Initial draft design for plot - 2 detached houses - thoughts?

[Randomusername]

I’ve already made some decisions regarding the siting of the buildings but I’m interested in other's thoughts... 

I want to make at least one of the garage blocks room-in-roof with enough space for a self contained annexe in theory, so that I can move in as build continues, also I predict that an annexe might be a popular feature for properties in the future?

 

The least good aspects of the plots are the small private treatment works compound to the rear, and the pole pig/power lines on the front corner. 
Otherwise the views to front and rear are pretty good for Fenland. 
 

Ignore building outline on the indicative site layout image below as it was done a good while back for the outline planning and is essentially meaningless. 
 

The property floor plans will be mirrored internally with minor external differences. 
Roofs will both be straight gabled not hipped, front bay likely deleted. 
 

Initial plan is to live in completed properties, with a view to eventual sale. So I’m not building my personal dream home/s here!

 

General thoughts and opinions? I can add site photos if needed. Thanks  

Gosberton Topographical Survey.pdf 3097 - S02 - Site Setting Out.pdf 3097 - S01 - Block Plan.pdf 3097 - S03 - Site Visuals.pdf 3097 - S05 - Streetscene.pdf 3097 - 200 - Plot 2 Elevations.pdf 3097 - 201 - Plot 2 GF Layout.pdf 3097 - 202 - Plot 2 FF Layout.pdf

Edited September 27, 2020 by Randomusername
Emphasis and correction of spelling

[Moonshine]

The central garage looks pretty bulky in the middle of the two houses, could you change the pitch orientation?

If you had a gable end on this you could put a window facing out to the rear, though you would need to change the rear boundary fence location?

 

How are you looking to build them, at the same time, or phased? Is one for you. If so you need to consider CIL, as if they are on the same planning permission and not phased you will have to pay the CIL for the house not for you up front (circa £15-20k).

[Randomusername]

2 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

The central garage looks pretty bulky in the middle of the two houses, could you change the pitch orientation?

If you had a gable end on this you could put a window facing out to the rear, though you would need to change the rear boundary fence location?

 

How are you looking to build them, at the same time, or phased? Is one for you. If so you need to consider CIL, as if they are on the same planning permission and not phased you will have to pay the CIL for the house not for you up front (circa £15-20k).

I’m not in a CIL area fortunately. 
 

I don’t like the central garage at all. And I’m not mad keen on the other one now it’s down on paper either, despite it being my original idea to screen the pole pig somewhat...

 

My reaction is to move the garages to the rear at each side, and have a central pair of drives, or move the houses together and have 2 drives round the sides. 
The advantage of the latter is that it will provide a separation between the line of trees and the foundations, and therefore I should be able to keep more of the rather pleasant tree line - the further advantage is that I should then need minimal landscaping plans. 

[patp]

In our village there is a super design for two semi detached houses. They have been designed to look like a large detached house with two gables but are, fact, two semis' with concealed doors. It is only because we know the two (related) families that live there that we know it is not one house. I always admire it as I walk along the street.

 

[Mr Punter]

I would want the plots to be separated with no shared driveway.  I would not want neighbour vehicles turning in front of my house.

 

All of the design and construction work will fall within CDM regulations and it is your legal duty to comply.  You must have a Principle Designer and a Principle Contractor.  I assume you are VAT registered?

[Moonshine]

3 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

All of the design and construction work will fall within CDM regulations and it is your legal duty to comply.  You must have a Principle Designer and a Principle Contractor.  I assume you are VAT registered?

 

I presume that is because he is developing two houses at the same time, which even if one maybe for himself, he cant class himself as a 'domestic client' that people building one plot for themself can.

[Mr Punter]

That is right @Moonshine.  Even some of the self builds here sail close to the wind, but the HSE normally only get involved if there is a serious accident, a death or a report of dangerous practice from the public or other bodies.

[Randomusername]

1 hour ago, Mr Punter said:

I would want the plots to be separated with no shared driveway.  I would not want neighbour vehicles turning in front of my house.

 

All of the design and construction work will fall within CDM regulations and it is your legal duty to comply.  You must have a Principle Designer and a Principle Contractor.  I assume you are VAT registered?

 

1 hour ago, Moonshine said:

 

I presume that is because he is developing two houses at the same time, which even if one maybe for himself, he cant class himself as a 'domestic client' that people building one plot for themself can.

 

1 hour ago, Mr Punter said:

That is right @Moonshine.  Even some of the self builds here sail close to the wind, but the HSE normally only get involved if there is a serious accident, a death or a report of dangerous practice from the public or other bodies.

I can’t afford to build them both at the same time. Assuming the law does not change, we’ll be reclaiming any eligible VAT on completion of each. 
 

Ostensibly they’re going to be one house for me and one for my parents, but the long term plan will be to sell both. That long term might be 5 or 25 years, no one really knows what the future holds at the moment. So I’m keen to design them with as much future market appeal as possible. 
 

I don’t really see the issue with a shared entrance way. The driveways will be split as immediately as possible within the boundary and there should be ample space for parking and turning on each frontage, wherever I decide to have the garages. 

[Randomusername]

Although I value the input on CDM, VAT etc. I’d really like to keep this thread about the design... there are already a lot of threads on here that cover those subjects...

?

[Iceverge]

Rotate the entire plot design 90deg clockwise to bring your main living areas into the midday sun and orientate most of your windows south.  

