Things I wish I had done when building?

cabledude · 17-07-2012 11:16pm

muffler wrote: »

You've quoted a post from Sept. '09. We really don't need that.

O.K. Don't know what to say to that. What difference does it make when the quoted post was made. The opinion within the post still applies, I presume. I merely pointed out that my personal experience would contradict the poster. He said that there is no size limitations on windows when I know this not to be that case in the part of the country I am from.

I really do not see why the date that the quoted post was made on has any relevance? Perhaps you might be so kind as to direct me to the forum charter and in particular where it states that when quoting previous posts a time limit applies.

I am a member of several sites like this and have never seen an poster accosted for quoting a post that was three years old. As a moderator you should be encouraging debate without time limits.

muffler · 17-07-2012 11:25pm

Back on topic again please.

cabledude · 18-07-2012 5:23am

muffler wrote: »

Back on topic again please.

Coola Boola...

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

muffler · 18-07-2012 9:44am

cabledude banned for 1 week.

Calibos · 18-07-2012 3:39pm

In some respects there are a lot of things I wish we had done when we did a 200 grand renovation on our Victorian house. (Inside was completely gutted, floors lowered, third storey added to back end of house for Attic bedroom etc). Then again if we had have done a lot of these other things I wish we had done and also included all the finishing/decoration/furnishing, the mortgage would have been another 50 grand which might have put us into the affordability danger zone with the current pressure on income and being on a variable interest rate. As it stands we are safe affordability wise and still have a 40% loan to value ratio at least (would have been 25% at 2007 prices)

At least the way it stands now, we can finish the house at our own pace when funds allow without risking the whole house of cards falling down if you'll pardon the pun. One wonders if the neighbours up the street who did a similar renovation/extension job the year before us before the sh1t hit the fan economically, might wish their house wasn't quite 100% finished to high spec but with a mortgage 50 grand less.

One always has to look at the bright side. Although at times its been tough that even after 2 years since the job we are still looking at uncarpetted stairs, plywood floors upstairs, cheap bathroom fittings and tiling and furniture more suited to our old 3 bed semi than a large Victorian house. On the other hand given some of the changes I want to make after living in the house for 2 years, its just as well we didn't spend big money on carpets and expensive bathrooms, flooring downstairs etc because it would have been money wasted when I rip it out or it might have created inertia in doing some of the needed changes if I was worrying about all the wasted money on carpets/expensive tiles etc.

Luckily the substantial changes I want to make to the layout only involve non load bearing stud walls which I'll be able to do myself and possibly just get a plasterer in to skim. I won't feel bad about taking up laminate downstairs and replacing with real wood floors when the laminate only cost 1000+ fitting. I'll feel I've gotten enough value out of it in the 2 or 3 years of not having to walk on concrete floors downstairs. Ditto with the bathrooms. I won't feel bad about replacing all bathroom fitting and tiles in 3 bathrooms when I only paid 3000 including fitting for the lot and will by the time of replacement gotten about 3 years out of them.

If there one change I can't wait for, that will make the most difference, its storage. Of course its the first thing anyone advising you on your build will say, "Storage, Storage, Storage!!!" and yet its the one bit of advice thats most often ignored. I ignored it, learnt my lesson and will be rectifying that.

Muckit · 19-07-2012 9:47pm

soldsold wrote: »

Order patio doors to open inwards instead of out so they don’t get caught in the wind
Steve

What happens steve if you come in these doors on a wet day? water dripping all over your floors!

Calibos · 20-07-2012 12:11am

Muckit wrote: »

What happens steve if you come in these doors on a wet day? water dripping all over your floors!

My first thought was a pi55taking rereg of someone recently reprimanded but then I saw the 2500 post count..........

:rolleyes:

Villain · 07-08-2012 1:09pm

I started this thread in 2008 when I had started to build my own selfbuild, sadly due to the economic downturn the build was stalled until recently, the house is plastered and roof is finished so hopefully we'll head indoors now and get finished. The posts in this thread have been a huge help, so thanks everyone for the all information

randombar · 03-09-2012 2:47pm

So spent yesterday (a year after the build) going through the random boxes of screws and bits and pieces I had for everything I had to put together during the build. The last 6 months anytime I went to look for something I couldn't fint it!

