Practical suggestions for my house

[outside looking in]

I thought it would be useful to troll (in a good way) the forums for the centuries of combined knowledge and experience of homeowners for suggestions on "outfitting" (a term I'm used to in engineering) my house.

You know... all that wisdom, like "don't use marble tiles because..." or "use XXXX kind of sinks because..." or "get a refridgerator that isn't..."

That kind of thing. My experience so far is limited to apartments, where are generally outfitted as cheaply as possible, and all I know is that I don't like many of the choices that were made... but there appear to be upteen-billion "better" choices out there.

I'm happy with the floorplans, and have looked at many of the options for tile, carpet, appliances, plumbing, lights, etc. That's all still open, and I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions before I commit to anything. I know what I like (based mostly on looks), but being an engineer I know that there are often practical considerations that should outweigh appearance when making important decisions. Since I have no prior experience in building or owning a home, I'm turning to those that do.

 

[Nixy]

Don't put fabric on your walls (a la Trading Spaces)

 

[ris]

white sinks and bathroom suite [never looks dated unlike coloured sets].

 

[ris]

if in a concrete floored place and going for wooden floor then laminate snap-lock stuff is usually pretty nasty - proper floorbards wear better and look much nicer, although the build up of the bats and boards would need to be in mind much earlier.

 

[PT]

Always put the extra dollar in the carpet pad before the carpet. The pad will determine more how the carpet lays and wears than the carpet itself will. Normally I recommend an 8lb, 1/2" pad for plush or cut styles, and an 8lb, 3/8" for loop or berber. Make sure any vinyl or resilient tiles have a wear layer of at least 15 mils. Any less will lose their shine in the first couple years. Only other thing I can tell you about flooring is don't expect the carpet or vinyl to last more than 10 - 12 years. I get really tired of people that think it will last forever.

 

[outside looking in]

Plan for all flooring to be tile and carpet. Fabric walls will only be used in the theater/audio room, where they are pretty much required. That's gonna be a bitch to keep clean, but I'm not sure I have another option there.

 

[PT]

if in a concrete floored place and going for wooden floor then laminate snap-lock stuff is usually pretty nasty - proper floorbards wear better and look much nicer, although the build up of the bats and boards would need to be in mind much earlier.

That laminate has come a long way over here. Now you can get 1.00 a Sqft stuff and you can get 3.00 a Sqft. It just depends on what you want to spend. And hardwood on concrete isn't a good idea, the boards will eventually rot.

 

[ris]

hence the bats [sw] between, which is why the build up is an issue. laminate has been popular over here for a number of years and there is plenty about, mainly snap-lock stuff. i found the stuff i've seen installed pretty noisy in a way that normal timber isn't, it also begs a lot of movement and looks nasty.

i'm sure there are ways to soften the sound in the vid room without needing fabric walls - i think there are perforated timber screens you can buy that have rubber inside that look ok. rubber might even be nice if you can get enough of the soft supermarket till type stuff.

 

[chcr]

I put up half inch cork paneling in my home studio for sound absorption. I've had a snap lock floor in my living room for five years, and I like it. It isn't any noisier than the tile floor in the kitchen IMO. Looks like your going all tile and carpeting. I'm slowly taking all the carpet out of my house. It'll be all tile laminate or painted wood when we're done. Re the bathroom fixtures, I suggest getting flat countertops (if your going to use vanities) and drop in sinks. I have a moded in one that needs replaced, and I therefore have to replace the counter top. Frankly, I like the look of the free standing sinks better, but that's a matter of personal taste and I don't have them anyway. Ris is right about white fixtures. Colored ones really limit your redecorating options down the road.

 

[Leslie]

I agree with PT about the carpet pad, that's a necessity, and make sure it's neutral, cause anything else really limits your furniture and paint choices...and I agree as well with the neutral appliances...stainless steel could work as well as white if you like that better.

 

[Q]

Use crack suppression under any ceramic tile, multipurpose thinset, and I wouldn't go with a tile under 18x18 in large areas. Gray or beige with the same color grout as the tile. Make sure either the painters or the tile people caulk the baseboard to the tile.
I would definately invest in a jacuzzi type tub in the master bath.
Check out all your countertop options. Formica ( ) corian, tile, granite. Go with the most expensive one you can afford.
Don't cheap out on the trim or insulation.
If you're buying a washer and dryer, get a super capacity washer.
Get plenty of electrical outlets outside....and a hose bib on each side of the house.
Run cable outlets and phone lines to all the rooms, even if you don't think you're going to use them.
If it's humid in your area, stay away from wallpaper. Save up for a faux painter, or attend a class at HDU and do it yourself.
Lighting is critical to ambience. Do your homework and investigate the possibilities.
Landscaping can make even a mediocre house look spectacular.

 

[Leslie]

Use crack suppression under any ceramic tile, multipurpose thinset, and I wouldn't go with a tile under 18x18 in large areas. Gray or beige with the same color grout as the tile. Make sure either the painters or the tile people caulk the baseboard to the tile.
I would definately invest in a jacuzzi type tub in the master bath.
Check out all your countertop options. Formica ( ) corian, tile, granite. Go with the most expensive one you can afford.
Don't cheap out on the trim or insulation.
If you're buying a washer and dryer, get a super capacity washer.
Get plenty of electrical outlets outside....and a hose bib on each side of the house.
Run cable outlets and phone lines to all the rooms, even if you don't think you're going to use them.
If it's humid in your area, stay away from wallpaper. Save up for a faux painter, or attend a class at HDU and do it yourself.
Lighting is critical to ambience. Do your homework and investigate the possibilities.
Landscaping can make even a mediocre house look spectacular.

