[sebastian589]

Quote:

3. Put in an outdoor fire pit. I don't have one, but a number of my friends and family do. They get a lot of use, and I'd recommend running a dedicated gas line out to it and putting in some equipment so you can cook over it. I don't know if you like hanging around outside, but with your lot, it would make an inviting place to enjoy the views. They're relatively inexpensive, too. Somewhat along the same lines, put in a sandbox for the kiddo. Dad built one for me and my sister, and we got a lot of mileage out of it. Great, inexpensive fun.

Absolutely love this idea, a great way to make a house better is to have a nice patio in the backyard. It's nice to have a convenient way to enjoy some good weather. Some of my best nights of high school were spent in front of fire pits doing nothing but talking and soaking in the fresh air. Get a fire pit with some comfortable chairs and you will love yourself for it

 

[clarke68]

Go solar.
A buddy of mine in Foster City just put in a system ($25,000 after rebates, it'll be more for your place) in December and he's already sold power back to PG&E. If you ever decide to get a Tesla, driving your car will be free. Not that the cost savings is anything to you, but lowering your impact on the planet would be cool.


Cool space for your son.
Basically, a place where he can climb, tumble, throw paint & rub clay into the rug and you won't care. When he gets older you can install a climbing wall, this is where he'll keep his collection of exotic percussion instruments and have his friends over for band practice.

Outdoor rooms
Think of the exterior as an extension of the interior...you'll end up using your yard more. Good idea especially since you live on an acre.

 

[Sleestack]

Thanks for the pictures Clarke. They definitely gave me some new thoughts on my son's room.

I'll be looking into energy saving measures. I'm currently running a monthly PG&E bill of close to $700 b/c of all my gear and driving cars that get about 10mpg, so I do feel obligated to do something to be more enivronmentally conscious.

As you probably already guesses, I'll be spending quite a bit of time thinking through the rooms I'll use for audio/video. Dedicated power and wiring goes without saying. I'll be using special doors and taking other measures to eliminate vibration. I'll also be working with Rives Audio on acoustic issues.

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Computerpro3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's amazing the price difference in different areas of the country. I live in one of the priciest areas of CT (which apparantly is nothing compared to your area) and for only $750k we got 2.6 acres, 4280sqft (plus a 2600sqft unfinished basement). I can't imagine a million dollar house on only one acre!

Having grown up in Franklin Lakes, NJ and NYC I'm used to outrageous land/home values. Neverthless, it is really skewed out here. My 1 acre of land can be sold for over $2 million without a house. With the new house, it is estimated that the value will be around $3.5 million. My cousin owns a house on 1.7 acres less than 2 miles from me. His house is valued at $8 million.

Neverthless, I do love my location because it is walking distance from my country club. I can roll out of bed and be on the tee in 5 minutes. With only about 220 proprietary members, I always feel like I'm playing on my own course.

 

[Nardin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are all sorts here. I'm just asking for pictures of houses and rooms that people have seen and liked so I can get more ideas. No special skills required.

OK then. Having built and remodeled more than a few. Here are my hints.

Room size - LR, FR, BDR, DR, (if you have one) no narrower than 15' after the walls and molding are installed, so you have to plan 16'. You will thank me forever. Can be larger but no dimension except height shorter than 16'.

Flooring - nothing but hardwood and or stone. Great for resale and you can always put carpet over it.

Ceilings - 9' minimum if two floors if single then min 10' - and put in a whole house fan

Plumbing - all waste water pathways insulated for sound using insuation + lead flashing run the length of space where the waste dumps. No one likes to hear a toilet flush in another room.

2" x 6" exterior stud construction - makes window sills nicer, can add additional insulation and there is plenty of room to run the plumbing and ductwork.

If you have a basement make sure the ceilings are 9' minimum. After all you cannot lift weights with an 8' ceiling.

Laminated beams everywhere for strength and spanning distances without walls.

Make sure your electrician marks every wire and labels every breaker in the box. Will come in handy later. As far as what you need in amps and wiring, err on the up side for sure. Make sure all exterior plugs are 20amp minimum.

Garage - if you are going with a 2 car garage and can make it longer, do so. I like them 28'.

Lead times on important stuff. Check out your appliances, outside entrance doors, plumbing fixtures and lighting fixtures lead times. If imported, they can be months not weeks. Order early.

Cost. It costs less to build a rectangle than it does anything else. Every time a contractor turns a corner, the costs in labor go way up. Not saying build a rectangle, but keep the corners at a minimum to save.

Extra: If possible, put in a secret closet somewhere with a safe to store your important stuff. Easily put in in the planning stage. Known only to you.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the pictures Clarke. They definitely gave me some new thoughts on my son's room. As you probably already guesses, I'll be spending quite a bit of time thinking through the rooms I'll use for audio/video.

No problem! I figured you had the audio/video rooms pretty well thought out, but since you asked ...

I like the idea of listening rooms that can be used for other things as well. For example, I think this:

...is 100,000 times cooler than this:

...and I think those dedicated home theaters that have been cropping up in (what seems like) every house west of 280 are dumb:

...just because if I had such a room I'd probably use it twice a year. But hey...that's just me!

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. Soundboard. Use it beneath the drywall on all the walls, even the interior ones. It might not seem that important, but it'll make the place dead quiet. You'll appreciate that, and it'll also add to the insulation of the house. Both are very good things.

This was already high on my priority list. Noise and vibration suppression will be particularly important in my audio rooms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2. High ceilings are wonderful. I'd go 10' everywhere, but 12' if possible. They really open up rooms and make even smaller spaces feel much larger. Going along with this, I love clerestory windows. They open up the room and let a lot more light in.

