Hello!

[Radian]

13 hours ago, Bemak said:

Not 100% fixed on the ope sizes yet so the WSW windows may change yet. I'm hoping to manage a lot of the solar gain on this side with glazing specification rather than physical shading devices - I just don't want to go there.

 

I would look carefully at the Easterly elevations. The solar gain from these direction coincides with your maximum need for heating after a cold night. This time of year we run our conventially (i.e. poorly) built house in almost passive mode due to solar gain from NE/SE elevations. Our alignment is similar to your plan.

[Bemak]

2 minutes ago, Radian said:

 

I would look carefully at the Easterly elevations. The solar gain from these direction coincides with your maximum need for heating after a cold night. This time of year we run our conventially (i.e. poorly) built house in almost passive mode due to solar gain from NE/SE elevations. Our alignment is similar to your plan.

 

Very little gain to be had from the east due to the topography and existing trees so I'm quite limited in that regard

[Bemak]

For what it's worth - I had considered the L-Shape design below which is probably a bit better in terms of solar gain from the east - but the shape isn't as efficient as the square plan which I think will provide a bit more opportunity for interesting moves internally. The square plan also provides a bit more privacy from the road compared to the L-Shape plan which affords views right into the main living area - a drawback with opening up to the east and not something I want.

 

I tested the daylighting for the L-shaped design in sketchup with some model information on the existing trees and topography - and as mentioned previously, there wasn't much gain to be had early morning apart from a bit during the summer months which is not what you want anyway. 

 

 

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Bemak

[Iceverge]

Top marks on the floor plan. Very efficient.  

 

A small change I would consider would be to move the external door here create an airlock for the porch within the insulated envelope.  It would be easier to construct and you'd have less surface area to loose heat through. However the house is nice and simple anyway so it's hardly a deal breaker. 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm well aware that your nice views are to the South West but I'd be very careful of putting too much glazing on this elevation. 

 

We have a modest 1.5m2 window downstairs facing WSW in our sitting room but it is uncomfortably bright and hot during any spell of direct sunlight.  In fact I think if you were to rotate the plan by 90deg anti clockwise it'd be perfect. 

 

I would definitely consider insulated external  roller shutters/blinds if we were to build again. Not only for shading but also to help loose less energy through the windows at night.  Even top notch glazing is 10 times worse than a good wall. 

 

As you have the space I would encourage a covered car port.  Even though our garage is only 15m from the door we still get soaked when coming in, even more so carting kids. 

 

We're surrounded by trees, and I'm very fond of them, but I made sure to cut down any which could fall on/near the house. I went on a planting spree last winter to compensate. I felt vindicated when a 60 year old Macrocarpa annihilated our farm stables last month. 

 

Heating wise you really don't need to complicate it. UFH in slab and UVC. The stoves really won't be needed.  ASHP probably makes sense if you can get some plumber not to charge you €10000 for the install, we couldn't so ended up direct electric and immersion.  DM me if you want to come and visit! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CharlieKLP]

Looks really nice!

 

don’t worry about the architect snobbery, it’s good natured I think. I’d love to see your elevations when you have them!

[Bemak]

2 hours ago, Iceverge said:

 

 

2 hours ago, Iceverge said:

 

A small change I would consider would be to move the external door here create an airlock for the porch within the insulated envelope.  It would be easier to construct and you'd have less surface area to loose heat through. However the house is nice and simple anyway so it's hardly a deal breaker. 

 

Ya I know what you mean - but I like the idea of somewhere in out of the rain while you find your keys - or similarly a place where someone can stand at the door when you open it to them. 

 

2 hours ago, Iceverge said:

In fact I think if you were to rotate the plan by 90deg anti clockwise it'd be perfect. 

 

It's funny you say that, I originally had the plan at 90 degrees with the main living areas to the south-east but after pacing out the plan on the site, I really want the main living areas to open out to the west. Will be a lovely private garden. I've gone over about 30 designs for the site and I'm very happy with how it's zoned. I just need to design out the solar gain

[Bemak]

39 minutes ago, CharlieKLP said:

Looks really nice!

 

don’t worry about the architect snobbery, it’s good natured I think. I’d love to see your elevations when you have them!

 

I've attached an early sketchup of how the house might look. The white areas were smooth render and the grey areas are roughcast render. Note these images don't match the latest plan but you get the idea. I was also exploring the idea of a light well in the centre of the plan on first floor along that corridor but I think I will omit this now and just have a standard ridge. 

 

[SteamyTea]

5 minutes ago, Bemak said:

exploring the idea of a light well

What about sunpipes.

I would thinking making one that replaces ridge tiles would be fairly easy.

[Bemak]

The light well was going to incorporate the flues from the stove as well. I know I don't need stoves for heat but we're going to include one in the sitting room more for atmosphere than anything else.

 

Not a fan of sunpipes. We're going to have a nice big window on the stairs which will provide loads of light for the landing. That model was really just exploring the form and finishes. My elevations are still very much draft at the moment

[ETC]

Sorry - doesn’t whet my whistle I’m afraid.

