[iastategal]

I had my house built 7 yrs ago - some of the best advice I got at the time was:
1) put in the vaulted ceiling - it really does make the rooms look bigger,
2) upgrade your kitchen cabinets and get the pull out cabinet shelves and lazy susan in the corner - really helps you utilize what would otherwise be awkward/dead space better
3) electrical outlets - you always need more
4) cable and phone outlets - at a minimum in your family room, living room, kitchen, master bedroom and home office
5) ceiling fan prewire - this really helps with circulation and helps with both the a/c bill and the heating bill.
6) extra wiring for things such as surround sound, burgler alarms etc - it is much cheaper and easier to have it put in when its being built than putting it in later - even if you dont conect it up right away
7) I recommend upgraded appliances - typcially for a small fee you get much better appliances than the base model that comes with the house - for example the $200 extra I paid for my gas range/oven gave a model with a warming drawer, 2 high output burners, and a precise control burner.
8) if you opt for carpeting - upgrade the carpet pad - a thicker pad can make even cheap carpet feel better and last longer
9) If you can't afford to have the builder finish a bathroom or other rooms (a basement area) - at least have them rough in plumbing and electrical - much easier and cheaper to finish later when your checkbook recovers

When you sign your contract, find out how long you have to make changes before they start to cost you - when my house was built I had 2 weeks to make any changes at no change cost, and then after that there was a change fee ($100/change I think) + the cost of the option.