Backup generator or prewired for one and large natural gas line for future generator

Make sure your garage is actually big enough for what you want - especially if a 2 car. Most new builds these days won't really fit two full size vehicles. We had ours drawn to fit two suburbans comfortably + all our kids' crap.

Make your patios bigger than you think they need to be.

Extra insulation between 1st and 2nd story

More electric outlets than you think you need.

With hindsight, our build was higher-end/more custom than our builder was used to. So there were some design choices at the outset that had unforeseen consequences. Bigger fireplaces changed requirements for chimney construction. Bigger garage changed roofline which screwed up fire egress, etc… basically, if you deviate from the builder's norm really push to make sure they do it right.

You building custom or with a highland homes type builder?

Echo comments on the garage. We are building a new home and had them make the garage door 1ft taller and taken out the middle brick column. We also added a 4th car (really 3 garage doors but one of the bays is a tandem garage).

You'll also want a front house out by the garage to easily clean cars or whatever.

One more tip would be to add 240V outlets in the garage for the future proofing with electric cars. Much easier now vs doing it later.

I'm not sure your neighborhood in Dallas or floor plan, but at that square footage I would really try to add a 4th bath or powder bath at minimum. Again, not sure all the details, but I'd think for resale most buyers would really expect a 4th bathroom in a newer construction 4000+ sq ft home in many areas of Dallas. Just something to look into, but it might not be worth it to you.

It's really cheap to add the 240v or whatever it is during construction, shouldn't be a big deal. Necessary? No. Do I use mine? No. Do I kind of want to buy a Tesla as a 3rd car and would I use it then? Yes.

Make the laundry room huge. Much bigger than you think you will need. Put the second fridge in there. Have a rack like in a closet to hang clean clothes before putting them away. Consider using the laundry room as the mud room to store kids school/sports stuff in a room that can easily be closed off when you are entertaining people.

If you have dogs/cats, put in dog/cat doors and be intentional about spaces where you will feed them and store their food/supplies.

Do a Butler's pantry with an under counter pellet ice maker.

Walk the house with the electrician to make sure the light switches and plugs make sense.

If you entertain frequently, consider a dry bar/wet bar.

combat wombat said:

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I wish I had 2 dishwashers. There are 5 in our family and it seems I can seldom get all the dishes done in one load.

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Absolutely. There are just two of us and I'd love a second dishwasher.

If we're really dreaming, I'd love a nice wet bar with a small dishwasher as well. Why do you never see dishwashers in fancy wet bars? Seems so much easier to keep your barware right in that area and wash in it's own dishwasher. I also think hand washing is gross though and will put everything, even delicate stemware in the dishwasher.

-A butlers pantry would be fantastic as well.

-A proper, sit down vanity/make up area in the master bathroom somewhere. If you don't have the sit down cut out by either sink, a make up area can still be placed elsewhere in the bathroom.

-Pocket door for toilet in the master, not swing out door. If it swings into the tiny toilet room it feels claustrophobic and if it swings outward when it's open it's taking up real estate in the bathroom.

-Making one of the closets a safe/storm room. Lock on master closet.

-If planning on a pool, bathroom with direct outdoor access.

-storage, storage galore

I have lots and lots of thoughts on floor plans overall, but it sounds like you're pretty far down that road

- extra cubby space for entry area shoes and bags. kids have so much **** these days.

- backer boards behind sheetrock for tp and towel holders in bathrooms

- timers on exhaust fans

- night light switches for bathrooms, especially toilet rooms (keeps from needing a light in the middle of the night)

Showers with a bench or seat are on my list. Dream is a separate water closet for me to use exclusively.
The two dishwashers is such a great idea. A walk in shower for mother-in-law suite so you don't have to adapt it when grandparents need it. Hanging bars for delicate laundry and deep soaking sink near washing machine. Extra lights in closet so you can tell when something is navy or black.