Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Oct 05, 2012 7:28 pm OK, we are currently choosing between a couple of builders, one of which is Masterton and we are looking at the Tempo Elite. However, we needed a guest room on the ground floor and wanted a few other changes. So have had some plans drawn up and here they are. Welcome any comments. And I am not sensitive so fire away Site plan Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Ground floor Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Elevations Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ First floor Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Critique my plans 3Oct 05, 2012 9:46 pm The theory with airflow is that you want a bigger opening where the air exits than the opening where it enters. Sydney generally has summer breezes from the northeast (although landforms can change that - is it true on your block?), so you want to arrange (if possible) to have more windows south-west-ish than north-east-ish. So I guess the louvre placement would be wherever you can't quite get a window to open fully otherwise, or where you might want to leave something open while the house is locked up? Dunno if that helps. Re: Critique my plans 4Oct 05, 2012 10:14 pm Hi Forg Back of our house is Northwest but looks onto bush and our pool so we have lots of glass there to get views and winter sun. Obviously, not ideal in summer as it means we also get lots of hot afternoon sun, but the ground floor has an alfresco across the whole width for sun protection and we will put external louvre screens on the NW window and doors for protection in summer as wrong orientation for eaves to be much use. On NE side we have lots of windows to catch the sun, so will some louvres there. We don't have so many windows on SW as get very little sun so have minimised these to reduce heat loss, but will look at putting in louvres for some of these. I like the idea of louvres as they let in lots of air compared to the top hung windows which are generally standard for the design. Re: Critique my plans 6Oct 11, 2012 7:29 pm Hey free will , Love the design so much more practical! I always hated that master bedroom it was pokey and didnt make sense, much better at the back. I also like what you did with the recessed kitchen we have done the same buys so much more space. Do you have a slopey block? Just wondering how the stairs came about. Good idea widening that front living area it was pretty useless the size it was. As for the louvre windows Im far more impracticle and would use them aesthetically so dont listen to me! Cannot wait to see your build come to life viewtopic.php?f=31&t=46741 Clovelly - Masterton Homes 5% to M 290312 CDC 21/06 20 days 29/08 Slab 17/09 Frame 26/09 Bricks 24/10 Roof tiles 20/11 Re: Critique my plans 7Oct 11, 2012 7:53 pm Hi dsa39 Our whole block has an 8m slope downwards and about 2m where the house will be - about 1.4m downwards and another 0.6m right to left. We have cut in slightly at the front and put some internal steps in the house so we are between 0.2m and 0.8m off the ground at the back. Upside is 3.5m ceilings at the back Re: Critique my plans 8Oct 12, 2012 5:30 am Wowser! Very nice. I thought I had a slopey block. Looks like yours is much longer though so you are able to move your house to the very front where theres less slope? Ive also noticed on the W side we are much flatter than on the E side. By the way love the facade and the steps would add that extra dimension. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=46741 Clovelly - Masterton Homes 5% to M 290312 CDC 21/06 20 days 29/08 Slab 17/09 Frame 26/09 Bricks 24/10 Roof tiles 20/11 Re: Critique my plans 9Oct 12, 2012 7:00 am The block is 13m wide which is why we liked the narrow design of the Tempo Elite. But the block is 70m long so we still get a decent backyard once the house is done - in fact the depth if tge design is about the same as the existing house but we get more space as new design is two storey and wider. Re: Critique my plans 11Oct 17, 2012 3:07 am You have a similar block to our new one. Some thoughts for you to consider: I would put a window in the middle of the north wall of the kitchen to provide more light during the day - not just to kitchen but dining & family room too. Of course it means less cupboards. It's a bit hard to be sure of the details on such a small scale, but it seems you have to go through the powder room (with shower) to get to laundry. Do you foresee this shower being used fairly rarely? With 4 bedrooms upstairs, I can only guess you have 3 kids, so I wonder if, when they are teens the downstairs shower might get regular use. I would find it annoying to not have access to laundry while someone was showering, but I guess it depends on how often they'll both be needed. And if you have 3 kids (or plan to) it would be nice to have the upstairs toilet separate with it's own basin, or a 3-way bathroom. Louvre windows are good for giving maximum airflow, but leak air when closed, so not as thermally efficient as other styles of window. Aesthetically I don't like them as they cut up the view. I would use them where you want good ventilation but only a small window - like bathroom & toilet. I think frosted glass louvre windows ideal for the bathroom as you can tilt them to give privacy whilst still having the window open. Upstairs you have a little hallway btn bed 3 & 4. Does this serve any purpose? What about putting the BIR of bed 4 in this space, moving door to bed 4 to other (west?) wall? The BIR should serve as sound-proofing b/n the bedrooms if that was the issue. Downstairs, how about putting a door at the other end of the foyer? This could be useful: if you want to heat or cool just the living room; if you are talking/entertaining in the living room & the kids are being noisy in the family room - reducing noise - or you want somewhere quiet away from the kids; if you don't want people who come to the front door to see into your kitchen & family room (mine's always messy). Re: Critique my plans 12Oct 17, 2012 7:32 pm HI Kylie40 I wrote a long reply on my iphone on the bus home but lost it... Thanks for the comprehensive reply Re the window in the middle of the north wall of the kitchen, we are considering a window instead of a splashback. We do have to go through the powder room (with shower) to get to laundry and we do have three young kids. The downstairs shower will be used for guests (about 70 nights a year) and for the kids when coming in via the laundry from the pool. We designed so they could come in from the pool and not traipse water through the wooden floors in the living areas. So hopefully lack of laundry access wont be a major problem - potentially we can access via the outside if the shower room is being used. Re separate upstairs toilet, the kids can always walk down the stairs - good exercise The suggestion on the hallway btn bed 3 & 4 is a great one and we will probably do this as we can then make the living area by the stairs about 50cm bigger as well. Downstairs, I can see advantages of another door, but we really like the open plan look on the original display house Once again thanks for all the input Really tight at the top of the stairs- how to get furniture into those rooms? Study books - does anyone really use them these days? Large storage closet would be more functional. 2 6884 Ask the council if there is a chance of getting build over easement exemption. Sometimes easements are unused and 24cm is not all that much. Good luck. And yes any builder… 2 13769 If there have been changes, variations, during construction then the drawings should be revised, the building permit amended and the current, as built drawings given to… 2 4480 |