Worst decision:

Hiring our builder. If you're looking for a GC or builder, check references but also check how long they've been in business. The longer (more than 10 years) the better. Also check how long their subs have been working with them. Turns out our builder goes through subs like water through a sieve, whereas the GC who gutted my condo back in 2010 still works with his same subs. Unfortunately we were spoiled after him. (And he was very easy on the eyes too. LOL)

Making sure the floor is perfectly level before putting down wood or any flooring. Because ours was off by over 1" in 17' we wound up having to wait well over 5 months to get more flooring in to redo our living room. No one thought to take a level to the floor before starting to put down our engineered wood flooring.

Best decisions:

My kitchen cabinets and all my cabinets made by the Mennonites.

My gorgeous quartzite and how the colors in my house were picked based on the quartzite colors.

Drawers for lower cabinets. Not doors.

Saving the expensive tile for accents.

My stained glass windows.

Our absolute BEST decision was to make sure our drawings and plans were completed exactly as we wanted the rooms to be BEFORE we started our build. Almost nothing was left to chance or change orders.

And picking all your selections with plenty of lead time.