Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jul 26, 2015 4:47 am Hi all, Could I get everyone's colelctive experiences and advice on the following issues - first time building. 1) I'm currently stuck between two master bedroom/ensuite etc. options. The reason is the standard master bedroom #1 which was critiqued by some as lacking a solid wall e.g. for a tv opposite a centered bed (as the walk-through opening for the the ensuite just takes up part of where a TV w ould go centered across from a bed. Some also believe 4 x 4 (16m2) is lacking size wise as opposed to a minimum of 20m2 being suitable for a master. The end result is I was suggested master #2 which has a closer to 20m2 area, but is abit more odd shaped rectangle. Also the bed to achieve a flat wall is more to the left than centered (as you can see), the WIR is smaller (say 2.5 m of shelving space without extending it as it looks on the floor plan versus around circa 4.5m on the first option). The advantage of option #2 is a centered entrance into bathroom. Option #1 master: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i35/f ... on%201.jpg Option #2 master: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i35/f ... on%202.jpg One alternative I had was with the master #1 option was to make the door/entrance where the current double vanities were (so you enter along the far right wall of the ensuite, allowing for a full wall for any TV opposite the bed), move these vanities across to the wall sharing with the theatre and extend the shower to a double length shower (with one head/tapware). It costs about $550 circa for doubel showers and another $300-500 would be to increase the bathroom ensuite say 200-300mm so the double vanities can be moved there. Do you think this would look good? Having the bathroom entrance down the far right? (option 2 unfortunately shaves off 400mm from the theatre's depth so that has me worried as well) Secondly - please see the alfresco per design below: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i35/f ... sizing.jpg Becuase I picked up on open space requirements of 30m2 (10m2 can be covered by alfresco max) the alfresco had to be shrunk so it does not follow the building line (for the LHS or rear). Do you think the alfresco looks weird at this smaller size/shape? Those around me believe I"d be better off following the rear building line (not the rear eaves) in terms of alfresco depth but having it length wise all the way to the LHS of the house's building line.... i might just be over the 10m2 open air coverage.... Sales rep argues square is more practical and conventional, family and others reckon the rectangle option looks better for resale value as it follows the building line, and also the fact that outdoor tables etc. being naturally rectangle in length. 3) On a side question: would you leave your roof at 30c throughout the house if it cost $4.5k to upgrade one course up to 31course? It'd be for an investment/rental eventually so hence why I was torn on whether I should pay the money to upgrade to 31 course. 4) A few people have mentioned but I just wantd to confirm - with a single story house am I safe to say that I can install air conditoning post handover? Heard some horrror stories where people couldn't after handover, however is this for double storeys? Or do you get cases of roofing being done that doesn't accomodate air conditioning ducts post-handover? 5) Would you do your crossover and driveway paving externally? $3k with the builder to do it otherwise ($2k for crossover to be added in by builder, $1k is the notional credit you get back from the included driveway block pavers used and included in the house's build base price). 6) How hard did you find DIY after handover your lighting and window treatments etc all were? Thinking paint too.... Did you find it alot cheaper and simpler getting junction boxes into each room/area so you put and buy your own lights? Are conduits necessary in every room where you're planning to allow flexibility after handover for an electrician to come in and work? I thought conduits just allow a pipe to where the power switch would be anyway, that way any electrician can add more wires and switches later down the track? 7) How much would you recommend spending on elevation? Would you see much return on selling up? As so far even simple options, or a portico adds say $2.7k onto costs , and isn't even fancy fancy to begin with.... Thanks for any experience/advice you can give! Would just love to hear some thoughts on this and what you'd do. Re: New home design questions 2Jul 26, 2015 8:46 am A few general points: What are you planning to do in your bedroom to need 20m2? . . . Our last house had around 16m2 which was plenty. If the plan is investment for rental I wouldn't bother with double vanities or 3.1 ceilings. DIY painting will take a fair amount of time and in my opinion is not worth it (see this link: http://www.anewhouse.com.au/2014/04/diy ... -worth-it/) 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: