floor plan input.

[dakkon]

Hello everyone,

Me and my wife just finalized our house floor plan. I wanted to get some input (yeah, i probably should have made this post on Sat). There is a 10 X 19 garage that we added. As can be seen in the included photo of the floor plan.

My first question is.. Does anyone have a 4 post lift in a garage of a similar size? the ceilings are 10ft and we are planning on using 8 ft wide x 9ft tall garage door.

Below is the lift that i am thinking about getting.
http://www.directlift.com/Four-Post-Lift-Pro-Park-8S-Standard-P44C9.aspx


The other option would be to put the storage lift at the front of the main garage and use the 10 X 19 as the working space. We widened the main garage by 2 feet and also lengthened it by 3 feet. those are penciled in on the plan.

 

[sublimate]

The way you've got the mandoor you's have to squeeze by the lift every time you want to go in or out of the house to the garage.

That will be no fun - it will be a tight squeeze.

If you can switch around the util closet so the door opens right to the 2 car part that would be much better. Then you have direct access to the cars you drive every day.

 

[matt_i]

How do you get into the 10x19 garage? It potentially killed a window in a bedroom that you might want to move around to the side.

The lift says it lifts 72", is 48" enough clearance to the ceiling for the car not to be squashed? Seems short to me.

 

[rayra]

everything seems too small by several feet in all dimensions. If you place paper cutouts of typically sized furniture elements onto your plan it will become immediately apparent. It will also show you've left very little room for traffic patterns. It will see cramped in all the spaces.
The garage arrangement itself seems sized for three midsized cars and nothing else. No shelves, no workbenches. No clearance at all for bigger vehicles or older vehicles with their longer doors.

At a guess I'd say you haven't lived in anything bigger than a townhome or apartment. And if you have any kids they're small. There isn't room in your design for the 'stuff' of life.

I'd also consider putting the bedrooms in the other back corner, and the 'public' spaces closer to the front. You don't want the kids closer to the front door when they're older. There can still be separation with them in the other back corner, with the patio and 'casual dining' between the master and their bedrooms.

Consider re-saleability in your design. You may be perfectly happy with small rooms and no garage storage. Most people aren't.

 

[coldh2o]

everything seems too small by several feet in all dimensions.

Agreed, too many halls, walls and doors. I would eliminate the hall to the master completely. Move the door to the master bath to where the second sink is so you come in from the bedroom, and move the second sink to where the door is. I'm not a fan of the long entry hall either, I'd try and open that up. I'd make the garage entry/mud room/utility room one big space too, maybe even incorporate the pantry.

You don't want the kids closer to the front door when they're older.

Haha, why? Will they escape?

 

[Bill Bowman]

^^^^Or, maybe too easy to move back in at a later date.

 

[Bluedodge]

...There is a 10 X 19 garage that we added. As can be seen in the included photo of the floor plan.

My first question is.. Does anyone have a 4 post lift in a garage of a similar size? the ceilings are 10ft and we are planning on using 8 ft wide x 9ft tall garage door...

That would be awfully tight depending on what you drive.

Example: A Toyota Camry (average sized car) is 16' long. Parked in the additional garage, you would have 18 inches in front and back of the car to wiggle around. Take the room lost to the garage door, and you will likely only have 18' 6" to start with, leaving 15" of wiggle room front and back. Width wise, a Camry is 6'. There you have 2' on either side. Again, pretty tight, and we haven't even discussed having a tool box / cart in there yet...

Is there a HOA? Are they okay with working on cars with garage door open? It would be a pain to have your tool box in the main garage and not be able to traverse freely between the two garages.

If you drive a Mini or a Smart car, have at it.

...and I'm with the posters above - ditch the wasted hallway spaces and add a window back to the front bedroom.

All in all though - nice house. Congrats!

Note: I'd ditch the garden tub in the master bath and make the shower stall bigger. 23 years in our current house and we've used the garden tub 3 or 4 times max, but we'll share the shower stall once in awhile during **** time. It would be nice to have some room for the Bride to..... umm..... ....pick up the soap, if ya get my drift.

 

[JOHN 86GT]

Do you have a narrow lot ?

Any out side pictures ?

 

[dakkon]

We are at the initial planning stages. We're signing a preliminary contract on Thursday. We discussed making the 10 X 19 a 12 X 19 instead.. But, we're already 10k$ over our desired max budget..

As far as the cars go. 1 is a 91 BMW coupe, a 318is, the other is a 2001 330 ci. The 01 is a track car, the 91 is a "fun" car.


The initial photo was not a fully modified floor plan. Last night the wife and i re-did the floor plan to represent all of the ideas discussed.

