Please review my house plans!

14 years ago

We are in the final stages of designing our house and I am ready for imput...I think. We are a family with 3 young boys (4 and under) and will be located on several acres. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: house plans

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Comments (28)

dekeoboe
14 years ago
Quick question - which way to your washers and dryers go? My set needs the washer on the left.
jimandanne_mi
14 years ago
Seems like a storm room should be more quickly and easily accessible from the rest of the house. But I don't really know how much time you have before a big one hits!

Anne
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Didn't we see a previous version of this drawing some weeks ago? If I'm remembering correctly, this is a big improvement over that first attempt. I have no problem with the master bedroom opening off the front entryway. It's a relatively common thing here. If you don't want guests to see into your bedroom, you close the door, and you have just a plain old entry hall. I'd leave this "as is". I would open up a door between the study and the kitchen. This would allow any future owners to use it as a dining room, if they choose. Also, if you're coming home from work with materials or a project of some sort, it'd allow you to walk straight into the study rather than walking around the staircase. I would, however, include a door -- even if it's just a pocket door. You probably want acoustical separation from the open-floor plan part of the house. I think the powder room location is bad. And the mudroom /laundry are inconvenient. You're going to have to tote laundry baskets through the entry hall, through the great room, through the kitchen, through the mudroom . . . sure, you can do it, but when you have complete control of the design, why should you? Exterior doors are expensive (and every door is a potential security problem). Do you really need one in BOTH the great room AND the dining room? They're only steps apart from one another. Personally, I'd go with windows in the great room (makes furniture placement easier) and keep the door in the dining room.
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Some of my questions were to clarify what kind of wiggle room you have as people are suggesting many possibly time and money consuming changes. The budget question was because if you have the designer redraw this plan too extensively or choose another plan to be redrawn, you might be incurring major expenses. Many people have such a tight budget that they can afford very few changes. Others may not have budgeted for major changes, but have the funds available if they decide the changes are worth it. That, of course, assumes that you've allowed 20% for unexpected expenses, and X% for the "While we're at it" items! The questions about work are because I'm thinking of where the kids will be, and where you or your wife might be at various times of the day with them relative to the rooms you presently have planned. When you don't have kids yet, this can be hard to do! Kids take LOTS of time and attention! If the kitchen and dining room stay in their present locations, and the great room is vaulted, I don't see how you'd have enough space upstairs that would be useful for much other than storage with the existing roof. Some more things to maybe think about based on my experiences: --My kids in ranch condo with similar layout to your house plan--Boy 8 and girl 3 shared BR2 until boy was 10 and ready to move to lower level BR. Their toys and the TV were in the downstairs family room. Kids get into arguments about both TV programs and toys. That means one parent needs to be down with them a lot of the time--almost all of the time when they're younger than mine were. That means spouse gets to prep meals alone upstairs, miss out on being with the rest of the family, etc. I had work that I had to do at home in the evening, and I couldn't concentrate with the TV on. That means I had to do it upstairs, thus missing out on being with my family. If the office is on the same floor as where the kids will be, you could be in there with the door shut, but be close by if you hear problems developing. But don't plan on being able to get a lot of work done when kids, especially young ones are around. One difference with your plan and ours--we had a breakfast nook where your laundry/powder room/etc. are, and the garage/mudroom/laundry were where the entry/study are in your plan. If you made that one change, you could have what was our breakfast room be an upstairs play area during the time meals are being prepared while your children are young--make it with kid proof materials, with toy storage for when you have company. --3 grandkids and daughter in 1-1/2 story with walkout lower level. When I designed our retirement home, I tried to plan for every eventuality. It was meant to be a 3-generation home, since my husband has a medical condition and both children said they'd come back and live with us if we needed help. It never occurred to me that my daughter would get divorced with 3 young children (1, 3, & 5-1/2 at the time) and ask to live with us. So, here we are! The office that presently has our computer is on the 2nd floor, as are the kids' BR and my daughter's. This comes in handy if she has a night class, or goes out for groceries, or is in the lower level, etc. If one of us is using the computer, and one of the kids wakes up (which can happen a lot when they're young), we can hear them right away and comfort them. I purposely located the stairs so that they come down near the master BR on the 1st floor. Occasionally, if DD is out of town for a conference, across the street at a friend's, out on a date, etc. and DH and I are reading in the MBR before we go to sleep, or are sleeping, if one of the kids wakes up and comes looking for Mommy, we hear them before they are halfway down the stairs. We have a full galley kitchen in our lower level and an eating area, so DD fixes their meals down there. You could do the same by adding to your wet bar and prepping some meals down there. The TV, their computer, and most of their toys are down there also, so she is with them almost all of the time. The guest room/my office is down there also, but she puts their clothes there to make getting ready in the morning easier, so I'm presently using the DR/library on "our" floor. DH has his workshop in the lower level, and we also have an exercise room down there. So, just some more food for thought. Knowing what I know now, if I had your plan and was wedded to the style and roof design and could make some changes to the floor plan, I'd definitely put at least 2 BRs and a bath on the second floor. I'd flip the stairs and the front entry, and move the garage/laundry/mudroom to the study side (if possible), and use some of the square footage that seems like it is superfluous (in the rooms I mentioned in my previous post) to put a nook/playroom next to the kitchen. BTW, the hall between the MBR and BR2 was not a problem for me. Fit a SunTunnel or Solatube over the hall and some pictures on the wall between the bath and closet, and it will be fine! Anne
