Selection – Page 16 – A New House

The Risk Of Too Much Security

As I visit lots of houses I often wonder if some houses have too much security.

I see lots of houses with roller shutters or even steel gratings over the windows like these.

Quite often when I ring the bell the owner seems to spend ages unlocking the various locks and bolt on the front door.

Yes they are keeping people out . . . . . but what happens if there is a fire in the house?

In a typical year around 70 People die in Home fires in Australia.

So before you put more security in your house . . . .Think about how you would get out in a fire!

Here are some thoughts about making sure you keep safe:

Although I typically have two locks on my doors I only lock the deadbolt when I am going out.
If you do want to lock the deadbolt while you are inside always leave a set of keys where it is easily accessible in an emergency.
Think about how you would escape through the window if you couldn’t get to the door. I would be able to smash a window and get out . . . But would shutters or bars lock you in, with the flames!

See : Doors and Glazing for more posts

Well ‘Smart Wiring’ is really a generic term that covers anything from control of home automation, to high speed data services. Probably the best descriptions is to talk about ‘Hard Wired’ and ‘Wireless’ components with a well set up new home using both.

A typical modern home can now have multiple laptops, tablets, smart phones, network enabled gaming consoles, network printers and many simpler devices that can all use a wireless network. You will also find media streaming devices such as media centre PC’s designed to plug into your TV/Theatre for music and photos.

Entertainment, including; HD video, surround sound and gaming applications requires speed and integrity of signal. Wireless can struggle to deliver the required signal, especially when multiple applications are occurring simultaneously.

Hard Wiring

The thing that makes your wiring ‘Smart’ is a main router served by the incoming connection from the street. From the main router individual cables run on separate circuits to each room that you want to serve. A separate cable should be used to serve the Wireless Router is you want to locate it away from the main router.

The main router should be kept away from extremes of heat so is best located in a cupboard rather than the garage.

I would suggest you use Category 6 cable, which has 8 wires and can carry a 1 gigabit/sec. The wiring can be used for distributing a phone line to rooms and sending video signals from room to room.

Wireless

Wireless router speeds have improved over the past few years, so its probably worth getting a new router rather than moving your existing unit to your new house.

Although your ISP controls how fast your Internet connection delivere, a faster speed router does help with the internal network performance. This is important with multiple devices accessing the wireless simultaneously.

Costs

Expect to pay around $120 per data point, so it’s going to be cheaper to buy a $50 ‘switch’ to run multiple devices in one room than have multiple points.

Adding smart wiring to a 2 storey house after the build will be difficult.

If you are building a single storey house it should be relatively easy to add smart wiring after the build. In that case it may be worth getting a price from a specialist installer before your Selection/Pre-Start Meeting.

For more posts about getting the details right see Selection

More Electrical Planning including 24 pages of Check Lists in the ‘Selection / Pre-Start Guide’

Brick ‘Bulldust’

I hear a lot of people agonise over the choice of bricks for their new house.

That’s probably because they are:

Looking Too Closely. At the builders display centre you may be handed individual bricks or see a board with about 8 bricks on it. When you have been in the house a month you probably won’t notice the individual bricks. You only see the overall effect.
Taken In By The ‘Hype’. Brochures use words like Premium, Valued, Crafted and other ‘Bulldust’. (see ‘Brochure Bulldust’ below)

Brochure Bulldust

These premium bricks are derived from the uniquely textured and blended heritage of the original “hand made” English bricks. It is these timeless characteristics that have been applied by highly skilled craftsmen to a range of clay colours.

The palette now includes subtle grey blends, warm, earthy reds & tans, bold coffee browns and deep black tones.

This premium range of genuine clay bricks are unique and highly valued by building professionals. The range is a statement of luxury befitting premium homes, residential developments and commercial applications.

Translation

In the old days when all work was done by hand it wasn’t practical to mix clay to get a consistent colour, so you got what came from the raw clay.

