ᐅ Home Construction Features and Extras – What Can Be Included?
Created on: 19 Nov 2013 09:31
H
hululu0
Good morning,
I have put together a small list of extras and would appreciate any additional ideas you might have.
- In the ground floor living, dining, and kitchen areas, the electric switches should be controlled individually and connected in a “series circuit” to dim the lights.
- Controlled decentralized ventilation system with heat recovery.
- Preparation for photovoltaic system on the roof; missing on the garage roof.
- Two outdoor sockets on the ground floor.
- One outdoor connection for a light with motion sensor and switch on each side of the house.
- Three-phase power in the basement.
- Fireplace for a wood stove.
- Power supply in the garage.
- In the attic living, dining, and kitchen areas, leave the ceiling open up to the roof.
- Sliding doors with approximately 1.5 meters (5 feet) opening between the dining/living area and the hallway.
Thank you for your help.
I have put together a small list of extras and would appreciate any additional ideas you might have.
- In the ground floor living, dining, and kitchen areas, the electric switches should be controlled individually and connected in a “series circuit” to dim the lights.
- Controlled decentralized ventilation system with heat recovery.
- Preparation for photovoltaic system on the roof; missing on the garage roof.
- Two outdoor sockets on the ground floor.
- One outdoor connection for a light with motion sensor and switch on each side of the house.
- Three-phase power in the basement.
- Fireplace for a wood stove.
- Power supply in the garage.
- In the attic living, dining, and kitchen areas, leave the ceiling open up to the roof.
- Sliding doors with approximately 1.5 meters (5 feet) opening between the dining/living area and the hallway.
Thank you for your help.
S
Stadtpflanze19 Nov 2013 12:33I have a different view on roller shutters. I would at least build in a way that allows for electric roller shutters to be installed later.
Most people are still healthy now. But building a house pays off even more the longer you can live in it. That’s why I would build so that it can be easily adapted for accessibility in the future. Accessibility doesn’t just mean no thresholds or steps (if there is a staircase, the possibility to install a lift). It also means enough clearance space at doors, in the bathroom, and, among other things, electric roller shutters.
Eventually, everyone’s shoulders get tired, and you can’t even lift your arms high enough to operate something like that, or you lack the strength because the shoulders and hands are worn out.
Also, a walk-in shower on the ground floor and such features should be planned from the start, as they cannot easily be retrofitted later. For example, the screed needs to be recessed in that area to allow sufficient slope.
All of this might sound ridiculous to most people when they are 30, 40, or maybe even 50. But those who are older or have had major injuries (as happened to me) suddenly see all these obstacles and difficulties and really appreciate their absence.
These are my ideas for extras that don’t add much cost in new construction and increase the resale value but become expensive if you have to add them later.
Most people are still healthy now. But building a house pays off even more the longer you can live in it. That’s why I would build so that it can be easily adapted for accessibility in the future. Accessibility doesn’t just mean no thresholds or steps (if there is a staircase, the possibility to install a lift). It also means enough clearance space at doors, in the bathroom, and, among other things, electric roller shutters.
Eventually, everyone’s shoulders get tired, and you can’t even lift your arms high enough to operate something like that, or you lack the strength because the shoulders and hands are worn out.
Also, a walk-in shower on the ground floor and such features should be planned from the start, as they cannot easily be retrofitted later. For example, the screed needs to be recessed in that area to allow sufficient slope.
All of this might sound ridiculous to most people when they are 30, 40, or maybe even 50. But those who are older or have had major injuries (as happened to me) suddenly see all these obstacles and difficulties and really appreciate their absence.
These are my ideas for extras that don’t add much cost in new construction and increase the resale value but become expensive if you have to add them later.
I think having to go to every window and manually raise and lower the blinds is “penny wise, pound foolish.”
Nowadays, I believe this should be automated... In my home, everything goes up and down automatically based on daylight and darkness, so you don’t have to go around the house every morning or evening—it does it all by itself.
Useful and visually appealing features in a house:
- Exterior blinds/shutters
- Larger interior doors
- Expandable electrical system
- Sufficient power outlets
- Roof designs/dormers
- Bus communication systems
- Waste disposers
- Wooden staircases
- Network data sockets in every room
- Level-access showers
- Large bathtubs
- etc.
Nowadays, I believe this should be automated... In my home, everything goes up and down automatically based on daylight and darkness, so you don’t have to go around the house every morning or evening—it does it all by itself.
Useful and visually appealing features in a house:
- Exterior blinds/shutters
- Larger interior doors
- Expandable electrical system
- Sufficient power outlets
- Roof designs/dormers
- Bus communication systems
- Waste disposers
- Wooden staircases
- Network data sockets in every room
- Level-access showers
- Large bathtubs
- etc.
Mycraft schrieb:
I think manually going to every window to raise and lower the shutters is “penny wise and pound foolish.”
