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If you were creating a house from scratch, what would you make sure it had?

167 replies

clevername · 10/03/2019 11:10

We're currently converting a building into a house and it suddenly occurred to me that I should really think about all those little things that could perhaps be thought about and incorporated that would make life easier. It's prob a bit late to ask this question (rooms are built, plasterers are nearly done!) and, frankly, budget is beyond TIGHT but there might very well be simple /easy things that we are missing...

For example, I was just outside in our current garden and was thinking how I defo need to have decent storage for outside toys / furniture in the new place because they are all disgusting from being exposed all winter.

Don't get me wrong - we have been sort of thinking about this kind of stuff (eg we've incorporated a big porch / boot room with loads of storage for shoes, coats, book bags etc) but I just wondered if anyone had any more ideas?

Cheers

OP posts:
mumofboys234 · 10/03/2019 14:28

Laundry shoot!! The house we moved into had one, absolute godsend with 3 boys

TalkinPaece · 10/03/2019 14:33

MASSES of insulation
Underfloor heating
Solar thermal hot water - with a big water store to warm a walk in airing/drying cupboard
Lots of natural light
Ground source heat pump for all heating
Grey water rainwater collection/ plumbing

Basically all the things that will make a house cost zilch to run in future

crosstalk · 10/03/2019 15:21

Air source heat pump (ground source are messy to put in and horrid to maintain). Photovoltaics on an outhouse if possible - you don't notice them on a shed. Have a friend who installed these who's paying £13 a month for all heating and hot water in a four bedroom house.

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MitziK · 10/03/2019 15:30

Completely step free access to the house and garden. You don't know how good that is until you're carrying heavy shopping/children/twist your ankle/the deliveryman/engineer remarks how nice it is.

An extra wide front door. Not just for somebody using a wheelchair/crutches - it's also brilliant for carrying lots of bags, bringing in appliances, buying a sofa and not worrying whether it's going to fit and it just feels nicer to be able to open a door wide and have tons of space.

A layout where somebody using a wheelchair or crutches/sticks can move around freely without getting caught on awkward corners or small steps.

Solid wood and stone/slate flooring. No MDF, polystyrene or plastic where it could be done with wood, wool, haybales or other natural materials.

Wide stairs with a strong banister running the entire distance - not just on one side or that needs pinch grip strength - you need a proper rail all the way on both sides. And good lighting in the stairwell.

Large, modern sash windows. I love the things, how they look, how they ventilate, but obviously with less maintenance involved, better security and not from uPVC - real wood.

Large tap turners. Not 'institutional' ones, but where you don't need a good hand grip strength and long reach to be able to turn the water on and off.

A toilet at the right height. Most designed to be easy for a disabled person to use are ugly as fuck and don't have lids, which is disgusting too high to be comfortable/poo freely if you're not a six foot two bloke. I'd love to have a washlet/bidet contraption in the toilet.

A thermostatic control for bath (preferably a whirlpool type and very deep) and all showers. Taps, too, would be great, as you'd know exactly what temperature everything was going to be.

Upgraded water flow/pressure from the outset. It's the main reason why boilers and showers don't work brilliantly. A boiler where the hot water comes on instantly when you turn the tap, whether the heating is on or not.

I wouldn't bother with the solar water, as I've just had my 6 year old one removed because it was useless.

Alternatively, a mixed fuel range that drove heating and hot water, but would work on wood or anything else that's burnable. I love ranges. And chimneys/fireplaces.

A second shower room with level access, somewhere to sit and dry off - but not a full wetroom, as they flood and become far slipperier than you'd expect. Possibly almost like having a slight sloped recess to where the shower is, so all water flows down, rather than mostly down, but tons all over the rest of the room. A large screen/door that opens to double width would also catch most of the splashes and make it possible for a person restricted in mobility to use it freely.

A large utility room. Space for large washer, large drier, both up on a special cabinet with drawers underneath - so you could store washing materials underneath, even if you buy large boxed powder and conditioner - and so that you aren't bending down to load and unload them.

Another vote for a larder that is cold, rather than a glorified cupboard in the kitchen.

Already got all power sockets (except for a couple in the kitchen units for appliances) up at chest level. Still need more in the kitchen, despite having 12 of the things. And at least two double points on every single wall in a room and at top and bottom of the stairs and hall/landing.

