Your opinion on our proposed plan please.

[Russdl]

Dear all.

 

I would welcome your feedback regarding our proposed plan.  We have an old bungalow we plan to demolish and replace with (probably) an MBC house.

 

I've spent countless hours messing around with SketchUp and I think I'm finally there, but I may have a bit of tunnel vision now so I value all comments.

 

For context, here is the (irregular) plot and surrounding property. The plot is set back from the main road and pretty much invisible until you walk past it. Access is from the south west, it's narrow and it may be tricky. 

 

 

 

And a view of the proposed new house, looking from west to east.

 

 

The low pitched roof is because it is pretty much surrounded by bungalows or one and a half story houses and I suspect ridge height will be an issue. We would like a 'solar' veranda but not sure of the practicalities yet.

 

Ground floor plan:

Fairly conventional 'open plan' but we've opted for a plant room on the ground floor that will also be a washing/drying room and store room as there is no useable loft space. I plan to run the majority of the plumbing, MHRV etc to the first floor in a void between the plant room and downstairs WC.  Is that sensible?

 

 

 

First floor plan:

 

 

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Russ.

 

Edited September 5, 2016 by Russdl
spelling!

[AliG]

Just a few thoughts Russ.

 

Site/planning issues first.

 

1. It appears the house is very close to the boundary at the back. There don't appear to be any houses there today, but I think it might break local overlooking guidelines. Once built it would make it very difficult to build the land behind. It may be that this land can never be built on. You could lose all the windows on that elevation of you have to. The kitchen and bedrooms could just have windows to the side.

 

2. If everything is just one storey high I would consult the planners as to their attitude to a two storey building, even a low one.

 

Design issues -

 

1. You have some big spans there, I think it will be ok with steel between the end of the lounge wall and back of the kitchen. You might need to go to 300mm joists or 400mm centres. This will affect the height of your ridge. Assuming you use posi-joists or similar. These should make routing services no problem.

 

2. Ensuite 2 is above a window in the kitchen, routing the waste down might be difficult. You will have a bump on the wall that will ideally be hidden behind kitchen cabinets.

 

3. Ensuite 2 is too small. It might physically work but will feel miserable to be in. I would aim for 1.2m wide. You can easily lose some width in the bedroom.

 

4. Not sure about the kitchen design. If you look at the sight lines, as people come in the front door they will be looking directly at the kitchen sink. I would probably move units to where the table is and use the table to split the kitchen from sun room.Then the table would be what you see coming in the door.

 

5. Maybe consider a skylight/sunpipe for the upstairs landing, it will be very dark. I do like how efficiently you have got all the rooms off it.

 

6. The staircase will likely need support on the half landing. It may be easiest to box it in.This would then allow an extra cupboard downstairs which would probably be handy.

 

7. I've never seen a veranda like that, is it frameless? As drawn it looks nice. But why put it round the back against the fence?

 

8. Depending on the height of the fence and planning issues, the back windows seem to look out against the fence.

 

Good luck with the plans.

Edited September 5, 2016 by AliG

[JamieM]

I'd also add a small window to the small upstairs ensuite.

[Russdl]

Thanks for your detailed reply AliG.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

Site/planning issues first.

 

1. It appears the house is very close to the boundary at the back...

 

Very good point. It's still fields behind - but I guess that could all change. Plan 'A' (which is in its infancy) is to by the little corner of field that we look out over but I guess I should have a plan B

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

2. If everything is just one storey high I would consult the planners...

 

Thats the next step.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

Design issues -

 

1. You have some big spans there...

 

I was concerned about the spans. Next stop MBC to see what they have to say about it.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

2. Ensuite 2 is above a window...

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

3. Ensuite 2 is too small...

 

Good points, I'll move stuff around.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

4. Not sure about the kitchen design...

 

That was deliberate, but probably not well thought through - I think your right, looking at a nice table as you come in may be better than a sink full of dirty plates! It would also probably make it easier to site the waste from the No.2 en-suite.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

5. Maybe consider a skylight/sunpipe for the upstairs landing

 

I had thought about that, but then discounted it. The stairs will be open 3 sides on the ground floor and I was hoping that might provide enough light. Can you get Sunpipes for passive houses? I'll get on to Google.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

6. The staircase will likely need support on the half landing.

 

That will happen, as will the understairs storage.

 

8 hours ago, AliG said:

7. I've never seen a veranda like that...

 

Neither have I! it came out of my head :-)  It's purely a sketch at the moment.

I fancied a veranda, and obviously need to shade the windows. Shading them with PV's could kill two birds with one stone. I found these PV panels http://www.lumossolar.com and thought they may be an ideal solution though I've no idea on costs. the fence round the back is just to define the boundary in 'SketchUp' and in reality would be a lot less significant. Continuing the 'solar veranda' around the back was deliberate to increase the amount of PV production time.

 

Thanks again Ali for your excellent and considered feedback.

 

Russ.

 

 

[ProDave]

Agree with the sun pipe for the landing.

 

I am not sure you are allowed a step on the half landing. Design for two straight flights of 7 steps, i.e. make your stair well slightly bigger. you don't want to be finding out at build time that it's impossible to fit a staircase that complies with building regs. You will need 13 or 14 steps depending on your floor to floor height.

 

Staying with the stairs, check your local regulations. they would not comply in Scotland as we have to allow a bit of free wall space at the top and bottom of a flight to allow for adding a stair lift in the future.

 

Make en-suite 2 bigger, or abandon it.

 

I am only seeing one "door" into the ground floor, unless that's patio doors or similar in the sun room or lounge. I would want a normal single door from the dining area out to the garden, otherwise you will be cursing when the kitchen bins need emptying. Building regs will probably require more than one door as well.
 

[Russdl]

Thanks Dave, I'll check regarding the step on the half landing (that would never, ever, have crossed my mind!) Nor the stair lift - I'll check that.

 

En-suite 2 getting bigger as we speak, personally I'd be happy to abandon it but the boss seems to think its necessary.

 

33 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I am only seeing one "door" into the ground floor,

 

My poor drawing. There will be patio doors from the sunroom and lounge. I'd though about the bin walk and decided that going through the sunroom would not be a major issue but I may just reconsider that, thanks.

 

 

[Russdl]

Thanks all for your feedback so far, we very much appreciate the time you have put in to looking at our plans and then responding.

 

The second en-suite is hanging by a thread and may well be deleted, if it stays it will be bigger and have it's own window.

A sunpipe or sun tunnel will go at the top of the stairs.

I think I'll leave the kitchen where it is and hope the sink is not full of dirty dishes when we get visitors.

There will probably be an additional door on the north east elevation.

 

Technicalities regarding the stairs and the building height etc still pending...