House-building notes

The house must not flood - the land is quite low (about 30-50 cm below the road), so the foundation must be raised and the ground-floor concrete poured.

Wall adjoining the neighbouring house - current situation: 2 old houses built with a shared wall, one house already demolished; the old house next door is vacant. Goal: good waterproofing now, and if the neighbouring house is demolished later it can still be handled, without being caught off guard. The architect proposes a solution and notes legal points.

A gathering area with friends: BBQ, hot pot, games, drinks... Location: ground floor (front yard / side / back yard), first floor (L-shaped area), or several places - the architect advises. A space ready for many scenarios, with electricity and water ready; a place for a charcoal BBQ grill, with good smoke extraction.

The robot vacuum can go throughout the house.

Convenient access to drinking water, no need to go far (no need to go into the kitchen each time): one water station per floor. Leave water lines in + out ready to install a drinking-water purifier later if needed. What else can the water station on each floor combine to become a utility corner (e.g. power and water for the robot, a tap, other equipment)?

Space for a treadmill - not needed yet, nice to have.

A spot for a mosquito trap: a surface to put it on (table / shelf) + a ready power socket - the architect advises on the position. Are mosquito screens needed for doors and windows? If so, where and what type?

Buddha altar and Ông Địa (Earth God) altar (both on the ground floor): each has its own small corner.

The shared living area upstairs can be multi-functional: a water station, a study desk for the child (5-6 years old), a work desk for the parents, or a play area for the children. A small work corner for later (computer + standing desk) can go here: leave enough power sockets, switches and a fan in advance; hide the cables neatly.

Future elevator: the house has no elevator yet but will later - so there should be a pre-built shaft. In the meantime, what can this shaft be used for?

L-shaped idea - reference model house: video.

The architect advises on finishing materials with a price for each item (kitchen countertop, tiles, stairs...) by size, material and cost.

Tiling drawings (floor, wall - tile, wood) planned in advance: where the starting piece lies, which piece goes before which so nothing is wasted, which grout to use. Rooms and corridors aligned and consistent; do not cut tiles / wood in visible places - if cutting is unavoidable, plan it so the cut is hidden by furniture. Where many different pieces are combined into a picture: mark where each piece goes.

Settle in advance the colour codes of paint, tiles, wood and grout, and the brand / supplier.

The architect helps calculate the hidden costs: demolishing the old house, raising the foundation, pile driving, running electricity and water outside the house, stub-out pipes for connecting to the public water system. About how much is each item?

The owner's suggestions on materials, furniture, sanitary ware, kitchen sink & tap, lamps & ceiling fans, doors, gate, plants (found in the Suggestion line of each item): these are the owner's suggestions / wishes - the architect checks whether the choices are reasonable, selects the design and materials, and helps choose models.

Eliminate and protect against termites before building.

Finalise all freestanding appliances (fridge, washing machine, dryer, TV, dishwasher, range hood) before building, so the architect can design the in-wall plumbing and electrical correctly.

Site clearance.

Geological survey & measurement of the current state.

Termite elimination & protection for the foundation.

Fee for a building permit for a private house.

Design fee.

Construction supervision package (if purchased).

Brainstorm all the positions that need power sockets; slightly more sockets - 2, 3 or 4 depending on the area; use universal sockets (fit every kind of plug). Heavily used areas (living room, kitchen, shared area...): better too many than too few - always have a socket ready when needed or when adding equipment.

Electrical designed around the family's usage habits and with spare reserve capacity for the future (kitchen and toilet appliances...) - buying more equipment does not mean re-running wires; heavily used areas (living room, kitchen, shared area...) get even more spare capacity.

Adding a floor later without breaking walls or running exposed wires: prepare electrical and water lines in advance for connecting.

Easy and safe electrical maintenance: a separate circuit breaker (CB / aptomat) for each room on the electrical panel; choose the right type of CB for each circuit.

Have 1 master switch for the whole house (e.g. when away): press it to cut all power, except the fridge, cameras and wifi / network. Besides the fridge, cameras and wifi - what other equipment should keep power when the master switch is off?

Each light bulb, fan and device on its own wiring: its own live wire + neutral wire, not sharing one neutral wire, not borrowing wires - when one line fails, only that line is repaired, easy to fix.

DC-motor ceiling fans, 2 of them: living room + kitchen - the architect advises on the style.

Electrical safety: the whole system is earthed (grounded); an earth wire accompanies every socket and device, including outdoors - devices do not leak current, no shocks.

Fridge and washing machine can be pushed in tight against the cabinet: sockets placed at the side, not behind.

