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Design and modernize a bungalow

  • 16-04-2022 10:57am
    #1
    joeyy
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    I have a bungalow i need to modernize in Leixlip.

    i would appreciate if any of you could recommend an architectect or building contractor they may have used recently for extension design to the stage of full drawings.

    i I have heard many building contractor now offer this kind of initial design wothout an architectect on board.

    I can see plenty advertise, however would love to hear from any of you who have actually used this type of all in Contrator with particular emphysis on the design process.

    Also if i could know of the approx costs incurred for the site survey and design for their particular project (my project is opening up kitchen/dining and large extension to the rear of the bungalow)

    Thanks



Comments

  • #2
    C. Eastwood
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭C. Eastwood


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241970/design-and-modernize-a-bungalow

    Retain a Construction Professional with PI Insurance to design, supervise and Certify all the works on completion. The PI Insurance will provide protection for 6 years.



  • #3
    Irish Steve
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    I am going to suggest that you need to give serious thought to aspects of design that seem to be often ignored by many "professionals". The layout of the rooms needs to be done in such a way as to minimise the pipe lengths between the hot water storage and the place of use, or you need to give serious consideration to using small local electric water heaters, depending on the demand, with the way things are changing, it may be more economic to use such heaters, powered where possible from Solar panels or similar.

    Over 30 years ago, an architect designed the bungalow we're in, and a core part of his design was an H concept, where the boiler was in a small area on the perimeter of the house, and the hot press was then inside the building, separated from the boiler area by the chimney serving the boiler and fireplaces of 2 rooms either side of the centre leg of the H. It was a design concept that he was very proud of, and in hindsight, I should have told him where to put his H, as the practical outworking of that design has cost us a lot of wasted heat and water ever since, in that every area that uses hot water is almost as far is it could be from the storage, and we're talking a dormer that's 70 Ft long, so not short runs, with the result that we end up running taps for a considerable time before we get hot water at any of them, even though the pipes under the floor are insulated.

    If that's not feasible, then serious consideration needs to be given to trying to find a way to have hot water circulated through a loop, to reduce the quantity of water needed before hot water is dispensed at the tap. It was even more of a concern when we had water metering for a while, and now with the way energy prices are going, wasting energy on heating water that's not being used is no longer acceptable.

    With the way that home automation is changing, it may make sense to have such a circulation pump operated by a time switched system that can be programmed to operate at likely water use times, with the home automation system able to switch it on as needed, from things like smart phones, or similar. The hardware to do it is out there, it's just a case of working out the most economic way of doing it.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • #4
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,012 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241970/design-and-modernize-a-bungalow

    I'm sure you can get many construction companies who will offer to design the house for you without a professional. This will likely be cheaper. But you will certainly get what you pay for.

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118938939#Comment_118938939

    Location of heating water heating and storage is one aspect that affect the layout. But it's hardly the only one, or the most critical. A house designed with the shortest runs possible might save energy, but it would be a pretty poor layout I would guess (bathroom off the kitchen).

    Seems a bit moot as the OP is renovating an existing bungalow. Replanning the entire layout and heating system is probably out of scope.



  • #5
    joeyy
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭joeyy


    I would like to thank Mellor,irish Steve,and C Eastwood for your contributions on this topics.

    i am taking your advise on board and food for thought here😀



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