Building new house advice!

[1shotwade]

Well it looks like I am building a new house in spruce grove! All I here is negative stuff from people and about builders and problems. Any advice from companies to stay away from and anyother helpfull information would be most appreciated! On a side note I let my wife decide on the main layout of the house, but i get to whatever i want on the downstairs 1000 sqare feet of nothing but hockey and hunting and outdoor stuff!:)

[CaberTosser]

Plan in as much storage as you can, in the grand scheme of things a few extra square feet don't cost so much as moving again so don't be shy about a little more area than you think you need. Keep in mind possible furniture placement options when locating doorways and room widths & lengths. The best upgrade possible is spray-foam insulation as it does nothing but save you on future utility bills; and it increases your homes appeal and value if resale is an consideration. We did it and I forget what a cold draft feels like. Wire for everything: Cat5e, Coax, alarm, stereo and TV stuff as well if you so desire. I ran empty 1" conduit from our mech room to the attic to help with future upgradability. I even ran a copper supply and return that could serve solar panels or another idea I have in mind.

[ck1]

Things to consider, this may sound a bit anal but if you're a guys guy you will want to have these:
- 220amp in garage
- once you move in, change lights to flourescent, builder will charge you a mint
- insulate and drywall garage
- floor drain, cold/hot water taps in garage, minimal cost if builder will allow it
- sound deaden interior walls and floors (I did this, made a huge difference, you can't hear you guest when he takes a **** in your bathroom)
- if you have pot lights, add more because the standard plan isn't enough
- if you are putting in granite, don't choose black tones, everything will show, the lighter the better

[NCC]

How much more do you think the spray foam added to the cost of your houseÉ We`re building a new house and I`m thinking of going that route.

We`re going with 9`ceilings upstairs and we were going to go with 10`downstairs but our carpenter thinks 9`is enough for the basement. What`s Does anyone with a 9`basement want to commentÉ

I`m not sure what`s going on with my computer but all of question marks show up like É

[sinawalli]

How much more do you think the spray foam added to the cost of your houseÉ We`re building a new house and I`m thinking of going that route.

We`re going with 9`ceilings upstairs and we were going to go with 10`downstairs but our carpenter thinks 9`is enough for the basement. What`s Does anyone with a 9`basement want to commentÉ

I`m not sure what`s going on with my computer but all of question marks show up like É

Love my nine foot basement!

[Albertadiver]

The sky is the limit really.

I'd make a list of all the things you'd like to have.

I.E. 9' ceilings, SIP foundation walls, spray foam or SIP roof insulation, hydronic heating, triple glazed windows, etc.

Once you have your 'wish list' start pricing this out and then you'll see where you need to make cuts. Some stuff is easy and fairly cheap to do which is a no-brainer.

Other stuff is 'nice to have' and may not pay for itself (think geothermal).

[1shotwade]

I was just wondering about moving some stuff around1 Do builders charge you lot's to say take out a walk in closet in 1 room too make more room for a bathroom! Stuff like that , the revisions on the plans!

[Albertadiver]

I was just wondering about moving some stuff around1 Do builders charge you lot's to say take out a walk in closet in 1 room too make more room for a bathroom! Stuff like that , the revisions on the plans!

Sounds like your best bet would be to do a custom design and get it priced that way. For a few thousand you can get a full set of construction drawings of exactly what you want.

[nick0danger]

I would never do spray foam ever hold a match to that stuff?

[CaberTosser]

That funny E with the um latte goes away with a computer restart. I know there's a faster way but forget what it is, someone more computer savvy will chime in; it happens to me now and then as well. The spray foam is a pricey touch, and sadly I forget my costs on it. I had 2 layers sprayed in my attic and I can actually walk on it without having to be on truss webs (I'm 175 lbs). It's also pretty sweet to not have any dust when I'm up there:).

Our basement was supposed to be 9', but I didn't note to my builder about the underslab sheet foam and the 2" thicker concrete I wanted so I'm about 8'7" down there. I'd go 10' if I were you; keep in mind that adds lots to your storage space as you can use higher shelves, etc, and you'll even have lots of height under the ductwork.

We have the purple BASF 2lb foam and had it done by Ener-Spray.

[mulie4x4]

Be hands on, inspect everyday, dont be afraid or shy to ask questions, point out deficiencies or problems as you see them, dont go with we well make a list at then end and deal with it then. Remember its your money get what you want.

[1shotwade]

Sounds like your best bet would be to do a custom design and get it priced that way. For a few thousand you can get a full set of construction drawings of exactly what you want.

Ya this is where I get confused. The house and lot we like are by a big builder doing the subdivision. But There are lot's i can buy and do the whole project myself and save some money I hope! Not sure which way to go! I am in no hurry!

[Albertadiver]

Ya this is where I get confused. The house and lot we like are by a big builder doing the subdivision. But There are lot's i can buy and do the whole project myself and save some money I hope! Not sure which way to go! I am in no hurry!

I work for an architect and do most of my work 'out in the field'.

If I were to build my own house. I'd buy the lot, design it, and price it myself and use a proven well qualified custom home builder. Only way to get what you want.

I've been in cabertosser's place. One of the best researched homes I've been in.

I've walked through thousands of cookie cutter townhouses / spec homes. For this big of an investment for you and your family, if you can afford it, go custom.

If you need some tips on designers, or even to chat with one, let me know.

[CaberTosser]

Don't forget the secret SHTF bunker in the basement ;). Makes a nice gun vault.

[Ryry4]

Put 36" doors where ever you can. They don't cost anymore than 24" or 30" and you'll appreciate them when it comes time to move in. Also, I put natural gas to the deck for the bbq and hot and cold water taps in the front and back. They come in handy more often than not.

[CaberTosser]

I put hot and cold to the back yard as Big Bear suggested; good for filling the possible future hot tub, and also filling the kiddy pool so the poor tykes don't freeze. I did it at my last house as well, and it was used frequently. Have the rear gas line done instead least 3/4" in case you want another branch put in for a patio heater or such in addition to the BBQ. Nothing beats not having to fill propane tanks! Future nat gas to the garage whether it's attached or not, so you can heat it.

[Craddosk]

Make sure the garage is large enough to fit the largest vehicle you plan to own. I've overbuilding mine to be 24 feet long (measured from the inside walls), with an 8ft garage door, insulated.

Over insulate the house, get the energy efficiency packages. It makes life easier in the long run.

[1shotwade]

Keep it coming boy's! I am writing it all down!:thinking-006:

[I-Love-Eyes]

I`m not sure what`s going on with my computer but all of question marks show up like É

Hi your keyboard has switched French Canadian mode.

On my computer, there is a little keyboard icon at the bottom right corner and i just click on that to change it back. A reboot will also work.

Cheers, ILE

[darius]

a decent sized porch and entry . oversize / more windows . open concep floor plan , no carpet

[Rocky7]

On a side note I let my wife decide on the main layout of the house, .....

In my experience, that is a very good idea.

