What technology for new home?

[RetMD21]

Kudos there for imnontrad. Using a chase to run cables is great. But orienting the house at 45 deg angle to south to open up lighting and even out the thermal gains and losses across the daily/seasonal variation is thousands of years old tech that can't be added later... and pay dividends for the life of the house.

This is what I have but true south is better both for active and passive solar

 

[finnski1]

This is what I have but true south is better both for active and passive solar

Same here.

 

[OldShooter]

I've always thought a good thing would be to have a switch that cuts off all power to outlets/lights in that room.

Be a little careful what you wish for. This turns off the electricity to the clock(s). What I have done in two houses is to put 2-way switches within easy reach on both sides of the bed, then wire so one side of each duplex outlet in the room is switched. This allows us to use floor lamps or table lamps as the last light to turn off at night.

I think having the infrastructure in place to add grab bars if needed plus wide hallways, doors and bathroom that can handle a walker or wheelchair. And stairs that can have a chair system if needed.

When I have added grab bars I just buy them in multiples of 16" long so I can anchor them into existing studs. No need for planning or adding anything. (https://www.grabbarsdirect.com/Colored_Grab_Bars_s/27.htm is my friend)

Re width our new house is all 36" doorways. Our niece/architect cut a 36" paper circle scaled to the drawings and just slid it around to ensure clearance in the bathrooms, at the end of the beds, etc. Low tech and effective.

Stairs for a chair system minimum I have read is 28". We have one stairway to an upstairs guest bedroom; we'll probably never add a chair system but I made the stairs 36" just for good luck.

This is what I have but true south is better both for active and passive solar

Life's a series of tradeoffs. Fortunately for us, the best view had the house facing near south, about 170 deg, so we could have both. If we had not had that luck, the view would have trumped the solar argument.

Wow, learn something new every day.

For $50-100 Amazon will sell you an induction "hot plate" that just plugs into a standard wall outlet. So you can try the technology at no risk. That's what convinced us. Once she had that little hot plate DW almost never used the gas burners.

 

[Music Lover]

A whole house fan centrally located can quickly cool a house down to outside temperature in a few minutes, saving $$ running the AC.

 

[23window]

Hey all - - I appreciate all the great ideas. A lot of things to consider.

 

[RunningBum]

I've always thought a good thing would be to have a switch that cuts off all power to outlets/lights in that room.

I have smart bulbs throughout the house. I control them by voice with Alexa, and I have groups for "all lights", specific room lights, and specific floor lights. Some go on a few minutes before dusk and off at a certain time but I can shut off whatever groups I want when I want. There are very few lights I turn on with a switch anymore except for bathrooms, closets and stairs. There are plenty of fixtures without smart bulbs but I don't use them too much.

A lot of them are dimmed or set to different colors I like, but I also have an "emergency lights" command that sets all to daylight white 100% brightness.

My point is there is a lot more you can do with smart lights than a master switch would do, with no special wiring.

It's not a perfect system. If a burglar jams my wifi (we had another thread on this) I can't control my smart lights by voice, but the switches still work.

 

[Retired Expat]

Future proofing

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.

When I was an active contractor and we called this future proofing. Capability to tie the alarm system door and window sensors into your HVAC system. No point in heating and cooling if a window is open

Pipe and wire for split systems for heat and cool or install now. Move away from a central system with ducts to clean and maintain and heating and cooling rooms you don’t use

Outlets located high up on walls should you want to add Mesh router support points…. works better up high. And or to connect cameras if that is a concern…. Same for outside

Beyond the electronic have you considered aging or accidents. Ground floor master bedroom. Walk in shower even if there is a tub. Blocking in walls for future grab bars and a seat. Could just be a twisted ankle but you will appreciate them!

Hot water recirc line for when your patience waiting on the hot water goes.

Heat pumps and one for the hot water too

Probably forget the pre wire with CAT 6,7,8 or what ever they are up to unless you are lining the walls with lead

Spring for better insulation and heated floors if you are in A cold climate. Not a replacement for on demand heating because it is slow to react but can go a long way to making you comfy and cozy!

Try and avoid anything using gas or oil and put in solar instead

 

[MC Rider]

I'm happy with hot and cold running water and electricity.

 

[Sunset]

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.

What do you use the outside hot water for ?

