Thoughts on floor plan/design?

[Zak S]

Hi all. I am looking for some insightful feedback on the floorplans. Any help will be greatly appreciated. The area shaded as blue is the extension on the ground floor and pink is the removal. Currently a banglow but will be three storey house once done. Width of the property be c20m. There is a terrace onto he front on the first floor. Street scene is very picturesque and quiet. The construction will be with grey bricks, charred timber and zinc fish  scale type cladding with zinc or slate roof. Glazing will be spider glazing system with windows projecting out and steal bridge in the hall and curved feature staircase.  All yet to be costed. Thanks in advance.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Zak S
Addition

[JohnMo]

My real comment is why bother, just move.

 

Stairs looks to be directly connected to a kitchen space. Big no no.

 

Number of bedrooms doesn't match the downstairs space.

 

Just looks big for the sake of being big.

[Zak S]

3 hours ago, JohnMo said:

My real comment is why bother, just move.

 

Stairs looks to be directly connected to a kitchen space. Big no no.

 

Number of bedrooms doesn't match the downstairs space.

 

Just looks big for the sake of being big.

We live there at the moment. But have plan to build up. It currently looks like this.

[Zak S]

4 hours ago, JohnMo said:

My real comment is why bother, just move.

 

Stairs looks to be directly connected to a kitchen space. Big no no.

 

Number of bedrooms doesn't match the downstairs space.

 

Just looks big for the sake of being big.

4 hours ago, JohnMo said:

 

Six bedroom, are they too small/less? What's are the drawback for the open plan kitchen linked to gallery and the stairs (via galllery). There is a separate kitchenette for food prep.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Zak S
Adding example

[Zak S]

5 hours ago, JohnMo said:

just move

If by that you mean, move elsewhere,  that is not an option as this is great place for a forever home if there is such a thing. Plus there is significant value potential.

[JohnMo]

Stairway open to kitchen requires a fire suppression system, but the 3 storey building may require the same anyway. You may also need self closing fire doors and seconded escape. You need to read that sector building regs so you don't get any nasty expensive surprises. There are few topics on here about it.

[Zak S]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

Stairway open to kitchen requires a fire suppression system, but the 3 storey building may require the same anyway. You may also need self closing fire doors and seconded escape. You need to read that sector building regs so you don't get any nasty expensive surprises. There are few topics on here about it.

Thanks. That's very helpful. I am at the initial sketch stage so all of this feedback is extremely important before I submit the planning application expected late Nov. 

 

Please do critique the plans and materials to be used so that I could get the changes done in a timely manner.

[Mr Punter]

100% knock down and rebuild.  And get a price for the staircase before you entertain the idea any longer.  What is your budget?

[FuerteStu]

Personally, there's way too much going on there for an overbuild of an existing property. 

 

Start from scratch, and think about how is going to look from the outside. 

 

That as it is would be chaotic and unusual, and unlikely to pass planning unless there was a precedent of something similar nearby. 

 

If you're making a house that shape, I'd be thinking of one side bedrooms, the other side living area.. 

 

Upstairs views for dining room sunsets are underrated and rarely used. If you want to be different, be different. 

[Zak S]

42 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

100% knock down and rebuild.  And get a price for the staircase before you entertain the idea any longer.  What is your budget?

Knocking down to rebuild will be unaffordable as the BCO is likely to insist on piles for the foundation. Plan is to use large steal beams to carry the weight on new walls ie front and back and right hand side. Foundations on that basis will cost around 80k. Budget is around £650k. Stairs will be around £50k based on architect estimates (plastered). One with curved glass will be £100k hence no.

[Zak S]

32 minutes ago, FuerteStu said:

Start from scratch, and think about how is going to look from the outside

The inside design is a bit radical (hence feedback required) but I think will sail through the planning as there is precedent in terms of replacing the banglows with new build (very large) properties. The outside design using charred timber and zinc fish scale cladding, spider glazing and projecting window won me over. So totally happy with outside design. Love the double height ceiling in the living room and bed room but that compromise the inside space but still achieveling more than 500sqm which is quite large.

[ETC]

2 hours ago, JohnMo said:

Stairway open to kitchen requires a fire suppression system, but the 3 storey building may require the same anyway. You may also need self closing fire doors and seconded escape. You need to read that sector building regs so you don't get any nasty expensive surprises. There are few topics on here about it.

I think his agent or architect or whoever drew the plans needs to read the approved documents in relation to fire safety. Three storey will require a protected stairway or alternative means of escape plus having a staircase discharging into the kitchen is as other posters have said not a good idea - perhaps bordering on dangerous. I suspect a fire engineered approach would be required.

 

On a different note if the I can can see the existing floor plans below the proposed floor plans I would suggest demolition and a complete rebuild. To make that many changes is a waste of time.

Edited October 3, 2023 by ETC

[Zak S]

30 minutes ago, ETC said:

I think his agent or architect or whoever drew the plans needs to read the approved documents in relation to fire safety. Three storey will require a protected stairway or alternative means of escape plus having a staircase discharging into the kitchen is as other posters have said not a good idea - perhaps bordering on dangerous. I suspect a fire engineered approach would be required.

 

On a different note if the I can can see the existing floor plans below the proposed floor plans I would suggest demolition and a complete rebuild. To make that many changes is a waste of time.

Thanks. Very helpful. Rebuild is totally out of question as simple cannot be afforded. That put the project at the risk of being scrapped. The outside material selected, glazing system and window plus use of zinc is very attractive so would want to keep it. The pink area suffers with subsidence so must come down in any case. With regard to inside walls, given the roof comes downs and replaced by new roof the weight will be distributed on to very large steal beams.

 

The inside layout is totally up for debate as how much of being different is good "being different". Hence the point about fire safety is extremely important and will be raised with the architect along with the cost angle. Seems like need to involve the building contractor before we pass the sketch phase. Though I really like the curved staircase which is a feature plus the double height ceiling of living room plus the two front first floor bedrooms.

 

Any thoughts as to how we can make it more practical/cosy efficient but still keep it radical enough to be not a bog standard house but not to scare the future buyers off too much.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Zak S

[FuerteStu]

I think your architect is very ambitious, and the reality of construction will make a restricted budget unworkable.. In the long run, it will be cheaper and faster to start again. 

 

That's a massive project to build on top of a site with existing 'subsidence'.

[Zak S]

36 minutes ago, FuerteStu said:

I think your architect is very ambitious, and the reality of construction will make a restricted budget unworkable.. In the long run, it will be cheaper and faster to start again. 

 

That's a massive project to build on top of a site with existing 'subsidence'.

The brief was to build a stand out house and be ambitious with design but within the budget. Subsidence issue has been investigated and is limited to pink shaded area (circled in the pic) possibly due to drainage. Ground condition not so good with very soft clay and high water table hence rebuild is unfeasible. 

 

The question what are total no no (and why) and what modification can be suggested to make it more cost efficient and better use of floor space.

Edited October 3, 2023 by Zak S

[Zak S]

Some inspiration behind the brief. The staircase does not have to be curved but will be good if it was.

[eandg]

Unless your ground is so bad it will struggle to cope with the weight of your fancy new staircase then I don't know where you are getting that piling will make it completely uneconomical compared to demolition and rebuild (which also brings VAT savings). I'd definitely get some quotes and have a look at numbers as you may be overestimating under the ground and underestimating everything else. 

[eandg]

That includes relooking at your architect - it looks like they design hotel lobbies and don't know building regs for domestic homes. Which may be a bit of a concern if you are mostly wanting to tart up a bungalow. Get someone practical with a wee bit of flair. 

[Zak S]

5 hours ago, eandg said:

Unless your ground is so bad it will struggle to cope with the weight of your fancy new staircase then I don't know where you are getting that piling will make it completely uneconomical compared to demolition and rebuild (which also brings VAT savings). I'd definitely get some quotes and have a look at numbers as you may be overestimating under the ground and underestimating everything else. 

Thanks. It's a great idea to get quotes of overall build. With stairs I am flexible that it does not have to be all steel and even the shape ie let go the curved staircase. I have had quotes last year on the foundation and also there are other houses who have done the rebuild. It costed both of them around 85k with piles.

 

VAT savings is attractive but even with that the rebuild will easily and significantly exceed the budget.

[Zak S]

5 hours ago, eandg said:

That includes relooking at your architect - it looks like they design hotel lobbies and don't know building regs for domestic homes. Which may be a bit of a concern if you are mostly wanting to tart up a bungalow. Get someone practical with a wee bit of flair. 

They have designed lots of residential as well as other projects and some of their residential where

I used to live seems very modern and nice. They specialise in contemporary and modern. I am totally satisfied with external designs but it's the internal bits where I am wanting the improvement/feedback and yes cost angle is the constraint. Budget is as I mentioned above is around 600 which should not be considered small Budget. Demolition is put off question due to various limitations.

 

[BadgerBadger]

Take a step back, this looks way too expensive for your budget.  Have you sanity checked it with a £/m2?

[Zak S]

13 minutes ago, BadgerBadger said:

Take a step back, this looks way too expensive for your budget.  Have you sanity checked it with a £/m2?

Thanks. How does that work for remodel rather than rebuild. I am happy to use lighter material where possible e.g. sip panel/sticks etc.

[MR10]

57 minutes ago, Zak S said:

With stairs I am flexible that it does not have to be all steel and even the shape ie let go the curved staircase. 

I just remembered seeing a birch ply staircase done by angus and mack, could be an alternative material to consider.

https://www.angusandmack.com/projects/staircase-custom-door-fitted-interior-the-arbor-house

[Zak S]

3 minutes ago, MR10 said:

I just remembered seeing a birch ply staircase done by angus and mack, could be an alternative material to consider.

https://www.angusandmack.com/projects/staircase-custom-door-fitted-interior-the-arbor-house

This is exactly I am looking for. Insightful tips to work around and stay within limitation we have so many thanks for this. Also have written to the architect to get opinion from few contractors to see cost feasibility.

[MR10]

With costs, bear in mind that the foundations could end up costing way more that estimated for. Have a look at areas now where you can save money while still retaining the bits that wow you, and see what you can personally diy as that'll save on some labour costs down the line.

Above all, be realistic with the costs, it's getting highlighted by several members based on experience and we all mean well.