Knockdown Rebuild Floor Plan

xena · Jul 14, 2024 11:04 pm

We are doing a knockdown rebuild in Towradgi NSW (about 80km south of Sydney). This is for a family of 4 - couple and 2 young kids. First timer so we're looking for advice.

The land is 15.24m x 46.18m and is rectangular. The proposed building envelope slopes down towards the rear about 700mm. The backyard unfortunately is to the south and we would like as much natural light in the dining room and kitchen as possible. This area is the most important to us. The property is about 500m from the beach.

We've explored the courtyard option with a C shape building envelope - didn't find it effective at display homes and costs more per sqm. We've considered building near the rear of the property and have northern living areas facing the front yard - don't like the streetscape, there is floodplain near the back of the property and don't like the lack of privacy.

We think what would work best is to have the front of the house double storey and the rear of the house single storey - allowing skylights over the rear living areas and limiting winter sun shadowing onto the backyard. We think avoiding southern overhang outside the kitchen and dining room would be beneficial. We are going with a local builder - Marksman Homes. They allow customisation on their "project home" house plans. We have essentially kept the original front half of the house and added the rear half of another project home house plan. Some of these measurements are internal and some are external so they don't add up. This is just a concept plan. The sales consultant isn't sure if it is possible to have a gable roof with raked ceiling over 12.6m and said he will get back to me.

Thanks in advance for any criticisms and recommendations.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

dotty · Jul 15, 2024 9:56 am

Entry from Garage to the home - why not extend your laundry and enter the home from the garage into your laundry? That'll make it a wet area since you have two young kids, and you can also put the groceries straight into the WIP. It's a long walk if you have a lot of groceries.

Two entries into the Guest bathroom on level 1. I find it an awkward experience when going to a toilet. You've got a small powder room on level 2, why not make the guest bathroom smaller, and have another small powder room downstairs?

xena · Jul 15, 2024 10:29 am

Thanks for the tips, Dotty.

I did think about extending the laundry but thought it would hide the staircase and some indirect light from the southern window at the top of the staircase. Also possibly lessening a tunnel feel when walking from the front door to the living areas. Would it be weird to have the area outside the laundry tiled without a wall so it's continuous from the garage to the laundry? Wanting timber floors in main corridor and living areas. At the moment, I am thinking about getting out of the car, walking to the laundry (I am expecting the door to be open 24/7), taking shoes off in the laundry then straight into the WIP for groceries.

The "guest bedroom" won't really be a bedroom and the door into the powder room will likely be closed and locked 24/7. Likely to be for study/games/music. It's just for the possibility of needing it as a downstairs bedroom - if someone is injured and can't use the stairs short term or if we have elderly visitors.

mockkie · Jul 16, 2024 8:55 am

I think a more effective option to get natural light into your living spaces would be to implement a skillion roof for that rear lower section. Sloping from West to East and incorporating high clerestory windows under the roof line. Yes it'll be facing west, but that would allow you access to more direct sunlight which you could control when needed with blinds.

if you implement a raked ceiling with a high point on the western side, sunlight coming through the clerestory windows would be well out of eyeline with minimal glare, and should instead nicely bounce off the ceiling and opposite walls giving the room some nice, warm, even lighting.

I think that would be a much more effective solution that the skylights.

For morning light, you could consider having a window splashback in the kitchen instead of skylight.

oklouise · Jul 17, 2024 10:53 am

xena

We are doing a knockdown rebuild in Towradgi NSW (about 80km south of Sydney). This is for a family of 4 - couple and 2 young kids. First timer so we're looking for advice.

The land is 15.24m x 46.18m and is rectangular. The proposed building envelope slopes down towards the rear about 700mm. The backyard unfortunately is to the south and we would like as much natural light in the dining room and kitchen as possible. This area is the most important to us. The property is about 500m from the beach.

We've explored the courtyard option with a C shape building envelope - didn't find it effective at display homes and costs more per sqm. We've considered building near the rear of the property and have northern living areas facing the front yard - don't like the streetscape, there is floodplain near the back of the property and don't like the lack of privacy.

We think what would work best is to have the front of the house double storey and the rear of the house single storey - allowing skylights over the rear living areas and limiting winter sun shadowing onto the backyard. We think avoiding southern overhang outside the kitchen and dining room would be beneficial. We are going with a local builder - Marksman Homes. They allow customisation on their "project home" house plans. We have essentially kept the original front half of the house and added the rear half of another project home house plan. Some of these measurements are internal and some are external so they don't add up. This is just a concept plan. The sales consultant isn't sure if it is possible to have a gable roof with raked ceiling over 12.6m and said he will get back to me.

Thanks in advance for any criticisms and recommendations.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

pending answers to numerous questions my suggestions include variations to take advantage of potential drive through access to the backyard, wider side setbacks and the central open stairwell provides light to the hallway and dining area and extra daylight could be added throughout with cost effective, leak free, Solar Skylights.... there's much less wasted space and upstairs has better access to northern aspect and an optional balcony ..although smaller than your original floor plan the total floor area is about 285 sqm (plus 60sqm for alfresco, porch, deck and balcony) but all the rooms are generous sizes suitable for small kids to seniors and there's plenty of storage throughout and the narrower family, kitchen dining will make a simple raked ceiling easier but the rake should be low enough to allow tall southern (angled?) windows into the stair/lightwell and a gables for upstairs keeps the roof shapes much simpler

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

.

xena · Jul 17, 2024 9:42 pm

mockkie

I think a more effective option to get natural light into your living spaces would be to implement a skillion roof for that rear lower section. Sloping from West to East and incorporating high clerestory windows under the roof line. Yes it'll be facing west, but that would allow you access to more direct sunlight which you could control when needed with blinds.

if you implement a raked ceiling with a high point on the western side, sunlight coming through the clerestory windows would be well out of eyeline with minimal glare, and should instead nicely bounce off the ceiling and opposite walls giving the room some nice, warm, even lighting.

I think that would be a much more effective solution that the skylights.

For morning light, you could consider having a window splashback in the kitchen instead of skylight.

Thanks, Mockkie.

We did consider something similar - a double skillion with clerestory window on the west shining into the kitchen and dining room without having too much glare in the family/TV room. However, we are after a traditional coastal look or Hamptons without a balcony, and aren't sure if a modern skillion roof would clash the styles. Going to think about it again.

xena · Jul 18, 2024 5:35 am

oklouise

xena

We are doing a knockdown rebuild in Towradgi NSW (about 80km south of Sydney). This is for a family of 4 - couple and 2 young kids. First timer so we're looking for advice.

The land is 15.24m x 46.18m and is rectangular. The proposed building envelope slopes down towards the rear about 700mm. The backyard unfortunately is to the south and we would like as much natural light in the dining room and kitchen as possible. This area is the most important to us. The property is about 500m from the beach.

We've explored the courtyard option with a C shape building envelope - didn't find it effective at display homes and costs more per sqm. We've considered building near the rear of the property and have northern living areas facing the front yard - don't like the streetscape, there is floodplain near the back of the property and don't like the lack of privacy.

We think what would work best is to have the front of the house double storey and the rear of the house single storey - allowing skylights over the rear living areas and limiting winter sun shadowing onto the backyard. We think avoiding southern overhang outside the kitchen and dining room would be beneficial. We are going with a local builder - Marksman Homes. They allow customisation on their "project home" house plans. We have essentially kept the original front half of the house and added the rear half of another project home house plan. Some of these measurements are internal and some are external so they don't add up. This is just a concept plan. The sales consultant isn't sure if it is possible to have a gable roof with raked ceiling over 12.6m and said he will get back to me.

Thanks in advance for any criticisms and recommendations.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

pending answers to numerous questions my suggestions include variations to take advantage of potential drive through access to the backyard, wider side setbacks and the central open stairwell provides light to the hallway and dining area and extra daylight could be added throughout with cost effective, leak free, Solar Skylights.... there's much less wasted space and upstairs has better access to northern aspect and an optional balcony ..although smaller than your original floor plan the total floor area is about 285 sqm (plus 60sqm for alfresco, porch, deck and balcony) but all the rooms are generous sizes suitable for small kids to seniors and there's plenty of storage throughout and the narrower family, kitchen dining will make a simple raked ceiling easier but the rake should be low enough to allow tall southern (angled?) windows into the stair/lightwell and a gables for upstairs keeps the roof shapes much simpler

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

.

Wow, this plan is amazing. Thank you so much for your time, oklouise.

A few technical questions if that is OK.

Can indirect southern light really effectively go through the window into the lightwell then reflected into the dining room?

Are Velux skylights really prone to leaks? I am wondering if having one at the top of the staircase and lightwell would catch the northern light. I'm not keen on the solar LED skylights. I feel the light doesn't seem natural.

Thanks again.

oklouise · Jul 18, 2024 11:55 am

xena

oklouise

xena

We are doing a knockdown rebuild in Towradgi NSW (about 80km south of Sydney). This is for a family of 4 - couple and 2 young kids. First timer so we're looking for advice.

The land is 15.24m x 46.18m and is rectangular. The proposed building envelope slopes down towards the rear about 700mm. The backyard unfortunately is to the south and we would like as much natural light in the dining room and kitchen as possible. This area is the most important to us. The property is about 500m from the beach.

We've explored the courtyard option with a C shape building envelope - didn't find it effective at display homes and costs more per sqm. We've considered building near the rear of the property and have northern living areas facing the front yard - don't like the streetscape, there is floodplain near the back of the property and don't like the lack of privacy.

We think what would work best is to have the front of the house double storey and the rear of the house single storey - allowing skylights over the rear living areas and limiting winter sun shadowing onto the backyard. We think avoiding southern overhang outside the kitchen and dining room would be beneficial. We are going with a local builder - Marksman Homes. They allow customisation on their "project home" house plans. We have essentially kept the original front half of the house and added the rear half of another project home house plan. Some of these measurements are internal and some are external so they don't add up. This is just a concept plan. The sales consultant isn't sure if it is possible to have a gable roof with raked ceiling over 12.6m and said he will get back to me.

Thanks in advance for any criticisms and recommendations.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

pending answers to numerous questions my suggestions include variations to take advantage of potential drive through access to the backyard, wider side setbacks and the central open stairwell provides light to the hallway and dining area and extra daylight could be added throughout with cost effective, leak free, Solar Skylights.... there's much less wasted space and upstairs has better access to northern aspect and an optional balcony ..although smaller than your original floor plan the total floor area is about 285 sqm (plus 60sqm for alfresco, porch, deck and balcony) but all the rooms are generous sizes suitable for small kids to seniors and there's plenty of storage throughout and the narrower family, kitchen dining will make a simple raked ceiling easier but the rake should be low enough to allow tall southern (angled?) windows into the stair/lightwell and a gables for upstairs keeps the roof shapes much simpler

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

.

Wow, this plan is amazing. Thank you so much for your time, oklouise.

A few technical questions if that is OK.

Can indirect southern light really effectively go through the window into the lightwell then reflected into the dining room?

Are Velux skylights really prone to leaks? I am wondering if having one at the top of the staircase and lightwell would catch the northern light. I'm not keen on the solar LED skylights. I feel the light doesn't seem natural.

Thanks again.