I have high celings now in several rooms and love them. They are critical for also my audio rooms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3. Put in an outdoor fire pit. I don't have one, but a number of my friends and family do. They get a lot of use, and I'd recommend running a dedicated gas line out to it and putting in some equipment so you can cook over it. I don't know if you like hanging around outside, but with your lot, it would make an inviting place to enjoy the views. They're relatively inexpensive, too. Somewhat along the same lines, put in a sandbox for the kiddo. Dad built one for me and my sister, and we got a lot of mileage out of it. Great, inexpensive fun.

Love this idea and will definitely use it. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 7. Consider sprinklers or some kind of fire suppression. Aside from the obvious benefits, it could get you an insurance reduction and will absolutely help resale.

Probably won't do this b/c I'm afraid of accidentally triggering them and soaking all my gear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 8. Double pane windows are totally worth it.

One of my best friends is a window guy, so he has been talking windows with me for the past year. Double pane and super low E for the rear. Double pane and low E for the front. My wife loves light so most of the house will have many windows. I have audio concerns so my rooms will have less windows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif 9. Run a dedicated circuit to wherever you set up your audio gear.

That goes without saying. Each outlet in my aduio rooms will be on a separate circuit.

 

[Sleestack]

You know me.... room correction will allow me to have my audio rooms look like real spaces. I'm not one to build a mini movie theater in my house.

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif No problem! I figured you had the audio/video rooms pretty well thought out, but since you asked ... I like the idea of listening rooms that can be used for other things as well. For example, I think this: ...is 100,000 times cooler than this: ...and I think those dedicated home theaters that have been cropping up in (what seems like) every house west of 280 are dumb: ...just because if I had such a room I'd probably use it twice a year. But hey...that's just me!

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardin /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK then. Having built and remodeled more than a few. Here are my hints. Room size - LR, FR, BDR, DR, (if you have one) no narrower than 15' after the walls and molding are installed, so you have to plan 16'. You will thank me forever. Can be larger but no dimension except height shorter than 16'.

I like my spaces big, so I"m on the same page there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Flooring - nothing but hardwood and or stone. Great for resale and you can always put carpet over it.

I plan on carpeting the bedrooms, but I'll keep this in mind. Everything else will be wood or stone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ceilings - 9' minimum if two floors if single then min 10' - and put in a whole house fan.

I'm thinking high ceiling wherever I can. My speaker systems love it.

I had a whole house fan in a different house and wasn't crazy about it. Too noisy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Garage - if you are going with a 2 car garage and can make it longer, do so. I like them 28'.

At least 3, maybe 4. I like my cars, so the garage will be big and have its own filtering system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cost. It costs less to build a rectangle than it does anything else. Every time a contractor turns a corner, the costs in labor go way up. Not saying build a rectangle, but keep the corners at a minimum to save.

The great thing here is that the contractor is making very little on this project. He will be working on some huge projects with me at our apartment complexes and hotels, so I'll really be getting the most for my $1million.

Thanks for the input.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif You know me.... room correction will allow me to have my audio rooms look like real spaces. I'm not one to build a mini movie theater in my house.

Indeed! Rives Audio totally gets it...they'll hook you up. Not that I've ever actually heard one of their rooms, but I'll be happy to have yours be the first!

 

[909]

I know you would like some pics and floorplans, but have you considered Tridipanel Systems or some similar construction material.

Why?

It’s proven virtually indestructible against hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. It’s non-combustible so it’s fire resistant and termite/insect, mold, mildew, and fungis resistant as well. Virtually eliminates outdoor noises, reduce drafts and wide temperature fluctuations. So the air quality within the home is virtually free of dust, pollen and allergens when used with a quality air exchanger. It also creates an acoustical environment for full advantage of sophisticated sound systems and home theaters.

Other cool stuff...

50% faster build time than standard construction
Virtually maintenance-free walls
Environment energy efficient (saves 50 to 80% of utility costs on heating & cooling)

 

[Thelonious Monk]

instead of spending money on dedicated circuits and expensive cabling, ever thought of buying your own dedicated DC grid for all of your audio gear? of course this may be more expensive still, bu i think it's more logical paying for clean power upfront than trying to salvage dirty AC power. yes, definitely an exaggeration, but you might as well go the whole nine yards!

 

[rsaavedra]

I would pay lots of attention to all the power wiring for audio/video entertainment centers, and dedicated AC circuits for some of those, but I wonder if it's really that critical and cost-effective to heavily invest in network wiring for you home, given that nowadays you always have the wireless networking option.

 

[Computerpro3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack /img/forum/go_quote.gif At least 3, maybe 4. I like my cars, so the garage will be big and have its own filtering system. .

Without a doubt, knowing how you are a car enthusiast get a four or even more. Maybe even do a two car attached for the daily drivers and then a seperate three for showcasing them (and working on them if you're into that). I don't know if you have any kids, but consider that as well - we have a three car garage, and now since my father, my mother, and me drive, we're all full. My two sisters are also almost driving age, and my father now has to have built a seperate garage for the incoming Aston (too late to add on due to how the house is arranged). I suppose you don't have to worry about snow ruining your cars, but I'd hate for your absolutely incredible AMG to have a tree fall on it or something....

Also consider storage room for toys - we have three snowmobiles and some ATV's that take up a lot of room - again, perhaps not a concern for where you live but do you have anything like motorbikes? If you have kids will they?