Brainstrust

My builder told me that they are putting concrete slab on first floor I think 2c. However I noticed that my entry is on different ceiling height 32c than my hallway 31c and bedrooms are 31c, then my living dining is 32c. I was expecting all GF to be 32c and upper floor to be 30c but they said they have to run the services below the Firsy floor slab hence the change in height. Is this normal . When I vidualise entering the house from entry it feels slightly awkward. Kindly suggest if this is normal or should I ask them to make all ground floor ceilings 32c.

ChatGTP image updated a little to remove window over garage and add pitched roof

Alisha, The builder has told you the correct information for your ceiling levels. The plumbing has to be installed as they have told you. 32c (brick course) is 2743mm in height, 31c is 2657mm, so the difference is only 86mm. This will be unnoticeable, especially since you have a void in the entry for the stairwell. The rear living area is 32c because it does not have a floor slab above it. I would not be concerned, the services need to go in the ground floor ceiling space. My entire ground floor is 31c and my entire upper floor is 30c. Not a problem. You could have the entire first floor 32c, but the expense to increase by one course may not be in your budget. The builder is building you a home with standard ceiling heights, plus a 32c rear living area and stair void.

When we built our home we increased all ground floor doors/sliding/stacker and windows heights to 2400mm or 28c. This helped give the ceiling extra height visually. This would be more cost effective than doing an extra course of bricks, since you already have a void and 32c at rear.

In Australia, the most common standard height for both internal and external door frames is 2040mm. While 2040mm is standard, modern homes with higher ceilings frequently use 2340mm or 2400mm doors.

Hi Dreamer

Thanks. Yes all of the ground floor doors and windows are 28c high on my plan. Now I understand why so cheers for the info. Appreciate it...we are submitting the plan for development approval now 👌. See how we go .will update for sure...the front cladding need to be sorted like what material what color etc..worry I see if my balcony is pretty small like 1.3m which I don't know 😕 why I put in there..my hubby seems to like it , hence it's there!!!

Hi Alisha, the latest plan you have posted is only showing the front door as 2400mm high and entry hall cased openings. The doors are showing as only 2040mm high. Is there another, later plan that your working from?

I mean the internal doors…..?

Yes the balcony is small, the only plan I can find with measurements shows it at 1100mm deep. Do you have a view? Who will clean the balcony? Would that space be better utilised inside the bedroom? Just putting the questions out there so you are sure it is necessary.

And with the glass balustrade it is not private.

Hi it's me again, need some more advice. I feel that moving the balcony and master room along the garage side is much more effective with the facade. Can you please advice if I am on the right path and what is the best configuration for the new ensuite WIR position.

1. Master ensuite goes in the marked red box with two vanities shower and toilet. Which way should the double vanities go and the shower. Will a window on this wall be better.
2. .New Master bedroom moves to the blue box and the WIR goes on the back where the lounge wall is. Shown in GREEN.
3. The balcony will move accordingly infront opening to the master room with Sliding door on top of the garage.

This way seems better to my little brain. Is it 🤔? Kindly let me know if you could provide your 2c.

another master suite variation

Or this variation with wir against the living space

What about this one...I now believe changing the master to the southern end is better with balcony coming on top of garage part of the cantilever! I just need to make this layout work and will do cladding at the shower wall..facade will look better I believe..let me know please your thoughts...thank u again

as long as you're happy with wiw only 3m x 1400, ens 2.4m wide and master bed 3700 x 4600

And also, would you be happy with a lower ceiling in entry. The plumbing will need to be in the ceiling of the hallway for your newly placed ensuite.

Thanks dreamer for pointing that out..didn't realise it....entry ceiling is currently 35c which is pretty good with void..may be 32c now I think...

Did you confirm the height of your internal doors?

I think u should swap wir and ensuite so ensuite is above downstairs wet area rather than take plunking to other corner of house upstairs.

Hi Kate

Any markup would be good that will fit the area please 🙏

Another thing is a plumbing duct with access for the toilet if the ensuite is on the left hand side. Which is above the entry. With master ensuite currently on the plans situated over the garage, the plumbing duct with access is in the garage. Your proposed shift of ensuite will require a shift of the plumbing duct. Please be aware, any changes on the top floor may affect the ground floor.

