If building again - what to do differently?

Hello community!

I have often heard the saying "the first house you build is for an enemy" – I wouldn’t put it that drastically, but after a year in a new build I know what they meant. :D Since we might move again, I’d like to collect a bit here and benefit from your experiences: What would you do DIFFERENTLY if you were to build again?

I have already noted for myself:

[*]electric roller shutters
[*]thermostats with display
[*]larger storage room
[*]less convoluted rooms
[*]dedicated wardrobe area
[*]wooden window sills (?)
[*]more sockets outside
[*]sockets in the window frames

And you?

electric roller shutters

…we barely used ours in the last 2 years :eek:

Thermostats with display

Why? I turn it up one notch in winter and that’s it. Well, some rooms even 2 ;)

larger storage room

We don’t have any storage room at all. I would make the utility room 2 sqm bigger, so 11 sqm (for 2 people)

less convoluted rooms

That’s not our problem.

dedicated wardrobe area

We have that…

window sills made of wood (?)

Monolithic walls, so that the very few window sills have an adequate depth.

more sockets in the outdoor area

One on the side would still be nice

[*]sockets in the window frames

I haven’t had any lights in the windows for 6 years, maybe a star at most. Yes, a socket for the display window up top under the ceiling. For the new house, I would plan more sockets, no wall outlets and less or more targeted ceiling lighting. No ceiling spots, more outdoor motion sensors planned. Monolithic instead of ETICS, soundproof door in the utility room, kitchen in the west instead of east, a built-in closet in the hallway. Main bath and bedroom on the ground floor, office and guest bath upstairs… no more old grandmas around here. I would probably also try a different house shape, I’m very open and flexible about that (without Pinterest ;) )

Hello Kati,
we are currently in this situation, so it is easy for me to answer your question (the checklist already exists)... we built for the first time almost 20 years ago and are currently planning our new house. However, the experiences and answers are probably very individual. Here is our "let’s try better list":
- direct access from the kitchen to the garden
- provide a walk-in closet and therefore a smaller bedroom
- bedroom not facing south
- charging station for electric car
- more built-in closets, overall more closet space
- larger kitchen with more work surface and more storage space, pantry cabinets
- water connection on terrace / balcony
- plan security from the start (including lighting, camera)
- plan lighting and furnishing at an early stage, as well as kitchen planning
- garden that requires little work, storage space for gardening tools
- heating with geothermal energy (ring trench collector), photovoltaic system with grid disconnector
- smart home with KNX, fewer switches
- suspended ceiling for wiring, provide WLAN access points in garage and for the garden

Fortunately, we found an architect who first completes the detailed planning before the trades are tendered, so many planning errors can be recognized/eliminated. This makes the planning phase longer (and the architect more expensive, because he also takes care of lighting and part of the interior planning), but I think it’s worth it.

Hello everyone!

I have already noted down for myself:

[*]electric roller shutters
[*]thermostats with display
[*]larger storage room
[*]less winding rooms
[*]dedicated wardrobe area
[*]window sills made of wood (?)
[*]more sockets in the outdoor area
[*]sockets in the window frames

And you?

We would change:
- Electric roller shutters everywhere for sure
- More sockets. Especially also in the window frames, more double sockets and more in the outdoor area and we completely forgot some spots.
- The saved circulation system is already annoying now
- Larger tile format
- Spotlights
- Central ventilation system instead of decentralized
- Windows with higher sound insulation class
- Lift-and-slide door
- Skylights
- Larger bathroom
- Possibly water softening system

From your list we have:
We have the cellar for storage and no winding rooms.
We also have a wardrobe of reasonable size

I don’t need:
Thermostats with display
Window sills made of wood

Fortunately, we found an architect who completes the detailed planning first before the trades are tendered, so many errors in the planning can be identified/eliminated. As a result, the planning phase takes longer (and the architect becomes more expensive because he also does lighting and part of the interior planning), but I think it is worth it.

So, you commissioned performance phases 1 to 5 and then want to attempt self-tendering?

We built for the first time almost 20 years ago and are currently planning our new house.

Is this then your second one, and: did you approach the commissioning of the planner differently back then?

What I currently notice and what we want to change in the near future with an external canopy is the entrance directly into the house. I want a vestibule. Absolutely. Soaking wet jackets, muddy rubber boots, and dirty strollers are driving me crazy at the moment. I would definitely do that differently in hindsight.