# Must haves in a custom home build?



## TheE

Any "must" haves/cool ideas you have come across?

Some ideas I've come across:

- IT/ Safe room - besides being a refuge place for severe weather, this would also be a hub to control all the home's IT and electrical.

- In the contract have the builder level the lawn area; I'm just not sure to what degree?

- Add three 4" conduits across and underneath driveway for future needs before they pour and mark that spot

- Pre-wire patio for infrared heaters

- Stairs (not ladder) up to the attic in garage for easier storage

- Door jamb switches (magnetic door switches) in pantry, utility room, and all closets - Turns lights off/on when door is open/closed


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## cbagz

heated flooring in bathrooms

walk in closets with real shelves not wire shelving

Minimum of 2 Cat 6 jacks in every bedroom and home office

2 Cat6 cables ran for mounting security cameras (two cables is 1, 1 is none)

Whole house back up generator

Got to have a mud room at the garage entry door that has a drain in the middle of the floor

Just a few things I've got on my list plus a few other items


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## avionics12

Gosh, I could really have fun with this!

I would suggest the following:

1 - I totally agree with a IT/Safe room. I suggest running at least 2 Cat 6 lines(Supports PoE) to each room, including the garage and patio area. Use 1 as active and the other as a ready spare. If you plan on having security cameras run those lines as well. Additionally determine what your WiFi needs are and install Enterprise grade WiFi access points at strategic locations through the home.



This is especially helpful if you will build a two story home. Enterprise grade WiFi solved every connectivity problem I used to have and is one of the best investments I made. I went overboard with my system, however it supports a Connected home with over 100 devices used and not one hiccup with connectivity.





2 - Since you are here on TLF, I suppose you will have water needs for the Lawn. Suggest putting strategically placed high flow water outlets in locations that will be practical for you. This comes in handy for foliar watering needs/ car washing, etc.

3 - A hand held shower in the Master Bathroom. Scores huge points with the ladies. An overhead rain shower head, even more points.



4 - GFCI electrical outlets on each side of the house. Once you need them you'll understand why...

5 - Automatic water shutoff valve. You may qualify for a reduction in homeowners insurance premiums with this.
Flo by Moen

6 - Abundant Kitchen cabinet space; there will never be enough as you grow into the home. A lighted walk in pantry with glass door equals points.

I think I've spent enough of your money for now...


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## TroyScherer

*Garage Stuff:*

Hot and cold water 
Car wash drains in the floor.
Wash sink 
Proper Overhead lighting
Car wash station / setup.

See "Obsessed Garage" - https://www.obsessedgarage.com/

Raise water up so it is 3'+ off the floor


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## corneliani

Variable-speed Air conditioning system!! I know I know, it's not sexy but if comfort is of any importance then this is a must. And a smart thermostat to go with it.. ideally with follow-me motion sensors. Oh, and don't discount the value of balancing that system! You can get within 2-degrees from one corner of the house to the other! And if you're already going down this road consider an encapsulated attic (ie foam insulation). My 2-story 4k sqft home gets cooled with 50-100$/mo, in Atlanta! (consider an air-exchanger if going this route.. home gets awfully tight & humid.. I got cheap and held out and am regretting it). And yes, I am an energy nut.. visit energyvanguard.com at your own peril. 

Other practical things to have:

- Interconnected security/flood lighting, especially if on larger lot size, so that entire perimeter of home lights up when 1 trips. Even better would be driveway sensor (or geofencing?) to turn on lights, etc, as you come home. Love it when a home can be an extension of you and anticipate your actions. 
- Possibly add soffit lighting for the soft effects... and maybe the color-changing bulbs if you want the cheesy holiday lights (?). I won't judge.  
- Smart lighting !!! Along the same lines as above, but for interior. I have them on bathrooms where they dim-to-on once motion is sensed and turn off once motion stops (w/1 ,5, 10-min delay).. and likewise the bathroom fans are on timers... so I don't have to go behind the kids to turn off lights/fans. You can add under cabinet strip lighting also... this is a cool idea for those nighttime calls w/o getting blinded or fumbling through the dark. Btw, we used to install those jamb switches and have gone away from them. PITA to install perfectly, and new motion-sensing lights can do the same thing while also sensing for light first (unlike the simple on/off jamb switch). 
- Quarter-turn hose spigots/sillcock, ideally with builtin vacuum breaker (hate the ugly add-on's). While on this topic, put them at 24"+ off the floor... not sure who thought it's a great idea to get on your hands/knees to connect a hose! For kicks, look into the Aquor hose bibb system. Intriguing, albeit proprietary. 
- I second @avionics12 mentioning the access points. Run them to outside patios, etc, if you guys sit outside any. Or the garage if that's a hang-out spot. Also I'm a fan of in-ceiling speakers for whole-house audio. Love to jam music on saturday mornings, to my wife's discontent lol. Oh well. Use a low-voltage panel in a walkin closet or possibly attic if space becomes tights and dedicated room isn't available. 
- I likewise second @TroyScherer mention above for adding a sink or at least running a hot & cold water spigot to the garage for washing the car, etc. It's the one thing I regret not doing to mine.. even with a mudroom, I don't like to have to go in there to grab hot water for my chemical mixes, etc. Or washing the dog in there.. I wish i had the option to keep all that in the garage. (Dog-washing station?? Hello !! :thumbup: )
- Last thought, i promise... depending on your garage ceiling height look into a wall-mounted garage door opener & track. Not only is it just cool looking & quiet as anything but it opens up the garage space big time.

EDIT: I lied, i had one more thought... prewire for EV charging in the garage. If not for you, for resale in 10+ years. Also consider running a tap for future shed/garage, etc. No need to connect these yet, just know they're there if/when needed.


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## Wiley

If you are planning on having a shop or shed built at the same time go bigger than you think and you won't regret it. If that's not in the plans then go bigger with the garage. I like a deep garage with vertical storage. Also in the garage add plenty of outlets, hot/cold water and drains.


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## daniel3507

Checkout Rad Garage on YouTube. It's mostly detailing but his garage is...rad


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## BobLovesGrass

Look up Matt Risinger on YouTube, all kinds of interesting ideas.

Especially in Texas I would do a hybrid heat pump water heater.


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## ILoveGrits

avionics12 said:


> This is especially helpful if you will build a two story home. Enterprise grade WiFi solved every connectivity problem I used to have and is one of the best investments I made. I went overboard with my system, however it supports a Connected home with over 100 devices used and not one hiccup with connectivity.


Can you post some more info of your rack? First I've seen of ACInfinity but looks affordable and is good looking to boot. What do you keep in the drawers?


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## MarshalOfFire

I second the GFCI outlets outside, make sure they are 20amp as well.


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## Ware

corneliani said:


> Variable-speed Air conditioning system!! I know I know, it's not sexy but if comfort is of any importance then this is a must. And a smart thermostat to go with it.. ideally with follow-me motion sensors...


Gotta be careful here. The big two (Nest and Ecobee) do not support variable speed fan control. I think many variable speed systems require the manufacturer's proprietary thermostat.


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## testwerke

BobLovesGrass said:


> Look up Matt Risinger on YouTube, all kinds of interesting ideas.
> 
> Especially in Texas I would do a hybrid heat pump water heater.


His latest remodel project series makes me want to build a proper home next.


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## ILoveGrits

Ware said:


> Gotta be careful here. The big two (Nest and Ecobee) do not support variable speed fan control. I think many variable speed systems require the manufacturer's proprietary thermostat.


Did you mean modulating furnace instead of fan speed?

