What I Wish I Had Known When Building My First Home
Building my first home was one of my most memorable experiences because it marked an important milestone in life that got me moving in the right direction. Although I was excited to do the job, it was stressful because I never knew if I was making smart choices or critical mistakes that would make things harder than needed.
Now that I look back on the home I have built, I am proud of the design and each step I took along the way. I have, however, spotted a few things I wish I would have done differently. Take my advice to heart if you are building your first or second home, and you will reduce the number of mistakes you make.
Extra Windows Are Helpful
During the early design days, I put a lot of thought into the layout of the rooms, porch, walkways and more. I wanted everything to be as perfect as possible by the time the construction crew finished the job. Even though I was careful with the details, I overlooked window placement.
Because of my oversight, many parts of my home are dark and require artificial lighting. Opening the curtain and allowing sunlight to enter your home can boost your mood and increase your energy level, but you will also save money on your energy bills. Consider the rooms in which you will spend the most time, and make sure you install enough windows.
Outlet Placement
Although it’s easy for anyone to miss, the placement of your outlets is an essential piece of the puzzle you can’t overlook. Once my home was ready, I tried plugging my entertainment system into the wall and discovered I did not have enough outlets for the task. It took a lot of work, but I ran an extension cord under the rug to make it reach my entertainment system, but you don’t need to go through the trouble. You must consider the things you want to power and install enough outlets to do the trick, and you will be happy you did when you can run everything without issues.
Energy Efficiency
If you care about your budget and wish to reduce your carbon footprint, think about the benefits you can enjoy when you build your home while keeping sustainability in mind. I should have used energy-efficient insulation to keep my heating and cooling costs down, but that is only part of it. Although it would have cost more up front, installing solar panels would have saved me a lot more over the long run. I also wish I would have read this useful energy guide in the beginning.
Final Thoughts
When you build a home, you have so many things to keep in mind that forgetting important steps is easy. You will even run into issues you had not considered no matter how much thought you put into the home-building process. If you keep your needs in mind while reading this guide, you can learn from my mistakes so that you won’t need to repeat them. You can then craft an unbeatable home that will reduce energy consumption and give you peace of mind.