Make sure you get a dust pan intake, and locate it someplace other than under the toe kick. I wish I had put it behind the door in the kitchen. Instead, it is located under the toe kick and is a pain to use. I asked to have it behind the door, but the installer assured me that I would get used to it under the toe kick. I have a vacu flo system. Plan where you will keep the hose and attachments. Get an extra hose for the upstairs so you are not lugging the hose and attachments up and down the stairs. I don't like the vacuum head with the vacuflo system and am thinking of getting a power head. If you have a large area that isn't carpeted get the commercial size hardwood attachment as it makes clean up of those surfaces a breeze. Make sure you are present when they mark the spots for the intake valves as you want to make sure, A) you have enough, and B) that they aren't in the way of furniture.

Thanks Lucypwd, all very good suggestions.

It's all about air watts. you need enough - more really - to power the dirt through the tubing. The size of your house and the pipe layout will determine a starting point.

Beam / Electrolux is as good a mass market offering as any.

Drainvac makes quality units that no one has heard of in the U.S.

We have the vac dust pan under our toekick in the kitchen, not too much of a bother, but it does get stepped and on turned on from time to time. We also have on at the garage door, our cat has her litter box there as well, so it's also handy to have another dust pan there as well.

As for vac outlets, make sure that there is a plug nearby (within a few inches) to plug in the power head; we had one house that the plug was stretched across a walkway.

Do yourself a favor and go over to the Building A Home Forum and search for Hide-a-Hose & Central Vacs. Have you heard of Hide-A-Hose (HaH)? IÂm going to install one and canÂt wait! VacuFlo is probably considered the best, but if you are the DIY type, head over to CentralVacuumStores.com. They are *very* helpful and have everything you need. We will probably be going with their Imperium Unit  rated just as high as VacuFlo, but a bit less money.

Jeri, took your advice and checked Building Home Forum...my 20 year old central vac just up and quit so needed to replace it...everyone seemed to like the Vacuflo...I had never heard of it but found one dealer here who sold them...hubbie went and bought it and installed it...it is so much quieter than my old one and so much more powerful!! I even thought I may have to replace my beater bar but this machine had so much power the beater bar was working like new...With 3 Newfoundland dogs we have lots of hair floating around...am so pleased with this unit!!...thanks for the suggestion!!