ᐅ House Under Construction – Ideas for Details Such as Windows, Materials, and More
Created on: 5 Jan 2019 23:25
S
SupaCriz
Good evening,
Our single-family house is currently under construction. We previously shared some initial designs here and received very valuable feedback.
We then made a few extra adjustments, revised the plans again, and are now finally building our house on a beautiful hillside plot.
The basement will have direct level access to the terrace – so we have planned the living, cooking, and dining area with a wide southeast-facing window front.
We are now focusing primarily on details such as the choice of window systems, external blinds (raffstore), and so on. At the moment, we are particularly interested in two window systems for which we have already received quotes. Perhaps you have some tips, experiences, or suggestions for us on this and other topics.
For the window front, we have the following options:
- JOSKO ONE system. This is an aluminum window system with an approximate frame visibility width of only 7cm (3 inches). The lift-and-slide door also has a similarly narrow frame, so it does not immediately catch the eye.
- Actual Cubic F Line combined with the "LOFT" all-glass system. Here, practically only the lift-and-slide door is framed with a visible wood-aluminum frame. The fixed windows next to it would be visually frameless and designed as "glass-to-glass joints."
- Drutex Iglu Energy uPVC windows: the most affordable option. However, skylights would have to be installed here because windows are not available in the full 2.80m (9 ft 2 inches) ceiling height.
While the first two options do not have a significant price difference (Actual being the cheaper one), the Drutex solution would be approximately €15,000 (about US $16,000) cheaper overall for all the windows in the house – but also with the least appealing material.
We would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Thank you very much, and have a nice evening everyone!
Basement:
Ground floor:
Our single-family house is currently under construction. We previously shared some initial designs here and received very valuable feedback.
We then made a few extra adjustments, revised the plans again, and are now finally building our house on a beautiful hillside plot.
The basement will have direct level access to the terrace – so we have planned the living, cooking, and dining area with a wide southeast-facing window front.
We are now focusing primarily on details such as the choice of window systems, external blinds (raffstore), and so on. At the moment, we are particularly interested in two window systems for which we have already received quotes. Perhaps you have some tips, experiences, or suggestions for us on this and other topics.
For the window front, we have the following options:
- JOSKO ONE system. This is an aluminum window system with an approximate frame visibility width of only 7cm (3 inches). The lift-and-slide door also has a similarly narrow frame, so it does not immediately catch the eye.
- Actual Cubic F Line combined with the "LOFT" all-glass system. Here, practically only the lift-and-slide door is framed with a visible wood-aluminum frame. The fixed windows next to it would be visually frameless and designed as "glass-to-glass joints."
- Drutex Iglu Energy uPVC windows: the most affordable option. However, skylights would have to be installed here because windows are not available in the full 2.80m (9 ft 2 inches) ceiling height.
While the first two options do not have a significant price difference (Actual being the cheaper one), the Drutex solution would be approximately €15,000 (about US $16,000) cheaper overall for all the windows in the house – but also with the least appealing material.
We would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Thank you very much, and have a nice evening everyone!
Basement:
Ground floor:
I don’t understand why you want to make the windows floor-to-ceiling for aesthetic reasons and then consider using installation boxes on top. That simply doesn’t make sense at all.
It’s better to use proper recessed boxes and have the windows only up to about 30cm (12 inches) below the ceiling.
Anything else is just sloppy and will look bad in the end.
It’s better to use proper recessed boxes and have the windows only up to about 30cm (12 inches) below the ceiling.
Anything else is just sloppy and will look bad in the end.
Hello ivenh0,
Maybe that’s also what I mean – I’m not entirely sure about the exact terms.
Visually, I’m thinking of a solution that is plastered on the inside and looks like a very long lintel from below. But apparently, that’s not so easy to build because lintels that are 11 m (36 feet) long don’t exist.
How do you think it could work?
The other option would be to do without external venetian blinds completely...
Maybe that’s also what I mean – I’m not entirely sure about the exact terms.
Visually, I’m thinking of a solution that is plastered on the inside and looks like a very long lintel from below. But apparently, that’s not so easy to build because lintels that are 11 m (36 feet) long don’t exist.
How do you think it could work?
The other option would be to do without external venetian blinds completely...
Exactly what you are looking for has been installed.
Since we have quite a few floor-to-ceiling windows on the south side of the ground floor (9.5m (31.2 ft) out of 12m (39.4 ft)), there are continuous beams above them that also extend about 5m (16.4 ft) around the corner. This means the ground floor ceiling is "suspended" from the upper floor, and the boxes are attached to the ceiling...
