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Im building a new home (as some in here know).
Its already got bells and whistles in terms of low-carbon toast racks and seal-pup-free soft furnishings, but what would you spec into your home if you could design it from scratch?
Points awarded for unaffordability or anything that might upset the government.
I'll start: I was thinking of installing a rainwater harvest system for flushing down the bog and washing the pots, pans and my undies in. And maybe a whirpool in the bath.
I was thinking of installing a rainwater harvest system for flushing down the bog and washing the pots, pans and my undies in
Not really anything to add but i have often wondered for years why this isnt more of a standard feature in all new builds.
I think its relatively straightforward to plumb up a second non-potable cold supply from a suitable header tank. (you have to be careful not to mix rainwater and mains though if you are planning dual supplies)
Online resources though say I should get something like a 5,000 litre tank, which is both a) nearly the size of Wales and b) will need a bloody big hole in the ground to hide it.
You then of course need a pump to get a head.
Don't forget wiring for sound / multi media. Get all the cabling in now
LCD shower screen 🙂
I had designed such a place 10 years ago
I'd like a combined bikes store/workshop/shower room with Niagara levels of pressure and pint mugs of tea on tap and a bike wash area
Upstairs laundry - why carry it downstairs to wash and carry back upstairs?
Central locking with a remote - like on a car.
You then of course need a pump to get a head.
Tank on the roof top?
Big eff off cupola to let in as much natural light as possible.
Built in book shelves, to make as much use of the space as possible.
TJ - was thinking that, but wireless is where things are going and the layout doesnt really lend itself to much multimedia distribution.
However one room (mezz office and double height room) will prob be wired for SVGA with bluetooth keyboard/mouse so I can work on the main PC from a number of places rather than use a laptop.
What's an LCD shower screen? Do you mean a TV in the shower? Id need a seat too 😉
juan - converting a barn so the guttering is below the loft void - and Im not planning on having any service sin the loft void anyway. I can house a header tank at one end of the house which would give me 3m of head above the ground floor only. Its a fair compromise I reckon.
Remote central locking - I like it! 😉
going to have a part with massive 4mx4m glazed sections.
and will build bookshelves to fit. we have a few books 😉
A secret cellar for special parties.
Expose beams so that hammocks can be slung when feeling louche.
I'd put solar h/w heating on the roof, not photovoltaics.
And a weather-cock.
Two flights of stairs - a public one and a "secret" one.
A sunken bath.
Basement kitchen with dumb waiter to dining room.
Servants bells.
Underground passage from garage to house.
I would deffo put wiring in for speakers now - always going to be a better solution than wireless. But then sounds throughout the house is crucial to me. Got to have the speakers placed for best stereo image as well in each room. I even have my kitchen set up so that when I am at the cooker I get perfect stereo
Also think about where appliances are going to go for getting power points in place. Lots of thought and planning now means not wires visible in the finished house
You then of course need a pump to get a head.
*s****s*
juan - Member
You then of course need a pump to get a head.Tank on the roof top?
you want to build a 5,000 ltr tank in your roof?
insulation, lot of it.
a wood burning stove that also heats a water supply that runs through the floor. the heat from the stove won't just heat the one or two rooms nearest it but with convection the water will run through the house and heat the various other rooms.
collect used water to flush or spread onto the garden.
Seroiusly - In the garage/bike store you're having built (I assume you are anyway! 😉 ) apart from the obvious stuff like security and workbench etc get a remote garage door, and then a shower and utility room between there and the house. We have this (apart from the shower) and I can just ride up, blip the door open and ride straight in, chuck off dirty clothes straight into the washer and walk into the house. I'd love to have the shower room so I could walk in clean, and not have to go upstairs to shower first. Roller garage doors like ours are also very secure.... 🙂
tragically I cant dig a cellar - which has meant Ive had to think up some ingenious solution for my wine collection involving celotex, my shed, a 12v battery and a car air conditioning unit from the salvage yard 😉
TJ - I get what you mean (the electrics will be carefully planned - for example, I like low lamp light so I design in a low level lighting ring that can be controlled from the main switch, did it for my current place) but speakers dont mean that much to me. A well placed pair at one end of a room will suffice I reckon. (theres only really two main rooms downstairs, ones a 15m x 5m kitchen/main living area and the other is a double height 8mx5m office.)
you want to build a 5,000 ltr tank in your roof?
