new home going up -- what to plan to include?

[Terry Vacha]

We are planning to build a home in 2 years when my wife retires. I would like the home as modern as possible, hopefully including somethings I could put in myself to save money. I was thinking that I should have a second a.c. line into the rooms that could be run off a generator. I am also interested in any suggestions for other wiring (d.c. line?) such as communication wiring, media wiring, latest innovations in hot water systems --

The bottom line is that I was to have a home that doesn't cost an arm and a leg but has many of the newest innovations -- things that I have to plan for before the walls are finished.

Any ideas?

Terry

[m Ransley]

You dont need a second AC line just a good transfer panel wired to what circuits you will power.

[wayne]

simplest thing is to put conduit of some kind to each room as opposed to spending $$ on wiring the conduit will allow you to run as needed. make sure you have adequate return air ducts as this is something that tends to get shorted in most new homes. Depending on where you live make sure the house faces the best direction for your weather. If you are going to have a laundry room other than in the basement I would pit in a floor drain in case of leaks. Also put in the water line for the fridge

Wayne

[chibiabos]

Hi Terry,

My neighbor is a satellite dish installer and he gave us some good advice about media cabling during our remodel. We paid him extra to run TWO separate coax lines to each room that might conceivably have a TV system. This will let us expand the systems as new components are developed, record tivo while watching another program, etc. All the cabling enters the house through a "media service box" in the utility room, can be switched on or off or rerouted at that point, a lot like an electric service panel but for media.

You also want to install CAT-5 wiring for all your phones with at least one outlet on each wall, and put electrical outlets every six feet along all your walls. This makes rearranging the furniture a lot easier years from now.

-chib

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Surround sound. Check out the wiring for the latest. 7.1 or 9.1 or whatever.