Building new house - what are your must haves?

hebridean

On a serious note i've just started my new build and today just finished infilling and compacting the found with over sixty tonnes of hardcore and fifteen tonnes of quarry dust. Tomorrow the brickie will come and lay a 100mm concrete screed over this in preperation for the timber frame kit being erected on Monday. This screed will then be covered with insulation and UFH pipework before being screeded again to floor level. I must admit that the infilling was hard work with two of us shoveling/spreading and compacting the infill over the past three days.
Regarding the must haves for a new house. We felt that it was important to try and exceed present building regs regarding insulation as the cost of fossil fuels/energy is bound to increase. An ASHP or GSHP should also be considered especially because of the proposed RHI which is coming out on the 1st of April next year and regarding heat pumps is quoting 6-7p per KWU of electricity. UFH works well with heat pumps though i'm also sure radiators would work just as well in a well insulated draught proof house. We are also installing an instant electric shower and a peat burning stove as a back up in case the ASHP packs in at any time. You may have a grand designs budget (apart from Ben's wooden house) then these points would be meaningless, but futureproofing needs to be considered. As has also been mentioned a MHRV system makes a lot of sense and laundry shute's hoover points etc are luxurys that to me considering the financial outlay make no sense. If you can afford to consider such things put the money into insulation.

If you are a male i refer you to my previous post.

Penny_Farthing_2

I'd love an outside loo (habitual gardener with lots of kids).
Also a way of having music from a single source playing in several/all rooms.
A wrap around garden and lovely views of it from each window.
Those concertina folding doors so you can open a whole wall.
The ability to run at least 2 showers at the same time (combi boiler and solar hot water tank?).
Fantasy time - moveable internal walls so the house changes as your needs change
And my heart's desire - the whole thing built on a turntable so I could have the daylight where I want it, when I want it.
And while we're at it, my superpower would be control of the weather!

lizzie_dripping

This is very boring but a downstairs cupboard (kitchen/utility room) that's tall enough to store the broom, mop, ironing board etc and somewhere in the the hall to store coats/shoes.

I have the latter, but not having the former drives me crackers.

alfie_1

shell820810 wrote: »

Out of interest, why are these any better than a shower? Isnt it just a shower without the show tray and door?
Dont know much about them.

The advantage of a wet room is that a) you have room to move without wacking your elbows over zealously washing your hair.
b) you dont do "the trying to stay upright dance" when washing hard to reach areas. c) you dont knock yourself out picking up dropped soap AND D) it fits more than one person!!??

alfie_1

screwedagain wrote: »

If I was building my own place I'd have it designed so that no room was without natural daylight. It's the only problem with bog standard 2 up 2 down terraces and semis - the gloomy entrance hallways, stairs and landing.

You can never have too much daylight, so long as all the glass is within reach to keep clean!

Not sure what they are called but they are pipes with mirrors in that go from roof to room/hallway etc/ bit like portholes..they reflect light down into dark areas [albeit on top floor or single storied building] work really well and un obtrusive.

alfie_1

shell820810 wrote: »

Thanks, hubby is an electrician, so will add this to his list (if it isnt already on it).

check out the cost of mains supply of electricity to your Build ! they came back with a £20,000 plus quote to me !! if any one knows of a very "green" way of me powering my house , let me know....

mcjordi

a garage where you can actually park you car in and get out normally

slummymummyof3

alfie_1 wrote: »

Not sure what they are called but they are pipes with mirrors in that go from roof to room/hallway etc/ bit like portholes..they reflect light down into dark areas [albeit on top floor or single storied building] work really well and un obtrusive.

I think you mean a sunpipe. They are fabulous.

slummymummyof3

alfie_1 wrote: »

Not sure what they are called but they are pipes with mirrors in that go from roof to room/hallway etc/ bit like portholes..they reflect light down into dark areas [albeit on top floor or single storied building] work really well and un obtrusive.

I think you mean a sunpipe. They are fabulous.

alfie_1

try putting otside taps on 3 sides so you can wash car [front] water garden/wash dog! [side] and another at rear so you are not dragging a hose across flower beds etc. also a tap at end of garden if large area. costs very little to lay pipes and make life a lot easier!