Layout and design of a new home

5 years ago

This is a houseplan I created. I don't have access to any professionals so I'm asking for help. I created this floorplan. My concerns are room sizes, flow of house and usable space. Our lot is long and narrow, the drive way is located by the Master bedroom. The entrance is located at the elbow of the L shape.

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millworkman

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

"It's realllllllly getting old!!!!!!.......realllllllly old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

You want to talk about getting old!

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Comments (42)

millworkman
5 years ago
Most of the "sketch" is too light to read any of the dimensions.
damiarain
5 years ago
[Also - double post![(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/floor-plan-and-layout-new-home-dsvw-vd~5620070)
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Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
Is this better?
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
Sorry for the double post!! I couldn't upload the picture on the first.
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
Three people will live here full time, four on weekends. We are building in a rural area in KY. The front of the house and drive way is the top of the L where Master Bedroom is located.
Najeebah
5 years ago
It seems you've darkened the lines indicating walls? The room labels and dimensions are still unclear however.

Maybe edit this in paint if you're on a pc, and add them in as text

Also, can you explain how you don't have access to professionals? There are some who work with clients over a distance, if you're far out somewhere,
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
What do you mean by, " I don't have access to any professionals"?
Daisy S
5 years ago
A few big concerns that hit me right away if I’m looking at this correctly ...laundry off of front entry? Uh no...Hall bath needs to be more private - down hall toward master. An office the size of a closet with no windows? ...no thank you...I think you can do much better. It would also help if you included more info. - such as lot size/elevation...urban/rural/climate...budget...desired sq. Footage/wants/needs...size of family...etc.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
The master bath seems off... it looks as though you have an area of 5ft x 6 ft for the toilet but just a 48 x 36 shower? that area could use some redesigning. Also the one closet can only be accessed through the bathroom? Is there a reason for 2 separate closets as opposed to one nice large one divided for his side and her side? The hall bath has a lot of wasted space in it. I think that area could be reconfigured as well. It would be nice to try and reconfigure the closets of the bedrooms so that the bath can wind up in the hall between the 2 bedrooms...

The laundry room location doesn't bother me - especially since you expressed that you have to do a long thin house due to the lot. Maybe push the wall back a little and be sure to use a nice door for the laundry.

It's not a horrible plan for a first draft... now you just need to tweak it...
cpartist
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Why don't you have any access to professionals? I'm sorry but if you do not have a design background and cannot visualize spatial relationships, then you really should find access to a professional.

I'm sorry but fact your entry is only 5' deep shows your lack of understanding of spatial relationships.

The fact you put in 5' wide hallways in a small house shows your lack of spatial relationships.

The fact you think a dining table is only 2' wide shows it too.

The fact you drew the master bed 8' x 5' shows it.

The fact that you didn't account for wall widths shows it.

The fact that the extra bedrooms are the size of master bedrooms shows it yet the living room is relatively small. If you have such big bedrooms, it must be because you have lots of guests or children and if so, your public spaces are inadequate.

The fact your guest bath is right next to your public areas meaning any guests or children would be in plain sight going to the bathroom.

The fact your office has absolutely no window in it.

Yes it's fun to play at drawing house plans but you need to find a professional.
PRO
JudyG Designs
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
You are going to need professionals if you want to present a plan to your local building department.

Do you have the lot? Has it been surveyed? How many bedrooms can you have? What are the setbacks?

I know you are dreaming, and that’s fun, but you will go nowhere without pros.