There is an HOA. However, there were several guys wrenching on their cars with the garage door open. the 10 X 19 garage is only intended for storage. The main garage will be where i will work on cars and will be where the boxes/compressor ect will be located. I can park my truck in the driveway while i have a car on stands if i need the extra space to swap a motor if need be. The main garage will be a total of 33 ft wide and 12 ft wide at the narrowest.. to me that's a lot of space..

Please see the updated photos.

 

[matt_i]

Back to your 10x19 update, you scribed something on the bottom side of the page that looks like a window? Or is it a door? You have to think of the "curb view". I would put a couple of windows in that front garage facade just to make it look more like a home and less industrial. A key part of designing a home is to make it good for you AND for someone else, in case you end up selling down the road, as many people do. You might want to see if you can get a "sales brochure elevation view" and mark that up as well with your changes.

Also if the only entry to the 10x19 is thru the rollup door I don't think that is going to pass local codes (maybe but its an oddity for sure that's going to raise eyebrows), and its going to be messy if the garage door opener ever breaks down!

 

[dakkon]

There is a window; we moved the window to the garage. That window will also have a cedar awnning. Basically moving the plan from the bedroom to the garage wall. Since this is a storage garage our realitor said that garage door access as the only acces would be a non-issue. Our realitor was with us while we were working with the builder... She was helping to make sure we were maximizing resale. The realitor were working with is a family friend. This community is a master plan community with lots of family that have golf carts ect. So, in the future that garage could be storage for the golf cart... A lot of people are using the 3rd car space for their golf carts now..

 

[JOHN 86GT]

Looks like a nice house !

I can see pluses to having the second garage and keeping everyone out of your (main) garage .

But have you done a cost comparison between the second garage and adding that sq footage to your main garage .

When I went from 650 sqft to 1150 sqft I thought it was going to be big enough ....

 

[sublimate]

I'd get rid of the 2nd door to the shared bath.
That just causes confusion with locked doors, etc.

 

[bczygan]

Hello everyone,

Me and my wife just finalized our house floor plan. I wanted to get some input (yeah, i probably should have made this post on Sat). There is a 10 X 19 garage that we added. As can be seen in the included photo of the floor plan.

My first question is.. Does anyone have a 4 post lift in a garage of a similar size? the ceilings are 10ft and we are planning on using 8 ft wide x 9ft tall garage door.

Below is the lift that i am thinking about getting.
http://www.directlift.com/Four-Post-Lift-Pro-Park-8S-Standard-P44C9.aspx


The other option would be to put the storage lift at the front of the main garage and use the 10 X 19 as the working space. We widened the main garage by 2 feet and also lengthened it by 3 feet. those are penciled in on the plan.

How does that plan relate to the lot? I see a plot plan, but it has no grades or existing vegetation indicated. What are the views and surrounding lots, structures like? The lot looks maxed out. Do you need to cover that much of it? Can you go with more spaces in the 2nd story? How come the plan doesn't go to the side setback lines and come forward to the front setback line, to give a nice back yard?

Bill

 

[dakkon]

The way you've got the mandoor you's have to squeeze by the lift every time you want to go in or out of the house to the garage.

That will be no fun - it will be a tight squeeze.

If you can switch around the util closet so the door opens right to the 2 car part that would be much better. Then you have direct access to the cars you drive every day.

This plan is slightly old. They changed the washer dryer configuration that would not allow for a door way where you're talking about in the utility room.

Agreed, too many halls, walls and doors. I would eliminate the hall to the master completely. Move the door to the master bath to where the second sink is so you come in from the bedroom, and move the second sink to where the door is. I'm not a fan of the long entry hall either, I'd try and open that up. I'd make the garage entry/mud room/utility room one big space too, maybe even incorporate the pantry.

I see what you saying about the door to the master where the sink is. However, i'm 100% sure that our realtor will tell us no on getting ride of the hall to the master. She said at this price point that is a deal breaker.. There was actually a spec home that we passed on because of that specific issue. The entry to the master was directly off of the family room. Ann said that it would be a nightmare to sell down the road... I also see what you guys are saying about the utility room. I can see if there are any possibilities on that front.

I'd get rid of the 2nd door to the shared bath.
That just causes confusion with locked doors, etc.

we discussed that and thought we deleted that door. I brought up that point as well; I will talk to the wife tonight. We haven't signed a contract yet. So, changes can still be made.. good catch.

