Current considerations:
- Japanese toilet
- Hydronic heating
- Wine cellar/closet
- Ethernet everywhere
- Heated towel rails
- Smart doorbell
Building a New House, Thoughts on What I Should Spec?
netpenthe on 10/09/2020 - 14:23
Comments
my input for the garage - thicker slab along with 15Amp power points, ceiling height 3m or more if you can and car hoist.
Yep I'm just building and threw down a fair bit more to go from 2.7 to 3m downstairs . Going to be awesome
Outdoor shower point if you plan to have a pool. That goes missing in almost all houses. Kids will swamp the house for an after dip shower.
Outdoor Natural Gas Bbq point.
When I bought my first home back in 2010, I thought I was set for life and it is the perfect house I could ever dream off.
Then in 2013 learned the things we missed in the first house so got everything in the second one:
1. Study
2. Big Kitchen Island
2. Floor Boards etc.Then in 2019 we looked at it again and with being a family of three now, we needed some extra things we missed in the second one. So here's the final version what we live and can recommend right now.
- 2 Lounge rooms (One at the front)
- A theatre room (Wiring done while being built)
- Kitchen in Garage (We use it for parties or gatherings at home, We initially got the builder to leave drainage and power points but 6 months later we built it into our second kitchen
- Walk in pantry (Can't recommend enough)
- Lot of natural light (This is the best decision we ever made for the house)
- Entertainment area in the backyard (Pergola)
- Solar Panels
- Wifi Heating & Cooling (Smart everything including lightings)
- 3 power points per room minimum (2 on bed sides and one for the TV)
- Extra power points with USB in the lounge area
- Wiring for TV through the walls (TV antenna cable, Ethernet cable, HDMI cables)
- Power point in Toilet (We don't use much but comes handy sometimes)
- A shed (Can't recommend enough)
- Good sunlight blocking blinds
- Water connection for Fridge (We didn't initially had it but got it done later)
- Soft closing drawers
- Gas bbq connection in the pergola for gatherings.
- 2 en suites, One for ourselves and other for visitors.
Wishing you best of luck with your construction.
Did you get a nice blender to make curries too?
What are people's thoughts on full fit outs in the robes? We'll more than likely do the master, not so much the kid's rooms.
if you do a walk in that walks thru, you don't need doors and save a few k
that's what i learned :)
Whom are you building with that gives you this level of customisation?
Owner Builder
Double brick throughout
Excavated basement with slab piered down to bedrock
Rooftop terrace using concrete slab
Suspended slab ground and first floorI call this Beirut blast spec because buildings like this are what's left over after a bomb goes off near it
Are you a concretor by any chance? I wouldn't have a suspended slab sitting on a brick wall. 190mm reinforced and core filled masonry walls would be better
Not a tradie, just a man who fantasises about building his home one day.
Interesting idea… so for double brick, you reckon internal walls out of core filled cinderblocks is superior? Shit why don't I just use prefabbed concrete slabs for all the walls then
The problem with precast concrete wall panels for a home is the high cost as you have no economy of scale. Each wall is different size and so you need to form up each wall separately. The additional cost is running services within the panels before you cast them and all this leaves is little flexibility with a high cost!
To build your dream bunker home at a great price I would recommend a slab on ground, 190mm series concrete block walls both outside and inside, run services within wall prior to core fill. Add a Suspended concrete slab as rooftop terrace tied down into all walls. A single skin brick wall on outside to provide the weatherproof and aesthetics. Add roller shutters to all windows… Stops hail, flying objects in storms etc.
@Logical: Great idea with the concrete blocks since you can run services through them before filling, will make mental note. The plan is to build something in the next year or so, need to find the site first.
If you were in Brisbane then I would build it for you!
- Oak/Timber flooring
- LED downlights
- Ducted /ac
- Extra study + Built-in downstairs
- Upstairs rumpus
- High ceilings with void over entry and void over living if possible
- Full height tiling to bathrooms with stone benchtops + heated floor tiles
- Minimum 40mm stone benchtop kitchen + European appliances + Butler's pantry
- Extend rear alfresco
- Plantation shutters
I'm a Property Valuer and if you need any further assistance contact me directly.
All the best
Hi property valuer. Does ducted AC actually add more value then you pay? For example, we have been quoted around $12-14k for a system - will we get this back?
Some articles that I read said that the things you see most often catch the attention of buyers and air con isn’t one of them.
Hi,
It certainly does add value. When we value and compare recent sales in the surrounding areas this is one of the key features we look for in addition to the big flag items such as kitchen and bathrooms.
In my opinion, 12-14K for a ducted a/c installed is very cheap. It could be you have a small house/living area.
Cheers
What is an extra study? You mean two studies? (Or is that to market the study as a potential bedroom).
Does a pool improve my properties valuation?
I have all the notes above, sans void over living, heated floors, and shutters.Curious whether you can value based on a real estate listing and what you'd quote.
Apologies, I meant a study downstairs with a built-in robe/walk-in robe as this can be seen as a bedroom/guest room to the wider market.
A pool will certainly increase the valuation of your property as well as extensive landscaping.
We can value your property via sold listings and we're based in Sydney.
Please message me directly for a quote.
Cheers
Thanks if appreciate it. I'm not in the market to buy but just curious what it may be now.
Tried sending you a message but you don't accept private messages (settings under message to change that).
What about bi-folding doors that open up the living room to outside?
none of the dumb consumer sh*t you noted.
Can anyone suggest good reasonable builders in sydney for custom built? Has anyone recently built a house in sydney with some of these inclusions like Double glazing, good insulation in the roof and between outside walls, eaves, ducted aircon and can advise what is approximate cost we are looking at for double storey.Thanks
Hello there,
Binet Homes (Well known prestige builder)
Clarendon Homes (One of the best project home builder).Cheers
Very overpriced for what's on offer
Binet - prepare to spend 2m on the build
I can imagine some of them will bill you that much. Prestige names are always good but they are expensive understandably.
I am sure ozbargainers are not taking their services.Anyone can suggest not so big builder and reasonable with built cost?
As you're designing your home, don't forget about the practicality of a lift. These devices have helped many people living with disabilities and mobility issues get to higher levels in their homes without causing too much strain on them or having anyone else help. Some lifts are available for as low as A$30k while others might cost up towards $80K depending on what is desired from it (glass finishing). See eg of home-lift prices and see how much these can be tailored into your own design! The earlier you include in your plans the better and future proof you're home, it will add more value to your property.
You mean Hydroponic heating for “plants”