Things I wish I had known before building a house. What I realized as a craftsman after actually living in one.

Building a house.

It is one of the biggest decisions in life, isn't it?

Because it is a house that costs tens of millions of yen and where you will live for decades,

“I don't want to have any regrets”
“I don't want to make any mistakes”

I think that is what most people feel.

As an active wallpaper craftsman, I have seen many construction sites.

So, when I built my own house, I thought,

“I know more about building a house than the average person.”

That is what I thought.

But when I actually built my own house and lived in it, there were things where I thought,

“I should have done this differently.”

This time, I will write about things I want people who are about to build a house to know, from both the perspective of a craftsman and the perspective of an owner who has actually built a house.

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1. Do not decide on a house based only on its “appearance”

I want a stylish house.

This is something everyone thinks.

Thinking about the design, such as wallpaper, flooring, lighting, and the kitchen, is a fun time.

However, when you actually live in it, I feel that what is important in daily life is not just “style” but “livability.”

“I wish I had a few more outlets”

“There is not enough storage”

“It is narrower than I thought after placing furniture”

There are things you only notice after you actually start living there.

Before building a house, do not just look at the blueprints,

“Wake up in this house, go to work, come home, and eat dinner”

Please try to imagine that kind of life specifically.

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2. Think about the future for outlets and storage

There are things you will need in a few years even if you don't need them now.

As children grow, their belongings will increase, and home appliances will also increase.

Regarding outlets, there are times when I think,

“It would have been convenient if there was one here.”

Think not only about your current life, but also about your family's life 5 or 10 years from now.

I think this is important.

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3. Do not decide on wallpaper or flooring based only on “samples”

This is something I want to convey as a wallpaper craftsman.

The impression can change between looking at a small sample and the state of it actually being installed in the entire room.

The way colors look also changes depending on how the light hits them and the size of the room.

If possible, I recommend looking at construction examples or checking with large samples, and imagining “how it will look when actually applied to this room” before choosing.

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In conclusion

Since I am a wallpaper craftsman, I do not know everything about building a house.

However,

The perspective of a craftsman working at a construction site.

And,

The perspective of an owner who has actually built and lives in their own house.

I believe there are things I can convey to people who are about to build a house from these two viewpoints.

A house is not something you can buy many times in your life.

That is precisely why “I want to reduce the number of people who regret it after building as much as possible.”

With that thought in mind, I will continue to share the reality of building a house.

“What do you think of this floor plan?”

“What does it look like from a wallpaper craftsman's perspective?”

“Is there anything I should be careful about when building a house?”

If you have any questions like these, please feel free to ask.

I will answer honestly to the best of my knowledge from both the craftsman's and the owner's perspectives.
I would be happy if this article could be a reference for someone who is about to build a house.