I have gotten so much great information from other threads, that as with many other members, I thought I'd start my own. Not just to get some great feedback from other forum members, but also to hopefully help others when they build.
This is our first build, so I'm sure will be a massive learning curve!
After years of browsing house designs, we have found one that fits our block and our lifestyle - the Sekisui Luzia 2.
KDR in Sydney - Sekisui Luzia 2
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Yep found it and keeping up with The_Joneses
Here is the rough outline of changes we want to make to the design:
Downstairs we want to convert the FAMILY room to an Alfresco. This would mean the THEATRE room back wall would be moved back by a metre or so, and the wooden pole things between the THEATRE and DINING room would be removed. We'd have a sliding door on an angle out to the Alfresco.
We want to add 0.5m width along the red line (I think it will be either 480mm or 620mm). This will give us extra width in the garage, ability to move walls around in the downstairs powder room/laundry/butlers pantry to add a shower to make a full bathroom downstairs, add extra width to the Alfresco area, and we'd divide the upstairs extra width between the three bedrooms at the front of the house.
Downstairs we want to convert the FAMILY room to an Alfresco. This would mean the THEATRE room back wall would be moved back by a metre or so, and the wooden pole things between the THEATRE and DINING room would be removed. We'd have a sliding door on an angle out to the Alfresco.
We want to add 0.5m width along the red line (I think it will be either 480mm or 620mm). This will give us extra width in the garage, ability to move walls around in the downstairs powder room/laundry/butlers pantry to add a shower to make a full bathroom downstairs, add extra width to the Alfresco area, and we'd divide the upstairs extra width between the three bedrooms at the front of the house.
Hmm.... Don't think that image of the floor plan linked properly.......... Will try to figure out what I've done wrong.........
Yep found it and keeping up with The_Joneses
Awesome yvonneh! Great to have you along!!
Got the image on....finally! It didn't like it in flickr, so had to put it through pinterest....what a hassle!!
Anyway, hope it makes sense!!
Anyway, hope it makes sense!!
The plans sound good! You may want to draw it up for them... I've found there is less lost in translation!
Welcome!!
Yeah you probably need to make it as clear as possible.. like really really clear. In fact so clear you may as well just do it for them to trace.
Loving the plan and your ideas. Would you consider making the upstairs toilet separate? You could do it really easily by flipping the toilet & toilet cavity door, and moving the bathroom door up so it opens onto where the toilet door opening currently is. I can draw it up for you if it helps. With so many rooms up there I think you'd find the separate toilet & bathroom REALLY handy.
Also the hallway between Bed 4 and the void - is that a balustrade that looks down or a full height wall? If it's a wall then you can make Bed 4 way bigger by removing that hallway.
With extra width in Bed 5 you could nearly add a ensuite to that room.
Yeah you probably need to make it as clear as possible.. like really really clear. In fact so clear you may as well just do it for them to trace.
Loving the plan and your ideas. Would you consider making the upstairs toilet separate? You could do it really easily by flipping the toilet & toilet cavity door, and moving the bathroom door up so it opens onto where the toilet door opening currently is. I can draw it up for you if it helps. With so many rooms up there I think you'd find the separate toilet & bathroom REALLY handy.
Also the hallway between Bed 4 and the void - is that a balustrade that looks down or a full height wall? If it's a wall then you can make Bed 4 way bigger by removing that hallway.
With extra width in Bed 5 you could nearly add a ensuite to that room.
Thanks for all the suggestions Cat_dunc. With both you and Yvonneh obviously having the same "translation issues", it sounds like it is definitely worth our while to amend the drawings ourselves. The sales guy gave us the detailed floorplans of each floor when we were last out at Kellyville, so we might make a couple of photocopies of those and put in our changes.
We have definitely thought about making the upstairs toilet separate, but my husband wasn't totally sure (seeing as there are 2 other toilets in the house). We would want to add a small hand basin in with it, so would lose the linen cupboard. But I thought we could probably put a small linen cupboard on the wall outside Bed 4 (where the hallway ends).
We are going to keep the walkway beside Bed 4, because it is a balustrade, and there are windows right up the wall on that side of the house at the stair case, which gives great light into the upstairs (that wall will be facing north, we will be flipping the design). It is a design feature which I really like, even though my practical mind tells me "you're wasting space!!".
We have definitely thought about making the upstairs toilet separate, but my husband wasn't totally sure (seeing as there are 2 other toilets in the house). We would want to add a small hand basin in with it, so would lose the linen cupboard. But I thought we could probably put a small linen cupboard on the wall outside Bed 4 (where the hallway ends).
We are going to keep the walkway beside Bed 4, because it is a balustrade, and there are windows right up the wall on that side of the house at the stair case, which gives great light into the upstairs (that wall will be facing north, we will be flipping the design). It is a design feature which I really like, even though my practical mind tells me "you're wasting space!!".
The thing I like about some of the new houses is the space not being saved. It does make a difference to the feel!
The thing I like about some of the new houses is the space not being saved. It does make a difference to the feel!
Definitely agree Yvonneh, we won't know ourselves after 4 of us, a cat, and frequent visitors, living in a small 3 bedroom house with 1 bathroom! Can't wait!
Will you be increasing the width of island bench. The reason we have increased the width of our island bench from 900mm to 1200mm is as adviced by friends when washing dishes water splash out onto the floor over the other side of the bench. Their island bench width is 900mm.
Will you be increasing the width of island bench. The reason we have increased the width of our island bench from 900mm to 1200mm is as adviced by friends when washing dishes water splash out onto the floor over the other side of the bench. Their island bench width is 900mm.
