Avoid Landed Home Nightmares!
Do you want to know the Top Construction Mistakes we hear about after owners shift in? You can avoid them all right at the start, during the construction phase. This can potentially save you so much money!
Problem 1: Roof is Dripping, But it's Not Raining!
The sky is clear, but water is mysteriously falling from your roof. What’s going on?
Mistake 1: No Drain Point
Like an air con, a water heater drips water when running. If you have no proper drain point, that water will drip right off the roof, even on sunny days. That is really weird!
1-1 How to prevent this drip?
✅ Don't agree to a “free-flow” open roof. Always ask where the excess water will go.
✅ Have a drainage close to heater, within 1 meter, so that water can be neatly directed away.
Plan early. This can only be done during the construction stage.
Heater Installed in False Ceiling?
You need to watch out for this mistake too.
Make sure your ceiling has a drainage point. Otherwise, water will always drip right onto your ceiling board and create ugly water patches!
Problem 2: No Hot Water in Some Bathrooms!
You step into your gorgeous new bathroom, turn on the tap, and… ice-cold water greets you. Meanwhile, the master bathroom is enjoying piping hot water. What is going on?
Mistake 2: Wrong Pipe Layout
If there is a mistake in pipe work of the hot water recirculation loop, some bathrooms will be blocked from getting hot water.
2-1 What is a Recirculation Loop?
It is a pipe loop that goes around the house. Hot water circulates through this loop.
Loop must be continuous.
Every bathroom tees off from the loop. This setup allows you to get hot water fast, compared to if you run a direct pipe from the heater to each bathroom.
2-2 Common Mistake: Loop is NOT continuous
❌ Will create dead zones, in blue. Dead zones will not get hot water.
Hot water will only run through the continuous loop, the yellow dotted part.
⚠️ To fix this, you’ll need to hack the walls. A very expensive and painful mistake.
As installers, we will test the heater to check if:
✅ Hot water is coming out at the heater. This confirms the heater is working.
✅ At least one bath has hot water. This confirms the circulating pump is working.
⚠️ If other baths do not get hot water, there is a pipe issue. Look for the person who did the pipes.
Even with experienced teams..
This Mistake Happens 30% of the Time
How Can You Prevent This?
Get more parties involved. Call your contractor, architect, and consultant to check and confirm that the loop is continuous.
The final responsibility is yours, if something goes wrong, you foot the bill! Make sure it’s done right at the start.
PDF: Schematic diagram, continuous loop
Problem 3: Ugly, Exposed Trunking on Your Beautiful Feature Wall
You've forked out a fortune for the a unique, textured wall.. only to have it ruined by a streak of cheap looking white casing running right across it. UGH.
Mistake 3: Forgot to Conceal Wires Early
Here is another mistake that happens way too often!
3-1 ❌ Forgot to Conceal Wire
The heater is at the roof and you are planning to place the control panel on the second floor. The panel wire is ready, but it has not been run and is left coiled up at the roof!
This wire must be concealed early, before the tiles are up. otherwise, you will get an exposed trunking right across your tiles. Unsightly!
3-2 How to Conceal Wire?
✅ Check, check, triple check that the wires are concealed
✅ If done right, you will see a wire box and the end of the cable hanging out out if.
✅ For best results, run only one wire in the conduit pipe.
Problem 4: Hidden Costs that Run into the Thousands $1000s of Dollars.
You were told that the installation would be $1000, but this figure ends up at $2000. What happened along the way?
Mistake 4: Forgot to Provide Compulsory Items
Before the renovation, you will get a checklist. Get these items ready early and you will save money. Here is how:
4-1 Gate valves
Negotiate for these early, and it will be included in the pipe work. If you forget and request for them later, it may cost you $150+
4-2 Isolator (Weatherproof Power Supply)
Be clear about the quantity and power rating early. Just like concealed wires, these need to be pre-planned.
If missed out, you will get:
❌ Ugly exposed wire tracks
❌ Higher chance of heater trips, no hot water!
❌ Long wait to get hot water
4-3 Scaffolding / Crane
Huge bonus tip that can save you One Thousand Dollars! If your heater needs to be lifted to the roof, you may need additional scaffolding or crane.
The good news is, you may not have to pay for these extras if you plan well. There is a good chance your main contractor or aircon supplier will be using this lifting equipment for other works.
Time your heater installation so that you can piggy back on scaffolding or the crane while it is at the site. This saves you a lot of time, and you don't need to pay twice. Do it early! If you miss the boat, too bad.