The only parts of our house that don't quite work are the ones where I vetoed her idea. Funny how it worked out like that...:confused:

Ditto on the garage. Mine is around 28 or 32 deep and 4 bays wide. Could be a tad bigger.

If you have a deck where the kitchen is, think about a small casement window. It's real handy to pass steaks and sauce and so on in and out of the kitchen.

Don't skimp on windows. Windows are good.

If you can work in a roof over one deck or part of it (use posts to support the end of that gable), you'll come to love it. That was one of my wife's entirely unreasonable ideas that I caved on and now love on rainy days and real hot days. She got lucky....:scared0018:

[darius]

kitchen wit a big island with seating at the island .

[Yéil]

Spend the money on proper waterproofing your foundation walls. What you use will depend on the ground, elevation and wood/poured foundation. Lot's of folk go OOHhh over the faucets but if the basement leaks, all the pretty faucets won't help.

Put in a 75 -100 gallon hot water tank. If you are going with 2 full baths, dishwasher, laundry.. a 50 gallon will run out pretty fast for a two shower a day and load of dishes family.

Don't put the laundry on the second floor. The technology for hook ups at the back of the machine isn't as good as you need it to be for a second floor ... It's so messy and costly when that hose pops off and you're running a full cycle and out for the day.

If you want to put a main floor laundry in, place it over the mechanical room so if there is a leak, it's minimal damage to ceilings in the basement.

Have the builder put shut off valves on all your water supply hoses... toilets, sinks, tubs etc.

If you are installing a garage door opener, and the master is over the garage, put a belt driven one in.. a chain will drive you nuts on your sleep in mornings, if someone leaves before you wake up.

Go for a 9 inch deep sink in the kitchen - that extra depth makes all the difference in splashing from pouring pots out.

If you are going to run a tap out to the backyard, run one so that it's over the stove. Pasta is so much nicer when you don't have to lug a pot full of water over to the stove. T

If you are designing a separate dining room , have the builder install the ceiling fixture so that it's in the middle of the table not centred from the window/wall... if you have a cabinet or buffet, those push the table out and the light will not be centred on the table.

Have the electricians install a junction box in the ceiling of your stairwell ceiling, that way you can install a fan to move the warm air back downstairs in the winter and reverse it for the summer. Also have them install a wall junction box on the basement stairwell so you can add lighting if you need it later.

As nice and cheery sidelights, glass doors and transoms are on a front door, after you've been the house for a few months, you'll be looking for ways to cover them up. You'll be tired of the door-to-door types that peek in your sidelight windows to see if you are home. Save your money put in a regular door and frame.

[sprinklerdog]

Walk through a bunch of show homes just to get ideas. Certain builders and houses will have something very unique that can be a real bonus. Imagine working in in you kitchen, how does the work flow? At the end of my island facing the stove I have a shallow drawer for cooking untensils, the middle drawer is deeper for regular pots and pans, the bottom drawer is deep. I keep two pressure cookers, my cast iron pans, and my huge stew pot in there and I can leave the lids on them and close the drawer. Anti-slam drawers were also a nice touch.

Add extra light switches if you have numerous lights. I have 31 pots in my kitchen, nook, faimly room area that are controlled by 12 switches. I turn on only the lights I need. When a friend did his basement all his lights are on one switch, he didn't want to pay any extra so it's all or nothing. It's a little hard on the eyes when you first turn it on after a movie or similar.

The extra water taps outside are nice, so is an extra electrical outlet. Noting like stringing an extension cord from the north side of the house to the south side. I got frustrated and got a electrician to pull a new box outside for me. No more extension cord for my patio. An outlet close to the front of the garage (where you drive in and out) is convenient. I can vacuum my truck in the driveway and dont need an extension.

An outlet under the eave that is switch controlled is nice if you put up Christmas lights or similar.

Make sure down spouts flow away from the house, but not onto your sidewalk or driveway. My downspout comes down right beside my yard gate and and the 1/4 point at the top of my driveway. I've already wiped out twice this winter on the ice due to the freeze thaw cycle. Definitely relocating it this year.

Avoid having thermostat for furnace in same room as fireplace, (if you have fireplace), the family room is toasty but the basement freezes.

There's a ton more but I could be typing for an hour. If you see something you like or think of something you want, write it down or you will forget it.

Geo

[Rocky7]

Wow, I wish I'd read this when I was building a few years ago.

Put in a hot water tap outside beside one of the cold lines. It'll come in handy and doesn't cost much. You can use a washing machine hose to mix the hot and cold.

[Moo Snukkle]

Kitchen island with no raised eating bar. Insulate at very least interior bathroom walls, though all interior walls preferred (sound). Use solid core interior doors. There is never enough lighting. Pay attention to dark areas of house. You can always add an extra small window or ceiling sonotube for more light. Rough in as many things as possible. In floor heat, A/C, future this or that. Makes life easy to add these things later as you can afford them if you dont go all out now.

[Yéil]

I forgot one, there's been a few builders that have moved west from Ontario/Quebec. They brought with them a design that drives me nuts... they put a cold room under the porch - complete with a couple of direct vented ducts to the outside.. In a climate like Ontario, not such a bad idea, but for Alberta (normal) winters, it a huge heat suck/loss area. If you do end up with one of these porches/cold rooms, make sure the builder removes the OSB forms and 2x4s from underneath the porch. The concrete will produce moisture the wood sucks it up and you'll have mold.

[Kevvk2]

Look in to ICF walls from the frost wall all the way to to the rafters.
You will never have a better insulated & sound proof house.
A little more money, but if you plan to be in it for a life time its a good investment.

[CaberTosser]

One thing I like would be a 3/4 bathroom by the rear mud room/ attached garage/ probable main entrance. If you have an occupation that has you come home messy either intermittently or even frequently it's nice to be able to strip at the door and shower there, or make bathroom trips from the party in the yard without traipsing through the whole house. I didn't do this, but will actually have plumbing & a bathroom in my detached garage once it's up.

For the kitchen a wall oven that's elevated a bit is nice to lessen bending over, and the cooktop or rangetop can be near the sink, but have drawers under it for storing all he pots. This we did in our place. A pot filler faucet was mentioned, but I find them obnoxiously expensive, plus a person has to lift the full pot over to the sink to drain it anyways. I didn't opt for one, but we have a garburetor, instant hot water dispenser and I ran central filtered water lines so that our 2 fridges, the instant hot and a wet bar faucet all have filtered water. I'm using a commercial filter bank that just uses cartridges, I find reverse osmosis to be overkill as RO water leaches minerals from you, so much so that vitamin supplements are recommended (and this info is garnered from a multi-day water treatment course i took from a filter vendor/rep that makes money selling the things! RO water lines actually can't have copper or brass fittings in them due to the waters aggressive nature; they must be all plastic.

[Albertadiver]

Just thought I'd add a quote from a previous similar thread...

I did a LEED silver building recently (Turner valley library) we did ICF block for the exterior walls, and did spray foam insulation on the roof structure.