 

[Music Lover]

What do you use the outside hot water for ?

Washing the car, general cleaning, there are plenty of uses.

 

[Badger]

Re width our new house is all 36" doorways. Our niece/architect cut a 36" paper circle scaled to the drawings and just slid it around to ensure clearance in the bathrooms, at the end of the beds, etc. Low tech and effective.

Stairs for a chair system minimum I have read is 28". We have one stairway to an upstairs guest bedroom; we'll probably never add a chair system but I made the stairs 36" just for good luck.

+1
I think this is one of the most important things to consider for all doors including closets.

Another is running another water line to the outside for hot water. The cost was minimal with PVC. I did this on a vacation house I built in the mountains. I had a little outdoor shower made with fencing panels that came in handy to shower off so I didn't track mud/dirt into the house.

 

[ERD50]

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

A compromise to this can be pretty easily retrofitted to an existing house, if you have easy access to the pipe going to the outside faucet.

Add a valve to the existing pipe to the outside faucet, and tap into a heated pipe, add a valve, and tee them together. When you want hot water at the outside faucet, mix the two accordingly.

Not real convenient, you have to set and reset the valves when you want hot or cold water out there, but no added holes in the house. For occasional use, better than nothing.

I sort of did this in the old house by cutting a little trap door from basement to garage, and I could run the hose through that and screw it onto the washtub faucet, and mix hot/cold there.

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

Gas connection for sure! So much more convenient and cheaper than bottled propane.

-ERD50

 

[Dean56]

Will you be going with a tankless water heater? That will save you some $$$

 

[Onda]

I would focus on most important parts of the house: Lot location, basement, high quality siding, standing seam metal roofing, copper piping, hardwood flooring, good windows and many of them.

Personally I don't like "technology". It is often just bunch of junk that breaks. Funny is I worked as a Software Engineer. Maybe that is why . I would focus on simple and reliable technology.

 

[ERD50]

Will you be going with a tankless water heater? That will save you some $$$

Or not. Savings are over-rated for these things.

-ERD50

 

[FLJim]

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.

If you know your layout and room dimensions, you know where the furniture and lamps will probably be placed. Consider putting electric outlets in the floor where appropriate. No lamp cords, no cords for electric reclliners, or many other 110v devices.

 

[Mark1]

I would focus on most important parts of the house: Lot location, basement, high quality siding, standing seam metal roofing, copper piping, hardwood flooring, good windows and many of them.

Personally I don't like "technology". It is often just bunch of junk that breaks. Funny is I worked as a Software Engineer. Maybe that is why . I would focus on simple and reliable technology.

+1.
I suspect that in the future most, if not all, of your regrets will not be related to future technology, but simple thing you missed.

 

[kgtest]

I would run channeling in the home theater room, to leave room for upgrades. 50 amp out back for future hot tub. One in the garage for a heater and EV.

I would basically just invest in power upgrades for sure.

Sauna? Steam bath?

I like being able to hose down my vehicles inside the garage...so a drain for the garage? Not so much tech but... I also keep a laptop in my garage, a tablet would do. Sort of like the mrs does for recipes in the kitchen. I do it for troubleshooting and diagnosing in the shop.

I've heard you want your wireless router positioned as high as possible so the signal passes down, not up. Mine is opposite that and I still get 400mb/s download so maybe not a big issue, but something to consider. I put my router right near where the line comes into the home. That seems to give it the best performance.

If I could, I would have some sort of cabinet with a converted shopvac where I can flip a switch and sweep stuff into the shop vac. The local barber has something like this for the hair they sweep up. I have kids and damn they spill everywhere. I basically just keep the shop vac out. If I had one built into the cabinets in the kitchen that would be slick.

Cabling for outdoor CCTV / nest cams. Make sure its "mice proof". Neighbors had their wiring chewed up by the mice.

 

[ncbill]

Standing-seam metal roof, extra conduit for any future upgrades as mentioned (wiring, water)

Battery backup for critical circuits in the house.

400A service to allow for a couple of EVs to charge at the same time (70A each)

Induction range.

No to tankless...a conventional tank water heater will be far more reliable...heat pump units if electric rates high in your area, or add a timer.

Gang together a couple of them if you want more hot water...mom had two "short" 40 gallon natural gas water heaters installed in the crawl space.