These bricks are machine made with a mix of clay colours, but we think we can charge a lot more for them.

HINT

When choosing bricks go to a Brick Suppliers Display Centre and only look at bricks panels from at least 3m away. It much easier to see if a cheaper brick gives the effect you want.

‘Premium Bricks’ will add thousands when ‘Choosing a House’

See Bricks for more posts

Bathroom Fashion 2

There are a lot of expensive bathroom fittings on the home shows and showrooms, but are they really practical?

I saw this wash basin the other day. . . . . .But how do you clean under and behind it?

Perhaps all the people who design these fittings employ cleaners so they don’t care about how practical it is!

As well as making cleaning difficult this free standing bath provides a great hiding space for spiders.

How would you feel relaxing in the bath if a big huntsman came walking up the wall!

I wouldn’t have a freestanding bath unless I could have 1m of clear space all round the bath. At current house building costs the extra space needed would be adding an extra $3-$4,000 to your build on top of the cost of the bath.

Here is a wash basin in our current rental property which has two issues:

The dirt trap between the basin and the wall.
Square section taps (The issue is water doesn’t run off the horizontal surfaces so there are always stains on the chrome)

For lots more about choosing what goes in your new house see : anewhouse Guide to Selection/Pre-Start

Plumbing Acronyms

There are a lot of acronyms used on plumbing drawings so here are a few definitions:

AG – Agricultural (Drains)
B – Basin
Bth – Bath
BT – Boundary Trap
DP – Down Pipe
FW – Floor Waste
HWS – Hot Water Service
IC – Inspection Chamber
IS – Inspection Shaft (also IO -Inspection Opening)
ORG – Overflow Relief Gully
PRV – Pressure Reducing Valve
RRJ – Rubber Ring Joints
RWH – Rain Water Head
SHR – Shower
ST – Stop Tap
SW – Storm Water Pipe (or SWD – Storm Water Drain)
SWJ – Solvent Welded Joints
TR – Laundry Trough
VC – Vitrified Clay
VP – Vent Pipe (sometimes UVP – Upstream Vent Pipe)
WC – Water Closet (Toilet)
S – Kitchen Sink
SV – Stop Valve

If you have seen an acronym you don’t understand, then let me know, and I will try to give you an answer.

See Jargon for more posts

Cooling Options – Add On Refrigerated Cooling

Don’t like the builder’s standard Evaporative Cooling System?

A cost effective option I have found to work well is adding a centralised refrigerated unit to the standard ducted heating.

This means both systems share the same controls, fans, ducts and outlets and will also operate for the same zones.

Some builders will allow this as an upgrade while others will want you to install the unit using your own supplier after handover.

Organising Later Installation

If you can’t get the builder to include the cooling system i would recommend you get them to do the following:

Contact Proposed Cooling Equipment Supplier. Find out duct size, and the power supply that your system will need.
Upgrade the duct sizes. Cooling systems need large diameter ducts than heating systems.
Provide electrical power to the site of the external unit.

This preparatory work should cost around $1,000 dollars for a single storey house but will give a much faster and neater final job.

A disadvantage of a central systems is it, like ducted heating, it is less effective in maintaining the required temperature in rooms that are closed off from the return air vent.

More about Heating and Cooling in the ‘anewhouse Selection / Pre-Start Guide’ including 24 pages of Check Lists.

Where Is The Other House?

I saw this curious looking house one rainy day.

It looks like it’s one house short of a semi-detached pair.

I can only assume the owner saw an example of the house and liked the layout so much they thought they would copy it.

A problem that is not so apparent from the photo is the blank wall faces North so most windows face either West or East with a few facing South

A little more thought and …….

The house could have been handed (Built as a mirror image) for better orientation.
The parapet wall could have been deleted so the both sides had eaves.
The windows positioned more centrally in the walls.

For more Fails and unusual houses go to What the………….?

Noise Insulation – Plasterboard Options

There are a few plasterboard options when looking to improve the noise insulation.

