What's the biggest thing you'd differently if building again?

[jack]

3 hours ago, ProDave said:

Interesting.  We love our balcony, a lovely place to sit on a nice day and look down on the burn and listen to the wildlife.  But out balcony is 2 metres deep, I think it was mentioned in another thread, it has to be big enough to use, not just a narrow space barely wide enough to stand on.

 

To be fair, I didn't expect that they'd be used a lot. I read a lot of the classic architecture book "A Pattern Language" before we engaged an architect. One of the tenets in the book is that balconies less than about 6 feet deep will seldom be used. I thought we'd use it now and again - open the door, stand there and enjoy the garden for a bit, that sort of thing. But it really hasn't worked out like that.

 

Our late decision to include a bath in the ensuite is a similar failure. I think it's been used three or four times in nearly nine years. My wife chose it based on how it looks, but it's one of those egg-shaped things, so it's really uncomfortable unless it's full. I don't have the patience to wait that long!

 

3 hours ago, ProDave said:

Another post i will disagree with. Our plan had a large "plant room" but the realities when actually doung the work, was it made no sense.  All that is in our "plant room" is the mvhr, a few electrical boxes related to the ASHP, a circulating pump and an expansion vessel.  There really is not much indoor stuff for the average ASHP.  Consumer unit was far better on the wall in the utility room.  And hot water made much more sense in an airing cupboard formed from the corner of the spare bedroom putting the tank central to hot water points of use for quick hot water delivery.  I summary our services are distributed each being where makes best sense. 

I agree that it isn't necessary to have everything in one room, but our plant room is dead in the middle of the house, so is positioned for the shortest (average) runs to everywhere. We actually have a lot of home automation stuff in a separate cupboard, and had I planned it better, I suspect it would have been better to put all the electrics in there.

 

Whichever approach is preferred for the circumstances (or based on personal preference), my warning is really more about my massive failure to plan properly.

[jack]

38 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Never really been convinced with plant rooms.

 

Our UFH manifold is in a walk-in cupboard in the utility - makes it an airing cupboard. Our second MVHR is in the hall cupboard, then cylinder is in a insulated loft with primary MVHR and a gas boiler. Mostly use the loft for storage - like most lofts, but is fully insulated. ASHP obviously outside.

 

To be fair, it sounds like you're using your loft as a plant room of sorts.

[gaz_moose]

use normal radiators instead of fancy designer vertical ones.

I also wish id gone down the 2 slimline dishwasher route.

[JohnMo]

16 minutes ago, jack said:

 

To be fair, it sounds like you're using your loft as a plant room of sorts.

Of sorts, yes, dedicated no, dispersed where it best resides yes

[Andehh]

Not mistakes we made, but easily missed....

 

1) circulating DHW loops, fully insulated, I insisted on putting one in and we'd have been utterly fubar'd without it due to a 30 -40m distance from cylinder and taps. However terminate it close to the taps, our Kitchen tap is 4m off the loop and should have ran it to the cupboard to avoid that 5 second wait (!).

 

2) outside hot taps, esp if you have kids

 

3) consider 'wiring for, but not with' esp for car chargers (2nd one?), external cctv, external lighting, sheds, gates etc

 

4)  boiler tap is brilliant if you like hot drinks

 

5) Put the utility room / laundry room near the bedrooms!

[ToughButterCup]

3 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

...

As for window size, how often have I said that people put too much glazing in.

 

Indeed you have. And deliberately, politely we ignored it. We have about 16 square meters of glass facing south west.

 

And every single person who visits us comments on the large expanse of light, the views, the engagement with the colours and shapes in the garden, the easily visible bird life, the sudden but brief shaft of golden sunlight at the end of a depressingly grizzly, grey day. 

 

I'll pay a few extra quid for that. 

 

Houses are for living in. 

[Conor]

Yes same here, glass is overrated. Esp in July when it's 30c outside, or January when it's -10c.

[Super_Paulie]

Plus I've had at least a few bird strikes into the doors and it's such a shock you literally nearly soil yourself.

 

Also had a seagull actually fly in and walk around the kitchen.

[saveasteading]

13 hours ago, jack said:

We don't have UFH in the bathrooms

We have an old house with concrete floors without any insulation. The electric blanket in the bathroom floor is a very nice luxury.

Mentioning this discussion to my wife she reminded me of how pleased we are with our electric towel rail. It is plumbed in to the CH but also has an electric heating rod in it.

A cheap and simple control from Toolstation allows us to press a single button for 2 hours heat, and dry towels.

