my 2 bobs worth. as someone who works with the elderly-the en-suite for your MIL is still not right. if she ever needs walking assistance,especially with a frame, getting past that door into the en-suite will be a nightmare. swap the vanity position for the shower. ensure there is no step-down into the shower area, and ditch the shower screen for a curtain. will make access much easier. especially if she ever needs assistance showering..it will be virtually impossible, and dangerous, with your current design. thinking long term..MIL will not always be there with you, so presumably you and your hubby will at some point end up in the master bedroom? consider the long terms implications of this-no good building something that suits her now, but would need major modification to suit your needs later. I would actually do away with the WIR at this time. Plan to add it later, if you would want it for yourself, but i would just use free standing furniture for her-no doubt she probably has her own, so it would be nice to have some of her own furnishings when she moves in with you - to make it feel more like her home. it will free up some floor space, and make access to the ensuite easier, without having to turn corners. I would also do away with the extended passage into the master. Take that door back in line with the other bedroom. Currently, it adds nothing, and may well limit your furniture placement for your family room, as the walkway will need to go around it. i have issue with the 2 person shower and double vanity in the same room. s the kids get older, they /you probably wont be comfortable using the room when you are showering, so mornings will be slowed down. Have you considered a 3 way bathroom/toilet/vanity area? We had this in our house, and it was the best decision ever. The shower and bath were in one room, with a separate toilet, and then a double vanity which opened to the passage. Everyone could use everything at the same time, without encroaching on each others privacy. Not sure about your state -but here, the toilet door would have to open out-if someone collapses in the powder room, you would not be able to get in with the door opening in, as they would be blocking the door. I do empathize with your dilemmas. We have spent 7 years planning an extension and remodel, then 2 years (!!!) working on the design with an architect, going backwards and forwards, and then the last 12 months nearly, changing and fine-tuning along the way as things were being built. It is not easy, but worth it. Having said that, you are unlikely to ever get it perfect, as your needs will change, your likes/dislikes will vary, and you will see other peoples homes and go "why didn't we do that". (Now if only i could take that on board myself, LOL)

Hi guys, thank for the suggestions. Here is a bit more info. The design requirement for the estate is min 450mm of eaves on all sides, except for the garage if it is on the south side. The movie (sitting) room needs to be min 4x4m. This area is all new so at the moment it is just land and a street that leads up to the corner. Most people in the area are building two storeys though, and the lot is next to a corner lot on the south side. The corner house could be like this, which means it may also be 90mm to their fence too: It is medium density housing area so most likely people will build right up to 90mm of the fence, which would be dark in the downstairs middle part of the house. Macyjean: You can't typically build over an easement, and the plan appears to show the garage beside the easement not on it, so what's the thinking with putting the garage on the easement side? Reply: According to the area design guidelines, if the garage is on the south side then it can be zero lot (no eaves) on the 1.5m boundary which will mean that there will be more space saved. 1.5m needs to be clear from the easement, including eaves. In the first diagram, there is 1993mm space (development team did it, they said it’s give or take space as it has yet to be built). Yes I am wanting to make amendments to the house (the ones that I can make) which will passively cool and heat, without going to the expense of a passive house. Macyjean: You've got a northern aspect along the longest length which is great, but to utilise that you need the house as far to the southern side as possible to make the most of the northern sun and avoid overshadowing by the neighbours. Reply: Does that mean there are no other ways to utilise the space other than to have the northern walls away from the fence as possible? I am wanting to research if there are any. If I look into westerly windows in the bedrooms, what would be the difference between double glazing and an external shutter? Macyjean: You need to think about the dining area windows too, of course you want light and to have a nice view, so landscaping might help there, such as deciduous trees. Reply: Yes I want to bring the outside in and frame the garden with the windows. Dreamer: I suggest you build a "C" shape house that has the backyard in the middle on the north side. Reply: That is a great idea to have a C or an L shape floor plan. The design guidelines require a 4m setback at the back so there will still be a ‘back’ yard and a courtyard. My husband is partial to narrow homes so I will need to discuss the positives. I have yet to find a C shape floor plan in the mainstream project builders so it might need to be created. The Master Suite will be redrawn so its 3x4m, if there is extra space I will try to convince that it is needed in the main bathroom (yes I agree it could do with another metre). I know a 3x4m bathroom can be seen as overkill for some but we saw a bathroom that we both loved and at the moment we will see if its ok to have in the house. Our current ensuite is 3x2m with toilet, sink and shower and it’s too small and dark for our liking so I use the main bathroom and the husband uses the ensuite. Dreamer: In your ground level design. Put the powder room and the laundry on the south side. You have a 1500mm easement, to utilise as the walk out, which is where your washing line could go. And the sitting room on the north side. Reply: The sitting room will be a theatre room so we thought that it makes sense to put it on the south side as it will be cool and dark in there. That’s why it’s a bit weird where the laundry is because in the original Hampshire 45, we reversed the back so that the stairs and outdoor room is on the north side ( so the stair window can be north facing, and outdoor room to get more sun). The outdoor room will be a vergola so the roof can be controlled and opened up in the winter (saw these Vergolas at the home expo and was super excited that it can bring in light to the dining area). Kate: First think is to work out your min offsets on all 4 sides at ground level and at 1st floor, noting setback requirements, How close can you build to edge of easement? This will be your max building envelope. You need to also consider the envelopes of adjacent properties so you can maximise your sunlight and protect from its loss as adjacent houses are built. You know you need to maximise northern offset and minimise to the south. Reply: The setback is 4m to the back and 4.4m to the front building line. We can build to 1.5m of the drainage easement, and 90cm to the fence on the north side. It would have been much easier if the drainage was on the north side, which is why I am looking around for some suggestions. Dreamer: So that does make it very tight, even though you have a step out on the street side. Reply: Yes I agree. Maybe an option could be to swap the layout of the ensuite to the main bathroom. In the original floor plan, the WIR is where the ensuite is and where the ensuite currently is, is a bedroom. Dreamer: This is another example of a home that is built to utilise the northern side being the length of the block. Home is built by Oswald homes. and is under copyright laws. Reply: Thanks for the floor plan from Oswald Homes. The guidelines say that the front door needs to face the street. It would be great option though. Oklouise: Reply: Thanks for sharing the floor plan. Is there a way to have the sitting/movie room min of 4x4m? Measurements are hard to see with low res image. With project homes there are some limitations with moving elements around (the stairs need to stay in position or reversed), so it would mean finding a floorplan with the stairs in that position and then moving other rooms around. KiwiMills: Thanks OKLouise, but her original upstairs, looks like a solid wall. Yours is much better. Reply: Yes I would look at adding some cross ventilation windows (1 or 2) to the north master bedroom wall. It will most probably face a wall which is why I would choose cross ventilation walls and have the main view to the front of the house.

