ᐅ If Building Again – What Would You Do Differently?

kati1337 schrieb:

I have to ask a basic question – what’s the idea behind closing the roller shutters when going to bed? I can understand it in the bedroom to keep it dark (if you like that), but in the living room? Is it for energy saving?
I think I’m missing something, but we only use our roller shutters occasionally during the day when the sun is too bright.

We usually close the roller shutters in the evening as soon as we turn on the lights.
For nighttime, I find it useful as a security measure against break-ins. That’s why my wife didn’t want to have venetian blinds in the end.

Hausbautraum20 schrieb:

For nighttime, I think they are useful as burglary protection.

Only that roller shutters don’t really help with burglary protection.

kati1337 schrieb:


I have to ask a basic question – what’s the purpose of closing the roller shutters when going to bed? I can understand it in the bedroom to keep it dark (if you prefer), but in the living room? Is it for energy saving?
I think I missed something here, but we only use our roller shutters occasionally during the day when the sun is glaring. O.o

Energy savings and burglary protection. Of course, a roller shutter isn’t a guaranteed solution against break-ins, but it adds extra effort and noise if someone tries to get past it.

After a few months, we parted ways with the architect (complete failure) and continued planning on our own. Following the principle "luck is on the side of the foolish," everything actually went quite well. If we were to embark on the adventure again, I would consider the following points:

• The most important factor is the plot of land. I would always prefer an established area over a new development.
• The second most important aspect is the positioning of the house on the plot (views, privacy, use of the land and garden, possibly the building volume in relation to (or as a contrast to) existing structures, sun path/shading, etc.)
• Question your own desires, needs, and lifestyle. Take time for the basic analysis. Be honest and consistent. There is a worthwhile blog called "das kannst Du doch nicht machen" on ungewohnlich dot net.
• Less is more: if I’m unsure whether I need something or not, I don’t need it.
• Keep it simple: plan and build with fault tolerance, and avoid technical overkill by using common sense (e.g., prevent overheating with a canopy, offsets, sensible window placement rather than "smart" blinds or even air conditioning).
• Invest in substance, not gimmicks.
• Involve garden and landscape professionals from the start and, where possible, have them work alongside construction.
• If using an architect, choose very carefully.
• Prefer local construction partners and craftsmen, including smaller companies.
• Build as sustainably and environmentally friendly as possible.

Regarding floor plans and room layouts, I tend to be minimalist. I’ve actually been asked, "Nice apartment, when are you moving in?" You don’t have to go that far, but I like a house to be clear and simple. Floor plans where guests still ask for the way to the bathroom on their third visit are a nightmare for me. I approach this by considering the layout and fittings carefully, then spend weeks thinking about what can be omitted. As a result, we have few doors and mostly custom-built furniture. Technical gadgets and individual features are less important to me (although things like blind cords and thermostat knobs would bother me as well 🙂 ). @saralina87 Your suggestion for a weather-protected entrance is valuable... I probably pushed minimalism a bit too far there.

Mycraft schrieb:


To put it simply: you need an "ignition key" for your roller shutters in the all-purpose room. This can be a basic switch, since apparently you require a manual action and activation. Thinking further, this could also be automated by implementing some form of presence detection. No, not surveillance using facial recognition or fingerprints, but a relatively simple detection of people within a defined or diffuse area.

Of course, with all the manual and automatic controls to override settings, for example due to Christmas lighting on a specific window that you want to keep on longer.

Unfortunately, that still doesn’t answer my question. How should it work in my case? Where would this presence detection be located?

So, our dishwasher is running right now. I find it very quiet. Often, I have to check if it’s still running. The girls are much louder even though they are just playing normally.

Kathi walks through your house and analyzes what you like and what you don’t. That’s the only thing that matters.
Listen around your property at different times. Check for distant roads. People have different sensitivities to noise.