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Building a single story home

Ashjean
2 years ago

Hi everyone,


I would love to pick your brain here on my proposed floor plan. We are doing a KDR for our first home (about 20sqs) on a subdivided land in inner East Melbourne. The lot is quite flat and is about 400sqm. The rear is north-facing and has another unit's garage. We would love for you guys to provide some feedback on our first draft of the floor plan. All advice and feedback are welcomed!

I have some thoughts about the plan and wonder if it would work.
- Looking at the floorplan, I am thinking of adding a small butler's pantry next to the kitchen and perhaps extending the wall 1m out to accommodate it
- I wonder if the living area would be hot during the afternoon with west-facing sliding doors behind the couch



Comments (106)

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    You are building a 3 bedroom family home (not a retirement home), so why have a single garage. Parking could become a problem with the subdivision turning a single block into two, family cars and visitors to both homes will double parking.

    A basic idea is to add the extra garage, turn the powder into laundry, laundry into smaller powder. The master suite could be reduced by adding a robe into the bedroom and utilizing the WIR as a study. Finding it very difficult to read dimensions on the coloured plan.


  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    Siriuskey, I agree that a double garage would be better, but the poster Ashjean has told us it is an existing suburb with an existing house on it they are knocking down. It is not a new subdivision.

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  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    I understand it's going to be a KDR , so why not build with a double garage, makes more sense to me

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi Siriuskey, thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately, the council will not approve a double car garage. We are trying very hard to fulfill the requirements to apply for a second crossover to bring the existing attached rear garage with the rear unit to the front so we could establish a standalone house and to increase backyard space. Currently with the old building, the concrete paved alfresco took up a lot of the backyard space, leaving only roughly 2 meters to the car garage. It is not ideal to have a single garage but the pre-application meeting’s feedback was positive for the single garage but not the double garage. We were thinking of renovating initially but the current building is not in great condition and several builders advised KDR is better value than renovating (no big surprises either), hence we went for this route.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Liz, me too! It would likely to be weatherboards.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Macyjean, we are unsure about the pergola but our architect recommended louvered pergola? Tbh I’m still learning the different types 😅

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Kate, yes we are increasing the size of the study room so that in the future if we do sell the place, others have the potential to turn it into a bedroom. Currently it is only my partner and myself in this house. Plenty of space for us 😅

  • macyjean
    2 years ago

    Louvred pergola might work. What you do not want on the north side in your climate is something that blocks winter sun.

  • Colin Malzard
    2 years ago

    Wonder if you could loose the store facing the dining and have that space and laundry as a euro laundry and walk in pantry

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Councils don't like you taking up kerb parking spaces to allow for extra driveway crossovers. If your crossover could remain as a single would they allow you the double garage, it would be worth asking as I feel a double garage will add more value and make better sense, and still keeping you rHamptons facade

  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    We are having more councils in WA only allowing a single garage on frontages less that 12 metres. They are requiring more windows to facade instead of a double garage taking up all the frontage. So therefore I understand Ashjeans compromises.

  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    @colin malzard, In a family home I would always choose a full laundry, not a euro laundry.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Siriuskey, it is not achievable unless we build a double story with the garage being in the rear. The current block already has a driveway for the rear unit. We have spoken to the council and because our street has precedence of double crossovers with single garages, it is doable. If it’s for a big block, I would definitely get a double garage but since it is a small block and we are only building single story because that is what we can afford, it is a compromise that I am happy with.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks Colin for the suggestion but I also prefer a bigger laundry space.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks Dreamer!

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    I understand what you are saying, It's a shame you can't go with the two story build

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Hi ashjean, why do you want to move the garage to the street front when it looks like you could have it at the rear on the driveway boundry, this would give you a great private rear garden?

  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    I would rather have a garage and driveway at the front, independent to the rear home, therefore the driveway would not be a shared driveway and common property. With ash jeans garage at the front you have two independent homes.

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    I view it as extra space added to the front house. Being an inner MEB location this would be quite normal? Your block has a great aspect. As a matter of interest what is on your western border.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi Siriuskey, it would be my neighbor’s house. It is quite common that in a subdivided block to have the garage in the rear but personally, I much prefer having a house that is independent than having parts of it connected to a rear unit.

