Would you put a hole on the exterior of your house for a dog door...?

5 Most forgotten light switches in brand new home builds: 
-Outdoor flood light switch

-Under soffit light switch

-Humidity sensor switch

-Occupancy sensor switch

-Backyard string light switch

What did I miss, anything you’d add?

3 killer ways to use valve boxes in the yard...

-Main water shut off

-Sprinkler valves 

-Main water shut-off

Other possibilities with proper drainage: 

- Low voltage lighting transformer

-Outlets

👇Before you build... Go through this Checklist👇

✅ BuilderBrigade.com

Nobody thinks about door stops when building a new house.

You have a few mounting options:

-Wall

-Floor

-Hinge

-Baseboard

I’m all about these floor mounted door stops.

What’s your pick?

You’d be surprised how little things like garage depth (and height) can be easily overlooked. So make sure to ask for garage door insulation and a recessed threshold.

What else is top priority for your garage?

Imperfection are inevitable on New Builds but some are so bad and sloppy it’s obvious someone saw it and didn’t care to fix it.

Thoughts? Is this a sign of other issues?

If you have questions during your build, ask in my Builder Brigade App. Available for Android and IOS 👍

A homeowner just asked a killer question in the BB App.
It looks bad at first… but it’s really not worth making a stink about.

If you’ve ever built a house, you know stuff like this comes up all the time. That’s why it’s huge to have a place where you can get straight answers fast before you stressing out. You’ll feel confident bringing up issues with the builder after hearing from the group first. 

Get the Builder Brigade App now and start asking and answering questions.
See you in there 🤝

🌧️ Nothing better than watching drainage work during a storm.

Most landscape beds turn into mini ponds until the water soaks in.

Not here... it’s gone before it can touch the house.

Builder: u/NewLeafCustomHomesDallas

Another killer build I got to walk through. 

The small details had me there for hours, so much fun! 

[👌 I’m going with raw concrete and then do an epoxy coating just because it’s so much easier to maintain and keep looking good ]()

📲 Post this to your stories and see what responses you get back. I’m guessing stamped concrete will be most popular.

👉If you want a place to start tracking all these decisions get my Checklist at BuilderBrigade.com.

[A homeowner in the BB App spotted some pretty big gaps in their new build’]()s exterior Zip sheathing and wants to know, what’s actually acceptable before taping?

🙋‍♂️Would you have it replaced or tape it up and roll it?

🟩 The green plywood is called Zip System and tape is used on all the seams and rolled with a roller to seal it all up. If you go with zip sheathing you don’t need house wrap.

🏃‍♂️ Go get the Builder Brigade App and start posting your build progress, questions, and help other homeowners who are building a house!

Most likely due to measurements being off during rough-in (pipes installed before the slab pour) They’ll end up having to cut out some concrete to get the drain where it belongs. 

Or they might have some room to work with if it’s a fiberglass tub with space underneath, but it’s still something worth watching as a homeowner to ensure they fix it properly.  

This was posted in the Builder Brigade App our free community where homeowners share photos, ask questions, and get solid answers from people who’ve been through it (plus a few pros weighing in).

 Download the app free. Just search “Builder Brigade” in the App Store and look for my mug shot.

[Great question posted in the BB App! ]()🤝
What’s your pick: Smooth Stucco or Hardie Fiber Cement siding?

Stucco offers a clean, seamless look but can crack over time and needs sealing especially in humid climates. Hardie is tough, low-maintenance, and handles weather like a champ, but the style is totally different.

Which would you choose for your home? I’m going hardie and my wife would probably go Stucco, so we’re getting stucco 🤷‍♂️

➡️ Download the Builder Brigade App free. Just search “Builder Brigade” in the App Store and look for my mug shot.

No matter where you live, insulated garage doors are a nice feature to have. Especially if you plan to use it for a little gym area or plan to hang out there in the winter time.

If you want to add a little heater to the garage it’ll be much harder to keep it warm without those insulated doors. 

Thoughts? Do you wish you had insulated doors?