I don't work in HVAC but in my experience fan speed control seems to be pretty system dependent. As an example, we have high end Lennox units the previous owner put in & blower speed is controlled by the furnace board. For a modulating furnace though, you're right, you'd lose the benefits if going 3rd party.

Either way, its a fair point to consider when planning the system.


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## avionics12

ILoveGrits said:


> avionics12 said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is especially helpful if you will build a two story home. Enterprise grade WiFi solved every connectivity problem I used to have and is one of the best investments I made. I went overboard with my system, however it supports a Connected home with over 100 devices used and not one hiccup with connectivity.
> 
> 
> 
> Can you post some more info of your rack? First I've seen of ACInfinity but looks affordable and is good looking to boot. What do you keep in the drawers?
Click to expand...



From the top down:

2 Raspberry Pi 3+ with touchscreens running PiHole for network adblocking. I intend to add a local VPN on one of the Pi's soon. I may add HomeBridge on the other, however that's a far away project as I am satisfied with HomeKit functionality at the moment. Between the Pi's is a touchscreen remote to control the Pi's from my desk.

Top of the rack is a AC Infinity Cooling fan system. A remote sensor is mounted near the top of the cabinet. When it senses a user set temperature it turns on the fans to ventilate the cabinet. It is quiet and moves a lot of air so it doesn't really run for long periods of time like a previous fan did.

Second is a Ubiquity UDMP router that provides network monitoring and control, firewall, and non PoE ethernet connections for the network. The UDMP also provides control and hard drive storage for my Ubiquity Protect cameras.

Third is a Monoprice 24 port Cat 6 patch panel for home network wired distribution.

Fourth is Ubiquity USW Pro 24 Switch. This provides PoE ethernet for the cameras and access points.

Fifth is a AC Infinity 1U Ventilation inlet plate.

Sixth is a AC Infinity Teslacore PDU with surge protection for the rack.

Seventh is a Eaton 1500VA UPS

The last three are 1U, 2U, and 3U AC Infinity storage drawers. I used to have spare hardware and cables in different boxes in the attic. Now all of my networking "spare" cables and other hardware are stored at the cabinet.

The cabinet is a Navepoint 15U which can be wall mounted. It comes with a glass door although I elected to keep it off because I sometimes want to monitor the Ubiquity components via their 1.5 inch touchscreens.

The AC Infinity gear is affordable and adds a nice touch of functionality for what would have been otherwise open space in the rack.


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## Ware

ILoveGrits said:


> Did you mean modulating furnace instead of fan speed?


Same with modulating furnaces - Ecobee and Nest will support up to 2 stages of heating and 2 stages of cooling, but getting all the benefits of a modulating gas valve and a variable speed blower usually requires using the unit manufacturer's thermostat. Here is a good summary:


__
https://www.reddit.com/r/ecobee/comments/7hal9h


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## ILoveGrits

avionics12 said:


> ...


Thank you!!



Ware said:


> ILoveGrits said:
> 
> 
> 
> Did you mean modulating furnace instead of fan speed?
> 
> 
> 
> Same with modulating furnaces - Ecobee and Nest will support up to 2 stages of heating and 2 stages of cooling, but getting all the benefits of a modulating gas valve and a variable speed blower usually requires using the unit manufacturer's thermostat. Here is a good summary:
Click to expand...

Well that sucks. Thanks for the link.


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## jasonbraswell

We just built a custom house. It's exhausting and stressful. But we GC'd it ourselves
Some things we added that I enjoy.
- Outdoor hot water hose outlet. Cost $20 extra when roughing in plumbing. Very useful on power washer and washing 
cars in the winter.

- Tankless Hot water heater with the recirculate pump. Very nice to have hot water almost instantly (depending on how 
you set the schedule/timer)

- Spray foam the entire attic. Attic is same temp as interior of house. But this is $$$$ and a long ROI. However, I can see 
every cable, hose, wire in my attic. No more fiberglass to sift through.

- Ultra Aire whole house dehumidifier (saves on AC and keeps our whole house at 52% humidity all year)

- CAT 6 is great but the Orbi mesh system is a lot cheaper and gives some impressive results

- Nest doorbell is very cool

- Splurge the money on windows; Anderson or Pella

- 6" studs on exterior walls; stronger protection and thicker insulation

- Our pantry is under the stairs. We built the pantry walls with concrete filled blocks and put a exterior door on the pantry. 
Doubles as a safe room and was way cheaper than buying one of those steel rooms to install.

- Run your speaker wire while framing. Very inexpensive and easy to do.

I am sure there are more tricks we did but these are the ones that come to mind.


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## EFitz

I have one from when I was in high school and we finished my parents basement which became my room. We put in 8 can lights 2 of which were over where the bed would be. We put a dedicated dimmer switch right next to where the bed would be so that we those two lights could be shut off from the bed. Super handy.


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## BobLovesGrass

I know tankless water heaters are all the rage but the only good things about them seem to be footprint, and unlimited hot water.
They really aren't cheaper to operate and come with increased maintenance needs.
Not saying don't do it just understand it.

The exterior door on the pantry is a cleaver double use of space.


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## jasonbraswell

BobLovesGrass said:


> I know tankless water heaters are all the rage but the only good things about them seem to be footprint, and unlimited hot water.
> They really aren't cheaper to operate and come with increased maintenance needs.
> Not saying don't do it just understand it.
> 
> The exterior door on the pantry is a cleaver double use of space.


Yeah I tend to agree on the tankless operating cost being minimal savings and they're more expensive to purchase. I did get away with one unit for a 4 full baths too.
I just didn't want a 50-100 + gallons of traditional water heater anywhere in my house. They go boom sooner or later.

Now the tankless hangs on the exterior wall and I can leave the house alone with a nice peaceful vacation. 
PEX is in the attic and fairly bomb proof.

Which reminds me. Obviously in 2020. Use PEX. You'll never regret that


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## Ware

jasonbraswell said:


> BobLovesGrass said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know tankless water heaters are all the rage but the only good things about them seem to be footprint, and unlimited hot water.
> They really aren't cheaper to operate...
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I tend to agree on the tankless operating cost being minimal savings and they're more expensive to purchase...
Click to expand...

Sorry guys, I have to disagree...

According to Arkansas TRM Version 8.1, the deemed energy savings algorithm (on p. 260 of the PDF) for replacing a 50-gallon gas storage tank water heater with a gas tankless water heater (assuming UEF = 0.93) in my climate zone yields energy savings of about 72 therms/year. At our current residential natural gas rates, those energy savings work out to about $72/year or $1,440 over the 20-year life of the tankless. And that's assuming no rate escalation over the next 20 years, which is highly unlikely.

Estimated Useful Life (EUL) is another important consideration. According to DEER 2008 (Database for Energy Efficiency Resources), the EUL of a tankless gas water heater is 20 years - compared to only 11 years for a gas storage tank water heater. So when comparing upfront cost, you must consider that statistics say you will go through about 1.82 gas tank water heaters for every one gas tankless water heater.


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## metro424

Agreed, my parents built their house in 2003 and installed 2 gas tankless water heaters. One died in 2017 the other is still going strong. They never once cleaned or flushed the systems as you are supposed to but they have been more than impressed with the units as a whole. We used to take crazy long showers because well the hot water was endless.

We're currently planning our forever home and will absolutely be installing 2 dishwashers as well as an island in the walk in pantry to keep items like blenders and coffee makers out of sight but still usable. Drains in the laundry room and drains in the garage are a must have. Insulated garage doors make a massive difference in sound.


