Best items you included when you renovated your house!
Discussion
Hi All
About to embark on a renovation of a Victorian house.
What are some of the best features or items you included in your house renovation that you now can’t live without.
Im referring to things such as double basins in an en suite, aircon, 2 dishwashers , 4 post lifts in the garage etc
Look forward to hearing your thoughts!
R
About to embark on a renovation of a Victorian house.
What are some of the best features or items you included in your house renovation that you now can’t live without.
Im referring to things such as double basins in an en suite, aircon, 2 dishwashers , 4 post lifts in the garage etc
Look forward to hearing your thoughts!
R
The standard PH response was always CAT 5 or 6 everywhere
Personally -
boiling tap
sink disposal unit for food
shower controls out of the way of the shower head,
soft lighting to avoid needing lamps everywhere,
sockets on walls for TVs to avoid trunking
Electric toothbrush chargers in bathrooms
Heated mirrors in bathrooms
Air con
Larder unit to hide appliances away
Doormat built into the floor
Water softener if you’re in a hard water area
Sliding doors instead of bifolds
Avoid trends, brass taps - how 90s, black taps - limescale magnets
Big islands with marble tops - tacky
Non open plan kitchen dinners - they will die a death before long
Personally -
boiling tap
sink disposal unit for food
shower controls out of the way of the shower head,
soft lighting to avoid needing lamps everywhere,
sockets on walls for TVs to avoid trunking
Electric toothbrush chargers in bathrooms
Heated mirrors in bathrooms
Air con
Larder unit to hide appliances away
Doormat built into the floor
Water softener if you’re in a hard water area
Sliding doors instead of bifolds
Avoid trends, brass taps - how 90s, black taps - limescale magnets
Big islands with marble tops - tacky
Non open plan kitchen dinners - they will die a death before long
We are about to embark on another restoration, so was discussing with my wife what we particularly liked and would want to do again:
- Network cabling
- Heated/LED mirror in the bathroom
- Low current lighting sockets in the lounge
- Log burner
Things that we won't bother with again:
- Wooden worktop in the kitchen
- Ports for surround sound speakers
- Network cabling
- Heated/LED mirror in the bathroom
- Low current lighting sockets in the lounge
- Log burner
Things that we won't bother with again:
- Wooden worktop in the kitchen
- Ports for surround sound speakers
Boiling tap
Lightwave/tuya preset light switches
Underfloor heating
Aircon
Large canopy out the back with patio heater for winter bbqing, and doing all my deep frying outdoors.
Cat6 to tvs and wifi access points and office desk. Keep wifi only for portable devices and hardwire everything we can.
Schneider euro modules faceplates with hdmi modules and usb modules goint to wall mounted tvs so we can plug random s
te in without wires trailing down.
Lightwave/tuya preset light switches
Underfloor heating
Aircon
Large canopy out the back with patio heater for winter bbqing, and doing all my deep frying outdoors.
Cat6 to tvs and wifi access points and office desk. Keep wifi only for portable devices and hardwire everything we can.
Schneider euro modules faceplates with hdmi modules and usb modules goint to wall mounted tvs so we can plug random s
te in without wires trailing down.Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Sunday 16th February 22:54
wouldnt worry about data cables etc, wifi is getting so good that its not needed, i would have underfloor heating, and a/c in bedrooms.
again hot water taps are i think a fad that will pass. Smart tech is always changing, so not worth the investment, as it will be old as soon as you fit it, focus on the basics, like insulation and heating.
again hot water taps are i think a fad that will pass. Smart tech is always changing, so not worth the investment, as it will be old as soon as you fit it, focus on the basics, like insulation and heating.
richhead said:
wouldnt worry about data cables etc, wifi is getting so good that its not needed, i would have underfloor heating, and a/c in bedrooms.
again hot water taps are i think a fad that will pass. Smart tech is always changing, so not worth the investment, as it will be old as soon as you fit it, focus on the basics, like insulation and heating.
The more devices you get the more wifi congestion there is, and there is only limited frequencies available. Once you have a lot of wifi devices even the best wifi access points start to slow down. cat6 is cheap, if you are renovating it is cheap to install.again hot water taps are i think a fad that will pass. Smart tech is always changing, so not worth the investment, as it will be old as soon as you fit it, focus on the basics, like insulation and heating.
Sink waste disposals are an odd one. When we're forever being told not to put stuff down the drain that might contribute to fat bergs etc, let's mince up all and sundry and wash it away out of sight. Next it'll be heavy duty macerators for the toilets to chop up sanitary products before flushing them away.
r44flyer said:
Sink waste disposals are an odd one. When we're forever being told not to put stuff down the drain that might contribute to fat bergs etc, let's mince up all and sundry and wash it away out of sight. Next it'll be heavy duty macerators for the toilets to chop up sanitary products before flushing them away.
