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Design dilemma - aligning two floors

2 months ago

We have a block of land and have reduced the floor plan of the previous design, however we are challenged as the current plan has the floors overhanging to North and then under-hanging (is that a word?) to the South. So we’d need a roof over the southern end of the ground floor, and then to the north, we have the deck with a big overhang.

North is essentially to the left of the snips below.

Ideally we’d shunt the first floor to the south and align with the bottom floor. This would reduce the overhang of the deck to the North. This deck is likely to be reduced in size also.

The challenge is the lift and how this fits joining the floors. We anticipate an elderly parent joining us at some stage.

We’d like to increase the size of the two bedrooms downstairs, feel the master bedroom is too big, and like the master bedroom to be separated from any other bedroom for privacy. We are looking at having a suspended slab.

Views are out to east and slightly to north and south. The block slop runs diagonally from the South West corner down to the north east corner. Hence contracting (up) to the south helps with the views.

Appreciate your thoughts on how we can achieve a more balanced alignment, where the lift could go and any other adjustments/suggestions.

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Comments (13)

oklouise
2 months ago
please share a site plan showing width and length of block, placement of the house and separate garage and driveway and what is the purpose of the space to the east of the big garage??
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Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
The rectangular box marked in blue is a very approximate boundary of the house position on the block.
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Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
Thanks Oklouise, please find the site plan attached. The ”proposed boat shed” on the site plan is the separate “garage” on the ground floor plan. The area to the east of the garage (connected to the house) is for a garage. Hope that helps.
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oklouise
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
does that mean that the double garage has a long wide driveway along the south side of the house with the downstairs bath room close to the street and the extra "garage" to the east of the double garage is not meant to store cars??.. unable to read writing and dimensions so difficult to understand the spaces
bigreader
2 months ago
Is there a reason for that odd placement on the site?
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Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
Apologies the area east of the double garage is for a workshop, not another garage. Not sure what I was thinking typing that. Vehicle access to the double garage comes down the battleaxe pan handle (driveway) which runs along the northern boundary, and then would turn into the garage (which could be a bit tight). Not sure how to make the images crisper, come through okay when I look at them. As for the placement of the house, it’s constrained by the block boundaries.
oklouise
2 months ago
if you could advise the full length and width of the whole house (upstairs and downstairs including the deck) on your plans i can guess the most likely sizes for the rooms and better understand the distance from the house to the side boundaries as i worry that if the cars need to turn sideways to enter and exit the garage that means more space left for a driveway along the western side of the house and less space left for the garden and spa on the eastern side of the house unless the upstairs has the same "bend" as the downstairs but, do you also want to allow for off street parking along the western side downstairs or closer to the boatshed? and, will the downstairs bedrooms be used for family or could those rooms be used for a future a granny flat for your elderly parent or would you use the upstairs bed 2 for your parent?
Kate
2 months ago
If I am reading this correctly can you move the downstairs rumpus to beside the garage and put the star next to the bedrooms. I will let oklouise and others do their magic, but it would be good to move master ensuite to adjacent the guest bath and get rid of the wasteful dog leg entry to master. Are you fixed on having the master bed face south or open to other layouts? Similarly ideally put Laundry on west side too to keep plumbing together.
Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
The dimensions are not including “garage 1” which is really a boat shed (which also will be reduced to 4 x 8m). Therefore the house dimensions of the ground floor are
- width (external SW corner to SE corner): 7270
- width (external NW corner to NE corner (garage and workshop): 9860
- length (Southern wall to northern wall): 24330 (approx)
- distance from double garage doors to side boundary estimated as 7800. Comment: are conscious of trying to limit the concrete and avoiding breaching the landscaping ratio.
We were thinking of off street parking could be along the southern side of the garage-1, use the diamondcrete matting to allow for natural drainage.

Downstairs bedrooms would be for guests, elderly parent would ideally be upstairs in Bed 2. An option was to move Bed 3 upstairs and insert between stairs and ensuite…And so slide the Ensuite/bed 2/“bath” to the south, which helps align the ground/first floor while retaining the lift. We think we can reduce the width of the Deck by almost 2m which will further reduce overhang and help reduce some costs.

There is probs scope to reduce the size of the master bedroom and def keen to get rid of the dogleg entry. We weren’t too keen on having a bedroom sharing a wall with the master bdrm. the master bedroom facing south was as much for views to east and bit to south, probs don’t need all the south facing windows we currently have. And yep, Bed 2 and bed 3 all need windows, with bed 4 having windows not doors.
oklouise
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
my understanding is that you need about 10m to drive sideways into a garage and my off street parking also allows for reversing bay for cars to drive forward out the driveway and adding the boatshed to the main building allows the same driveway and reversing bay for towing and reversing a boat and also makes more cost effective use of the space under the northern deck...my suggestions has upstairs and downstairs aligned exactly (with the overhang to allow for front porch and extra space in front of the garage) there's generous lift space, more comfortable stairs (with more under stairs storage and a set down space for the entry) easier furniture arrangements for lounge and the "leftover" space upstairs makes a great multi purpose room and privacy barrier between bedrooms and, if you are the ones who would mostly use the spa, then upstairs might find it used more often and allow alternate use for narrow eastern gardens, i've made the downstairs bedrooms and bathroom bigger, there's generous extra storage upstairs and down and space for a small kitchenette in the rumpus room... total dimensions are similar to the original but include the boatshed attached to the main house and there's plenty of space for an easy access ramp for elderly residents (but, keep in mind that i've not allowed for walls thicker than 10cms)
Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
Oklouise. My partner and I are simply amazed at what you have done in such a short piece of time. Your ideas all make so much sense and how you have managed to capture the nuances is simply outstanding. So massive thankyou! We love the idea of the spa on top deck (why didn’t we think of that!). What is the logo directly under the words ‘shower” on deck next to spa? A bit hat shaped? We’ll probably flip the dining table for the lounge area and a TV on the wall near spa. Also love how you have done the lift and stairs, and provided the retreat and the kitchenette idea…..so on and so on! All amazing and really appreciated! Thankyou again. Amazing.
oklouise
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
very glad that you're both happy but now you will need to translate my ideas into real plans and the hat shaped item you mentioned is an optional fireplace and i now realise that i posted an earlier plan missing the TV and naming that item so i have edited my last post to include the correct plans to include FP, TV, wall cabinets in kitchen and pantry and the barbq on the deck...
Nomad H
Original Author
2 months ago
Understood and thanks again Oklouise, awesome.

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