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## jasonbraswell

Ware said:


> jasonbraswell said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BobLovesGrass said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know tankless water heaters are all the rage but the only good things about them seem to be footprint, and unlimited hot water.
> They really aren't cheaper to operate...
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I tend to agree on the tankless operating cost being minimal savings and they're more expensive to purchase...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Sorry guys, I have to disagree...
> 
> According to Arkansas TRM Version 8.1, the deemed energy savings algorithm (on p. 260 of the PDF) for replacing a 50-gallon gas storage tank water heater with a gas tankless water heater (assuming UEF = 0.93) in my climate zone yields energy savings of about 72 therms/year. At our current residential natural gas rates, those energy savings work out to about $72/year or $1,440 over the 20-year life of the tankless. And that's assuming no rate escalation over the next 20 years, which is highly unlikely.
> 
> Estimated Useful Life (EUL) is another important consideration. According to DEER 2008 (Database for Energy Efficiency Resources), the EUL of a tankless gas water heater is 20 years - compared to only 11 years for a gas storage tank water heater. So when comparing upfront cost, you must consider that statistics say you will go through about 1.82 gas tank water heaters for every one gas tankless water heater.
Click to expand...

$72 bucks will be invisible in the utilities.
I would not make my decision based on that.
Longer life is great. Hope ours make it 20 yrs.

I think it also depends on the water quality you are feeding the heater and water hardness.

I put a 4 stage filter system in and filter down to 10 micron for the entire house. Hopefully it buys some time on the appliance life


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## Ware

DOE says it's over $100/year, but the commodity is super cheap right now. Henry Hub has been under $2/MCF for months.

Also note many gas utilities offer cash rebates for the installation of high efficiency tankless water heaters in their demand side management programs. Ours pays $500.


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## jasonbraswell

Ware said:


> DOE says it's over $100/year, but the commodity is super cheap right now. Henry Hub has been under $2/MCF for months.
> 
> Also note many gas utilities offer cash rebates for the installation of high efficiency tankless water heaters in their demand side management programs. Ours pays $500.


That's very true.
We have received two $1200 credits on two different houses for the gas appliances we bought.
It's probably been 5 or 6 yrs since I paid a gas bill.
I love NG and try to use it on as much as possible.


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## corneliani

Great clarification on the smart thermostats @ware - I wasn't aware of that incompatibility with non-proprietary thermostats but it doesn't surprise me to learn this. There's a lot of software that goes into these systems. they're no longer the old on/off fluid transfer systems of yore ... they really do have a lot of commands & data to process nowadays. 
You done learned me something &#128077;

As for the tankless units .. if you are a low-use household, or one with concentrated use times, the economics for tankless units seem skewed in your favor even more so. If nothing else the idea of keeping 50-gal of water heated all day/night just for those couple of hours of morning & evening use just doesn't seem right in my head.


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## BobLovesGrass

Being near Green Bay the idea of the water heater being outside the conditioned living space is bizarre. It is so cold here they drive full-size trucks on the lakes in January and February.

The hybrid heat pump water heaters provide some air conditioning and dehumidification, down south they go in attics or garages.
My 1996 electric water heater is soon to be replaced with one. I will have to set it to run standard resistance in winter but otherwise I will welcome the dehumidification in my basement I the warmer months. Will save me from running a separate dehumidifier.

Someone above mentioned EV recepticle in the garage, EVs can often charge from a variety of outlets voltage/amperage just decides speed. If it makes you happier you could instead of the usual 14-50 "electric range" outlet you could have a "welder" 6-50 outlet installed though maybe ask the electrician to run a spare neutral so it could be swapped to 14-50 later.


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## shelby48085

We have a travel trailer. So during the build I suggested a dump area. It's just off the driveway past the garage in the landscape area. My husband said we didn't need it. I asked the builder how much it would cost. It's literally 20 feet of PVC through the basement wall into the septic. It costed $50. So we did it.

It is wonderful instead of having to go dump somewhere else. Just get home from the trip and empty before taking it back to storage. Keep it on the downlow or your camping friends will be asking to use it.

Unfortunately, got rid of the camper during the divorce so it's not really being used anymore. 

2 story house? Have HVAC have a run for lower and one for upper. A thermostat up & also down. Ours has a baffle on the output from the furnace. Not sure how it works, but it does a good job. My neighbor says she's constantly playing with the thermostat because they don't have it.


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## jasonbraswell

BobLovesGrass said:


> Being near Green Bay the idea of the water heater being outside the conditioned living space is bizarre. It is so cold here they drive full-size trucks on the lakes in January and February.
> 
> The hybrid heat pump water heaters provide some air conditioning and dehumidification, down south they go in attics or garages.
> My 1996 electric water heater is soon to be replaced with one. I will have to set it to run standard resistance in winter but otherwise I will welcome the dehumidification in my basement I the warmer months. Will save me from running a separate dehumidifier.
> 
> Someone above mentioned EV recepticle in the garage, EVs can often charge from a variety of outlets voltage/amperage just decides speed. If it makes you happier you could instead of the usual 14-50 "electric range" outlet you could have a "welder" 6-50 outlet installed though maybe ask the electrician to run a spare neutral so it could be swapped to 14-50 later.


I've never seen the HPWHs. That's not a common one around the south. The tech looks pretty cool.
For the GB area, you would probably have to have your tankless inside the house and vent it out.
It automatically recirculates the water at 34F and below to keep it from freezing (similar to a swimming pool pump) but I agree your winters are probably too harsh to be on exterior wall.
When I lived in TX, the water heaters ( qty 2 yikes) were in the attic.
It was a water disaster waiting to happen.


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## daniel3507

@jasonbraswell the hot water spigot outside is an awesome idea. Never thought about that.


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## Bean4Me

jasonbraswell said:


> BobLovesGrass said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know tankless water heaters are all the rage but the only good things about them seem to be footprint, and unlimited hot water.
> They really aren't cheaper to operate and come with increased maintenance needs.
> Not saying don't do it just understand it.
> 
> The exterior door on the pantry is a cleaver double use of space.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I tend to agree on the tankless operating cost being minimal savings and they're more expensive to purchase. I did get away with one unit for a 4 full baths too.
> I just didn't want a 50-100 + gallons of traditional water heater anywhere in my house. They go boom sooner or later.
> 
> Now the tankless hangs on the exterior wall and I can leave the house alone with a nice peaceful vacation.
> PEX is in the attic and fairly bomb proof.
> 
> Which reminds me. Obviously in 2020. Use PEX. You'll never regret that
Click to expand...

Are others a fan of pex? I think I would still pay a premium for copper at this point.

One thing I didn't see mention was to make sure the electrician doesn't string a bunch of circuits together for convenience. Or else put 20a circuits in so you can avoid popping breakers if 2 high load devices are used at the same time. Our exterior outlets are all on one circuit and I've run into problems with using my pressure washer while my wife is cooking on the deck out back.


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## BobLovesGrass

@jasonbraswell an average winter here we see -15f and I have seen -25f multiple times at my house.
Basements are standard though and that is where water heaters and furnace and all are installed.
On the heat pump, my primary heating is Fujitsu mini-splits, my house is a leaky 1970s house and the get pumps keep up down to about -15f I turn on a few old baseboards below that. That impressed me enough to order the heat pump water heater. The one I bought is ductable so I will likely pull air from the dining room which obviously runs warmer than the basement. In the south in garage the cool discharge air can cool a garage or something.
Just think of it as using an air conditioner to heat your water.

On the tankless the extra maintenance I referred is they need to be descaled ever year or more often depending on water quality and use. Obviously most here are DIY inclined but if paying for this a plumber trip is probably a couple hundred per............that is a significant expense hardly anyone is made aware of up front.