During construction, once the windows were in, we literally heated the building with a single 220v commercial heater to keep the temps well above freezing before the air handling and the in slab heating was commissioned. I really noticed a huge difference between that job and a number of my other sites.

If I build my dream house, it will be ICF exterior walls, and SIP roof panels with triple glazed, low E windows. Your heating loads and cooling loads are incredible. And HRV will give you fresh air and temper that air before it needs to be mechanically heated or cooled.

[roger]

coming from a maintenance/plumbing/gas/ power engineering feild i say the easier it is to service something the more likely it is to be done. and with that in mind...
put the mechanical room in the garage... nat gas, domestic and slab water heating, centravac, elec panel, satellite ,security, ph connections, boiler etc. for the most part everything in your home is 110v, 220 may run a electric stove or dryer. Put a natgas version of each and you wont need 220 for anything in the main house.
it significantly removes the threat of fumes, gas leaks, etc. and to some extent fireproofing the home. you will still need an air to air heat exchanger of some form in the home.
using 5/8" fireguard drywall and rated doors will help compartmentalize the garage from the house..and... building a bigger garage per sqft is cheaper than interior house space.plus this allows tradesman to access the (boiler) without taking there boots off. (always think of us plumbers!). unlimited access to hot water and 20 amp circuits for a hi perf pressure washer.

now what to do with the 80 sqft of floor space house, gun room, cold room..etc.

garage:
-the biggest, best roll up door you can afford with a jackshaft drive opener, jackshaft is the only way to fly...so easy on equipment;
-huge eaves over the garage/exterior doors, prevents snow and water from setting directly on threshold.(pet peeve of mine)
kitchen:
-put the dishwasher 16-24" off the floor in a floor-to-ceiling type cabinet, i hate bending over.
bathroom:
-on the bathroom counter on 'her' right or left hand..put an appliance garage for the queen and her myriad of crafting tools, chipping hammers, putty knives and paint palette.
-run conduit of some form to the point for a satelite dish/security cam on the roof/eaves. the conduit is cheap.

[diamond k]

Pm sent

[Wile E.]

Not sure about putting the central vac in the garage; carbon monoxide, etc. may enter the home through the pipes.
Build a bungalow. My knees and I hate stairs. Our folks and in laws love my place for that:bad_boys_20:
MAKE SURE THE LOT IS HIGH AND DRY! Being a slave to your sump pump sucks.
Pick a lot that faces south so you can have nicer flowers and your garage pad will dry sooner in the sun.
Design the basement now, so you can work around teleposts, beams, etc. and rough in any wet bar plumbing drains and vents that you need.
Tankless water heaters are great; they hang on the wall so they save floor space, gas and never run out of hot water.
Put more than one switched receptacle in the soffit for Christmas lights. Put at least 2 on each corner of the front of your home. Some lights recommend tying only a few strings together.
Install lots of lights in the garage. Mine is 30 X 30 and I put 12 Double fluorescents in. It's great.
I have a basement entry from the garage into the utility room; good for moving anything.
Make the attic access from the garage.
Put something in the garage attic like a long 6X6 or steel I beam to mount a winch or block and tackle to hang your game, lift your quad, etc. Install it so you can back your truck under it. I also installed a receptacle in the ceiling by it for the electric winch.
Try to design a high garage ceiling. Mine is 11 feet and there is room to hang bullwinkle and for storage above the doors when they are open.
Plan for garage heat early so the gas line, power, etc. get roughed in accurately.
Buy and rough in a garage Wizz vent to remove all that humidity from snow and mud.
If you want to epoxy the garage floor, make sure the concrete guys don't seal it.
If you want one, plan for basement fireplace or gas fireplace exhaust. I have a covered wrap around deck/veranda over the rec room area and I don't think I can exhaust either.:mad0030:
Install 2X8's in the kitchen to assist in hanging the upper cabinets; no searching for studs.
Lights in the closets above the closet doors to meet code.
Plan ahead for under cabinet lighting, so you don't have to mess with cords and transformers later.
If you install main floor laundry, beef up the floor to handle the vibration of the washer. I put a floor drain by the washer and sealed the lino around the perimeter too, just in case.
Plan for the Best furnace air filtration you can to prevent dust, etc.
Plan for outdoor deck and stair lighting. Mine are low voltage with the transformer beside the service panel.
Put an outdoor receptacle out back by your shed so you can illuminate it with at least a trouble light or something.
Make sure the home architect overbuilds the floor trusses, beams, etc. My floor is a bit "bouncy":mad0030:
Basement slab heating is awesome, but make sure you have at least 3 or 4 zones.
Install sill cocks in the front and back or wherever your lawn and plants are going for your sprinkler/irrigation system.
Consider "corian" with the moulded built in sink in the bathrooms; easy to clean.
Consider quartz in the kitchen; strong as granite, won't harbor bacteria, and you don't have to seal it.
I wasted time running computer wires to set up a router and network,etc. but wireless is the way of the future.
Avoid cantilevers; they likely won't be insulated properly.
Avoid "bonus rooms" over the garage for the same reason
Decks on the West side of a home without sun shade are uncomfortable on those hot summer evenings as the sun sets.
I hate stairs, but bi-levels usually allow for good storage under the back deck.
Plan for lighting to accent artwork.
Have the electrician install 4 receptacles on their own circuit by the TV for the AV stuff.
Consider "sneaking" a conduit inside the wall behind the TV and down to the stand to hide wires from the TV to the "devices".

:thinking-006:
Good luck & HAVE FUN!

:test:

[jamhead]

Ask your plumber to put in a trunk and branch waterline system, instead of a manifold system. Or at the least do it on the hot water lines. Then get him to rough in recirculation lines from your ensuite, and whatever part of the house is farthest from the water heater, back to the mech room. That way you are not running a ton of water through every hot water line, every time you want some hot water somewhere, and if the distance is long enough from the mech room to your ensuite or kitchen, you can hookup a hot water recirc system, which will mean less water water down the drain.

[fish gunner]

read some history on the area you are building your house in,many of todays new subdivisions are built on swamps /landfill.
start at the bottom and work up. good ground 1st, good drainage 2nd.
ICF is the only way to go. inspect sump system/ floor drain. is there a back flow prevent valve. have a sump alarm
installed. where is sump drain routed to?
before you start take floor system plan to your service installation guys, hvac,plumbing, sparky. have your floor system plan amended to help service guys / framers work together.
know how beams/floor system and point loads will affect running your services.
one of our clients came and worked 15$ an hour. to learn the ropes on an other site as a lumber jockey. small sacrifice to learn lots. oh one small thing you should look into hurricane tyes on your trusses,not code but imo a clever man holds down his roof.

[Eddy62]

way to go fellows some great advice in these post as i build custom homes there were a alot things mentioned i totally agree with.

i work for a high end custom home builder in calgary and if you need any advice pm me and i will answer your questions for you and if i cant my co workers can good luck its a long process but worth it in the end:)

[Hunter65]

Insulate around your bathtubs. Keeps the water warm longer.

[Bigdad013]

Best investment for our basement, is in-floor heating. Very very comfortable.

