Things people often forget when building part 2

Kitchen:

• Check size of fridge recess as most Korean fridges Samsung, LG etc are 900mm wide which is standard width of recess, ask to increase to 1000mm to cover all brands.
• Check fridge depth if you might consider one of the “larger” units. Don't forget to allow clearance for "French doors or draws on some larger fridges
• If you may want a "large" fridge at some later time, consider having the cavity built the required size but temporary "filling" the excess space with a small broom cupboard or similar 
http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/up ... jNaX_c.jpg
• If the fridge is in the pantry check which way fridge dor opens with regard to clearance of the pantry door, so you have to have to actually enter the pantry to open the fridge door ?
• Provision for water tap in fridge recess for future proofing
• Alternatively don’t install water tap behind fridge, install it inside kitchen cupboards instead
• And maybe a water filter too ? 
• Check dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, fridge, microwave spaces will fit the models you want 
• Check height of rangehood so you don’t hit your head when cooking over stove
• Check cupboard height
• Size of pot draws... builder is offering 3 sets of pot draws, but two of them are so skinny that you can't fit any thing in them (one is oversized) 
• Get adjustable shelves in kitchen cupboards for different sized items
• Useful link if you want those soft closing drawers and want a more affordable option
http://www.tim-and-tina.com/
• Soft-close doors ALSO consider for all other cupboards / vanities / linen etc.. 
• Proximity of windows to gas cooktop - will a breeze coming in the window affect the cooking flame?
• Careful where dishwasher is positioned - you don't want to have to close the dishwasher to open the cupboard that clean dishes go in
• Ensure you specify in your contract that splashback must be installed as 'one piece' 'no joins' 'single sheet of glass', because the builder may use "off-cuts" and install your splashback as 3 pieces (for example) 
• Mitered edges, waterfall benches in kitchen
• Location of overhead cupboards in kitchen, is the face flush with wall? Ours wasn’t and I had to get it amended
• Height of kitchen bench
• More cupboards in the kitchen. Storage is never enough
• if appropiate consider have your pantry door made as a joinery door for a seamless look 
• Install power points on kitchen island....One the end facing "out" or in the face at the ends, where do you want them ? 
• Consider having a water filter installed at the kitchen sink
• Proximity of windows to gas cook-top - will a breeze coming in the window affect the cooking flame?
• Light and exhaust fan in pantry if required, but maybe NOT a skylight, it can be best to store food in dark conditions
• Location of waste bin (also recycling / green waste). Consider built-in bins or slide-out bins 
• Concealed powerpoints for charging your phone / tablet (drop down door or slide-up-and-in-draw
http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r59 ... 83a3-1.jpg
• If you have an undermount sink are you having a draining board ?


Bathroom:

• Think about window size in bathrooms, big windows can make bathrooms feel cold
• Frosted windows on toilets/bathrooms or consider painted white for better night-time privacy 
• Don't have toilet windows that cannot be properly closed / sealed (ie, those with just fly-wire at the top) 
• Check which way shower doors open and stipulate door opening direction in contract for all doors (entry, pantry, wardrobes, shower, internal) 
• Height of shower screen, Important if you have put in higher ceilings 
• Ask for tiles to be cleaned and sealed in wet areas so grout doesn’t stain, especially around toilet bowls
• Check location of taps in shower so you don’t have to retract arm through the water after turning hot water on
• Wall mount bathroom taps saves water pooling around taps and easier to clean
• Consider installing an open shower recess instead of shower cabinet
• If you're having a double-shower, get two shower-heads  
• Consider adding glass-shield to both sides of shower screens
• Consider nib walls between shower recess and vanity
• Think about where you want a medicine cabinet?
• Vanitys, Do they have draws or cupboards, What do you want ? 
• Do you want privacy locks in bathrooms?
• Small alcoves (or glass shelves) in the showers to put shampoos and soap so they don't all end up on the shower floor (Scala glass shelf from Reece)

(http://www.reece.com.au/bathrooms/products/2261358 )
• If you have the habit of placing a bathmat outside shower door, make sure that it is not in the way where the bathroom door opens/closes
• Now I have frameless showers screens installed, with silicon down the sides between the glass and wall, it would have been better to have inset channels in the wall before the tiles went in
• Consider "Glass bricks" for one bathroom wall (but I'd select the non-see-through ones  !!) 


Bedroom:

• Think about sliding doors for built in robes, not just for saving space but also so you’re not restricted on placement of furniture
• Delete all shelving for walk in robes and built in robes if sourcing own shelving after handover and ensure clothes rails aren’t installed as well
• Consider increasing width of built in robes, standard width is 500mm which catches on clothes when closing door
• Check line of sight when people walk in front door and master suite door is open
• Do the walls need sound insulation, what is on the other side of the walls, toilet cistern, TV ?? 