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## Ware

Descaling a tankless is really no more work than periodically flushing a tank style water heater. Tank water heaters aren't maintenance free.

https://youtu.be/8-ts7XuvS48

It ultimately boils down to personal preference, but for me the pros (efficiency, footprint, service life, etc) of a tankless far outweigh the cons for a new construction application. Retrofits - I would say it depends on the amount of work required to rework the venting.


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## g-man

@Ware tankless are more efficient, but they do suffer from the Law of Unintended Consequences (Freakonomics). The endless supply of hot water means there is no incentive to take a shorter shower to avoid a cold water shower. Thus you might be net zero or spending more in water/heat.


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## Ware

You should really not be running out of hot water with a properly sized tank water heater. But yeah, I can't help you with behavioral issues. &#128513;


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## Ware

@Bean4Me I haven't seen a new construction home around here with copper in a long time.


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## Ridgerunner

@metro424 Your parents' tankless units gas or electric? I've heard electric units last much longer than gas? Is this true, anyone?


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## Ware

@Ridgerunner


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## Ridgerunner

Thanks @Ware My current Powervent tank (14 yrs) is about due and I've been debating a tankless or staying with a powervent tank--cost is about the same. Installation costs I have yet to explore.


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## Ware

@Ridgerunner I think the biggest drawback to electric tankless is the power requirements.

That is why Rinnai doesn't make them:



> We don't make an electric model, because there are several potential drawbacks to electric tankless water heater units. First, the power requirements of electric units large enough to provide hot water for a typical household can be prohibitive. For example, a unit that can provide three gallons per minute with an 80° F temperature rise would require about a 150 amp 230 VAC circuit. That's about eight times the power required for a three-ton central air conditioning system!
> 
> Second, the relative operating cost of electric tankless water heaters is much higher than gas water heaters. Based on national averages, electricity costs nearly twice as much per BTU as natural gas. Even with propane, gas tankless water heaters are considerably less expensive to operate than those that run on electricity.


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## Ware

This is what DOE has to say about tankless:




> For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%-34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8%-14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water -- around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve even greater energy savings of 27%-50% if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.
> 
> The initial cost of a tankless water heater is greater than that of a conventional storage water heater, but tankless water heaters will typically last longer and have lower operating and energy costs, which could offset its higher purchase price. Most tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of more than 20 years. They also have easily replaceable parts that extend their life by many more years. In contrast, storage water heaters last 10-15 years.


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## Ridgerunner

@Ware Gas is preferred, I was only considering electric due to the erroneous understanding that electric lasted much longer.


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## metro424

Ridgerunner said:


> @metro424 Your parents' tankless units gas or electric? I've heard electric units last much longer than gas? Is this true, anyone?


Theirs is Gas, I was looking to get an electric tankless for my house since we don't have gas where we live and the electrician was adamant that he would NOT recommend electric. He actually said he would go with a heat pump h20 tank.


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## Ridgerunner

@metro424 Thanks. Time for me to compare installation costs.


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## Ware

@metro424 I agree - for an all electric house I would probably be looking at a HPWH. They are very efficient.


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## Ware

We're in the middle of building our next home and one thing is for sure - there is an opportunity to upgrade something at literally every corner. Unfortunately if we did everything we wanted to do we would be broke. It's really easy to say 'oh we can spend extra on this or that line item', but I'm here to tell you it all adds up. You really have to establish a budget, prioritize the features that are most important to your family, and then find a nice balance.


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## Bean4Me

@Ware it's rare to see it around here but on some builds I've seen certain sections of the mechanical room run in copper. If it's a custom you can do anything you want and I'd pay the extra for copper.


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## Lust4Lawn

If you like cooking, get a real range hood with baffle filters that you can run in the dishwasher. Get a high flow exhaust fan that is mounted remotely, not inside of the hood. Aim for ~1200-2000 CFM depending on your hood width. I can smell dinner cooking outside but when I come in the house I can't smell anything. I have a Bluestar range and can cook in my wok at 22K BTU's and there in no smoke or smell in the house. Plan for 10-12" diameter venting.


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## Ware

Lust4Lawn said:


> If you like cooking, get a real range hood with baffle filters that you can run in the dishwasher. Get a high flow exhaust fan that is mounted remotely, not inside of the hood. Aim for ~1200-2000 CFM depending on your hood width. I can smell dinner cooking outside but when I come in the house I can't smell anything. I have a Bluestar range and can cook in my wok at 22K BTU's and there in no smoke or smell in the house. Plan for 10-12" diameter venting.


Just make sure to install appropriate make-up air. 1,200 cfm will pull ashes out of the fireplace in a tight home. :lol:


----------



## Ware

Bean4Me said:


> @Ware it's rare to see it around here but on some builds I've seen certain sections of the mechanical room run in copper. If it's a custom you can do anything you want and I'd pay the extra for copper.


For what reasons do you prefer copper?

I realize it hasn't been around as long, but PEX is generally considered more durable and less prone to leaks and corrosion, it's cheaper to install, requires less fittings/skilled labor, it's more resistant to bursting in freezing conditions, and water flows more quietly through it. I just don't see as many advantages to using copper in a new home - other than maybe it being less susceptible to UV damage in exposed locations.


----------



## Gilley11

I would personally do it in pex, for the reasons that ware listed above plus it's easier to modify and repair later on. If I was going to upgrade something with the plumbing it would be the drain lines. I'd have cast iron drain lines run. They are WAY more quiet than pvc.


----------



## jasonbraswell

Back on topic

A NG outlet on the patio for a gas grill is super convenient.
I cook on charcoal and smoker too but never getting rid of my NG Weber. So convenient for quick cooks.


----------



## jasonbraswell

Also make it a dual valve to run a patio heater &#128513;&#128076;


----------



## Ware

jasonbraswell said:


> Back on topic
> 
> A NG outlet on the patio for a gas grill is super convenient.
> I cook on charcoal and smoker too but never getting rid of my NG Weber. So convenient for quick cooks.


The Burnaby Gas Plug is a nice clean solution for this. They are available in several variants/mounting options.


----------



## FlowRider

Outdoor shower with hand held wand. I use it to wash my Weber grill to clean grates and ashes.

I had builder plumb in a drain to sanitary sewer. I also use it to wash off after getting dusty mowing.

I installed tankless hot water heaters. Nothing like an endless supply of hot water. Rinnai, natty gas.

Epoxy floor in garage. One water spigot for each side of house outside. Cable/Sat TV on patio.

Plumb for sink in garage, hot and cold water, plus drain.

I put in water softener system (salt brine) and reverse osmosis filtration for kitchen drinking water.

Cat 6 in every room for Power Over Ethernet for security cameras, internet access, wireless, etc.

Security system for whole house and driveway cameras. Complete irrigation system for yards.


----------



## Virginiagal

Be sure to place the range or cooktop where an overhead fan vent can be run outside.


----------



## Deke

Built in gun safe. Must have. 
Man room / trophy room. 
Sprinkler system.

Pretty much my list of must haves for the new house. Everything else the wife gets to decide.


----------



## Ptb427

Couple of things on my list that haven't been mentioned here yet:

- Currently have a separate meter for irrigation (very nice if available on your area). What I would like are more high flow bibs from this meter for hand watering/car washing. Would like them around the house also in the ground in the yard and garden area.

- Outside hookup on a patio to wire a portable generator into the main panel. Also a natural gas line to feed the generator. Cheaper than getting a whole house generator right off the bat.

- Full concrete block room that could be used for guest room/shelter/mechanical/toy storage.


----------



## corneliani

Here's another simple idea: insulated garage walls. &#128563;&#129335;&#127995;‍♂
For the $100-200 extra it's a no-brainer. Not only does it alllow you to easily convert it into a conditioned space easier but it also makes sense in keeping the temps in the garage a bit more stable too. Win win.


