Passive House plans advice

[vk108]

Hi, We are planning Passive house standard but not going for certification. Site is south orientated with tall trees of 20 meters around 16 meters from South boundary. I have made some DIY house plans using My Home 3D pro. Please advice if any changes required as I am applying for detailed planning soon. This is my first self build and planning for Timberframe supplier for a speedy build. House Gross Area 13m*10m and Garage being 7m*6m. 

Feel free to express yourself either good or bad, I don't mind to be honest

[ToughButterCup]

I have taken your post to mean that you might like advice on working towards Passivhaus status. Advice on ' ... changes required ... ' is a fairly broad brief.

 

There are a couple of tools that'll help you decide on the extent to which your design approaches passiv status. Both of the suggestions below mean you will need to be comfortable with spreadsheets. If not -see below.

• PHPP: quite expensive (but will pay for itself many times over), detailed, complex, but excellent. Requires time and commitment. It will answer your question - and many subordinate questions-  accurately.
• @JSHarris abbreviated spreadsheet ( search his blog or other posts here for a copy) ; quick, ideal for a first rough look at the problem.

There are plenty of people who will run your building data through PHPP for you  for about £200.

 

 

[ultramods]

Can you add the room dimensions to the plans please?

 

Also try and get the images slightly higher quality

[bassanclan]

My initial thoughts are you would want your soil pipes etc to be near each other and not coming down in the middle of your open plan kitchen.

 

Clocks is a bad pinch point and you'd struggle with disabled access into the wc

[Alex C]

A good architect is worth their weight in gold.

[Mr Punter]

I can see you are looking at building a 4 bed house of around 250m2. Do you have a budget set? This will cost between £200k to £600k depending on whether you do it all yourself to a basic standard or hand it to someone to deliver a top spec building.

 

You will need to select an architect for this project. Shop around very carefully. Look at the style of building they have designed and if you are able to, talk to their clients. Look to apply for detailed planning in, perhaps, six months time, as your architect (if they are any good) will probably have a number of projects on the go and the design is often an iterative process, as is the planning application.

[AliG]

The basics of the design and room layout seem good. There is little I would change.

 

Most charges are detail.

 

This may be the first time ever I have seen a house with too may cupboards. You seem to have marked up the plan with fitted cupboards everywhere. This will be very very expensive. Ex the kitchen and wardrobes you probably have something like £30,000 of fitted cupboards there.  Wardrobes in spare rooms are probably better built from plasterboard with doors not fitted furniture unless you really like the look of it.

 

Changes to consider -

 

1.The cloaks area outside the WC should not have a door as this will turn it into a dark small space, use an arch. or just leave it open As mentioned WC may not meet disabled access requirements, you need room for a downstairs shower.

 

2. The door to the snug is in an odd place in the corner of the sitting area, it would be better at the end of the stairs. The cupboards in the snug seem unneccessary.

 

3.The kitchen design with equipment split across two legs and an island in between will be awkward. It would probably be better to turn the island and table round 90 degrees and keep all your equipment on the island and one wall. Put the hob in the island looking into the room, not at a wall.

 

4. My wife wanted a pantry and I know some people love them, but we get all the dried food we have in the house in one cupboard in the kitchen. Not quite sure what you would use so many cupboards for.

 

5. Utility/MVHR space is fine, but you are going to have an area with lots of unsightly pipes, valves, pumps etc. It might be better to put this in a totally empty space and have a smaller space with cupboards and a sink as the actual utility. You might make the pantry smaller and create three separate spaces.

 

6. The upstairs plant room might be better as a washroom and bedding/towel storage. Put cupboards all the way along one side and across the end, it will be easier to use than the current set up.

 

7. One ensuite appears to have a window to another room, I assume that is an error. Put the shower across the end of the room and WC/sink next to each other not opposite each other as it is much more spacious. Put the shower on the inside and the WC at the outside wall so the stack can go down the corner of a downstairs room.

 

8. I assume that the other en suite is actually a shower room, it is quite small, I would make the bedroom a little narrower and give the space to the room. As mentioned it is not ideal for plumbing as it is in the middle above the kitchen.

 

9. Is there a view in the master en suite? Is it exposed? I wouldn't want to be on display when I stand up in the bath. I would have a larger shower, in general get a bathroom place to design these places for you.

Edited February 21, 2019 by AliG

[vk108]

Hi All,  I really appreciated your feedback and was really helpful. Please find the updated plans with room measurements. Views and Garden are towards South east so windows orientated mainly south and SouthEast. I am going for near passive house due to some personal circumstances. any help with passive house principles will be helpful like summer over heating.  I will be project managing myself using mostly subbies by using TF supplier for main shell erection. To be honest I am on modest budget  not like grand designs. Just need a well designed home with fabric first approach and to reduce my mortgage payments. any further feedback really appreciated.