Bill,

The wife wanted a single story house and this was a compromise. Yes the house is at the front build line to maximize the backyard. This was done for two reasons ,the first being for the dogs, as well as a possible future pool. Ann (our realtor) said that in our area we HAVE to have room for a future buyer to put a pool in if they so desire. The dogs are also the reason for the door from the garage to the yard (dog door). Right now the land is farmland; so, there is no existing vegetation.




Thanks for all of the input guys, i really appreciate it. I'm going to call the builder contact now about some of these issues.

 

[fastrucken1]

Did i miss something but wouldn't it be better to just add the 10x19 to the existing garage? I would think that would make for a more useful space... No??

Side note good luck on the house build. We just finished our house last year and it can be overwhelming at times..


Graham

 

[dakkon]

Part of the rational was to get the two cars out of the main garage. Depending on what the engineers say it will cost to do the 10 x 19. you may be right, and we may go that direction. re-engineering the roof line may prove to be cost prohibitive in adding the 10 x 19.


Also, i just remembered.. The builder and Ann said that having counter opposing garages would be more desirable from a cur appeal perspective.. That was a somewhat large portion in the decision for the placement of that space.

 

[coldh2o]

Am I missing something? I see stairs down on the second floor plan, but no stairs up from the first floor?

 

[dakkon]

The stairs go above/through the pantry area on the first floor. the game room is partially above the garage. The single line below the game room is above garage storage. A non-havac storage room.

 

[gnpenning]

Looks like a nice place.

The hall to the master and the other bedrooms will make it interesting to move dressers, box springs and headboards into.

Having the garage's next to each other would make it easier to work out of as far as moving tools and equipment back and forth. For example you pull a motor in the small side and move it to where your work benches are in the larger side.

While they can be a pain have you considered pocket doors in some of the areas you have clearance issues? If framed right and adjusted right they can work real well.

 

[astroracer]

Also realize your dimensions are OUTSIDE dimensions. That is how architectural dimensioning works. I would verify that your "10 x 19" is actually 10 x 19 and not 9 x 18 1/2. Either way, there is no way a lift will work in that narrow of a space. With a car in the air you would not be able to get from one end to the other without crawling under it...
And, as the other comments have alluded to, that floor plan is atrocious. So cut up, no traffic flow and having the private spaces at the front is not the way to go. Flip the plan, open it up a bit and get rid of all the doors and tiny hallways. Getting bigger furniture, beds and matress foundations into the house is going to be a nightmare.
The kitchen needs direct access from the main garage, as well as the utility room and half bath.
You really need to rethink this plan. Sorry but that's MY take on it and you di d ask...
Mark

 

[dakkon]

Am I missing something? I see stairs down on the second floor plan, but no stairs up from the first floor?

your question about the stairs got me to thinking last night... and i think pushing out the main garage out 2 ft is going to be problematic. The game room on the second floor shares an exterior wall with the garage.. moving the garage wall out is going to throw everything off. I'm including a front profile so everyone can see what i'm talking about.

Having the garage's next to each other would make it easier to work out of as far as moving tools and equipment back and forth. For example you pull a motor in the small side and move it to where your work benches are in the larger side.

While they can be a pain have you considered pocket doors in some of the areas you have clearance issues? If framed right and adjusted right they can work real well.

If i need to pull an engine, i'll have the car in the main garage. the intention of the 10x 19 is specifically for storage. That will be a non-working garage.. That's the intention anyhow..

Also realize your dimensions are OUTSIDE dimensions. That is how architectural dimensioning works. I would verify that your "10 x 19" is actually 10 x 19 and not 9 x 18 1/2. Either way, there is no way a lift will work in that narrow of a space. With a car in the air you would not be able to get from one end to the other without crawling under it...
And, as the other comments have alluded to, that floor plan is atrocious. So cut up, no traffic flow and having the private spaces at the front is not the way to go. Flip the plan, open it up a bit and get rid of all the doors and tiny hallways. Getting bigger furniture, beds and matress foundations into the house is going to be a nightmare.
The kitchen needs direct access from the main garage, as well as the utility room and half bath.
You really need to rethink this plan. Sorry but that's MY take on it and you di d ask...
Mark

The house floor plan has been decided on. I discussed some of the options brought up by you guys with the wife last night. I.E., master bath door relocation/utility room configuration ect.

The wife pointed out that if we move the master bath door to the top of the bathroom, then we would have the situation we have now... She gets up before i do and i'm a semi light sleeper. So, it would actually be much better for us to have the access to the master on the side. This would provide both light insulation and sound insulation.


Mark, you bring up a very good point... As to the difference between interior and exterior space, thank you for pointing that out to me.. i will verify this prior to signing the contract..


I did ask for input and advice; thanks for all of your input i do appreciate it.