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It looks fine. However, you've lost some of the important features of the plan I proposed, not that I'm surprised or offended. I still recommend increasing the length and width of the kitchen island and allowing 42" of clearance at the counters instead of 48" but that is just my personal preference although it has worked well in a lot of kitchens so far. I would use 48" only where an oven opens toward an island. I intentionally put the refrigerator out of the view of the living room and intended that corner to have wrap around windows above the sink. That requires a longer travel distance from the breakfast table to the refrigerator but a shorter distance from the dining table. I know it is easier to feed children in the immediate vicinity of the kitchen but you have invested in a formal dining room and because I have raised three kids I can tell you that it will serve your children well to eat there as often as possible when they are old enough to stay in a chair, you know, table manners, may I be excused, etc. It is one of the few times in their life when you can hold their attention face to face so it is really important to do it. When I built this plan before the family had no interest in a breakfast table; they always use the dining room but their kids are high school age. At any rate, the window at the sink should be a wider awning type window (operated with a crank) instead of the tiny double-hung shown on the elevation drawing which will be more difficult, even dangerous, to lift open. I would get the stove out of the corner and allow more counter space between it and the sink. Unless you buy special cabinets that allow a stove to fit properly in this configuration it will result in awkward alignments of upper cabinets, lower cabinets, the stove, the hood. I've only seen it done well with high end cabinets. I wouldn't use bi-fold doors in a kitchen; they don't work well and get beat up fast. You'll probably have to replace them in a few years. Regarding windows, don't jamb a pair of windows together with those narrow little trim strips from the manufacturer; put two or three studs and sheathing between them so trim can be put there. The fake shutters are a waste of money because they add nothing to this kind house IMHO. The windows in upstairs bedrooms that are narrow in order to miss the roof below would be more attractive and functional if they were awning windows that match the size and placement of the upper sash of the double-hungs around the corner. Of course, this only works if there is another window that meets the emergency escape requirement. To me the 4 over 4 lights look inappropriate on full sized double hung windows unless they are only 24" wide. I would use 6 over 1 which saves the cost of one muntin per window and gives a nice horizontal visual element to the paired windows. At the back side windows I would at least add one vertical muntin to the upper sash. Sometimes cottage style windows (upper sash shorter than the lower sash) are slightly cheaper than equal size sash windows for the same opening dimensions (at least it's true for Andersen windows). I would add a window to the fake dormer. There should also be windows in the main roof gable ends. It might also look better if the front wall was continuous with the dormer wall and there was no pent-roof (that little roof eave/gutter that sticks out below the dormer. This is a tough detail to pull off and it appears that your designer doesn't have clue about how to do it. There's something overly restrained about the current gable dormer and it would not cost more to improve it but I do like the shingles. It's a bit odd that the shingles don't continue at the gable ends of the main roof. The upstairs toilet/tub room doors should open in to avoid injury at night and I would put the toilet on the wall that aligns with the study wall below to allow easier construction and better sound isolation from the dining room since that's the room where you are most likely to not want to hear a toilet flush when you have guests. If the ceiling height is 8 ft. then depending on the size of the second floor joists (10" instead of 12" I-joists) the stair might be able to have 14 instead of 15 risers which might help out the upper landing layout. But be careful about floor bounce upstairs. Make sure the plumbing stacks will fit in the first floor walls and allow room for insulation. That's not usually possible with 2x4 studs. Double drywall is also a good idea. I would try to avoid offsetting the center bearing wall at the first floor and would try to keep the symmetry of the central corridor. I've built a similar plan and it became so obvious that the center hall needed to be formal that the contractor persuaded the owner to add arched openings at each end. I don't usually like arched openings in an open plan house but it turned out that he was right.
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As an IP attorney, I'm going to chime in here with a link that anyone who is even THINKING about allowing their builder to redraw a copyrighted plan from off the so they can use it without a license should read... JeffinTx - This is not the kind of thing that most lay people would know about so I'm not knocking you. But your builder OUGHT TO have KNOWN better and it bothers me that he would have suggested this. You might want to ponder this question. If your builder is willing to steal the intellectual property of other to "save you a few dollars," what other kinds of corners will he cut in building your home to save HIMSELF money? Here is a link that might be useful: Million Dollar Verdicts! Why You Need to Know Who Owns the Copyright to the Construction Documents
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loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
that should read input instead of imput.
dekeoboe-good point. the washer will be on the left...that is what i'm used to.