New home design questions 3Jul 26, 2015 10:28 am Our master bed is 3.6m x 3.6m, and seems fine, though up to 4m x 4m might be a bit nicer. The shape of the 2nd one is probably a bit better, as it gives the bedroom space plus a sitting/study area. The robe size on both of those plans seems way to small though. On the 2nd one you would at least need to get hanging down both sides of the robe. Design 1 may be hard to get a door on the ensuite. You need a door on the ensuite and robe so that one person can use it without disturbing the other in bid. I wouldn't be too worried about the TV mounting - The TV watching fan can use the side of the bed with the TV on it. With the alfresco, I'd try to shrink the house a little, so you can get an alfresco without the extra hip and valley in the roofline. If your site coverage is based on floor area, and not roof area, keep the overhang on the alfresco, as that gives you more undercover space for the amount of alfresco floor area. $4k5 to increase the ceiling height by 1 course sounds excessive. 2700mm is a good height, but 2620, or whatever 30c is, should be ok based on that cost. Ducted A/C is probably ok post-handover in single storey, but you may be more restricted than if it is designed in. Roof trusses can be designed to take the load of the indoor unit, and you can ensure ducts can be run in the right places. It also helps if the A/C installer can get access to the site to run the ducts through before the ceiling goes in. In terms of junction boxes and conduits, it all depends on your builder's prices. In the big picture, the most efficient way is to do it all by building, but it depends on what your builder is price-gouging on. Often builders will be charging more for conduits than they will for all the cabling that you want to run through them anyhow. Re: New home design questions 4Jul 26, 2015 11:00 am I'd go with option 1 actually. And also don't know why you have to have a specific size master bedroom. Mine is only 4.1x3.0. Though my house is probably smaller than yours. Option one feels like it flows better with the rest of the house, and there's no reason you can't put a TV on a wall bracket in that space to the left of the door... you can get brackets which allow you to pull the TV forward and any direction. I'd actually prefer to have it slightly to one side so it's not the main feature of the room. I reckon you'll appreciate the bigger theater room than master bedroom. Plus a bigger WIR is always a plus. Do you really want a window from the street into your closet as well? My vote is option 1 just as it is! Now I will go read the alfresco.. Re: New home design questions 5Jul 26, 2015 11:11 am Hmm, alfresco is hard. My firs thought is the rectangle following the house is better, but I would probably go check out some furniture you like and see if it would fit either space... and also depends if your stepping down onto grass, would be better to see how the alfresco fits into the lot to really know which is better. 4.5k is way too much to upgrade the ceilings to 2.7m.. if your ceilings are 2.5m or higher, I think that's fine as it is. I would only pay the upgrade if this is your absolute dream home and you plan to live in it 15+ years.. and if you can comfortably afford it. I've gone the option of having the builder do the driveway because I am clueless, and then it's all under one warranty (I hope!). Doing your own light sounds like a lot of effort for a rental.. not sure I would bother. I'm just buying a few pendants which my builder will install in the kitchen and hallway, everywhere else I'm getting oyster lights. Painting.. I would let the builder do it for a rental, then if you MUST have a feature wall, well one wall shouldn't be too hard yourself especially if the base colour is whiteish.. this is my plan. I didn't like the cheap white blinds my builder was offering (though I'm looking at a future rental too), I'm just going to go to a blind company have them come do a measure, quote and install. I am not handy.. Try to fall in love with a facade which doesn't add any cost! Otherwise go for the one that isn't too crazy looking or adds porch space. Curious as to who you are building with, most major builders have a standard facade which costs nothing and then upgrade options. Re: New home design questions 6Jul 27, 2015 12:11 pm @bashworth - no solid plans besides your bed, perhaps TV (hence trying to cater a plan with a solid viewing wall). Perhaps room for furniture or a table. I could be biased. Growing up i always have a study table in my room but perhaps grown adults have no use for this. Yeap investment property. Agreed i think the extra course brick throughout wont be noticeable. Will 30c/27 for garage and alfresco still hold good resale value? A 27c garage should fit most larger cars or suvs?? Painting wise, i need 6 months in there for fhb grant so it might be a good time waster. Well i can afford the time without sacrificing any rental. Only issue I'd have is if