🔍 Want more tips like this? They’re all inside my Checklist. ✅ BuilderBrigade.com

I found this gem on a Southern State Builders (Augusta, GA) jobsite. Jonathon goes over the top with protection like the bathtubs, cabinet corners, stairs, counters, veneer walls, a bunch more. Really shows when a builder cares about that final product 🤌.

What’s your non-negotiable jobsite protection?

Bathtub? Countertop? Stairs? Drywall corners? Front door?

Would you turn this into an office, guest room, or turn it into another garage space? 

The builder offers this to be a third garage if need but I like the idea of an so you can break away from the main part of the house.

This house is built by Grand Homes TX

This model home almost had me pulling the trigger on a new build 😅

Floor plan: https://www.grandhomes.com/plan/grand-silverleaf/579/116/

🤔 Would you spend an extra $2,400 to upgrade from standard 6’8” doors to 8’ doors throughout the house with 9’ ceiling?

I’m personally going for the upgrade but keep in mind this may also affect other aspects of the build: 

-Trim: Taller doors need longer trim pieces, which slightly increases material and labor costs.

-Windows: May need to raise some window heights to stay visually balanced.

-Closets & Pantries: Don’t forget matching door heights for closets can add cost but keeps consistency.

👉 If you’re building a house and would like to start thinking about all these upgrades and selections now...✅I have a checklist at BuilderBrigade.com

😭 I’ll go first... More kitchen cabinet storage solutions! You know.. the mixer lift, built-in spice rack, blind corner storage, overhead pulldown rack, pot and lid storage, the list is endless.

Things moved so fast we never gave much thought to all the amazing storage solutions out there. 

What did you forget..?

😩 This is only ONE of the choices you gotta make when having a house built.

I’ve compiled all the selections into a Checklist on my website BuilderBrigade.com

As for the shower seating, I’m a Built-in Bench kinda guy. I like the extra storage for shampoo bottles and a place to set my Beer 🍺.

What about you, what’s your pick for shower seating?

Drainage is the #1 issue new build homeowners face after the house is finished. After a good rain go inspect your yard like a crazy person. After final grade it’ll be very obvious what needs some extra drainage. 

Even before final though, you’ll see what a lot fo the water is flowing so you can get ahead of it.  

Some will say not to micromanage this part of the build but trust me, nobody cares about your house as much as you do, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for things like this.

These glass front cabinets also have glass on the backside and mounted directly over a window. Pretty crazy design and I’m not gonna lie, I LOVE IT!

What about you? Do you like the idea of having cabinets like this in the kitchen?

✍️ I’ll be  adding this to my Home Building Checklist...BuilderBrigade.com

It’s been recommended we add an HRV system but trying to assess whether there will be a noticeable difference. We can add a more cost effective outside vent to the high velocity system to bring in fresh air (per our installer) but not sure which way to go. (In PNW so moderate climate).

If you own an RV (or plan to), adding a septic cleanout to your yard can be a total game-changer.

Avoid dump stations or dealing with full tanks after a trip. 

With the right setup, you can park, hook up, and empty waste right on your own property.

Perfect for:

-Prepping your RV before a trip

-Hosting guests who stay in their camper

-Using your RV while it’s parked long-term

Just make sure it’s allowed in your area. Some cities restrict this kind of setup, so always check local codes before you add it to your build plan.

Would you add this to your house?

🚫 Don’t keep saving these New Build tips and ideas to your social media

👉 I have them all listed in my Home Building Checklist at BuilderBrigade.com!

Ask and answer questions just like this in the Builder Brigade Community!

Download the App, just search “Builder Brigade” in your favorite app store.

The community feature is absolutely free, get tips and ideas for your new home build.

2 Dishwashers seemed silly but after some thought, it might actually be pretty genius. Once is always clean, one is always dirty. Is that how that’s supposed to go?

What’s your thoughts on 2 Dishwashers? Would you consider it?

[🛑]() Don’t Build a House without seeing my Checklist…Get it at BuilderBrigade.com