jimandanne-true, but i believe the stairs are one of the stronger sturctures and we had a spot to access them. we really didn't have to have the storm shelter, but it just worked. it will probably be santa's closet:-)

what about the mudroom...should it be rearranged...i'm not sure i want that closet. do you think the friends entrance will look funny?
macv
14 years ago
Thanks for freepdfhosting.com Very useful.

Nice house too.

Here is a link that might be useful: free PDF hosting
nanny2a
14 years ago
Dryer doors nowadays can be hinged from either side, for location on right or left side of washer. It makes sense to have the washer as the first accessible appliance when entering the room, as shown on the plan.

The plan seems very well thought out and features many attractive elements. Bedrooms are well sized and allow for additional seating. Privacy entrance into the master bath is optimal. Location of fireplace on an interior wall, instead of exterior where it blocks the view, is good design.

And yes, you DO want a closet in the mudroom! Storage for outer wear should be located near an entrance, and this is the door that will be used most often, by family and friends.
stayn2busy
14 years ago
Very well thought out plan!! It will be a beautiful house. My only concern (personal choice) is unloading the dishwasher. It was important to me not to have to carry glasses/cups across the kitchen when unloading it. I can't wait to see the progress! Good Luck!
pps7
14 years ago
Great plan!!! I really like it!! Very well thought out and Efficient use of space and very functional.

A few little things...the powder room is kind of out of the way but I don't really have a geat suggestion as to where to put it.

You may want to switch your prep and clean up sinks.

Definately keep the mudroom closet. I would actually think wbout making the mudroom bigger. 3 boys means lots of backpack, sporting equipment and other stuff.

I don't see an office space anywhere. You can certainly put it in the master where the sitting area is.

If the terrace is covered, your living room will be pretty dark!
dekeoboe
14 years ago
nanny2a - Yes, most dryer doors can be changed. However, front load washer doors cannot and most of them have the hinges on the left. That being the case, it is easier to transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer if the washer is on the left and the dryer is on the right.
mommyto4boys
14 years ago
Very nice plans, very well thought and liveable for a family.

Just a few thoughts, you probably have thought of these too...

Plan on everyone using the mud room entrance. We have a similar set-up and ONE time a pizza delivery person used the front. EVERYONE else, much to my dismay uses the mudroom. I think they park at the driveway and go to the nearest entry door. I keep telling my husband I'm going to turn all the lights off, except the one by the front door and not answer the the bell at the mudroom. I'm just wondering if you could downplay that door/area unless you don't mind guest etc. using that door.

I like where the powder room is located, you'll use that as a family more than guest will use it. The boys can come in "dirty" from the mud room entrance and stay in that area while using the bathroom. We have a bath by the mudroom and it helps keep the rest of the house cleaner. We have 5 boys now:)

This is just a personal prefernce and I'm sure your fine with it, because you have it drawn out. I like a foyer to seperate the living space. Many don't, just personal preference. I like to answer the front door (that nobody uses, LOL) without someone "IN" my house.

Also, I too was wondering if you'll want a little built in desk or computer/homework area? The master definitely has room for that. With laptops, many just use it on the island, etc.

I do really like your plans and your family will sure to love making memoreis there.
loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
everyone has made my day by saying you like it! i was prepared for negatives.

i was concerned with the size of the mudroom. i know with 3 boys and sports it will be full! we already have that problem and they are so young. i was thinking i would put coats in their closets during the off season. in the winter they would hang them on the bench. by taking that closet out i could have more bench...

as for the dryer and washer-i plan on having front loading. i am also used to moving clothes from left to right, so i will swap the drawn location.

the kitchen is not really designed yet (ie cabinets and dishwasher). it shows 2 dishwashers on the island and my main sink on the island, but i was thinking swaping that too. main sink at the window and prep sink on the island. dishwasher by main sink and dish washer drawers by prep sink. i'll come back later to finish the design of the kitchen!

pps7-office space-there is a desk/calendar area in the mudroom. i was thinking about the area in the master too in the event we need a more grown-up office space, so to speak. the bath is out of the way, but it was by the front door and i thought that was too awkard and we wanted sweaty boys to be able to access it quickly:-)

mommyto4boys-5 boys! wow, what a blessing! we don't mind people using the mudroom entrance. hopefully it won't be too messy! do you think we need more bench space in there? will each boy need his own bench? i would love to make it bigger (the mudroom), but i think we will be doing good to get this built! can't wait for estimates!!!

will i regret having the toyroom upstairs? i did that more for when they are teens. everyone can gather at our house and i don't have to worry about them at other people's houses:-) but at the same time i don't want them to disappear up there...

thanks everyone!!!