Hi Mark, Just saw your requirements and proposed site a few moments ago, seems to be a great site, congratulation on your purchase, seems to be a glorious block, and your approach in obtaining information before you build or doing any documentation will pay off in the long run. Generally, the item that takes the most time is the design – what the house looks like, the position of the house orientation and deployment of rooms, and appropriate choice of materials. This is the greatest investment of time and money, after you have a design that you are happy with you may approach the documentation in different ways. The design is generally generated by 3 principal steps – (some of the information you have already provided) Site constraints - especially orientation, existing structures to be retained, views, etc. The slope on a 5-acre property is very important for – flooding, drainage – both stormwater and blackwater (sewage) if a septic tank has to be provided so this should be done by Land Surveyor or yourself if you can use a level appropriately Water collection for a dam position – especially if it has to be for potable water. Soil type - for building location to have a good bearing. Weather – for roof design – (You have terrific temperature variation - Hight 29 summer and 11 min winter) other issues would be prevailing wind direction, and maximum rainfall as this may impact on the design of the roof and drainage direction and storage or dissipation. And other Site constraints like – native and/or feral animals and pests, etc. and how you are going to use the five acres - Kitchen Gardens, chickens animals, pets and which rooms will have views and which rooms must have views and which views, etc. I would consider siting would be one of the most important decisions in this design proposal, probably site all other activities first and the house last. Brief – number of rooms like bedrooms bathroom etc (Some information you have already provided) You mentioned issues with your knees, thus the number of steps in and out of the house would need to be minimal (if any) so drainage to avoid flooding would be an issue as the floor level may be close to the ground if using a slab. to Your requirements for a family of four – they might have outdoor activities and pets that may impact the design internally and external areas. Special interest – like cooking, storage of food f you are a long distance from town, etc Budget (Some information you have already provided –(500) Will this included site works like the dam and other specialized areas. Will this include the cost of driveways. Will the project go to tender or will it be subcontracted or self build. Is there power (solar power), water, and gas on the site – are they required, and do they impact the budget. Then there is the process of initial design and revisions, followed by Town Planning Permit if required, and Working Drawings Documents for a Building Permit which is always required. As you may be well aware this is a long process, and taking your time with it will pay dividends – you do not want to wake up day and say – “if only I took more time” or “was not so stingy in obtaining advice” I would not be in this pickle. If you take your time and purchase adequate advice and things go wrong at the very least you cannot blame yourself and that in my opinion is a great relief. Just drawing multiple plans without a structured process can prove difficult and non-rewarding especially in the long run. If you feel that I can be a benefit to your project please send me an email so that we may continue the conversation and get to a design proposal. I would like to work on your project and have worked successfully on similar projects before. If you require further information or have any concerns about the included information, contact me as soon as possible. Regards Michael Manias MANIAS ASSOCIATES BUILDING DESIGNERS P: (03) 9347 7347 M: +61 0417 567123 W: https://www.houzz.com.au/pro/maniasassociates/__public e: mm407p@gmail.com

Add bir to master for more storage if needed. In wir add a table height unit on wheels with storage drawers under. Great place for lingerie and jewellery. Or shoe storage. Make sure all wir have high shelf above hanging for luggage, extra blankets, seasonal storage of clothes etc. I know you have dresser under window. Do the windows need obscuring or raising in height for yours or your neighbour’s privacy? - For you to consider not respond. In en-suite check that the wir door is in right place to fit your towel rails. And ensure wir door has a good fit to stop steam. Swing door is best