Should I Venture into the Houzz?

8 years ago

This olde man's dream is to have a new home. It would require planning and my DD may help us with some of that. She is beginning to have a financial employment resume I'm not sure anyone expected when she graduated in 2010 with a social science degree (insert smiley with rolling eyes :o).

How about the physical realities? Is there a good resource for plans here at Houzz?

I live in a home that was built in 1901. Honestly, the layout of the home isn't far from my ideal. Even the size is okay, although we are squeezed in some ways and that is no advantage to living here. The biggest drawback is simply the age of the building.

It might actually be possible to leave the basement in place and rebuild over it, although I doubt it. The problem there is the narrowness.

Something I like about this home's floor plan is the central location of the utilities. We have made improvements, including some interior remodeling about 4 years ago. Those changes didn't go far enough. Tinkering around the edges doesn't address the core reason most people feel the need to remodel, redoing the kitchen and, perhaps, the bathroom and utility room.

These three rooms are central in this home. I like that but tinkering around the edges doesn't get to this area and very big job. That's why I'm thinking about either selling this home or having it rebuilt, either from the ground up or the foundation up.

Yes, a different floor plan would require moving some walls, both interior and exterior. It's easy for me to conceive of a floor plan, mentally. How would I share that with a contractor? I've done some looking at floor plans online. The closest to what I'm thinking of can be found in some apartments. I don't think you can just say, "I want it like that but twice the size."

One thing I'd like to see is a home where future owners, wanting future remodeling, don't have such monumental tasks!

Steve

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Comments (5)

digit (ID/WA, border)
Original Author
8 years ago
There seems to be some downloadable program called "SketchUp" which can be used for floor plans. After looking at innumerable Houzz posts, that was what I found suggested. Better Homes & Gardens also has something but it may just be an interior decorating program. I've grown cautious about downloading programs.

I did luck onto a floor plan that goes a long way towards what I'm thinking about. Many hours were spent looking ...

It's a small house and, I think, too small for a 3 bedroom. I'd like to turn a few things around and don't feel any need for a 3 bedroom. Maybe if walls can be left out ... perhaps, all this will require the help of an architect even just to initiate a conversation. I suppose that I should be contacting an old friend in that line.

Here is the floor plan and you can see the central location of the kitchen, utility room, and bathrooms:

Simple, huh? Well, if I could just figure out have to have more room for dining while leaving out Bedroom 3, maybe the plan would be a reasonable one.

Steve
ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
8 years ago
My wife uses Sketchup, and Revit, and Cad. If you want to make the trek down to Denver... hey, it's not like there's a lot of gardening to do right now (your greenhouse greens notwithstanding.)
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digit (ID/WA, border)
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks Zach , オ

ت My olde college roommate worked in architecture for years, then decided he should go back to school to learn CAD, I guess it was. He stayed around for a 2nd degree in computer science, working part-time as a radio DJ.

He never went back to the drawing board! ... he must have been a disc jockey for about 15 years now and I wonder if he is ever gonna retire. I guess he is staying in the "university cities" whether he does or not. That probably isn't a bad thing ...

Something I'm curious about is what can be found on Houzz but ... I haven't found it. Exterior photos, sometimes by pros selling their services, interior designers ... I'm not quite sure where I'd go for just people wrangling with putting together a plan so that I could see if it's doable. One thing, it's gotta have appeal to DW from the get go. She, "Loves our little house!" That is sure better than hating to live here but puts a higher bar up for alternative plans.

Since the floor plan above is so similar to our present little house, I was able to kinda wave my arms around yesterday to "mansplain" how things could be fresh and improved.

Steve
david52 Zone 6
8 years ago
I have friends who are perpetual remodlers - its sort of what they do in life - the wife redesigns, the hubby does all the work. They never finish.I dunno - my own experience, round 3 in 20 years not yet completed is in replacing the floors which badly needed it, ,$6,000 and counting we're doing all the work, or more accurately, son is doing all the work, holds true to the old addage that it will take 4 times as long and cost 4 x as much as you planned. It is also extraordinarily stressful. Particularly given the entirely reasonable alternative of hammock in garden summer/warm stove recliner in winter.

Why yes, he's lazy. :)
digit (ID/WA, border)
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I'm all for that, David! In fact, I'm wondering if we could just give up all the gardening - maybe plant a cover crop, everywhere - wander off to a nice summer rental cabin, and come back after about 5 months. Come back to a finished new home, that is!

Ya know, what I almost imagine is a home where those rooms, bathroom/kitchen, could just be cut loose and dropped into the basement. Pounded down and buried ..!

I mean, why can't remodeling be simpler? Here's my idea: those rooms are essentially fixtures and cabinets. Why not swap out those along with the floor and ceiling (even the walls) and just allow the cabinet makers and plumbers to replace them? Maybe even build the unit somewhere else.

Okay, swap it out through a wall and forget that burying in the basement idea ...

Steve

Should I Venture into the Houzz?

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digit (ID/WA, border)
Original Author

ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado

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Should I Venture into the Houzz?

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digit (ID/WA, border)Original Author

ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado

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