painting a decent job for a first time takes some skill and best left to someone, or valuing my own personal weekend time. @onejohn both design one and two i can get a door on no problem. I actually never thought of putting a door on the WIR though tbh. Alfresco - sales consultant says overhang of the continuity of the rear eaves form part of the alfresco area, and that for alfresco only this counts as open space site coverage. I don't know if this is a WA thing? Hence why the alfresco pillar is in line with eaves not building line. I don't think i can therefore get the alfresco in line with both the LHS and rear building lines. Is there any issue with a 'hip and valley' roofline? Do you have a picture example? Im finding it hard to imagine, im hoping it doesn't look too awful as all the displays ive been the alfresco has always sit flush with the building line. I thunk 30 course is 30 bricks x 8.6cm for 2580 cm. Plus mortar maybe it comes to 2620. I think based on discussions me and builder agreed the extra brick visually for 4.5k wont be noticeable so as a potential investment ive bit the emotional bullet and removed it. Ducted air cond I've raised the issue of roof trusses and design stengthening, sales consultant is just going to put a note in. Not sure if this will fall on dead ears. Is there any issues if i go colorbond given its one metal sheet? Am i better off going tiles for access of the unit otherwise once colorbond is installed how will they put the unit in without leaving potential leakage and unsealed parts? I assume with manhole access the air conditioning installation costs are jacked up... Supposedly each powerswitch has a conduit. So ive just asked for a junction box in each room area for $7 upgrade fee if i remove the light bayonet from the room. I didnt understand how it all works but per builder you need a junction box if you want multiple lights in one zone on one switch correct? So my electricals run down the conduit to the light switch and if i want a second switch linked to a light i can run wiring straight to another light in that area, however if you want that to run to two lights you need a second junction box. So basically one junction box for multiple lights that switch on together, and wiring for each additional switch you want connected to a light? Sorry no electrical background.... Am i on the right understanding/track? Re: New home design questions 7Jul 27, 2015 12:46 pm @aloenyx - i just chose a size as a rough guide to building the house. Similarly i tried to make minor bedrooms as least 12m2 minimum exclusive of robes. Just as a sweet spot to feel large and appeal. Are your master sizes in an older style house though as i notice they tended to still have more modestly smaller sized masters back then. If it's a rental i cant install a generic wall bracket that will mount any tv they have correct? Points taken on option 1. If it was option 2 it would be a street highlight window looking into the wir not a full length window. Sticking with option one would you go with my ensuite suggestion of placing the entry door to far right where current vanities are, shifting the vanities to left hand side wall runninf all the way down until an expanded double length shower? To do so id have to slightly push this ensuite forward towards the road and shave of say 10-20mm of the open living space area (say family area) as the double vanities need 2m length. Would you then bother having a large window for natural light looking out from where the vanities used to be? Given your shower highlight window would be frosted i didnt see the point in a frosted large window looking out, even if it doesn't cost much to add. Would anyone be bugged by having a clear see through window in a bathroom due to privacy reasons? Or would you enjoy the additional natural light? Alfresco yeah i guess you could get furniture so suit either rectangle or square. Looks like i have no coverage for a rectangle anyway so perhaps the square is best as at least it sits flush on the rear eave line than a rectangle which cant reach either rear or lhs building line/eaves. The screenshot i have actually shows you a line right at top which is my lot boundary. So you can see potential grass or space around the alfresco - does that help with a choice? sides of house are slivers as ive pushed the house to the 1m (no windows) or 1.5m (windows to room) allowed from the boundaries. Yeap, per above will stick with 30c. 31c would be good if cheaper. I may live in it if i get married and need a place in a couple of yrs but strategy atm is to keep it as an investment. Lighting - i think it is cheaper to put in some hillstone leds with my own electrician. So cost wise isnt too inconvenient. I thought this way im getting quality leds that may cost abit more than cheaper imports but has quality years of life 30.000 to 50,000 hours of life and look. Painting, as per my response above its a rental after i live in for 6 months. So i have time to paint. Does this change your