[1shotwade]

Does anybody know roughly how much more it would be to go for 9 ' basement not asking $ wise but is it worth the little extra in the end1 The basement will be 1 bedroom 1 bathromm and the rest bar, trophy room, gun storage! roughly 1000 sq '!

[Albertadiver]

For all penetrations, make sure you exceed the building code's envelope details. You will be thankful when your windows and doors don't leak.

[Eddy62]

48553 this is a house i finished up if you look at the shingle siding everything was dipped in coloured good quality stain pay extra attention to all your exterior work for future mait issues.:)

[fish gunner]

Does anybody know roughly how much more it would be to go for 9 ' basement not asking $ wise but is it worth the little extra in the end1 The basement will be 1 bedroom 1 bathromm and the rest bar, trophy room, gun storage! roughly 1000 sq '!

how many 8'6" tall friends do you have. jk if you wish to display moose or elk mounts 9' is preferred. 10' ceilings can look out of place unless you have a sunk floor in that room.

[thunder_sticks]

Make sure your plumber/gasfitter knows that you would prefer the venting for any condensing heating appliances to exit on the roof and not in your entryway or under your rear deck....this happens more often than you would think. The exhaust is the one that causes all those icicles and frost you see on peoples soffits. The intake can be in a separate location than the exhaust, like a wall...but remember some are noisy. Consider the same for any direct vent fireplaces, it doesn't NEED to exit through the wall. These items are done this way for convenience to the installer, the extra pipe is worth it to the roof. You would be surprised how noisey some of these units actually are at the exit/entrace piping.

Consider looking into HRV (heat recover ventilators) installation. As homes get tighter sealed the air quality suffers if it is not changed over regularly. Yes the furnace fan or fan coil has a fresh air inlet, but consider that it only infuses fresh air into the house if it is running. If your home is spray foamed, you may only actually have a heat cycle every few hours....air gets stale.

Don't buy cheap taps of any kind, you will regret it. I know the Price Pfister stuff "looks" the same as Moen, there is a reason it is half the price. Usually the cheaper the tap, the more you will pay your tradesman to install it. It all evens out, buy quality and get a quality install.

You can have the benefits of the manifold system and the truck system for water by running the main line to the second floor or bathroom location and installing the manifold there. Then run a 1/2" line off the last branch back to your mechanical area and cap it. If you need to add a recirculation pump later the piping is then already there. It is illogical to run 75' of line 6 times to a bathroom. I run a 3/4" to the central bathroom location and then manifold it there. Less install labor and fewer holes in your joists.

Have your plumber install valves on everything, including BOTH the inlet and outlet of the water heater. I use these to stub out my water line (http://www.directpex.com/images/products/301.jpg)s at fixtures, looks more professional and are far sturdier than a chuck of pex with a couple staples on it.

Find an plumber that has work you can see, I take many photos of my work because I am proud of it. If he/she is not proud enough of the install to take photos just imagine what the stuff in the walls looks like that you cannot see.

Just because pex and flexible gas piping are quicker doesn't mean they should be sloppy. All my piping is measured and laid out in a neat orderly fashion, it doesn't take any amount longer and is easier to diagnose if something goes wrong years down the road.

Pay attention to the holes that get drilled in your structure, what electricians get away with that plumbers can't is astounding. Hole placement is crucial in modern floor joists, read your joist specs and make sure they are followed.

All penetrations of walls and ceilings that go to an unheated space should be sprayfoamed after the piping is installed. I always carry cans of the stuff and it is the final part of my install, then I know for sure it is done.

Make sure nailing plates (http://i5.quinbyhardware.com/6776603.jpg) are used wherever you think there could be nails or screws going near water and electrical lines. This is usually all cabinet install walls and any large pipes such as main stacks and vents in 2X4 walls.

Nearly every home I have worked on has had this comment made at some point once the drywall is installed. ...wow...the bedrooms are smaller than I thought they would be..... 10X12 really is not that big.

Let your plumber know if you plan on putting your washer and dryer on a pedestal, it changes heights. If your dryer is going on an outside wall directly consider cutting the hole and installing the hood at the time you install the dryer. You can then measure and cut the hole exactly where it needs to be and dispense with any extra elbows or flex piping. This eliminates any future lint problems totally, you can literally go outside and stick your hand into the hood and check it.

Consider getting a 36-38 inch kitchen sink box. Most modern sinks are HUGE, as well as this gives you space for water filters and instant hot water right there in the cabinet.

Even if you do not plan on using it right away put oxypex tubing in your concrete, it is cheap and quick at this time.

Try to get your heating guy and plumbing guy to communicate about mechanical room layout before the plumbing goes in. If the plumber knows where the heating appliance is, he can install a floor drain nearby. Most new heating appliances have a condensate drain, you do not want to have to trip over it if it can be helped by placing it near the appliance and not to a drain in the middle of the room.

Advice is always free, PM me any time.

If your plumber owns an electric chainsaw.........just find someone else. :-)

[pophouseman]

Just a few ideas as I work in the industry

1- Do not go with a builder. Buy the lot and get plans drawn up and get your own quotes and labour. save yourself 30% (on a $400,000 house you could save 60k easily working the phones and going to site everyday) A homebuilders profit is around 30% (more for custom)

2- stay away from triple pane windows. A dual pane package will be 25% cheaper and the r-value difference is about 2 (which is basically nothing) for 20 windows you will save 7-10K

3- If you are planning to live in this house for a few years and then sell forget ICF anything. Icf has no resale value.

4 - A 10-ft basment requires independant engineering and is much more of a hassel. Ask the cribber if they have 9-ft forms, if they tell you they will simply add 2x8 ladders to 8-ft forms instead of using 9-ft forms, RUN!

5- #1 issue, mkae sure you final grade is done properly. I have seen more then 1 final grade (passed by the city no less) that slopes all the water back to the foundation

6- Final advice (for now) use a tar based damproofing, followed by a dimpled membrane (and possibly ALSO a peel and stick) on the foundation. You cannot over do it when it comes to waterproofing your foundation.

[nekred]

Lots of good advice on here...

When building think of how water lines/ducting will run and ensure they are run in the joists not below and secured... if they are run in joists you can have drywalled ceiling instead of t-bar.

Steel beam in basement to increase span and get away from teleposts, you may need one support column but with strategic planning can be placed in a wall...

If you are planning basement for future development, get drywall, and any tubs placed in basement firdt because trying to bring that stuff in later is tough...

[acrtech]

DON"T let them use your new furnace/ac to condition the air while they build.
This can void any and all warranties, not to mention plug off your evaporator coil above the furnace. Not to mention, allowing you and the family to breathe in the silica within the drywall dust for years to come that builds up in the duct work through out.
Have had to offer a shoulder to cry on a few times when the homeowner had to replace there ECM motor(vari speed) after a year and notice came back from warranty center..

[acrtech]

Hey Thunder,
quote...
"The intake can be in a separate location than the exhaust, like a wall...but remember some are noisy".

