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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 11:47 am Post subject: help with house plans |
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This is a house plan my wife and I drew for our new home. We are totally new to this, and would love any input we could get, positive or negative. We looked through hundreds of stock plans, but couldn't find "the perfect plan". So i decided to try my hand a designing one. I must say, it is a lot harder than most people think. Its all been fun up to now, but i think its time to bring in some help.
What we are looking for is some feedback on the plan,and or a reference to a home designer that can take it to the next step. Its time to bring in some professional help.
Here is the link to the floor plan
http://img418.imageshack.us/img418/4241/floorplanresized1bg.jpg
here is a front view
http://img418.imageshack.us/img418/7089/frontresized5bb.jpg
We haven't put a lot of thought into the upstairs "bonus room". I'm actually thinking about leaving it unfinished for now. Any input would be greatly appreciated |
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nEyHoNa
Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Location: Irvine, CA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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hey there road trash,
i had a look at your floor and elevation plans. the elevation plan looks great. the problem i see with the floorplan is the placement of the bathroom when you enter the house. i'm not sure whether it's your plan to have the hallway as the view from the window looking in from the outside. the other problem is the powder room that has be entered through a laundry room. i'm from california, and i'm not sure if floorplans are different elsewhere. is this a new home being built bottom up? i highly recommend an architect. they will be able to answer your problems and also put your ideas into a plan. overall, i think you did a great job trying to put this together. |
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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| nEyHoNa wrote: | hey there road trash,
i had a look at your floor and elevation plans. the elevation plan looks great. the problem i see with the floorplan is the placement of the bathroom when you enter the house. i'm not sure whether it's your plan to have the hallway as the view from the window looking in from the outside. the other problem is the powder room that has be entered through a laundry room. i'm from california, and i'm not sure if floorplans are different elsewhere. is this a new home being built bottom up? i highly recommend an architect. they will be able to answer your problems and also put your ideas into a plan. overall, i think you did a great job trying to put this together. |
nEyHoNa,
Thanks for your reply. Your input means allot. I'v showed this drawing to a lot of people in real life, and the typical response is "looks good". It's hard to get any real constructive criticism
Really, the only thing I'm not completely happy with is the master bath, and the walk in closet. A little too small, but I'm clueless in how to fix them. I'v messed with this thing so long, I'm out of ideas.
I am talking with an architect, but I would like to go into this thing without so much indecision. I wish I was ready to say "here it is, draw it up". I would hate to build this house and regret something about it. Right now its cheap to make changes, later it will cost
The window in the front hallway prettymuch just balances out the front of the house. The single bath by the laundry room is easily accessible from the garage, laundry room, or kitchen.
I also thought about opening up the living room with the kitchen by removing that wall by the bay window. What do ya think
thanks again |
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nEyHoNa
Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Location: Irvine, CA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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i think knocking that wall down would be a great idea. more so, people like homes with an open spaceplan. since the dining area by this kitchen is not formal, it seems more inviting when it opens up to the family room. (just in case you're planning to sell it one day) 
good luck with your home. |
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Justus
Joined: 22 Jun 2004
Posts: 50
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:54 am Post subject: |
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I applaud you. If you've never done such a thing before you sure made a great effort. It is a bit rough aruond the edges though. I am not in America, I will only comment on your layout and not on building code.
Front elevation - love the way you are dealing with the windows all the way to the ground. I see you made an effort to introduce symmetry into your house.
This symmetry seems to be present in some of the rooms (living, den) but is lost in the floorplan as a whole. This is easy to fix, and it solves a host of issues:
1. remove the partition between the kitchen and the living.
2. draw two vertical lines on your plan, so that the main body (house ex garage) is devided in three equal parts. (if neccessary, you can make the middle section slightly narrower than the other two). move the right side of the stairs to the line (also your stairs are very wide compared to your doors, any particular reason?). Move the master bedroom wall to the other wall. You now have more room in your bedroom and the walk in closet, the stairs are not located precariously half in fromt of the front door. there is even space for the powder room to move to where those two cubboars are now, next to the front door (see nEyHoNa's first post).
