AIBU to ask to see your houses?!

[cookie4640]

I’m dreaming of building our own home, and awaiting on planning. In the mean time I’d love to gather ideas to make the perfect home!
What are your must haves and don’t bothers?
What amazing and clever designs have you got?
I literally don’t know where to start (apart from I know I want lots of storage and a utility room to hide the mountains of washing in!)

We want it to generate its own power supply, or at least contribute to it - solar? Wind? Other bright ideas?

It’s such an exciting time but so overwhelming I’m worried we are going to end up with a crappy cheap, boring build unless I get some ideas 😁

I really want it to be fantastic and clever and a place I love to be, unlike our current rented accommodation!

Here's mine, it's quite small so we're getting an extension, and there was lots of orange fake tan in the carpets when we moved in x

@LondonQueen

Here's mine, it's quite small so we're getting an extension, and there was lots of orange fake tan in the carpets when we moved in x

You might want to change the mattresses as well...

If the utility is just off the kitchen then put your dishwasher in there. It means any washing up is shut away in the utility rather than sat around on the side in the kitchen (if you're waiting for a load to finish or to just load it up)!

Get an extra big hob

Underfloor heating in bathroom

Don't get a wood burner that's too big for the room. Ours pumps out too much heat and it can be unbearable in the lounge

Don't get a conservatory with a glass roof.

@backtolifebacktoreality

If the utility is just off the kitchen then put your dishwasher in there. It means any washing up is shut away in the utility rather than sat around on the side in the kitchen (if you're waiting for a load to finish or to just load it up)!

Get an extra big hob

Underfloor heating in bathroom

Don't get a wood burner that's too big for the room. Ours pumps out too much heat and it can be unbearable in the lounge

Don't get a conservatory with a glass roof.

I have 2 dishwashers.

Get a wildflower roof. This is mine after it had just been laid.

Statement staircase is number 1 for me in terms of design.

I like timeless decor with a nod to traditional design, Georgian, Victorian being my favourites.

A towel warmer drawer in the bathroom sounds divine!

We have air source heat pumps. Did the same 12 years ago. Build our own house. Had planning for our our home and bought the plot at aution.
We had a garage build but just recently changed it to a room with planning permission. With our new build we weren't allowed to change anything unless we were living in the house for 10 years. I think it has all changed.

I wouldn't recommend an air source heat pump. It might be green but it costs us a fortune to run!
Pinterest has some fab utility/laundry room ideas. You could also look on there for house hacks and time saving ideas.

@@cookie4640 I’m in the middle of a new build. Some thoughts.

• when you tender for a builder, ask them to include in the costings their profit as a separate stand alone line. I wouldn’t have ‘profit’ shown as 20% of all individual costs. What if you change your mind about materials?

• contract. Read it. Consider a RIBA one.

• architect. Are they going to project manage?

• get a schedule of work off the builder. If you are sourcing materials or project managing you need one. Especially if there are delays and the builder want’s to charge you for the delays.

• your budget is tight. Keep to contract. Don’t change your mind mid build.

I have a utility room and an ironing room. It's so handy that I can leave the ironing board up all the time and have hanging rails set up to hang things on once they are ironed. Two reception rooms are fab too, I don't have to watch the crap my husband watched if I don't want to.

I'd implore you to go Passive House and forget about renewables. Wind and solar are much more economical at big scale. Reducing your heating and energy consumption is the absolute best thing you can do for the environment and your bank balance. It's also not that hard to do.

100% get a utility with a high enough ceiling for a ceiling-mounted airer.

Thanks for all the tips and advice, I didn’t realise there was a renovations part in here so I’ll take a look at that. It is intended to be out forever home yes, and although on a tight budget, groundwork’s will be done by family - they have the machinery. We’ve spoken to some builders locally and they ball park figured it, although we are still waiting for outline planning nearly a year on. It’s soooo painful waiting and dreaming and wanting to know!!