"I'm about to finalize my floor plan for a new construction house."

But what about elevations? On the floor plan the sizes are about impossible to read as well.

Question, are you working with an architect? The answer should be yes, and if it's not that needs to change.

The master closet/bath situation isn't ideal. Nor is having the dining room smack dab in a traffic path. Your pantry location is cutting the flow of your kitchen, and that sink will make sitting at that bar not fun.

The bedrooms also aren't ideal. That's a long hallway to get to them and guests don't need walk-in closets, it's a waste of space. I'd take space from the closets and inlarge that really skinny bathroom. You also don't really have a powder room, and that one bath by the great room could work but it's not very private so I can't image guests will enjoy using it.

Yes, I know... I was having trouble saving the pdf as an image... I finally gave up trying and did the best I could... the house is 64' wide by 65' deep at the widest and deepest. I haven't received the elevations just yet. I'm just eager to hear feedback about the layout form some of the people on this site. I think I'll probably change the WIC in the back guest bedrooms to smaller closets and make that back bathroom a little bigger, but otherwise, I think I'm nearly there...

Yes, I am working with a new home builder and this is a floor plan they have done many times. I requested that we move that back bedroom because it was along the back of the house, but I wanted to take advantage of my water views. It will also be our pool bathroom. I thought about moving it out to the patio along the west-wall of the house, which would create a lot more privacy for guests using the bathroom but doesn't create an easy access point from the great room. I didn't think I would need a powder room if I had 3 full bathrooms in the house. And I agree with you regarding the WICs. There isn't much storage in Florida since there are no basements, so I was thinking I'd use those guest room WICs for additional storage. But, they look more awkward than I had them dreamed up in my mind, so I think I will go back to the reach-in closets in the original plan and lengthen the skinny bathroom. I'm not sure I'll get much use out of making it any wider and widening it would take away from the guest room that will have a view of the water.

The only good thing about the sink in the island is that I can stare out my back windows while I'm rinsing dishes... again I'm betting a lot on that view.

Thanks!

-Jennifer

Your dining room is a big hallway. The great room, also, will waste a lot of space for circulation. The toilet by bedroom 3 has no privacy from the great room. Overall I would say it seems like the plan is trying to squeeze a square house into a narrow lot and would probably benefit from being skinnier and less rooms deep so all the spaces have light and room to breathe.

Bad design. Regretfully, that is my opinion. Please do not build this as you have it. Where are the elevations?

Just because a mistake is done many times doesn't not mean you should do it too. Sina is right, you should be working with an architect. Naf is right, that is a bad design.

Invest in an architect.

To comment on the kitchen, I am going to paraphrase a comment from the discussion "2017- The Year in 100 Quotes":

"Your [home builder] doesn’t cook. And he takes a bit of a sadistic delight in punishing those who do cook."

This is a typical Florida floor plan for planned communities. Versions of this layout/plan, from 1900 - 4000 sq.ft are all over FL. If one of the big production builder owns the lot, then you have no chance of making any changes.

If the lot is a one off and you can design your own house then it would be worth it to design for your own wants/needs and the water views/access.

The door interference will drive you crazy. The closet right off the garage entry to the laundry, the two master bedroom doors, the linen closet in the bath off the back bedroom. I agree with the general trend. You'd be well advised to talk to someone with an architectural clue.

There is a vast amount of empty space in the kitchen. I can't imagine the steps required to put a meal together. I'd call this a Fit Bit special.

I have to agree with the others. You can do a heck of a lot better for a floor plan on a narrow water lot. This is not it for all the reasons stated already.

Find yourself an architect who can create a plan that truly works for your lot. Where in Fl are you? I'm in SW Florida and have a friend who built on a narrow water lot and I can tell you their house plan is a heck of a lot better.

Have you considered building up and putting in an elevator?

If you'll live there alone, as a couple, why is your laundry room all the way across the house from your bedroom?

If you'll live there alone, as a couple, why is your laundry room all the way across the house from your bedroom?

and through the kitchen!

To grab a snack between loads.

Square floor plans are always deep, dark and without natural light in the interiors. On the exteriors, the roofs needed to cover such deep plans always make the exterior of the house very bulky and ill-proportioned. I could to into detail about major issues in the plan, but others, above, have already done so.

This is likely not what you hoped to see...but you can do much, much better than this, especially for a couple.

