What started as a desire to upgrade our kitchen in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic spiraled into my husband and me purchasing a home in a nearby neighborhood with the intention of knocking it down and designing our dream home from scratch. We happily lived in our prior home for 15 years, but spending so much time there during lockdown quickly revealed how much we wanted to revamp and upgrade. We were also pretty bored at the time, so we started touring local houses for sale, including models in a new neighborhood under development.
We fell in love with a model, but not the neighborhood’s location. We then stumbled upon a home in a neighborhood that was the perfect fit—a small, outdated house sitting on a large, beautiful lot that seemed like prime real estate for the new, modern home we envisioned.
This special “pandemic project,” as we like to call it, was a great way to pass the time and do something creative during an otherwise stressful and uncertain period. While we are extremely happy with how our new home turned out, there are a few aspects that we wish we could go back and change if we were building a home again.
1. Sun Exposure
Most homebuyers yearn for southern sun exposure, but I find it to be an expensive nuisance. I spend my life trying to hide from the sun due to skin issues and prefer to enjoy being outdoors in a nice shady spot. Our South Florida home’s backyard receives the brunt of southern exposure all afternoon and into the evening. We’ve found we had to make several costly adjustments to fight off the natural sunlight.
We installed a large retractable awning and several electronic sunshades to keep the sun off our back patios. We selected them after living in the home for several months and experiencing the sun pattern. We also have several umbrellas on wheels to use around the pool. If I were to do it again, I would opt for a home with northern sun exposure in the backyard, since that’s where we spend most of our time outdoors.
2. The Number of Electrical Outlets
Like many, our lives are tied to electronics, and we are constantly carrying our phones, iPads, and laptop computers from room to room in our new home. After living in the home for several months, we regretted not planning for more electrical outlets. This is especially an issue in our family room. When sitting on the sofa, for example, it is impossible to plug in an electronic device that needs recharging because the outlets are too far away. If we could go back in the design process, we would ask for more outlets, including a couple of floor outlets in the center of the family room.
3. Guest Bedroom Size
While we made the right decision to include a guest bedroom on the second floor, we put too much effort and money into designing and decorating a room that rarely gets used. One of the biggest mistakes is that the architect’s design called for a large bathroom that took up too much space. This footprint of the large guestroom and bath means that the closet in our daughter’s bedroom is too tight. I wish we would have caught that during the design process, because she uses her closet multiple times a day, while that guest bathroom is hardly ever touched.
4. Air Conditioner Vents
The one thing that drives my husband crazy is that he wishes he had opted for more modern linear AC return vent covers when the builder suggested it. Linear vent covers are valued for their minimal, streamlined look that creates a more upscale space. Plus, they provide even air distribution and more energy efficiency, so they are a practical choice as well.
Instead, we chose to install typical square vents that are not as aesthetically pleasing. This might seem like a minor detail, but every room throughout the house has vents. Once you notice them, they can really catch your attention. Having linear ones would have finished the rooms in a more luxurious way.
5. Maintenance Required for Special Features
The other big lesson we learned is that choosing special features to create a dream home can be more trouble than it’s worth. Aside from the up-front investment, special features often can become an ongoing commitment of time and money to maintain. The water vapor fireplace we installed, for example, is gorgeous and mesmerizing, but upkeep involves regularly refilling the water reservoir and cleaning the unit to prevent mineral buildup. We also have had to call the vendor to come and fix it a few times.
Another issue has been trying to maintain the natural wood bridge that welcomes guests at the front door. This was a design feature that I found while admiring pictures of modern homes online and just had to have, but it has already had to be re-stained twice in a year and a half.
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