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shakfu3_gw

Any final feedback on plans before I submit to modular factory?

shakfu3
11 years ago

Hello all,

I am just about ready to submit the plans below to the modular factory for production. Any changes from this point forward will incur a change fee so I am motivated to get as much "right" as possible.

Here is some background on my situation. We are a family of four (two children 4 and 2) living in north New Jersey. We are looking to build on a small lot that is about 1/3 of an acre leveraging modular construction. To keep cost down, I have tried to design a home that would allow for construction with 5 modules, thus reducing transportation and build costs. Because of setback rules, the house cannot be any wider.


Other requirements include:

- A bedroom and full bath on the first floor for visiting parents who cannot navigate stairs as well as they used to

- Mudroom for the kids

- Laundry upstairs

- Open family room / kitchen concept

Thanks so much in advance for feedback!!

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Comments (9)

  • spagano
    11 years ago

    I really like your plan! I've never given an opioin or made suggestions on a floor plan and am not an expert by any means but here are my thoughts and observations:

    1) Does the study have a large closet because your parents will be living with or visit for long stretches of time? Do you plan on using it in the future, if needed, as the master bedroom? If not I would shrink the closet in there and push the wall between the study and mudroom back a couple of fee to give you more room in the mudroom. If you open up the alcove off the study you'd have open space. The study will be smaller but still usable (although I like compact spaces so I may not be a good judge).

    2) I love that style stairway. Are you leaving the space to the left of the front door open for any reason? Could you move the stairs up against the front wall and move the window up so it's on the middle landing?

    Happy building!

  • jimandanne_mi
    11 years ago

    I don't understand the front entrance space configuration, unless it's for elevation purposes, or the limitations of the module. I would not want the corner chunk taken out of the dining room. So I'd Make the DR a rectangle (getting rid of the corner closet) and center the DR door on the stairs. I'd move the front door to the right, with the right wall in line with the long DR wall. I'd extend the front door wall left in a straight line to the left side of the house, and redo the window placements. Then there would be space for a nice closet, a bench or table, mirror, etc. for a welcoming entry.

    Anne

  • chibimimi
    11 years ago

    Just because I'm a nut about storage ...

    In bedroom 4, if you moved the door 2 or 3 feet to the left you could then have a full wall of closets along the right-hand wall, rather than sacrificing 3 feet to the little entry way.

    For bedroom 3, if you move the door to the utility room down 2 feet or so, so it's flush with the back of the linen closet (not the front), you can then also move the bedroom door down 2 feet and extend the closet all the way to the left-hand wall.

  • chibimimi
    11 years ago

    Also, where are you going to keep cleaning supplies, the vacuum cleaner, mops, broom, etc. In the back hall closet?

  • shakfu3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback.

    You guys pointed out the exact areas that give me the greatest concern - foyer and storage.

    The foyer design includes many compromises that were necessary to the purposes of keeping cost down as well as limitations of modular design. Any of the changes suggested above would require an additional module which represents a step function change in cost (unlike traditional stick built).

    The original idea was to have a closet in front of the stairs somewhere. This was not possible due to my wife's instances on a "bump out" to the front elevation.

    The downstairs study is meant to be flexible and serve as potential second master for our respective parents who are getting older. Also, if we decide to have a third baby, my wife would be required to be on bed-rest so having a full bath / bedroom downstairs is helpful.

    @Chibimimi - great suggestions. At this point the back hall will have to serve as the area for mops/brooms, etc.

  • kelhuck
    11 years ago

    Is that a hallway between the study and the closet? If so, why don't you move the closet in to the hallway space. Put a door to the original closet in the nook and use that as your pantry. The old pantry can then be used for your cleaning closet, or for hooks/cubbies.

  • shakfu3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    kelhuck - thats a great idea.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    11 years ago

    I'm a nut for fresh air and I'd want a window on the left wall of the master bedroom for cross ventilation. Can't see dimensions, but I would want at least 2' on the left side of the cooktop. DH would have a baby at the door arrangement in the downstairs bath. He can't stand getting hit in the butt with a door when he's at the sink. At least make one of those a pocket door. Same issue in the master bath. I agree with kelhuck on the closet arrangement. Is that other bump out in the back hall for a bench and hooks? It really needs a closet there too.

    I agree with others about the front foyer...you lose a lot of sq footage with the current layout esp with the open ceiling.

  • energy_rater_la
    11 years ago

    didn't really look at second floor, but
    if study is going to be the bedroom for
    parents, you may want to rethink the
    swing of the bathroom doors.
    if (lord forbid) one of the parents were
    to fall in the bathroom, the doors
    would be difficult to open with
    them on the floor.
    maybe pocket doors would better suit the
    needs of this room.

    you might also want to make doorways
    wheelchair acessable and include any
    railings at bath/shower/toilet.

    where is hvac system going?
    will you insulate interior walls for sound?
    like study walls, walls between baths and
    bedrooms.

    best of luck.