No, you wouldn't. That's 5 tonnes of water. Imagine the leak.... 😯
wood stoves: check!
one of these:
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and one of these:
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was considering adding a boiler to one but layout just wont work. Really wanted to though. In the end I will put a solar collector in the garden to add energy to the thermal store.
I'm not sure how much power you'll have over this but a good view is worth having.
How about a central vacuuming system?
Get all your wiring done now..
Cat6 network cables to every rooom, from a central room that is going to house the servers.
I would also look into home automation X10 is what it used to be, don't know what the next big thing is now. Why? You can have your music following you around the house, or even the TV following you to every room, same goes for the lights and loads of other cool things!
I have a notion of running central heating off of a Tandoor and having lovely fresh nan breads as a byproduct of running a bath.
or even the TV following you to every room,..........cool things!
fail.
A downstairs wet room near the back door.
I'm with TJ, I have speakers wire from my bathroom and kitchen running back to the living room so the whole flat plays the same music. I've had it for years and love it!
If you rely on wireless you need power anyway so you might as well just put the speaker cables in.
On a less serious note, have you seen the dilbert house? Such gems as:
two dishwashers, one for clean, one for dirty
a decorated christmas tree on wheels and a cupboard to keep it in
etc 🙂
looked at central vacuuming at the build show - cost was about equal to 20x Henries. And it still didnt come with a maid to do it for you 🙁
Milkie - why cat6 cabling. Why not rely on wireless? BTW we only bought a TV a few months ago, so really, TV following us around the place isnt on the list 😉 But if it can mix a G&T and have it ready for when I come out of the shower, this Automation stuff may be a winner!
I'd go for the minimum of automation/cables everywhere, unless you're "trade" what's the point.
I've always really wanted a balcony in the main bedroom, if there's a view I thought that would be cool.
I have a notion of running central heating off of a Tandoor and having lovely fresh nan breads as a byproduct of running a bath.
Genius
Big sliding doors into the garden, it is like having another room in the summer.
[url= http://www.spiralcellars.co.uk/how-it-works/ ]These are quite an impressive feature.[/url]
Barn Conversion - How about a cow parade cow for the garden?
Milkie - why cat6 cabling. Why not rely on wireless?
Wireless speeds are relatively slow, fastest at the moment is 200mb/s, and you'll be extremely lucky to get that, you would have to have repeaters setup all around the house to boost the signal too.
Not everything comes with wireless, new TV's have a LAN connection, but no WiFi. Cat6 cables can go up to 10,000mb/s, for a home you should be looking at 1,000mb/s. Mean's you would be to watch HD films directly off the server, rather than having to copy it to the device and then watch it... If its a HD film you are talking over 6Gb, 6Gb on a 108mb connection would take about an hour (or just a long time) to copy. Once it's setup, thats it done, no fart arsing about setting up keys, repeaters and things, not the sort of thing that gets updated every year like wireless things.
But if it can mix a G&T and have it ready for when I come out of the shower, this Automation stuff may be a winner!
Yes, with a little engineering! But you could do things like, having the lights turn on for when you come home. If you are away, you could get the lights to go on and off, turn the radio on/off etc. All via your phone!
You're all old and dull! What about a firemans pole? Tv in front of the toilet? Wallace and gromit style tilting bed? Piped in beer, with proper dispensers next to toilet and bed? Trapeze? Stairs that go flat making a slide? Laundry chute, dumb waiter, roof top sunbathing, tigers in cages, urinal next to the backdoor for that emergency wizz?
My house has the rainwater harvesting thing. Tank (approx 4800litre) is above the kitchen, in a loft space and used to feed water to copper boiler for washing clothes as well as the loos. You feed the loos from a header tank fed both with mains and rainwater, both with float valves. You set the height of the floats so the mains valve only opens if there is no rainwater. That way it doesn't need any control system or pumps. Not new fangled either, it was built in in 1901.
Got to agree on the upstairs laundry though. Unless your staff do the washing. BIG built in cupboards for stuff like suitcases and duvets/scalextric and train sets etc are very handy here. Lots of space for recycling sorting is handy too.
I'm assuming the bikes are well cared for? My garage started like as horse accommodation so has a big drain in the middle for sluicing down, which together with hot and cold supply makes bike cleaning a doddle.
mefty - I briefly considered something like that, but you see how they dont put a price on the webiste....that means It's stupidly expensive 🙂
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each of these stable doors will be a glazed door onto the single main long room, making the courtyard an "extra room".
the big black door at the end will be glazed, like the one opposite.
