Drawings ready for the pre planning.

[Mike_scotland]

Hi Guys,

Been a little while since i last posted here, me and my partner have been working with an architect getting plans drawing up for our plot of land we purchased in 2019, we are just waiting on our QS getting back too us with itemized prices so we know if we can build the house as is or if we have to scale back etc, (Fingers crossed we are ok6314_F_204_d_Proposed Ground Floor Plan_A3.pdf). let me know what you all think?

 

The house with the attached garage is around 220m2 and the detached garage is to be built further down the line depending on budget that is sitting at about 40m2.

positive criticism welcome, thanks guys :) :) 

Mike

6314_F_205_f_Proposed First Floor_A3.pdf 6314_F_206_f_Proposed Elevations_A3.pdf 6314_F_207_f_Proposed Elevations_A3.pdf

[Moonshine]

What are you going to do with the integrated garage space once the double garage is built? 

 

That guest bedroom en-suite is massive, i would make this smaller and have integrated wardrobe on the exterior wall. you may need to move the window. Ditching the integrated wardrobe on the separating wall would make the living room or guest bedroom bigger.

 

I think that for the house that size the dining room / living room area a is pretty small, and i think that even with modest sized furniture its going to feel cramped. If feels that a lot of the ground floor area is filled with aux areas (stairs / stores / utility / shower room), and not space efficient. I would be trying to condense these down to make the dining room / living room areas bigger.

 

 

I think that the allowance for the wood burning stove at FF level will need to be a bigger section.

 

I don't like the location of the kitchen sink as the standing location for it is in the walk way between the utility and other ground floor areas (also double doors to the utility, why?

 

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Moonshine

[Ferdinand]

I pretty much agree with @Moonshine, but I think we may have had the "auxiliary spaces" conversation previously, and you had reasons to stick to your guns so I'll leave that alone.

 

So:

 

1 - Is there enough space to walk between the breakfast bar and the living area. That all looks everso tight. Suspect you may be better stealing say 800-1000mm space from the snug and spare bed by moving the stove etc (which would poleaxe my proposal in 3), as you spend more time in the living area.

2 - Ideally make sure that either the kitchen sink or the utility sink is large enough to take the big top pieces from the range cooker, an oven shelf, and a griddle plate, flat.

3 - I think the study spare bedroom would benefit from having the ensuite smaller and a wardrobe in the spare space, then turn the big wardrobe the other side into a hideable study area ie perhaps a pair of bifold wardrobe doors and a built in desk etc. Then combining the two uses is far neater, and you can just shut the study away - locked if necessary. 

 

 

F

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mike_scotland]

Hi Moonshine,

Yeah all good feedback, we have looked and chopped and changed alot of the drawings over the weeks we now miss alot of the little changes you have said, can i ask what aux is? is that the storage options we have downstairs?

Mike

[Ferdinand]

4 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

Hi Moonshine,

Yeah all good feedback, we have looked and chopped and changed alot of the drawings over the weeks we now miss alot of the little changes you have said, can i ask what aux is? is that the storage options we have downstairs?

Mike

 

"Auxiliary" spaces.

 

Meaning spaces where you do not "live" - non-habitable or circulation or service spaces.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mike_scotland]

Hi Ferdinand,

I agree with him also - its all good feedback, the fresh pair of eyes is a wonderful thing.

i do agree with the taking off some space from bedroom and snug for the main living area as that is going to be the centre hub of the house, the reason it looks a bit squashed is the house was another 1.5m long but we chopped back as we were wanting a house around about 200 - 220 m2 to keep in line with costs.

[Moonshine]

2 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

can i ask what aux is?

 

They are auxiliary spaces, such the stairs / stores / utility / shower room, it just feels to me that the space clouded below (auxiliary spaces) take up quite a lot of space and with a bit of tweaking you could be more efficient with the space

 

 

That said as @Ferdinand mentioned, if the guest bedroom and snug are slimmed down, then it would make the central 'living' area slightly bigger.

[Ferdinand]

31 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

What are you going to do with the integrated garage space once the double garage is built? 

 

Sticks out a mile. Snooker room and beer ? .