Laundry:

• Check that laundry trough has bypass drain
• Consider pull out or pull-down ironing board in laundry for quick ironing jobs
• Drying cupboard in laundry, install heating duct in cupboard to dry clothes
• Lots of linen cupboard space
• Consider ventilation in the laundry
• Sliding entry door, easier when sorting through clothes (takes less internal room)
• I used a 'drop-in' style laundry tub - into a long run of bench top (same laminate as kitchen) for a streamlined look
• Tall cupboard in laundry minus shelves to take vacuum cleaner, ironing board & brooms
• If you will be wall-mounting your dryer get the chippy to install timber for the brackets, if you are going for a large (USA style) gas dryer, fit vent in walls
http://jpmark.com.au/Text/1173135234406 ... 1867-4775/
• Drain in laundry floor in case washing machine floods
• Broom / mop / ironing board storage 
• Place for cats litter tray (would a sliding door to the laundry help ?)
• As well as extra noggins / trimmers for wall mounted clothes dryers don't forget an adjacent powerpoint and dryer vent
• Overhead cupboards 
• Built in hamper for dirty clothers 
• Pull-out spray tap for filling buckets on the floor, washing fur-kids....... 
 

Living Areas:

• Check measurements of furniture, allow 12mm for render on walls and don’t forget floor coverings as well when calculating width/height for recesses, alcoves etc
• Ask for wider openings to passageways than the standard, makes it easier to move furniture without having to pull them apart, scratch or bump into corners
• At framing stage, take photos of walls in all rooms before gyprock goes on so you know location of studs and noggins for later You will need this help
• Remember curtains and carpet reduce echo in large open plan areas
• Install sound insulation in internal walls
• If you love hanging lots of pictures, photos etc get builder to install an extra row of nogging so you have a solid row of wood to hang from instead of plasterboard
• Consider installing doors to close off open plan areas, provides greater flexibility when kids get older
• Leave enough space at the side of windows or doors for window coverings. (we have a sliding door with a window either side in our master bedroom and there's not a great deal of space for curtains to pull back against the wall, so they don't cover the window.)


Alfresco / Patio

• Check ceiling height in alfresco is high enough if you want to install a ceiling fan
• Check material used for ceiling roof in alfresco is for outdoors and not indoors
• Install outdoor gas point for a BBQ / heaters or similar)
• Consider external light switches in alfresco
• Consider external power points in alfresco
• Consider speakers / sound for this area (speaker / amp location)
• Consider an extra tap for an outdoor alfresco
• Consider using stainless steel where possible (BBQ frames / lights / fan etc) 
• Room to actually fit the BBQ / Sink as desired 
• [color=#FF0000Fly screens on access door(s) [/color]
• Insulation above the alfresco ceiling (may not be included) 
• Provision for a Bug Zapper (LED lighting in your alfresco may not attract insects though
• Dimmer switches for alfresco lighting, Probably don't need them "full bright" late in the evening 
• Gas / power points for outdoor fire 
• Tap for fur-kids water bowl 

Garage:

• Consider installing manhole in garage so tradesman can do all the work from inside the garage and not the house
• Lock on garage-access manhole
• Insulation above the garage ceiling (may not be included) 
• Check height of garage door in case it needs to be raised for 4WD vehicles and hatchbacks
• Consider workshop/storeroom on side of garage, allows extra room for opening car doors, storing bicycles rather than paying for shed later
• Ensure driveway is cut into the gutter where it joins the road so car doesn’t touch the bottom when pulling into driveway


DATA / HOME ENTERTAINMENT

• Foxtel - Wants data (Check out how many Data points you need, it might be one or two depending if you're on cable or satellite) 
• TV - Wants data
• HD Media Players - Wants data
• DVD players - Wants data
• Computer - Wants data
• Printer - Wants data
• TV and / or data point for the fridge 
• Networked hard drives - Wants data
• IP Security cameras...Wants data
• Home Security system often requires a second dedicated phone point
• A proper Comms external enclosure... + FTTH Internal Lead In to have an External FTTH ONT mounted inside it.. something like this:
http://www.brenclosures.com.au/nbn-enclosure.htm
• Or get it as part of the full enclosure kit like this
http://www.hagerbr.com.au/enclosures/do ... 0/4386.htm
• A FTTH Compliant Internal Lead In
• Think about (central) location for wireless router 
• Location for network hub / Central data / comms location 

• Get all your cables for ceiling speakers in whilst building 
• Also cables for your LCD / Plasma displays and projector