YES!

especially the washer

 

[outside looking in]

great tips!

So far I'm certain of granite countertops in the kitchen, and for the bathrooms I'll use vanities with either marble tile, cultured marble/molded sink, or Corian. Haven't really made that choice yet.

I do want 18" tile in the main areas of the house, but it's possible I'll fall in love with one that only comes in 16" (I hope not).

What do you guys think about polished porcelain vs. a textured natural stone finish? Which wears better and cleans easier? Would the glossy surface of a polished tile really be that dangerous in a kitchen?

I think my kitchen appliance choices will probably be either black or stainless. White won't work I don't think with a cream(ish) tile, black(ish) granite counter tops, and light wood cabinets... and I'm afraid an almond type color, even if it matched, might go "out of style" and date the kitchen. Stainless and black are probably the worst colors for cleaning, but I'm not sure there's anything I can do about that.

Theater room needs acoustic fiberglass hardboard, which looks pretty nasty, so it has to be covered in something acoustically transparent. Fabric it is.


Another minor problem (ris, this is probably up your alley ) - if I have only carpet and ceramic tile on all floors both upstairs and downstairs, what do I do for stair treads? I'm not sure I want carpet stairs (hard to clean), but would wood treads be out of place? The bannister won't be a spindle type, but rather a half wall with a cap of some sort.

 

[Q]

You can put tile on the stairs if the tile you choose comes with a bullnose option....or they can use schluter where the tread meets the riser. http://www.schluter.com/english/products/2002/sectiona/overview-a/section-a.html

Poreclain tile is very expensive to buy and install. It looks commercial even in a home and polished porcelain slippery as hell when it gets wet. I personally would go with a higher end ceramic or filled and honed travertine.

DO NOT use marble tiles or slab in the bathrooms. You'll regret it. It etches far too easily for the abuse it takes in a bathroom and it's messy and expensive to resurface it on site. The cultured marble looks cheap ( IMHO) and I don't think it is that cheap. Corian would be a better choice than cultured. Also, take a few hours and look at some tile stores (the ones the installers and decoraters go to)...there are some awesome chioces out there now. Tile countertops look like a million bucks if they're installed correctly. Check out tumbled marble, if you like the rustic look.

Depending on your choice of cabinet and appliances, you can make the appliances look like the cabinets. All dishwashers come with that option, I believe. Subzero refridgerators do ( and get one of those bad boys, if you can weasel it in the budget...they ROCK. You could comfortably fit an entire family of five in one ). Stainless appliances show fingerprints and dirt more than black ones do.

If you're thinking about dark granite, look into uba tuba (which is mostly back with dark green and gold highlights) or black galaxy, which has flecks of dark purplish. When you do choose your granite, make sure you get to see and authorize the slabs you want and be there when they template so you can decide where to put the seams. Definately let me know if you want my help in this area. I have gone behind countless shitty granite guys and made kitchens look better...but it's impossible to make them as good as they could have been, had they been done right in the first place.

 

[outside looking in]

cool, thanks for the additional tips. I think cultured marble looks cheap too. Corian is next on my list to take a look at (I've been to all the places in the area that carry tile, granite, marble, and cultured marble but haven't actually seen corian yet). Cultured granite looks a little better than cultured marble, but is more expensive too.

I could probably have the shower custom made from ceramic tile for about the same price as cultured marble... but I'm concerned about the mortar/grout being a PITA to clean.

It looks like the natural stone textured type tile is the more logical choice for various reasons, but the polished sure does look nice.

 

[Leslie]

ooooooooooooh don't get the stoopid side by side fridge/freezer either. they're a MAJOR pain.

the new ones with the freezer on the bottom seem nifty

 

[Inkara1]

Those aren't new. My grandparents (dad's side of the family) had an avocado green GE fridge from the early '60s with a freezer on the bottom that pulls out like a drawer. They moved to Texas in 1986 and my parents got the fridge. Then we moved across town in 1995 and the fridge sat for a year or two until we gave it to my Grandma (on my mom's side), who had it for a few more years until she moved. It was still on its original compressor last I saw it, just a few years ago. Meanwhile, the GE fridge in the house my grandparents moved to in 1986 went through three compressors between then and 2000 when they moved.

 

[Leslie]

Those aren't new. My grandparents (dad's side of the family) had an avocado green GE fridge from the early '60s with a freezer on the bottom that pulls out like a drawer. They moved to Texas in 1986 and my parents got the fridge. Then we moved across town in 1995 and the fridge sat for a year or two until we gave it to my Grandma (on my mom's side), who had it for a few more years until she moved. It was still on its original compressor last I saw it, just a few years ago. Meanwhile, the GE fridge in the house my grandparents moved to in 1986 went through three compressors between then and 2000 when they moved.

the ones i am talking about are actual doors though, just inverted, so the freezer which you use less often is on the bottom, so you're not bending down all the time. They seem to really rock!

*wonders where she went wrong in life to get so excited about a fridge

 

[outside looking in]

I actually like the side by side units better.

 

[Leslie]

I actually like the side by side units better.

have you actually owned and had to use one?
like...have a barbecue and try to fit all the leftover salads in there?

I doubledogdare you to manage it