opinion? Im looking to build with smarthomes for living. The standard elevation requires at least one of a gable, bladewall, pier etc so a s t andard pier at front is 900 but the missus etc bagged it as looking too plain. As you mentioned perhaps a portico would be good to add porsch covered space. So far all elevations i like use alot of shapes or 3 dimensional changes in building to achieve a nice look. Unfortunately these seem to be quite expensive. Ill post one suggestion the builder has that uses a portico and red display grade bricks from their display home. But fear rendered frontage mixed with red bricks is abit out there.... Then again should you make a statement versus some estates i drive into with alot of celebration homes or dale alcock homes with obviously similar elevations... Blinds - noted. I only mentioned as the venetians in our current house hand from a bar /block thing secured to the top part of the windoe recess. Provided fixing this is jusy drilling i thought if you get it custom made at a specialist store maybe itd be alot cheaper than calling in professionals undoubtedly. The fitting didnt look too high class fitted. How hard is attempting to custom make and fit your own venetians for a first timer - if anyone has done it? Re: New home design questions 8Jul 27, 2015 12:49 pm So my builder has gotten exposed liquid aggregate quotes back for driveway and said youd pay 600 or so more than the credit back. Add in a few hundred more as builder also does the porsch and you'd have to do this too. I think this included them doing the crossover? Do you think he's right in the return is much more justified having exposed liquid aggregate paving than the standard 190 x190 block pavers?? I saw some liquid aggregate on the displays nearby that did look quite beautiful. For a rental sure id get away saving some money but wonder if the appeal and potential resale value added to making it a smart upgrade in the longer term? Might be issues as one block if damaged needs replacing versus individual brick pavers that can be replaced?? Re: New home design questions 9Jul 27, 2015 2:11 pm SaberX Will 30c/27 for garage and alfresco still hold good resale value? A 27c garage should fit most larger cars or suvs?? I think 30c/27c should be a good choice considering the upgrade cost to 31c. 27c should be more than enough for a big 4X4 (not sure with roof rack). What is your garage size in SQM? You should have Garage with 27c roof -1c Grano. Re: New home design questions 11Jul 28, 2015 4:33 pm Hi Saberx, Personally I like option 1 best. But in the ensuite I would get rid of the window next to the shower and make it a double shower. Put a window between the shower and vanity. Or if you really want a feature, put a narrow tall window in the middle of the vanity with a mirror either side. As for size of the master bedroom, I think its plenty big enough. I would put the bedhead along the wall adjacent to bed 2 and stick my tv on the wall adjacent to the ensuite toilet. I feel like option one works better with the WIR and ensite on the same side of the room instead of having to hop out of the shower and walk the entire room down to the WIR like in option 2. Re: New home design questions 12Jul 29, 2015 12:23 pm Hi Bonnie. Costs 500 but the intention currently is to increase the shower to a double. Interesting points you made about room flow, never thought if it'd impact much. Would it make or break you buying a property though or more a personal preference? i actually thought if i left the double vanities on the external wall i could (saw it on some pics from display homes last night) put an external short but wide mirror spanning between the mirror and vanities? I saw the window between the vanity mirror so you have a his and hers mirror in my brothers new house but found it didnt flow as well. Maybe because it resulted in each mirror had the four visible circular bolts to secure them down where's the frameless bolts out of site mirrors look aesthetically.more pleasing. Would you bother with the extra few hundred to move the ensuite vanities to the theatre wall, and closing off the entrance completely so you only enter by an 820 door where the current vanities begin (i.e. bottom right corner of master room) this way your tv or whatever sits flush center of room from a proposed bed against the bed 2 wall. One point i note with design 2 is you enter the ensuite from a front facing pov. Do you find this looks better than option one where you enter from the side so aesthetically your not enterinf and looking straight at big, wide double vanities and mirror? Hi Suku18 In NSW the statutory required insurances are: 1. HBCF ( Home Building Compensation Fund) - This is if the builder dies or goes broke. But this only covers 20%… 1 2710 ideal house depends on the site and location as much as internal floor plan....what is the distance from the house to all four boundaries, where is north, describe your… 3 15165 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10470 |