Building a house

We're most likely going to build on a piece of property. I started the thread about living in the country, but thought a house build thread might be good. Seems like there may be one person in the middle of a build and at least one other planning it.

For our build, we're thinking country/rustic/farmhouse style blending, with an open floor plan and a moderate size/price. Some things being considered...

concrete floors

metal roof

jack & jill bath or teen suites

2 car garage, oversized with extra room to one side for workspace.

small concrete drive with gravel drive the remainder

large front porch and back patio

blend of electric and gas (propane) appliances

wood stove as primary heat source

tankless water heaters

electric heat pump

Thoughts and ideas or experience with any of these items?

Only do tankless if it's gas. I do not recommend electric tankless heaters and have seen quite a few changed out to old fashioned tank. I still prefer a tank if it's electric. It's just my wife and I so I have a timer on mine for 1 hour every morning and it's enough hot water for us and will keep the water hot all day and believe me, saves on the power bill. Do not try if it's more than a 2 person family. On my first house, I had nice curved concrete driveway then on expansion I did lava rock on the exposed area and 57 rock (crushed concrete) behind the fenced area. I did probably a 5,000 sq ft area of gravel. It was a nightmare! The biggest headache I ever encountered to where I had to sell the house to get out if the gravel. Leaves fall in it and that's the end of it. You can kinda blow it off in a heavy gravel like the 57 rock but still a nightmare, the lava rock was even worse.

And make sure you upgrade your wire a minimum of 2 sizes everywhere. I promise in 2 years the extra expense will pay you back due to less voltage drop. Save $ and go with aluminum on anything over #6. A good electrician can terminate AL with no issues.

woah i am a grand poobah and only own formula ,when did that happen?

reliability depends on maintenance because of water quality. with e heat pump look at the cost of utilities where you are building long before geo thermal.

Tim D wrote: but the screws that hold them on have no guarantee, you know, that little rubber washer under the screw head, exposed to sun, cracks=leaks. But hey,I don't know anything.

8122pbrainard wrote: Metal roof are great but do not get the cheap stuff from Menards. Go with the concealed fastener type.

You must be looking at or buying the cheap stuff (from Menards?) or don't know other metal systems available.

Gary S wrote: I have only seen the roofs with screws in Florida,might be a hurricane thing there

On a concealed fastener standing seam roof, the screws are under the steel. Evidently Floridians only shop for the cheap stuff at Menards too.

Orlando76 wrote: What the heck is a Menards!? I know finding a roofer, or anyone for that matter, in Florida who is pro metal roof is impossible. Standing seam only seems to make sense to me.

Todd- Menards is "home improvement store" here in the Midwest. Like Lowes and Home Depot, but they focus more on to selling to the contractor than home owner. They also have more a variety than the other big box stores, sometimes resulting selling a lower grade product...

Orlando76 wrote: Only do tankless if it's gas. I do not recommend electric tankless heaters and have seen quite a few changed out to old fashioned tank. I still prefer a tank if it's electric. It's just my wife and I so I have a timer on mine for 1 hour every morning and it's enough hot water for us and will keep the water hot all day and believe me, saves on the power bill. Do not try if it's more than a 2 person family.

One of the builders I've been chatting with suggests the small under counter electric units in multiple spots, which is what we are considering. So, why gas and why not do it if more than 2 people? What are your concerns there?

Let me back up. Running a standard water heater for only 1 hour a day is effective for 2 people. Any more than that and schedules get out of sync and somebody get a cold shower and has a cranky day.

The amount of electric necessary for a whole house insta hot is astronomical. Youll actually spend more in electric that route. Gas seems to be more efficient but I'm not certain, gas isn't popular in the warm sunny state. individual POS units at the kitchen sink, good idea but still stick with a standard water heater also. A good friend of mine has a whole house insta hot. His electric bill is steady but when guest stay for a weekend or so, he'll see a significant spike in his bill. After dealing with the insta hot for 2 years, he's considering going back to a tank and relocating it in attic.

If you don't go with the small under sink units I would at least rough in the wiring so it would be an easy addition if then needed. Also think about a design that uses no gutters and check about driveway materials, here concrete is considered permanent and is taxed accordingly,asphalt and brick are not.

Don't have to worry about them getting full of leaves and seeds and clogging up,climbing ladders to clean them out is a pain would rather spend the time boating than doing home maintance. And come to think of it using sticks to build and crushing berries to color our homes seems archaic too

I can see the maintenance side of the gutters. I like the idea of collecting the water and directing it, especially to a rain water collection tank. The maintenance versus the benefit is definitely something to consider.

the only reason to use a point of use tankless under sink is if the main dhw supply is at a distance and it buys you a few seconds before the main source gets there.
as far as shutting any water heaterI believe even a 40 gal l.p water heater only sheds 2 degrees per hr at 65 degrees ambient temp.
Tankless water heaters in the 200k btu range will give you from 7 to 9 gpm depending on ground water temp and manufacture. and i have never seen one that wont give a family of 5 enough for a normal shower schedule. and have installed appr 30 of them in different forms

Quick hot water, not running out of hot water and long term cost savings are the main considerations. From what I understand, they use less energy to give you the hot water you need. The quicker hot water isn't a real big deal, but could be nice. We plan to go with a central heat and cooling system with a heat pump (most likely). Our true primary source of heat would be a wood stove, but we will still have central heat. I don't think many people do boilers here.

I am definitely more an advocate for the tankless l.p system unless you do use a hydronic heating system .if you do a boilermate type system would be fine.
ok enough mechanical talk   now lets talk color choices and drapes and such.........