These options in increasing order of cost are:

Differing Thickness On Each Face

By using different and thicker plasterboards on each wall face, say 13mm and 16mm, it will change the resonant frequency to disrupt sound transmission

Acoustic Plasterboard

It is possible to order a special accoustic plasterboard which has a denser core than the standard board.

Double Layers of Plasterboard

The most effective, but most expensive, option is to use a double layer of plasterboard on each face of the walls and the ceiling. Again using different thickness will help.

Make sure the sheets overlap and use an acoustic glue between the boards.

One advantage of the double sheet is that it will also improve the fire resistance of the walls and ceiling.

Also

Use an Acoustic Caulk at wall to floor, wall to ceiling, and even at wall sheet joints.

Use solid doors with rubber seals.

For similar posts see: Noise

Understanding Builders

“The Builder is ripping me off!” and ‘The Builder is overcharging for upgrades!” are two comments I hear regularly. Some of these cries may be justified, but a lot are because the customer doesn’t understand the Builder.

Why A Builder Is The Same As Other Businesses

Profit

The aim of all businesses is to make a profit so don’t expect a builder to be any different. Its not that easy to achieve and if you follow the press you will see plenty of builders don’t, and go bust.

It is in your interest that the builder makes a profit. If the builder goes bust while building your house its likely to cost lots of money and cause major delays in completing your new house.

Marketing

Builders want to get customers in and then up-sell them. They do this by providing a keen initial price for a standard house. Once you have signed you find there are extra costs for: site works, nicer bricks, different roof tiles, trendy bathroom fittings, swish kitchens, etc,etc.

Of course the builders profit margins are higher on these extras. This is the builders cream. Make sure you understand as much of the costs as possible before you sign.

For much more information on choosing upgrades from the standard see my Selection Guide

Outsourcing

You hear a lot about big business outsourcing and builders are no different

The majority of new house builders outsource most of their work to sub-contractors. This may be to either smaller specialist suppliers or individual tradies. In some cases the sub-contractor may buy the materials then contract the actual work to a labour only subcontractor.

Why a Builder is Different to Other Businesses

Extended Delivery

Nearly everything you buy is made when you buy it. If it’s a car, or electrical goods. and you know its been built in a factory under tight quality control measures. You know no matter how hard you bargain it won’t affect the quality of the item you buy.

But it can take a year or more to build your new house. During that time the builder will make many decisions on who is employed during the build and what quality is expected. If you bargained the price down heavily do you think the builder is going to pick the better tradies or the cheapest?

Unique Product

No house is the same. Even for the same house design all the following can affect the build:

The topography (shape of thesite)
The type of soil
The weather during the build
The individual fitments selected

All this means that there is a lot of risk about the final cost of the build. To cover this risk the builder will want to ensure there is enough profit to cover any unforeseen circumstances, or have an out that allows extra costs to be charged to the home owner.

Have you had problems understanding your builder?

Ducted Heating

Most builder’s standard heating system to homes where mains gas is available is Ducted Gas Central Heating.

This has the following advantages:

Low running costs.
Relatively cheap to install.
Feels warm fairly quickly.
Leaves the walls free for furniture, if you have ceiling vents.
If you upgrade the duct size refrigerated cooling can be added using the same ducts.

Disadvantage include:

Can be noisy.
Any allergies can be made worse due to the high levels of air movement disturbing dust.
When doors are shut (for example bedrooms), it stops circulation of air back to the central intake point. The heating then becomes less effective in those rooms.

If you decide to choose ducted heating I would reccomend you go for at least three zones. This will allow you to save money by only heating the rooms you are using.

At our last house our zones were:

Kitchen/Family Room, Lounge and Hall (The thermostat was mounted in the family room. If you want it in different location you need to tell the builder)
Master Bedroom.
Other Bedrooms and Study.

You should check how many of the zones can be served by the unit at the same time.