I know there are alot of furnace makes out there, but be sure to read Manufacturer instructions... there are some that require the inlet and outlet for the furnaces to be in the same pressure zone or the furnace will not operate. Had the unfortunate task of telling a homeowner this past winter that we had to re-locate the PVC :kap:combustion air inlet for the furace and put another hole in the side of his house. showed him the installation instructions. he went back to the home builder for restitution.. House was only 8 months old.

[pdfish]

Look in to ICF walls from the frost wall all the way to to the rafters.
You will never have a better insulated & sound proof house.
A little more money, but if you plan to be in it for a life time its a good investment.

BINGO!!! My next house will be full ICF

[Jamie Black R/T]

2- stay away from triple pane windows. A dual pane package will be 25% cheaper and the r-value difference is about 2 (which is basically nothing) for 20 windows you will save 7-10K

if you can save 10k by going with dual pane over triple you are paying too much in the first place...unless you are building 4000sq ft and up....if you're saving 25% or 10k, your window and door package is $40,000? Thats 35 windows and 4-5 doors easily.

The dual pane with one coat of sungate 500 and one chamber of argon that everyone is peddling as "good enough" is just touching an R3 rating.

I hit an R7.75 in triple pane on a daily basis on windows you cant even tell are coated.....the upcharge is typically 10-15% over duals.

2000-3000 sq ft home package is typically 25,000 for windows and doors....triple glazed.

just adding some info for the OP

i wont comment on what i dont know....but windows i know, and know well.

[Freedom55]

I just read through all of these recommendations and I noticed that no one mentioned getting a sprinkler (fire suppression) system installed. Save you a ton of money on your insurance premiums, and provide you with the added security that not all of your precious belongings will be destroyed by fire.

Free

[JB_AOL]

Don't put the laundry on the second floor. The technology for hook ups at the back of the machine isn't as good as you need it to be for a second floor ... It's so messy and costly when that hose pops off and you're running a full cycle and out for the day.

If you want to put a main floor laundry in, place it over the mechanical room so if there is a leak, it's minimal damage to ceilings in the basement.

Question for the experts. How hard would it be to install/build a "catch basin" with drain for this? IE, wouldn't a simple sloped floor to a drain work?
I like the idea of 2nd floor laundry, but have the leaking concern also..

I just read through all of these recommendations and I noticed that no one mentioned getting a sprinkler (fire suppression) system installed. Save you a ton of money on your insurance premiums, and provide you with the added security that not all of your precious belongings will be destroyed by fire.
Free

Couple comments.. I don't think you are going to save any money when you compare the cost of installing a fire suppression system vs insurance savings. I seem to recall that the system has to be inspected yearly. And what about water damage. Most of my valuables (aside from family) are paper (pictures/etc), or electronics. Fire or water, causes too much damage.


Advice... Make sure the utilities are not all in the same wall. Make sure the main drain from the 2nd floor is in a different wall compared to the HVAC. Everytime someone on the 2nd floor showers or uses the sink, you can hear it all through the vents in our whole house. It actually wakes up my 3.5yr old when I shower in the morning.

[Josh J]

I`m not sure what`s going on with my computer but all of question marks show up like É

Left Shift+Alt will change between French and English... Alternatively, you can change your language settings to American English, and it will never change between French and English.

[Muliemaster]

Its code to have a bathroom fan in a room without a window but put a fan in no matter. What i've found, is that when the female showers, opening the window gets 'too cold' and then you have a jungle steamroom in the bathroom. Get the fan no matter what.

Also, even if you don't plan on using it, get a central vac system roughed in. Its a huge selling feature for re-sale and its a PITA to do once the house is built.

[Daddyo]

I am planning on building a new home in just over a year. I'm just in the planning/research stage and have a question about ICF block. We are planning on building a two story home (plus walkout basement- 9' basement, 10' main and 8' upper). Is there any reason that I couldn't do ICF block right to the rafters? Weight issues?

[winged1]

if you don't have skills in the construction industry, or not good at contracts and project management, building yourself can easily cost more than a builder with a cookie cutter, where his costs are proven. Dropping a custom home in a cookie cutter neighbourhood won't return it's value on sale day. You absolutely want to negotiate with the development builder, those few lifestyle requirements as upgrades, based on one of his 'spec' plans. Adding a bunch of hidden value works if it leverages the home style, which typically augments it's location. With that being said, the upgrade that returned the most 'practicle' use for me was a lower garage entrance into a walkout.

[The Bit Runner.]

I am planning on building a new home in just over a year. I'm just in the planning/research stage and have a question about ICF block. We are planning on building a two story home (plus walkout basement- 9' basement, 10' main and 8' upper). Is there any reason that I couldn't do ICF block right to the rafters? Weight issues?

If i build again, It will be like this. There is no reason you can not do this. I have friends that have built houses like this.

[artie]

Love my nine foot basement!

We just put a nine foot basement in an older area of Calgary. Because the city sewer lines were set for 8 ft or less and because you have a height restriction for the house the city line comes in 1 ft off the basement floor. This is set by the city. We then have to put in a sump pump system to drain any water from a basement washroom. Not something I like.

[artie]

Try and go into the ground in warmer weather. If you are having to hoard and heat concrete the expenses add up. We got caught in the bad fall weather we had and were walking in mud constantly. This tired and slowed the guys down. Some guys quit and made the project alot longer. If you are having to work in mud then bring in a couple of loads of washed gravel and spread it around the footings and work area. Do not have too many small concrete walls coming off the main concret walls as this takes lots of time to form and costs add up.
Have them put in lots of rebar in your concrete walls. We went with a grid of 1 ft by 1ft and have had no cracks yet. We did get some loads of concrete I did not like and the rebar saved our bacon. In the city there is such a demand for concrete that some trucks run around with a load dump some of it here and there and show up at your site with not enough concrete. You then wait a couple of hours for more concrete ( they blame it on the traffic )and then get cold joints in your concrete.

[neznam]

Get instant water on demand, Lennox furnace 98% efficiency with 2 stage and infloor heating and*steam*humidifier +*wifi*thermostat.

[ken1989]

If you are actually going to do some of the work, you can save allot of money and get it done better. Highly recommend radiant heating - set it up whereby the hot water boiler also heats your HWT (via a shell & tube exchanger). Good windows - metal clad.

[bsmitty27]

Just built a 2 story with walk out. Some ideas I have.
-9 foot feels good, don't think 10 would be worth it.
- If you have the time and cash do a self build. (they need a lot of cash on hand)
-Go infloor heat, I like having 2 stand alone systems forced air furnace and boiler (if one goes down in -30 you don't need to worry about having plumber ASAP). -Acid etch basement floor.
-Big mechanical room.
- have a light switch for bedroom at door and at bed. Bypass doors (no bi-fold). -Main level laundry put a drain in floor.
-Hardwood and tile, natural stone whenever possible.
-Build as little as you can with saw dust or wood chips, that crap only lasts as long as the glue that holds it togeather. Most of it has a manafacture life expectancy of 30 years! You spend 400,000 on a 30 year house. I'll pass.
-Solid core doors (cheapest and best quality i found was in Ohio).
-Don't build anything too trendy if your going to be in the house for a while. -Return staircase with kids, 1/2 as far to fall, And use nice wood for railing it was about a 10% increase for me to go heavy walnut handrail and maple spindles (oil hand rails, feels so good)
-If 2 story do master on main, kids bed and bath up, never know if your gun'a get gimped up!

