Building own house

[handscombmp]

Building out own house from scratch is something me and the gf have discussed for age's (currently in rented house at moment).

Recently though after someone passing away we've come into enough money to build our own house

Before we've only just thought about what it would have to have in it but now we're starting to think seriously.

So far i've come up with a couple of ideas...

1. I'm 100% going to get my own games room/home cinema perhaps as a basment for a couple of reasons
- As it's probaly easier to cool in the summer (look at the heat now ) and i'm not sure about heating in the winter
- Plus it will also be nice and dark (may add some windows at the top which are level to the ground) so a projector will look good in it.

2. The basment will also include a room off to the side which will be the main room where i will install a server which will have a cable running all over the house to with lots of excess ones to carry all my data and future needs. (Will make sure I install a phone point there so i can place the router there). Plus i'm determined to chose a location with a Be/O2 broadband at the exchange (as sad as it may seem) and i've got to do it without my gf knowing

3. I'm not planning to have the normal aerial installed but instead i'm going to install Quattro LNB on a sat dish wich is rigged up to a multiswitch. For the people who don't know what i'm talking about it means that all my tv will come of one sat dish and i'll need a freesat box in everyroom which wants to recieve TV.
This isn't a problem as out of the four TV's we'll have three will be connected to sky box and oen will be a new freesat TV. I know this may seem overkill but it means that all TV's will be able to access some HD content and is futuring proofing for if we have kids and we install tv in there rooms (i know it could be some time). I also see freesat the way tv is going a more and more tvs and coming with it installed.

These are my basic idea's so far and i'm wondering if any of you would suggest anything (please keep them sensible. i can't afford to run a swimming pool).

[format]

Make the house as self sufficient (energy wise) as possible. Have a google for eco-housing or something like that. If you are in it for the long haul, I know it's possible to have solar panels etc and after a few years you will have payed for the installation in money saved and you can even start selling energy back to the grid and make a profit.

[Zhaoman]

wow what's ur budget? get a big balcony. have the upstairs as the master bedroom which opens out to a balcony. So basically it's a bungalow, with a basement, and a master bedroom on one half of the upstairs and a balcony which covers the other half. that's what i'd do. try to get it as self sufficient as possible too ie. with good insulation and solar panels etc. u can get a lot of help with grants if u want to make it energy efficient.

[Salazaar]

I think it's brilliant that you get to do this, I've always dreamt of doing the same but I don't have an inheritance to do it with

If it was me I'd be looking at those wooden kit house that are popular in Germany/Scandanavia. Very, very efficient designs from what I've heard, so they'll pay for themselves in the long run.

[staffsMike]

My first thought was to laugh. Not at your idea but how your gf becomes a wife and then you have kids to feed TV to Sorry it tickled me.

Obviously you have take the route that any self repecting geek would and thought all about what you need, well done Do you have a rough Idea of how much the project is going to cost in comparison to finding a home to buy. I can fully get on board with the idea of building your own house and if you have the money then it sounds great but there are.. "perfect" and hassle free houses out there so have you exhausted these options?

I like the idea of the house being eco friendly and self sufficent. It's not unheard of to have your own water supply etc.. but that might be a bridge too far.

[Zhaoman]

u'd obviously have to get a good architect in to make ur build as unique and as suited to u as possible. that's the whole point of doing your own build.

[GheeTsar]

Don't to forget to make sure you plan at least one room around a nice pair of loudspeakers.

Also - if you're going to have a basement, make sure you don't buy anywhere with high/rising groundwater or anywhere near a river!

[TooNice]

If you are in it for the long haul, I know it's possible to have solar panels etc and after a few years you will have payed for the installation in money saved and you can even start selling energy back to the grid and make a profit.

Are you sure that'd be the case? I haven't really read into it much, but I seem to have read opposing comments elsewhere. i.e. That they are not cheap at all, and do not last forever, and may not even be such a great investment (I am not sure if it's true either - but I'd be interested in reading any articles).

