DFW’s Must Haves in New Construction Homes

Check out our latest list of Must Haves in a new construction or newly renovated home in Dallas Fort Worth. There are so many new homes being built around the country these days. North Texas is no exception.

When you are working with a builder or general contractor, there are so many decisions to make and things to remember. Hardwood vs tile? What level of carpet should you get? Does the carpet pad make a difference? Granite countertops or quartz? No wonder it is so easy to get overwhelmed! Unfortunately, this means it is also easy to forget about features or additions that might be super helpful in your new home.

We have connected with several local real estate agents and new homeowners in the DFW metroplex to put together a list of must haves in new construction homes. This is our latest working draft of must haves — we would love to add more, so please provide any additional #housegoals you have below.

1. Outlets under the sink in bathrooms
2. Height of shower head (important for tall people)
3. Upgrade the carpet pad vs the carpet — padding makes all the difference
4. Outlets in the master closet
5. Make sure the ceiling fans/lights are on different switches
6. If possible, add outlets to floors in living room for lamps
7. Outlets in the island for large appliances
8. If at all possible in the budget, add crown molding to living spaces and master bedroom
9. Pot filler in the kitchen
10. Double oven
11. More exterior lights
12. Consider adding an extra gate to the side
13. Lighting in general (uplights, cabinet lighting, light fixtures, etc.)
14. Slab on concrete on the side of house for trash cans
15. Placement of shelves/height
16. Extra outlets everywhere
17. Typical new builds only come with one water hose connection outside. Make sure there is one on the front and back and one in the backyard area so a soaker hose can be used during the HOT summer months.
18. Water spouts near the flower beds in the front and back
19. Add electrical under the front eves of house to plug in Christmas lights
20. Add electrical to the top of fireplace mantle for Christmas lights or decorative lighting year round
21. Add water plumbing to the garage for a garage sink
22. Add 4 ft of extra garage space to extend garage
23. Additional canned lighting in other areas too
24. Add some security lights that are low voltage.
25. Maximize hard flooring in attic spaces for extra storage — extra decking is often readily available
26. Outlets in nooks- especially those that are up high
27. If possible, have space between you and your neighbors.
28. Irrigation lines for future/current landscaping or gardening
29. Irrigation lines to ensure foundation is properly maintained and you don’t have issues later on.

As stated above, this is a working list/resource for our audience and we welcome any additional items you would recommend! Contact us with any questions or if you have any inspection needs we can help with during your build or renovation process. We are always a text, phone call or email away!