Nowadays, I believe this should be automatic… for me, everything goes up and down depending on light levels… so you don’t have to walk through the house every morning and evening… it does it all by itself… Other things in my home work “completely automatically.”
Why do you close your shutters, mycraft? I’m asking: what purpose do the shutters serve for you? Privacy? Burglar protection? Locking yourself in? Blocking out the light?
also what we found practical or consider our luxury
- on the upper floor, we partitioned a small room, about 4-5 sqm (43-54 sq ft). We will place the washing machine and dryer there. We believe that all laundry is generated on the upper floor. Otherwise, you have to carry it downstairs for washing and then back up again. This way, everything stays on one level. We found this practical.
- gas line in the kitchen. We plan to install a gas cooktop, so we need gas connection on or in the island.
- central vacuum system: we plan a central vacuum with an automatic hose rewind built into the wall.
- camera surveillance: in the attic, provide corresponding power outlets and empty conduits to route cables later to the utility room because
- server cabinet in the utility room: as mentioned by a previous poster, we also plan a server cabinet in the utility room with patch panels and all the necessary equipment.
- I would recommend providing a network outlet near every TV connection since hardly any TVs nowadays are not “smart.”
- electric roller shutters, we included a central switch so we don’t have to walk from window to window to lower all the shutters.
- high-voltage power connection at the carport.
- storage closet under the concrete staircase (especially in houses without basements, every storage opportunity counts).
- for our Stadville house, we didn’t plan lighting under the eaves but façade lights that shine both up and down. For this, plan enough wall outlets on the facade; we have 10.
- recessed ceiling spotlights in the concrete ceiling: when pouring the prefabricated ceiling, install HaloX profiles. We planned for 30 ceiling spotlights on the ground floor.
- raised ceiling height: especially in larger rooms like living and dining areas, it makes a big difference if the ceiling is raised by at least one course of brick. Otherwise, the ceiling feels “oppressive.”
- instead of a tiled walk-in shower, I would recommend the Conoflat series by Kaldewei. With tiles, the grout lines tend to get “dirty” over time. We use the Conoflat shower pans.
- concealed shower head valve, we think it looks sleek.
- wall pocket sliding doors between living-dining area and kitchen. Since we often cook with strong odors, an open kitchen was not an option for us, but we didn’t want to fully separate the space either.
- exterior power outlets, preferably switchable from inside.
These are my very personal tips, without any claim to be perfect or the best solution.
- on the upper floor, we partitioned a small room, about 4-5 sqm (43-54 sq ft). We will place the washing machine and dryer there. We believe that all laundry is generated on the upper floor. Otherwise, you have to carry it downstairs for washing and then back up again. This way, everything stays on one level. We found this practical.
- gas line in the kitchen. We plan to install a gas cooktop, so we need gas connection on or in the island.
- central vacuum system: we plan a central vacuum with an automatic hose rewind built into the wall.
- camera surveillance: in the attic, provide corresponding power outlets and empty conduits to route cables later to the utility room because
- server cabinet in the utility room: as mentioned by a previous poster, we also plan a server cabinet in the utility room with patch panels and all the necessary equipment.
- I would recommend providing a network outlet near every TV connection since hardly any TVs nowadays are not “smart.”
- electric roller shutters, we included a central switch so we don’t have to walk from window to window to lower all the shutters.
- high-voltage power connection at the carport.
- storage closet under the concrete staircase (especially in houses without basements, every storage opportunity counts).
- for our Stadville house, we didn’t plan lighting under the eaves but façade lights that shine both up and down. For this, plan enough wall outlets on the facade; we have 10.
- recessed ceiling spotlights in the concrete ceiling: when pouring the prefabricated ceiling, install HaloX profiles. We planned for 30 ceiling spotlights on the ground floor.
- raised ceiling height: especially in larger rooms like living and dining areas, it makes a big difference if the ceiling is raised by at least one course of brick. Otherwise, the ceiling feels “oppressive.”
- instead of a tiled walk-in shower, I would recommend the Conoflat series by Kaldewei. With tiles, the grout lines tend to get “dirty” over time. We use the Conoflat shower pans.
- concealed shower head valve, we think it looks sleek.
- wall pocket sliding doors between living-dining area and kitchen. Since we often cook with strong odors, an open kitchen was not an option for us, but we didn’t want to fully separate the space either.
- exterior power outlets, preferably switchable from inside.
These are my very personal tips, without any claim to be perfect or the best solution.
ypg schrieb:
For me, other things work "completely automatically"
Why do you close the roller shutters, Mycraft? I’m just asking, what purpose do roller shutters serve for you?
Privacy? Burglary protection? To lock yourself in? Light control?For me, even more things are automatic, not just the roller shutters.. otherwise, as you already mentioned, they serve for:
Privacy
Burglary protection
Shading
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