Custom floor plan vs. customizing a stock plan
liv2tell
9 years ago
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A Lleux
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Please help critique my top floor plans for custom build.
Comments (35)Jessica P, we are building your third house plan's bigger sister: https://www.architecturaldesigns.com/house-plans/country-home-plan-with-marvelous-porches-4122wm We felt that the extra 300 sq ft to make the room sizes slighty larger was worth the minimal cost increase, which is why we choose the larger plan. It has better size bedrooms, and a larger kitchen and living area. With this open floor plan, remember you need room for pathways between rooms which takes up usable space, and makes the dining room/living room become smaller. One major criticism of this house is the covered porches, however this was a selling point to me. We spend so much time outside, that we felt it was okay to lose some natural light for awesome outdoor spaces. If you have any questions about this plan, let me know!!...See MoreSemi-Custom Floor Plan Review for Disabled Veteran
Comments (23)I am a CAPS Designer, and I have some concerns about your home plan. The first concern is translating a stock plan to a non stock site. The approach to the home, both the front door and the garage entrance, need to be assessed for elevation changes. That is a BIG issue when a home is not designed for the site on which it is built. This is where your architect or home designer needs the site plan showing the elevation changes, and then shows you how that will be handled regarding entry into the home. Ramps take up a lot of space because of the required rise and run. 1” per 1’. If there is 14” of elevation difference between your garage floor and interior surface, that needs a 17’x 9’ section just by itself, for the needed ramps, switchback platforms, and landings. That takes up an entire garage bay, and that is if it’s a traditional two steps into the home. There are platform lifts that take up less space, but they also need to be space planned into the home’s electrical etc. Getting into your own home, out of the weather, and with zero to minimal assistance is what creating a home that fosters independent living is all about. Your home should also accommodate visits from any friends and family who may also have mobility issues that could be more restrictive. That means assessing the front entrance as well. For the master bath, tall vanities are contra indicated. You need one at which you can be seated, with knee space, and scald protection. Since you are not seated full time, a split vanity with a taller one for your standing height, and the shorter one for a seated position are probably your best bet for varied abilities. The current plan with the toilet area has no room for a caregiver to assist. The shower is less than ideal as well. The entire master needs to be reworked. Definitely plan for a bidet toilet seat, plus room for an aide if needed. That clearance can overlap your shower area, and the clearance to turn with a chair as well. Combining needed clearances is how to keep the bath from becoming overly large, and still appear spacious and comfortable. Your closet should utilize the pull down double hung hardware available from many sources. I like Hafele. You need the 5x5 turning space in the middle as well, and a proper tall height mirror for seeing yourself standing and seated. Plan for blocking in all of your walls now, for potential grab bars if they are needed at a later time. Wet areas should have them now. They need not be unattractive and institutional. Many are available that look like towel bars and serve as that function. I’ve used them on ends of islands for those who may be just a bit unsteady, and they make great spots for kitchen towels. There are many ways to plan an accessible kitchen, depending on how you use your kitchen. If you cook, rather than your caregiver cooking, there are significant changes that need to be made to accommodate that activity, and I’d be happy to gone to more detail if you need. If you do not cook, and don’t plan to try, then a few smaller changes will allow you to be comfortably in the kitchen with the cook and your family. Widening the hallways has the unfortunate ramifications of taking space away from the already small rooms. I would suggest using the second floor space for the caretaker, as that would be much more private for them, and allow for better space distribution of the downstairs space to family space only. You could have less cramped rooms, and a better plan for everyone. I also have concerns about the designer that you are working with, and the obvious lack of experience in creating accessible space. I would suggest that they obtain the free Home Fit Guides packet from the AARP, as it is one of the best free resources on the market about creating an accessible home. https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/info-2014/home-fit-resources-worksheets.html I’m concerned that your project may be moving faster than your design. That is a precarious and expensive issue, because it results in change orders. I’d suggest that you involve better and more local assets in the design process. There should be CAPS individuals there, and your Occupational Therapist should absolutely be on your design team. Good luck, and thank you for your service. Slow down to go fast. Get it right the first time....See MoreHelp with corner-lot, custom home floor plans
Comments (72)cp and bpath—thanks so much. I definitely see your points. Now I’m wondering about stretching the whole house to the left to be in line with the butler’s pantry as currently constructed, then moving the garage storage to the other side. I like what you did with the master suite, cp, though the asymmetry introduced into the left and right sides as a result of the smaller study may be getting close to the uncanny valley. I definitely see where you’re going, though. I need to think on the kitchen. The layout bp suggested is almost exactly what we have in our current home, except we have a U-shaped kitchen. The oven in our current house is where the fridge is in this design, and the fridge in the current house is on a wall where the breakfast nook is in this design. And I still don’t love walking into the breakfast nook. It needs to move. The “dog yard” is just shorthand for a separate area apart from the back yard. It will be kept clean and ununappetizing. And in re the three eating areas: yes, we use all three regularly. We host extended family (10+ people) dinner once per week (need: large dining room), have nightly dinner with the children every night (need: breakfast nook), and the kids eat at the countertop bar every morning (need: countertop bar). The formal dining is too big and formal (rugs don’t mix well with messy small offspring) for nightly dinner. The countertop bar is where the kids interact with us while they eat and we unload dishes, make lunches, etc. Could we conform to just two eating areas? Sure. But that feels like the tail wagging the dog....See MoreFloor Plan Review for Custom Home
Comments (1)When remodeling there is a myriad of existing conditions that influence the design decisions of the addition and remodeling. Without knowledge of those existing conditions, and other information, it is difficult to evaluate such a plan. If you are questioning the design you have been provided, it may be best to hire a local professional to review the design....See Moredivine_serenity_gw
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