Building a custom home will allow you to achieve optimal levels of comfort. You get to choose what you want without compromise. While this is clear, you may still struggle with knowing which features will give you the most value. Today’s your lucky day. Here’s a list of custom home must haves for your upcoming project.

1. Solar Panels

Solar panels are increasingly becoming one of the top custom home must haves, and for good reason. According to Zenith Design + Build, the average home can save $10,000 to $30,000 throughout the useful life of its solar panel system. The more solar panels you connect with the help of your (( local home builder)), the more electricity the system will produce. Not only will this reduce your electricity bills, but your home’s value will also increase.

The good thing with solar panels is they’re easy to install and you don’t have to do much in terms of maintenance. Besides that, you’ll find that the cost of repairs is generally low. By adopting this clean electricity, you’ll be playing your role in eliminating the use of harmful fossil fuels.

If you don’t like the sight of standard solar panels, consider installing solar shingles. These will give you both functionality and aesthetics. For a quality installation job ensure you hire professional solar shingles contractors.

2. A Deck

Don’t just stop with the house when building your home. Outdoor living spaces are one of the custom home must haves. More people are realizing the value of the outdoors, causing them to look for ways to make them functional. One of the best features you can add to your backyard is a deck.

A custom deck built by a reputable deck building company will give you and your family a more usable and functional space that also kills it in terms of aesthetics. Whether you’d like to be hosting big get-togethers, entertaining small groups of friends and family for your famous summer cookout, or a cozy spot where you can sit back and relax at the end of a long day in the office a deck will have you covered and at a fraction of what it would cost you to build a traditional home addition. Add unique patio furniture and you’ll have a place where you can eat, conversate, and gather with your favorite people as you take in the gorgeous views of nature.

3. A Pool

You’re probably thinking, ”Do i really need a pool? Well, any major investment comes with its share of pros and cons. However, when you’re talking about an in-ground or above-ground swimming pool, the good will surely outweigh the bad. Still skeptical? Here are some benefits you’ll enjoy.

Swimming offers many great health benefits for you and your family. For example, it helps manage weight, reduces stress levels and risk of injury and improves cardiovascular health as well as sleep quality. Imagine getting to access these benefits from the comfort of your backyard. All you need is to hire professional pool installers and tell them how you’d like your pool built.

The summer heat is no joke. It makes going outside seem like torture. If you relate to these sentiments, a backyard pool may be just what you need. It’ll allow you to enjoy the summer sun without feeling uncomfortable and fatigued even when the temperatures are extremely high. Now you can see that a pool is one of the custom home must haves.

4. Smart Home Technology

You’ve probably heard some of your family or friends talk about smart homes. Or perhaps, you’ve seen some smart appliances on offer when shopping. Smart home technology is any device or appliance like a home entertainment system or thermostat that features communication technology, allowing homeowners to communicate with them remotely or through automation. You can choose to send commands using either your tablet, laptop, or smartphone.

Smart home lighting is one of the most popular examples of home automation. It allows you to maintain control of your outdoor and indoor lighting systems from any corner of the globe. Even when you’re on vacation, you can switch the light on and off to make it seem like someone is home. Smart home technology could also include refrigerators, garage door openers, and thermostats.

You can only control traditional security systems from the keypad inside your home. So when you leave home, you don’t have any control. Home security systems are another area where you can incorporate smart home tech with the help of a custom home building company. This way, you can quickly check in on your smart locks, video doorbells and smart cameras if anything unusual happens on your property. The best way to approach this project is by scheduling a smart home consultation.

5. Big Garage With Heating

Another popular entry to our list of custom home must haves is a big garage. Consider the number of cars you have in your home simultaneously and build something that leaves room for at least two more cars. You’ll find parking to be less of a hassle when you have a slightly larger space. To make your garage more functional, consider asking your custom home builders to incorporate heating.

Doing so will protect your car from the effects of the freezing winter conditions. Since the air will always be warm, your vehicle will start quicker even on icy days. Besides that, a heated garage helps with quick evaporation of snow and moisture, so you won’t have to worry about rust forming on your ride or other metal equipment and tools. This project will also provide you with a warm working space if you use your garage for DIY projects or other hobbies.

6. Hardscaping

Don’t forget about hardscaping elements when considering custom home must haves. Think of things like walkways, fireplaces, planting beds, patios, fountains, pond structures, and retaining walls. Some of the most popular hardscape materials are stone, concrete, metal, wood, brick, boulders, and gravel.

You may wonder if there are any benefits to hardscaping. Well, incorporating nonliving elements is a great way of balancing out your landscape’s design. Besides that, hardscapes don’t require much maintenance since materials like stone and concrete don’t need any watering or cutting to stay looking great. If you want more privacy from the prying eyes of neighbors or you want to reduce the noise levels on your property, adding a component such as a stone wall with the help of hardscaping contractors will allow you to achieve just that.