Come back to houzz when you have all the ducks in a row. You will get great suggestions.
Bri Bosh
5 years ago
It seems many of your dimensions are wrong... your chairs are the same size as your kitchen island, for example. In addition to what others have mentioned, that long hallway takes up too much of your house.
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
I appreciate all the feedback!! The area I live is an hour away from a small town. I consider a professional builder one who would sit down ask what I want, use blueprints, help with the layout. I have access to two local builders who think a 11x11 bedroom is a good size. Thats what they have built in the past so its sufficient today. I contacted other builders who are out of town(2 plus hours) they were not affordable or not willing to make the drive.
PRO
Anglophilia
5 years ago
You live in KY. I live in KY. Trust me, there ARE architects in KY! We may be a bit backward but we're not that backward!
cpartist
5 years ago
You need to start with an architect. Not a builder
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
Have you tried finding an architect through Houzz's "Find Professionals" feature at the top of each page in the pull down menu bar?
remodeling1840
5 years ago
Robin, I know to those of us who are on here daily, it seems overly repetitive for Mark’s “get an architect “. However, we see the same mistakes and questions posed by those who don’t have the experience we have gained (me over years, ok, lots of years) years. If all the posters had been on Houzz for years and thoroughly read all the posts, they wouldn’t need such basic help. I know you and Mark both have the same good intentions for this poster-we all want her to get a functional and beautiful home for her family.
remodeling1840
5 years ago
To melandadam- this used to be easier. We were fortunate the first house we built was the fourth house we owned. That meant I had lots of experience living with things I hated or found inconvenient, such as only one outdoor hose bib, a laundry too tiny to hold a laundry basket, a dropped kitchen ceiling....I had compiled a list of things I wanted so my family would be comfortable. Years ago many companies published magazines (gasp!) full of house plans. Yes, I know, you can go online, but it’s not the same. You could pick from size to style, number of bedrooms, etc. you could spend time “walking” the plans to see how your family would function in a particular space. How do I carry groceries from the garage to the kitchen, is there room for the football gear, where will we set up the bar-b-que? My sister and I were just lamenting the loss of these magazines because it is much more difficult to find a starting point for your new home. My parents built a three bedroom house, instead of the four bedrooms Mother wanted just because the builder said he couldn’t build anything bigger than three bedrooms.... I don’t want you to give up, just realize this might be more difficult than you thought.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Old or not the advice to get an architect is good advice. The cost is worth every penny since you are not equipped to do this alone. Builders build what they have plans for they do not design homes unless of course you don’t mind having the same house as every other person who built with that builder.I will not even get into how many problems this design has .
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
This will be my first and probably only house I will build. It's not even close to my dream home. I'm just trying to make something work with the limited resources and budget I have. The lot is an odd shape and that makes it more challenging. We have a large yard in the side of the house, were I placed the kitchen and living room. I've searched for Architects on Houzz and they are 100 miles away, plus I don't have the budget. I appreciate any suggestions. They have been helpful and also confirms all my fears.!! I do wish I had know what Houzz had to offer.
barebay57
5 years ago
Your design has many flaws. If you can’t afford an architect, there are architectural students who could help before you approach a builder. I have designed my own layout but only after renovating many homes.
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
@remodeling. I agree! online is not the same as a magazine. They all look the same. Currently, four people are living in a two bedroom 1980 mobile home. Maybe 1000 sq ft. This plan is horrible, the lot awkward and I am unprepared with limited budget but it has to be better than what we currently have. lol
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
What is the site like?
PRO
Sage Cottage Architects
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
melandadams91 - We can work with you remotely to develop a better floor plan. Email us at sagecottagearchitects@gmail.com
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
See! An architect as close as your computer. Seek and ye shall find.
apple_pie_order
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
If you aren't ready to hire an architect at this point, try some home design software.

My two cents: experiment a bit with the Icovia space planner http://www.icovia.com/landingpages/ or the Ikea online planners. Both are free and easy. Once you get a feel for the amount of space required for various furnishings, switch to free Google Sketchup. It has a learning curve but it's excellent. Then you can post plans that are drawn to scale and get more concrete feedback.

IIRC, there's another free and easy home design software package, perhaps someone else will remember what it is.
apple_pie_order
5 years ago
If you have decided on a budget including or excluding site prep and lot purchase, and you know the square footage you want, you may get more helpful concrete advice. Also give the lot size and any setback requirements.
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
apple pie you may have just saved the day! Mark, I'm contacting the Architect!
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
You know there are web sites that illustrate plans on line for narrow lots. I think it makes sense to consider an attached garage for your home.

Why not start with a plan that you know works and just make some minor changes to meet your needs.

https://www.thehousedesigners.com/plan/bridgetown-8298/

If you're thinking about a factory made house that simply gets assembled at the lot, then find the house factory and pick from their predrawn homes. All this will help to keep your costs lower.

https://expressmodular.com/state/kentucky/
AnnKH
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
A uniquely shaped lot is even more reason to get an architect involved. The lot across the street from my is on the inside of a curve - from above it looks sort of like 1/4 of a pie. The setbacks made siting a house - while still maintaining a back yard - a challenge.

The house that was built on it was designed by an young architect - it was one of his first projects out of college, and the homeowner was his brother. But even without years of experience, he managed to design a home that has good flow, gracious living spaces, and interesting features. There is no way a canned plan could have been plopped on to that lot with such a pleasing result.