And I would be double checking the entry ceiling height, as it is not shown on the plans. the “SO=35” which is slab over at 35c, not necessarily the ceiling height.

another variation with ens over garage

Thanks oklouise..the ENS on left looks better 👍..appreciate it as always...should I do a bulkhead on the bedside wall and what type of opening should I go for the entry to ENS and WIR from the room; put a door or a DHO to ENS? Just trying to understand what works better

what do you mean by DHO? but i prefer no bulkhead and ens needs a closing door but wiw can be just an opening

DHO -Door Height Opening. The width of ENS is 1.6m is it too tight or comfortable ? Should I sacrifice the lounge area a bit to make the master layout little better?

you seem to have forgotten the issue with entry ceiling height and upstairs plumbing so i suggest that you need to accept that the spaces are already defined and stop looking for alternatives...your plan designer can answer the last fine details but it would be disappointed to invest in so many changes and then find that building costs are higher than your budget..the best designs are the simplest without too many awkward angles and expensive built ins

Alisha, why would you not put on door on the ensuite? 1.6 m ensuite is comfortable. Remember it is an ensuite not a family bathroom. Why a bulkhead?

Have you checked the height of the internal ground floor doors yet?

I’m still concerned you don’t have a separate toilet out of the upstairs main bathroom……? Do you expect occupants to go down stairs to powder room if the bathroom is being used? You could potentially have 4 people sharing that bathroom. And it is smaller than the ensuite.

Hi dreamer. INFERNAL DOORS 28C GROUND FLOOR AND 25C UPPER FLOOR

Thanks Marliyn. I will go for the ensuite on RHS and WIR on left. This makes sense now.

@dreamer. Thanks for all the suggestions. Given the space I am not sure how to make the toilet enclosed in the upper common ensuite..so I just felt the common bathroom setup where all are in the same box is the way to go....

Family bath will be fine. Together can go downstairs if urgent

have you forgotten the family bathroom with separate toilet that i already suggested

and the separate toilet for the ensuite

Hi oklouise

Yes I have seen that but the issue was not having enought light like no window as you enter or is there a way...

add a skylight over the vanity

Hi Marilyn

What are the dimensions of the common ensuite?

i no longer have the accurate dimensions that should be available from your plans

Thank u all for so much useful information and suggestion to my our first build plan. Can't thank u for your kind time and help with the sketches. I have decided that I will keep the common bathroom layout as is but the master ensuite WIR will change as per what Marilyn has kindly shared.

I am writing to my designer to give the facade a modern look. Kindly let me know if this makes sense

"Please revise the roof to a low-pitch hip roof (20–22.5°) with a single ridge parallel to the street.

The roof should frame the centrally located balcony, with deep eaves (600–750mm) and no front-facing gables or complex intersections.

The WIR (left) and ENS (right) walls should remain solid vertical elements beneath a clean, continuous roof line to maintain a modern facade."

Thnaks all

With your suggestion of roof type. “Single Ridge parallel to the street”. How are you expecting the roof carpenters to connect all the rest of roof that is not the master bedroom area?

Is this what you are trying to accomplish?

Taking note with this diagram the ridge area, and the hip area. “Single ridge parallel to the street” . Im not sure what you are after.

Which roof pitch and front elevation should I be going with to make it more modern than current with the change of balcony to centre and ensuite WIR on either side...? I wanted a more box like look with gable roof on top of master. Just looks bit modern..sorry my terminologies may not be appropriate...

Hi dreamer, please suggest me which would be better from roof pitch and type and facade perspective based on my changes. I can't think of anything...right now

Hi dreamer, please suggest me which would be better from roof pitch and type and facade perspective based on my changes. I can't think of anything...right now

Any idea we can take from this thanks to chatgpt

Don't forget to pay attention to important details that could eventually become serious problems. Regular plumbing inspections have honestly saved me from several expensive emergencies. Small leaks or slow drains may seem harmless at first but can quickly escalate into major damage if ignored. I now check for water pressure changes and unexpected increases in water bills because they often reveal hidden issues. You can always find professional help here. Preventive maintenance once a year is much cheaper than emergency repairs later. Choosing licensed professionals also ensures the root cause is fixed instead of just the visible symptom.

This is what you wrote in your last post.”The roof should frame the centrally located balcony, with deep eaves (600–750mm) and no front-facing gables or complex intersections”. Your CHATGPT pictures you just posted are completely opposite to that post. You should be consulting with your builder, so if you don’t know the correct terminology, they can help, not taking important information from random things on chatgpt.

Sorry dreamer...what should my direction be to the builder...I struggle for words and get worried I will get it wrong..hence seek help

Hi Alisha, your original front elevation had the protruding balcony on one side resulting in a second section of roofline. With the change to a centred balcony this won’t be necessary. You can have a “feature central gable” as per your image above, A Gable is the vertical triangle A hip is the sloping section of the roof. Your picture has a hip roof with a central feature gable. Hip roofs use less timber and shorter ridge beams and don’t have the gable to separately clad and finish so are cheaper, Hope this helps.

Thanks Kate. So according to you what should I mention to give it a modern look from the front that doesn't look cheap