For me it would have to be my "EMWC Twin Tank Water Softener".
Our Bristol water comes from the Sharpness canal and is kind of hard but not super hard however since fitting the softener a number of years back I've gone from cleaning (scraping) the shower doors with a Stanley knife blade and a bottle of Viakal (sp) every week to a random rub-over with my hand once a month or so when taking a shower.
So without any question the Water Softener is right up there in top slot.
Or have the Water Co change the source. They did here(*), from an adit in limestone about a mile away to Burnhope Reservoir over in Weardale. The adit water was hardish but the scale was pure white and the kettle only needed a descale every month or two. Unlike St Albans, scale all manner of greens and blues and kettle needing a descale almost every week. We've been on the Burnhope water for years now and have not required to descale the kettle at all. All we get is a very thin brown deposit.
Good levels of insulation and double glazing, solar thermal and wood burner, not a modern rabbit hutch on an housing estate, what one would add depends on what it has...
I've not seriously tried SW here, nearest neighbours 1/4 a mile away, village over a mile. However portable SW sets are still covered in shash from all the kit we have. I guess one is in control of that though and can turn it off...
That one is slowly rising up the priorities. B-(
(*) Actually the Wter Co just did it rather than our request. Installed a brand new 6" plastic main all the way, about 20 km.
First thing I installed was home automation. It would be hard to go back to a home without it - I've had it for
17 years now, which is longer than I've lived in my current place. The most important part is intelligent operation of the heating, including remote control.Also, when moving in, it's easiest to lay the control wiring under floors (and doing Cat 5 cabing, etc) whilst you're ripping out the previous owner's carpets and can get under the floors. (You can go wireless, but I prefer dedicated control cabling where possible.)
Inside lav. Saves a chilly walk on those long frosty nights.
Chimbly.
Hole in the roof is so outdated now, and the Mrs is demanding a mantlepiece she can display the pebble I gave her for Christmas on.
Owain
We started with the complete re-wire. We've also had it re-thatched repainted, and an upstairs bathroom put in.
I stripped the patio doors to bare wood and repainted them (surprised to find they were sound underneath) and repaired some of the parquet floor. We'll carpet the rest - there isn't enough parquet left for the whole floor.
The new kitchen, refit of the existing downstairs bathroom, and the man cave are yet to be done.
Andy
+1 I find a proper programmable thermostat with remote control so much better than TVSs
No remote control here yet, but we do have individual timer/stats and motorised valves for each room.
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