tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208399868780151243.post6691583124520249280..comments2024-03-28T00:44:00.140-05:00Comments on austin cubed: week 14: MEPing around...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208399868780151243.post-51465782267916748042014-02-27T20:54:09.128-06:002014-02-27T20:54:09.128-06:00Based on what I've read about building a house...Based on what I've read about building a house, typically there's not a lot of consideration given to where the ductwork goes. We asked for that to be considered, and it was in the design. According to the plans, it would have been beautiful: short and straight (therefore efficient) trunks to the various bits of the house.<br /><br />Things went "awry" when the engineer specified the trusses and whatnot for the house. Unbeknownst to me (I gawked at the engineer's specs, but didn't really understand them [hence my pleasant surprise at the cantilevered wall out front]), the engineer spec'd several solid beams across the intended path of the main trunk line to the back of the house. To be honest, I don't know if there was another option (stronger trusses with openings big enough for ductwork?). If there was no other option, we'd still be stuck with what we've got now (unless we were willing to go back into redesign, highly unlikely at this point of the build). Perhaps the architects should have known better? I don't know. It's also possible that the framer was using the leftover material and didn't consider the ductwork (although I doubt that since all the trusses were factory built and delivered).<br /><br />Anyway...bubba of the bubbleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06053404605995997558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208399868780151243.post-4082476512484984372014-02-24T15:28:53.488-06:002014-02-24T15:28:53.488-06:00In this post and more in others you’ve discussed p...In this post and more in others you’ve discussed problems installing the HVAC: losing space in a closet for ductwork; losing hallway ceiling height for ductwork; air handler installed where you had wanted an electrical box in the kitchen to hang a pendant; bathroom vents installed off-center.<br /><br />I have not built a house before, but it seems odd to me that the details of where the air handler and ductwork and vents would go—or indeed any details of the essential infrastructure of the house—would not have been completely specified during design, before construction. That would seem to me to be the whole point of having a design phase. Am I wrong?Ryan Schmidthttp://www.ryandesign.com/noreply@blogger.com