Hello everyone,
For the sake of my future husband, I have been spending some time in Vienna lately, and since he hasn’t been too harsh so far, topics like family and building a house are now coming up. At the moment, we are looking into prefab home providers and plots of land.
My partner has developed a clear preference for alternative, seemingly “eco-friendly” building materials, especially for insulation. He wants the best possible energy efficiency, maybe even in the form of low-energy or passive houses (is that even possible with prefab construction?).
He’s also quite firm on things like “hemp! wood fibers! Definitely much better indoor air quality!” but I’m a bit skeptical. Are these insulation materials really that much better? Do they actually come without additives? Something like wood fiber insulation must be super flammable, right?
Depending on which sites you find when googling, you get contradictory opinions and experiences. Some say these insulation materials are treated and nonsense, while others say anyone who just covers everything with styrofoam has only themselves to blame.
Specifically, right now we are looking at providers like Zenker and their insulation (zenker-hausbau.at/Dämmung-mit-hanf/), is it any good? Should we avoid it?
Thanks a lot for reading and for any advice!
For the sake of my future husband, I have been spending some time in Vienna lately, and since he hasn’t been too harsh so far, topics like family and building a house are now coming up. At the moment, we are looking into prefab home providers and plots of land.
My partner has developed a clear preference for alternative, seemingly “eco-friendly” building materials, especially for insulation. He wants the best possible energy efficiency, maybe even in the form of low-energy or passive houses (is that even possible with prefab construction?).
He’s also quite firm on things like “hemp! wood fibers! Definitely much better indoor air quality!” but I’m a bit skeptical. Are these insulation materials really that much better? Do they actually come without additives? Something like wood fiber insulation must be super flammable, right?
Depending on which sites you find when googling, you get contradictory opinions and experiences. Some say these insulation materials are treated and nonsense, while others say anyone who just covers everything with styrofoam has only themselves to blame.
Specifically, right now we are looking at providers like Zenker and their insulation (zenker-hausbau.at/Dämmung-mit-hanf/), is it any good? Should we avoid it?
Thanks a lot for reading and for any advice!
H
hampshire26 Feb 2019 09:26Technical parameters are very important for house planning. However, measuring alone is not enough. You need to understand how to interpret technical parameters properly. For example, you can have a high air exchange rate when standing in strong wind. You also notice the difference between 15 degrees Celsius (59°F) at the same humidity when you are in the sun or in the shade. In other words, technical parameters by themselves are not sufficient—especially if they are considered in a simplified or incomplete way.
Take your "Sich im Ton nicht Vergreifer" (I liked this nice euphemism) and visit a few show homes with your eyes closed (to better focus on your other senses). Breathe, listen, smell, feel. You will notice differences. Only after that, let someone explain the house construction to you. You will draw parallels, develop a personal preference, and recognize what you do not want. This is the right approach.
In the end, you want to live in your house and feel comfortable. That is something personal. Trust yourself. There are truly many ways, and in Austria, you have many brilliant independent thinkers and innovative companies in the construction industry.
Take your "Sich im Ton nicht Vergreifer" (I liked this nice euphemism) and visit a few show homes with your eyes closed (to better focus on your other senses). Breathe, listen, smell, feel. You will notice differences. Only after that, let someone explain the house construction to you. You will draw parallels, develop a personal preference, and recognize what you do not want. This is the right approach.
In the end, you want to live in your house and feel comfortable. That is something personal. Trust yourself. There are truly many ways, and in Austria, you have many brilliant independent thinkers and innovative companies in the construction industry.
H
hampshire26 Feb 2019 09:44haydee schrieb:
For most people, after the “wish list” phase, the next step is usually cutting back. The gap between wishes and budget is too large. Haydee often has really good advice, and this is true as well.
I would like to add that we follow exactly the “wish list” approach. When cutting back, we start from this optimum and see how to get as close to it as possible. The advantage of this approach is that you get a clear direction and can set priorities.
A few rules are important:
1. The “wish list” phase only takes place during the orientation stage.
2. Don’t get attached to details (e.g., “I want a straight staircase”), but find out why you want something. Is there a principle or pattern behind it?
3. Forbid yourself any “That won’t work because…” statements during this phase.
4. Finish the “wish list orientation phase” and do not go back, because now comes the decision-making phase.
5. Sort and prioritize the principles and patterns you have identified and look for solutions.
6. Adopt a “How can I achieve this…” mindset and be sparing with “That won’t work because…” statements. Financial feasibility now becomes important.
7. Know that some solutions you find may not be understandable to others. They have not gone through the same process. So you need to be confident.
The question is: Do you look first at what you want to achieve, or do you start directly with what is generally considered feasible?