Backup power during a power outage.

Cameras around and inside the house run stably, independent of wifi: each camera position has a power socket + network cable.

Smart home - especially important: alarm sensors, phone notifications... ensure security for the house, especially when away. Ready for automatic curtains and lights switched on/off through an app.

An EV charging spot (BYD or Geely) with a dedicated line, following the car maker's specifications.

The electrical panel and control boards do not spoil the look of the house.

How will the house be protected against lightning?

Should electrical devices and sockets be recessed into the wall?

Low sockets, within reach of children under 6: with a child safety lock.

Detailed water supply and drainage MEP drawings so the architect and contractor work to the same standard - workers build to the drawings, not to habit. Do not cut costs on the water system.

Strong water flow, arriving quickly at every point of use.

Pipe runs as short as possible (both supply and drainage), few sharp bends.

Water supply split by floor and area: if one area has a problem, only that area is shut off and repaired - other areas keep working normally.

Separate drainage: a clog in one line does not paralyse or back up into another area.

Drains fast, does not clog: enough slope, with vent pipes for the drainage system.

Durable pipes of the right type.

Detailed electrical drawings so the architect and contractor work to the same standard - workers build to the drawings, not to habit. Do not cut costs on the electrical system.

Do not share one supply among many electrical devices: each high-power device gets its own wiring run - e.g. the washer and dryer run separately; induction cooktop, oven, microwave, rice cooker, dishwasher... one run and one dedicated socket per machine (the kitchen area uses the most electricity). Wires rated for the load, sensibly calculated, a little spare capacity; no shared wires.

Circuit breakers (aptomat), wires and other electrical devices: choose the best type.

Pipes that give off no foul smell - 3-layer odour protection.

No small noises in the house (e.g. water running in pipes) that distract or make it hard to sleep.

Plumbing and electrical work done exactly to the MEP drawings; workers can read drawings; experienced electricians who work carefully. No changing pipe routes by themselves to save money.

PPR pipes heat-welded to proper technique: not pushed too hard so the pipe end collapses, not too lightly so the joint leaks.

Test the water supply before building the pipe shaft / closing the ceiling: pressurise, place pressure gauges at the outlets; no leaks, no joints popping.

Test drainage before covering: plug the outlets, pump in water and soak for a while, no leakage. Also check: slope, pipe diameter, vent pipes, correct connections (toilet, floor drain, rain water kept separate).

Minimise wire joints; where a joint is unavoidable, make it firm and insulate it well. Long runs have junction boxes (about every 10 m) to make pulling and replacing wires easy.

Do not pull wires too tight around corners (stretches the copper core, damages the sheath); do not stuff too many wires into a conduit - leave breathing room so wires can be pulled out and replaced later.

Each light bulb and device gets its own live wire + neutral wire, no borrowed wires; a full earth (ground) wire is run as well.

Kitchen island that doubles as a dining table (partly wood); curved shape; the side designed to look pretty, no bare wooden frame left exposed.

Kitchen sockets hidden neatly: the island top shows no sockets; sockets on the kitchen wall can be hidden - placed behind the appliances in use, or on the underside of the upper cabinet (if there are upper cabinets).

A spot for cling film at the kitchen island.

2 single-bowl sinks: 1 for the wet kitchen, 1 for the dry kitchen.

The dishwashing spot has hot + cold water - leave the water line ready.

Modular kitchen cabinets for easy replacement; no need for a trash bin inside the cabinet.

No upper kitchen cabinets needed - an open, pretty kitchen wall.

Comfortable to stand and cook, and the robot can still sweep under the cabinets.

Using the dishwasher without bending: after washing, put dishes in the machine, or take dishes out of it, without bowing. What should the compartment below the dishwasher (after raising it) be used for? Storing things there still means bending.

The fridge looks neat but still releases heat well and items are easy to reach.

Strong extraction, insects cannot get in through the duct. Because there are no upper kitchen cabinets, the range hood will be the kitchen's focal point - the architect advises on the cooktop position and how to make the hood both effective and attractive.

What should the countertop and kitchen backsplash use: engineered quartz, Vicostone, solid surface or sintered stone? Prefer no grout lines.

How should the kitchen cabinet compartments be divided? Where should items that are too long (long chopsticks) or too big (hot pot) go?

Storage for small kitchen appliances (oven, air fryer, steamer, electric hot pot, coffee machine): which ones stay on the counter (with a socket), which are kept in cabinets? The architect advises on each item.

Should a double-height void / light well in the kitchen be built? The living room needs to be cosy, so probably not - but up to the architect to choose.