indirect light down from the the stairwell window will brighten the stairwell, hallway and dining area in the same way that a window in a bedroom will lighten an adjoining hallway when the door is open and also remember that there is also light coming from the northern windows of the rumpus and from open bedroom and bathroom doors so the straight N to S hallways will give the best use of available light and if necessary the Solar Skylights are a cheap easy way to add extra day light (eg in the vanity and toilet area of the upstairs kids' bathroom although a fixed piece of glass above internal doors can also improve light between internal rooms and is a cheap extra feature called a fanlight in old homes and also consider panels of lazerlight or similar in the alfresco roof to minimize overshading of the family room) but Velux skylights and Roof windows have a fabulous reputation and we've used them and clerestory and/orin the kitchen in the same south facing kitchen dining room and ventilating roof windows over the dining area would be great but i suggest that the raked ceiling in the big room (NB now only about 9m instead of more than 12m wide) should be a modest angle to allow for both a central ceiling fan and/or hanging lights over the table and to allow best window height for upstairs stairwell and kids' bedroom windows so check out the ideal roof/ceiling angles for the Velux windows to see what size and style suits you best but, with such a huge investment for the whole house, don't skimp on quality for the structural things like the Velux, insulation, DG+ windows and glass doors etc...floorcoverings and bathroom tiles etc can be upgraded over years but you don't want to have to replace poor choice of structural items including quality solid core internal doors instead of cheaper hollow core doors etc and if you look at the sliding glass external doors i've used only minimum widths rather than super wide doors to better retain internal warmth in cold weather and also keep wall space for a better location of kitchen sink and servery window...and, although most advice is to have minimal windows on western walls to avoid western sun the tall relatively narrow western window in the family room will provide welcome afternoon sunshine in cold weather and could have external screens if it's too hot in summer but when you're ready to have proper floor plans drawn up most designers can provide a 3D view of inside based on the sun angles for the specific location of your block and that's a service that is well worth the extra cost to make sure you have a better idea of what to expect but that is much too time consuming for me to do with my vintage CAD program as my best contributions is to make suggestions and rough floor plans so i'm happy to try other ideas for you but i think you would be very happy with this plan and the only extra that i would add is the option for a sliding glass door closing across the top of the stairwell to separate AC, noise and kitchen smells from upstairs but most people don't bother with that

xena · Jul 19, 2024 12:53 am

oklouise

indirect light down from the the stairwell window will brighten the stairwell, hallway and dining area in the same way that a window in a bedroom will lighten an adjoining hallway when the door is open and also remember that there is also light coming from the northern windows of the rumpus and from open bedroom and bathroom doors so the straight N to S hallways will give the best use of available light and if necessary the Solar Skylights are a cheap easy way to add extra day light (eg in the vanity and toilet area of the upstairs kids' bathroom although a fixed piece of glass above internal doors can also improve light between internal rooms and is a cheap extra feature called a fanlight in old homes and also consider panels of lazerlight or similar in the alfresco roof to minimize overshading of the family room) but Velux skylights and Roof windows have a fabulous reputation and we've used them and clerestory and/orin the kitchen in the same south facing kitchen dining room and ventilating roof windows over the dining area would be great but i suggest that the raked ceiling in the big room (NB now only about 9m instead of more than 12m wide) should be a modest angle to allow for both a central ceiling fan and/or hanging lights over the table and to allow best window height for upstairs stairwell and kids' bedroom windows so check out the ideal roof/ceiling angles for the Velux windows to see what size and style suits you best but, with such a huge investment for the whole house, don't skimp on quality for the structural things like the Velux, insulation, DG+ windows and glass doors etc...floorcoverings and bathroom tiles etc can be upgraded over years but you don't want to have to replace poor choice of structural items including quality solid core internal doors instead of cheaper hollow core doors etc and if you look at the sliding glass external doors i've used only minimum widths rather than super wide doors to better retain internal warmth in cold weather and also keep wall space for a better location of kitchen sink and servery window...and, although most advice is to have minimal windows on western walls to avoid western sun the tall relatively narrow western window in the family room will provide welcome afternoon sunshine in cold weather and could have external screens if it's too hot in summer but when you're ready to have proper floor plans drawn up most designers can provide a 3D view of inside based on the sun angles for the specific location of your block and that's a service that is well worth the extra cost to make sure you have a better idea of what to expect but that is much too time consuming for me to do with my vintage CAD program as my best contributions is to make suggestions and rough floor plans so i'm happy to try other ideas for you but i think you would be very happy with this plan and the only extra that i would add is the option for a sliding glass door closing across the top of the stairwell to separate AC, noise and kitchen smells from upstairs but most people don't bother with that

Thanks again, oklouise. Really appreciate it.