 

 

 

[ProDave]

Bedroom 2 en-suite appears to be accessed from the landing?

 

No familly bathroom upstairs unless Bed 2 en-suite is supposed to be it?

 

What is the little room in the snug with it's name crossed out all about?

[AliG]

7 minutes ago, ProDave said:

What is the little room in the snug with it's name crossed out all about?

I am now worried that it has some sinister purpose

[newhome]

12 minutes ago, AliG said:

I am now worried that it has some sinister purpose

 

Lol, a very small sinister purpose! I thought it looked like a sort of cupboard that would house the computer or toy boxes etc? 

[AliG]

Thanks for the extra info.

 

If you are on a budget, I would be definitely building standard wardrobes not fitted furniture, I don't know if that is just the way you have shown them.

 

I would keep the sink in the utility room to wash your hands etc if you are working in the garden.

 

You have tended to show doors hard in the corner of rooms, usually they need to be a little way out to allow for the frame and architrave.

 

I am no structural engineer, but you have an area in the centre of the house where you will maybe need steel across between the study and the snug to support the upper floor joists. If the door to the snug is opposite the corner where you would support the steel you will maybe have an issue. Also you have a considerable number of stud walls above the centre of the kitchen, I don't know if this will have issues in terms of supporting them below.

 

The first step on the stairs is also maybe too near to the front wall.

 

I would get a kitchen designer to look at the kitchen for you. There are quite a few things you could do, for example moving the utility and pantry doors to the ends of the wall so you can have a single longer run of units. 

 

Are you planning on just giving your design to a TF company? I think you should maybe pay an architectural technician to look it over first.

 

 

 

 

[Jeremy Harris]

I'd second the observation above about the ludicrous price of fitted wardrobes etc.  I planned one for our bedroom, but binned the idea when we got the first quotes in.  I built a walk-in wardrobe/small dressing room for around 10% of the price I was quoted for a smaller fitted wardrobe, and my cost included an oak door and frame, plus hanging rails, shelves, drawers, shoe racks etc.

[Mr Punter]

Any chance of a large porch to:

A) stop all the heat escaping when your groceries are delivered / someone is at the door and you need to communicate but not let them in

B) give those in the kitchen / living / upstairs landing some privacy from anyone calling or entering

 

 

[vk108]

little room in the snug is a meditation and yoga room.... These days meditation making me feel bit better after 4 long years with Outline planning and Site purchase saga. Still yet to go for detailed planning and start construction so I need another 3 years of strong will power it seems.  Sometimes I feel like I cant do this any more. But I never give up on anything easily I hope I can do it.. With regard to wardrobes I have good experience fitting Ikea. It's just a case of fitting wardrobes as and when money and time permits. My biggest worry is at the moment detailed planning and getting the build to completion stage and make it habitable for family.

[Mr Punter]

6 minutes ago, vk108 said:

little room in the snug is a meditation and yoga room

 

My guess was that it said "Prayer room" before it was redacted, but I couldn't work it out as it is only the size of a cupboard.

[Ferdinand]

16 hours ago, vk108 said:

little room in the snug is a meditation and yoga room.... These days meditation making me feel bit better after 4 long years with Outline planning and Site purchase saga. Still yet to go for detailed planning and start construction so I need another 3 years of strong will power it seems.  Sometimes I feel like I cant do this any more. But I never give up on anything easily I hope I can do it.. With regard to wardrobes I have good experience fitting Ikea. It's just a case of fitting wardrobes as and when money and time permits. My biggest worry is at the moment detailed planning and getting the build to completion stage and make it habitable for family.

 

Can I add a few late comments here?

 

I second @Mr Punter .. take the time that you need. You have put a lot of things together; now let it steep at least for a little to make sure that you get your decisions as right as possible. I would counsel deliberately exposing yourself (wait for the next word @pocster) to things outside your immediate experience here ... eg go and visit other houses to see how they are laid out and hw your friends live. Delibrately ask them what they would like to change or do differently. What facilities do they need.  See how 2 people or 2 people plus one old mum live in a house. Get a list of questions to be thinking about etc. Have a few nights away in modern AirBNB etc.

 

Do some scenario planning as to how you will live in it at differ not stages of your lives, if parents move in, if disabled or frail etc. You can design for adaptability without having to put all the extra stuff in now, but you need to have thought about it.

 

Tou have some excellent comments on design and layout. I would add to think sooner rather than later .. say when your app is in but being processed ... about how to manage the construction, especially on hiring vs buying then selling items of kit, and getting things like trade accounts set up.

 

My specific comments on the design:

 

Make all your shower cubicles large ones ie one dimension 1m or more. It makes a huge perceived difference. Make them wall to wall at the end of the small oblong rooms.

 

I would try and make all bedrooms en-suite .. there is space for a pair of ensuites between beds 3 and 4.

 

I agree you need space for a full disabled shower room downstairs .. you never know when it might be needed. Inwuld make provision for that corner of the downstairs, and perhaps the pantry, to be a potential granexe with kitchen in future. Very little extra work required to do that.

 

You have extra space for your stairs; use it. Make them shallow Ie say 35 degrees not 42. That just makes it feel comfortable, and much easier for older people.

 

I am not clear what happens behind that settee on the landing, as it is blocked whichever way round the stairs are. Personally, I would consider making that the Yoga spot, as you potentially get light and a view, plus space to stretch out. It could be made into an informal Carrel when not being used for meditation.

 

I think your grouping of ensuites is rather scattergun, and will cause pipe routing and potentially noise issues.

 

I think your parking needs thoroughly reconsidering. It was very awkward in the initial sketch, and it is still. A two or three car long tandem or trandem cul de sac is unlikely to work. I think I would have three or four generous side by side in front of the double garage (which is a good size), with a turning spot for reversing down the N side of the house all done to recommended turning dimensions, the latter leading on to a porch or portico such that people can alight and vehicles can be loaded through the wide door.

 

Ideally that turning space would be wide enough for a full size removal lorry to reverse in to prevent having to carry things the extra 10m, and ease future deliveries.

 

The NE corner of the plot looks as if it is looking for a use. I would make that into either trees/shrubs, or possibly a workshop or work / hobby room. You could stick your storage there for the build, and leave it afterwards .. but remember that you may want it out someday.

 

My take.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Ferdinand

[PeterW]

17 hours ago, vk108 said:

little room in the snug is a meditation and yoga room....

 

I applaud you putting that in but unless you’re going to isolate it from the rest of the house, it will be anything but tranquil. Taking what @Ferdinand has said, put a separate room in the garden for this away from the house - somewhere you can take time to be. Decent garden rooms are not expensive and if you’ve got a TF company doing your house, 4 extra panels and a roof aren’t going to be much more. I’d consider how you can then use that space as a hobby room, or just as somewhere to escape to. 

[PeterW]

One last observation - move the door / wall into the master bed back into the hallway by 8-900mm. It means the door opens into an alcove in and not into someone’s face as they walk from the en-suite to the bedroom ... 

[TerryE]

I can't understand the reason for the large northeast facing window in the bathroom. It seems like a peepers chartered to me: lot of cost, a loss of privacy, and for a little extra benefit.  You seem to have more light in the bathroom than most of the rooms.  I suggest you lose the corner window and stick with a standard window on one of the walls.

 

I know that some of the posters here have advocated the benefits of using an architect.  Others including myself and @JSHarris found using an architect technician as more flexible and cost-effective.  You seem to have very clear idea of the architectural drivers for your house so I'm personally qnot sure what an architect would add.

 

As to the master bedroom another alternative is to have an outward opening door. This would save the cost of creating the alcove.

[Alex C]

On 23/02/2019 at 12:07, TerryE said:

I'm personally qnot sure what an architect would add.

 

I never really understand why self builders are happy to spend a fortune on a new build, but cut short on things like professional design advice that can have a huge impact on the build. There were clearly some fundamental issues with the layout, some of which have been partially addressed, but it is not really possible to review a design scheme fully without even having some elevations and also maybe a section to look at.  

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Alex C said:

I never really understand why self builders are happy to spend a fortune on a new build, but cut short on things like professional design advice that can have a huge impact on the build. There were clearly some fundamental issues with the layout, some of which have been partially addressed, but it is not really possible to review a design scheme fully without even having some elevations and also maybe a section to look at.  

 

 

I mainly concur with @Alex C here, but I am not sure it is fixable completely as we get both just-started and nearly-finished types of request. I agree that this design is quite unresolved in detail, but I think it embodies and begins to articulate what is required by the OP.

 

I am more frustrated by “I am going to apply for Detailed PP on the 13th of next month; any last minute ideas?”, which can involve gold plating a nearly finished lump of coal, as I am by “here is something I ran up on Windows Draw this morning in half an hour; please advise”, which can involve debating a box in a vacuum.

 

I think we get plenty of both types, but personally I prefer the latter as it is part of an individual’s long learning process, whilst the former cannot necessarily be improved except minimally and maybe cosmetically.  Though like an architect we are perhaps more creative with lots of constraints. I think that time invested up front us worth its weight in octopuses, so I am usually happy to spend what time I have.

 

Personally I try to aim for more fundamental concepts in a design, as if an OP had read something like A Pattern Language first. I think that with varying emphases we can cover a lot of ground; others are better on different aspects. My own bugbear is If we suggest something which is already on a different version of a design which has not been uploaded.

 

But is there a little para somewhere on the joining process, which advises how to ask good questions, and what information helps us supply good answers? [I am guessing that this is probably in place already, because I think our admins have probably thought of that].

 

I like to see

 

1 - Some sort of requirements statement.

2 - Plans

3 - Context - plan of surroundings  or Google earth

4 - Questions to address

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

[TerryE]

41 minutes ago, Alex C said:

I never really understand why self builders are happy to spend a fortune on a new build, but cut short on things like professional design advice that can have a huge impact on the build. There were clearly some fundamental issues with the layout, some of which have been partially addressed, but it is not really possible to review a design scheme fully without even having some elevations and also maybe a section to look at.  

 

New members come to this forum, and they will find a lot of common themes expressed by experianced self builders.  They will also find issues which are controversial in that you will find different opinions represented; the subject of the use of architects and project managers is controversial.  No one would dispute that you need these functions to be carried out to have a successful self build. The real issue is whether a typical "competent person" (i.e. with the appropriate qualifications) that a new builders sometimes commission to do this work actually provide value for money.

 

Members will find examples on this forum of people who have carried out very successful self build without using architects or project managers. I think that @JSHarris and myself all good examples here but there are others.  There is also quite a range of examples where, quite honestly, the architects and project managers concerned and who were commissioned by the new builders did a bad job.  What is best often depends on the new builders of themselves. 

 

In my case for example, I have quite a lot of the project management experience in IT, and having taken early retirement I also had the time to do the PM myself.  I addressed all of the visualisation issues myself and scoped out the basic layout, but I then use an architect technician to do all the drawing sets for the planning application, and my timberframe company did all of the detail sections and build details.  We ended up with a fantastic house, and saved maybe £60K costs in the process from our constrained capital pot to divert into other build expenses.

 

Focusing just on the issues of architecting a house: in my view many prospective new builders have aspirations of living in a grand design, but without understanding the build and financial implications of trying to realise this properly.  Many such grand ideas just don't fit into the needs of a comfortable and well thought out house within the price bracket that the builder can afford, or they rarely work in practice.  IMO, a good architect should discourage their client from choosing options which they will regret in practice, but sadly they don't.  A good example here is the use of "acres" of glass instead of standard windows.  Of course this can have its place for example if you are on the edge of a wilderness and have spectacular views, but if you have a setting in the middle of a built up area, then your views are of other people's houses and gardens, so all you have are a lot of nasty thermal design issues and a loss of privacy.

Edited February 25, 2019 by TerryE

[vk108]

Hi All, I really appreciate all your inputs and really thankful to everyone.. Basically I am going for passive solar gain having large windows on South and minimal glazing on North. I had some windows on East because it has got nice big garden and wood land views towards South East

 

One of the reasons we have chosen Passive house because We have a noisy road on north boundary 100 meters away and looking healthy, comfortable environment

 

Could you please provide any tips on how to avoid summer over heating either using overhangs on South glazing and shutters on east side windows in Ground floor

 

Open plan living 2 windows 4m*2m

 

I am going for standard size windows on First Floor unlike Ground Floor

 

Looking MVHR design tips issues as well, like best place to have ducting and any noise issues

 

Reducing noise issues with en suite bathrooms

 

I have tall thirsty row of Poplars on South boundary of around 14 meters away from House foot print 

and being in clay soil, Foundations is going to be a big challenge. Just checking about Raft, Screw Piles or Helical Piles or Basement which ever is cheapest.

 

Is it better to engage Structural Engineer and Building Regs Inspector now or is it ok to wait till we get planning for approved layout plans.

 

I am definitely going for TF supplier, I think they provide SE calculations for Foundations and Shell house, any advice appreciated

 

I am planning to dwell into sections, elevations and aesthetics once floor plans finalized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by vk108
updated correct jpeg

[Jeremy Harris]

You almost certainly do not want much solar gain.  I'm sitting here in a house that's at 24°C with the cooling system running to try and keep the temperature down.  I have the blinds down on all the South facing windows, and the temperature of those blinds is around 35°C at the moment.  That's with solar reflective film applied to the outside of the glazing.  Our heating hasn't been on for the last three or four days at all.