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Outdoor shower - when you arrive home from a ride filthy, just have a hot shower in your riding kit outside the back door.
If you have a view, put the living room in the roof space, with a hooooge dormer window-cum-balcony.
Lots and lots of light in every room. You can have all the automation you want, but natural light is this thing we all crave.
Shame about the cellar - best feature of my house.
I have had a hankering recently for a decent outdoors hot tub with one of those home cinema projectors plus the surround sound that I can project movies at night, onto my neighbours wall with 😉
Then some form of chilled drinks dispenser that allows a good flow of chilled beer without leaving the tub.
Well let me dream anyway 😉
Re Doors - We continued our flooring from our living area (tiles in our case, it is a London terrace) into the garden which really works well to bring the two spaces together.
Re Wine Cellar - £15K I seem to recall but you did say pimp.
You do need a cow
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cups-in-cupboards-todays-moral-dilema#post-781691 ]As has been discussed previously[/url] at least two dishwashers.
It has to be...
OMITN - have you seen these:
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Saw a set at the build show - bloody brilliant. Unfortunately our planning has substantial limitations so wont work for ours.
I did have a pic of the (lovely) view of the Malverns, but cant find it on my host right now. Hammocks will be installed outside.
There may be an opportunity for a downstairs shower, or even and outdoors one...
I'll miss my cellar. My current one:
[img] http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t5w43Q6t-Qs/SLKNTXzUl-I/AAAAAAAAEsA/cp8bGc_ci3Y/s288/img_7721.jp g" target="_blank">
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t5w43Q6t-Qs/SLKNTXzUl-I/AAAAAAAAEsA/cp8bGc_ci3Y/s288/img_7721.jp g"/> [/img]
No, haven't seen those. Not a lot of call for them in the roof of a terraced house in Manchester.
Used an outside hot & cold shower when holidaying in France. I know, Provence is hot etc, but it struck mke that the usual complaints about dirty riding kit in the house and killing the washing machine could be lessened with such a device.
Got a job interview in Kingswinford tomorrow. If I get it, the Malverns may be on the (house) shopping list....
Kingswinford
practice the accent 🙂
good luck anyway.
dutch tub would be the only type of hut tub type thing I'd have
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had a dip in one of those in sweden.
I have honsetly been designing one in my head for the garden 😉
Do they usually come pre-loaded like that? 😉
yes, just add water
Internal vacum cleaner just plug into the wall and go, I would'n tbe without mine.
Ooooo - I really like those roof windows (makes note for imminent loft conversion.
If you have access to the fire wood (you obviously do) how about a wood fired hot tub for the court yard. Something like this http://www.forestflame.co.uk/wood-fired-hot-tubs.php, but I have seen all-in-one clay ones which look very nice (until you see the price!)
EDIT: iDave gets there first...
practice the accent
Please don't say that. I grew up near Banbury, with its collision of the West Mids and the Cotswolds.
good luck anyway.
Cheers. Current job going better today - making me wonder why I'm contemplating another job.
The fickle nature of working for other people.
Your own wind generator thing, not sure why every other new house doesnt have one built on the roof, sell the excess energy back to the grid.
top stuff Bristol!
Thats the kind of thing I had a dip in in sweden.
£3695 plus delivery.
I think Ive found where the contingency can be blown if I get to the end of the job without being violated by EON*
Heated bathroom mirror is a relatively inexpesive, subtle thing that is brilliant to use.
I agree on the cabling - run cat5e/cat6, a couple of points to each room, and you can run anything you like over it later with the appropriate baluns - TV/FM aerial signal, AV, telephone extensions, etc - or just use them to connect things to the network.
you can run anything you like over it later with the appropriate baluns - TV/FM aerial signal, AV, telephone extensions,
really? I never new that.
how easy would it be to use it to, say, provide low current power, or speaker signal or as you say TV coax?
Sharks in a canal with a bridge. At least try that?
tinsy - they're still very expensive in terms of capital cost, but with the new feed in tariff, might just start making economic sense soon...
Sharks in a canal with a bridge
cant risk the mosquitos.
Stoner have you looked at Teak baths? Expensive but your new place would/may suit one nicely, they make a lovely round one, and its vastly expensive... 🙂
Helio
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Sauna sauna sauna sauna sauna with a plunge pool outside.
I know! Two way full length mirror in the bathroom, and hidden cameras in the guest room?
