Great topic....as others have said, in The Villages, their builders build your home. The better question to ask perhaps is...."What options should I add during the build by the builder, and what improvements should I add aftermarket?"

Things you may want to have your builder do;

Things like extra receptacles, (like one near the storage waster heater for a possible recirculating pump, gfci receptacles near toilets if adding an aftermarket bidet, receptacle in the master closet on some models if you iron in there, extra receptacle under the kitchen sink if you plan on adding a point of use water heater. Soffit receptacles for Christmas lights. Jamb switches for the master closet(s). Extra Can Lights if needed. LED fixture upgrades. Extra Insulation. Upgrade to insulated sandwich garage doors. Upgrade to Liftmaster garage door openers. Cabinet and countertop choices. Driveway and patio slab extensions. Extra hosebibs. Bathroom venting upgrades. Extra shower heads, like ceiling rain shower, etc. Upgrade to solid core interior doors. On large homes an extra doorbell chime in the Lanai.

Things perhaps better left aftermarket;

Interior paint upgrades (cheaper if done before moving in). Crown Molding. Solar Tubes. Whole house Surge protection. Hardscaping...(make sure they do Not compromise zones). Attic stairs. Gutters. Epoxy garage floors. Driveway painting, etc. Fancier ceiling fans.

This is just a partial list....I am sure I am forgetting some....this is just off the top of my head.

Hope this helps...

Frank D.

I will double check on the appliance package with TV. Thank you.

Thank you so much for the very helpful information. Wow, your answer is exactly what we looking for. Thank you again.

One more item to consider, if you are planning on a security system, have the wiring for door and window alarms and cameras installed when the house is being built. We did this and it completely eliminated the need for wiring. This also allowed us to install our own security system, completely eliminating the very high cost some companies charge. It also eliminates the need for battery operated systems.
If you do this, also specify where you want all the cable run to. We did do this, all the wiring for the hard wired door and window contacts went to the master closet, while the Siamese cable for the powered cameras went to the den, not a major problem but controls are in 2 different rooms.

Also to add to the "have the builder do" list.....if you are considering a whole house central Vac system, it is easier to install BEFORE drywall is up.

I am sure there are other things I am forgetting. The thing is, a few years ago you have pretty much NO options...this is what you get, take it or leave it. Now it is different. Sometimes however, the designer you get may tell you "No, that is not an option" , only to find later that your neighbor was able to have it no problem. Sometimes it is easier to say No than to go the extra mile.

I would also add, in some models, make sure you place your kitchen island EXACTLY where you want it, and have it documented. We see poorly chosen island placement quite often.

Frank

Have the builder run some speaker wires across the living room (or other room) for surround sound speakers.

Hi Dangeloinspections,
Thank you for your great input. We chose Laerul Oak 10 and it has one large inslad parallel to a main kitchen cabinet. What should we be aware of regards to the island?

That is a good suggestion, retiredguy123. Thank you.

Laurel Oak is a nice floor plan! You have some room there to adjust exactly where you want that big island. I have seen it installed too close to the main counter and suddenly you have a galley kitchen that is tight. I have also seen it installed too close to the garage entry hallway.....your main everyday entrance. I was in one last week that the homeowners moved it out quite a bit to allow for future wheelchair access around the island. This MUST be decided early on, as plumbing and electrical is brought up for the island in the slab...so it cannot be moved. Double check many times and MAKE SURE the builder plans accordingly and that it is clearly in the blueprints.

We do over 600 one year warranty inspections in The Villages every year, so we know the models and see plenty of great ideas...and some things the homeowners wished they did different. Hope that helps!!

Frank

Good addition.

We did this as well.
TV suggested Galaxy do pre-wire during construction.
Been very happy with Galaxy.

We had a Laurel Oak built two years ago and we chose to not have the island. My wife and I fix food in the kitchen at the same time and we thought an island would get in the way as we are both moving around.

We also left out the stupid desk and one of the wall cabinets n the laundry room so now we have more space to dry our clothes.

We also added a golf cart garage and extended the lanai out 3 more feet and had it extended across the entire back of the house.

We liked the Iris floor plan, but the Laurel Oak had 20% more space and the base cost was only 10% higher ($286K compared to $258K), so choosing the Laurel Oak was a no-brainer.

We absolutely love our house.

Great to hear you love your Laurel Oak! We are going to extend our lanai too.

I'm sorry...I apologize....I got the Laurel Oak mixed up with the Indigo...my mistake. I am sorry if I caused any confusion. The Villages has so many good choices!

Frank

Just wondering... what does this mean, “make sure they don’t compromise zones”?

Hi Frank,
You didn’t confuse us. One more question for you, do you have anyone (contractor) to recommend to do things like crown molding, solar tubes, upgrade fans and interior lighting textures etc after market?