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rcbob

Floor Plan help needed

rcbob
11 years ago

My wife and I would some input for a custom home plan any and all comments are welcomed either negative or positive. We would like to hear your feedback before to go to an architect to have the plan drawn up officially.

We are building this on the family land each family of the 4 other families have about 12 acres plot with each of the 4 homes are facing 2 lakes, see photo.

The plan that is shown is made up of different parts of plans that we found either on-line or a home that we have walked through.

Background:
1)We are empty nesters both near 50 years old.

2)We want a ranch that will have handicap features that may be useful in the future. (1 story, 36 inch doors, 3 to 4 ft hallways etc.)

3)We both have large familyâÂÂs we do have family gatherings that will approach 40-50 guest.

4)We both like the laundry room off the master walk-in closet. (It will be sound proofed.)

5)We like the front door to open up center of the great room.

6)We will have a walk-out unfinished basement that the next occupants can add additional bedrooms. We just need a master bedroom a guest bedroom for now.

7)We wanted the guest bedroom to be on the opposite side of the master bedroom

8)The master bathroom will have a shower and no tub. The guest bathroom will have a shower/tub.

Problems that I see:
1)We are hoping to keep the main floor between 2500-2800sq ft. right now itâÂÂs 3000sq ft.

2)It seems the hallway is very long (50+ft) and seems to be wasted space.

Many, many thanks,
Bob

Comments (7)

  • rcbob
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is a photo of 2 pieces of land that we may choice from.

  • mudflap
    11 years ago

    Love the piece of land.

    Looking at the plan, I am having a tough time visualizing the mudroom as well as the guest bath. Is there enough space for a tub or shower. there seems to be a lot of corners to make just to get into the house from the garage. Personally, I would do away with the Powder room.

  • virgilcarter
    11 years ago

    Your land looks inviting and picturesque. For your sake, I hope you get one of the south facing parcels so that you can take advantage of passive solar energy strategies.

    I also hope you are going to an experienced and talented architect, and not a drafter at the lumberyard. Architects do not "draw up plans"--that's what drafters do. An architect will work with you to explore your needs and wants, review your site plan for building options and work together with you to explore design concepts that reflect your budget, as well as other constraints such as building code, zoning, etc.

    You need to do this since your plan looks like it has been "...made up of different parts of plans that we found either on-line or a home that we have walked through..." It really looks like a series of cliche rooms that have simply been connected end to end.

    The plan doesn't look like a retirement home for a couple. The 3-car garage, the diagonal walls and inefficient corridor, the overly large rooms (master suite, keeping, pantry, odd entry and room from the garage) all are areas for trimming and reconfiguring. Pehaps, most importantly, however, the plan doesn't suggest any concept or big idea, other than shelter from the elements.

    Unless your budget is unlimited, the odd footprint will result in an expensive foundation and floor framing, plus a labor intensive roof. The "bump-o's" and "notch-o's" of the walls increase the wall area, framing, sheathing and siding. As drawn it will not be an inexpensive house to build or operate.

    I hope you and your architect can do better than this.

    Good luck with your project.

  • zone4newby
    11 years ago

    You say you will have a basement. Where will the stairs go?

    If you're looking for ways to cut square footage, I'd consider shrinking the laundry and pantry spaces. Both seem very large for two people.

    If this will be your retirement home, do you want to plan some space for hobbies? Do you want to be able to make the keeping room and great room acoustically separate? I could see adding a door between the great room and kitchen.

    FWIW, I could also see making the keeping room smaller, so it's a better size for 2-4 people. As it is, it seems like everything about the house but the number of bedrooms is sized for a family.

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    I usually start with bathrooms... so, that is where I am starting. Though, I am in agreement this plan needs a lot of work, or to start over.

    Your powder room serves no purpose, as your hall bath is already accessible from the hallway. So, that is wasted space.

    The hall bath--I'm not sure it is large enough for that many doors. What do you plan to put in there? Even with only a 3 piece bath, for the number of entrances, I don't think it is large enough. That said, it really doesn't require the door to the bedroom. The bedroom door (from hallway) and the bathroom door are in very close proximity and in a fairly private area of the home (a sheltered hallway).

    The master toilet room should not have an inswing door for safety.

    Your pantry appears to be larger than the office, hall bath, or laundry room. And, that will be wasted space, because a pantry isn't useful with deeper shelves than about 10-12". So, all the space in the middle will just be open floor space (again, wasted space). Also, the way the door is for that pantry, you are taking up some of your precious wall space for shelves with door swing/resting point. Additionally, your plot of land doesn't look like it is in a place that you are weathered down/in for months on end to where you'd need a ton of food storage for 2 people. Is there another reason you might require such a huge pantry?

    For space utilization, I'd like to see the size of the mudrooms and pantry reversed (though not necessarily their locations... As I've said, I think this plan needs to be reworked in a number of ways.)

    You have a lake/pond house, but there is no good way to get from the backyard to the dirty zones of the house (mudroom, laundry, or bathrooms). What if a soaking wet grandkid comes in from swimming? Or, muddy/sandy from playing along the lake front. Do you want that mess in your Great room, nook or Master Bedroom?

    The exterior door placement in the great room will mean that you will not be able to do anything with that wall between the fireplace and door--no built ins, no shelving/bookshelves...

  • dekeoboe
    11 years ago

    I hope you get one of the south facing parcels so that you can take advantage of passive solar energy strategies.

    That is exactly what I was going to say.

    Most of my other comments have been covered too. I think the only one that hasn't is the size of the laundry. It appears very large, especially for just two people. What do you intend to have in it?

  • ivaylo2009
    10 years ago

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