New build design - thoughts welcome!

[AppleDown]

Hello everyone. We've had our V2 designs from the architect and we're happy he's taken our thoughts from V1 into consideration. We'd love to get your combined thoughts on it too.

 

We asked specifically for a three bed, that references the current property on the land with the roof angles and pitch (plus their double height ceilings). We need a study for working from home and enough space for a growing lad. The front aspect would be entrance and gravel driveway, with the rear aspect a nice large contained garden, with views off into the neighbouring woods.

 

Preferred build option is MBC TF. 

 

Our main 'build' on this design is that we'd still like something more modern and boxy coming from the rear where the bedroom sits, rather than the pitched roof idea. So that the flat roof, more modern box, extends from the rear roof line, giving more head room and space.

 

The ridge line is at max height because of matching the house on the land already. Other considerations are that it's in a conservation area - so trees can't easily be removed, meaning we're at max width for the plot.

Edited April 28, 2023 by AppleDown

[ProDave]

If there is meant to be an attachment for us to look at, I am not seeing it.

[AppleDown]

Just now, ProDave said:

If there is meant to be an attachment for us to look at, I am not seeing it.

Sorry - did the silly 'tab > return' and it posted before completion. Should all be there now.

[nod]

It looks a nice design 

It won’t be cheap to build Tge roof will be expensive also

But if it comes within your budget 

Go for it 

[Happy Valley]

I like the shape.

 

Consider shading for the large south facing windows to stop overheating - we have a 5m SE facing slider and the amount of heat it generates with low sun even in the last two months is enough to heat the house for the day. We have a 1.2m overhang to hopefully keep the strong summer sun out! We shall see.

 

Do you need a chimney? That is a very expensive addition build cost wise. 

 

Do you need a separate plant and utility room? Ours is combined to provide more space elsewhere. You could increase your plant room slightly by moving the wall towards the study. This would make your study bigger and dual aspect. Our plant/utility room has no window but in reality you spend very little time in there and when you are you doing something rather than sitting down.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Happy Valley

[JohnMo]

Sorry not a fan

 

Roof design looks too complex and fussy.

 

The utility sticking out doesn't look right

 

East and West views look like you've chopped part of the house off.

 

Is the chimney real, mock, do you need it?

[Big Jimbo]

As @JohnMo not a fan. Expensive to build, and odd shape. The only important thing is that you like it.

[Kelvin]

Why have you gone for this specific shape? Is it to maximise space or is just for design and the look. As everyone is saying complex shapes, multiple corners, complex roof angles, valleys etc adds significant cost and time. Simple boxes and rectangles might be less interesting shapes but they are cheaper to build and often cheaper to run. 

[AppleDown]

Thanks for all of the replies. I know style/design is subjective, so appreciate it might not be everyone's cup of tea. The house currently on the land has the high monopitch design throughout (as seen looking at the north aspect, on west and east sides, of the proposed design) - we love this, and really want to have some reference to it. Same with the extended 'poking out' parts of the building, in our eyes - and on houses we've seen - this adds so much more character, than a simple rectangle and standard roof. We're building our 'dream' home - or as close to it as possible - so we want to push as far as we can, budget dependent. 

 

1 hour ago, Happy Valley said:

I like the shape.

 

Consider shading for the large south facing windows to stop overheating - we have a 5m SE facing slider and the amount of heat it generates with low sun even in the last two months is enough to heat the house for the day. We have a 1.2m overhang to hopefully keep the strong summer sun out! We shall see.

 

Do you need a chimney? That is a very expensive addition build cost wise. 

 

Do you need a separate plant and utility room? Ours is combined to provide more space elsewhere. You could increase your plant room slightly by moving the wall towards the study. This would make your study bigger and dual aspect. Our plant/utility room has no window but in reality you spend very little time in there and when you are you doing something rather than sitting down.

Great point on shading. Within our idea for the 'box' amendment, we are looking at eaves that stick out past the usual spec. We like the design element of it, but also the practicality for shading. If that doesn't work, we'll definitely look at an overhang for each section.

 

Chimney was definitely a 'nice to have' spec, so if the costs make me wince we'll go with a fake version and electric fire. We like like the design aspect of it breaking up the long roof, and signifying the start of the double height space.

 

Plant and utility are on the list of questions to go back on - agree that it makes more sense for the study to be dual aspect, and combine the other two areas.

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

Sorry not a fan

 

Roof design looks too complex and fussy.

 

The utility sticking out doesn't look right

 

East and West views look like you've chopped part of the house off.