Thanks everyone!
mommyto4boys
14 years ago
Hi, I just checked out our mudroom and we have cubbies for each of us (actually the 2 little ones share)in a very long hallway. Each "unit" is 2 feet wide. From the floor up we have for each, shoe cubbies, a drawer, then the bench, above that the open "locker" part with 3 hooks for coats, backpacks, etc, then a cabinet above that opens upward towards the ceiling (each of these has an electric plug-in for charging cell phones etc), then finally above that is an open area that houses a basket (for gloves hats, etc). It is aqmaqzing how many things fit there and how it keeps us neat. I think 2 feet wide per "cubby/locker is perfect. Do you and your dh plan on having a space too?

One idea I had for your plans is to swap the mudroom lockers/cubbies on your wall now that has the closet & desk. It would be just one nice row (like mine). Then I would squeeze a little desk in the corner by the window. Then put the closet on the other side of the door. Or if you don't need the closet, I would do another built in with more cubbies, hooks, shelves, etc.
loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
I'll look at swapping the benches and desk, that might be a great idea.

pps7-I forgot to add that the terrace is not covered. I love a bright living room! I wonder if I will miss a covered back porch, but cannot give up the light for it. The front porch will work for a covered area. Wanting light is also the main reason for having the fireplace on an interrior wall. We have it on an exterior wall now and it blocks all views.
mommyto4boys
14 years ago
just love your plans...

One more thought, if you bump out your back hallway into the garage (close to the gargae door) & line it up with your mudroom wall...you could use that entire wall for benches, lockers, cubby, built-ins. That is more like what we have and we love it. It would give you probably 9 extra feet of storage in that area. Unless you want that storage in the gagrage. Toss up, but I would probaly use it in the house:) DH, perhaps not!
loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
ohhh, good idea....
gobruno
14 years ago
I like your house plans as well. I like the suggestion to bump out the back hallway into the garage and use the entire wall as part of your mud room. Since you have the land, I'd then just bump out the garage some more on the other side to compensate for the lack of space. I don't know if you plan to have outside storage somewhere else, but I would highly recommend adding lots of extra storage in your garage or making a 3 car garage. We have 3 boys (soon to be 4--ever notice how many people on this board have a ton of boys? I wonder what the connection is....), and it's amazing how much outside junk they generate. Between their bikes, scooters, ride on toys, sports equipment, etc., and all the things we put in the garage--gardening equipment, lawn mower, etc., we are constantly tripping over things. My goal is to never have anything lined up on the side walls of the garage. It drives me crazy to have to open my car door and constantly watch out for bikes or whatever might have been parked along those walls.

Also, small door placement preference, but I'd move the door to Bedroom 3 all the way to the right. That way, you could bump out the wall for bathroom 2 into the hallway space about 3 feet, and that door won't then bump into the linen closet door in the closet. You might even be able to move the linen closet to be on the same wall as the door to Bath 2 and make the vanity longer. I just think it would be more efficient use of hall space.
Also, since you mentioned that you like light, I'd put in skylights in baths 2 & 3. I personally don't like windowless bathrooms.
It's a very nice and efficient floorplan overall. Can't wait to see the progress. Good luck!
pps7
14 years ago
I don't think you will regret the toyroom. You can use it now as a playroom and later when the boys are bigger, you can put a pool talble/desks and use it as a rec room.
gordongirl
14 years ago
I think your plans are wonderful. You did a great job. I like that your kitchen has an island with seats, but you made sure you have plenty of room to move through the room. You were thoughtful about the view into each bathroom-- I hate it when you open the door and the first thing you see is "the throne". In your plan you took care of that. Your rooflines are clean, and the house not only works well on the inside, it looks like a beautiful home from the outside. I wish more homes today were so well thought out and beautiful.
loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone. We had a great designer. We told him what we wanted, had a few changes and I guess we are about done. I'll talk to him and hubby about adding the extra room to the mud area and moving the door on the bedroom upstairs. I wish we could add an extra bay to the garage, and I'll check on it, but I'm afraid we might have to cut some room out of what we have now...I hope not, but maybe..