[handscombmp]

My first thought was to laugh. Not at your idea but how your gf becomes a wife and then you have kids to feed TV to Sorry it tickled me.

Well being as i'm engaged to my gf and were meant to be getting married in july its not to stupid. And she's already talked about having kids so i am really future proofing.

I'm fairly keen to get the ball rooling fairly early on as i reckon the builder will be cheaper now due tot he downturn in work. But that's another problem about getting a decent builder who's going to do it right and in the time. (I'm expecting it to go over time and budget so were planning for that)

On the eco side i'm going to make sure all the lights can have eco bulbs installed (some in our current house can't ) and we're planning to have perhaps put solar panels on the roof for hot water. I'm going to amke sure that water saving flushes are installed and i'll look into the idea of having a tank which collects rainwater for flushing the toilet.

Next stage though is to start looking for the land and speaking to the architect. I'm already drawing out basic outlines for it and i'm determined to make sure it doesn't just look like a square box.

[Andeh13]

Make the house as self sufficient (energy wise) as possible. Have a google for eco-housing or something like that. If you are in it for the long haul, I know it's possible to have solar panels etc and after a few years you will have payed for the installation in money saved and you can even start selling energy back to the grid and make a profit.

Good ideas^, don't skimp on the insulation etc as it will pay off in the long run, the same goes for energy savings taps, boilers etc.

Consider which walls to re-enforce (supporting walls etc) in terms of hanging TVs/projectors off of them, the same goes for possible wiring ducts & plugs.

Wire in an alarm system, or at least the cables for one.

Think long term instead of short term. Kitchen furnishings etc. Laminated plywood whilst cheap & looks nice wont last the years with heavy use.

Underfloor heating is more efficient then radiators(im sure i heard this somewhere) so consider smaller radiators and stump up the extra for under floor heating.

Plan for a nice garden, you don't need to do anything with it but gardens are always good selling points, especially if the weather does continue getting warm & space does become more limited in the future.

When buying land don't forget garages, conservatories and possible extensions in the future. If your building your house now, its easier to add extensions in 10+ years time when the family starts to arrive then move.

Do your research before buying land, check who owns the land around you, if there are any plans to build anything in the future and what can be put on both your land & the land around you. You don't want a patch of land that is next to a patch for land that can be used for industrial/commercial reasons!

Finally, if you cant find the land, consider buying a derelict property and knocking it down and building over it.

Don't skimp on windows either, a light property is much nicer then a dark & dingy one.

[format]

I like the idea of the house being eco friendly and self sufficent. It's not unheard of to have your own water supply etc.. but that might be a bridge too far.

A bridge too far

Seriously though - your own water supply is great idea. You'd be a lot more self sufficient that way.

[format]

Are you sure that'd be the case? I haven't really read into it much, but I seem to have read opposing comments elsewhere. i.e. That they are not cheap at all, and do not last forever, and may not even be such a great investment (I am not sure if it's true either - but I'd be interested in reading any articles).

I can't mind where I read it but I'm sure I did. I can't remember if it was purely solar or what, I'll have a look around on t'ints later tonight for some further reading.

[Salazaar]

On the eco side i'm going to make sure all the lights can have eco bulbs installed (some in our current house can't ) and we're planning to have perhaps put solar panels on the roof for hot water. I'm going to amke sure that water saving flushes are installed and i'll look into the idea of having a tank which collects rainwater for flushing the toilet.

Eco doesn't just start with the fittings, if you plan it right you can build the entire house from low carbon impact materials with energy efficient designs and save money in the long run. It's all about getting the right architect on board from the beginning.

[Mike Fishcake]

I can't mind where I read it but I'm sure I did. I can't remember if it was purely solar or what, I'll have a look around on t'ints later tonight for some further reading.

The research was probably funded by a fossil fuel energy company

[format]

The research was probably funded by a fossil fuel energy company

Research that says that renewable energy is better?

[Russ]

if your having a server room, why not run your hot water pipes round your servers before they get heated, will cool the racks and heat your water