Help with Utility room space

[ETC]

4 minutes ago, Sophiae said:

This wall is only 110cms as specified by the Structural engineer who refused to make it any shorter acting within the budget. 

he said he could take it all away but it would have cost us more than double the cost. Wasn’t and still isn’t feasible, hence the existence of it. 

He could have put a wind post in. I’m presuming the pier is acting as a buttress to the external wall.

Edited May 13, 2023 by ETC

[ETC]

If you’re happy with everything except the utility plow on - BH can help with the layout.

 

Have you got Building Regulations Approval? And who is your “architect”?

[TonyT]

11 hours ago, Sophiae said:

And do what? 

Get some expert advise apart from us on a random website.

[Dave Jones]

shockingly bad design.

 

open everything is the work of the devil like purple bathroom suites from the 70's

[Sophiae]

12 hours ago, ETC said:

You have two choices if the wall isn’t structural.

1. move the wall between the utility and kitchen out to give you the space you need or

2. forget about building the wall (as long as it’s not structural) and incorporating the washing machine and tumble drier into the kitchen layout.

 

 

Have been up all night working on choice number 2. I’ll send you my sketch if you don’t mind. 

[Sophiae]

12 hours ago, ETC said:

He could have put a wind post in. I’m presuming the pier is acting as a buttress to the external wall.

He decided against any posts as they would be health hazards for my son. 
unfortunately he is still unable to calculate danger and is at risk of bumping his head into objects. So this was the best he could do within my budget.  

[Sophiae]

12 hours ago, ETC said:

If you’re happy with everything except the utility plow on - BH can help with the layout.

 

Have you got Building Regulations Approval? And who is your “architect”?

Yes though I would have liked the 2 bedrooms to be slightly bigger but over all happy. It is just the utility that’s now the problem. 
planning and building regs approved. 

[Sophiae]

1 hour ago, TonyT said:

Get some expert advise apart from us on a random website.

I am but equally some experts advise is the one that got me where I am now. 

[Sophiae]

49 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

shockingly bad design.

 

open everything is the work of the devil like purple bathroom suites from the 70's

Lol. Well the design works for us in most places, as doors and obstacles are big hazards that make us take trip to A&E quite often. 

[joe90]

2 hours ago, TonyT said:

Get some expert advise apart from us on a random website.

I disagree, we tend to have better advice than your project manager/architect team. Lots of different opinions but nearly all based on actually doing stuff, not theory from a “professional”.

[saveasteading]

14 minutes ago, joe90 said:

based on actually doing stuff, not theory from a “professional”.

Actually a super team of multiple diciplines, but nearly always with a practical attitude...and understanding that cost matters.

But we often end up saying to get a professional because site specifics mattter. You do that with ideas and knowledge.

[joe90]

13 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

Actually a super team of multiple diciplines, but nearly always with a practical attitude...and understanding that cost matters.

I completely agree.

13 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

But we often end up saying to get a professional because site specifics mattter. You do that with ideas and knowledge.

I tend to only refer to professionals for things like S.E.s, electricians, plumbers etc where knowledge of regs and complicated calculations are needed or insurance, other things (IMO) are on a more “practical “ level,

“well I did this and it works well for me”. When I was working as a builder I was often asked what I would do, and I didn’t mind giving my opinion but always with the caveat that I didn’t have to live there and there is no right and wrong only opinion.

With this thread (IMO) the architect/project manager did not follow the customers request (and I would be asking fir an answer from them) however whatever @Sophiae decides is what would work best for them and we are here to offer our opinions (on what would work best for us.) 👍

Edited May 14, 2023 by joe90

[Sophiae]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

I completely agree.

I tend to only refer to professionals for things like S.E.s, electricians, plumbers etc where knowledge of regs and complicated calculations are needed or insurance, other things (IMO) are on a more “practical “ level,

“well I did this and it works well for me”. When I was working as a builder I was often asked what I would do, and I didn’t mind giving my opinion but always with the caveat that I didn’t have to live there and there is no right and wrong only opinion.

