We are building our dream home! Since we moved to Charleston, we have been keeping our eye a beautiful neighborhood on Johns Island, just 5 minutes away from our current house. Last week we decided to jump in with both feet and went under contract on a lot with perfect marsh views. We are using a small custom home builder in Charleston and I can’t wait to share our progress along the way. Even though it is early in the process, our “must haves” have already been part of the discussion when laying out the floor plan. Comment below if you have any other ideas for your custom home
1. A central (built-in) vacuum. If you have never come across one, a central vac is a large collection container, usually located in your garage or basement, connected to outlets in each room where a vacuum hose can plug in for temporary use. While it can cost between $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the square footage, number of desired outlets, and brand, the benefits WAY offset the cost. A central vac makes the vacuuming experience exponentially better – no more lugging around an upright vacuum up and down stairs. Vacuuming is quieter and more efficient (more cleaning power and suction) and lasts much longer than your conventional vacuum. I have linked a few of my favorite central vacuums with great reviews below. An important tip is to get a hose with a cover over the plastic, so you don’t scuff up your baseboards when you pull it around corners.
The below OVO kit comes highly rated and includes a 30’, 35’, or 40’ hose. It also has electrical carpet beater (must have!).
2. Electrical outlets EVERYWHERE! Seriously… everywhere. Outlets are an inexpensive addition during the building process that can allow you to hide ugly appliances and increase convenience in your routine once you move in. Think about how you are going to use every space in your home. Are you going to put a rechargeable vacuum in a closet? Do you want to keep and use your KitchenAid mixer and microwave in your pantry? Are you going to be using a blender on top of your island? What about recharging your electric toothbrush out of site under your vanity or in your bathroom drawer? Walk the house several times and add outlets where they feel right. Commonly overlooked places include island, pantries, closets, and bathroom drawers or under the vanity.
3. Floor outlets… this is a separate bullet point about electrical outlets because I think it is that important. Seeing wires run across the backs of furniture to walls is ugly and dangerous. With a strategically placed floor outlet, you can hide cords under rugs and furniture without having to worry about tripping on them.
4. Bidet seat (aka washlet) in owner’s water closet. All you need is an… electrical outlet. Really never thought I would talk about electrical outlets this much… or that I would care about a bidet. My parents installed a washlet (adapting your current toilet to a bidet) and said I must include it in this list. I have linked their life changing toilet accessory below. Alternatively, you can have a bidet installed but the main drawback is that bidets are stand-alone (you still need a toilet) and follow the same building code regulations as a toilet (you need twice the space). For us, a washlet is a no brainer. Easy install (can do it yourself if you have an outlet), doesn’t take up extra space, less expensive than a stand alone bidet, and saves money on toilet paper!
5. Mudroom. As a mom of two humans and two furbabies, I accumulate LOTS of things. Currently, these things end up on the end of my dining room table, staring me in the face right when I walk in the back door. It is one of my least favorite things about my current house. In the new house, we are installing a mudroom in the garage (ground floor) with cubbies and a bench seat. There will be shoe storage underneath and hooks above for coats and backpacks. I would also like an air-conditioned area to park the stroller that is out of the main living space (Charleston garages are NOT conducive to storing anything with fabric… hello mildew!). See my Pinterest mudroom board for inspo pictures.
6. Outdoor shower. Living in the Lowcountry, we are always partaking in outdoor activities with the kids and pets, which oftentimes leads to us coming home covered in sweat, pluff mud, and sand. An outdoor shower to hose off sandy bodies and toes with a nearby sink for any soiled clothes is a must have for the new house! Depending on how fancy you want to get, it can be a very affordable upgrade ($1,000 for simple cold water to around $5,000 if you want hot and cold water with an enclosure) that will more than pay for itself when you sell your home. Linked here are things to consider before installing an outdoor shower.
7. Hidden litter boxes and dog crates. In our current home, our kitty’s litter box is taking up an ENTIRE shower and our dog crate is taking up 1/5 of our living room (he is a 90 lb Great Pyrenees puppy and growing). Bottom line, our lovable furbabies take up a ton of important space that I want to prioritize for the humans in my life. Solution? The new house will have a specific area under the laundry room countertop for the Litter Robot. Our laundry room is also big enough for a built-in dog crate under the countertop. By the time we move in, I am hoping our Pyr is out of the puppy phase and will no longer need this space, but it will be nice to have it as a backup… or if my crazy husband and children convince me to get another animal. While it won’t work with our floor plan, I have also seen built in dog crates installed under the stairs; another great way to use “dead space” in your home! See my Pinterest pets board for inspo!
