r/Home_Building_Help

Currently building a house in the FL panhandle. Hot sun, salty air, and the exterior walls of the house are ICF with 6” reinforced concrete. The house‘s main water supply will be located outside the house. All piping is PEX-A.

So I want an in-line outdoor “smart” water shutoff valve that can withstand the elements, doesn’t rely on WiFi or cloud connection, and preferably doesn’t need AC main power (don‘t want to run a cord from the side of the house where the water main is, to the nearest ac plug on the patio around the corner). My “smart“ home will be run via HomeAssistant.

I researched Moen Flo, Phyn, Rheem, FloLogic, EcoNet Bulldog, and YoLink. I’ve narrowed it down to the Moen Flo or one of the YoLink Smart Valves (not sure which one is best).

Moen Flo

Pros:

• Micro-leak detection
• Automatic shutoff
• Insurance savings
• Integrates with HomeAssistant

Cons:

• Plastic turbine design
• Subscription paywalls
• False alerts during high use
• Requires ac power and Wi-Fi

YoLink X3 Valve Controller & 3/4” DN Series Motorized Valve

Pros:

• Long Battery Life
• Offline Reliability (Control-D2D)
• Superior Materials
• Full-Port Flow: Features zero bore reduction, meaning it causes no reduction in water flow.
• Long Range LoRa Tech
• Integrates with HomeAssistant
• Separate Controller from Valve (could also be a con)

Cons:

• Outdoor Limits: While the valve is weather-resistant (IP67), extreme environments still require careful placement to protect the controller and battery compartment over long periods.

YoLink Commercial Grade Smart Motorized Valve

Pros:

• Long Battery Life
• Offline Reliability (Control-D2D)
• Long Range LoRa Tech
• Commercial-Grade Build
• Flexible Power Options
• Integrates with HomeAssistant

Cons:

• Sold out for several months (discontinued?)
• Controller and Valve together (co 1. Moen Flo

YoLink FlowSmart All-in-One

Pros:

• No monthly fees
• Long-range LoRa tech
• Offline functionality (Control-D2D)
• Ultrasonic accuracy
• Integrates with HomeAssistant

Cons:

• Reduced volume/pressure: due to reduced inner diameter for flow monitoring.

Recently purchased a small home. It has limited storage space in the 2 small bedrooms. It has an exterior door on the back side of the house, leading out of the primary bedroom. Was planning a master suite addition on this side of the house, but am unable due to the septic location.

For the time being, I’d like to add an 8x8 bump out addition for a walk in closet utilizing this existing exterior door. My question is, can I frame this like a deck? With a ledger on the house side and a beam with pickings on the other side? If not, why is this a bad choice? The floor joists are running the opposite direction of the bump out, so I can’t easily sister/tie in to those.

Also, should i continue one side of the bump out roof off the existing roofline? Or just add a newer slightly lower roofline? This seems easier in my head.

I am located in Northern NH for reference. What would something like this cost, DIY or contracted?

Thanks in advance!

These are the home features that are only possible when you build a brand new house so don’t forget them!

 

Jason and his family are on well water now, but city water is expected to reach the area eventually. So they added the water line during construction, making the future switch to city water wayyyyyy easier.

 

If you’re building in a developing area, ask your builder what utilities might be coming later and whether it makes sense to prep for them now.

We ordered these windows and doors from overseas. Saved us $50k

 

So far so good. I really like the quality. 

A tad annoyed at the European Style hardware but I’m warming up to it. 

 

Still not a fan of having that hardware on the pool bathroom. That door is so damn small I don’t think it’ll even work. Might have to punch it out for a larger door. TBD...

 

I get tons of questions about these windows and doors. I paid $50k for 60 windows and 4 doors. 

 

Company is called Doorwin. Also called Luvindow. They have a showroom here in Plano, TX so we could see the product in person before buying.

A pre-drywall inspection is your last chance to catch any mistakes or ensure your selections are prepped and ready behind the walls.

 

Before drywall is installed do a walkthrough:

Verify insulation placement and coverage

Add blocking for future TVs, cabinets, rails, and fixtures

Check plumbing and electrical protection plates

Confirm layouts, heights, and locations one last time

Record photos and video of every wall before it’s covered

 

Drywall hides everything and no going back without significant delays and cost.

If you're adding a floor outlet in a home office, make sure it has an opening for Ethernet (Cat cable) too. It's one of those things that's almost impossible to add later.Not all floor outlets are the same. A recessed floor outlet keeps plugs below the surface so your couch, desk, or other furniture can sit where it's supposed to. A surface-mounted outlet can leave plugs sticking up and limit where furniture can go.

Both are 3 bed, 2 bath, single-story homes, under 1500 sq ft.

Doors on every lower kitchen cabinet? I’m out...
Drawers are just easier. Pull them out and everything comes to you. No crouching down, digging through pots, or discovering Tupperware you forgot existed 3 years ago.

I’d still use doors for blind corners and under the sink where you need easy access to plumbing. But everywhere else? Give me drawers.

This is exactly the kind of little decision that’s easy to overlook until you’ve already built the kitchen. So what are you?

Team Drawers or Team Doors?

I’ve used both, but prefer to use silicone.

White lithium works, but it leaves behind that greasy residue that collects dirt, dust and bugs over time. Silicone keeps everything looking a lot cleaner.

What are you using on yours, white lithium or silicone?

Instead of putting those plastic or metal vents right on the outside of the house, you can ask your builder to hide them behind the brick or stone veneer so they practically disappear.

The only downside is they have to be opened and closed from inside the crawlspace.

Personally, I think the cleaner exterior is worth the extra hassle. Would you do this, or just leave the vents exposed?

Where is your smart calendar mounted...?

The contractor did not have to cut the bush at all to install the patio cover. It would have fit perfectly. All we had to do was tie the branches out of the way while he installed🙄😭 the last picture showed how much he cut. God