Sooo my advice get a few of these organizer containers

and every time you're putting something together put any "spare parts" you have into a section, will save a lot of heart ache!!

sheff the ref · 09-09-2012 2:02pm

11 pages of essential reading for someone at the design stage.

Thanks in advance!!! If I only get a couple of tips from this, it will be well worth the read!!!

18-09-2012 3:20pm

Keep the manuals for everything that is installed and a bit of the box they came in if there is no manual.

I don't just mean the cooker and fridge but dimmer switches, timing clocks extractor fans etc.

You don't even have to keep them organised just keep them and one day, in a few years time, you will thank me.

sheff the ref · 18-09-2012 6:19pm

I am a manual hoarder anyway at the best of times.

Actually provision for storage of such manuals over a lifetime is something that will be useful!!!!!

New build in sight · 23-09-2012 1:44pm

2 more ideas that have come to my mind whilst building and learning from others are:

1. Install my washing machine and dryer at waist high rather than leaving them on the floor as standard. My kitchen designer pointed this out to me and we did see this at a friends house and loved the idea, so i will definately be using this one. (our build is still ongoing

)

2. Install a seperate ironing board and iron in the walk in wardrobe, such a convenient idea! Spotted this on houzz.

just do it · 23-09-2012 3:58pm

New build in sight wrote: »

1. Install my washing machine and dryer at waist high rather than leaving them on the floor as standard. My kitchen designer pointed this out to me and we did see this at a friends house and loved the idea, so i will definately be using this one. (our build is still ongoing ).

And one extra detail to really finish it off. A pull-out counter just beneath them that can be pushed back out of the way when not in use

23-09-2012 5:57pm

just do it wrote: »

And one extra detail to really finish it off. A pull-out counter just beneath them that can be pushed back out of the way when not in use

sounds like a great place to "lose" all the dirty laundry, under the washing machine.

sheff the ref · 23-09-2012 9:10pm

Not a chance I would do that.

You have to factor in

(a) Washing Machines last about 5 years these days. Dont fancy lifting the old one out and the new one up

(b) Leaks onto a tiled floor can be mopped up. Leaks into the drawer underneath.......

(c) Function should always come before decor/design is my motto

New build in sight wrote: »

2 more ideas that have come to my mind whilst building and learning from others are:

1. Install my washing machine and dryer at waist high rather than leaving them on the floor as standard. My kitchen designer pointed this out to me and we did see this at a friends house and loved the idea, so i will definately be using this one. (our build is still ongoing )

2. Install a seperate ironing board and iron in the walk in wardrobe, such a convenient idea! Spotted this on houzz.

BoardsMember · 24-09-2012 9:43am

Washing machines lasting 5 years and leaking....I think you need to examine what machines you are buying!

I think them being at waist height and with pull out drawer is an idea worth considering, and would seem to be an example of function above decor/design (or convention)...though it does take up valuable counter top space. On the other hand, if you are designing a utility room or laundry room it is definitely worth considering.

24-09-2012 10:00am

I'd play safe and place a water barrier & drain over the raised plinth, just in case.

New build in sight · 24-09-2012 1:40pm

sheff the ref wrote: »

Not a chance I would do that.

You have to factor in

(a) Washing Machines last about 5 years these days. Dont fancy lifting the old one out and the new one up

(b) Leaks onto a tiled floor can be mopped up. Leaks into the drawer underneath.......

(c) Function should always come before decor/design is my motto

Interesting objective view, as all your negatives are actually my positives

My last washing machine lasted me 6 years until it went to a new home which I assume is still going

Your point about lifting it is also a positive in my eyes as I dread someone sliding it along my brand new floors to get it in the right place, at least this way it is lifted into the correct place

I would rather the leaks went into a drawer then onto my brand new floors

(I jest, you get the point)

And as for function, I definately see the advantages to opening a door and reaching in rather than bending down, specially in my later years

sheff the ref · 24-09-2012 9:39pm

We will have to agree to differ so!!!!

However I can tell you that any washing machine that gets reasonable once a day or twice a day use will not last much longer than 5 years. They aint made to last anymore and they aint worth repairing once something goes wrong because the cost of part plus labour goes a long way toward the purchase of a new machine. The days of 20 year washing machines are over.

I am thinking of actually having a gulley in the tiled floor of my utility room to drain the water in the event of a leaking washing machine.