I can see where reading "hire an architect" over and over may get old to some (especially coming from an architect), but what amaze me is that so many people feel qualified to design their own homes, with no more training or experience than "I like to look at house plans". If I were to sketch out all the plumbing runs for a new kitchen or bathroom, with my only plumbing experience that I have changed out a few faucets, I'll bet the vast majority of folks would advise me to hire a plumber. Same with electrical, furnace, automotive - we are happy to hire professionals every day, but we balk at professional help with the biggest investment we will likely ever make.

I will keep encouraging people to hire an architect - and I am NOT an architect!
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
When you talk to the architect (face to face is ideal, FaceTime is almost as good, and by telephone is good too) they are going to want to know what the site and the area it is in, is like; what you need and want in the home; and what your budget is. They will ask a lot of questions, be honest and straightforward.

Ask about their fee structure, not all architects charge the same or in the same manner. Ask about them and their process and what you can expect during the process and the end results. Check out their website to familiarize yourself with them to make sure the relationship will be a good fit.

They may be willing to share their designs during the process, but that puts more pressure on them than they wish to endure; we can be a tough crowd here on Houzz.

Good luck with your project and I hope it turns out better than you've dreamed.
Architectrunnerguy
5 years ago
"They may be willing to share their designs during the process, but that puts more pressure on them " Ha Mark! it certainly does! You must have seen my comment on the other thread. There's a difference between forum projects and non forum projects. I put more effort into the former

Here's one of my forum projects:

And a coupla non forum ones:

Ok, just kidding (about the effort as well as the examples. I didn't design any of the three....LOL!).
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
5 years ago
I am glad to see all your projects posted here on Houzz rise to the occasion.

(I could tell those are not your projects by the clouds, and I assumed you never worked with Olmsted)
apple_pie_order
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
When hiring an architect, I suggest picking one who usually works in your price range rather than one who works on budgets three or four times higher. Architects who are used to working with builders on standard windows, doors, cabinets, and so on are often familiar with pricing those components. An architect who is accustomed to working with builders with custom cabinetmakers and custom sizes of windows and doors (or expecting bulldozers to move a berm from hither to yon) may not be as ready to use less expensive standard products.

Be upfront about your budget, including margin or reserve.
Small Town Friendly
Original Author
5 years ago
Mark, definitely a tough crowd but it is helpful. I needed direction and motivation and I got it. I'm checking to see if I can move the power line that divides the property. That will give us more room. Architect is to be determined. Oh and don't y'all think your done with me. I'll be back for some more criticism! :)
bkeithaz
5 years ago
And, when someone later in the process tells you you should or shouldn't do something "because that's the way it's always been done," remember this phrase I learned here on Houzz: "My House, My Money, My Way."
Architectrunnerguy
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
"Architect is to be determined."

Yes, it's always best to have a determined architect....LOL!

And Virgil had a great thread on custom home design, I can't find it now but maybe someone else will chime in with that link. Here's a shorter version https://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4106638/designing-a-custom-home
Najeebah
5 years ago
Virgil has many great thread :)
Might this be the one you mean Doug?

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5080730/tips-for-buying-land-designing-and-building-a-custom-home-part-1-of-3?n=3
Architectrunnerguy
5 years ago
That's part of it Naj. There's another one with all the links but I think there was a problem with getting some links to work.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
"...And, when someone later in the process tells you you should or shouldn't do something "because that's the way it's always been done," remember this phrase I learned here on Houzz: "My House, My Money, My Way."..."

Yep, and with this attitude one doesn't even need to come to Houzz. Just proceed on one's merry way...it's only money and one's life.
Najeebah
5 years ago
That's part of it Naj. There's another one with all the links but I think there was a problem with getting some links to work.

Right you are; CP's thread.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/virgils-threads-on-buying-land-designing-and-building-a-custom-home-dsvw-vd~5081649

There was a comment there with the links all working. Here goes:

[What's A Well-Designed House?[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/whats-a-well-designed-house-dsvw-vd~5370217)

Tips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home Part 1 of 3

Tips for Buying Land Designing & Building Custom Home Part 1 Continued

[Tips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home, Part 2[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/tips-for-buying-land-designing-and-building-a-custom-home-part-2-dsvw-vd~5079485)

[Tips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home, Part 2 continued[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/tips-for-buying-land-designing-and-building-a-custom-home-reposted-dsvw-vd~5213136)

[Tips for Buying Land, Designing and Building A Custom Home, Part 3[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/buying-land-designing-and-building-a-custom-home-part-3-dsvw-vd~5213150)

What are you doing to make your house enrich your life?