[Bemak]

22 minutes ago, ETC said:

Sorry - doesn’t whet my whistle I’m afraid.

 

It's hard to get the feeling across in the model but I know myself what it will be like. That said, if I was the only one that ended up liking my own house that would be plenty!

[Iceverge]

Is it Cork CC you're applying to? My wise draftswoman informed me that they have a long and complex way of looking for simple stuff. 

 

  The silly way these things work means this is 8m plan depth. 

 

 

Similarly the ridge heights I've posted below. Both pics from the excellent cork rural design guide. 

 

 

 

 

 

If they look at your house and don't immediately love it it's the first thing you'll be asked to revise.  A quick glance at your elevations suggests you'll more than likely fall foul of this, unless of course your house is invisible from the road and then they won't care. 

 

 

 

50 minutes ago, Bemak said:

I really want the main living areas to open out to the west. Will be a lovely private garden. I've gone over about 30 designs for the site and I'm very happy with how it's zoned. I just need to design out the solar gain

 

Don't forget the sun! Run your SketchUp model at 7pm on a September evening with the shadows turned on. That large room will be insufferable!

 

Also at the moment "cornflakes corner*"  is in the toilet! 

 

 

 

*Cornflakes corner is the best spot in the house for eating breakfast, always bright and sunny to start the day! 

 

 

 

 

[Bemak]

It's in Kerry. Would be very familiar with the rural design guides. Most counties have their own one - all of which are based on the cork one which was the original. Useful guide for general use but it's by no means the only way to do things. House is extremely well screened, the site is invisible really and I've been speaking to the planner and she's happy to give plenty of leeway in terms of design. We'll see. What I'm proposing is not a million miles away of existing houses in the vicinity so I think there is plenty of scope to argue the case.

 

I would have carried out a lot of daylighting studies to get to where I'm at. I posted an L-shape plan earlier which would probably give a better 'cornflakes corner' but it's not that private from the road hence the change to the square. Everything needs to balance. I think I'll reduce the large west facing ope to become two smaller opes but I haven't had time to develop this further yet.

[ProDave]

Re stoves.

 

You WON'T need two.

 

Stoves only work in a well insulated house if you design and treat a single stove as whole house heating.

 

Fit just ONE stove, in the kitchen diner.  NOT in a fireplace, but a free standing stove in front of that short bit of wall in the middle of the south wall.  Then change the single door to the hall / stairwell to a pair of double doors.

 

When you light the stove open the double doors and the door to the living room and the stove will heat the whole house including upstairs.

 

Shut the kitchen / diner door and the stove will overheat that room. A stove in the smaller living room will definitely overheat it.

 

This is pretty much what we have and the one stove, with all the doors open heats the whole house without overheating one room.

 

Most people will tell you not to fit a stove in a well insulated house because it will overheat the room and you will never light it again, that is because it has not been thought about as whole house heating.

[ETC]

34 minutes ago, Bemak said:

 

It's hard to get the feeling across in the model but I know myself what it will be like. That said, if I was the only one that ended up liking my own house that would be plenty!

Grand….just doesn’t really look like anything I’d expect to see in the Irish countryside. I would have expected something a bit more agricultural/rural with perhaps a twist of the contemporary.

[Bemak]

Just now, ETC said:

Grand….just doesn’t really look like anything I’d expect to see in the Irish countryside. I would have expected something a bit more agricultural/rural with perhaps a twist of the contemporary.

 

Thanks kinda obvious though isn't it? That's an old 3D mind. I think it's simplified a lot since. 

 

 

[Bemak]

These are two neighbouring houses. Think there are a lot of similarities.

[ETC]

I think the massing and a hipped roof is wrong. Just my opinion.  I’m always confused that planners always want to use the “(Irish) Country Cottage” as a benchmark and precedent without ever realising that other (perhaps more colonial) precedents are available.

[Bemak]

Another image from an old model.

[ETC]

I do like the symmetry and simplicity of this rural hipped roof house. If you are using this form as a precedent I think your plan form needs to be lengthened to give you a bit of a ridge and the fenestration simplified.
 

[Bemak]

Ya there's plenty of work to do on the expression yet. The plan isn't exactly square, (I just reference it as such) one side is longer than the other so there will be a ridge. It won't be a pyramid roof! 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Bemak

[Iceverge]

2 hours ago, Bemak said:

House is extremely well screened, the site is invisible really

 

You're probably fine then.

[Iceverge]

@ETC  Here's our house. I'm quite fond of plain farmhouses, although ours is a bit fatter i suppose.

[CharlieKLP]

Re the look… I get it, but if you go super simple, you need something to give it some style too. 
 

I think I just hate crown roofs to be honest, I’ve mentioned it before on here.

[Bemak]

This apartment block captures the simplicity I'm after. Obviously it's a different scale but I think it gives a good idea.