[roger]

Is there any reason that I couldn't do ICF block right to the rafters? Weight issues?

although i love the idea of 'bulletproofing' the home,
you may want to consider:
-a 14ish" thick wall (from the exterior cladding to the finished drywall) will make a average window appear like a porthole in a submarine...especially over the kitchen sink, so if you upsize the windows to help this out, the window budget goes up and the R value of that wall space "goes out the window'
-i seen this at a home show and although i have no experience with this procedure, it certainly has merit and might work for your upper floors. check it out.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=sip+construction&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=SDf4UIT4OYH7igLdo4DwBA&sqi=2&ved=0CF0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=692

[artie]

has anyone tried hardy board siding latley on a new house and how is it?

[Warrior]

What is the price point on the infloor heating?

Some people mention hot water on demand, I had a plumber tell me he removed more then he installed. Said there was more problems with them than a hot water tank... Thoughts
What should i expect for a garage heater price? Or would you also go with in floor there?

Some great ideas...

[fishunter327]

has anyone tried hardy board siding latley on a new house and how is it?

Yes I used Hardy plank siding.I like it,the cost is probably two or three times what vinyl would be.The up side is better fire / insect resistance,can change colour alot easier,holds paint very well ,looks great.

[JB_AOL]

What is the price point on the infloor heating?

Some people mention hot water on demand, I had a plumber tell me he removed more then he installed. Said there was more problems with them than a hot water tank... Thoughts
What should i expect for a garage heater price? Or would you also go with in floor there?

Some great ideas...

I just finished the selection process..

If you have a family, get a proper water heater w/tank. The amount of water used to get hot water is crazy. Unless you can afford to have a separate tankless heater mounted locally, which would cost $$$, I woundn't bother.

I've used one at my parents place, and it is annoying as hell. Washing dishes, I have to let the tap run for ~1 min to get warm water. it never really gets hot. One think to consider, we have very "cold" water coming into our houses, you need contact time to change that temperature. The only way to get that is a water heater w/tank.

What type of garage heater? radiant? forced air?

roof mounted forced air is about $2200-2500 (installed) for a 22x22 garage. Radiant, not sure, but unless you have a high roof in the garage, it could do more damage than good. Radiant heats objects, so if you don't have the proper clearance, you could damage you car's paint.

The only way I would go infloor in the garage, is if you have it in the house. Even then, I don't like how long it takes infloor to change temperature. I'm a casual garage user, I would leave my heater ~15C, then when If I plan on working in the garage that night, I'll crank it to 22C and then I'm good to go. you can't do that with in floor. Majority of people I know that had in-floor heating roughed-in (garage and house), never end up actually using it (resale value only).

[JB_AOL]

We wanted hardy board.. But the $ just wasn't worth it.
I figure with how Calgary's been having hail storms, I can wait til the first one comes through and upgrade then.

[Muliemaster]

definitely go for 9' ceilings. I think 10' might be excessive.

As for garage heat, you have a couple options. You can go infloor, radiant (if the ceiling is tall enough or a regular blower style heater. You can save a few bucks and have the lines put into your floor, cap them and at a later date, install a boiler type system. If nothing else, at least get a gas line plumbed into the garage. Also a previous poster mentioned a 220V, YES! I would actually get 2. Its not really any more expensive and then you can have a welder and a good compressor.

[fishunter327]

What is the price point on the infloor heating?

Some people mention hot water on demand, I had a plumber tell me he removed more then he installed. Said there was more problems with them than a hot water tank... Thoughts
What should i expect for a garage heater price? Or would you also go with in floor there?

Some great ideas...

If you install yourself about 10g ,double that for contractor install.There are so many variables it's very hard to put a price on it.I installed my own but havn't added up the bills yet.There is alot of labour in an install like this,when it,s done properly.IMO it is a fantastic system,warm feet ,no noise,very consistant temps.Hot water on demand didn't add up for me,$3000 unit,200,000 btu demand,means a larger capacity gas system.The name is a little misleading ,you still have a lag time to get hot water to the taps.Future repair bills on a high efficient unit,even though I can repair it myself.I am going to put inslab in my garage but there are some pitfalls of that.Slower recovery,must have glycol in your system,more labour ,no air movement.A hotwater unit heater is a good choice for fast recovery,air movement and cost.

[fishunter327]

We wanted hardy board.. But the $ just wasn't worth it.
I figure with how Calgary's been having hail storms, I can wait til the first one comes through and upgrade then.

We don't get those legendary Calgary hailstorms,how does the Hardy plank stand up to them?

[JB_AOL]

Probably alot better than vinyl or stucko (sp?).

Our decision was alot easier because you can only see the front of our house from the street (good old new communities). If we had a corner lot or greenspace, we probably would've went with the hardy board. As it is, the majority of the front elevation of our house is wood or stone anyways.

[fishunter327]

. Also a previous poster mentioned a 220V, YES! I would actually get 2. Its not really any more expensive and then you can have a welder and a good compressor.

You can just run dedicated circuits (only one outlet on a circuit) so if you need a 240v outlet(this is canada eh,no 220v up here)you just need to change out the receptacle and put in a double pole breaker and bob,s your uncle.Make sure your wires have enough amperage capacity(15amp=#14 wire,20amp=#12,30amp=#10)This gives you flexibilty at the least cost.

[CanuckShooter]

definitely go for 9' ceilings. I think 10' might be excessive.

As for garage heat, you have a couple options. You can go infloor, radiant (if the ceiling is tall enough or a regular blower style heater. You can save a few bucks and have the lines put into your floor, cap them and at a later date, install a boiler type system. If nothing else, at least get a gas line plumbed into the garage. Also a previous poster mentioned a 220V, YES! I would actually get 2. Its not really any more expensive and then you can have a welder and a good compressor.


Ceiling height is a matter of scale, a 10' ceiling in a 12x12 room wouldnt look good, just as an 8' in a 20x20 room wouldn't...so keep your room scale in mind.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is having your house wired so you can run a generator when the power goes out. It's an
important consideration when it's -20 and the power goes out for extended periods of time.

[michaelmicallef]

As an HVAC mechanic I can tell you to stay away from a Train furnace and A/C. Use carrier or lennox. And instatanious hot water heaters are more headaches than they are worth. Bradford White hot water heater are reliable. Garage heaters to consider is Reznor or lennox. Infrared heater are ok. No Calcana tube heaters, just gave them crap about thier crap today.

