What technology for new home?

[23window]

We are building a new home in 2024. I'm looking for advice / ideas on what technology I should include or prepare for. For example, I'll add a 50amp outlet in the garage for future charging of an EV, even though I don't own one yet. Would you include anything special for future fiber optic networks? What Smart home technology would be on your wish list? I'm trying to think futuristically and beyond normal stuff like programmable thermostats and remote garage openers. Any ideas, however crazy, would be appreciated.

 

[scrinch]

I'd look into a bidirectional charger for your EV, if you are at all interested in having battery back-up for your home electrical system. If your power is cheap and reliable, then maybe you're not interested. If power is expensive and/or somewhat unreliable, then you might want to look into it. A typical home battery system uses 10-30kWh of batteries. Why not add the 60-100kWh of battery in your EV in the system as well? You probably don't want to use it for every day load shifting, but as occasional backup it seems like a no-brainer (if you need the back-up).

 

[pb4uski]

What I would suggest is to just run the wire and the box but don't connect it to the panel. You can always connect it to the panel and add the outlet to the box later.

 

[tizod]

I agree with pb4, and I'd add that running fiber or current CAT wire from one side of house to other makes sense for a backhaul in mesh network. Oversize amp box, but also have panel in area easy for expansion. Might add solar/wind and other items where it helps for installers to have room. Actually, if I did a house now in northeast (we have basements) the two things I'd do is an electrical feed "room" and also a "safe room" and maybe they'd be the same room. Safe (not for nuclear), but for weather, intruder or other things where someone can run to. Not so hard to do. Course for some weather thats upstairs and not down.

 

[Ronstar]

Don't know if you have a basement or not, but I would put a piece of PVC pipe from basement to attic to be able to run any kind of cable in the future.

I built as much technology as was available when I built in 1993, but the ability to get from our basement to the attic and other parts of the house without cutting into walls gave us the ability to add technology today that wasn't thought about 30 years ago.

 

[mpeirce]

I used to recommend running wires for computers and such, but frankly these days mesh wireless networks work very well.

We have a "computer closet" where the internet comes into the house. We also have the printer in there. I still ran ethernet from this closet to the two TV sets we have and that nice, but modern WiFi provides very fast and very reliable networking access. Unless you have specific needs, it's really adequate.

If you are willing to fiddle with it, smart home tech works fairly well. I love having all the blinds in our house on HomeKit and can lower/raise them based on sunrise/sunset. But still, it's a bit fiddly and needs more babysitting than it really should. If you want this sort of thing, look at "Matter" devices which work with all the manufactures.

If you are in a cold weather area, seriously consider heated floors in your bathroom(s). I had to talk my wife into it and now she loves it.

 

[tizod]

I agree, but an ethernet to the mesh units is good (just them: everything else wireless). Great point on the bathroom - I'd add that an outlet or wiring at the toilet seats makes sense. We (in USA) will eventually learn that Japanese toilets need to be everywhere! Heated seat, sprayer etc - so run hot water (put pipe with plug there if not doing it initially) and add electricity there. Plus heated floor if not already using that for whole house. Also heat the mirrors to prevent fogging.
Plus, if you will be there awhile: make sure shower back wall has cut out to get to pipes (or run them inside shower and not behind wall, but thats fancy and expensive). But on the back wall have a framed pull out in case (when) you need to get to the valves in back for any future change out.

 

[Jerry1]

Don't know if you have a basement or not, but I would put a piece of PVC pipe from basement to attic to be able to run any kind of cable in the future.

This is especially true if the house is like my previous house, a cape cod/story and a half. They don’t have many common walls that you can use to run cables from say the basement through to the attic.

The problem with pre wiring things like cable (coaxial or Ethernet) is that you probably don’t know where you want those things to drop (which wall, which room . . .). The other problem is that those things change over the years and become obsolete.

If I felt comfortable with the locations, I’d run an Ethernet cable to my office from wherever I plan on putting the drop for the cable coming into the house. That way I could have wired internet from the modem/router to my office. I’d put the modem close to where it comes in the house, maybe a utility room and have the router in my office. Then my main computer is easily wired to the internet and the router is in a more central location of the house.

 

[cbo111]

If I were building a new home, it would include a solar system like the Tesla solar roof with power walls. Electricity costs will almost certainly go up every year. Right now there is a good tax incentive in place and, depending on where you live, much of your energy costs (including EV power) would be taken care of for the next couple decades. Its a significant initial cash outlay, but if you gotta put a roof on the house anyway, might as well make it a solar roof.

 

[ExPatKiwi]

Smart thermostats, wifi garage door opener, wifi fan/light, ring door bell alarm system. All integrated with Alexa so voice command lights on/off fan on/off, change temperature monitor house remotely.

I had electrician install EV outlet in garage, generator hook up and transfer switch for the future.

 

[RunningBum]

Might be cost prohibitive, but I'd look at smart windows. Ideally they would block UV rays to prevent fading inside, block heat in summer but absorb heat in winter, and give privacy at night or any other time of day of your choosing, while allowing you to look outside.

 

[pb4uski]

One thing that I forgot to do and kicked myself for is to run a propane line to the corner of the deck where I have my grill. I thought of it when I had to swap out the tank the summer after we moved in.

 

[Aerides]

In your shoes I'd probably find 3 reputable electric installing companies near you, and have them out for quotes to itemize a wish list of what to do for your house. Basically ask for bids.

You might get some great ideas or rethink things that we come up with, but you'll also have an idea of prices.

I'd want capacity for a tankless water heater - my home can't handle one right now. I'd also want way more outside outlets than I have, as well as some that have hubs out in the landscaping vs next to the house. And wall sconces! Plenty of them, inside and out. Lighting is the best starting point for any room design.

