Some estates will let you swap the driveway side - costs money tho. If the driveways aren't done yet, it might not cost as much. Costs nothing to ask.
It would be better to have bedrooms down right side of paper - put living area with that big alfresco on west.
I'd move the stove towards the pantry and put the fridge near the door to the kids' rooms - because then it's near the meals area for drinks etc.

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could this work on your block?
it will be a much cooler home to live in, in summer

just a thought.
(and a thought planfan says is good too!)

- depending on eaves and where the windows are and how low/high they are and the neighbours' house/trees. It ain't easy being cool.

Playing around with the Clarendon Fernhill 35 - we love the plan but wanted to tweek it a bit... we don't have photoshop so used word and cut and pasted... it's a cross between the Fernhill 35/38 & PD Amalfi...

I've never uploaded pics before so hope this works! hmmm seems that the pics have come out small, can someone tell me how to resize?

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When you up load them, upload them in the biggest size possible. Maybe you did them in ' thumbnail' size? I use www.tinypic.com and the size I use is 17 in monitor.
You could try that...very easy.

Hi Natlyn
I'd like the stairs to be more central in the house - eg along the garage back wall. Someone else had stairs at the back but they only had their bedroom upstairs.
How does the plan sit on your block for sunshine etc ?
pf

sunshine also wants to know where the sunshine is (ie. which was is north?). And which climate are you building in - tropical Qld? Sydney? Colder climates down South like Melb / Tassie?

BUMPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

yeah, I was thinking this thread had gone quiet for a bit...

Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking on here for a while, and finally joined up as we are getting close to signing with our builder and submitting plans to council. I thought it might be a good idea to post our plans on here and get some critiques.

We are a couple building in Mt Annan in NSW. Our block is 845sqm. Like so many people, we built our current home with a project/volume builder about 10 yeas ago and hated the experience and swore we would never do it again. But here we are again, with hopefully much more experience and wisdom!

We engaged a draughtsmen and came up with a design I am pretty happy with. We have chosen a small local builder who we hope will provide a better product and service than the project builder.

Our main problems/pet hates with our existing house has been the lack of storage, followed by the terrible kitchen design. So I have given those 2 things plenty of attention with our design. Some other things we focused on is the position of bedroom 2. I am a shiftworker, and sleep in a different room to my wife because of my wierd hours. So I focused on having bed 2 as far away as possible from the kitchen so my wife can use the kitchen without disturbing me. We have also specified extra sound insulation for that room.

We are also unsure about where to put our sink in the kitchen. It is currently shown on the island bench, but I have been thinking about moving it to under the servery window looking out to the alfresco. What do you kitchen experts think?

I am struggling a bit with the bathrooms. We want to have walkin/glassless/european style showers. It's shown on the plan in the ensuite, but not the main bathroom. I'm unsure on where to put the shower heads to avoid water splash outside of the shower. They will be hobless. The draughtsman has suggested the outside walls. The wall for the showers will be 2mts high and 1.3mts long leaving approx a 700mm entrance. The showers will be 1.2mts wide

In the ensuite, I have asked the draughtsman to move the toilet to the other side of the vanity so it's next to the bath, but now I'm not sure because I've realised there is no where to put the toilet roll holder other than on the side of the vanity. This might be fiddly when using the toilet paper!!! I know it's only a small thing, but it's sometimes the small things that drive us crazy about our existing house. Should we leave it as it is?

We need some help/ideas with floor coverings and electrical provisions, but I might post those questions elsewhere on the forums.

So please go ahead and have a look at our plans and let me know what you think we can improve or change.

Many thanks in advance and looking forward to your ideas.

Michael


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Apart from my preference for a separate toilet in the ensuite, I have nothing to add apart from............well done Very well thought out.

No, you must put the sink by the alfresco and servery window. We have that and the kids just reach in and grab a drink.
I can pass them lunch and they don't have to enter the house. ( I lock all doors...this also helps)

When it is night, I let them in.
Without the sink there...I would have to be going back and forth getting them a drink..what am I ?? A slave??
They can also wash their hands...ready for said food etc.
My breakfast bar is always clear cos no dirty dishes left ' in the sink' which I hate...
I can always count on one spot to be nice and tidy.
( unlike the sink by the window!)
I have a staker window there not bi fold. Good for wind flow. Can have it open a crack etc..rather than all the way like a bi fold and all the flies come in.

Re ensuite loo roll..we had the same, but it would have been attached to the bath. I paid $19 for a free standing loo holder. On a stand..well posh
Looks smart, you put it at the back..till needed..bring it forward and play with it while you do the business...gives your hands something to do. Rip off the paper..
Pop it back as you leave ( after washing hands..I mean, come on, not an animal)

Love the house...love the powder room and tiny basin. Or is it a big room,? And welcome to the forum

Ps why is there nothing near the door to powder? Will there be a bookcase or something against study wall? If you put the powder door off hall..you could use that space as a cupboard for coats / cupboard, / toys/ vacuum.
Have the door facing the hall to the kitchen.
The loo would then be on the wall where door is now.
You gain extra storage..win win
Or if not from entry hall have it from the hall opp the linen cupboard wall. Just not where it is..cos wasted real estate space!!!

^^ I agree about the powder room-there appears to be enough space to add a WIR to the study..

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Or swap them so you don't see the door open everytime you go to the pantry...pet hate.
Or keep wardrobe in study as per plan and make a smaller cupboard for the entry ( where are coats now stored? Near your front door? Use that for them..or shoes if you are Māori as we don't wear shoes in our houses here)
Many many uses for that space....

Good point about swapping over-if the current robe is kept in study and that space is built in it becomes a great storage area as you come in from garage.

10 to go Kiwi.

1 garage storage . Have the door to the ' little room ' as it will now be known ( assuming study just has a normal wardrobe) from garage. Ie gardening paraphernalia
2 coats
3 toys
4 vacuum ( dysons should have their own ' room')
5 ironing board and broom
6 shoe cupboard with proper storage..not just thrown on the floor
7 swimming towels and costumes
8 hydroponic growing!
9 card table and chair storage for board games or poker
10 old magazines, tat, high chair for grand kids, baby crap..like car seats etc

Edited to say, have the door anywhere you like, via garage or via inside the house. So flexible! Ooww gym equipment..number 11

That is awesome guys. Plans have been on the site only a few hours, and so many good ideas. It never occurred to me that space was wasted. So many options for it! I do like the idea of a door from the garage to give the garage some enclosed storage area.

Keep the ideas coming.

Thanks heaps,
Michael

If it was me I'd change the position of Master door, move bed 3 to where laundry now is ( incorporating wasted space outside of linen cupboards) and move laundry next to bathroom... Mind you- I hate hallways as I see them as a waste of space!

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Master is off the family room now...however dee and I both have this and who cares. It is great..stumble out of bed and head straight for the kitchen.
Not so good if you have little people using family room first thing in morning or late at night. We don't so it is ok..re noise.
Not sure of your family situation.