Must-Have New Home Features This Year

Tips

Building a house this year? Don’t let the little details slip through the cracks—especially the ones that’ll make your life easier every day. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll want to include, all of which can be found in the Ultimate Home Building Checklist:

1. Shower Niche Lighting

Standard shower niches are great for storage, but if you want to take it to the next level, consider adding LED Lighting. It really creates a mood and gives it a high-end feel. Make sure to choose waterproof lighting options, and pair them with a dimmer switch for customizable ambiance. I like Aspect Lighting although there are cheaper options on Amazon I don’t have any specifically I can recommend there.

Shower niche lighting ideas via The Spruce

2. Garage Drain

A central garage drain is incredibly practical when you pull your car into the garage after driving in the snow or rain. The water will move it’s way right into the drain instead leaving puddles in the garage that accumulate dirt and become big ugly stains. Some use the drain for washing their cars inside the garage. A big squeegee can be used to quickly push the water into the drain if you don’t want to wait on gravity.

Garage Drainage via Sundek

3. Automatic Shades

Motorized shades are no longer a luxury—they’re becoming a standard convenience. If you want seamless installation, ask your builder to run wiring to all windows before drywall is installed. Even if you can’t afford the shades right now, get the wiring in place so it’s there when you need it.

You could always go with solar shades but nothing beats a hardwired set of shades. I have these solar shades and they work pretty well but I still have to charge them every few months even with them connected to the mini solar panel.

Nothing beats having your shades open and close on their own is one of those things you’ll come to appreciate and wonder how you ever lived without.

4. In-Drawer Outlets

Countertops covered with chargers, hair tools, or small appliances can make kitchens and bathrooms feel cluttered. In-drawer outlets allow you to keep these items plugged in and ready to use while hidden away. In the bathroom, they’re ideal for hair dryers and straighteners. In the kitchen, they’re perfect for keeping coffee makers, toasters, and blenders out of sight without unplugging them - or even charging your phone!

These in-drawer outlets by Docking Drawer are the most popular. They also offer a feature where the power is turned off when the drawer is closed so your hair dryer or toaster doesn't burn the house down. Here is an example of how it works.

DIY Charging Drawer via The DIY Playbook

5. Floor Outlets

Floor outlets eliminate the need to run unsightly cords across rooms, especially in areas where furniture doesn’t sit against a wall. They’re particularly useful in open-concept living rooms for lamps, under desks in home offices, or near seating areas for charging laptops and phones. Plan their placement early to ensure they align with your furniture layout.

Bonus points if you run the wiring inside conduit so if you decide to add some other sort of wiring later you can easily do so.

Office Inspiration via McGee & Co.

These are just a few of the features you’ll find in my Ultimate Home Building Checklist!
✅ Organized into phases of construction
✅ Free updates sent to you for free
✅ Video and links to better explain line items

💬 Still unsure? Homeowners rave about this checklist! Check out the reviews on my site or ask the 100,000+ members in my free ‘Home Building Help’ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/builderbrigade