...and one of those goldfinger type tables that sink into the floor with a scalextric track on?
You only live once, so crack on!
how easy would it be to use it to, say, provide low current power, or speaker signal or as you say TV coax?
You can supply up to 15W via power over ethernet (PoE), which uses 4 of the 8 wires for power, very commonly used for IP phones, CCTV cameras, wireless access points and the like. There's a new standard ratified to deliver 25W.
TV - something like this: http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/product/438 - although with a blank canvas it's much easier to get a proper aerial set up with regular coax going to each room.
Speaker signal - well it's copper wires so should work but would need to look at what the cable can handle. Have seen people comparing cat5 against audiophile stuff but they usually use 4-6 cables together, per channel. Things like the squeezebox devices are another approach to distributing audio around the house, and just work over regular cat5.
Agree with the Cat6 cabling and network points next to plugs where you are likely to put a telly, hi-fi, pc etc
Home Automation:
http://www.ukrocketman.com/homeauto/index.shtml
More pimp: I'd fit Star Trek style "fsshhhhtiku" doors throughout.
More practical: [url= http://lifehacker.com/265155/turn-your-staircase-into-a-set-of-drawers ]staircase drawers[/url].
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More green: [url= http://www.greenworks-energy.co.uk/sun-tunnels.php ]sun tunnels[/url] throughout for daytime lighting
i was gonna say spiral cellar. I think they are pretty cool. I saw those dormer/velux windows at grand designs live a few years ago. very impressive.
tinsy - they're still very expensive in terms of capital cost, but with the new feed in tariff, might just start making economic sense soon...
The small cheap ones are sh*te, and you won't make you money back, FIT or otherwise.
You need to be spending around £30k on a decent sized one, which ought to provide a complete return over a few years.
Solar (esp. solar heating) is better on a small scale. As is small scale biomass.
Tank (approx 4800litre) is above the kitchen
Somehow, I don't like the sound of that...5 tons of water sitting above the kitchen.
If it were me I'd be absolutely going to town on the insulation, never mind teak baths & swedish hot tubs.
Oh, & your a jammy bugger. 🙂
can't risk the mosquitos
You fit the sharks with frickin' laser beams; they kill the mozzies.
Well EON have jst taken me round the back. Dry.
So the budget for treats has been cut by £3k 🙁
ah well.
Has Cat5/6 got a range limit on cable lenght?
insulated like a fat chick in a duvet factory.
Have you booked Kevin McLeod?
hoohee?
Turn your stairs into a giant marimba.
Him off the telly - Grand Designs bloke - he follows interesting developments waiting for things to go wrong, then pretends to be happy when it all works out. I wouldn't go there.
the geezer from grand designs isnt it?.. might be worth it at that rekon they pay for the footage they take.
I'm not sure I had appreciated the full grandeur of the project previously. It needs a moat. 🙂
there's a bar in Livigno with a great copper spiral slide to the basement - which can be ridden...... better than stairs
ahh. dont watch TV so he's passed me by.
Im quite capable of screwing this up without some arse off the TV looking over my shoulder and assisting in the screwing-up! 😉
BD - the proles round 'ere have webbed feet. A moat would be no good whatsoever. I might have a look at mercenaries instead.
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/4146892424_dc56f4c64e_d.jp g" target="_blank">
You need a garage that converts into a boathouse, like ours. Most of the year, this is a [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_mc/4021505645 ]big, barn-like garage[/url]. Occasionally, it turns into a boat house.
Unfortunately, we haven't discovered how to control this conversion as yet, and we're at the whim of the river.
(Excuse the crappy pic - needed full zoon on my phone to avoid getting my feet wet.)
Cat 5 = 100meters
not sure about 6 but probably the same
anything over that go for fiber optics
mt - cant see flickr here, but Im guessing you need an argocat for your garage 😉
cheers keith. Maybe Ill have a word with my sparks about it.
You need a garage that converts into a boathouse, like ours. Most of the year, this is a big, barn-like garage. Occasionally, it turns into a boat house.
Good grief, Mike. I know you told me it had flooded last week, but I didn't expect it to be such that you looked like you live in the Everglades..!
Time to trade the Yuba in for something more practical. Like one of these:
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This is called Xylonite - I sailed on it once as a child.
Have you considered a floating duck house:
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Cat6 cable has the capability to do 10Gb/s for a maximum of approx 50metres.
To do 1Gb/s (this speed is starting to trickle into homes, previously) it is 100m.