I removed mine - it was a grim site inside the unit! Like a pound of Dundee cake. Much happier recycling my food and knowing it's being turned into compost.Roger Gerbil said:
things such as double basins in an en suite
I've never understood the point of that - just wait 2 mins while your OH brushes her teeth or use a sink in another bathroom.The poster who noted WiFi is getting better is correct.
Some of my commercial clients whose business is provision of multiple individual office spaces within a larger building are now getting rid of data cabling in favour of wireless & still achieving WiredScore platinum certification.
OzzyR1 said:
I've never understood the point of that - just wait 2 mins while your OH brushes her teeth or use a sink in another bathroom.
The poster who noted WiFi is getting better is correct.
Some of my commercial clients whose business is provision of multiple individual office spaces within a larger building are now getting rid of data cabling in favour of wireless & still achieving WiredScore platinum certification.
Be very careful using that logic. High density enterprise wifi has lots of hardwired access points operating at low power, set up dilligently. you wont achieve anywhere near the same resuts with consumer grade domestic kit, and by the time you realise the wifi isnt up to scratch the place is decorated and its too late to cable properly.The poster who noted WiFi is getting better is correct.
Some of my commercial clients whose business is provision of multiple individual office spaces within a larger building are now getting rid of data cabling in favour of wireless & still achieving WiredScore platinum certification.
I would add:
Internal lighting to built-in wardrobes.- dark at the best of times & saves turning on main lights if someone asleep
External power sockets installed discreetly on all house elevations - plug in power washer, tools etc without running a load of cable
External bib taps are usually only cold supply; put another connected to the hot water system in the rear garden - dog-washing, paddling pool filling etc
If you are installing Cat 6a or similar, do it in conduit behind plasterboard/wall finishes for ease of replacement
Hidden socket outlets on the underside of high-level kitchen cabinets - looks a lot cleaner than a load of plug sockets installed in the tiling/splashback above counter surfaces.
Wired leak detection around WC's, sinks, appliances etc - gives audible alert to water issues or messages to phone
Cupboard upstairs (perhaps in bathroom) plumbed and vented to accommodate washing machine and tumble dryer. No idea why it's so common in the UK to store your dirty laundry upstairs, take it downstairs to be washed/dried, then bring it back up. Perhaps if you have a dedicated utility room or internal access garage, but many have the washing machine in the kitchen - odd given its fairly noisy.
If taking up floors / replacing ceilings, put in as much insulation as possible while you are making a mess.
Decent taps - cheap ones will leak
Period door ironmongery if you are keeping the Victorian aesthetic - small thing that makes a big difference.
Internal lighting to built-in wardrobes.- dark at the best of times & saves turning on main lights if someone asleep
External power sockets installed discreetly on all house elevations - plug in power washer, tools etc without running a load of cable
External bib taps are usually only cold supply; put another connected to the hot water system in the rear garden - dog-washing, paddling pool filling etc
If you are installing Cat 6a or similar, do it in conduit behind plasterboard/wall finishes for ease of replacement
Hidden socket outlets on the underside of high-level kitchen cabinets - looks a lot cleaner than a load of plug sockets installed in the tiling/splashback above counter surfaces.
Wired leak detection around WC's, sinks, appliances etc - gives audible alert to water issues or messages to phone
Cupboard upstairs (perhaps in bathroom) plumbed and vented to accommodate washing machine and tumble dryer. No idea why it's so common in the UK to store your dirty laundry upstairs, take it downstairs to be washed/dried, then bring it back up. Perhaps if you have a dedicated utility room or internal access garage, but many have the washing machine in the kitchen - odd given its fairly noisy.
If taking up floors / replacing ceilings, put in as much insulation as possible while you are making a mess.
Decent taps - cheap ones will leak
Period door ironmongery if you are keeping the Victorian aesthetic - small thing that makes a big difference.
Edited by OzzyR1 on Monday 17th February 01:01
OldGermanHeaps said:
Be very careful using that logic. High density enterprise wifi has lots of hardwired access points operating at low power, set up dilligently. you wont achieve anywhere near the same resuts with consumer grade domestic kit, and by the time you realise the wifi isnt up to scratch the place is decorated and its too late to cable properly.
Noted, perhaps should have made it clear that I was talking about advancement in commercial installations rather than the average current domestic standard.I would still hard-wire at home for peace of mind.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff