Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 10, 2013 9:43 pm My husband and I recently bought a block of land in Aveley. We have had some initial plans drawn up by Dale Alcock to suit our block size and shape. We decided to look at rear living homes to take advantage of the northern sun. We prefer not to have bedrooms at the front of the home so all the bedrooms are in the middle of the home. I am a bit unsure about the verandah off the master bedroom that we have added and I'm still getting my head around the kitchen. I had originally wanted a large island bench but the u-shape of this one fits in space better. We are just finishing a renovation project but this is our first building experience so I would love any opinions on aspects I might not have thought of. http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b51 ... 2d0a82.jpg Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 2Aug 11, 2013 12:22 am They have made good use of your block! I am guessing the verandah is to reduce the sun and keep your room cooler. Looking at it could you made the whole verandah more square? I wonder if the reason it looks strange is because of the funny shape, might look better if both the verandas are join up to make an upside down L shape... Not sure if the makes sense! I love the kitchen. You get the benefits of the island with the extra bench space offered by the U shape! Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 3Aug 11, 2013 2:25 am I think it's an excellent use of your block too. You're going to get some killer afternoon sun on that western side so the verandahs are a brilliant idea. I actually like the separation of the bedroom one, makes it feel like it belongs to the bedroom (a little more private?) while the other is joined to the alfresco and a bit more communal. However, you could always join them together as fmac suggested, if it doesn't feel right as it is. I also love the kitchen. I think it's far more functional than trying to get an island bench in that area. Building with Dale Alcock Homes in Aveley Our thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63880 And yes, my pants are indeed fancy. Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 4Aug 11, 2013 9:12 am I would tend to forget the bedroom veranda (it won't stop the late afternoon/evening sun overheating your room) but reduce the window size and use a reflective film on those windows. I think U shaped kitchens are great but I would move the sink 600mm nearer the cooker to give more counter space at the end The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 5Aug 11, 2013 11:07 am Great plan and you have definitely used the block well. Tend to agree that the veranda probably would look better squaring off up to the alfresco. Building The Vines with Dale Alcock in Aveley Contract signed 15/5 Electrical Prestart 24/5 Prestart 13/6 Earthworks started 06/8 Slab Down 09/8 Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 6Aug 11, 2013 11:57 am Thanks everyone! My head has not stopped ticking over since the plans arrived, I'm sure everyone going through this process understands what that is like. We are thinking that taking the second verandah off completely, but we are going to have a chat with our sales rep today so he might have some ideas too. Thanks again for your thoughts. Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 7Aug 12, 2013 9:01 pm I still play with our plans and we've had a slab for over a month! Mainly in a 'if money had been no object' kind of way. Our sales rep was really helpful and offered us a lot of good advice. Hope you reach a decision you're happy with! Building with Dale Alcock Homes in Aveley Our thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63880 And yes, my pants are indeed fancy. Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 8Aug 12, 2013 9:29 pm Thanks fancy pants Our sales rep has been great too, he has helped immensely. Miraculously I managed to make something cheaper today which never generally happens to me! Usually I always like the most expensive things. I think we will sign by the end of this month. Xmas 2014 is my goal! Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 9Aug 12, 2013 10:10 pm I liked the idea of having a verandah in your masters! Imagine walking into it when you wake up in the morning. Some luxury. Well use of your space in your plan. My only suggestion is maybe opening up more space in the hallway leading to the bedrooms? Enjoy your build. Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 10Aug 13, 2013 2:04 pm Re: Building in Aveley, plans - opinions please 11Aug 13, 2013 7:54 pm Yes Redstorm that's the dimensions of the block. We like the verandah but had already pushed our budget with the raked ceilings & our elevation upgrades. We had to stop somewhere & the verandah was it. 6 11468 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 6848 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 13718 |