I have done some construction and have seen some great ideas on here. Particularly low maintenance, are there any ideas you would add if you were building?

So far, sockets on back of home both sides for power
3 exterior faucets, one on the back of lot near well
Sockets on front under overhang for christmas lights
Bathroom wall panels, possibly granite or some other material
Stained concrete through out the entire house "in Texas hence well get a benefit from cooling" and will use rugs in high traffic areas
I can really score on the AC and Hot water heater as I am friends with a dealer
I personally want 3/4 ply here 20$ a sheet in bulk to take up the entire attic and stairs from the garage to go up into one attic that way it would be extra entire house storage.
My wife was thinking of a pulley/cleat system on a 4x8 ply, that would be cool for seasonal decorating I suppose or for older couples if reselling instead of constantly dragging out Christmas stuff.
4 car garage with shop in 2 parts for winter woodworking when lanscapings slow.

I just wonder if anybody else has any good ideas before we start.

I am all about low maintenance and energy efficeny if the cost is right. Thanks in advance-

btw I have been buying specials on plants from local nurseries in the off season. This summer I picked 19 2 year old Bloodgood JM and nursed them back to health for 1$.

I see people all the time try to throw an entire landscape up at once and spend 15-20k when you could spend 2...

I am exploring ways to not have gutters. Township code may force me to have them though. Has anybody done this and substituted with effective water management at the base of the house?

Minimize the windows and doors with direct exposure to rain. Which also means, avoid skylights.

I have a bay window with wood on the outside. Never again. I have had beehives where roof of the bay window meets the siding. Cold come up from underneath the base of the window, not to mention rotting wood between the two panes.

Have a self draining sprinkler system.

Find maintenance free wood for decks and porches.

You mention stained concrete all through. Anybody know if it can it be done even if there is a basement underneath?

AJ

They built on a slab foundation and they put in several cleanouts. I think they put in 3 or 4 total. On that same note, all plumbing was the colored tubing (maybe it is called pex?) and it was run inside a black outer covering. If any of the tubing ever gets damaged or spring a leak, the inner tubing pulls out and can be replaced. The black outer tubing stays affixed to the concrete.

In the guest bathroom, they went with a one piece tub/shower surround. As in the tub is built with the walls. Not a tub with a wall surround. There is no caulk or seams for the entire piece. You just have to plan this into the build ahead of time so that it can get moved into the correct bathroom before they start closing up the walls too much.

We are planning on putting in 6 sola tubes for natural light and trying to get LEED certified. I am not into "modern homes" but we are going for old world New Orleans, lots of brick/stone flour de lis, with just a gist "stained concrete" of a modernism. I also love old distressed wood, figure that will save some.

So recap
Sola Tubes
Raised pad with 2 levels for base plantings "makes house look bigger" & allows for water usage on property
Natural wood, less having to repaint
NO Wood exterior "I agree with you totally on rot"

The house will be south facing, will have a very large front door, and back will have folding doors making it have a cross breeze dogtrot through the living, kitchen, breakfastnook, and library "cpu room". When the weather is nice this will save on electricity.