  • oklouise
    2 years ago

    attempting to make suggestion for your new plans but can't read the dimensions.. please divide the plans into two sections that can be enlarged to make the writing clearer

    Ashjean thanked oklouise
  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi oklouise, hope this upload is a better resolution

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi oklouise, hope this upload has better resolution.

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Hi ashjean, part of my question was wondering if both neighbours had driveways up against your boundaries. IE: two driveways both sides of your house. Are you able to post the current plan of both blocks and positioning of the garages.

    And as OKL , the dimensions are difficult to read.

    It was interesting to watch an Australian TV program last night "To knock down or rebuild" The Real Estate Agent and the Architect both agreed it was better to have a double garage and not a single/Tandem. I should mention that house wasn't part of a Battle Axe Block,

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago




    Hi oklouise, hope these have better resolution.

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Does the rear white space represent both existing garages?

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi Siriuskey, the rear white space is the shared driveway. The existing garages are in red

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    A is for my block, B is rear neighbour’s garage.

  • bigreader
    2 years ago

    I only have room for a single carport at the front of my house. I could put a double garage in the backyard but I’m not willing to sacrifice prime living real estate just to house a car. You can’t always have everything. You need to design for how you’ll live.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Yeah bigreaer. My first thought is to increase backyard space because there isn’t much to the existing backyard. The existing alfresco roofline also blocks a lot of the northern sunlight, making the house quite dark. Hence we came up with this plan to let more natural light in.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Siriuskey, the white spaces you see in the draft are driveways. The one on my block is a shared driveway between my bhouse and the rear’s while the front white space of my west boundary next to my proposed new driveway is my neighbour’s driveway on the left.

    I do not disagree with your preference or thoughts about having double garage. I do however think a single garage is not a dealbreaker for me as we are building a single story with a relatively small footprint on a subdivided block, I am happy to compromise.

  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    This is so frustrating!! The garage of the rear neighbour is clearly marked on previous plans posted. We have exactly the same set up. The back block is Independent with their own driveway and their brick wall of their garage is our back yard fence. Our driveway is at the front and independent to rear block. It works very well as Ashjean has designed!! We also knocked down and rebuilt. The old home was also right on the driveway and we shifted our new house to be away from the driveway.

  • dreamer
    2 years ago

    refer Ashjean original plan post. First photo on this thread. Before Ashjean has made some wonderful changes.

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Ashjean, I see a lot of driveways, concrete fronting the street in a short distance, does your R/H neighbour have a driveway next to the battleaxe driveway?

    Are you able to build the garage forward on the rear driveway?

    With a rear garage I can see a possible loft space ( work from home )down the track , but that would be subject to money, council and not blocking Northern light, but that's just me

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    ashjean this is roughly what I was trying to say about driveways across 3 properties, although both of your neighbours could have additional driveways?

    The pale gray represents the driveways which includes your proposed new driveway


  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi Siriuskey, I’m not quite sure what you mean by building the garage forward. Like I said earlier, I would much prefer an independent home even though I am on a subdivided block and have my own driveway. I appreciate your input but I am happy to compromise on the single garage instead of having the double garage.

    For your reference anyway, I’ve tried to show where is the boundary and driveways of my neighbors. The blues are existing garages (mine and rear block), the yellows are left and right neighbours’ driveways. The neighbor on the left has a curved driveway. Purple indicates boundary line for the entire block. My boundary is the green shaded area and the yellow L-shape is the existing shared driveway.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Dreamer, your place does look like what I have now! I’m so glad for your precious advice about not building on the boundary lines. The previous drafter didn’t check the council requirements properly and drew the plan based on existing building.

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Thanks for that ashjean, so I have the paved areas correct. Would I be right in saying that your Left neighbours house isn't quiet as set back as your house? I would be using every bit of space for your setback

    Do both existing rear garages share a common wall?

    What I was asking re your existing garage was if you would be able to bring it further towards the shared driveway? Out of interest how do you back out, do you back out across the neighbours garage?

    Sorry about all the questions, I know you are set on moving the garage but these details do help when looking to design a floorplan. It's so much easier face to face when doing this.

  • Liz
    2 years ago

    There are always compromises Ashjean and I think your garage at the front works as while the driveway takes up part of the front yard, you end up with a bigger back yard, and I would imagine you'll spend more time there than the front. This plan is definitely better than the original plan posted. Good luck!