New build in sight wrote: »

Interesting objective view, as all your negatives are actually my positives My last washing machine lasted me 6 years until it went to a new home which I assume is still going

Your point about lifting it is also a positive in my eyes as I dread someone sliding it along my brand new floors to get it in the right place, at least this way it is lifted into the correct place

I would rather the leaks went into a drawer then onto my brand new floors (I jest, you get the point)

And as for function, I definately see the advantages to opening a door and reaching in rather than bending down, specially in my later years

randombar · 25-09-2012 9:16am

sheff the ref wrote: »

We will have to agree to differ so!!!!

However I can tell you that any washing machine that gets reasonable once a day or twice a day use will not last much longer than 5 years. They aint made to last anymore and they aint worth repairing once something goes wrong because the cost of part plus labour goes a long way toward the purchase of a new machine. The days of 20 year washing machines are over.

I am thinking of actually having a gulley in the tiled floor of my utility room to drain the water in the event of a leaking washing machine.

Once or twice a day? You definitely need a bigger drum machine.

How do people find the waching machine noise/movement on the shelf, I'd be worried the whole time it would vibrate off!!

lanod2407 · 26-09-2012 11:18am

Deleted User wrote: »

sounds like a great place to "lose" all the dirty laundry, under the washing machine.

....... wish I had somewhere to hide my 'dirty laundry'!!!

SC024 · 27-09-2012 1:16pm

A suggestion at foundation/floor slab stage would be to fit 1/2no ducts from utility/fuseboard area out to a point(s) outside and terminate outside in an AJ or manhole for future power cables to shed/outhouse etc.

Means they can be picked up outside in future without disruption internally.
They can be capped at both ends to prevent ingress of moisture/vermin etc. etc

sheff the ref · 27-09-2012 8:42pm

That is something that I have taken into account allright. The less butchering you have to do in the future, the better.

BoardsMember · 28-09-2012 10:42am

Excuse the ignorance, but would having an outside socket be sufficient?

seagullsontour · 28-09-2012 10:43am

wish you never started :rolleyes:

sydthebeat · 28-09-2012 10:45am

BoardsMember wrote: »

Excuse the ignorance, but would having an outside socket be sufficient?

not really depends on what you want to do in teh garage...

eg if you want lights, radios, power tools etc thats too much drain on one socket.

randombar · 28-09-2012 11:19am

Ya I had a cable left outside for lights but I should have left ducting so I could have put plugs in a few different places, different lights etc. One cable can't service everything.

sheff the ref · 28-09-2012 4:02pm

I am allowing for a duct between my garage and utility room because you never know how you might change a heating system in the future. There can be lots of reasons over time to need to run something from a house to a garage and vice versa. Generally outdoor work could involve using hired power tools etc and who knows what kind of power would be needed to run these in the future.

BoardsMember wrote: »

Excuse the ignorance, but would having an outside socket be sufficient?

Cork selfbuild · 01-10-2012 1:31pm

Hi all,

We are at the buying site / design phase, what a great thread, read through & making notes!

One or two things from my own thought & what people said to me were -

1. Think of whatever design you are going for, if you are staying in the house, what would it be like for whey of retire... (like the washing machine at waist height - with the pull out shelf, rather than pulling out just washed clothes onto the floor.

2. Build the garage ASAP, depending on how you use it or what for, maybe paint the floor, with garage floor paint... Definitely going to put a sink in there...

3. Ducting - who knows what cables will change in the future, will be worth it down the line. ( like the large one from the garage to house)

From reading the post..

1865 wrote: »

Keep the manuals for everything that is installed and a bit of the box they came in if there is no manual.

I don't just mean the cooker and fridge but dimmer switches, timing clocks extractor fans etc.

You don't even have to keep them organised just keep them and one day, in a few years time, you will thank me.

+1 on this, to go a step further, buy a filing cabinet before starting, my brother said to do this as there is so many bit of paper, handy to put all in one place safely...

On everything you buy on the manuals, have a drawer for these, but (if expensive enough) photocopy the receipt (as some fade quickly) along with the original & photocopy - staple these to the manual - may save you money down the line.

sheff the ref wrote: »

We will have to agree to differ so!!!!

I am thinking of actually having a gulley in the tiled floor of my utility room to drain the water in the event of a leaking washing machine.