----------



## crussell

Wow some really cool ideas mentioned!

I think it's so cool when houses have a mini-garage door on the side/back of the garage for their riding mowers.

Also having exterior outlets near the roof soffit is great for Christmas lights.

Wiring for ceiling mounted projector.

Dedicated enclosed and insulated space for an air compressor, plumbed to the garage.

Wiring for outdoor speaker


----------



## Ptb427

crussell said:


> Wow some really cool ideas mentioned!
> 
> I think it's so cool when houses have a mini-garage door on the side/back of the garage for their riding mowers.
> 
> Also having exterior outlets near the roof soffit is great for Christmas lights.
> 
> Wiring for ceiling mounted projector.
> 
> Dedicated enclosed and insulated space for an air compressor, plumbed to the garage.
> 
> Wiring for outdoor speaker


Second the insulated compressor room!


----------



## jal

corneliani said:


> ...Also I'm a fan of in-ceiling speakers for whole-house audio. Love to jam music on saturday mornings, to my wife's discontent...


@corneliani what solution do you use to play music? I have a couple of the old Sonos Connect Amps, but the new ones are so expensive!


----------



## corneliani

jal said:


> corneliani said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...Also I'm a fan of in-ceiling speakers for whole-house audio. Love to jam music on saturday mornings, to my wife's discontent...
> 
> 
> 
> @corneliani what solution do you use to play music? I have a couple of the old Sonos Connect Amps, but the new ones are so expensive!
Click to expand...

I went with On-Q's integrated Digital Audio & Intercom system (https://www.legrand.us/radiant/products/home-automation.aspx) since I was doing a new build and was able to run the necessary cat5 wiring to each control location. I chose this system because it offers both wall as well as app control, but the downside is that the product line can become obsolete really quick. For ex, my iPad hub is made for iPad minis.. but they've changed form factors a bit so the new ones won't work. I'm stuck using an iPad mini 3 unless I replace the in-wall hub too. I guess this is par for the course with technology, esp if you commit to hardware etc.

I did use a Sonos Connect to push out the audio prior to putting this system together and I liked it. It is pricey though, completely agree, and was limited on Bluetooth & youtube streaming, etc. Not sure if the new ones have the same limitations.


----------



## turfnsurf

If it were me, I wouldn't run security cameras via internet.

I would have that hard wired that way you are darn near impervious to being hacked.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Wow, that "Estimated Useful Life" table is way off my personal experience. I've been lucky I guess. My family has always gotten a good 20 years out of gas water heaters. But we were on city water and also flush and maintain them properly every year.

I got about 16 years out of the contractor-grade "A.O. Smith" electric water heater installed my house. It was just terrible. When it finally died, I installed a 50 gallon gas water heater. My overall utility bill dropped by almost half. Not to mention I actually get to take hot showers now. I'll never own another electric water heater.


----------



## Ware

We love our TOTO toilets.

Speaking of Toto, a safe room is nice if you live in tornado country.

See what I did there?


----------



## thompwa

Someone may have already said this...but in the near future I plan to go in my crawl space and rerun all of my hose bibs outside with 3/4" pex instead of the 1/2" it was originally run with. It's fine for nearly everything but it doesn't cost anything extra and it would be nice when I'm running my DIY above ground sprinklers around back where it's non-irrigated


----------



## turfnsurf

thompwa said:


> Someone may have already said this...but in the near future I plan to go in my crawl space and rerun all of my hose bibs outside with 3/4" pex instead of the 1/2" it was originally run with. It's fine for nearly everything but it doesn't cost anything extra and it would be nice when I'm running my DIY above ground sprinklers around back where it's non-irrigated


@thompwa why do you want to change them to 3/4"?


----------



## thompwa

turfnsurf said:


> thompwa said:
> 
> 
> 
> Someone may have already said this...but in the near future I plan to go in my crawl space and rerun all of my hose bibs outside with 3/4" pex instead of the 1/2" it was originally run with. It's fine for nearly everything but it doesn't cost anything extra and it would be nice when I'm running my DIY above ground sprinklers around back where it's non-irrigated
> 
> 
> 
> @thompwa why do you want to change them to 3/4"?
Click to expand...

Just more flow. Easier to link sprinklers together above ground and water spots if you don't have in-ground...easier to run equipment like pressure washers and such. Just no reason not to. You can always reduce pressure and reduce volume...but you can't really add it...especially if You're burying pipes in a slab


----------



## thebmrust

Drain in the garage.
Cat6 and power to every roof corner.
Water to every exterior corner of the building.
Electricity and cabling to every corner of the property.
Taller than normal ceilings in garage for storage.
Taller than normal garage doors.
Wider than normal garage space.
Extra long garage for working on vehicles or projects and still have room to park.
East facing outside living area.
Safe room.
Secret passageways (think of them as escape routes to a safe room but also because secret passages are the coolest home feature).
Large pantry accessible from the garage as a pass through for groceries and from kitchen.
Could use pantry as a butlers kitchen.
Outdoor grill space.
All parties or decks need to be twice what you think they should. Once you add in chairs tables and people they get real small real fast.
Home theater for a projector and screen (complete light control).
Alternate water and power options.
Trees.


----------



## turfnsurf

thebmrust said:


> Safe room.
> Secret passageways (think of them as escape routes to a safe room but also because secret passages are the coolest home feature).


I've always been interested in these. Would you have any idea of who does these? Is that something that the builder should know, or would a specialized company need to be hired to assist? And if there are companies who would have to work with the builders, I was curious if you had any links because I'd love to look into some companies online.


----------



## thebmrust

My honest opinion... the owner should layout the rooms but make them bigger (wider or longer) where passages will go. Let the builder build then after you get possession you go in and build the passages yourself as a room modification. That way, they are actually secret.

If a builder has them on a plan, they will be subject to inspection and nowadays, probably won't pass because of various restrictions. Builders will also talk so will laborers.


----------



## jal

Ware said:


> We love our TOTO toilets.
> 
> Speaking of Toto, a safe room is nice if you live in tornado country.
> 
> See what I did there?


Speaking of Toto...put in "Advanced Toilet Seats" which are essentially bidets. It will change your life. You need a GFCI outlet behind each toilet.


----------



## Shindoman

My list of must haves is very long. I build very expensive custom homes for a living so I see all the good stuff. 
If I build another home for myself for retirement it will not be like my clients homes but it needs to have:
Fully decked out garage
Dedicated room for listening to music
The same stove I have now


----------



## Tadow781

Sauna


----------



## turfnsurf

Shindoman said:


> My list of must haves is very long. I build very expensive custom homes for a living so I see all the good stuff.
> If I build another home for myself for retirement it will not be like my clients homes but it needs to have:
> Fully decked out garage
> Dedicated room for listening to music
> The same stove I have now


Is it okay if I message you? I'd like to pick your brain about this...but I realize it might be a tangent for the OP.


----------



## Shindoman

turfnsurf said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> My list of must haves is very long. I build very expensive custom homes for a living so I see all the good stuff.
> If I build another home for myself for retirement it will not be like my clients homes but it needs to have:
> Fully decked out garage
> Dedicated room for listening to music
> The same stove I have now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it okay if I message you? I'd like to pick your brain about this...but I realize it might be a tangent for the OP.
Click to expand...

No problem, message away!


----------



## 2018stanleycup

Spigot on each side if the house

Actual steps that lead to the attic above the garage vs having a drop down ladder set up

Wider steps in the house

Have a larger area at the top and bottom of the steps to make moving furniture etc easier to maneuver


----------



## mribbens

I have never built a home, but my must haves would be the following, with many of the posts already listing several of mine.