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mike_scotland]

1 minute ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Sticks out a mile. Snooker room ? .

it is a good point - we did have discussions of what do we use this space for once the double is built but i think the double will potentially be a few years away so the integrated garage will become a gym, snooker room a,k,a man cave haha

[Mike_scotland]

2 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

 

They are auxiliary spaces, such the stairs / stores / utility / shower room, it just feels to me that the space clouded below (auxiliary spaces) take up quite a lot of space and with a bit of tweaking you could be more efficient with the space

 

 

That said as @Ferdinand mentioned, if the guest bedroom and snug are slimmed down, then it would make the central 'living' area slightly bigger.

now that you bring it to my attention your right it does look a bit wasted, this is what i wanted other peoples opinions so we can go back and do a change about before submitting planning.

[Ferdinand]

I wonder if you are going to be seriously short of cupboard space in the kitchen.

And I don't think "we have a larder and the huge utility" is necessarily an answer. It is about having things arranged in functional groups so as you do each separate type of activity it is efficient (washing near pulley and chute and washer / dryer, cooking near crocks near food near washing near fridge near cutlery near pans).

 

I can only count about 5-6 unencumbered under worktop units and 3 wardrobe unit spaces. That feels too few to me - though these things are very personal. Even ignoring the stuff that probably goes in the utility and larder, I have nearly double that - though I have things like my decent glasses in the kitchen, whilst others would have those in a cupboard in the lounge.

 

I suggest a unit space by unit space exploration of where you will put everything, including all your appliances.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Moonshine]

2 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

so the integrated garage will become a gym, snooker room a,k,a man cave haha

 

Think about this from the outset though, as if it eventually becomes a habitable space you will want to get things in place now rather that later retrospectively (e.g. thermal envelope)

 

2 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

now that you bring it to my attention your right it does look a bit wasted

 

thinking about it this is what i would try to do, move the counter and cooker 600mm to the left, loose the full height cupboards from this location (cupboards could be put below the quarter turn of the stairs. 

 

Truncate the size of the utility room, and loose the current larder, to create more of an larger L shaped kitchen and play with this type of layout, the full height cupboards could go on the exterior wall.

 

[Ferdinand]

7 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

 

Think about this from the outset though, as if it eventually becomes a habitable space you will want to get things in place now rather that later retrospectively (e.g. thermal envelope)

 

 

thinking about it this is what i would try to do, move the counter and cooker 600mm to the left, loose the full height cupboards from this location (cupboards could be put below the quarter turn of the stairs. 

 

Truncate the size of the utility room, and loose the current larder, to create more of an larger L shaped kitchen and play with this type of layout, the full height cupboards could go on the exterior wall.

 

 

Agree with the idea, but I don't think 900 between units and island is enough.

 

Others may come up with their experiences. I think you want 1000-1200. Mine is 1100mm, and personally I would prefer 1200. You may get away with 1m.

 

Once you have a proposed layout and distances, I think I would suggest a mockup or chalk on the floor and 90 minutes role playing.

Ferdinand

  

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Moonshine]

1 minute ago, Ferdinand said:

Agree with the idea, but I don't think 900 between units and island is enough.

 

What i was proposing would keep the 1500mm between the stairwall and the island, as the 600mm full height units would relocate (Exterior wall) and larder would get smaller, and storage put under the quarter turn of the stairs.

[Ferdinand]

Just now, Moonshine said:

 

What i was proposing would keep the 1500mm between the stairwall and the island, as the 600mm full height units would relocate (Exterior wall) and larder would get smaller, and storage put under the quarter turn of the stairs.

 

Fine and cheers - but always better to say it just in case ? .

[Ferdinand]

49 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

now that you bring it to my attention your right it does look a bit wasted, this is what i wanted other peoples opinions so we can go back and do a change about before submitting planning.

 

It may be that when we talked about this before (may have been another similar plan for someone else), I may have said for ultimate efficiency get rid of the entire entrance hall and move the front door - though it does give a spectacular route in.

 

I think now I would just ask whether you need a porch or something to protect from the howling gales of Scotland?

 

Ferdinand

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mike_scotland]

47 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

 

Think about this from the outset though, as if it eventually becomes a habitable space you will want to get things in place now rather that later retrospectively (e.g. thermal envelope)

 

 

thinking about it this is what i would try to do, move the counter and cooker 600mm to the left, loose the full height cupboards from this location (cupboards could be put below the quarter turn of the stairs. 

 

Truncate the size of the utility room, and loose the current larder, to create more of an larger L shaped kitchen and play with this type of layout, the full height cupboards could go on the exterior wall.

 

Good thinking with the garage if we are certain this will become a habitable space in the future we will look into the insulation etc during build make it so much easier, 

i cant get rid of the larder the wife wants one and shes not budging haha. we will look into the idea of making the kitchen/living space larger as this is the main hub of the house, might be a combination of taking space from the bedroom/snug and a bit from utility.