Now for finishing the kitchen, getting bids and getting started!
shelly_k
14 years ago
Loucie -- I love your plans! Very well done! I can't think of anything really that I would change other than the small things others have discussed. Good luck!!
pps7
14 years ago
Another thought is where are the guest coats going to go? And the vacuum and utility items?

Your foyer is very wide, you could be a closet on either end for a bit more storage.

When you walk from the mudrrom into the kitchen, you walk into the island and kind of have to go around that.

If you can't add an extra bay, then maybe bump out the garage 5' for storage. My SIL did that and she keeps bikes, scooters, lawn care material and also has storage shelves in there.
nanny2a
14 years ago
You've already gotten some great tips about the mudroom and storage, so I won't confuse that issue. I just wanted to say again that I think your plan shows great functional areas and seems well designed for your needs. I wanted to add, that from personal experience, the upstairs play-room will be a success. We raised four children in the home that I designed 20 years ago. Our upstairs play-room turned into an upstairs "teenager's hangout and TV room" that us parents really benefited from. My sons and daughter were able to have friends visit during the day, or evenings, and there was always a safe place for them to congregate and have a good time. They were here at the house, but not right underneath our noses, so to speak, like they would have been if the room were on the same floor. This afforded them a little bit of privacy, but because the stairs from this room lead directly down into my kitchen, I was always able to hear what was going on.....it was a great set up.

Although your set up is a bit different, the function is the same. I think you'll find that this is a great family plan and I hope you'll enjoy many years in it!
macv
14 years ago
The skill of your designer is quite evident in the drawings.
marthaelena
14 years ago
This is not fun. Nothing bad to say about your plans! :)

The only thing that I have a comment -and this is only a personal preference- and actually is not my preference since I am not a TV person but my DH is: the fact of watching the TV on "a skew" in the master (while on the bed)
There is a solution, if you are a TV person.
chispa
14 years ago
Bedrooms 2 & 4 might benefit from an additional window on the outside side walls.
loucie
Original Author
14 years ago
we could put a closet in the front foyer... we actually had one there and took it out, then it was back and out again! i was thinking i would put a hall tree in the foyer for guests, or the could use a hook in the mudroom.

i want a central vaccum so that is why i wasn't worried about space for that. should i have told the designer i wanted a central vaccum? i really don't know anything about that other than everyone on here loves their's.

i think we will try to add some room to the garage. husband was all for that:-)

windows in the top bedrooms...i will check into that as well.

we aren't tv people right now. we don't even have cable or satellite, and never have...although i have been wanting to watch hgtv lately!

does anyone have suggestions for finding appliances, faucets, etc. online for discounts?
alabamanicole
14 years ago
I agree that the storm room location is unfortunate, but without any other options, under the stairs is the best place for it and you can reinforce the room.

However, since you are building the house from scratch anyway, have you considered placing the storm room under your garage slab? You'd need to enlarge the garage for access, and it is another less than ideal place -- but if you are in a tornado prone area it is a much safer option. It doesn't need to be finished space.

And I agree -- the garage is too small unless there's a separate workshop in the plans somewhere on your acreage.
athensmomof3
14 years ago
I have 3 boys too but my oldest is 9 . . . they are a blast!

Your house looks very well planned out and the only comment I have that has not already been discussed is maybe your island is too long? I don't know but it looks like you will walk into the kitchen from your back hall and have to walk around your island?

Maybe take masking tape and put it on your floor to simulate your kitchen plan and be sure it flows - I am very visual so I have to do things like that!

I also agree the garage needs to be bigger :) A 3 car or 2 1/2 car or at least an extra 5 feet all around for the stuff boys generate! We have a battery operated jeep, 4 bikes, 2 scooters, a green machine, two big wheels, 3 skateboards, and every baseball, golf or tennis item known to man in our garage. Can barely get one car in!

And you won't regret the playroom at all - boys are loud and noisy and it is nice to have a place they can play that is not in the den with you! My youngest is 4 and he is not too loud yet but the other two - yowza~
macv
14 years ago
I would be hesitant to allow the brick at the foundation to be proud of the siding above. I realize that would lower the height of the brick but the trade off is well worth it.

The current design not only results in a difficult waterproofing detail but IMHO it doesn't look right on a building so faithful to history. It is basically a modern subdivision idea, no offense intended to your excellent designer. If it is done well it will require a special shape brick and a substantial water table so it will be expensive.

Pushing the brick back flush with the sheathing is much simpler cheaper and better looking solution.

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