I Wish I'd Thought of That

Next is a simple one that makes a big difference to the way the kitchen works; I opted for an integrated bin system in a pot drawer just under the kitchen counter top. It’s just a multi-compartment rubbish bin, but the ability to scrape kitchen waste from the benchtop directly into the bin below is one of those little tricks that experience teaches you is a great feature. Potentially I could have bought this from Bunnings afterwards, but there would be a question mark over how well it would fit and if I would ever get around to it! I think it might have been difficult to retrofit and much better to be incorporated into the house build.

I am really glad I have sensor lights in a couple of locations. One is in the garage where the lights will come on as I drive my car in, or as I walk from the house to the car. I would never have thought this would be as useful as it is. It is easy to install during construction and very hard to do later. I also have a sensor light in the powder room so guests are not fumbling to find the light switch. I am now wishing I had also put them in the walk-in-robe.

At some point in the future I want to install garden lights. Even though it’s a fair way down my wish list, I did make provision for external lighting during construction. I simply have an electrical junction box wired to an internal light switch that will eventually operate the garden lights. This was inexpensive to do up front but would have been a nightmare to wire once all the electrical work was completed. I am not getting the benefit of this option yet, but I’m glad the provision is there.

I get a surprising amount of benefit from a couple of exterior cameras that are linked to the garage door opener. Two cameras are sufficient, and not just as a security measure. It has been very handy to be able to see a delivery via my phone and open the garage door to allow a secure delivery. This would have been considerably more expensive to achieve after handover than it was during construction, and has added a lot of convenience.

One option that was a no-brainer for me was to select the most efficient heater I could have. This is an initial investment that will take a small number of years to pay off. Gas prices are not going down any time soon, so even though there is an initial expense to upgrade, the savings each year are easily measurable. In the long run, this saves more than it costs and would be one of the first things I selected if I was to build again. I don’t feel like I’m saving the planet – I’m just saving money.