 

Is the chimney real, mock, do you need it?

We're not too worried about the east and west views, as east side is butted up against (outside of the root zones) a long line of yew trees, and the west side is against the neighbouring property which is commercial and screened by trees - so no real viewpoints that'll matter.

 

38 minutes ago, Kelvin said:

Why have you gone for this specific shape? Is it to maximise space or is just for design and the look. As everyone is saying complex shapes, multiple corners, complex roof angles, valleys etc adds significant cost and time. Simple boxes and rectangles might be less interesting shapes but they are cheaper to build and often cheaper to run. 

Maximising space 100% - we're working within the confines of the root protection zones in anticipation of not being able to remove the trees. Plus we have the ridge height limits, which adds to what we can do second floor-wise. Agree that it's not going to be a simple or cheap design, but for what we want, that was never going to be the case anyway.

[ProDave]

If I am reading the plans right (site layout would avoid confusion) you have your living room on the north facing side, so it will get no sun.

 

I would want a pair of double glass doors directly from the kitchen diner to living room to let light and sun through, and allow you to open it up as effectively 1 big room sometimes.

 

Small point but you have some useful if low loft spaces, don't forget a couple of doors to access the storage space.

 

The site layout would also explain the angled wing.

[markc]

Not looked at specific areas but it’s interesting and that always gets my vote, I love angles and multi pitch roofs

[RichardL]

First floor bedroom looks like it might be tight under the deep eaves?
Can you move the bed back and the dressing room/ensuite into the loft space on the left to give the bed and surround more space?

I'd 3d model that bit or cut out a card model with a human sized figure to check headroom.


Ground floor - open up the kitchen diner into the living room on that dividing wall - doors or open plan perhaps?
The living room looks like a good TV room but a bit of a porthole window thing going on?

Edited April 28, 2023 by RichardL

[ProDave]

3 minutes ago, RichardL said:

First floor bedroom looks like it might be tight under the deep eaves?

We have very similar what I call "gable end dormers" in our house and unlike normal dormers with side cheeks, they give a lot of headroom and there is only a tiny bit of the room with low headroom.  Agree a 3D model should be done just to make sure.

[Kelvin]

We had a load of sheeting on the farm so I made up some gable corners to check the headroom. Because we made the dormer bigger all in one side of the roof I was worried we’d end up with a room that wasn’t very useable. It’s not a bedroom in our use but designed so it could be in the future. We’ll use it as a dressing room with built in drawers and wardrobe to maximise space in our bedroom. 

[Big Jimbo]

I think you will be shocked at the build cost. Large amount of exterior walls for heat loss.  I have done the master bedroom on the top floor a few times. Now i try to avoid it. Several estate agents, and mothers, (in excess of 10) have told me that mothers don't like it. Would there be a chance to talk to the planning dept, about reducing the footprint and building Two story. Reduced bulk and mass etc. I sound horid, but i just think you might be shocked at the build costs.

[Iceverge]

I'm assuming there is a healthy budget. I'm guessing the floor area is about 180m2 so £600k?

 

 

Overall I really like the design.  

 

A couple of points. Most already mentioned. 

 

1. Bin the chimney. Internal air quality for your son would be my big motivator. 

2. Consider the corner windows and if they're worth the compromise. It'll need a lot of steel as you've made one of the strongest parts of the house quite weak. They're difficult to get right thermally. Lots of the wonderful thermal benefits of something like a twinwall timberframe get thrown out the window when you resort to covering a Square hollow steels with narrow finger of PIR. 

3. The sticky out window is another expense that reduces thermal performance in my opinion.  Also it's more lightly to leak. 

4. Triangular windows aren't my thing, but that's a opinion. 

5. I like the half hipped roof but check for headroom. 

6. The huge south facing windows will be too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter and need lots of steel reinforcement. I would break it up into 2 x french doors or similar. 

7. I like the lean-to porch with the hole in the wall gable.  However the rendered area above the pitched roof will be an area I would worry about the weather long-term. If not weather then, lots of staining and algee with the trees. Why not just take the tiled roof to the apex (aesthetics allowing) ?

 

 

 

8. The chimney is taking up area of your wardrobe. I'd get rid. Also there's no natural light in the ensuite. 

9. No window in the downstairs bath? 

10. Kitchen/Dining overglazed. 

11. Mystery corner of walls in the kitchen?

12. The study corner window would be better as 2 separate windows IMO. 

13. Move the door from the hall to north end of the utility somewhere. It'll give you some more useable floor area and make the utility a "walk through" rather than "dead end". The "dead end aspect is a recipe for clutter. 

