Anyone had a Danwood build without an MVHR?

[worldwidewebs]

We're going through the detailed design stage of a Danwood house build in Scotland and the MVHR ducting layout they've come up with means that although there is a decent-sized, dedicated technical room, a lot of ducting is visible in the utility room. They even wanted to put the MVHR in the utility room itself, despite the technical room being directly next to it! The UK-based guys are very helpful but the Polish team seem either unwilling or unable to meet our needs so I'm trying to work out my available options and next steps. 

 

I'd be keen to hear whether anyone has built a Danwood house and didn't have an MVHR installed. Also, for those that do have a Danwood build with an MVHR, would you be able to upload a photo showing the unit and the ducting to the point it 'disappears' behind walls and ceilings?

[Ed_]

I'm going to be building a Danwood house. Some things are flexible and other things definitely aren't and it is difficult to tell beforehand which will be which, they have a build system and that is that.

I've attached a photo i took of the system in a completed house I visited.

[kandgmitchell]

We have that same unit as pictured but in the services room. The ducts leave via the utility room which has a false ceiling with all ductwork hidden from view. 

 

We have found the MVHR system to be very good and we saw that as a positive in the Danwood offering. The one issue is the location of the outlets in the floors, could do with them nearer the walls but as they're placed under windows it's not that bad.

[jack]

1 hour ago, worldwidewebs said:

We're going through the detailed design stage of a Danwood house build in Scotland and the MVHR ducting layout they've come up with means that although there is a decent-sized, dedicated technical room, a lot of ducting is visible in the utility room. They even wanted to put the MVHR in the utility room itself, despite the technical room being directly next to it! The UK-based guys are very helpful but the Polish team seem either unwilling or unable to meet our needs so I'm trying to work out my available options and next steps. 

 

I'd be keen to hear whether anyone has built a Danwood house and didn't have an MVHR installed. Also, for those that do have a Danwood build with an MVHR, would you be able to upload a photo showing the unit and the ducting to the point it 'disappears' behind walls and ceilings?

 

Have you asked why they're making these decisions? I'm sure they aren't doing it just to be difficult. It could be about routing needs, including competition from power, electricity, and water routing, interference from building elements such as joists, and/or limitations of their build system.

 

In our case, we'd initially planned to put the MVHR in the pantry, but ended up moving it to the plant room right next door. Admittedly, a large part of the need for that location was my fault, because I didn't give nearly enough thought to the plant room layout before everything (drainage, power, water) was permanently positioned when the slab was poured. 

 

In the end (and possibly more relevant to your situation), we also decided to move the manifolds into the utility room, largely because it was clear we'd really struggle routing the per-room ducts around all the other power, water and drainage passing through the ceiling in the plant room. Similar issues could apply even to a couple of large ducts, depending on the routes they might need to take.

 

I suppose my point is that there's generally a reason for every decision. They should be able to articulate that reason.

 

If you end up with the MVHR in the utility room, you could box it in. We did that with ours in the pantry. It just looks like another set of cupboard doors.

 

12 minutes ago, kandgmitchell said:

The ducts leave via the utility room which has a false ceiling with all ductwork hidden from view. 

 

We did similar with a dropped ceiling below the manifolds in our utility room, with flush access panels for maintenance if needed. It worked well for use. The access panels have have never been opened in the decade since we moved in. 

 

[Nickfromwales]

On most of my M&E projects we have posi joists, and a huge amount of stuff can be hidden away in the build fabric if you pre-plan (earlier the better obvs). 
 

On (another) one, where the architect was as much use as a porthole on a submarine, I was left to retrospectively solve the issue of getting all the MVHR and plant kit etc installed, after the frame had gone into production.

 

We squeezed the manifolds (bespoke) into the posi voids and got a lot of that up and out of the (tiny) plant room. Good outcome, just needed someone with a problem-solving background and attitude, and we got it done. 
 

Was bloody tight, see pic of the utility ceiling void:

 

[kandgmitchell]

14 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

huge amount of stuff can be hidden away in the build fabric if you pre-plan (earlier the better obvs). 

That is what Danwood do. They provide live real time drawings for the customer to locate electrical outlets for instance (whilst showing the impact on the original budget for all those extras you want). Sanitaryware gets planned, there's a lot of involvement at the planning stage until it gets frozen and sent to the factory. Then when panels arrive on site they have conduits and outlet boxes already fitted, waste pipes and hot and cold supplies installed etc. So when the kit arrives on site all the ductwork routes are known and there is no need for the odd additional holes here and there.

 

Years of refining the product means many faults have been designed out, there is no mastic around windows as that fails so a hidden seal joins the window frame to the structural frame. Internal window sills are not timber or MDF but a quartz like material. These are the advantages of factory build over a one off job in the mud. Granted it means a lot of wild architectural ideas can't be realised but I would suggest there is still a lot more flexibility in layout/design than you'll get from a major housebuilder.

[Oz07]

27 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

On (another) one, where the architect was as much use as a porthole on a submarine

 

 

Am I the only one thinks that would be pretty cool? 

[Nickfromwales]

It’s always down to the cost impact of convenience shopping. I’d be interested to see what the £premium was for all that design and coordination. 

[Nickfromwales]

Just now, Oz07 said:

Am I the only one thinks that would be pretty cool? 

Up to the point you open it to admire the view, yes. 😆

[worldwidewebs]

9 hours ago, kandgmitchell said:

We have that same unit as pictured but in the services room. The ducts leave via the utility room which has a false ceiling with all ductwork hidden from view. 

 

We have found the MVHR system to be very good and we saw that as a positive in the Danwood offering. The one issue is the location of the outlets in the floors, could do with them nearer the walls but as they're placed under windows it's not that bad.

How much lower is the false ceiling?