An overhang/porch type thing over all external doors. Not necessarily the prettiest of things, but far better than having the rain blowing straight in as soon as you open the door. Or a sunroom out the back, not a greenhouse like conservatory, one that can be kept cool as easily as warm.

Windows designed so that it's a doddle to replace curtain poles, blinds or shutters without needing to pay a professional to work around the weird sticky out bits in the house.

Measurement of all construction in nice, round figures. Preferably in Imperial because I'm old.

Top quality locks that cannot be broken in under 30 seconds.

Underfloor heating in kitchen and bathrooms. Massive amounts of insulation between it and the ground.

LED lighting that goes from daylight quality to mood lighting via touchpad, rather than millions of buttons that feel squishy and require a degree in electronics to understand.

Security. A wall high enough to stop kids walking on it and undesirables sitting on it. Preferably dry stone, as that makes it a vital nature reserve and you can grow spiky stuff on the top to put intruders off. A gate you control, so you can decide whether to let somebody in or not without them coming up to the door. A discreet IR camera that covers all potential entrance points to a resolution where they will be easily identifiable. And a low level one that enables you to view wildlife.

Windowboxes.

A wide and long enough garden that, rather than having fence panels to get blown down, you can have a proper hedge laid - one that is brilliant for wildlife and so damn spiky that nobody wants to take the chance of climbing through.

Trees. A waist height raised bed system nearest the house for herbs and cut flowers.

Rainwater harvesting. Large compost bins. Space for chickens. etc.

A proper depth to the soil. Some parts with sand in to improve drainage (growing spuds, woody herbs, carrots, etc). The darkest side to be more like woodland, so moist and fertile.

Bat and bird boxes, along with pollinators, inherently catered for in the construction. With camera access.

Its own supply of spring water would appeal. Or a stream running along the bottom - clean, gin clear, full of wildlife/fish/frogs/otters. No access anywhere along the course for flytippers, polluters or hunters.

Sufficient garden space for a small unit (stone, etc) that could be used as a place to care for and rehabilitate animals. Complete with heating, light (both natural and artificial), electricity and top notch security.

Golden0ldie · 10/03/2019 15:37

The best insulation you can afford ... meet the minimum standards and then some! We built 10 years ago and did all we had to do with insulation ... the house is bloody freezing in winter (partly due to large windows).

Don’t know what it’s called but we have a direct hot water run from hot tank in hotpress to kitchen. It means we don’t have to wait for the hot to run through the system when we turn the kitchen tap on - bloody brilliant.

Dishwasher is raised. It’s integrated, standard size but there is a storage drawer in the unit at the bottom, then the dishwasher sits above the drawer. Love it.

Those would be my main things ... sockets, storage etc obviously too.

clevername · 10/03/2019 16:38

MaidenMotherCrone - ha ha. Adding that one to my (wish) list.

We've got underfloor heating, and we're also really lucky to have loads of natural light (it's a Chapel so lots of windows! Plus we've put in a big bifold) so that's all good.

Out of all of your wonderful suggestions I think we've done most of the ones that are feasible for the space (larder, laundry shoots, dressing rooms, drying rooms unfortunately not fitting that bill).

Thanks all

OP posts:
Justonemorepancake · 10/03/2019 16:45

Lots of sockets. A japanese toilet or loo hose (like in SE Asia). Outdoor tap and power supply. Utility room. Loads of storage. Ensure all damp is sorted before plastering! Radiators that won't be under a window or covered by furniture. Underfloor heating. A covered area in the garden.

mustdrinkwaternotwine · 10/03/2019 18:03

I consulted MN before doing our kitchen and the best thing I did was work through everything we had or wanted to have in the current kitchen and work out where it would live in then new kitchen. So we have a cupboard for the ironing board & broom. We have a pull out pin for rubbish, a separate one for food waste and then two further containers for recycling. I measured the height of giant cheerio boxes before deciding on the shelf heights in the pull out larder. The slow cooker, K-mix, toaster, scales, sandwich toaster & magimix were all measured and allocated slots. We have a charging area. We have a space set aside for kitchen roll, baby wipes & bibs. We have a separate drawer for toddler plates & cups (and it's ground level so young children can access it). We also planned our kitchen cupboard layout in ridiculous detail so things like spices and oils which you grab whilst cooking are close to the hob whereas more substantial ingredients (tins for example) are a step or two away as you've usually got a bit more time to get those or would get them out in advance.

