We're in the process of doing drywall, I'll tell you my thoughts:

- Ask about the cost of USB outlet upgrades on the sides of the beds...they're standard 2 outlet receptacles but they also have 2 USB charging ports. My electrician wanted $60 per, I know they are $20 retail, and I'm comfortable replacing them. If they had offered $40, I might have just had them do it anyway. Think about where you want to plug in your devices.

- Unless your great room has couches on the wall, put a floor box in your great room, located under the most likely place for a couch. If you get a couch that plugs in like so many of them do now, you don't want to have to run this to the wall.

- Now is the time to talk about in-ceiling speakers, outdoor speakers, etc. If you want to do those, or may want to in the future, now is the time to put the wire in the walls.

- I'm an advocate of running conduit to TVs and ethernet locations, for future proofing (even though I believe everything will be wireless in the future). However, this can be a little expensive, so at minimum you want CAT6 and RG6 run to each place you might want a TV, and run CAT6 to a few other places like for your wireless access point(s) (check out the new google wifi product, in a 3 pack) and your computer(s). If you don't do conduit, do at least do conduit from behind your main TV down to wherever you plan to put the equipment.

- Now is the time to ask yourself: Will I ever own an electric car? The answer to that question for me is an easy yes, so I had a 240V 50A circuit run to the garage. It wasn't too bad, a little more than $200. I'm sure it would cost 3-4x that if I needed it when I was buying the car.

- Have an idea about your attitude toward lighting. We wanted some sort of overhead light in every room in the house, period. I don't like half-switched outlets. I also only wanted to have recessed lighting in the places where it was appropriate.

For the most part, it should all be setup for you...the basics are pretty obvious and dictated by code, and the electrician will have an idea of how best to do things. It's really a question of, "what else extra on top of the normal setup do you want".

Placement of outlets - for instance, if an outlet is near a window have it centered on the window - as opposed to offset. Make sure switch boxes are located far enough away from door frames and trim. In wall speakers - no cables.

In wall speakers

--multiplex receptacles, especially in any home office. I'm using ten lines at the moment. Even add a dedicated circuit, if necessary. One of my sons, for instance, is a professional graphics effects tech; he's got so much on, he runs a fan year-round to dissipate the heat.

--receptacles for holiday decor lighting

couches that plug in? I must be out of touch.

I'm not a fan of the USB receptacles as the technology keeps changing - for instance most android phones have some type of quick charging which requires the appropriate adapter. And as we move to USB C, that also uses a different voltage than the current USB standard.

One thing to think about is in rooms where you might want to change the furniture layout, you may want to make sure you have receptacles and internet/phone on multiple walls.

Be aware the building electrical codes require certain things. Like wall receptacles have a maximum distance between locations. Very often initial placement can solve placement problems down the road. And having more than the minimum number is fine. Much less expensive to add now than later.

I'd specify a 200 amp breaker box. Code calls for a minimum number of unused breaker slots, usually or so. Again, much less expensive to install a larger box now than to have to add later.

The code allows a non GFCI receptacle in a garage(for a freezer/fridge). Have that installed, even if you do not need to use it as such.

Decide beforehand if you want individual GFCI/AFCI receptacles or breaker protected circuits. Reason? The individual receptacles add a lot of cost, where the breaker protected circuits are initially less expensive, but require more inspection/troubleshooting if tripped. The AFCI(Arc fault circuit interrupter) are now required in bedrooms and some other locations.

Also decide if you want hardwired smoke/CO alarms, as the placements need to be wired before installation.

Now is the time to decide if you want wiring for surveillance cameras(wireless systems can be hacked). Will be a future selling point even if you do not use them. And, install a couple(or more) of lights in the attic, with switches easily accessed.

couches that plug in? I must be out of touch.

Electric reclining isn't THAT out there. And if your couch doesn't plug in, maybe you have a lamp that does need a plug?

I'd specify a 200 amp breaker box. Code calls for a minimum number of unused breaker slots, usually or so. Again, much less expensive to install a larger box now than to have to add later.

Depending on the home, I'd go further and suggest two 200A boxes and a 400A service.

Pay attention to door swings. We have a powder room with the light switch on the wrong side (hinge side) of the door. The electrician must have assumed the door would be mounted the opposite way.

400A service

For a 2000 sf house? (Unless the OP is planning a major grow-operation, not necessary.)

For a future back-up generator, it will be cheaper to arrange for the switching apparatus and lines to be backed up now rather than later.

A grow operation throws off a lot of heat - could save $ on the furnace, but would require larger A/C :)

I'm going through this right now as my house is almost finished...pay attention to any recessed lights/hanging fixture spots with relation to your furniture NOT the room size. Electricians and GC's will center these in the room which may or may not line up appropriately with your furniture/kitchen island. I unfortunately didn't pay enough attention to this.

Did our walk through today. I got tired of trying to show my wife where the DR table would sit so I mocked one up with 2x4s and brought it to the house so she could see. Dont want to put that chandelier in the wrong spot.

Doing the walk through also caused us to decide to reduce the size of a tray ceiling that is in the FR but kind of falls over into the kitchen.

Otherwise it went well. Waiting to hear what the $damage$ is.

We are in Syracuse NY. I think code here now requires AFCI breakers.

Thanks for the advice on the wall mount TV. I should go buy the mount and see what the hole pattern is. We are going to do a recessed outlet there and run an HDMI cable from the spot above the FP to the book shelf.

That reminds me that I need to make sure there is blocking for towel bars, etc.

One thing we wish we would have done. Once all the electrical and plumbing is in and before they insulate or drywall, walk through the house and video all the walls and ceilings. We have photos, but a video would have been so much better. Hang onto that video. It will come in handy one day.

Add to PNW's video comment: I used a big wide tape across the walls - so you could see the measurement location. Blocking for TV / shower/tub grab bars.

New York (statewide) is on the 2014 code as of the beginning of this month (they've been transitioning since the beginning of April). You will need AFCI on pretty much all living space. For practical reasons, this means AFCI breakers in the panels for these circuits. AFCI receptacles aren't really usable if you're wiring with straight NM cables from the panel.

If I understood correctly because our permit was approved before Oct 3 we are under the previous version. The builder said that the new code would add $7k to the price of our home and that his architect and subs had not yet figured out what all was required.