You're spot-on about drainage being trickier. From experience, retrofitting drainage usually means digging up landscaping, dealing with existing foundations, or rerouting utilities—definitely more invasive. Windows and shading adjustments, while sometimes finicky (especially if you're chasing optimal solar angles), are generally surface-level tweaks. I've seen shading solutions evolve over time with minimal fuss, but drainage... yeah, that's a headache you want to avoid from day one if possible. Good catch there.
Totally agree drainage is one of those sneaky things that bites you later if overlooked. Had a client once who insisted on cutting corners to save budget—"just slope it slightly," he said. Well, two years later, after the third big rainstorm, guess who was digging up half the yard again? Windows and shading, sure, they're easier fixes, but even then, I've seen folks underestimate how much tweaking is actually needed to get decent solar performance. Nothing's ever quite as easy as it looks on paper...
"Nothing's ever quite as easy as it looks on paper..."
Haha, isn't that the truth? I've lost count of how many times a client has waved off my concerns about lighting or furniture placement with a casual "we'll figure it out later." Fast forward a few months, and suddenly we're rearranging entire rooms because the afternoon sun is blinding everyone at dinner or the sofa blocks the perfect view they insisted on having.
But honestly, drainage sounds like a whole other beast. I never realized how much goes into it until I saw a friend's basement turn into an indoor swimming pool after one particularly nasty storm. Made me wonder—do people underestimate these things because they're not immediately visible? Like, if you can't see it, it's probably fine...right? Until it's definitely not.
Anyway, seems like the lesson here is clear: shortcuts rarely pay off in the long run. Better to spend a little extra time (and yes, money) upfront than deal with headaches down the road.
Drainage is definitely one of those sneaky things. I remember a build years ago where the owner insisted the slope was fine as-is...until the first big rainstorm turned their driveway into a muddy river. Lesson learned: always double-check grading before pouring concrete.