Contractor leveling the yard-I would want to seed myself
Radiant heating and cooling for entire house
Large capacity gutters and buried downspouts all connected to drain tile
Being up North with a full basement I would need to have a full waterproof basement system, exterior membrane with insulation, drain tile that runs away from the foundation, etc..
I would want to use my sump pump discharge water for irrigation needs-My sump pumps run 10 months out of the year and I would have the builder bury a large basin that could hold all of this discharge water, then in turn I could use that water to irrigate my lawn and flowers and shrubs.


----------



## jayhawk

corneliani said:


> Variable-speed Air conditioning system!! I know I know, it's not sexy but if comfort is of any importance then this is a must. And a smart thermostat to go with it.. ideally with follow-me motion sensors. Oh, and don't discount the value of balancing that system! You can get within 2-degrees from one corner of the house to the other! And if you're already going down this road consider an encapsulated attic (ie foam insulation). My 2-story 4k sqft home gets cooled with 50-100$/mo, in Atlanta! (consider an air-exchanger if going this route.. home gets awfully tight & humid.. I got cheap and held out and am regretting it). And yes, I am an energy nut.. visit energyvanguard.com at your own peril.
> 
> Other practical things to have:
> 
> - Interconnected security/flood lighting, especially if on larger lot size, so that entire perimeter of home lights up when 1 trips. Even better would be driveway sensor (or geofencing?) to turn on lights, etc, as you come home. Love it when a home can be an extension of you and anticipate your actions.
> - Possibly add soffit lighting for the soft effects... and maybe the color-changing bulbs if you want the cheesy holiday lights (?). I won't judge.
> - Smart lighting !!! Along the same lines as above, but for interior. I have them on bathrooms where they dim-to-on once motion is sensed and turn off once motion stops (w/1 ,5, 10-min delay).. and likewise the bathroom fans are on timers... so I don't have to go behind the kids to turn off lights/fans. You can add under cabinet strip lighting also... this is a cool idea for those nighttime calls w/o getting blinded or fumbling through the dark. Btw, we used to install those jamb switches and have gone away from them. PITA to install perfectly, and new motion-sensing lights can do the same thing while also sensing for light first (unlike the simple on/off jamb switch).
> - Quarter-turn hose spigots/sillcock, ideally with builtin vacuum breaker (hate the ugly add-on's). While on this topic, put them at 24"+ off the floor... not sure who thought it's a great idea to get on your hands/knees to connect a hose! For kicks, look into the Aquor hose bibb system. Intriguing, albeit proprietary.
> - I second @avionics12 mentioning the access points. Run them to outside patios, etc, if you guys sit outside any. Or the garage if that's a hang-out spot. Also I'm a fan of in-ceiling speakers for whole-house audio. Love to jam music on saturday mornings, to my wife's discontent lol. Oh well. Use a low-voltage panel in a walkin closet or possibly attic if space becomes tights and dedicated room isn't available.
> - I likewise second @TroyScherer mention above for adding a sink or at least running a hot & cold water spigot to the garage for washing the car, etc. It's the one thing I regret not doing to mine.. even with a mudroom, I don't like to have to go in there to grab hot water for my chemical mixes, etc. Or washing the dog in there.. I wish i had the option to keep all that in the garage. (Dog-washing station?? Hello !! :thumbup: )
> - Last thought, i promise... depending on your garage ceiling height look into a wall-mounted garage door opener & track. Not only is it just cool looking & quiet as anything but it opens up the garage space big time.
> 
> EDIT: I lied, i had one more thought... prewire for EV charging in the garage. If not for you, for resale in 10+ years. Also consider running a tap for future shed/garage, etc. No need to connect these yet, just know they're there if/when needed.


I read energy vanguard (although he's an angry liberal) ...risinger (made me think of Aquor)


----------



## jayhawk

hsvtoolfool said:


> Wow, that "Estimated Useful Life" table is way off my personal experience. I've been lucky I guess. My family has always gotten a good 20 years out of gas water heaters. But we were on city water and also flush and maintain them properly every year.
> 
> I got about 16 years out of the contractor-grade "A.O. Smith" electric water heater installed my house. It was just terrible. When it finally died, I installed a 50 gallon gas water heater. My overall utility bill dropped by almost half. Not to mention I actually get to take hot showers now. I'll never own another electric water heater.


We got 15+ (I didn't wait to see it fail) but I drained it occasionally. 
Gas (conventional) inside your building envelope, I wouldn't add more pollutants to the house. Heat pump is even more efficient if u have the space and ok with the noises. (Eg garage).


----------



## jayhawk

Ware said:


> Lust4Lawn said:
> 
> 
> 
> If you like cooking, get a real range hood with baffle filters that you can run in the dishwasher. Get a high flow exhaust fan that is mounted remotely, not inside of the hood. Aim for ~1200-2000 CFM depending on your hood width. I can smell dinner cooking outside but when I come in the house I can't smell anything. I have a Bluestar range and can cook in my wok at 22K BTU's and there in no smoke or smell in the house. Plan for 10-12" diameter venting.
> 
> 
> 
> Just make sure to install appropriate make-up air. 1,200 cfm will pull ashes out of the fireplace in a tight home. :lol:
Click to expand...

Bingo! Agree on remote or wife won't turn it up enough....but make up is needed ( many have no clue) or risk back draft issues, dirty/ pollen / humid air finding it's way in. I installed a Broan sensor and auto damper. 10"+ who makes hoods needing that?


----------



## jayhawk

Conduit for AV flexibility; between floors 
8 ft doors
Actual Lighting strategy (e.g. highlight art)
Encapsulation of attic
Insulated Zip sheathing 
Metal roof 
hvac Distribution uses metal
Beyond code air tight
Dehumidifier
ERV
detached garage
Outlets in the baseboard (mostly)
Moulding from www.kuikenbrothers.com


----------



## Slim 1938

Some of the things I did when I built 8 years ago.

Custom timers for outside lighting.

Christmas light plugs all around house.

Heat circulation pump for instant hot water.

Safe room

Try to eliminate hallways.

Put furnace, water heater, water softener and anything that is not something you need inside in garage or attic. Saves on taxable living space.

Put water bibbs all over exterior because I guarantee you you'll use them.

If future plans include a shop and irrigation plan ahead. Tee off plumbing, sewer, gas line to location of shop. Insure big enough panel for shop electrical.

Make sure your water softener is not plumbed to your fridge ice machine or it will be double filtered and taste horrible.

I buried all my electrical from alleyway so I don't have any cables running overhead and looks clean.


----------



## jayhawk

How about 6 or 8 guage wire to the garage for a 50 amp ? (If you want more options for an EV)


----------



## Ware

jayhawk said:


> How about 6 or 8 guage wire to the garage for a 50 amp ? (If you want more options for an EV welder)


FIFY :bandit:


----------



## The Lawnfather

Bedroom away from the kids


----------



## ag_fishing

I'd go single speed AC with whole home dehumidifier instead of variable speed hvac. Saves money and you have complete control of the humidity 24/7/365. 
Also a 3 car garage deep enough to park a 3/4 or 1 ton truck in
And a wood stove.


----------



## mrigney

ag_fishing said:


> I'd go single speed AC with whole home dehumidifier instead of variable speed hvac. Saves money and you have complete control of the humidity 24/7/365.
> Also a 3 car garage deep enough to park a 3/4 or 1 ton truck in
> And a wood stove.


