I truly wish everyone who builds or does work on homes would talk to one another. Here is my list of things I would want to talk about, not in any order:

• Don’t plant anything under the roof dripline, it is impossible to stop roots from heading toward your foundation.
• Leave the bottom shelf loose when building cabinets in the garage, this way I can see the expansion joint and treat it. Since the bottom shelf just sits there, is there a reason to secure it?
• Don’t install water drip or irrigation systems to close to the home, have you ever seen the inside foundation wall just corroded and calcified.
• Bear in mind that anything wood or carboard that sets on the expanion joint in the garage could be attacked by termites and that includes books.