 

Access both houses from minor side-road with separate driveways, its safer for drivers and kids to avoid entrances onto main roads if possible. 

 

Square up the house designs as much as you can and simplify the roof plan. This will prove a large cost saving and make a house that is warmer, lower maintenance, less drafty, faster and easier to construct. 

 

Aim for 2 identical houses to save on design cost, and if you can scrape together the cash to do both simultaneously, give you greater buying power for materials and labour. 

 

Pretty house designs though and looks a great plot. 

 

Good luck.     

 

 

[Randomusername]

8 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Rotate the entire plot design 90deg clockwise to bring your main living areas into the midday sun and orientate most of your windows south.  

 

Access both houses from minor side-road with separate driveways, its safer for drivers and kids to avoid entrances onto main roads if possible. 

 

Square up the house designs as much as you can and simplify the roof plan. This will prove a large cost saving and make a house that is warmer, lower maintenance, less drafty, faster and easier to construct. 

 

Aim for 2 identical houses to save on design cost, and if you can scrape together the cash to do both simultaneously, give you greater buying power for materials and labour. 

 

Pretty house designs though and looks a great plot. 

 

Good luck.     

 

 

Some sound advice thanks. 
 

Unfortunately I can’t rotate the plots - the planners will want to keep the existing building line - and that minor road is a private lane to the treatment unit compound, owned by the local authority. It’s an unsuitable access, even if I did manage to gain permission to use it. 

[Mr Punter]

1 hour ago, Randomusername said:

Although I value the input on CDM, VAT etc. I’d really like to keep this thread about the design... there are already a lot of threads on here that cover those subjects...

?

 

Had you been more specific in the OP than

4 hours ago, Randomusername said:

So I’m not building my personal dream home/s here!

and

4 hours ago, Randomusername said:

General thoughts and opinions?

I would not have commented as I did.

 

Are you interested in house size, planning issues, orientation, access and parking, energy efficiency, profit and end value?  If you ask a specific question you are likely to get more targeted answers.

 

You seemed to be inviting general comments, which you got.

[Iceverge]

53 minutes ago, Randomusername said:

Some sound advice thanks. 
 

Unfortunately I can’t rotate the plots - the planners will want to keep the existing building line - and that minor road is a private lane to the treatment unit compound, owned by the local authority. It’s an unsuitable access, even if I did manage to gain permission to use it. 

Alas,

 

Local authorities, the bane of all our lives. Otherwise the countryside would be filled with buildhubber's moonbase replicas all accessed from minor local authority roads. 

 

Maybe off setting the houses slightly  or altering the design to an L shape would allow the kitchen/dining/living to be bathed in that lovely daily sunshine? 

Edited September 27, 2020 by Iceverge
Typo

[Randomusername]

56 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

 

Had you been more specific in the OP than

and

I would not have commented as I did.

 

Are you interested in house size, planning issues, orientation, access and parking, energy efficiency, profit and end value?  If you ask a specific question you are likely to get more targeted answers.

 

You seemed to be inviting general comments, which you got.

It’s in the “New House & Self Build Design” section. 
That implies to me that I’m inviting comments on the design - not the entire self build process? So the comments relating to CIL, CDM and VAT, although obviously well meaning, would seem to be extraneous. 
Anything else relating to the overall design is most welcome. 

 

[Randomusername]

19 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Alas,

 

Local authorities, the bane of all our lives. Otherwise the countryside would be filled with buildhubber's moonbase replicas all accessed from minor local authority roads. 

 

Maybe off setting the houses slightly  or altering the design to an L shape would allow the kitchen/dining/living to be bathed in that lovely daily sunshine? 

Possibly - I’d thought the orientation as it is would be quite good anyway, with sun at the front in the morning and then in the back in the afternoon. 
 

Would you be suggesting a non-mirrored L-shape duplicated design with the kitchen/dining/family area in the projection with south facing windows? That would then mean they’d have a view of a garage/fence instead of facing out across the open farmland to the rear?

 

Appreciate your input. 

 

[Iceverge]

 

After playing with various layouts this was my preferred option. 

 

1. separate driveway access. 

2. attached garages to keep cost down and provide future options in terms of conversion. 

3. Floors area similar to before. 

4. maintains building line. 

5. Privacy to neighbours maintained with appropriate glazing and fencing

6. access to midday sun for rooms at the east of house. 

7. identical house plans for ease of development. 

8. narrow planform to keep ridge height sensible, or allow for a 3rd story or extra high ceilings. 

 

 

What do you think?

 

[the_r_sole]

For me, I don't see anything in the house design, they really could be a taylor wimpey or something like that - there's not really any feature or detail or interest in them, I know you are planning on selling these for profit but surely there could be something about them that might tempt someone to buy them over the nearest volume house builder development? These are two houses which could be anywhere, they don't seem to be designed at all for the plots they are on

 

The garage on the boundary and then the other in the front garden is a bit strange and the shared entrance will put people off, more so if you build the front garage with a room in the roof, that house then will completely dominate the front of both plots.

 

If you are just looking to sell them you'd probably make as much clear at the moment as you will building them out slowly, profits on development can disappear pretty quickly if you're using finance to fund it..

 

[Randomusername]

Some interesting considerations, thanks. 
 

I’ll consult with a couple of local agents as well and see what they consider works best for the area/plots.