Building new house - what are your must haves?

gabyjane

mcjordi wrote: »

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

We have a new house and our car fits in our garage with room to move but the novelty lasted a few weeks before we filled it with junk!

Mutter_2

I was project manager for present home.

Planning applications, sourcing materials to council liking, finding trades, marrying them, as some didn't like working with others! Nightmare, but loved it.

I love electric garage doors and entry into house. So integral garage an absolute must. If the garage is away from the house, imagine on a dark winter night in the rain, having to walk home.

Approaching the garage with doors opening, doors close behind me. Walk into house, no treading outside. Great security.

Love the internal vac. Bin is in garage so no dust in house. Dysons and such stink. Not surprising when you consider dust is our flakes of skin and our pet's too.
Don't worry about it getting blocked. Anything larger that would pass the neck of the hose won't get through. I've had mine for thirteen years with no problems. Can you say that of your Dyson?

Underfloor heating? Yes again love it. Oil so expensive, but no horrid radiators, and a warmth with no hotspots, just warm everywhere.

Last thing I love is my front door. Double doors from France. Blood sweat and many tears brought them here.

I don't understand why anyone would build a home, only to put a bog standard tiny front door in. Either put in a double door, or lights to either side. You built it, so make the statement at your entrance. Put the build date overhead. I didn't think of that.

Please look to USA and Europe for inspiration. We are so backward in building and design.

cybergibbons

A bit boring, I know:

• If the house is big, a good smoke detection system that triggers sounders in all alarms.
• Get windows and doors with good integral locks in them, add on window locks look so bad most of the time.
• If you think you are ever going to fit a burglar alarm, think about it now.
• Leave space in the kitchen for an extinguisher and fire blanket
• Specify all sockets, switches, network points to use the deepest possible pattress boxes - it's so annoying when you want to change something and you can't because the shallow ones have been used.
• Quite a few electricians seem to be pretty good at fitting about 10 light switches per room, make sure you specify how you want it.
• If you fit a recessed thermostatic shower valve, leave an access panel in the tiling, because then when it goes wrong it can be fixed without pulling the tiles off.
• Make sure you can add/remove large furniture to upstairs, so have a window that can be removed or staircase big enough.

Mutter_2

"If the house is big, a good smoke detection system that triggers sounders in all alarms. "

Part of building regs, all detectors to mains and linked, with battery back up.