I like this idea, would it be worth having one in the kitchen also being the cabinets where the sink is in the event of any leaks etc? Or just a cost excessive addition?

sheff the ref · 01-10-2012 8:34pm

Very little extra cost attached to a gulley at the early building stage. In fact it may be an excellent idea for an upstairs ensuite too.

randombar · 02-10-2012 12:04pm

One thing about the gulley lads, not sure how you'd make it look nice in the kitchen?? You'd need to have it accessible as you'd need to bleach it every so often etc??

02-10-2012 1:05pm

I wish I'd thought of the Gully idea.

WHY DIDN'T YOU POST THIS 6 MONTHS AGO!!!!

Villain · 02-10-2012 1:11pm

1865 wrote: »

I wish I'd thought of the Gully idea.

WHY DIDN'T YOU POST THIS 6 MONTHS AGO!!!!

The gully idea has pro's and con's, e.g. it can allow smells to backup and it needs to be sealed 100% to prevent mice etc using as an entry point.

sheff the ref · 02-10-2012 5:27pm

Given that its a thought of my own, I have never actually seen one. Lets say there was a leak, would a kitchen sink diameter wastepipe be enough for a gulley. I presume you could possibly get non return valve to prevent rodents and smells from coming in. The best location would probably be under the Dishwasher in the kitchen with the floor sloped in that direction

GaryCocs wrote: »

One thing about the gulley lads, not sure how you'd make it look nice in the kitchen?? You'd need to have it accessible as you'd need to bleach it every so often etc??

randombar · 02-10-2012 5:58pm

Just be careful with the non return valve, I've a shower in my place that has been used twice in a year. (non return type valve) Every so often I have to rinse the drain out as the water in it starts to smell.

sheff the ref · 02-10-2012 6:58pm

Isnt there some kind of gulley for tiled wetroom showers that seals out the smells???

Poor Uncle Tom · 02-10-2012 7:05pm

All of those traps have water seals, over any lengthy period of non use those dry out and the drain gasses will vent into the house.

sheff the ref · 02-10-2012 9:38pm

Can they be replaced easily??

03-10-2012 8:11am

sheff the ref wrote: »

Can they be replaced easily??

Just pour a glass of water in them from time to time!

Poor Uncle Tom · 03-10-2012 8:13am

Deleted User wrote: »

Just pour a glass of water in them from time to time!

Perfect solution, I use it for the shower trays in my office, it when you forget to do it there's fun in the place........:D

dos29 · 06-10-2012 8:31pm

I've picked up some brilliant nuggets of info from this thread. Wish someone had suggested the following to me, but hopefully it might help someone.
Just about to start insulating between joists and in stud walls, and looking at the fun I'm going to have fitting it around pipes and electrical wire.
Should have talked to plumber and spark before hand and asked for it to be kept as close to timber as possible. As it stands, there's stuff zig zagging at all sorts of angles.

07-10-2012 9:33am

dos29 wrote: »

I've picked up some brilliant nuggets of info from this thread. Wish someone had suggested the following to me, but hopefully it might help someone.
Just about to start insulating between joists and in stud walls, and looking at the fun I'm going to have fitting it around pipes and electrical wire.
Should have talked to plumber and spark before hand and asked for it to be kept as close to timber as possible. As it stands, there's stuff zig zagging at all sorts of angles.

I did my own first fix and avoided a lot of those problems, but not all!

just do it · 07-10-2012 5:53pm

dolanbaker wrote: »

I did my own first fix and avoided a lot of those problems, but not all!

Fair deuce to you! Had you any previous experience?

sheff the ref · 08-11-2012 9:12pm

Have been talking to a cousin with a 3200 square foot house. 2 storey. Block Walls. V roof.

Her top tips were

1.Oven at eye level rather than on the ground underneath the worktop. Bending down with a bad back in the future to get the Xmas turkey out of the oven would otherwise be a problem.

2.Concrete rather than Tarmac out the back. A nice neat well finished job that can be powerwashed and kept clean easily unlike Tarmac which seems to have a shelf life of <5 years in the wet Irish climate.

3.A decent sized Island in the Kitchen. I was never really an Island fan to be honest but the storage space can be handy particularly for items that are not regularly used. Basically she said that space in the middle of a kitchen is wasted space and best utilised with an Island.

4.Insulation. Insulation. Insulation. Insulation aint the most expensive thing in the world. Insulated the cavity and also had the insulated plasterboards inside the external walls. Reckons that lighting a match would heat the house.