3. Now consider what you see when you are standing in the rooms: do you want to look ouside when cooking, is the fireplace located direclty opposite the front door, or is there a window etc.
On a differnt note, and this is most important btw: draw your furniture, cut it out and move the pieces around on the floorplan. Better still, build a model of this floorplan from cardboard. don't forget furniture and windows, then look at it from all angles.
I don't see a floor plan for the upper floor, and I don't see an elevation for the back. Must say I'm kinda curious.
I realise just moving things around will upset the delicate balance you and your family may have struck when it comes to room sizes etc.; I know nothing about what your wishes were in designing this house. I therefore would like to stress you talk to an architect face to face. He/she can improve this plan exatly to your wishes. |
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Justus
Joined: 22 Jun 2004
Posts: 50
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| Whoa, re-reading your post I see that you are thinking about doing nothing with the upstairs. Here's a thought: can't you move the bedrooms upstairs? This way you can enlarge the rooms downstairs, while at the same time somewhat reducing the size of your house, which will definately make it cheaper... |
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carpenterguy
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:33 am Post subject: |
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I think the plans look pretty good, Good luck with it all and i hope it all goes smoothly for you.
Although i do agree with the post above me about the window in the hallway.. I havent realy come across that before. But it would add some nice natural lighting to the hallway. And remember, its your house and it should be your way!
_________________
Thousands of great home plans – find your new dream house! Maybe even a Victorian Style House Plans. |
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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your replies everyone. This is exactly what I was looking for. I will take all ideas into serious consideration.
Justus,
Thanks for the compliment, you have no idea how many hours, and sheets of graph paper I'v went through to get this thing where it is now, and I thought that was the hard part. The point I'm at now is worse. If I would have bought stock plans, at least I wouldn't be doing so much second guessing. I think i'm just about to realize that nothing is 100% perfect. It's really give and take
I'm seriously considering opening up the livingroom and the dining area. The question is, should the wall come out completely or partially? How would that affect the load bearing members? What about, say a 10 ft, cased opening and the rest, glass block or something. And if it comes completely out would, could I make a flooring transition. I was originally considering wood, for the livingroom, and tile for the kitchen and laundry room. The choices are endless.
We also considered doing away with the second bedroom downstairs, and putting it, and another bathroom upstairs. In turn making the main level a huge "master suite". Its just gotten to the point, now, that things ARE so tightly balanced, that any big change means back to the drawing board.
carpenterguy, Thanks for the comment. Yea natural light, thats what i'm talkin bout. I really don't see any way to change that without throwing off the symmetry
Im trying to work on the upstairs now and hold down a real job, so it might be a while. I'll post the upstairs, and the rear elevation as soon as possible.
Keep it coming yall....... rip'er to shreds. when I get it all back together, I think I'll have something |
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Orkblork
Joined: 28 Jul 2005
Posts: 64
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| Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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A home design should never be evaluated without information on the site on which it is being built. Where's the sun? Where are the views? What are the essential dynamic qualities of the site? What is its inherent order? How is this house an extension of this order? And so on.
That said, this is a very generic house, typical builder stock with poor circulation patterns and furnishability. Look at the living room for example: You won't be able to get enough furniture near the fireplace. The master bedroom entry lacks privacy. The front foyer does not provide a suitable arrival; you trip over the front stair when you enter. Most of the rooms have windows on only one side, which is bad for glare and cross ventilation.
You have started the project in the wrong place. The notion that you should figure things out with greater certainty and then hire an architect to draw it is all wrong. Sorry to repeat what I wrote on a different post, but it is widely misunderstood what architects do. Arhitects are not glorified drafters who "draw up blueprints" after all the design decisions have been made. A good architect helps his clients figure out how they want to live. He will make you consider your life and your home and your site in ways that have not occurred to you.
This house is uninspired, and the front elevation is trite. Why, if you can afford to build your own house, are you choosing to live in something so ordinary? |
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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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Orkblork.