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Siriuskey, neighbour on the left has 8.6m setback from street front which is aligned with my study’s wall. The minimum setback with the council is 7.6m. I believe the existing garages might be sharing a wall or if they are not, the walls are very close to each other because the previous owner actually owned both houses and he built the garages along with the rear house 10 years ago.

    I don’t think we are able to bring the garage more towards the shared driveway because the shared driveway is a pretty tight space. And yes, we do sometimes back the car out across the rear neighbour’s “driveway space” in front of their garage.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks Liz ☺️

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago

    Ashjean I have had a play with your house and suggest the following very basic layout at this time to see if you like it

    I would have the garage on the Battleaxe drive way along with laundry, bathroom and study, this could be built on the boundary with the eaves on this side reduced if needed, Windows would be high light up under any eaves.

    I suggest that the bedrooms are on the western boundary which will be quieter and cooler with plantings, the hard surfaces of the driveways will store any day time heat that will be released over night

    Keeping the floorplan simple with removing the extra passage to separate the bedrooms and bathroom and using a simple roof without too many extra ridges will save you money.

    Can you please confirm the front width of your block and the length


  • oklouise
    2 years ago

    so many choices...my suggestions include a walk in pantry with access from the mudroom, bigger ens and wiw, more storage and i would arrange the living room furniture and sliding glass doors for easier access and better views towards the rear garden

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Because you really want the garage at the front, I have made this basic suggestion and also suggest that if you do like this idea I would have 900 grass/planted strip between the house and driveway which you could also partly fence.

    I have recently worked on a Battle Axe development where they adopted to have the garage and kitchen along the driveway in the front house to reduce any chance of excess traffic noise, you can never be sure who will live in the rear property.

    Out of interest, in Victoria because you are moving the garage to the front what happens to the allocated driveway space in front of the old garage, can you take that to replace the new front driveway? Attached is the simplified front which should save money with your roof


  • dreamer
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Siriusky, if you look at the plan posted, the frontage is 13.81 and the length of west side is 31.75. Home Plan is approx 12.5 wide.

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hey Siriuskey, I appreciate your input on the garage on the eastern side but when I checked with the council, the lady mentioned that they will only consider the crossover on the western boundary. I’m not sure why she said that but I spoke with a couple of town planners and they mentioned the same thing for the plan of moving the garage to front to work. So we are just following the advice from the council and town planners on the second crossover.

    I’m not sure what would happen to the driveway space in front of the old garage but I guess I would still have access to use that space for a car spot if needed? Or potentially reclaim the space for extra backyard space subject to council approval and neighbour’s approval?

  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi Oklouise, I never thought we would have space for the wip. Previously you mentioned it was better to have a reach in pantry. I am wondering if there is any possibility to steal space from laundry/pantry for a small powder room? Or potentially from the WIR from master for the powder room if we were to extend the WIR outwards to claim the space from the storage? Or would that be too ambitious trying to keep the WIP, large WIR, laundry/mud room AND incorporate a powder room? 😔

  • siriuskey
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Great to have the ear of a Town Planner, I will be interested to know if you would be able to claim the area in front of the old garage, garden or as you say extra parking.

    I haven't resized the rooms but have flipped the floorplan. Being the front of a Battle Axe I would prefer to swap the bathroom, laundry to the driveway East, even though it would mean bedrooms on the West. The Eaves would protect these rooms. apart from my recent involvement in a Battle Axe block development, I have friends who bought the front block of a BA and they also made sure that all of the bedrooms were built away from the Driveway


  • oklouise
    2 years ago

    each plan is based on the information you provide and your last plan doesn't have enough space for a reach in pantry unless you move the sink to the island and you can have a second powder room by stealing space off wiw and storage but i have to ask why do you need two separate powder rooms as well as the toilet in the ensuite?


  • Ashjean
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Some of my friends mentioned it would add value to the house when we sell. But I think I’m gonna keep the WIR space rather than adding the powder room because I would much prefer a bigger storage. Thanks for helping out Oklouise! Love that I have the WIP and bigger WIR. I made some tweaks to the pantry entrance and swapped the toilet around in the en-suite and passed the info on to my architect. Hopefully I will hear back from him soon and we can submit for planning application 🤞🏻