 

 

Overall I do like the building though. Lots of good stuff. Keep us updated. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by Iceverge

[AliG]

Style wise, it is a bit fussy for me and as others say the roof will likely be very expensive.

 

A couple of small ways to simplify it without losing what you are going for would be to make the study and utility room the same length and to lift the porch roof to meet the bedroom roof at the apex. I would also consider making the upstairs bedroom window a simpler dormer. Finally the apex of the roof is a slightly different height on one side to the other. This could look strange and give the impression that the house has been extended rather than built as one.

 

Layout wise there are a few basic rules I would use that the house breaks, I have seen a lot worse.

 

1. Bedrooms should have fitted wardrobes if possible. It may be that the bedrooms are a bit small to achieve this. TBF other than this there is a good amount of storage.

 

2. If you put a table on the kitchen plan you will have to walk past the table every time you want to go to the kitchen and an enormous distance to get to the study and utility room. You should consider routes through the house and if they make sense. Imagine taking a large laundry basket to the utility room or the distance from the study to the bathroom. I would fully plan out the kitchen now.

 

3. How will the house be heated. The plant room has no outside walls. Will there be a hot water tank in there and boiler or an ASHP. Where will the ASHP go? If it is a boiler how will you get the flue out through the wall. Will you have MVHR? Ideally you want all the grilles, flues etc hidden at the side of the house.

 

The south/north aspects of the kitchen and lounge and the separation of the rooms depend quite a bit on your usage patterns. If you are normally only in the lounge in the evening and in the kitchen during the day, a north facing lounge may not be an issue for example.

 

Do you have a budget and what has the architect suggested as build cost? Building what is effectively a one story house with large complicated roof will be quite expensive. Architects are often overly optimistic on build costs.

[ETC]

Sorry - not a fan. Far too fussy in plan and in massing and could be simplified and made a whole lot cheaper. The hipped roof will need a shed load of steel probably including steel hips. Not sure where the front door is and having a tapered tread staircase is something to avoid if you can.

 

Can you post a site plan so that we can see the context.

[ProDave]

56 minutes ago, AliG said:

I would also consider making the upstairs bedroom window a simpler dormer.

That's one thing I will stand my ground. Having built very similar "gable end dormers" these are streets ahead in terms of easy to detail, easy to insulate and make air tight and way more usable headroom than ordinary dormers with side cheeks.

[ETC]

My attempt at a simplified version. Two wings with standard pitched roofs - single storey open vaulted ceiling for the kitchen/dining/living room and 1.5 storey for the bedroom block. Not unique but works. OP version in red behind.

[AppleDown]

Cut and paste site plan attached. I've tried to make it the correct size - but please forgive me if it's not quite there. From a 'views' perspective, the south is where we want to be looking. That will be private garden, with a lovely forest setting past the boundary fence. The yew trees on the east provide a natural boundary edge, which will separate our land from the existing back garden. To the south east we have a huge oak tree, where the root protection zone means we can't build any further back, and obviously the existing house is there too.

 

There is a corridor free of root zones to the south west, past where the rear bedroom and stairs are, so that would be the most practical area to investigate a design change.

1 hour ago, Iceverge said:

1. Bin the chimney. Internal air quality for your son would be my big motivator. 

2. Consider the corner windows and if they're worth the compromise. It'll need a lot of steel as you've made one of the strongest parts of the house quite weak. They're difficult to get right thermally. Lots of the wonderful thermal benefits of something like a twinwall timberframe get thrown out the window when you resort to covering a Square hollow steels with narrow finger of PIR. 

3. The sticky out window is another expense that reduces thermal performance in my opinion.  Also it's more lightly to leak. 

4. Triangular windows aren't my thing, but that's a opinion. 

5. I like the half hipped roof but check for headroom. 

6. The huge south facing windows will be too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter and need lots of steel reinforcement. I would break it up into 2 x french doors or similar. 

7. I like the lean-to porch with the hole in the wall gable.  However the rendered area above the pitched roof will be an area I would worry about the weather long-term. If not weather then, lots of staining and algee with the trees. Why not just take the tiled roof to the apex (aesthetics allowing) ?

