When looking for a good house plan, use this list as a guideline on what works best.
The best houses orient the public rooms towards the south for the best passive solar heating and cooling
The best houses are L, U, T, H, or I shaped.
The best houses are only one to two rooms deep. And covered lanai, porches, garages, etc count as rooms in this case.
The best houses make sure kitchens have natural light, meaning windows so one doesn't have to have lighting 24/7 to use the kitchen. (And no, dining areas with windows 10' or more from the kitchen will not allow for natural light.)
The best houses make sure all public rooms and bedrooms have windows on at least two walls.
The best houses do not if possible put mechanical rooms, pantries or closets on outside walls
The best houses do not have diagonal interior walls making for odd spaces.
The best houses keep public and private spaces separate. (Meaning you're not walking into the bedroom directly from a public room)
The best houses do not have you walk through the work zone of the kitchen to bring laundry to the laundry room.
The best houses do not have the mudroom go through any of the work zones of the kitchen.
The best houses do not use the kitchen as a hallway to any other rooms.
The best houses do not put toilets or toilet rooms up against bedroom walls or public areas.
The best houses do not have walk in closets too small to stand inside. (One needs 2' for hanging space and 32"-36" for walking space. Ideally the 36")
The best houses have separation, such as closets, between bedrooms and between bedrooms and public rooms.
The best houses do not have roofs that are overly large, and dominate the exterior of the house.
The best houses do not have stick on exterior materials only on the front façade.
The best houses have an organizing “spine” so it’s easy to determine how to get from room to room in the house and what makes sense. Meaning they don’t have meandering circulation paths.
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Helpful information without snarky comments.
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