If you have an uneven lawn, you might run into issues ranging from soil erosion to inaccessible areas. Adding a retaining wall will resolve such problems while leaving you with a level area where plants can prosper. Patios are also great for evening out naturally bumpy or sloped areas. Incorporating additional steps or a pathway will facilitate an easier ascent of steep slopes.

7. Vinyl Floors

As you navigate your options for custom home must haves, note that the flooring you select is pivotal. So, with so many options to choose from, how do you settle on a final decision without getting overwhelmed? We suggest you look into vinyl flooring. Over recent years, vinyl floors have become more popular among homeowners seeking a balance of style, durability, and easy upkeep.

If you can count on this versatile flooring to do one thing, it’s to withstand the rigors of daily use. It’s engineered to resist everything from stains, dents, and scratches so it can go in virtually any room in your home. However, it’s especially great for high-traffic areas. Whether you have playful pets, hyperactive children, or a generally bustling household, you can be sure vinyl floors will handle the demands of your lifestyle while preserving their shine and overall appeal.

If you opt for vinyl flooring, you’ll also have various design options to choose from. Long gone are the days when all you could find were basic designs. You can now find vinyl floors in textures, patterns, and styles to suit any aesthetic preference. Do you want the luxurious feel of natural stone? or does the timeless appeal of hardwood tickle your fancy? Perhaps you want something exotic.

Whatever look you’re after, vinyl flooring has you covered. It can mimic any design perfectly. Whether it’s seashell terrazzo or velvet carpet, you can personalize your space to fit your home decor style. Another thing you’ll love about these floors is they’re easy to maintain and clean. The last thing you want after getting home from a long day in the offiice is to be saddled with chores.

8. Modern Energy Efficient Appliances

The appliances you have in your home don’t just say a lot about who you are as a homeowner. They also contribute to a significant portion of your home’s energy use. So as you choose the different appliances you’ll need in your home, be sure to go for the newer energy efficient ones. Such appliances will use less energy even if you maintain the same usage habits. Anything made today has higher energy efficiency than something made 5 or 10 years ago.

For maximum savings, only purchase devices with a blue ENERGY STAR logo. According to the Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy, this technology uses about 20% less energy than its standard counterpart. Since your energy use will drop, you’ll also save money. How much depends on the amount of energy you use currently.

Modern energy-efficient appliances, which are custom home must haves, will also allow you to play a role in helping conserve the environment. Its simple. They use less energy and waste even less. Hire an appliance service to better navigate your options.

9. Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are one of the best investments you can make in your home for the long term. These amazing inventions only expend energy when you’re using appliances or the hot water supply is on. This feature helps save energy and reduce utility bills.

They also have a longer average lifespan, use less space, are safer and ensure an endless supply of hot water. While tankless water heaters will generally cost you more to install, the benefits far outweigh the initial investment. For one, these custom home must haves are more energy efficient than traditional storage tank water heaters.

10. Modern HVAC Systems

New HVAC technologies are made with the aim of reducing carbon emissions. High-efficiency heat pumps and active solar thermal units are far more eco-friendly than traditional units. Part of the reason for this is they often feature smart thermostats, which you can control remotely using an app on your smartphone. These allow you to optimize comfort through your home’s zones, ensure ideal humidity levels, adjust and maintain temperatures, and schedule and set ”away” modes.

You can also use smart thermostats to monitor the sensors in your unit to identify, diagnose, and troubleshoot issues. Some of the quality modern HVAC systems you’ll find on the market today offer individual room temperature control in cooling and heating modes. Besides that, they’re easy to use and typically feature hi-tech noise-absorbing materials which significantly lower operating noise.

11. Heated Floors

Heated floors are perhaps the coolest feature to add to your custom home must haves. Nothing beats the feeling of walking barefoot on warm floors. Besides that, radiant floor heating provides more uniform heating than traditional systems.

Another underrated benefit of having heated floors is better air quality. Think about it. Traditional systems pick up dust and blow that air throughout your home. However, this type of heating warms you and your home upon direct contact, so you won’t disturb any allergens until you wipe them away.

Radiant heating systems will also open up your home for a clean design. They’ll allow you to get rid of the aesthetically disruptive floor and wall vents and radiators. You get more space and a neater-looking home.

Building a custom home gives you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get everything you want in a home. So don’t waste it. While you could spend time doing the research yourself if you have the time, enlist the services of a custom home builder starting with an initial consultation. Doing this will allow you to get professional advice on what will work best for your project, what to avoid, where to source materials and much more. What are you waiting for? Make that call now.