I have FINAL plans!

11 years ago

well, after looking at over 1000 houseplans online, going through 3 architects, and designing this thing for 2+ years - we finally have finished blueprints in our hands!!

It's definitely not perfect, but honestly I am just done. I am the type of person who over thinks everything and I just cannot do anymore or I will NEVER get this thing built!

Let me know your thoughts - but please don't be too harsh as I can't go back and change anything major at this point! We have a very tight budget and dh is acting as our gc/builder and we are diying much of this ourselves. So with that in mind, I think this is as close to my dream home as I'm going to get for now :) I want to thank you ALL for helping me so much during this long road. I know we're just getting started, but at least I'm much further than I was at this point last year!

hopefully you guys can see these pics...
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Comments (13)

carp123
11 years ago
wow!! looks beautiful!! is that cedar shake? I think that 2+ years paid off! How many sq ft is it?
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PRO
Window Accents by Vanessa Downs
11 years ago
I think its great! You must be thrilled to be done with the planning stage and getting ready to move to the building stage. Bless your husband for the job he's about to undertake. That's a large home and he's gonna be one busy man for a while! Congrats!
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Marti- Snow is pretty, especially around Christmas...but I'm ready for spring! LOL EAT- Thank you! I'm glad you like the pictures and I really want to use the blue cabinets/black formica somewhere...probably in the laundry/utility area. So...of course, I have a change...but it's because I couldn't find my measurements and there was too much snow and mud to check, before now. Somehow, I was completely off, on the well location. I was sure it was further from the farmhouse, leaving enough room for a carefully constructed porch or even master bath. Then, I went to look the other day...and the well is much closer than I remembered! And, there are water pipes (obviously) from the well to the house...so better to NOT be digging around that right, back corner. With that in mind...we discussed the plan and also talked about whether we want a bigger master suite...and if we need to have some of the business 'stuff' at the house. It's great to have the main business where we are now (next door) but we should have some phones, computers, access at the farmhouse. So...this is what I've come up with...forgive the messy appearance, but it's a few of Summerfield's plans (which are very nice) and my cut, tape (and after running out of tape) glue stick (LOL) attempt at a new floor plan. Let me know what you think. I know it's a bit bigger, but I LOVE the laundry/utility room and the screened deck is for the hot tub...accessed from the master bedroom and the mudroom. The greenhouse has moved (not shown) to the front of the detached garage, off to the left. The garage will also block the wind (and provide some privacy, from our only neighbor) when using the hot tub. The greenhouse/conservatory picture I posted above (with the green trim) is wonderful and I want to do something similar on the front of the garage...facing southeast. Then, we can have the garden, outside those french doors, which would be overlooked by the sunporch (off the kitchen) too. Oh, and the woodstove in the bedroom, will be great if the power goes out and will keep the pipes warmer in the bathrooms and the utility room! You have to make allowances for these long winters...and all the snow :) From Fairy tale cottage This is what we're picturing, for the bedroom, but without the loveseat. From Fairy tale cottage
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I hope I wasn't the one who created the "fireworks". I am just talking from experience having dealt with literally thousands of GC's over the years. I would love to be able to dispel the myth that a GC and an architect who work closely together is somehow not a good thing. I would say that either an architect or a GC that does not have at least one of the other that they have a close working relationship with are the ones you want to avoid. There is usually a reason for that. Just as a GC who doesn't have good, close relationships with their subs is a sure sign to run, not walk away from them. Another thing to consider is that you have already invested in the services of an architect and you do not want someone who is going to "redesign" the project from the foundation up. Building and remodeling a home is stressful enough without a GC who lets you know you made a "bad decision" by hiring an architect and reiterating that "fact" at every phase of the project. 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If a GC doesn't want you talking to their subs say thankyouverymuch, take your plans and move to the next. As you narrow your choices down go check to see if there are any subcontractor liens on any of the homes they've done. Some areas it's just a phone call away but others you may have to physically go and check yourself. You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't know they have liens on their homes until they try to sell it, refinance or what-have-you. You can also eliminate some of the rif-raf by asking for a deposit while they have your plans especially if they are the actual construction documents and not just a bid set. You should not be looking to save money on the initial bid. You should be reasonable in specifying what you want and making sure that everyone is on the same page. 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While you want to be certain your GC is financially stable the ones who are will usually insist on reasonable schedule where they will be getting paid on the completion of each phase, foundation, framing, elec, plumb, etc... some trades have different phases where they are involved during the rough framing and then disappear until the finishes are being installed. Separate them out and pay them in full for the phase successfully completed and all materials that a physically on your site keeping in mind that some things are manufactured to order and you may have to pay for some things in advance if you want them to be available when you need them. Wether your bank requires it or not get your own original copy of a lien waiver from every sub upon payment. 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mrspete
11 years ago
I'm interested in your kitchen/pantry. You seem to share my philosophy: Keep the (expensive) kitchen relatively small, but have a giant (inexpensive, can be messy) pantry nearby to store . . . well, everything.