Thanks allot for your honest assessment. When I first read your post it was a little hard to swallow, because of all the work put into it. But most of the things you said I agree with. The house does need some major changes. I really knew that all along, but I just couldn't bring myself to admit it. A few of the things you mentioned, I had already thought of, like the living room furniture placement, and the lack of privacy with the master bedroom entrance. The other thing I'm not satisfied with, is the master bath, and the walkin closet, just too small and cramped. I guess, I just needed somebody to be brutally honest. You have inspired me. I will keep on this until I get it right.
So.......Back to the drawing board. I think the first major change is gonna be finishing the upstairs with 2 bedrooms and a full bath,and doing away with bedroom number 2, and the full bath, downstairs. That will give me more room for my master "suite", and a better arrangement for the living room.
The lot is wooded,with large oak trees, and about 500 acres of forest surrounding it. It slopes front to back at about a 1 on 12.There will be a large deck across the back. It would also be nice to incorporate a sunroom, or at least a small covered shelter on the back.
What I'm shootin for, is a traditional house, with a large open floor plan. I want about 2000 sq ft on the main floor, with about 600-800 sq ft in the "bonus" area. The outside may look traditional, or trite, but I want the main floor to have the feel of an upscale condo. I would also like to incorporate a huge master suite, with a big luxurious bath. A walkin closet, accessible from the bedroom and the bathroom . I also want a eat in, gourmet kitchen, slash hangout room. That leads to the back porch. The garage, laundry room, and kitchen, are most likely going to stay as they are, at least in that corner of the house. I want the livingroom in the center of the house, with a foyer, and the stairway from the front. The fireplace in the den is wood burning, backing up to the garage. I plan to put a steel door in the back, for ash removal. The oversized one car garage will hold said wood. The fireplace in the livingroom will be "ventless" gas logs, so they can really go on any wall..........whewww, that just about does it.
How hard can that be? I would love to see some ideas. This could be the thread of all threads. Could you imagine how cool it would be to document this whole process on this website? anyway..........
Thanks for all the comments. Looking forward to hearing from you soon |
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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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gleearch
Joined: 07 Jul 2005
Posts: 185
Location: Oakland, CA , USA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like you pulled the plans and elevations off some stock plan book.
It's not so much that the elevations are trite, but that it's what you find on every street corner. Tract or builder homes.
Not really intending to be insulting or to hurt your feelings. Design is a personal journey and not everyone is going to agree about what is good design. It's subjective and in the design world, critiques can come hard and fast. Many architects tend to be perfectionist and or type A personalities. Many of us see design as an art form that is carefully intergrated with the science of building. You took the time and spent hours working away at it. So kudos for trying. At the same time you realised that it's not easy and came here looking for opinions to help guide you.
Truthfully in the end, it's really about what you want out of your home.
If you are happy with the design then that's really up to you.
Not everyone wants to work with an architect. But as has been posted and explained very well and passionately by Orkblork, there are reasons why you use an architect.
Given that there have been many homes designed and built without architects and which still look unique and sometimes aesthetically pleasing. On the other hand, there are tons of examples of those which do not (the same can be said of those designed by architects).
Use an architect if you want a custom home designed and tailored around your needs. Use them if you want something innovative and do not want to have to deal with the hassles of complying with building codes yourself or presenting your design before a design review board, board of supervisors or planning dept. Use them if you want design documents that properly detail how the building gets put together. Use them to explore alternative construction methods or sustainable or green design. Use them if you want your home to be a reflection of who you and your family are.
Other than that, if you are just modifying stock plans, you might consider asking the author of the stock plans to just complete the modifications for you (it could prove to be surprisingly affordable, though I'm not a proponent of stock plans). Building a home is definitely a big budget item. Design related fees are a portion of it. Avoiding using a design professional to save a few bucks could cost you more in the long run. It's obvious that you want this project to be a personal journey, so you may as well go for it. Just heed Orkblork's advice and do some research with your local building and planning department. You're definitely not going to get something that big built without the proper oversight and permits.
Oh, and if you are going to go this route, just remember to have fun and keep a sense of humor.
Um, my two cents.
