When I first wrote in August 2017 we got a lot of great suggestions and comments. At the time we had accepted the limitations of the block (easements, tree, solar access etc). It is now one year later and I can tell you we found a way to move the garage to the south-west corner. This allowed us to move Beds 2 and 3 and the bathroom to the northern side. Pantry and laundry between garage and kitchen/living/dining. I think it was all of the comments and suggestions that encouraged us to look at it again from different angles, rather than just accepting the limitations. Thanks to everyone for their generosity! The solution involved working around a lovely tree (it is nice, just in the wrong spot). It is still in the way (council said we couldn't remove it) but we've opted for a long, curving driveway that starts on the other side of the block and weaves its way around the treeline to the garage entry. Not ideal, because a large portion of the front setback will now be a hard surface, instead of a garden. But if there is one thing that designing teaches you - its all about compromises. Thanks everyone. MB Design & Drafting Shara C Nik Star girlguides oklouise siriuskey genkii saragraham76 Andy Pat brizcs Mel N 3D Home Concepts suancol Caro

Thinking about Module homes I suggest something like this might appeal to you, a lot of beachside houses in our area build like this, the roofs are flat or raked but can be traditional. I thought that with your health to consider having small spaces like WIP could be difficult and have chosen more open plan with wide spaces and 900 doors The master has a long wide breezeway with separate shower room and powder room. which either have window to the courtyard or sliding doors from the bedroom. The garage/carport has easy access into the kitchen, via the low level deck which extends on two sides of the house. Module houses need squeeze space between a slab and the modules . These builds are much quicker than standard builds so it might be something that you could consider x

Just thinking about this more....because it is better than doing my overdue tax or taking palm trunks to the dump... :o) ......All of the designs have such great features to them and in some respects I need to just get a builder to look over them to let me know which would be cheapest for what I need and would like. Once the technical things are sorted (cladding, electrical, plumbing, insulation), the things that I like in a home mostly are inside/outside living (seeing views) and a bright, light filled space (natural light). I find it depressing ...literally.....to be in a living space that is dark. I wanted the living area to be maximised in this space due to the work that I want to do in future with girls with autism; a small open plan kitchen with this and this area that we use have the higher ceiling to make it feel bigger.... then I need an office space, which could even be largely shut away within a cupboard if necessary. I will lose the view and a bit of light from the back sliding door because of me putting a privacy screen with gate between this building and the pool area. I have a slight view and good light from the big sliding window at the back (I would have to close blinds though, if people were using the pool area). I definitely need more light coming in from the East where the leaking colour glass window is, but I would like for them to be high so that I cannot see the neighbour's house. I think the windows on the western side are sufficient because it gets very hot on that side of this building from about 4pm (earlier in summer). Then the sliding doors at the front bring in light, but at the moment it is not totally private becasue it looks onto the road from a long driveaway. My main bedroom can be small as long as it has room for queen bed, good storage, and room for a dog bed for a golden retriever sized dog. I like the idea of having the dogs going on the deck...however, they do bark at possums at night.(They have a lot of yard to use too during the day). I do need a room where a mother and new born pups can be isolated from the other dogs). I like the idea of having a toilet and basin of some sort, separate to the main bedroom, if there is only one toilet, because it provides separation from my personal things to the main living area. I guess the second space for the dog and pups could be a laundry or a "bedroom" or "office" or "storeroom". The area for the dogs has to be on ground level and I think I would prefer my bedroom to be on ground level too as I am not getting any younger (and want to think about future needs) and ideally I would to be here til my early 70's if all works out well. It doesn't worry me whether the main bedroom ceiling is high or not, because I spend so little time in there. However, it would be good if the other spaces (except bathroom/laundry) had the higher sections of ceiling to make them feel bigger. I am only saying all this, because when I look at all the plans, I think the best one may end up being mainly from one, with elements taken from another. Thanks so much for your help. I still have the option (one day) to maximise the use of the big attic space in the main house as with the non-compliant stairs to it and only two tiny windows in it, and it being so hot up there, it is not really useable at the moment, but the pool house is highest priority because until it is liveable, then I can't recoup any expenses by renting out the bigger space (the main house). (It does look like a demo site though in many rooms,)

@Kay J ...." we haven’t done an upstairs plan yet....." You really need to be considering the whole layout simultaneously in the design process.... picking up the thread, you say you want 4 bedrooms, assuming ensuite for master and a 2nd living.......when you look at okouise's plan, which is relatively tightly packed/efficient planning, how much space you will need for all these spaces and this particular zoning/program distribution version will be relatively "top heavy" and likely larger in area than the lower level, likely pushing side setback regulation limits...usually we try and do the opposite for a more grounded and overall balanced building form Stair position and configuration will greatly determine the upper level planning and so setting the stair to a particular lower level plan and then trying to work out the upper will limit the design potetial... I'd suggest you first think about your house in terms of broad zoning, assuming a growing family scenario, that is main living, master suite and secondary bedrooms/2nd living and then other requirements.. and then compare different configurations of these basic zonings for instance what does it look like with a Master suite on the ground level and secondary/kids zone upstairs....do you need a dedicated home office as a room or a study nook.....think about separation/control of sound from competing internal activities and if you have a floor plan configured with a central stair with a 2nd living unable to be closed off this is not ideal/inflexible for growing families when kids turn into teenagers...... Having option of a bedroom on a ground level arguably provides more flexibility in older age and better appeal for potential re-sale..... No, builder's won;t give any consideration to design specifics such as orientation and efficiency as it's not their area of expertise.....best to engage a designer who knows what they're doing and can best assist you to get the most out of your block and your home