[jack]

15 hours ago, Andehh said:

2) outside hot taps, esp if you have kids

We considered this but never got around to implementing it. Would have been great for rinsing the dog down.

 

Another thing to consider is a softened water tap if you wash your car a lot (not really a problem we face!)

 

Also consider adding internal stopcocks for your exterior taps so you can turn them off and drain them down in winter.

 

15 hours ago, Andehh said:

3) consider 'wiring for, but not with' esp for car chargers (2nd one?), external cctv, external lighting, sheds, gates etc

 

100% this. Even running armoured cable to points within a garden where you might want a shed, lighting, etc in the future makes a lot of sense.

Same with running undergound pipework if you need water a long way from your outside taps. It's so much easier to do when you have diggers onsite doing groundwork.

 

Also consider running generously proportioned underground conduit if you have locations where you might want any form of wiring in the future.

 

15 hours ago, Andehh said:

4)  boiler tap is brilliant if you like hot drinks

 

I wouldn't be without one. Forgot to put veggies on? Instant boiling water for peas or corn. Late getting the pasta going? Full pot of boiling water in 20 seconds.

 

15 hours ago, Andehh said:

5) Put the utility room / laundry room near the bedrooms!

 

I think this is a good idea in theory, but we tend to do a lot of washing and drying overnight. I'm a really light sleeper, and with wooden floors upstairs and longish-span pozijoists, I was worried about noise. Jury's out about whether it was the right decision - my partner still thinks we should have found/made  space for a washing machine and dryer upstairs.

[SimonD]

On 31/10/2024 at 10:31, Iceverge said:

 

Absolutely. 

 

A cardboard model. 

 

The a ply model. 

 

Then a bird house. 

 

Then a dog house.

 

Then a pump house. 

 

Then a garage. 

 

Then the house. 

 

 

 

 

 Yes, indeed. I've only ever managed bits of all those, maybe that's my problem...

[Benpointer]

On 31/10/2024 at 17:31, ChrisInKent said:

We’ve just got the house structure up so not ‘post build’ in any way but I would:

- work out services costs and soil conditions pre purchase. Yes an expense but it could have given us leverage to get the land price down a bit (clay required piling, no easy route for services) 

- look every company up on Companies House. Nearly got burned twice by companies in liquidation

- trust my instincts more, not use anyone who I don’t like when meeting them

- make sure everyone understands what we are aiming for, is invested in it with us

- go local whenever possible, didn’t do this with TF company and are happy with that choice but we are using as many local trades as we can now. They have reputations to protect where out of area trades don’t

- apply for the services sooner, it’s a year in and we’re just about to get power (hopefully!), another month for water…

 

Chris, can I ask what you use as a trigger warning when you look companies up on Companies House?  

 

I assume it's not going to mark them up as 'about to go bust', nor give much indication that they have major cash-flow or credit issues?

[Susie]

9 hours ago, Benpointer said:

Chris, can I ask what you use as a trigger warning when you look companies up on Companies House?  

 

I assume it's not going to mark them up as 'about to go bust', nor give much indication that they have major cash-flow or credit issues?

I use companies house to check out directors how often they start up new businesses and then close them down again within a few years. Companies house will mark up when a strike off on the gazette is updated this is the first stage to a business not filing accounts or a creditor pushing for liquidation etc.  I look at the accounts and see how many they employ, gives you an idea of permanent employees or subcontractors used. The capital retained rather than fully drawn out as dividends, but that might depend on size of business, personally I always take dividends after closing accounts. Check the total debtors and creditors balances.  Investing in the company in assets.  If you’re not sure of how to read accounts get a credit check on them,  try https://www.companysearchesmadesimple.com you can pay per company search or a subscription for a month then cancel. 
 

[Alan Ambrose]

I’ve been meaning to put up a thread on that subject for ages. OK here:

 

 

 

Edited November 20 by Alan Ambrose

[ChrisInKent]

On 19/11/2024 at 22:37, Benpointer said:

I assume it's not going to mark them up as 'about to go bust', nor give much indication that they have major cash-flow or credit issues?

At the start it was their payment terms triggering a look. If they ask for >50% upfront, payment in cash or amounts in excess of the materials costs. I now use it for every company we’re giving more than a few thousand £s to. I think it’s a good habit, easy to do and the guide @Susie mentioned is a good ‘how to’. 

 

It does indeed show who is going bust, shows if they are in liquidation. Also as mentioned above shows how often companies change their trading name, or base location, or directors. One company moved office and changed name almost annually. A quick internet search for reviews on the previous company names showed a whole load of issues and we didn’t use them.