Things you didn't think of.

Faze11 · 18-10-2020 9:30am #1

Hi all.

Thought it might be valuable to get people's stories of the things they didn't think of designwise or otherwise when buying or moving into new house.

For me it was a new build I would have liked to have:
- Screwed down the floor boards before putting down carpet to prevent creaks.
- Looked at soundproofing mid floor
- Taken photos of cabling and ducting during build process.
- Put plugs on both sides of one of the small bedrooms
- Checked the quality/level of the garden and put on snag. (Was very uneven and poor quality)
- Not said "Ah no its grand" when electrician asked me if I wanted an outside plug.
- Looked at practicality of positioning of the sink and toilets

I'm sure there is loads more but that's a good start.

Everlong1 · 18-10-2020 9:57am

How to get furniture in through the front door.

I bought a terraced two - up two - down after only one viewing. The front door leads into a tiny porch with another door before you get into the living room. Before I actually moved in I bought and paid for a big DFS leather sofa. Only as I got closer to the delivery date for this thing did I realise that it might not actually fit in through the front door.

It didn't. In the end we had to take off the back door to the house and even then it just about squeezed through.

The other thing I didn't think of: I spent years living in flats and "studio apartments" i.e. glorified bedsits. After a few years in my house I began to realise that I didn't like the layout of the place -all those years living in flats had given me a taste for having everything on one level. Running up and down stairs is for the birds.

I should really have bought a bungalow or cottage. Planning on selling my house in the future and buying a one level place.

Everlong1 · 18-10-2020 10:00am

Just realised this thread is about new houses - mine wasn't new, sorry.

snorrie · 18-10-2020 10:15am

Everlong1 wrote: »

Just realised this thread is about new houses - mine wasn't new, sorry.

It was new to you and you may have redesigned parts of it prior to or upon moving in.

Anyway, I don't know if this would be "up to code" in Ireland, but living in apartments in other European countries, some rooms had a socket right next to the light switch beside the door. I found it very handy for plugging in the hoover, you didn't have to bend down or move any furniture to find a socket each time you moved to a different room.

If I were building a new house, I would definitely try to have that, as well as switches at the door that turn on/off lamps around the room.

JJJackal · 18-10-2020 10:49am

Faze11 wrote: »

Hi all.

Thought it might be valuable to get people's stories of the things they didn't think of designwise or otherwise when buying or moving into new house.

For me it was a new build I would have liked to have:
- Screwed down the floor boards before putting down carpet to prevent creaks.
- Looked at soundproofing mid floor
- Taken photos of cabling and ducting during build process.
- Put plugs on both sides of one of the small bedrooms
- Checked the quality/level of the garden and put on snag. (Was very uneven and poor quality)
- Not said "Ah no its grand" when electrician asked me if I wanted an outside plug.
- Looked at practicality of positioning of the sink and toilets

I'm sure there is loads more but that's a good start.

I knew I should have asked for an outside socket yesterday!

cubatahavana · 18-10-2020 12:00pm

Very useful thread. For me, when I bought the apartment years ago, I wish I would have put underfloor heating all over

poker--addict · 18-10-2020 12:12pm

Light in the hot press. Light in small storage space.

Plug and tv point over fire place.

Extra plugs beside bed- most houses end up with adaptor or extension lead.

Sensor lights out back/side.

dubrov · 18-10-2020 12:15pm

Network point in the hallway ceiling to add a wireless access point to

Caranica · 18-10-2020 12:56pm

Alarm control panel in the bedroom is a big one for me. Plus more sockets everywhere.

td2008 · 18-10-2020 1:13pm

Can you ask for extra sockets usually as part of the snagging process?

wench · 18-10-2020 1:14pm

Caranica wrote: »

Alarm control panel in the bedroom is a big one for me. Plus more sockets everywhere.

I got my house rewired when I moved in. Got 20 sockets in the living room, still not enough!!

un5byh7sqpd2x0 · 18-10-2020 1:15pm

td2008 wrote: »

Can you ask for extra sockets usually as part of the snagging process?

No, far too late for that.

Shoden · 18-10-2020 1:39pm

What do you mean soundproofing midfloor?

Milena009 · 18-10-2020 1:45pm

cubatahavana wrote: »

Very useful thread. For me, when I bought the apartment years ago, I wish I would have put underfloor heating all over

I'm about to buy a new home from Glenveagh next year so just noting down the suggestions from here 😅
Highly good idea

yaboya1 · 18-10-2020 1:48pm

Faze11 wrote: »

- Not said "Ah no its grand" when electrician asked me if I wanted an outside plug.

Same in relation to when the plumber asked did I want an outside tap.

cubatahavana · 18-10-2020 2:25pm

yaboya1 wrote: »

Same in relation to when the plumber asked did I want an outside tap.

Buying a new build now. Nearly finished and I just realized that I never asked if there’s an outside tap/socket. Never lived in a house so it didn’t cross my mind. These and attic ladders are in my browser history today.

poker--addict · 18-10-2020 2:27pm

Attic ladder reminded me of attic flooring!

The misery and hassle of putting stuff in an attic which has no basic flooring!

Caranica · 18-10-2020 2:31pm

poker--addict wrote: »

Attic ladder reminded me of attic flooring!

The misery and hassle of putting stuff in an attic which has no basic flooring!

I recently got both added, plus a light and basic shelving. Wasn't a big deal to do so easily retrofitted unlike underfloor heating, sockets, taps etc

Claw Hammer · 18-10-2020 4:24pm

Putting the light switch to the attic on an LED switch, situated on the ceiling below the attic, beside the entrance hatch to the attic.

