New Home Construction Ideas

[dereckbc]

OK I know this does not exactly fit here, but it is the most popular topic area.

Starting to make plans to build my final retirement home and looking for idea electrically and some of the more modern construction methods as it applies to electrical and LV.

As most of you know me I am commercial and industrial oriented so residential is not my cup of tea. So what I am looking for is ideas you gus are seeing and would incorporate in your home. Not over the top stuff that is a trend, but what practical stuff like dedicated circuits, LV (CATV communications) lighting, air conditioning, etc…

I already know I will be constructing with ICS (insulated concrete forms) so I have to get it right. Efficiency is one of the goals. The area does not have natural gas but I will install a LP tank for stove top cooking, hot water, and dual source heat.

So throw your ideas and opinions out there.

 

[zbang]

Couple of things come to mind-
smurf tube home runs (and boxes) to -anywhere- you might might want to put a phone, speaker, tv, etc (on the grounds that it's cheap to install)

tankless HW with a tank
A friend did this in his remodel- 3 story + basement- he put in three tankless HW heaters on a load-sharing controller. That feeds a 5-gal mini-heater as a storage tank, then into a circulator loop. All the pipes are well-insulated plastic. Instant hot water.

 

[dereckbc]

zbang thanks for the feedback.

Already sold on Tankless. Since it is LP powered does it require by code a dedicated circuit for the igniter. I wouldn't think so.

I have heard SMURF TUBE mentioned a lot on here. Not sure what that is. Is it like the split plastic corrugated loom tube we use to run fiber cables in telephone offices? Got a PIX? Run it like Romex? How big of hole? How to secure in place in ICF?

What I am driving at is I will incorporate some of my Telco design experience into the design. I will install a mechanical room in the southwest corner of the home where all utilities enter to incorporate a single point ground for electrical with water, CATV (I will have Verison Fios), air handler, etc...

 

[ed downey]

Smurf Tube is like Inner Duct.

I would definetely install a whole house audio system (Multi-Source / Multi-Zone) {I installed a Russound System}. I have kids and a wife who listen to different things in different rooms of the house.

Not sure where you are building but if they are installing a concrete basement I would install a structural garage floor slab so that you can gain that space under the garage for storage or a workshop. My three car garage is ~900 SF and I did most of the framing of the slab and tying rebar so it only cost me ~$5,000 to gain 900 SF of area with a 10' high ceiling.

While the site was under construction I trenched in multiple 3/4" PVC conduits from the exterior of the house to various points in the back yard. I have used one of them for a fountain near the back fence.

I would run security wiring throughout the house with a keypad in the Masterbedroom and at the door on the first level. I also installed a contact at the garage doors so that I can see if the garage door is closed by looking at the security system. I installed a Ademco Vista 15P and have it dial my cell phone if there is an alarm rather than someone else monitoring it.

I also ran multiple conduits {(5) 1" to be exact} from the basement to various locations in the attic to make an easy pathway for future power and low voltage additions. Near each or the conduits I also ran a 12/4 piece of romex so that I could tray to use the conduits just for LV purposes.

If you have a three car garage make sure you have them put a large enough beam so that you do not have to install a post in your garage (it is alway in the way).

-Ed

 

[dereckbc]

Not sure where you are building but if they are installing a concrete basement

The house will be in north Texas, very few basements around here. Seems folks get nervous digging rock out with dynomite.

However thank you for the suggestions as they are noted. I will have some landscape lighting, but undecided if I should go the LV route or not. If I go with the LED route LV is a no-brainer, but I do not like the CRI of LED's not that it matters for landscape lighting.

Already thought about alarm and sound wiring, not too sure how far to take that. Since the area has FIOS, I will be running 2-CAT 5E, and 2-RG6 coaxes to all rooms.

What is really bothering me is dedicated circuits. Panels are limited to 42 I think for 200 amp service. So I am thinking about installing a branch sub panel in the kitchen area. Good or Bad idea?

 

[tom baker]

2008 NEC removes 42 ckt limit on panels but the larger panels are still in development/listing.
Consider the use if a NM wireway as a baseboard in each room. Feed with NM conduit, smurf tube is hard to pull thru, and put receptacles and LV outlets where needed. Home run conduit to your utility room
Install a generator and TS up front or allow for in electrical design, such as a seperate generator panel.

 

[drive1968]

I would consider putting in a Solar PV system if you use alot of electricity. It will help protect you from future rate increases. And the best time to install a system is while the house is being built.

 

[220/221]

Solar works well for hot water.

The more dedicated circuits, the better. On my personal homes, I at least double up on kit recep requirements. Instead of a 2 wire HR, I use a 3 wire and install double duplexes for ctop receps.


Run a seperate photocelled circuit for all exterior lighting. Install switches in nornal locations but feed them from the PC circuit. Leae whatever switches you want on for dusk to dawn lighting.

3 wire switch legs to all ceiling lights/ cans. If you want to add lighting on a seperate switch, the switch leg is already in the ceiling.

3 way switches by the bed so you don't have to get up to turn lights/fan on/off.

Washer and dryer close to the master bedroom/bath. That is where most of your laundry comes from and goes to. Seems stupid to schlep across the house and back to do laundry.

