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We moved to Franklin at the beginning of a housing boom. We joined in the fray and had a house built. Previously we lived in a 65 year old home where everything, both internal and external, was well established. There were constant maintenance issues however, new roof, plumbing, etc., all to be expected with an older home. We thought moving into a freshly built home would be a pleasure - no maintenance, everything's new. Well, let me tell ya - it ain't so! A new house is nothing but maintenance, especially if you're trying to make a house a home. Outside there are no gardens, no lawn, just bare earth. Inside, unless you've moved from the exact style of house to the new house, nothing old fits or matches the new. And then there the little things that you never thought you'd have to think about, mechanical systems for instance, that you regret not thinking about later. The following is a list of considerations when building new.
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When deciding on a plan, be sure to take as much time up front with the architect because once the building starts, changes can be costly and time consuming. Items to think about in the plan are electrical outlet, switch and fixture locations. Consider possible changes that you might make in the future (additions, room expansions) so you can keep your costs down when these improvements take place. Consider locations of baseboard heating (if applicable), ductwork for air conditioning/hot air heating and soil stacks at this point also.
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Have very clear ideas as to what your preferences are when it comes to materials. Unless you're planning to take as much time as you would like building your house, decisions have to be made very quickly in order to keep to your schedule. These include, but are not limited to cabinets, flooring, lighting, appliances and plumbing fixtures.
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One regret I have is the location of the mechanicals in the basement. This is one place that not many people give any thought to. It's surprising how much room these thing can devour if not organized properly. If I'd realized this then, I'd have a substantial chunk of my basement back as useful space.
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