Outlets throughout the house low enough to be out of sight, but high enough so I don't have to bend down too far (thinking aging-in-place), so probably about 18" from the floor instead of 9 like mine.

 

[qwerty3656]

We were at this house and they had a vent that opened up in the kitchen floor with suction and you could just sweep stuff into it. I'm pretty sure it was part of a whole house vacuum system, but it was pretty cool.

 

[retire48in2018]

I like the PVC pipe idea. I’ll add make a pass-thru PVC on each level of home as well.

Include elec outlets in every room - including closets - for potentially new devices

Require all switches in home to have neutral wire in box. Some smart wiring needs neutral and some only put the hot to/from light into switch)

Have an electric layout where every wire is going and have it audited during construction. Identification of 1st outlet in circuit (changing GFCI, etc)

Have all ceiling lights with 4-wire (red & black hot), so you can add feature to lighting later with separate power (and switch) - like a ceiling fan & light or ceiling fan & its music

Require a separate sub panel in each garage. (Allowing for whatever in garage)

Include outlets in soffit . (Some put programmable LED light strips around exterior of home - seasonal Christmas, Halloween, July 4th, etc. )

Include a manifold for all plumbing with PET in laundry room
Include separate loop for exterior faucets from inside plumbing. (Water softener, water monitoring, etc - “soft water” not good for yard and costly)
Consider whole house reverse osmosis for maximum flexibility of water source

 

[retire48in2018]

Also - low voltage wiring in all exterior doors (for smart locks not needing batteries)

 

[Midpack]

As others have said, I’d think wireless will replace hard wiring completely in time. It is nice to have Ethernet for one TV and my desktop PC, but no longer necessary - I can’t tell any difference in performance vs our 3 TVs and many connected devices (iPads etc.).

 

[W2R]

A different opinion

OK, bear in mind that I'm old (75), so perhaps I'm not the one to ask about this. Anyway, personally I wouldn't spend any money at all for hypothetical future technology upgrades that may or may not be needed or even wanted in the future. Instead, why not just build a good, regular house that I would be happy to live in right now?

If there are needs for technological upgrades in the future, I'd have those done then (when I know exactly what is needed and what I'm dealing with). Right now, I'd be building the best house for an older person to live in today, not something based on what I might hypothetically want if the world changes in the directions I imagine it might.

 

[rk911]

Might be cost prohibitive, but I'd look at smart windows. Ideally they would block UV rays to prevent fading inside, block heat in summer but absorb heat in winter, and give privacy at night or any other time of day of your choosing, while allowing you to look outside.

I used to recommend running wires for computers and such, but frankly these days mesh wireless networks work very well.

We have a "computer closet" where the internet comes into the house. We also have the printer in there. I still ran ethernet from this closet to the two TV sets we have and that nice, but modern WiFi provides very fast and very reliable networking access. Unless you have specific needs, it's really adequate.

If you are willing to fiddle with it, smart home tech works fairly well. I love having all the blinds in our house on HomeKit and can lower/raise them based on sunrise/sunset. But still, it's a bit fiddly and needs more babysitting than it really should. If you want this sort of thing, look at "Matter" devices which work with all the manufactures.

If you are in a cold weather area, seriously consider heated floors in your bathroom(s). I had to talk my wife into it and now she loves it.

I'd still run ethernet throughout the house and into the out buildings. Wire is harder to hack than wifi. If they can't see the network, they can't hack it.

 

[Kwirk]

I'd do quad outlets almost everywhere but certainly near ethernet/coax connection points and where TVs/computers/electronics are expected. Wireless connectivity is increasing but wireless power isn't a thing (yet).

For myself I wouldn't do any coax, but some coax may be helpful for resale.

Definitely wide conduit between screen mounting points and any AV equipment areas. The cables needed for connecting TVs/monitors and AVRs seem to require an upgrade every few years.

I'd make liberal use of (costly) Lutron smart switches for lights and fans. They are reliable for smart use and perfectly usable as normal switches (when inherited by anyone without an interest in smart things).

 

[Music Lover]

I'd put both hot and cold water taps outside.

And if you're planning an outdoor kitchen have plumbing, electrical and if available a gas connection for a barbeque.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Use oversized boxes for light switches and outlets. Smart switches keep getting smaller but still take up a lot more room than a dumb switch. I have a few in my home that just won't fit that I wish I could upgrade without too much pain. Consider electrical outlets installed where you will mount TVs and other appliances to simplify cable management or fishing wires later.

I would consider access for repair/maintenance too. For example, when feasible, I'd have the back wall of shower valves located inside an adjoining closet or other non-living space with an access panel at the get go -even if you don't do the panel, cutting into drywall in a closet is a lot less expensive and disruptive than going in through the shower surface. Also during the build, take many pictures of the walls before they are covered so you will know exactly what is where when you need to do something. I'd have a tape measure laid out in the photo as well.

 

[rk911]

One can never...never...have too many electric outlets. When we remodeled our home we had quads installed on each wall of the bedrooms, extra quads in the home office, kitchen and living room. Outlets are everywhere! Yes, we upgraded service to 200-amps and a whole-house natural gas standby genny with auto-start/stop.

 

[tizod]

Sorry, I disagree on outlets. I use extensions on the floor. Wall warts and other things look crummy on the wall. I only add a quad at desk height when I know a desk will be there.

But there are really nice extension outlets with 90 degree plugs, soft cords, that put all these things under a couch or bed and not hanging from a wall. Plus you can turn off a string of items with the switch on the extension. You can also have USB built into the extension. When USB is "old" and next generation comes, will also be in extension.

So no need to overdo wall outlets except where you might want ones higher and not bend over every day at desk or countertops.

 

[RetMD21]

I'd go for a large south facing roof.