I would probably disagree on the single speed/dehumidifier combo. To me, you are installing a dehumidifier to solve a problem you created by putting in the single speed unit. I'm not against whole home dehumidifiers, but in many (most?) regions of the country, a properly sized variable speed HVAC unit greatly decreases the need for whole home dehumidifaction. Obviously, though, region, construction and tightness of the house, etc make a difference (and if you have the money, by all means, install both!).

To me, the order of importance would be 1) variable speed unit, 2) fully ducted ERV/HRV, 3) whole home dehumidifier. As an example, we're currently nearing the end of our build. We have a two story, though the upstairs is only the 3 BRs for the kids (or 2 BR and a library depending on if two kids end up sharing a room) and 2 baths. It's about 850 sq ft up there. The HVAC company originally recommended a 2 ton unit (2 speed) upstairs and the same unit downstairs (downstairs is 1300ish sq ft). Our house is built pretty tight (happy to go into details if people are interested, but that's another post), but I ran my own Manual J calculations, and the heating and cooling loads for my upstairs were ~5k BTUH. A two-speed, two-ton system will still run at ~15k BTUH at the lower speed. So you'll end up with a lot of short cycling. You cold solve it with a dehumidifier, but I think it's generally better to solve it first by doing a variable speed unit to actually match your heating/cooling loads with what your system provides.

I think that the whole house dehumidifer really comes in handy in the shoulder seasons, but you can also get around that w/some point dehumidifiers that your run during the shoulder seasons. I'd rate putting in an ERV/HRV in over the dehumidifier simply b/c new houses _should be_ built tight enough that you need one. The ERV/HRV will drastically improve air quality in ways that you can't really do via other methods. There are also different ways to attack the ERV install as well (that's a separate post, too!).

sorry for the long reply. This is something I've spent a whole lot of time thinking about (and pushing my builder on) probably b/c of some alignment of my background (not hvac at all, but hvac is a very physic heavy world, and that is my background) and belief that getting hvac right up front is really important.

Definitely totally agree about the wood stove, though! And if you can locate it centrally so you can get nice radiant heat throughout the house even better (ours will sit in a large open great room in an area that is open to the second floor, so hoping to get good heat distribution through the first floor and then up into the second floor as well.


----------



## jayhawk

@mrigney interesting, I have a 2.5 ton for each level so I'd have to go to a 3 to do variable? Lot of neighbors just threw more HP at it with 3 tons.... I don't have all the answers but I personally replaced the distribution aspect, lot of metal boots, coats of mastic, r8+ insulation in attic. 
Foam sealing basement top plates, windows and other sawzall penetrations....just basic oversight that I guess is too much to expect in 2002.

I have horror stories in what I found by flex oriented jockeys.

Lot of the respected consultants I follow are choosing mitsubishi in their personal homes ......you?


----------



## ag_fishing

mrigney said:


> ag_fishing said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'd go single speed AC with whole home dehumidifier instead of variable speed hvac. Saves money and you have complete control of the humidity 24/7/365.
> Also a 3 car garage deep enough to park a 3/4 or 1 ton truck in
> And a wood stove.
> 
> 
> 
> I would probably disagree on the single speed/dehumidifier combo. To me, you are installing a dehumidifier to solve a problem you created by putting in the single speed unit. I'm not against whole home dehumidifiers, but in many (most?) regions of the country, a properly sized variable speed HVAC unit greatly decreases the need for whole home dehumidifaction. Obviously, though, region, construction and tightness of the house, etc make a difference (and if you have the money, by all means, install both!).
> 
> To me, the order of importance would be 1) variable speed unit, 2) fully ducted ERV/HRV, 3) whole home dehumidifier. As an example, we're currently nearing the end of our build. We have a two story, though the upstairs is only the 3 BRs for the kids (or 2 BR and a library depending on if two kids end up sharing a room) and 2 baths. It's about 850 sq ft up there. The HVAC company originally recommended a 2 ton unit (2 speed) upstairs and the same unit downstairs (downstairs is 1300ish sq ft). Our house is built pretty tight (happy to go into details if people are interested, but that's another post), but I ran my own Manual J calculations, and the heating and cooling loads for my upstairs were ~5k BTUH. A two-speed, two-ton system will still run at ~15k BTUH at the lower speed. So you'll end up with a lot of short cycling. You cold solve it with a dehumidifier, but I think it's generally better to solve it first by doing a variable speed unit to actually match your heating/cooling loads with what your system provides.
> 
> I think that the whole house dehumidifer really comes in handy in the shoulder seasons, but you can also get around that w/some point dehumidifiers that your run during the shoulder seasons. I'd rate putting in an ERV/HRV in over the dehumidifier simply b/c new houses _should be_ built tight enough that you need one. The ERV/HRV will drastically improve air quality in ways that you can't really do via other methods. There are also different ways to attack the ERV install as well (that's a separate post, too!).
> 
> sorry for the long reply. This is something I've spent a whole lot of time thinking about (and pushing my builder on) probably b/c of some alignment of my background (not hvac at all, but hvac is a very physic heavy world, and that is my background) and belief that getting hvac right up front is really important.
> 
> Definitely totally agree about the wood stove, though! And if you can locate it centrally so you can get nice radiant heat throughout the house even better (ours will sit in a large open great room in an area that is open to the second floor, so hoping to get good heat distribution through the first floor and then up into the second floor as well.
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying, but a single speed doesn't create a humidity problem. An oversized unit does, which unfortunately the majority of companies install. We only hit design temp for 3, maybe 4 months out of the year when (if properly sized), a single stage will nail 45-50% humidity which is great. The rest of the year we aren't at design temp so the unit will not run as long and dehumidify as much which is where a variable speed does much better like you're saying. The problem is that if it's mild enough, there wont be a cooling load and even a variable speed system won't run and control humidity. That's why I would prefer single stage and whole home ventilating dehumidifier where I have complete 24/7/365 control of my humidity. Not to mention I can install those two and the amount of money I save compared to a variable speed is huge.

Either way though, it's awesome seeing someone be as thorough with their home build as it sounds your house is :thumbup:


----------



## Cdub5_

I'm not a picky person, but here's one thing I never knew I'd miss until I moved to my new house. I wish my backyard faced the west with a clear view of the sky looking south all the way north. I really like all types of weather and my last house had an absolute perfect view where I could see storms surging from the southwest or a shelf cloud rolling in from the north due to a cold front. Not to mention I saw a UFO, dead serious, actually made a report with MUFON lol.
I know facing west is bad if you like to entertain in your backyard, but I just really liked having a clear view of the sky.


----------



## bernstem

Cdub5_ said:


> I'm not a picky person, but here's one thing I never knew I'd miss until I moved to my new house. I wish my backyard faced the west with a clear view of the sky looking south all the way north. I really like all types of weather and my last house had an absolute perfect view where I could see storms surging from the southwest or a shelf cloud rolling in from the north due to a cold front. Not to mention I saw a UFO, dead serious, actually made a report with MUFON lol.
> I know facing west is bad if you like to entertain in your backyard, but I just really liked having a clear view of the sky.


You can change just about everything except location. I am 100% with you on this. Pick the right lot first and foremost, then build in harmony with the space.


----------



## jayhawk

@mrigney @ag_fishing is it truly variable (mini split) or really 2 speed, hi vs low?

I think I could personally install an aprilaire but a 2 stage ac no.


----------



## ag_fishing

jayhawk said:


> @mrigney @ag_fishing is it truly variable (mini split) or really 2 speed, hi vs low?
> 
> I think I could personally install an aprilaire but a 2 stage ac no.


