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Germans are civil engineering Gods. Here's a factory-made, German Huf Haus, which was built in a factory in Germany, and shipped over from Germany to the UK on

Germans are civil engineering Gods. Here's a factory-made, German Huf Haus, which was built in a factory in Germany, and shipped over from Germany to the UK on the back of a truck, and then installed on-site in just one week: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx0k9r_se04e06-grand-designs-german-kit-home-surrey-tvrip-xvid_news http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx0k9r_se04e06-grand-design... I'm surprised to hear those heavy duty doors are not available internationally, they utterly destroy any interior door in terms of quality that I was familiar with growing up. I can tell you that you can throw a full blown house party without the neighbours hearing a peep, and you almost never use the heating if you live a few floors up (a few days per year at most due to the completely sealed building and the rising heat from downstairs neighbours).

konradb 10y ago
Yes those Huf Häuser are amazing. I found that there were suppliers of the doors in the UK but I haven't looked further afield. The windows (opening two different directions) are also similarly impressive though much more widespread. I spend half my time in Germany trying to look out for these things and marvelling at them.
- patrickk 10y ago
  Now that you mention it, I have one of those "floating" toilets, very similar to this one, including the recessed flush button, except in grey: http://www.decraplastics.co.uk/sanitaryware/images/geberit%20Dukt.jpg http://www.decraplastics.co.uk/sanitaryware/images/geberit%2... The nice thing is, you can easily hoover and mop under the cistern very quickly, instead of dust gathering behind it like with a typical toilet. It's a simple, unassuming design too, does just the job and stays out of the way otherwise. Other details that I've noticed is every single door, inside and out, has that bevel/seal combination I mentioned, and not just in higher-end building like offices either but also regular apartments.
  - konradb 10y ago
    Yes those are the toilets! I was amazed by them and found that the flush control clicks out and the access to the cistern is behind it, and that's why typically the flush button is so large, because you just tile the whole cistern into the wall and mount the toilet to it. Interesting design. I've read that it isn't without its problems and has to be installed quite carefully. But it seems very widespread in Germany. The doors - yes. With beautiful solidity. I had a look and possibly Grauthoff is a name of one manufacturer. When I was last in Berlin I kept looking for labels or manufacturer marks but I couldn't find any. I daresay someone in construction in Germany would immediately know.
mahyarm 10y ago
Germany can also get away with more solid wall materials due to a relative lack of earthquakes I think. I could be totally wrong.

konradb 10y ago

Yes those Huf Häuser are amazing. I found that there were suppliers of the doors in the UK but I haven't looked further afield. The windows (opening two different directions) are also similarly impressive though much more widespread. I spend half my time in Germany trying to look out for these things and marvelling at them.

patrickk 10y ago
Now that you mention it, I have one of those "floating" toilets, very similar to this one, including the recessed flush button, except in grey: http://www.decraplastics.co.uk/sanitaryware/images/geberit%20Dukt.jpg http://www.decraplastics.co.uk/sanitaryware/images/geberit%2... The nice thing is, you can easily hoover and mop under the cistern very quickly, instead of dust gathering behind it like with a typical toilet. It's a simple, unassuming design too, does just the job and stays out of the way otherwise. Other details that I've noticed is every single door, inside and out, has that bevel/seal combination I mentioned, and not just in higher-end building like offices either but also regular apartments.
- konradb 10y ago
  Yes those are the toilets! I was amazed by them and found that the flush control clicks out and the access to the cistern is behind it, and that's why typically the flush button is so large, because you just tile the whole cistern into the wall and mount the toilet to it. Interesting design. I've read that it isn't without its problems and has to be installed quite carefully. But it seems very widespread in Germany. The doors - yes. With beautiful solidity. I had a look and possibly Grauthoff is a name of one manufacturer. When I was last in Berlin I kept looking for labels or manufacturer marks but I couldn't find any. I daresay someone in construction in Germany would immediately know.

mahyarm 10y ago

Germany can also get away with more solid wall materials due to a relative lack of earthquakes I think. I could be totally wrong.