JJJackal · 18-10-2020 4:28pm

yaboya1 wrote: »

Same in relation to when the plumber asked did I want an outside tap.

An outside hot water tap is handy too! Especially if you have children who want to swim in a blow up pool

beauf · 18-10-2020 4:38pm

Run a cable for lights and power on a shed.
Make sure the outside stuff is correctly wired.
Network cable everywhere, and TV cable.

cubatahavana · 18-10-2020 4:42pm

JJJackal wrote: »

An outside hot water tap is handy too! Especially if you have children who want to swim in a blow up pool

Great idea

Faze11 · 18-10-2020 5:30pm

Caranica wrote: »

I recently got both added, plus a light and basic shelving. Wasn't a big deal to do so easily retrofitted unlike underfloor heating, sockets, taps etc

This is one that's on my list. Only thing is that because it's a new build insulation comes up very high and I think I need stilts to raise up floor. Wanted to do it myself. Anyone any idea where to get supllies.

Pete123456 · 18-10-2020 5:30pm

Can I please ask how much of what has been mentioned is “requestable” in a new build estate in the likes of Kildare or Dublin? Is it the case that you get what you’re given and only after you get the keys can you do extras?

Things like sockets, network cabling and outdoor power/tap appeal to me, but I assume the builder will only meet the brochure spec until it’s too late to fix? Or can you request all of these extras?

Faze11 · 18-10-2020 5:38pm

Pete123456 wrote: »

Can I please ask how much of what has been mentioned is “requestable” in a new build estate in the likes of Kildare or Dublin? Is it the case that you get what you’re given and only after you get the keys can you do extras?

Things like sockets, network cabling and outdoor power/tap appeal to me, but I assume the builder will only meet the brochure spec until it’s too late to fix? Or can you request all of these extras?

All really depends on the developer. We bought a new build and I got to speak to electrician for lighting and plugs, adding wherever I wanted. Also changed the kitchen door and opted for white instead of the standard brown house doors. Picked our own wardrobes - there was an allowance), and tiles/wooden floors.

A new estate by same developer is currently being built next to us. They were given far fewer options (probably learned from all my requests :-)

So it really depends on developer and only thing to do is ask.

Caranica · 18-10-2020 6:15pm

Faze11 wrote: »

This is one that's on my list. Only thing is that because it's a new build insulation comes up very high and I think I need stilts to raise up floor. Wanted to do it myself. Anyone any idea where to get supllies.

I had a builder in to do a few bits so he sourced everything.

Edgware · 18-10-2020 6:41pm

If a house an outside tap in the back is very useful

jrosen · 18-10-2020 6:55pm

New build.

We have lots of sockets but I wish I had have asked for more. In some rooms sockets make no sense in relation to were furniture/lamps fit so more sockets would have been a plus.

Wish I had have known about screws for the floor boards.

We have attic stairs but no flooring for storage, with the insulation high we need to try get someone for that.

I also wish I would have put way more pressure for additional tiling. Bathrooms are part tiled and we wanted them tiled more, builder said no problem but when we moved in it hadn't been done. We have been months now trying to get a tiler.

So my main thing I wish I did was realize that tradespeople who are reliable are like gold and if there is something you want done, even if its something you need to pay for you should strike while the iron is hot and the guys are on site.

Another thing, wood floor needs to acclimatize to the house so should be delivered before fitting

cubatahavana · 18-10-2020 7:16pm

Pete123456 wrote: »

Can I please ask how much of what has been mentioned is “requestable” in a new build estate in the likes of Kildare or Dublin? Is it the case that you get what you’re given and only after you get the keys can you do extras?

Things like sockets, network cabling and outdoor power/tap appeal to me, but I assume the builder will only meet the brochure spec until it’s too late to fix? Or can you request all of these extras?

I asked an extra socket on the kitchen island and was told no problem. Will ask about the outside tap and socket next week, before they install the kitchen

sparkledrum · 18-10-2020 7:17pm

Adequate sized radiators and enough of them, especially in living room.

[Deleted User] · 18-10-2020 7:34pm

I got an outdoor tap, and an outdoor socket installed in the last two years (two different tradesmen, obviously). Socket was practically going "back to back" with one that was indoors (but on an external wall). I picked up the socket itself on Amazon. Electrician charged me, I believe €50 to wire it/install it.

It being back to back with the other one inside made it easy as he just drilled the wall and ran a wire straight out. Would obviously cost more if you need plastering etc. done to tidy up a wall that has been chased.

I've two outdoor taps, one that's "back to back" with a sink, and another that has a pipe tee'ed off from the sink, and ran to an external wall, about 6ft away (the pipe runs behind the kitchen cabinets). Both taps were done by different people, but both cost the same to install, oddly enough (€80).

Just posting this as, although annoying to have to do them, these are jobs that aren't going to break the bank, so no need to get overly worried if you've forgotten them.

JJJackal wrote: »

An outside hot water tap is handy too! Especially if you have children who want to swim in a blow up pool

I want one of those too, for cleaning the car, but I read online somewhere in the past that you need a special hose to take the hot water? Apparently a "normal" hose will split or crack? Dunno how true that is, but I like the idea of a hot water tap outside.

sparkledrum wrote: »

Adequate sized radiators and enough of them, especially in living room.

I'd also agree with this. You don't need a million radiators in the house, but make sure you get ones big enough, and no matter what the plumber tells you, or what you read online, never, never, never install a single panel radiator. They're the greatest waste of time. I've had 3 and I've replaced them all with doubles.

You can turn down the heat on a double panel if it's too warm, but you can't turn up the heat on a single panel if it's too cold.

Things you didn't think of.

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