[Mike_scotland]

Have we any opinions of the upstairs?

we have been thinking lately to take away ensuite in the guestroom and move wardrobe to the en-suite area and then freeing up space for living and also turning the upstairs bedroom storage space into a en-suite and make that room the guest bedroom. we originally thought you had to have a bathroom downstairs and this was the ensuite but our architect says it cant be a ensuite which i feel is daft but if they are the rules then there the rules.

[Moonshine]

3 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

i cant get rid of the larder the wife wants one and shes not budging haha. we will look into the idea of making the kitchen/living space larger as this is the main hub of the house, might be a combination of taking space from the bedroom/snug and a bit from utility.

 

Fair enough, though that shower room is looking a bit lardy / fat, and if you took a bit off that you could keep the larder size, could these cupboards be sacrificed, and the shower room re-shaped?

 

 

I think these areas were nice to have when the house was 1.5m longer, however now the house has been shortened things need to be condensed a bit to maximise the important internal areas.

 

Do you really need two doors to the garage from the house? if you loose the one from the bottom of the stairs, and have the shower room door on to the utility then this may allow the stairs to be redesigned with a couple of stairs at the bottom, then a quarter turn in the corner. The effect of this is that the stair run towards the kitchen would not be so long, and allow the kitchen to be wider.

[Mike_scotland]

8 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

 

Fair enough, though that shower room is looking a bit lardy / fat, and if you took a bit off that you could keep the larder size, could these cupboards be sacrificed, and the shower room re-shaped?

 

 

I think these areas were nice to have when the house was 1.5m longer, however now the house has been shortened things need to be condensed a bit to maximise the important internal areas.

 

Do you really need two doors to the garage from the house? if you loose the one from the bottom of the stairs, and have the shower room door on to the utility then this may allow the stairs to be redesigned with a couple of stairs at the bottom, then a quarter turn in the corner. The effect of this is that the stair run towards the kitchen would not be so long, and allow the kitchen to be wider.

Hi Moonshine,

Could you draw that out if its not too much hassle? like you have been doing its good for visualisation.

[Ferdinand]

3 hours ago, Mike_scotland said:

i cant get rid of the larder

 

But he is only shrinking it slightly. I think. 40% or so. ?

 

Diet?

 

3 hours ago, Mike_scotland said:

Have we any opinions of the upstairs?

we have been thinking lately to take away ensuite in the guestroom and move wardrobe to the en-suite area and then freeing up space for living and also turning the upstairs bedroom storage space into a en-suite and make that room the guest bedroom. we originally thought you had to have a bathroom downstairs and this was the ensuite but our architect says it cant be a ensuite which i feel is daft but if they are the rules then there the rules.

 

It's very spacious. I think your suggestion makes sense because it gives you a second closed off usable room downstairs. 

 

I am not sure about the huge long bench - who will use that? Might a mix involving biggish storage or party sleeping alcoves (which are interchangeable) be a more useful mix? Or could you give another 500mm to the rooms (if there is no head height issue on the bench side of the landing).

 

Might that second void waft all your cooking sausages smells upstairs? Depends crucially on your extractor setup. If you end up taking that out, then I think a bit of juggling may get you a 4th bedroom / hobby room.

 

I also wonder whether the bite out of the corner of the Master for the landing could be squared off, to put that space in the master suite. Would increase utility of the space upstairs, though it may not be strictly needed for the master.

 

Ferdinand

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Moonshine]

9 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said:

Could you draw that out if its not too much hassle? like you have been doing its good for visualisation.

 

I was thinking something like below, gives approx 600-800mm extra width to the living space, and retains the full height cupboards (kinds off) and larder size. HOWEVER the stairs may need to go over the 'full height' cupboards to get the left to right rise.

 

 

[Mike_scotland]

Spot on gents, i will have a deep discussion with the wife tonight and over the next few days and see what we can re jig. all valid points and in honesty alot that has been said we have thought of ourselfs since it has been made smaller.

[Sealo0]

If you moved the new steps nearer the stairs and put in a quarter step you will get more height for the Cupboards. 

 

HTH 

 

Mike

Edited February 24, 2020 by Sealo0

[Mike_scotland]

Email sent to architect , hes going to make some changes

 

I thought maybe more people with opinions on here but maybe not.

 

thanks too the guys who did mention there opinions.