Good idea... if you can afford the additional cost and space I'd say go for it. I actually wanted a deeper counter even on the wall side as I wanted to put things 'behind' without feeling like the bench was too busy.
The island with the sink is ok. It does splash out but I haven't had it land on the floor on the other side yet... so the 900mm is enough depending on the look. And if you are extending it are you putting any cupboards/shelves under?
We extended ours to 1m deep which we love. Even deeper (and longer) would be even greater
Hi Joneses,
I tend to agree with your husband on the toilet upstairs (sorry Yvonne and cat_dunc
With regards to the island - I think the other guys might be onto something. We have ours at just over 800mm plus a table-height bench for eating at (breakfast bar sort of thing). I think we may have to be careful how we use the sink or possibly add some sort of low-height wall/ledge behind the sink area itself.
Check the window from Bed 5 over the alfresco roof. It may be a narrow slit due to the height of the roof pitch (check the elevations). If you want something deeper on that side, consider making it not so wide, so it's not running into the steeper part of the roof below.
Consider a laundry chute from the "Store" upstairs? We're really looking forward to kids' clothes magically ending up in the laundry after a shower
I like the idea of widening your house, especially around the garage - the standard sizes just feel a bit tight for my liking (and we don't have massive vehicles either).
Regarding the shower in the powder room, if you had a room downstairs that could be used as a bedroom, or if you plan to put a pool in out the back, then a shower is a good idea. If neither of those apply to you, then my feeling is the two showers upstairs would be enough.
Consider putting a door/opening from the cloak room, under the stairs and out through the door that is currently showing as an entry into the under-stair area? When you exit the car in the garage, if you have to keep going the "long way round" all the time (around the foot of the stairs), you will possibly give up using the cloak room and just enter through the butler pantry because it's more convenient - and then shoes, jackets and bags get left in the kitchen/lounge instead of the cloak room.
In the main bathroom upstairs, if you turned the toilet sideways (backing onto the void), you could then extend the shower if you wanted a double-headed one. I think the display home actually has a long shower at the back of the bathroom (where your bath is shown) and then the bath where your shower is (from memory).
That's a good idea to turn that passageway beside Bed 4 into something more useful. In the display home at Kellyville, it does seem like a wasted space there. Just be careful though that you don't close down the view out the large windows opposite the stair - that's a nice feature of that particular design.
Finally - I don't know you and your family and how you plan to live, so please just take these thoughts for what they are - my thoughts. I won't be offended if you don't agree with my way of thinking
I tend to agree with your husband on the toilet upstairs (sorry Yvonne and cat_dunc
With regards to the island - I think the other guys might be onto something. We have ours at just over 800mm plus a table-height bench for eating at (breakfast bar sort of thing). I think we may have to be careful how we use the sink or possibly add some sort of low-height wall/ledge behind the sink area itself.
Check the window from Bed 5 over the alfresco roof. It may be a narrow slit due to the height of the roof pitch (check the elevations). If you want something deeper on that side, consider making it not so wide, so it's not running into the steeper part of the roof below.
Consider a laundry chute from the "Store" upstairs? We're really looking forward to kids' clothes magically ending up in the laundry after a shower
I like the idea of widening your house, especially around the garage - the standard sizes just feel a bit tight for my liking (and we don't have massive vehicles either).
Regarding the shower in the powder room, if you had a room downstairs that could be used as a bedroom, or if you plan to put a pool in out the back, then a shower is a good idea. If neither of those apply to you, then my feeling is the two showers upstairs would be enough.
Consider putting a door/opening from the cloak room, under the stairs and out through the door that is currently showing as an entry into the under-stair area? When you exit the car in the garage, if you have to keep going the "long way round" all the time (around the foot of the stairs), you will possibly give up using the cloak room and just enter through the butler pantry because it's more convenient - and then shoes, jackets and bags get left in the kitchen/lounge instead of the cloak room.
In the main bathroom upstairs, if you turned the toilet sideways (backing onto the void), you could then extend the shower if you wanted a double-headed one. I think the display home actually has a long shower at the back of the bathroom (where your bath is shown) and then the bath where your shower is (from memory).
That's a good idea to turn that passageway beside Bed 4 into something more useful. In the display home at Kellyville, it does seem like a wasted space there. Just be careful though that you don't close down the view out the large windows opposite the stair - that's a nice feature of that particular design.
Finally - I don't know you and your family and how you plan to live, so please just take these thoughts for what they are - my thoughts. I won't be offended if you don't agree with my way of thinking
Well, it only took us two trips out to Kellyville, but we are happy with our new home proposal, and signed our contract last Friday! I will put up the plans/drawings either today or tomorrow.
It's been a bit of a whirlwind, we were even out choosing bricks on Saturday, so everything "appears" to be happening pretty quickly. I just hope the pace doesn't completely die off once we get to demolition!! We haven't organised for it yet, but I am hoping that bit isn't too complicated..........
It's been a bit of a whirlwind, we were even out choosing bricks on Saturday, so everything "appears" to be happening pretty quickly. I just hope the pace doesn't completely die off once we get to demolition!! We haven't organised for it yet, but I am hoping that bit isn't too complicated..........
The pace will never be to your liking.
Congrats on the contract! That's huge and sounds like you had a smooth time of it (from this perspective)
Congrats on the contract! That's huge and sounds like you had a smooth time of it (from this perspective)
I found your thread! I like the changes that you would like to make. Nice house, of course I'm biased cos we are similar
I now know the difference between our house, yours house is exactly as the display home in Kellyville. I love them both!
I now know the difference between our house, yours house is exactly as the display home in Kellyville. I love them both!
Congratulations
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