DIY floor plans

We are going to be gutting a house and rebuilding. I have to keep the original foot print but we will be adding the garage so this is what I have so far. Opinions??

ETA: I only had time to do the 1st floor and basement. 2nd floor comes tomorrow

http://www.floorplanner.com/zc6731/Floor+plan/220

Re: DIY floor plans

That's a neat site. I did my floor plans in Visio, then printed them out to give to my architect to make sure it was buildable, and up to code...

You're going to do quite a bit of rethinking, and rearranging before you're done. That's the good thing about doing it on the computer first.

The couch by the front door is too close to the door, but I realize you probably don't have exact measurements, and the idea is good (using the back of the chair to define a hallway).

I'm not a big fan of the long hallway into the master suite. You enter the suite, then the bathroom creates a long hall. I'm not sure what you can do with it, though...

Try doing a clean-slate version a few times, and totally rearrange things, just to see what comes out. You may come up with a combination that really works. If you start with one design, and don't deviate much from it, you might overlook some good ideas.

Re: DIY floor plans

looks great, what is the small area behind the kitchen? Is that an enclosed porch? if you could get a permit to make that year round living space you could make your kitchen bigger or push it back & make your great room bigger. Also the area between the garage & kitchen would be cool if it was bigger, then you'd have a real mudroom which would come in handy with the kids.
The basement layout looks good, you need an egres window in that bedroom, best to not even show it as a bedroom when you apply for your permit.
I agree that the master bedroom entry might be a waste of space, also the kids rooms aren't that big. I think the second floor might be alble to be laid out differently. Are you set on having the stairs where they are?

Re: DIY floor plans

Re: DIY floor plans

Re: DIY floor plans

what are the existing ceiling heights? Are you keeping those the same?

Ok, it wouldn't let me move walls but I tried to move enough around for you to get the idea.
I think the front door should be where the bush was so when you walk in you'll see the stairs straight ahead, you can configure another closet there somewhere or a built in. You'll get more of a foyer & less of a walking right into a room feel. Maybe you can add a small covered porch over that door area. You've got an awesome side door/mud room set up so I think its fine that the "formal" entry is a little further away from the driveway. I think the 1st floor powder room should be attached to your mudroom, why does that patio area have to be that size? putting the mudroom & bath together would just be attaching more of the garage to the house. Moving the stairs to the back allows to to have less of a hallway on the second floor, if Emma's room is in the front right corner & the boys stay where they are you can make the bathroom a jack & jill with doors from their rooms, you already have your master bath, powder room & possibly another bath in the basement. The bath in question will really just be for them & maybe their friends when they are over. You can use the space you had as Emmas closet as your laundry. I think with this layout you can actually make the kids rooms bigger but it wouldn't let me move the walls. This plan means running much more plumbing but I'm sure your DH will do it all in PEC anyway, if you're doing a total gut I think its worth it to get an ideal layout.
I'm not sre if this will work, I tried to save it with a new number
http://www.floorplanner.com/zc6731/

let me know if you can see the changes I made

Re: DIY floor plans

The only thing I didn't see, and maybe they are there and I am blind, were closets. I saw bedroom ones and the coat closet by the front door, but I didn't see any upstairs and you might want one or two for linens, towels, extra toilettries, etc.

Re: DIY floor plans

No way are we keeping the same ceiling height. The ceilings now are 6 1/2'. The house was built in the 40's and it was just a summer home. It's had like 4 additions since it was originally put up.

I looked at 223. I was thinking about putting the stairs there but where is the door to the basement? That will be super important since the existing footprint is pretty small (35x25) we will need all 3 levels for all 5 of us.
Moving the front door over there isn't really an issue, I dont think but it is SO close to the neighbor. I know it's the formal entrance that no one will really ever use but i would feel strange having it so far away from the driveway and so close to the property line.

I can't add a covered porch. Setbacks are 35' from the road and where the existing house is it is only 18'. We are going for a variance anyway because the proximity to the property line but I think pushing further to the road will not be allowed.

The patio doesn't have to be that size, I was putting it on just to see how it would look. I just have to stay within the allowed sq ftage for the lot 20% of the total so I can only build 1800sqft and within the setbacks. If I had no restrictions this whole process would be SO much easier lol!!

I like your idea about the kids bedrooms and baths. I have to play around with the later. You are right, I wanted to limit the number of pipes, the less pipes means the less money spent I know in the whole scheme of things a few feet of pipe means nothing but I fear it will apply to everything and I will just keep adding stuff and the job will go from a 200k job to a 300k job

Re: DIY floor plans

Hi Karen, I was at work all day & couldn't reply.

It wouldn't let me delete the walls or closets, I think you can find a different spot to put the closet & have that basement stairs right under the main stairs. Moving the stairs back there also gives you less hallway upstairs. Plus I'm sure your DH will do something beautiful with the banister, it would be a shame to tuck it off where it can't really be seen.
I know what you mean about the covered porch, I thought of the setback as I was typing it.
Maybe the front door needs to be where you had it but maybe with a shift of the furniture you could add a low knee wall with a column or something to make it more of an entry.
I also like the idea of the powder room near the mud room because when the kids come in dirty they can change right in there & it would be much closer when they are out in the pool & need to come in to use the bathroom.

Its tons of fun planning things out, enjoy it!