With this thread (IMO) the architect/project manager did not follow the customers request (and I would be asking fir an answer from them) however whatever @Sophiae decides is what would work best for them and we are here to offer our opinions (on what would work best for us.) 👍

Thank you soooooo much @joe90. I wouldn’t have turned to people here if I didn’t trust their opinions. For years I’ve used forums for their wisdom and wealth and generosity of knowledge. 
My work is all about evidence based practice but my customers come first and they have to be onboard plans when they involve any long term issues. 

i totally agree, both the Architect and the Project manager unfortunately just wanted to give me the biggest space ignoring my request of having a functional utility that was designed to function well with my needs. 
 

I am hoping by tonight I would be able to share my new visions of this area’s layout and see if it can be translated into reality. 

 

Luckily the builders are ok with me stalling for the next 2 days till I make up my mind. 
I am praying for the miracle of clarity. 

[saveasteading]

Do you mind saying what you now hope to do? I mean what will you propose to the builder for his reaction?

Keeping us informed we can perhaps point out any secondary effects of your intended changes....eg foundations, walls, floor support.

 

Re using forums: it is OK but beware some have poor standards or poor control of troublemakers (through ignorance or malice). You are safe here but we can only deal with what you tell us as we don't have all the background.

 

[joe90]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

You are safe here

👍

[Jilly]

 

Might this work? You said the wall to divide the utility isn't built ( my squiiggly line) , so don't have it, and have an L shaped Kitchen. Also utilise that funny alcove if not too late. 

[Jilly]

Sorry I'm not very good with editing software but this is another suggestion (apologies to others if they have suggested the same). Kitchen/utility units are black, if you move the utility wall (red line) forward, you have room to put units in the utility and along the wall of the new kitchen and the bathroom with a bit of a step in the wall. It will be a long working space, but that would be ok if you need to keep an open area. Maybe put the sink and hob/oven close so you don't have to move hot pans far. Kitchen designers will come and help you plan this. 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2023 by Jilly

[ETC]

Might work?

[ETC]

Or…..

[Sophiae]

See what I mean. You people are awesome and game me a big smile on my extremely tired face. 
Thank you @@saveasteading @joe90 @Jilly @ETC for all your thoughts and efforts. 
 

Steel beam will sit on both 110cm walls on the right and left, so neither can go.

 

yes I can open a door from outside to the utility however that would mean going around and outside every time I need to access something. 
 

The kitchen has already been bought and in storage since last year. The old project manager was in a rush so unfortunately it was done. I have to work with what I have. 

 

All ideas are good and have thoughts in them, so the final verdict is tomorrow morning when I receive the actual mm figures from the builders. 

Regrettably I will lose the utility room. It won’t work unless miraculously the space won’t be too small between the kitchen and living, which is looking as is. 
Instead, the 3m length of the kitchen will sit either on the wall to the right (looking into the garden) or the wall to the front (looking to the garden next to the bifolds), depending on how the layout looks like on 3D viewing. 
The 2m island will sit opposite it which ever way. It is narrow (60cm) so won’t be too much in the way. 
Depending on the 3m, we can then add some extra units to house the dishwasher (undecided), ingerated freezer, vacuum cleaner, cleaning supplies/ extra storage for all my pantry items. 
The washing machine +/- dryer (undecided) can be housed in the main bathroom as it is a good size and there is room. 
 

i will try and get a drawing up for your eyes to see. 

 

 

[Sophiae]

Ignore the measurements for now till I get the exact ones. But here is what came out with lots of shuffling. 

[joe90]

5 hours ago, Sophiae said:

The washing machine +/- dryer (undecided) can be housed in the main bathroom as it is a good size and there is room. 

I think this is an excellent idea especially if you can stack them and build a cupboard around them, I did this in a previous house in a downstairs cloakroom And it just looked like a cupboard  👍

Edited May 15, 2023 by joe90

[Sophiae]

14 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I think this is an excellent idea especially if you can stack them and build a cupboard around them, I did this in a previous house in a downstairs cloakroom And it just looked like a cupboard  👍

Exactly. I’ll make the cupboard you suggested ready, if I decided to add a dryer, the space would be ready. 

[saveasteading]

Looks good. Now we need to check that the wall you are omitting was not supporting floor joists or another wall upstairs. 

[Sophiae]

12 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

Looks good. Now we need to check that the wall you are omitting was not supporting floor joists or another wall upstairs. 

Thank you. 
The wall was never built as there is no yet. The engineer made his design based on that. The other wall 110cm to the right is a supporting one to the beam.