[coreya3212]

If you general this build yourself, make the trades quote. Don't accept estimates. They are experts and should give you the cost you are going to pay, whether they miss something or not. I am in the middle of a custom home build myself and many trades seem to get half way into the job, then the head scratching starts, and then the walk over to explain that such and such wasn't factored in and the price will need to go up. I don't allow any price change unless it's specifically something I change in which case I ask for a price on a what if basis. Many trades have been great too.

[meganlille]

has anyone tried hardy board siding latley on a new house and how is it?

I have used it for my home. Although its a bit costly but if your primary concerns are beauty and longevity then go for it.

[the pilot cock]

I'm not one to run down another trade company but there is one exception... As a service plumber i have made more money fixing Jetco's mistakes than you would believe. They havea service division of several guys who keep incredibly busy and the only stuff they touch are the call backs on the homes their construction side built. I won't tell you who to go with for your plumbing, but you might want to make sure that your builder doesn't use Jetco.

[pophouseman]

I'm not one to run down another trade company but there is one exception... As a service plumber i have made more money fixing Jetco's mistakes than you would believe. They havea service division of several guys who keep incredibly busy and the only stuff they touch are the call backs on the homes their construction side built. I won't tell you who to go with for your plumbing, but you might want to make sure that your builder doesn't use Jetco.

have used jetco on a few apartments- no issues

[Winch101]

Sorry if I missed this built a few houses ....spent the last 11yrs

In exterior applications ....Hardie board don't like the way it seals

Smart boards and caulk . Is this a walkout lot ....flat ....on a hill

Your lot can affect your choices....at least it should.

Corey's 3212 is so right .....bad time for trades here

I retired again cause I got tired of dealing with that crap...

[foothillsman]

I've worked both doing renos and for a good custom homes builder that was anal about everything. One of the biggest mistakes most people make when building a new home is to spread their money too thin.

Leave some extra money for changes and improvements to the original design.

Leave extra money to build the house well. Limited money for labor when building often puts pressure on the builder to cut corners so that he can come out with a profit. Be part of the build process, but stay out of the way. Do not give trades/labor orders, go through the builder and respect his planning and budgeting for the project. Check the quality yourself and find a fault and talk to the builder to keep him honest and let him know you're watching, but don't over do that. You could have an good/honest builder that had something not go right and he missed it.

Often overlooked and treated as an afterthought is the acoustics of the rooms within the building. Nothing like a room that you try to talk to someone in and struggle to understand them because of echos/room reflections. Certain shaped rooms sound much better than others. An 8x8x8 room is the best example of what to avoid at all costs. Glass also is a pain when trying to make a room sound good. There is information online about this, but there is a ton of bs out there and sorting out what's fact/true from what sounds good about room acoustics will take time.

[foothillsman]

If you general this build yourself, make the trades quote. Don't accept estimates. They are experts and should give you the cost you are going to pay, whether they miss something or not. I am in the middle of a custom home build myself and many trades seem to get half way into the job, then the head scratching starts, and then the walk over to explain that such and such wasn't factored in and the price will need to go up. I don't allow any price change unless it's specifically something I change in which case I ask for a price on a what if basis. Many trades have been great too. How it works on the blueprint and and real life may be different. I have had to deal with trades that built walls without consulting other trades causing immense headaches for other trades. I've seen plumbers rip out mechanical to get their abs in. The guys who put in the mechanical didn't care about when/where their **** went and how it would effect other trades. You just can't be inflexable. Word gets around, and all of a sudden nobody is willing to work for you. Either that or the quotes become outragously high, as the trades don't want to be out of money for someone else's stupidity.

[bruceba]

We`re going with 9`ceilings upstairs and we were going to go with 10`downstairs but our carpenter thinks 9`is enough for the basement. What`s Does anyone with a 9`basement want to commentÉ


We went 9 in the basement and you will seriously have to look at window size for egress depending on how deep into the ground you go. The higher up the window is the harder it is for kids to get out.
Hit control shift to get your keyboard off the frog pad.

[Joe Fehr]

Excellent builder in Spruce Grove, Edmonton area is Infiniti Masterbuilt.
Newer builders with lots of experience.
Good eye for detail and stand behind their product.

[coreya3212]

How it works on the blueprint and and real life may be different. I have had to deal with trades that built walls without consulting other trades causing immense headaches for other trades. I've seen plumbers rip out mechanical to get their abs in. The guys who put in the mechanical didn't care about when/where their **** went and how it would effect other trades. You just can't be inflexable. Word gets around, and all of a sudden nobody is willing to work for you. Either that or the quotes become outragously high, as the trades don't want to be out of money for someone else's stupidity.

I think as a builder you would be correct. I don't think some of my trades would work for me again, and I know some would. But I am only in this to do it once. The plumber in your example above would not have seen a dime from me had he done that to my build. I was able to go thru space requirements with all my trades and I made sure one didn't crowd into the others space as they were working. I was there every day though and had I not been I am sure that rough in stage of services would not have gone as smoothly as it did.

[Eddy62]

69305

i build alot off high end custom homes if you need some questions answered pm me....................later

[pdfish]

Painting a friends parents' place now, 2100 sq foot bungalow and took some things away from it that I will use in my next place:
-tile baseboards in bathrooms, and laundry. MDF sucks after repeated encounters with moisture
-get the biggest island feasible in the kitchen, with either a raised or flush seating area
-get the thickest granite you can afford
-personally, I would never get MDF casings again, stain and lacquer wood throughout my next house
-tall double doors for the front entry. Easier to get things in and out, ie. furniture, mounts, etc

[dugh]

Add a few feet to the garage, both ways, you won't regret it

[Big Grey Wolf]

Guys, I have enjoyed all the fabulous suggestions for a custom built home. I would suggest you just get a good well proven design your wife likes. It takes 2 or 3 different rebuilds to get a good home design. Also all these ideas just increased the cost from $250 to now over $350 per sq foot.I hope you know a good banker. A bungalow is much more expensive than a two story, the 2nd floor only cost 2/3$ per sq ft. If you have project management experience only then consider contracting yourself. You are a one horse/home outfit , the sub trades will always quote higher to you than they do to builders with many homes and only show up when they dont have any contactors jobs. Just a little wisdom for the uninformed, I have built many of my homes over the last 50 years.

[fishunter327]

Guys, I have enjoyed all the fabulous suggestions for a custom built home. I would suggest you just get a good well proven design your wife likes. It takes 2 or 3 different rebuilds to get a good home design. Also all these ideas just increased the cost from $250 to now over $350 per sq foot.I hope you know a good banker. A bungalow is much more expensive than a two story, the 2nd floor only cost 2/3$ per sq ft. If you have project management experience only then consider contracting yourself. You are a one horse/home outfit , the sub trades will always quote higher to you than they do to builders with many homes and only show up when they dont have any contactors jobs. Just a little wisdom for the uninformed, I have built many of my homes over the last 50 years.

