I was going to say the same thing. We have 8' ceilings and it holds the heat better, but it really depends on where you live. Up north, it makes a big difference in heating bills-even the 8-9' difference. Also, vaulted ceilings are more difficult to clean. But again, it's all about location.

Neutral tiles in the bathroom and kitchen will make it easier to redecorate and resell.

Lifestyle, as someone said already, is a big consideration. We have a large family, so we have an open floorplan that allows for easier entertaining. Our house is smaller, but it looks bigger because of it.

You may want to look at a list of what adds resale value to the house when building and see what is important to you on the list. It's good to plan for just in cases.

Laying ceramic tiles on the diagonal rather than parallel to the wall makes rooms look bigger. The larger the tile, the less grout there is that can get stained.

We have a laundry chute in our present house. I don't find it helpful at all.

Bump out EVERYTHING you can..i.e.: larger garage, extended family room, sunroom, etc.

I know that everyone wants to have everything inside upgraded to the max, but in the end, its the square footage that is going to later sell your house. You can gradually upgrade things once you have the funds, but it costs a helluva lot more to try to add square footage on later.

I can't think of a contractor or architect in their right minds who would specify wood in a bathroom or kitchen. No professional is going to take on that liability.

Clearly, I'm coming at this from a different angle than most people, but my primary concern would be to ensure that water cannot get in the house, and that it's comfortably warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Vaulted ceilings aren't the most energy efficient, even though they may look pretty.

Estimate 10-15% of the cost of construction for things that pop up. That's where the contractors make a lot of their profits--those things that weren't considered part of the original contract and the client isn't in a good place to negotiate. There's a contractor in my hometown who has a yacht named, you guessed it, "Change Order," since that's what paid for the boat! :)

My mom has hardwoods through her entire house, including her kitchen. They've never been a problem. Her bathrooms are tile, though.

Here are a couple suggestions:

1. Make sure your contractors get all the permits they're supposed to get. Believe it or not, some try to skirt some of them. If anything goes wrong in the future - say, your pipes burst - you're going to want to make sure the work was done under permit.

2. Please do not carpet your bathroom. It's gross.

3. Don't know how important a pantry is to you, but it's way important to me. I hate having to put all of my food in my cupboards. When I get a house, I want a walk-in pantry.

There are things you can get to prevent the flooding. There are automatic shutoffs in case the hoses leak. Second floor washers can also have a pan under the washer. A washer can flood the house from the first floor or basement too.


The one thing I don't like about my parent's house is the crank out windows. Double hung is the way to go and they are cheaper. The crank out are a pain in the arse. You can walk into them on the deck. If you don't have the crankout unlocked and you start to crank you can crack the window. The double hung can also be tilted in to clean.

Not really. Pergo is fine for kitchens and baths.

Pergo is not really wood though and you do have to be careful about water. I'm going to get rid of the Pergo in my kitchen eventually because the area where the dog's water dish sits is starting to warp. Her bowl is on a doggie placemat with a lip but she's a messy drinker. I can't imagine what a dishwasher that leaked would do to the Pergo. You also have to use glue if you're putting it in an area where they may be water because the water can seep through the seams and under the floor creating a haven for mold.