Micro switches on all closets/pantry doors.

Panic button next to bed tied to alarm and lights....Wait....A Texas alarm is a large handgun so skip that.

Pocket doors are awesome in the right situations. If the door is going to be open 80% of the time, a pocket door keeps it out of the way and gives more wall space.

Indoor motion detectors for hall lights. (This is helpful, not trendy).

Audio/speaker wire throughout.

TV to watch while you soak your old bones in the (jacuzzi) tub.

Cameras throughout. At LEAST at the front door. Tie cameras to your TV's so you can monitor them with a click or two of the remote.

IP cameras are nice if you need to monitor your cameras remotely via internet. They only require a cat 5 cable.

 

[jeremysterling]

Micro switches on all closets/pantry doors.

Pocket doors are awesome in the right situations. If the door is going to be open 80% of the time, a pocket door keeps it out of the way and gives more wall space.

I like the above ideas of 220's.

I also like wall sconces and cove lighting.

Think about floor recepts.

Quiet exhaust fans.

 

[dereckbc]

Quiet exhaust fans.

Ok there is something I have thought about. Don't they make fart fans and kitchen hood exhaust fans where the fan goes up at the roof level?

 

[dereckbc]

I would consider putting in a Solar PV system if you use alot of electricity.

I did consider it, and design the systems. I ran the numbers on heating and cooling and for a 2000/ft2 space using a heat pump I came out with an average 30 Kwh per day cooling/heating load. To do that in solar where I live with an average 4.3 Sun Hour Day it would take a 8.4 KW system. At a cost of $8 per watt new construction around $67,000 to install. Electric rates are falling here from 12.9 to 9.1 cents per Kwh. So a 8.7 KW system would generate about $2.73 per day. Figuring in inflation the ROI is around 50 years. Don't think I will ever live that long, not even my kids at age 25 would ever see it pay off.

 

[brantmacga]

Ok there is something I have thought about. Don't they make fart fans and kitchen hood exhaust fans where the fan goes up at the roof level?

Yes, but I wouldn't put it on the roof.


I've installed some by request and found you needed a very powerful motor to get adequate ventilation from atop the roof (mostly for the kitchen). Then the noise reverberates through the duct work and you end up with something much louder.


I have installed several of the 4-port in-line fans from broan; 110 CFM, very quiet, and uses a 4" inlet at each bathroom. You install it in the attic in a central location. make SURE you put insulation around it (specs actually recommend this) and do not attach the framing support to the ceiling; this will help bring the noise down; which by the way doesn't come from the motor, but the vibration.

http://www.broan.com/display/router.asp?ProductID=543

 

[StreamlineGT]

Christmas light contactor!!!

It runs an outlet under each front window, and an outlet over each front porch column, at least in my application. It will soon run some outlets in the flower beds, and it is controlled by a time clock and a photocell, as well as a switch.

 

[peter d]

I plan on living in a house with only two 15-amp circuits. Fuse protected, of course. I like simplicity.

 

[StreamlineGT]

I plan on living in a house with only two 15-amp circuits. Fuse protected, of course. I like simplicity.

I'll give you a roll of pennies, Peter.

 

[peter d]

I'll give you a roll of pennies, Peter.

Wow. Ouch! Good one!

 

[wireguru]

someone mentioned quiet fans. Go with the fantech inline fans. I installed some a year or two ago, theyre awesom. So quiet, you cant hear them at all, and the intake(s) are a 6in round baffle thing so it blends into the ceiling, not like a big square traditional bath fan. Theyre not expensive either, a hundred and change..... you can also use one fan with multiple intakes. For example, in one bathroom the shower ceiling rises above the top of the door opening by 12 or 18in, so i put an intake in the shower ceiling since steam really builds up there, and another intake over the toilet. They also make intakes with a light in the center. Great product line.

 

[e57]

I say "future proof' it....

24" thick walls - big enough to walk through. Where the ones on one floor cross the ones on other floors - put in a ladder well. Also makes that 'secret passage' you always wanted. Or at least I've always wanted.

Skip wood construction and go for steel and PT concrete, makes for a nice open or changable floor plan.

Sliding glass doors high and wide enough to drive my van in - if necessary.

Since I'm talking about my dream house - it also needs to be both on a high hill near the ocean, and have a 40' tower. And a Pool Table....

 

[e57]

someone mentioned quiet fans. Go with the fantech inline fans. I installed some a year or two ago, theyre awesom. So quiet, you cant hear them at all, and the intake(s) are a 6in round baffle thing so it blends into the ceiling, not like a big square traditional bath fan. Theyre not expensive either, a hundred and change..... you can also use one fan with multiple intakes. For example, in one bathroom the shower ceiling rises above the top of the door opening by 12 or 18in, so i put an intake in the shower ceiling since steam really builds up there, and another intake over the toilet. They also make intakes with a light in the center. Great product line.

One needs to be carefull ducting them - high CFM and small poorly installed duct done by a sparky can sound like a jet. I speak from experiance....

 

[wireguru]

One needs to be carefull ducting them - high CFM and small poorly installed duct done by a sparky can sound like a jet. I speak from experiance....

i sized the cfm of the fan to the size of the bathroom using a chart they had. works great