lljkk · 10/03/2019 18:04

I would like a mud/wet room with own heating.
Lots of sockets is good point.
Under floor heating, good insulation, useable loft space for storage.
An airing cupboard.
Solar panels for electricity (hot water panels a waste of money for us)
DH would say ground heat source pump.
Plenty of offroad parking.
A huge garage for all the bicycles.
Conservatory.
Small walk-in closets (wardrobes) for each large bedroom, plenty of storage in each bedroom.
My mother always waffled on about 'storage'.
2 shower rooms (I have teenagers)

JulianDickGeorgeAndTimmy · 10/03/2019 18:17

Enough built in storage

Bloodybridget · 10/03/2019 18:18

Things I wish we had: a bigger garden shed; a boiling water tap; an outside tap at the front as well as the back. We can't really have the shed as the garden is quite small, and other things I will have in my next, perfect home are impossible here.

orangeblosssom · 10/03/2019 18:24

Two dishwashers

Magmatic80 · 10/03/2019 18:24

Sockets on both side of every bed
8 sockets where the telly will go
Sockets where the Christmas tree will go
Sockets where the fridge will go
Sockets to all have usb
Sockets in hallways for vacuum and for toothbrush charger
Socket in utility for cord free vacuum holder
Greenhouse
Windows with smaller opening sections that don’t fit a person through (so bedroom windows can be open at night)
Space for shoes in hallway

Magmatic80 · 10/03/2019 18:25

@mustdrinkwaternotwine I think you’re my spirit animal. If I ever get to design my own kitchen I’ll be in touch Grin

TalkinPaece · 10/03/2019 18:28

When I did my house extension even the electrician was stunned by how many sockets I wanted in my office, in the kitchen and in the family room
I was proved right Grin

youllhavehadyourtea · 10/03/2019 18:29

a driveway.
Parking is a nightmare in our street.

Al2O3 · 10/03/2019 18:30

A view. A glorious view across wide sweeping plains towards distant mountains. My home would be high, but a few miles either side would be land masses that channel the wind away from my home. Like windbreaks the size of Snowdon carved into stone.

I would want a garden. It would need to be a minimum of 250,000 hectares rolling away beneath me, so I could watch flamingos coming home to roost at night, their silhouettes contrasting against my stretch of a two mile wide river, meandering in the base of the valley below, as their wings sweep above my olive, peach and papaw groves. They will land by the water and roost next to my zebra herd.

A long hairpin road up to my house, each stretch visible from my roof garden, itself the size of an average Welsh farm, so I may see my guests arriving every time I hold a dinner party. I will hold many. They will drive slowly, for I shall have speed bumps. And a couple of zebra crossings (for my zebras of course).

As to the house, it shall be made of marble. And each room will be 20 metres high. The doors will be the height of an average bull giraffe. In the corner of each room will be candles. The largest the size of a telephone box, with flames that light the marble with the softest glow. The bathroom will be a huge glass cube suspended over the valley below, I shall bathe watching the sun rise. Hammocks shall be dotted around my pool, in sun and in shade, and also in moonlight.

In my kitchen, I shall have one of those cast iron meat mincers. You know, the ones you screw down to the edge of the work unit to feed strips of meat into, turn the handle and out the juicy mincemeat comes the other end. I bloody love zebra-burgers I do. Yum yum.

Whisky2014 · 10/03/2019 18:30

Quicker tap
Usb charging ports

littlewhitething · 10/03/2019 18:32

A cat, or better, two cats!

Whisky2014 · 10/03/2019 18:32

Qooker tap that should say

Parker231 · 10/03/2019 18:34

When we had building work done, the best two things are the walk in pantry and a laundry room on the main bedroom floor- both have been invaluable.

CharlyAngelic · 10/03/2019 18:41

@Al2O3Grin

Al2O3 · 10/03/2019 18:44

I love eating al-fresco. And zebra burgers just hit the spot for all my guest. They are just so black and white.

pink412 · 10/03/2019 18:46

Telephone socket in the middle of the house so the router broadcast everywhere and not half out of a Window. Also network ports everywhere. And if you think a room needs 6 plugs fit 12

CharlyAngelic · 10/03/2019 18:46

Only one guest? @Al2O3