Truly variable speed (heat pump in my case) where both the air handler and outside compressor are variable speed. I personally have a 2 stage compressor and variable speed air handler. I believe it isn't tuned properly since the humidity control I've had so far was not worth the high price tag vs a single speed/dehumidifier combo


----------



## Shindoman

Cdub5_ said:


> I'm not a picky person, but here's one thing I never knew I'd miss until I moved to my new house. I wish my backyard faced the west with a clear view of the sky looking south all the way north. I really like all types of weather and my last house had an absolute perfect view where I could see storms surging from the southwest or a shelf cloud rolling in from the north due to a cold front. Not to mention I saw a UFO, dead serious, actually made a report with MUFON lol.
> I know facing west is bad if you like to entertain in your backyard, but I just really liked having a clear view of the sky.


When we were shopping for a house 26 yrs ago, my wife insisted on a west facing view with sunsets. It as frustrating at times trying to find what she wanted. We finally found one and she was right.


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## PNW_George

I would agree a clear unobstructed west facing view is ideal. There is nothing better than enjoying a sunset from your yard with a nice glass of wine. Our house is just far enough down from the wrong side of the top of the west hill where we can't see the sun set over Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The privacy the trees give does have value though. We will need to downsize in the next few years and will be looking for a west facing Puget Sound view. They are not easy to find and prices for those are appreciating faster than my house.

Lots of good suggestions in this thread. If I end up building again I'll review and make a check list. Not sure if it has been mentioned but a whole house in wall central vacuum system has been great, especially with two dogs. And be sure to put an outlet in the garage. I would also have added CAT 5 and coax to every room and potential equipment or entertainment cabinet, a wider, deeper garage, larger pantries and larger closets. It is amazing how much junk we have accumulated over the years.

In the mean time, east facing views will have to do even if I do need to move a few paces to get a clear view without any trees.


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## 7824

Didn't read through all of this but make sure to add at least one hot water hose bib.


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## Cdub5_

Shindoman said:


> Cdub5_ said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not a picky person, but here's one thing I never knew I'd miss until I moved to my new house. I wish my backyard faced the west with a clear view of the sky looking south all the way north. I really like all types of weather and my last house had an absolute perfect view where I could see storms surging from the southwest or a shelf cloud rolling in from the north due to a cold front. Not to mention I saw a UFO, dead serious, actually made a report with MUFON lol.
> I know facing west is bad if you like to entertain in your backyard, but I just really liked having a clear view of the sky.
> 
> 
> 
> When we were shopping for a house 26 yrs ago, my wife insisted on a west facing view with sunsets. It as frustrating at times trying to find what she wanted. We finally found one and she was right.
Click to expand...

Oh wow, that's absolutely beautiful!!!! I'd say that was worth the wait. Really amazing view, wow! Now that's what I'm talking about :thumbup:


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## Cdub5_

@PNW_George I'd take that east facing view, too, being an early riser I'd love to see sunrises like that. Just beautiful!! Not to mention having mountains in your view that's just awesome. Where I live I've hardly ever seen the mountains as long as I've lived. Hopefully one day I'll have a view like that someday :thumbup:


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## Shindoman

Here's another cool part of our view. Basically 180 degrees.


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## turfnsurf

FlowRider said:


> I put in water softener system (salt brine) and reverse osmosis filtration for kitchen drinking water.


@FlowRider can you share what water softener you used and how you decided upon the one to go with?


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## STI_MECE

its funny what came into my mind as "must haves in a custom build" because all these things people are calling out having nothing to do with the home construction itself....lol

I built and subbed out the work on my home. I learned the difference between crap quality building materials and top tier materials.

My must haves? A quality built home that is constructed to the highest level of efficiency energy wise, After I find the best balance between energy efficiency and $/sq.ft, then whatever I had left over to get a few "upgrades", speakers in the garage and the patio. IT server room that has drops in every room, cat 6 on mostly every corner of the house, and several located in the attic for proper unifi AP placement, outlets in the soffit around every other corner for lights. I added all this stuff in my house plus more.

There is so much detail in "custom" home builds it really go as far as combining multiple pieces of crown molding, coffered ceilings, the type of sheathing you use, the caulking, the doors, the windows, the insulation, drywall, sealing the penetrations and using the proper flashing techniques for all areas on the home, HVAC. The list is endless. There is a top dog in every category. Knowing what I know now, I would build for MAX quality over quantity. all day.

Luckily I came in to save the day and still delivered exactly what my wife wanted. It kept us on budget, and it was done right, if not better than what anyone else we would could have hired to do so.

in my honest opinion a custom builder should supply (or you hire) your own designer.

I didn't have that, so I learned on my own and let my wife envision everything.


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## turfnsurf

STI_MECE said:


> I built and subbed out the work on my home. I learned the difference between crap quality building materials and top tier materials.


How did you sub it out? Does that mean that you only used the developer to design the home and you found your own people to build it? What did you learn by doing it this way?



> My must haves? A quality built home that is constructed to the highest level of efficiency energy wise, After I find the best balance between energy efficiency and $/sq.ft,


Can you tell me more about this process? I don't know my current home is my last one, so I am asking for possibly doing a custom build down the line.

quote]IT server room that has drops in every room, [/quote]
What is a "drop"?



> cat 6 on mostly every corner of the house, and several located in the attic for proper unifi AP placement


Can you tell me how you determined where the attic placement for the wiring of your APs were determined? My home is a spec home so I couldn't change anything.



> outlets in the soffit around every other corner for lights.


What is the effect of doing this?



> There is so much detail in "custom" home builds it really go as far as combining multiple pieces of crown molding, coffered ceilings, the type of sheathing you use, the caulking, the doors, the windows, the insulation, drywall, sealing the penetrations and using the proper flashing techniques for all areas on the home, HVAC. The list is endless. There is a top dog in every category. Knowing what I know now, I would build for MAX quality over quantity. all day.


Are you able to share about how you learned what you know now? Seeing as you didn't have a custom designer to help you, I would love to know what your sources for information were.

I want to learn how to build for quality, but I don't know what I don't know, if that makes sense...which is why I am asking the questions that I am. Would love to learn from you on this.


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## jayhawk

turfnsurf said:


> FlowRider said:
> 
> 
> 
> I put in water softener system (salt brine) and reverse osmosis filtration for kitchen drinking water.
> 
> 
> 
> @FlowRider can you share what water softener you used and how you decided upon the one to go with?
Click to expand...

How about nuvoH20 ? Risinger 'endorsed' (find on YouTube)


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## STI_MECE

@turfnsurf, the best process for building a custom home is by first hiring a professional architect that fits your style and has experience to back up his work. More than likely, if that person does alot of good work in your area, he will also know a good builder.

I should have hired a architect but I didn't. I couldn't hire a true custom home builder because well it was a remodel/addon. We ended up going with a contractor that did "remodels" and was in business for 30 years. Long story short, we sued him and won because he was knuckle dragging. During that process, I took the reins of subbing out stuff I couldnt do, and then I did alot of work myself. I had to had a few vent pipes through the roof that went from the exhaust fans in the bathrooms and such. Installed a remote range hood blower, all the appliances, I hung all the doors (26), and I hung the 8ft tall french doors, I did all the crown molding and trim. (I coped my baseboards). My electrician and plumber that I hired gave warranties on all their work and told me they run by the latest code (being plumbing and electrical). Both of those contracts I made sure the price included finishing the rough in, and then also topping everything out. I just supplied the fixtures.

There is too much to discuss about building science and what the 21st century has shown in terms of building advances. I learned alot by joining finehomebuilding.com which I believe was a paid membership. And of course youtube.

Everything I learned through there thought me what to ask, what to do, how to do it, and what look out for.

I gutted the house to the studs, and added on an additional 1000sqft. This area of workis alot more involved (and alot of unknowns) and having experienced people are hard to find.


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