Is that a pass-through from the pantry to the screened porch? You can't grill on the screened porch, but is that to become a sideboard for serving food?
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laurensmom21
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks everyone! the house is right around 3500 sqft not including the basement, bonus rm, or screened porch.

carp - yes, it was originally supposed to be cedar shake but we have realized that cedar is just too much $$ (not to mention, not easily diyed) so we are considering hardi shake or cedar impressions vinyl shake. I really really do not want vinyl shake but I have driven by some in my area and it doesn't look too bad. It's probably going to be one of those things that I have to live with in order to get everything else I want.

downsy - yes, I am VERY blessed to have such a handy hubby! Now we just have to figure out time-wise what is smart for him to do and what is better to sub out. He has a full time 9-6 job now that he didn't have when we built our current house so he won't have as much free time to spend on the build... so nights & weekends will be very busy around here.

mrspete - thank you! yes, I just love the pantry area. I'm thinking of it more like a scullery/stash everything space. And yes, that's a 6ft wide gliding window with a counter out to the screen porch. I thought I could use it as a buffet/serving area when we have parties on the porch. We will pretty much live on the porch in the summer so I think it will be pretty handy.

here's some inspiration pics for the kitchen layout & pantry.
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gaonmymind
11 years ago
Love it! My favorite is the craft room and the pantry.
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ILoveRed
11 years ago
Laurensmom--so glad you posted this.

I love it. The layout is wonderful and the exterior is so pretty.

There is a beautiful house near ours on the Lake which is an hour South of you that house vinyl shake. It is surprisingly realistic. I will get a picture for you.

Sometime ago everyone here that used fiber cement shake was using Nichiha (sp). Might want to check it out.
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pps7
11 years ago
I really like it-well done!

I only have a few comments. What do you imagine for the bonus space? Is there any way to access it from the rest of the second floor?

Right now, you have to walk through the family from the entry and master suite to get to the kitchen. I can't read the dimension but make sure you have a furniture plan as it relates to the fireplace that works for you. The fireplace is centered but the furniture will need to be shifted towards the top.

Will there be a prep sink on the island?

Our architect also drew a bump out on our garage like yours but we got rid of it bc we preferred a simpler elevation. If you are looking for a way to save some money :)

I don't know much about architecture, but the elevation is a bit tudorish too. You can go with a brick exterior and I think it will look great.

It's going to be a beautiful home! I can't wait to see it built.
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LuAnn_in_PA
11 years ago
I also wondered about the bonus room access.

LONG way from a bedroom to whatever is going on in there....
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Houseofsticks
11 years ago
So happy for you!!! It looks like it will serve your family wonderfully! Good Luck with the sweat equity:) Keep us posted in your progress.
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bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
11 years ago
Very nice! But there are a couple of things (mostly upstairs) upstairs that would bother me.

1) From the loft area, there is no access to a bathroom, without walking clear thru one of the bedrooms or making a long trip downstairs.

2) It is a very long journey from the central bedroom (the one that is over the craft room) to the toilet in the J&J bath that bedroom shares with the back bedroom. From the most probable location for a bed to the toilet, it looks like a distance of about 25 feet, thru three doorways and requiring several half turns. I would not want to navigate that journey in the middle of the night, particularly if I woke up feeling nauseous.

3) If/when you finish out the future bonus room, do you plan to add another powder room up there? If not, getting to a toilet from the bonus room will require a trip downstairs and thru the length of the mud hall.

4) There is no easy access from the upstairs bedrooms to the bonus room. So, the bonus room is NOT going to be a natural common "play area" for kids or teens because it is simply not convenient to the areas where they are likely to keep most of their "toys".

You MIGHT be able to solve some of the above issues (that is, if you agree that they are problems) by making the J&J bath a hall way bath.

And, downstairs, I'd probably want access from my craft room to the foyer...just because I imagine that that would be where I might spend significant time during the day when someone might come ringing the front door bell. I think it would be nice to be able to answer the door without having to make a long trek around. Might not be an issue at all for you tho.
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laurensmom21
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks for the feedback :)

to answer a few questions -

The bonus room will hopefully be my future art studio/mom cave. I'm envisioning a space I can escape to for some peace & quiet. Thus, the no access to the kiddos rooms upstairs :) Although, I have thought about putting a tiny access door between the bedroom closet & the bonus rm closet.

I would have loved to have a bath in the bonus rm but I already have 4.5 baths (plus another in the basement).

I have 2 girls (9 & 7) sharing the J&J bath upstairs. It's not a perfect bath set up but I think it will be sufficient (they each have space for a 6 ft sink/vanity area.

The family room is 18x18 and the tv will be in the built-in closest to the back wall/window seat.

the craft room is more of a laundry/home work/utility area. I will probably keep my sewing machine there + computers for the kiddos and washer/dryer.

kitchen appliance layout is yet to be determined, but I'm not very fond of prep sinks but that could change...
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arch123
11 years ago
Really like your house! Excited to see how it turns out. No formal Dinning Room YES! - I think with an open floor plan - the way to go. (Much better then a small kitchen eating, and small formal dinning area for eating. That's what we had in our last house and would not do it again.)
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lavender_lass
11 years ago
It's wonderful! I think the screened porch/garage area turned out very well...and the entire home plan is a very nice balance of beautiful and functional :)
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I have FINAL plans!

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