Interestingly enough for a house of that size she has oil and radiators as her heating system. Rads are handy for drying clothes etc which isn't something you would think of when putting in underfloor and geothermal. She said that for the winter of 2010, the really frosty year that she heated the house for €600 in oil from August 2010 to March 2011. Last year it cost roughly €400 in oil from August 2011 to March 2012 but that was a mild winter by comparison.

hexosan · 24-01-2013 1:11am

These ideas come from a friend.

1. Add a demister to the mirrors in the bathrooms. Nice to have a clean mirror when you step out of the shower

2. Run a cable to your gates for CCTV/intercom/ automatic gates

3. Take a picture of all items you buy, including their serial numbers and receipts Handy if you ever need to make an insurance claim. Take pictures of yourself wearing your valuables including jewellery as its the only way to prove you owned them if stolen. Save these images to a friend or family members computer or upload to Flickr in case the house burns down.

4. Consider future proofing the house at design stage think how room functions can change as kid grow up and you get older.

5. Then the usuals like, tons of insulation, sockets & storage

Lady Tottington · 26-01-2013 12:33am

A gas fire is no substitute for a real fire.

If your kitchen window has an opening, consider how the frame will affect your view. Our kitchen window frame obstructs our view of the garden and pushes the eye away…to the neighbours huge shed. It would have been so easy to order a window where the frame obstructed the view of the shed!

Laminate looks like laminate. Don’t believe it when your builder says it won’t.

Consider where you place your boiler – waking up half an hour early because you can hear the boiler coming on is no fun.

If you buy cobblelock from a Man With A Van, keep a copy of the brochure so you can point out that the brick he is laying is not the colour you asked for, even if it has the correct name slapped on it.

It’s been said a million times but it’s true – check the batch no. on the box of tiles you buy. Otherwise you end up with 20 tiles that are a tiny shade off - once you notice it, you’ll never not notice it.

Dust from joinery is unbelievably fine. Covering things in sheets won’t do it – move everything out.

Get building work certified when it’s finished. Having to get the certs done years later when you are trying to sell quickly is nerve-wracking!

BoardsMember · 28-01-2013 6:58pm

Lady Tottington wrote: »

A gas fire is no substitute for a real fire.

If your kitchen window has an opening, consider how the frame will affect your view. Our kitchen window frame obstructs our view of the garden and pushes the eye away…to the neighbours huge shed. It would have been so easy to order a window where the frame obstructed the view of the shed!

Laminate looks like laminate. Don’t believe it when your builder says it won’t.

Consider where you place your boiler – waking up half an hour early because you can hear the boiler coming on is no fun.

If you buy cobblelock from a Man With A Van, keep a copy of the brochure so you can point out that the brick he is laying is not the colour you asked for, even if it has the correct name slapped on it.

It’s been said a million times but it’s true – check the batch no. on the box of tiles you buy. Otherwise you end up with 20 tiles that are a tiny shade off - once you notice it, you’ll never not notice it.

Dust from joinery is unbelievably fine. Covering things in sheets won’t do it – move everything out.

Get building work certified when it’s finished. Having to get the certs done years later when you are trying to sell quickly is nerve-wracking!

Sounds like these could also be filed in the "things I did and wish I had not done when building". Thanks for sharing!

Lady Tottington · 28-01-2013 9:54pm

BoardsMember wrote: »

Sounds like these could also be filed in the "things I did and wish I had not done when building". Thanks for sharing!

Yup. On to my second house now. Judging from the thread, I should get it right on the third house

muffler · 28-01-2013 11:18pm

Lady Tottington wrote: »

I should get it right on the third house

I wouldn't bet on it

I recall a guy from years ago who had built a house in England where he was living and working at the time and he came back to Ireland and decided to build here. We sat down and got a lot of things thrashed out and got plans drawn up for him and he built but both he and his wife weren't just completely happy when they were living in it for a while.

So after about 10 years living there he took advantage of the old celtic tiger and decided to sell and build his third house. He went into a lot of fine detail and we got what he thought was a plan of the perfect house...well a perfect house for him and his missus.

He got planning through and built and while I lost contact with him for a couple of years I met him not so long ago and asked how he and his wife liked the house and he said he would have to do it again to get it right

Things I wish I had done when building?

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