine?

Flooring
We can select tiles for hallway, kitchen, utility & sunroom so that’s ok. Then for living room and bedrooms we can choose between carpet and laminate timber.
Living room - thinking timber as more practical than carpet for downstairs living
Bedrooms - stuck between choosing carpet or laminate timber and adding our own rugs inn to make it cosier? We have one toddler and practically speaking I feel laminate is better but open minded and unsure just yet so any tips very welcome

Thanks!

Depending on where in the country you live on terms of water softness... I wish we'd got a water softener installed

For the £350 extra I'd also get the bathrooms you want now!

Definitely carpets in the bedrooms

I wish I’d had the electricity designed so that I could have a light up mirror in the bathroom.

Thank you all - great shout on water and lights for mirrors too. Haven’t thought of those

I’d defintely get the bathroom you want, it’s a ball ache ti change it and cost seems low.

In addition, personally I don’t like integrated recyling etc, but we all have different tastes and would definitely have carpet in bedrooms

@Bluntness100

I’d defintely get the bathroom you want, it’s a ball ache ti change it and cost seems low.

In addition, personally I don’t like integrated recyling etc, but we all have different tastes and would definitely have carpet in bedrooms

@Bluntness100 Thank you! Do you mind me asking why you don’t like integrated recycling? Just incase it’s something I hadn’t thought of?

We don’t know how many years we will be there for as we may have to move within 2 years so trying to keep in mind for potential buyers too.

A kitchen tap that has an integrated 'pull down' feature so you can 'jzush' around the sink!

Honestly? Recycling takes a lot of space, we sit ours on the side and move it to a bin outside quickly, although our kitchen is large I prefer to use the cupboard space for storage, but we all have different views..☺️

Our house style had dark wood for the stair banisters. Didn't like. Got them to stain it much lighter.

@Bluntness100

Honestly? Recycling takes a lot of space, we sit ours on the side and move it to a bin outside quickly, although our kitchen is large I prefer to use the cupboard space for storage, but we all have different views..☺️

That's what we do with our recycling. Fine if we regularly put it out. Sometimes it builds up and can look messy though.

The thing I'd most like to upgrade in my house is the flooring- we have laminate because it was less expensive, but I would love proper wood flooring.

Boiling water tap and water softener - recently installed both and love them.

Definitely induction over ceramic hob.

I hated our integrated recycling. Much better to take it out often.

£350 for bathrooms is good too. I would carpet bedrooms and timber downstairs. I don't like tiles.

If you are moving within 2 years, then my thoughts are different.

Integrated recycling in the kitchen is a selling point, and bathroom storage not to your taste is irrelevant as long as it looks good it's a selling point.
Don't waste your money getting it how you want it personally, (with maybe expensive details) think of it as having built with enough that someone will buy it.
Boiling water water tap pis easy to upgrade after
I'd suggest that induction hob is no brainer though as they dont get hot and ideal for families

Thank you all for your comments! Have been so useful.

@Bluntness100 @goldenoldie1 I think because we live in an apartment at the minute we do still empty bins daily, but it’s more of an effort to as not as simple as just walking out the back door to the bins outside, but appreciate it will be different in a house and it could just sit on the counter and then nip out once a day. I do think we have more than enough cupboard space, so we will be ok to allocate one pull out cupboard with 4 bins for compost/ glass/ paper etc and waste. We would have to have those 4 spaces somewhere I suppose and might just be easier in one spot than on the counter or different bins.

Wooden floor would be amazing! Sadly think it’s less of a priority to upgrade compared to other bits, but definitely some thing would maybe look to change in rooms down the line!

@ExquisitelyDecorated

Boiling water tap and water softener - recently installed both and love them.

Definitely induction over ceramic hob.

@ExquisitelyDecorated oh I think a boiling tap would actually have been top of the list if we even used the kettle frequently. I don’t really drink hot drinks and my husband would maybe have the odd coffee using the kettle if not using our coffee machine. Might be wasted on us!

Thankfully in a soft water area - I didn’t realise you could even get water softeners!

Thanks @JetBlackSteed. Some very good points. I think it’s hard as we are trying to strike a balance - this could potentially be our forever home or we might have to move in two years to a different area completely (will be our choice really). So want to make it our own form the get go but concious we don’t want to plough every penny or our savings into it.

I do think we will upgrade to induction hob as I think it’s only around £150 to do this and as you suggested, safer for families.

A wall mounted clothes dryer in the utility that you can fold back when not in use or a covered area outside with a washing line underneath. I don't like to use the dryer so might not be necessary for those who do!

Water softener 100% with drinking tap. That's on my 2022 list. Hard water has wrecked my skin since moving in here.

If you can afford the £350 do it. You'll only end up looking at them and end up doing it anyway, probably at more expense too!

Also if you have an island in your kitchen, you can get a drawer/shelf installed that you can pull put to put your hot plates/trays on. Genius. Maybe this is a common thing but I've never seen it before.

Outside electric plugs (with insulated cover).
Check what outside lighting is standard - our house has a single porch light to one side of the front door. I wish we had one each side but it would be a right pain to do retrospectively