Wolfie your first two sentences I agree with 100 percent.But your second floor is $2 or $3 /sqft. that doesn't buy tile .The reason sub trades quote higher for non builders, is builders want the minumum requeirments by code,so the cheapest price to show the lowest bid.However they still add their 10 % minimum markup.Then you , the homeowner are responsible for the "extras" that should have been included in the first place. I agree you need building experience to build a house ,that comes in different forms and different talents.You need to know what your sub trades are including in their contracts and what they aren,t, SIMPLE. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples.Get quality tradesmen they are worth the money, no surprize.Get recommendations for tradesmen from people who KNOW what kind of work they do.Rant over lol.:bad_boys_20:

[chimpac]

Here is a list of things about a house that are important to me.

Ceilings no higher than 8' so no vaulted ceilings, they are fine in california but here all the warm air is up.

2 story but put in doors to block hot air going up stair wells, and cold air entering main floor from front door.

Lots of windows on the south. No windows or very few in the west
South east facing kitchen

No hot water pipe heating because of danger of leaks and no movement of air or air conditioning.
Under sized forced air furnace with a wood stove backup. Keep chimney inside (not on outside wall) to the roof. Use bare uninsulated pipe as much as you can to pass code.
A masonry chimney with openings on each floor allows a bare pipe all the way, and is a great heat sink to keep the temperature constant.

[JohnnyD]

has anyone tried hardy board siding latley on a new house and how is it?

Hardie Board is a great product, that has a classy look. In my opinion, it is much better than vinyl siding. It doesn't fade, is paintable, provides your home with an exterior fire rating, and complements the look of a home well. Additionally, it is a great exterior finish product to use in combination with stone, hardie shakes, and even stucco. One important detail when selecting hardie board siding is to; not cheap out on lumber, and to hire a good framing crew (crowing studs will pay its worth in the end). Because this product is applied tightly against the exterior walls, any defects from crooked studs to miss aligned crowns will show up in the siding. Next time your driving around town line, your up eye up down the long side walls of various homes, you will see the differences between nice looking homes, and ones that have more waves than the ocean.

Hardie Board costs ruffly twice as much as vinyl for labor and materials.

[Wilbur1005]

My late father was a carpenter. When we built our current house some 30 years ago all of the issues identified in this thread were alive and well. You really had to watch how the builders were proceeding because many of the so called tradesmen were little more than long haired druggies, burned out alcoholics or guys just out of jail and down on their luck. But, some of these guys actually knew what they were doing but they just didn't do it very well.

Plumbing walls was one of those things they did not do well.

My old man, God rest his soul, walked into the house one day and began to plumb the newly erected walls. The carpenter crew stopped working and came over asking the old man exactly what he thought he was doing. None of them had ever plumbed a wall or more importantly, plumbed an entire room. He gave them a quick lesson that I am sure none of them ever forgot.

Make sure your walls and rooms are properly plumbed. In this way, when your house starts to sink, shift or move due to frost, poor back filling, aberrant water movement at least your doors, windows will move together.

The bottom line, learn to plumb walls yourself just to check the work of your so called carpenters.

[foothillsman]

My old man, God rest his soul, walked into the house one day and began to plumb the newly erected walls. The carpenter crew stopped working and came over asking the old man exactly what he thought he was doing. None of them had ever plumbed a wall or more importantly, plumbed an entire room. He gave them a quick lesson that I am sure none of them ever forgot.

This is a classic example of what happens when the only way for the framers to make any money is to rush a job and cut corners. Set some extra money aside to pay your trades reasonably well, so that they can afford to take enough time to do the job properly. This may also be the contractor's fault.

[coreya3212]

My old man, God rest his soul, walked into the house one day and began to plumb the newly erected walls. The carpenter crew stopped working and came over asking the old man exactly what he thought he was doing. None of them had ever plumbed a wall or more importantly, plumbed an entire room. He gave them a quick lesson that I am sure none of them ever forgot.

This is a classic example of what happens when the only way for the framers to make any money is to rush a job and cut corners. Set some extra money aside to pay your trades reasonably well, so that they can afford to take enough time to do the job properly. This may also be the contractor's fault.

I am sorry, but this is not anyone's fault but the framer. I realize you are in the trades, but to insinuate that poor workmanship results from the client, homeowner or contractor, not paying enough is ridiculous.

[ELKOHOLICS]

Ask the builder or electrician to upsize your panel . They will put in the minimum size required . I have changed out more panels than I can count , or installed sub panels because they were short 1 or 2 spaces , the cost another 40$ better too big than too small . Try stopping by when the trades start with a pizza , guilt them into a good job . People will spend weeks shopping for a new car , but don't show up to check on Thier largest investment they will ever make sad really . Ask the trades what they would do if it was Thier house most will be more than helpful . Good luck .

[Big Grey Wolf]

Sorry,I didn't explain the 2nd floor. If first floor in bungalow is say $250/sq ft the 2nd floor upstairs will only cost 2/3 as much or $170/sq ft. Also leave all the extra,s for after you move into the home. Say you leave a $10,000 fire place until after you have the cash. Otherwise it will cost you $30,000. Why $10,000 for 30years at 12 %, it is the last item to be payed off on your mortage, this applies to All the extras you add in when building. Just rough in eg 4th bathroom then build later when you have the cash, no interest for 30 years.

[thefloormat]

didnt read the whole thing but will mention a few things ive noticed on my build.

Just finished doing my central vac. make sure they rough that in so you can still get to it easily. mine we inches below the floor and in the cold air vents, took me a few hours to get up in there and get the pipes all joined together.

hot and cold taps outside

shut off valves at every plumbing fixture

a pipe that runs from the utilities in the basement, to the attic. for future use should it be needed. CUrrently pulling more network cables through mine.

water line to where the fridge goes, in case you want an ice maker

electricity to the sink and to a switch, in case you want a food disposal unit.

Where ever you put a cable outlet, id also put network right beside it.

thats all thats on my mind for now.

[mustard73]

Ask for the price adder for 9' ceilings in the basement, main and upper level (I'm assuming 2 story). I think you will be surprised how little it costs.

If you plan on developing the basement one day, make sure your windows are big enough to fit a sheet of drywall through and that the glass can pop out. This can save a lot of time and effort later.

If you have upstairs laundry, insulation in the walls and floor and a heavy door is nice for soundproofing.

Basement rough in for bathroom.

Sump for sump pump.

If you are a big guy, get the adder for the taller toilets. Trust me, worth every penny.

[skoalzie]

If u need a spray foam quote pm me and I can get one done for u!!!! It is a little spendy right off the hop but well worth it!!!! I am from lacombe but willing to go anywhere for work. Let me know!!!!! Good luck with the rest of your house. Go with a builder with dam good warranty!!

[bush monkey]

Best thread I have seen yet.

[Grizzly Adams]

The sky is the limit really.

I'd make a list of all the things you'd like to have.

I.E. 9' ceilings, SIP foundation walls, spray foam or SIP roof insulation, hydronic heating, triple glazed windows, etc.

Once you have your 'wish list' start pricing this out and then you'll see where you need to make cuts. Some stuff is easy and fairly cheap to do which is a no-brainer.

Other stuff is 'nice to have' and may not pay for itself (think geothermal).

Actually, the budget is the limit. :lol:

Grizz