8. The chimney is taking up area of your wardrobe. I'd get rid. Also there's no natural light in the ensuite. 

9. No window in the downstairs bath? 

10. Kitchen/Dining overglazed. 

11. Mystery corner of walls in the kitchen?

12. The study corner window would be better as 2 separate windows IMO. 

13. Move the door from the hall to north end of the utility somewhere. It'll give you some more useable floor area and make the utility a "walk through" rather than "dead end". The "dead end aspect is a recipe for clutter. 

 

Super helpful - thank you for taking the time. Agreed on a lot of these points. 

 

Chimney - we like the design, but agreed that air quality and practicality win here

Corner windows - agreed, not worth the added expense and loss of thermal performance

South facing windows - yes, we need to do something with these to stop overheating

Apex above entrance - this mirrors the existing house on site as a little homage. We aren't agreed on render at the moment, so could be brick, wood cladding etc. But you're right, simple solution would be to join the two.

Ensuite/downstairs bathroom - noted no window in both, so will get that changed

Mystery walls - believe that's more counter space or storage, but will raise

Utility area - this needs a rethink in general. Maybe a simple WC in this area too.

 

38 minutes ago, ETC said:

My attempt at a simplified version. Two wings with standard pitched roofs - single storey open vaulted ceiling for the kitchen/dining/living room and 1.5 storey for the bedroom block. Not unique but works. OP version in red behind.

 

Wow - thank you for getting so detailed with it. This forum and you all are great! We love the idea of the fully open plan lounge/kitchen/dining, but with the site plan it wouldn't work as is, but shift it round and looks more possible. Happy to go more simple, but still need a bit of wow factor here and there.  

[Iceverge]

47 minutes ago, ETC said:

My attempt at a simplified version. Two wings with standard pitched roofs - single storey open vaulted ceiling for the kitchen/dining/living room and 1.5 storey for the bedroom block. Not unique but works. OP version in red behind.

 

Here's where doctors ( even complete amateurs) differ and patients die! 

 

A couple of things. 

 

1. Won't the best daylight be wasted on the utility and plant? 

2. The only TV option would be in the living room.

3. The hallway feels a little pinched maybe and would it annoy whoever was cooking if the main thoroughfare ran though their work area? 

 

[ETC]

Just now, Iceverge said:

 

Here's where doctors ( even complete amateurs) differ and patients die! 

 

A couple of things. 

 

1. Won't the best daylight be wasted on the utility and plant? 

2. The only TV option would be in the living room.

3. The hallway feels a little pinched maybe and would it annoy whoever was cooking if the main thoroughfare ran though their work area? 

 

Sketched without reference to a site plan. Going to give it another lash. Watch this space.

[ETC]

15 minutes ago, AppleDown said:

Cut and paste site plan attached. I've tried to make it the correct size - but please forgive me if it's not quite there. From a 'views' perspective, the south is where we want to be looking. That will be private garden, with a lovely forest setting past the boundary fence. The yew trees on the east provide a natural boundary edge, which will separate our land from the existing back garden. To the south east we have a huge oak tree, where the root protection zone means we can't build any further back, and obviously the existing house is there too.

 

There is a corridor free of root zones to the south west, past where the rear bedroom and stairs are, so that would be the most practical area to investigate a design change.

 

Super helpful - thank you for taking the time. Agreed on a lot of these points. 

 

Chimney - we like the design, but agreed that air quality and practicality win here

Corner windows - agreed, not worth the added expense and loss of thermal performance

South facing windows - yes, we need to do something with these to stop overheating

Apex above entrance - this mirrors the existing house on site as a little homage. We aren't agreed on render at the moment, so could be brick, wood cladding etc. But you're right, simple solution would be to join the two.

Ensuite/downstairs bathroom - noted no window in both, so will get that changed

Mystery walls - believe that's more counter space or storage, but will raise

Utility area - this needs a rethink in general. Maybe a simple WC in this area too.

 

Wow - thank you for getting so detailed with it. This forum and you all are great! We love the idea of the fully open plan lounge/kitchen/dining, but with the site plan it wouldn't work as is, but shift it round and looks more possible. Happy to go more simple, but still need a bit of wow factor here and there.  

Where is the site boundary?

Where do you enter the site?

[AppleDown]

7 minutes ago, ETC said:

Where is the site boundary?

Where do you enter the site?

Entrance is from the very north of the plan, off the lane and onto gravel - which covers that entire middle section. Idea is to eother park next to existing garge or in front of the new build.

 

Entrance and gravel area would be part of the access although owned by the other property.

 

Boundary to east is the existing fence, south is just past the big shed (which will be going) and east are the yew trees.