Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 01, 2009 2:17 pm Hi all,
Finally after weeks of waiting we got our site report back - bad news on all fronts. We have a quarter of an acre - 25 across front 44 down right side 25 across back and 40 down left side. The problem is the site fall. across the front from right to left is 2metres, from right to back is 4.35, from back left to right is 1, from front right to back right is 5metres and the main problem from front right to back left is 6 metres. North is back right which means living areas need to be on the right side and also the garage. When we bought we thought it was fairly flat (obviously we were wrong!) we don't want to give up our dream but can no longer build the monterey with Henley as it would be a 3.6 site fall. I have worked out that we could build a 21 metre long house and as wide as we like but there doesn't seem too much out there. Most builders are recommending double storey - we like PD new Marina and Hen*** Empire if that is the case - there are pos and negs I know - we have come from Double storey hated it - block too small no living area upstairs, having to cart laundry. Had our hearts set on single storey - but can see the same prob of not much backyard for the 3 kids and 2 dogs (mind you we are not really the outdoors type of people), not as large inside . Obviously also cost - what are other peoples views - do you have kids/dogs how to get around double storey issues? any other issues for single - hubby and I don't really know - hubby likes the double I like the single! Re: Help - can't build what we wanted - build single or double? 2Mar 01, 2009 9:12 pm hi lisahello,
sorry to hear you can't build the house you want to on the single/double storey debate, there are so amny advantages and disadvantages to both! We HAD to have single storey, I used to feel very strongly about this, as we lived in a townhouse when my firstborn was a baby and I slipped on the stairs a couple of times (clumsy ) once when I was holding him - put a nasty dent in his head when he was only 3 months old, rushed to emergency, worried sick, thankfully all was ok Anyway that put us off single storey for a loong time, also with having little ones the safety aspect of THEM falling down the stairs was a big factor for us. It is also very convenient having everything on one level, I like that a lot. However lately I have been looking at the advantages of double storey... the years when you have little ones are usually limited, after a while they grow up and they want their own space; having an upstairs is a good way to do this. You can have a lot more flexibility with house layout with a second storey, and a lot more windows to let in natural light. And of course with double storey there's usually a bigger backyard, though with 1/4 acre it sounds like you'll have lots of that anyway! (We squeezed our single storey on <600 sqm! but still have a decent back yard space.) If/when we ever build again, we will definitely consider double storey, even though we didn't this time. Hope that helps you a bit ... "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." ā Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Help - can't build what we wanted - build single or double? 3Mar 01, 2009 9:32 pm Our last place was multilevel with garage underneath.
The biggest hassles with multi-level in our experience were: 1. Safety (kids, pets, elderly rellies, drunks) 2. Vacuuming (we didn't have ducted vacuuming) - carrying a heavy vac up and down stairs is a pain. 3. Maintenance - even if the heights aren't a problem, running up and down stairs to get tools is a hassle 4. Moving furniture - we moved furniture between rooms over the years more often than we expected to. 5. Temperature variance - the highest level will get too hot and the lowest level will be cold. For us it was a no-brainer with our new house - had to be one level. The only thing that might have made us rethink this would be a large high speed elevator. Then there's my fear of heights......... Cheers zeke Re: Help - can't build what we wanted - build single or double? 4Mar 04, 2009 9:45 am I agree with everything Zeke said the heating/cooling, carrying vac up and down etc
We currently have a double storey and i can't wait to build a single storey house. I hate stairs! Re: Help - can't build what we wanted - build single or double? 5Mar 04, 2009 12:34 pm Thanks Guys that helps no end - we have had double and didn't like it - but PD have one that has the master bedroom downstairs - the only reason I am considering it! still have young kids and one on the way so know we would be running up and down stairs for another 5 years - not looking forward to it but at this stage my hubby says if we don't have a choice if no one will build. Hello All š We are planning to start our journey of construction our first home. We zeroed down on Metricon and henley homes based on design suitable for our lot and… 0 8205 Hey everyone Not for me or anyone I know, just generally interested. For a single allotment house, are you allowed to take the fence on both sides of your house and… 0 20900 Iām in a similar position except Iām after sliding 3 stacking doors. I am on a second-story apartment of which the balcony would not adequately fit any bi-fold or… 5 16161 |