Entrance: taking shoes / slippers off and putting them on quickly and neatly; the shoe cabinet does not hold damp or odours.

A suitable side table / stool next to the living room sofa - the architect advises on the choice. Sofa, chairs and stools do not need to be one set, as long as they suit the space; they can differ in colour from the sofa for a deliberate accent.

Living room rug - the architect chooses.

A place for clothes worn during the day before washing: convenient in each room, plus one shared collection spot before laundry. Currently a basket is left in front of the bathroom - cramped and unattractive. The wardrobe holds everything neatly: suitcases, bags, umbrellas; hanging and folded clothes; blazers, dresses...; at night, opening the wardrobe should still let you see clearly. Should the wardrobe be full ceiling height? Should there be one area without doors to hold worn but unwashed clothes (e.g. jackets)?

A safe, non-slip play area for the child. Where should the play area go? What will this area be used for when the child grows up?

A place for the owner to lie down for a noon / evening rest and relax, that still looks good (the hammock in the old house spoiled the look).

Sofa and chair upholstery - goal: easy to wipe clean, durable, cool, suited to a home with small children (who often snack on the sofa). Is the fabric treated to be water-repellent? The owner wants to avoid: Boucle, velvet, suede (hard to wipe clean), faux leather (tears easily, hot). Also wants to consider linen for the living room sofa. The architect advises on suitable fabrics.

Drop-off zone at the entrance with ready sockets: to charge watches, earphones, power banks..., plug in an essential oil diffuser - put things down when coming home, grab them quickly when leaving.

Bathroom inside the bedroom: as chill and airy as possible; 2 people can use it at the same time; has a door but a light, pretty one; separate lavabo; no bathtub needed; a large window + a painting.

No glass box enclosure around the shower area.

Shower, taps and lavabo that are neat, pretty and easy to replace; plan all in-wall water lines for the future in advance. Built-in lavabo, flip-up cover. The architect suggests brands - looks are what matter most.

A tidy place for soap and shampoo.

Bathroom sockets that are waterproof, enough for: smart toilet, towel dryer (optional), anti-fog mirror heating pad / mirror, hair dryer, essential oil diffuser...

Mirror and mirror light: show the face clearly, look good, decorative - the mirror does not need to be perfect, slightly artistic.

Relaxing atmosphere: ivory + wood colours; greenery; artistic decor (paintings, textured paint...).

Should a foot rest / seating platform be built for showering? Good for the elderly, but not sure it suits young people.

Hitachi Inverter 645L Multi Door R-WB700PGV4 (GBK) refrigerator.

Texgio 795B Smart Pro dishwasher.

Bosch PPI82560MS built-in induction hob, 2 cooking zones.

GrandX range hood (or ask the architect to choose) - budget ~10M VND.

Kitchen appliances for 5-6 diners: oven, air fryer, steamer, electric hot pot.

Coffee machine (optional - can be bought later).

Charcoal BBQ grill (for the gathering area).

Food vacuum sealer: kept near the kitchen, to vacuum-seal food before putting it in the fridge - with vacuum bags.

Daikin air conditioner FTKY35ZVMV or FTKM35AVMV (1.5 HP) - 3 units, ~13.49M VND each.

LG FX1412N5G washing machine.

LG DVHP50B or DVHP50M heat pump dryer.

85" TV: Samsung QA85QN70F (Neo QLED, ~28.89M VND) or Samsung UA85U8500F (~19.34M VND).

Xiaomi / Google TV box (hand-carried) or one from the telecom provider.

Robot vacuum: Ecovacs T90 Omni Pro or Roborock Saros 20 (a different model may be out by the time of building). Remember to measure the robot's height + size to plan electricity, water and the clearance height of furniture: sofa, chairs, beds...

Standing fan, air purifier (optional).

Whole-house water filter: AO Smith or Maxdream.

Drinking water purifier (optional - the whole-house filter is already there): AO Smith S400 or Maxdream; need to work with a water filtration company.

Furniture: sofa (Hè Studio or Casanha ISLAND), Hè Studio (2 beds, 6 dining chairs, armchair, stool), 2 mattresses, kitchen cabinets + island + stone, wardrobe + shoe cabinet, Blum, curtains, rug, paintings, tables, massage chair - 15 items (see the Suggestions in the "For the architect" section).

Electrical equipment: 3 air conditioners, kitchen appliances, washer + dryer, TV, robot, hot water, whole-house filter, ceiling fans, cameras, locks, car charger - 20 items (see the "Owner's picks" section; hot water and ceiling fans: see the Suggestions in the "For the architect" section).