For this implementation, you will need a good structural engineer who works closely with the architect.
Since we have quite a few floor-to-ceiling windows on the south side of the ground floor (9.5m (31.2 ft) out of 12m (39.4 ft)), there are continuous beams above them that also extend about 5m (16.4 ft) around the corner. This means the ground floor ceiling is "suspended" from the upper floor, and the boxes are attached to the ceiling...
For this implementation, you will need a good structural engineer who works closely with the architect.
Maybe also consider why you plan so many windows and whether that actually makes sense. On a 12m (39 feet) wall, we have only 3m (10 feet) floor-to-ceiling windows, and that is truly more than enough. More would be disadvantageous in terms of privacy, usable space, and heat during the summer.
SupaCriz schrieb:
The invisible aluminum frame is hidden here within the screed, side wall recess, and ceiling. I’d be interested to know how that is installed.
SupaCriz schrieb:
The limitless loft look can actually look quite nice. In my opinion, this style is not suitable for homeowners who prefer to do their own plastering if they want a long-lasting and passionate relationship with it.
SupaCriz schrieb:
Do you think the additional cost of 15,000 to 20,000 € for upgrading from Drutex PVC to Josko or Actual aluminum or wood-aluminum also reflects better quality and durability, or were you only referring to the wood selection in the wood-aluminum options with your criticism of the low-quality discount offers? My criticism specifically referred to the, to put it bluntly, “sheet metal covered battens.” From my perspective, they are simply low quality. “Discount” is a different matter; here, the low price occurs at retail, and although many products are no-name, at least there is no bait-and-switch.
I reviewed the websites of the mentioned manufacturers and did not get the impression that they require serious warnings. But as I said, I lack detailed assessments for (quasi-) frameless systems, as they were never relevant competitors for us.
Personally, for high-stress applications (front doors due to frequent and relatively forceful use, and lift-and-slide elements due to size and weight), I would always choose aluminum. Otherwise, I generally agree with the forum consensus that PVC is sufficient for normal use. For trendy dark surfaces, I would still opt for an aluminum cladding on sun-exposed sides even for small elements, which somewhat offsets the price difference.
In summary: I wouldn’t commit to a single material throughout the house but would select the appropriate material individually for each element. Ultimately, even a bathroom window in my own home might turn out to be PVC.
SupaCriz schrieb:
One more question we’re currently considering: to have or not to have external venetian blinds. This question doesn’t really arise in practice because there is no choice: on the north side, there are no large window areas, and on the south side, shading is not a “luxury.” The color of the elements is of secondary importance.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Hello everyone,
@ivenh0: Sounds very interesting. Unfortunately, for us it would fail both at the structural engineer and the architect stage. The structural analysis took several months, and we are glad that it is now finalized and fits.
@11ant Thank you! How the loft system is installed can be seen in the drawing attached.
What do you mean by sun protection in the south being a luxury? That is exactly why we are considering external blinds (roller shutters) for the southeast facade.
We have also thought about mixing materials; for example, with JOSKO and Actual, it would be possible to use PVC-aluminum in wet and secondary rooms, and wood-aluminum elsewhere, while keeping the same exterior appearance.
@Bookstar: We are mainly installing the large window front because there are no windows possible at the back and on the left side due to the slope of the site. It is basically a terraced house situation, and we have already been glad that almost the entire front is glazed in our current apartment and in my parents’ house. Our room will be significantly deeper – so the more light, the better…
@ivenh0: Sounds very interesting. Unfortunately, for us it would fail both at the structural engineer and the architect stage. The structural analysis took several months, and we are glad that it is now finalized and fits.
@11ant Thank you! How the loft system is installed can be seen in the drawing attached.
What do you mean by sun protection in the south being a luxury? That is exactly why we are considering external blinds (roller shutters) for the southeast facade.
We have also thought about mixing materials; for example, with JOSKO and Actual, it would be possible to use PVC-aluminum in wet and secondary rooms, and wood-aluminum elsewhere, while keeping the same exterior appearance.
@Bookstar: We are mainly installing the large window front because there are no windows possible at the back and on the left side due to the slope of the site. It is basically a terraced house situation, and we have already been glad that almost the entire front is glazed in our current apartment and in my parents’ house. Our room will be significantly deeper – so the more light, the better…
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