Good luck!

The kitchen is a crime. And you’re sentenced to 15 to life in it.

I think it's possible this plan was designed by a door salesman. Could you really need 7 doors (not including the slider to the outside) in the master bedroom?

With them all closed, is that hallway between the entry, bath, closets some sort of "Let's make a deal" nightmare? (What's behind door #3?)

I am curious to understand what about this plan is interesting to you? or how you envision using the home / spending time in the spaces? For example - the huge space in the middle of the kitchen, or the enhanced hallway / dining rom combination - it's just "weird" (fine architectural term)

It sounds like you have a really nice lot / neighborhood and have an opportunity to do something special and gracious. I worry that living in this plan could be very disappointing for such a dream location.

If I were you, I would listen to what people say here...There isn't any ill intent at all, but when I put myself in your position, A beautiful water front property, I would want the best that I could afford. And that means the best FOR ME and the way I live.

You're very fortunate. Please don't settle so that you can be in your house sooner. Aim for perfection on this lot.

ETA: Congratulations are owed you. You're very lucky!

In addition to the other issues, I don’t think I’d care for having my master bathroom be right at the front of the house near the entry. Or having the whole master suite be basically the first thing you come to enterting the house. I’d rather move the master to where the other bedrooms are, roughly, as that gives you more privacy for the most-used bedroom, and also places the extra bedrooms where they can be easily used as extra living space instead of sitting empty as spare bedrooms all the time. (Ex. Murphy bed + bookshelves and some comfortable chairs means a lovely reading room that converts to a peaceful bedroom for guests.)

In a word? No. In two? Start over. In three? Get an architect. : )

The dining area is very problematic as others have mentioned. I also do not see the purpose of the angled wall in the living area. Good luck!

Thank you everyone for your comments! I have walked the floorplan. One of the model homes by this builder is available to walk through. This builder has a unique business model where they have about 20 floorplans that are ready for people to select and the cost point is lower than the rest of the market since they have done all of the mechanical drawings and they've designed them with standard sizes in mind. I need to be cost-conscious since I'm fairly certain I'm going to be choosing to be upside on the house. I purchased the lot and and existing house, but have decided I want a newer home and in the neighborhood I chose. I plan to live here for years to come (famous last words by most home-buyers, I know...) This home is much bigger than I need, but I didn't want to go too small for this home, since it's also my first home, having lived in Condos in Chicago and DC for the past 20 years... I will be speaking with the drafts-person and sales person today and I will be bringing up much of your feedback. I truly appreciate your opinions. You've given me a lot to think about over night.

That is not a unique business model.... That is what Tract builders do. Buyer beware.

Maybe one of the other 20 would be more suitable? I'm glad you got to walk through a model, but did you spend enough time there to get a good feel for how it would live? Did you step through preparing a meal in that kitchen, or getting ready for work in the morning? Was the furniture the same as yours? I suggest going back to the model, keeping in mind all the comments made here. You might see it with a different eye.

You didn't say if you were locked into this builder, or you just feel like you are because of cost. The inefficiencies in this house make it pretty expensive, and paying for a lot of things you don't need (like the humongous roof that would dominate this building) is not going to save you money.

An architect can build you a home to suit your needs now and in the future, that will suit your lot and views, and stay within your budget. Save money on finishes, but spend it on the structure, layout, and livability.

Please keep in mind that the folks here want you to have the best house that you get for your property and budget. We don't think that this is the best you can do.

What I like about it - the kitchen facing the view is perfect. The openness between kitchen and great room is good. You have a private study for if you want quiet, so the open living room kitchen works.

(I have my sink on the wall away from the view and find myself doing prep work opposite the sink so I can be facing the light. So, I think your sink is in the exact right place.)

Having the laundry in the kitchen makes sooooo much sense. We have had laundry in the basement, in the garage and on the second floor by the bedrooms. We now have laundry off the kitchen and I love it. The laundry is where you are. You don't have to run to another part of the house to rotate the laundry. It's right there.

I like that the master bedroom has a view. I like that you walk through the closet to get to the bathroom. I saw someone say the master is the first thing you see when you enter the house. I don't get that. Obviously, the bedroom suite is behind closed doors. what you see is the dining room opening into a beautiful fireplace and wall of windows.

The comment about the door salesman, while maybe a bit harsh, made me laugh. Sorry.