_________________
Gerard Lee Architects
http://www.gleearchitects.com
San Francisco bay area, Oakland, CA based sustainable architecture & planning firm specializing in residential, education, commercial, community & civic projects. |
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roadtrash
Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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I have an architect hired as of last friday. The reason I posted this in this forum was for a broader input from different people around the world. Thats whats so great about the web. I believe that a team of people, with different tastes and cultural background, are an added asset to the any build team. I totaly agree that an architect is a must. I'm just trying to do my part, by knowing exactly what I want. I think, the only bad idea is the one not thought of.
I do have a question though. Is it possible to hire another architect, just as a, kinda of, a consultant? A second opinion if you will, just to give design ideas. I mean how long could it take, for a pro, to sit down, and throw out a few ideas?
The price is not a problem. The added expense now, will be priceless when you have your dream home.
So.....with that said, pull out a cocktail napkin and shoot me a sketch. I would love to see any ideas. If you don't want to use attachments. You can go to this site to host them, and then link directly to them.
With an architect and a worldwideweb design team, It'll be the best house evahh.........Thanks |
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gleearch
Joined: 07 Jul 2005
Posts: 185
Location: Oakland, CA , USA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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I do agree that sometimes having many different viewpoints can add to a design and sometimes the opposite can happen. It depends on the mix. (too many cooks ...)
I note that you have hired an architect. Let him see your designs and ideas and keep an open mind. He may have suggestions that improve it. Let him do his job but at the same time, it should be a collaborative effort.
It is your house after all.
As for hiring another architect as a design consultant, what's wrong with the first one you hired? I understand the concept of getting a second opinion but architect contracts are tricky things because of the issue of copyright and whose intellectual rights are being affected in a situation like that.
Hopefully you have full confidence in the abilities of the architect you hired.
Anyway, hiring two different architects could prove to be very expensive but you could always try. It has been done before. Clients hire famous or well known architects to design a building and get another set to document the project. Normally that tends to happen when the designer is some big name architect from another county and not licensed to practise here.
I have seen it done when a client hires a particular architect but they are short on experience for a certain building type. Normally the second architect is hired in a mutually agreeable and collaborative process. Just try not to step on toes.
That said, if your first architect is short on delivery, you can always fire him and hire another architect.
You're the client, so you technically can do whatever you want. Just make sure everything is in the open, maintain open communication and make sure you have good contracts in place.
And like I said before, have fun and keep your eye on your goal.
_________________
Gerard Lee Architects
http://www.gleearchitects.com
San Francisco bay area, Oakland, CA based sustainable architecture & planning firm specializing in residential, education, commercial, community & civic projects. |
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Orkblork
Joined: 28 Jul 2005
Posts: 64
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| Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Gleearch makes some good points, but I would not be as quick to ascribe different opinions in architecture to differences in taste. Sure, we all have different tastes in, say, music, but on the other hand some music has rich intellectual ideas behind it that the composer was striving to realize. Other music is mere entertainment. Both are fine, but if you are going to invest several hundred thousand dollars in something that you may live with for fifty years, you need to address this this as more than a matter of taste and engage real critical thinking.
Roadtrash, there are many problems in the new plan, and you have to get past the notion that local patches are going to take care of them. The living room cannot be furnished comfortably; any grouping of furniture will be too far from the fireplace and will be bisected by the circulation path. The dining room is ill conceived; the relationship between the table, fireplece, bay window, and angled counter has not been properly considered. The living spaces are have one exposure, while the bedrooms, which are scarcely occupied during the day, get precious corner locations. The 4' covered porch is merely an exterior hallway with no room for furniture, and it will cast deep shadows into the interior.
I didn't follow your idea about putting BRs upstairs and mirroring the rest, but no matter... this is not a matter of patching up local problems. The problem with this house lies in its conception, in its flawed DNA. And even if it were a good plan, that wouldn't mean it's the right house for your site.
BTW, hiring the RIGHT architect, not any architect, is the key. In any earlier post, I said that an architect is not simply a glorified drafter, but someone who thinks deeply about life and art and how buildings can enrich human experience. But not all architects are interested in doing this. Some, sadly, DO see themselves as glorified drafters. Many draw plans just like yours. I hope you hire an architect who does more than that. |
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