Where are you located. You don't need to give exact area. Just general part of FL.

Here is what we're all trying to get across to you regarding the dining room not being a dining room but a pathway to the rest of the house.

The red arrow is the path to the laundry room. Note it's right through the dining room.

The blue path is bringing in stuff from the garage and needing to bring it to your bedroom. Again the path is right through the dining room.

The green is guests coming into the house. What happens again? They have to go right through the dining room.

The yellow is you get up in the morning, want a cup of coffee and go to the kitchen sink to fill the coffee maker. Again it's right through the dining room.

Lastly you decide to go into the living room to look out at the water and you are coming from your bedroom, or even the study. And once again you have to cross through your dining room.

Lastly let's talk about the light or the lack of light. Since you said you're on the water, I'm assuming you're either facing east or west which is the worst direction you can face. With the exception of early morning (if the rear is east facing) or late afternoon (if the rear is west facing) you won't have much light entering the house.

If your house were designed more to be an L shaped house, you could have your fabulous views and also get great southern light into the house to help not only keep the house light and bright all day but to also help with passive solar heating and cooling. Passive solar heating and cooling is what keeps the utility bills down.

As for storage, I hear you since I'm in FL too. However do you really need 4 bedrooms and a study? Wouldn't it be better to have a house that conforms to your needs?

For example, when we were figuring out our needs (we're a retired couple with a dog and sometime visitors), we decided to combine rooms to do multiple purposes. We wanted good entertaining space so our largest space is our kitchen/dining/living area.

DH wanted an office that no one would use so he has his facing the rear and side of the house.

I needed an art studio. My art studio can also double as a third bedroom since it will have a pull out couch.

Our guest bedroom also doubles as our exercise room. We can do that by installing a murphy bed so when we don't have guests we can use the room to exercise.

We managed to put our laundry downstairs by our bedroom which means we don't have to carry laundry across the house like you have to in yours, yet it's still only about 20 steps from the kitchen. I'd rather walk across my living room to change laundry than carry laundry across the house.

And we decided we only need 2 1/2 baths. Master bath of course plus a powder room downstairs and upstairs is a bath for my studio/bedroom and the exercise room/bedroom.

Our house is filled with light and is oriented north/south to get the best passive solar heating and cooling.

My point being, design a house for the way you live and not for a generic builder family. If you do, there's a good chance you'll wind up saving money because you won't be putting on an over blown roof that costs extra and you won't be designing a house with rooms you don't need and extra bathrooms to clean.

CP, I am a big fan of your colored paths! They really help to envision how one lives in a house. This is why I asked the OP about furniture in the model home she saw. A small table in the upper right corner of the dining room might not give the same impression as a full-sized table with room for all the chairs to be pulled out.

Paths from the kitchen, entry, or garage to the upper left guest room and sliding door show the limits on furniture placement in the living room. Again, furniture placement in the model - and tracing the steps of a guest bringing a suitcase in the front door - may give a clearer picture of what to look for.

OP, I'm in S Florida (SE) and I agree with the consensus above. You can do much better using an architect - and it is probable you will not only get a better plan, but it will be more cost effective too. The right architect saves you tons of money in the execution of the right home plan.

The business model you mention is used extensively here in Florida and is not consumer friendly. You get quoted a price on the front end and then find out the contract is loaded with allowances that can't be met so you end up spending much more than the contract price. This happens all the time if you aren't aware of that particular builder strategy. I have seen it especially with builders providing too little (in allowances) for lot prep, utility connections, floor allowances, and other hidden costs. I'm a Realtor so I see it regularly enough to warn my buyers ahead of time if they choose to go the production builder plan route. (That is the plan you have posted and the business model of the normal production builder on individual lots).

IMO it would be a real shame to put that standard plan on your wonderful waterfront lot without at least exploring options with an architect, not a drafts person. You end up spending money in areas that don't benefit you when you use a drafts person to design your home. You have a special lot. Follow through with a good architect to see how best to build a home suited for you...not too big for your needs, but just right..

Who is your advocate in the process of building your home? A builders point of view may not include your view of how you wish to live. Once the home is purchased- changing the space plan is costly if not impossible. A floor plan or home needs to fit the individuals who live there. Visualizing plans to lifestyle can be tricky and deceiving.

I agree with the PROs in the thread. An architect and an interior designer are the interpreters between a plan and a homeowner.