Bungalow Renovation - FloorPlan Critique Required
Discussion
We remodelled a bungalow about 5 years back, id make a couple of suggestions
1. Check if youhave any restrictive covenants and / or if houses up and down street have 2 stories. If you dont and there are then thats where you should start. I am presuming this is possibly a no go, given you are employing an architect.
2. If adding a floor is not possible i'd reject the current plans as the living room is not square / large enough. The corridoor to bedroom 1 is daft, the kitchen will be dark unless you are adding skylights and personally id prefer the extraction fan to vent out through a wall - i'd probably reduce the size of the utility and move the kitchen in to that area with an open plan lounge adjoining the kitchen diner.
I would have a slight variation on hornmeister's theme.
I haven't looked at dims or roofs and I've assumed the back of the house faces SW as you say, so high level principles only (so don't blame me for obvious mistakes...).
I think a wall between open plan kitchen diner/living room is important as there will be times when you want to shut yourself off from noise/smells/other people.
This wall can have a single or double internal door which can be opened when entertaining. The bifold/sliders to the kitchen and new living room create sun trap and share a common patio space. As both rooms open on to it, this will be a social space and extends the new 'public' L shape you've now created with the rooms, to form a very large indoor/outdoor square shape. You could reinforce this with pergola structure/sail etc.
Private spaces kept to the front of the house.
|https://thumbsnap.com/8s7aUaIf[/url]
Edited with Rev 1 plan...! <cough> ensuite opening into Bed 2 not Hall obviously...! </cough>
I haven't looked at dims or roofs and I've assumed the back of the house faces SW as you say, so high level principles only (so don't blame me for obvious mistakes...).
I think a wall between open plan kitchen diner/living room is important as there will be times when you want to shut yourself off from noise/smells/other people.
This wall can have a single or double internal door which can be opened when entertaining. The bifold/sliders to the kitchen and new living room create sun trap and share a common patio space. As both rooms open on to it, this will be a social space and extends the new 'public' L shape you've now created with the rooms, to form a very large indoor/outdoor square shape. You could reinforce this with pergola structure/sail etc.
Private spaces kept to the front of the house.
|https://thumbsnap.com/8s7aUaIf[/url]Edited with Rev 1 plan...! <cough> ensuite opening into Bed 2 not Hall obviously...! </cough>
Edited by ben5575 on Wednesday 6th November 18:38
As suspected, everyone has an opinion 
Just to answer some points:
1) We could go up but don’t want to. We love single story living.
2) We’re really liking the idea of the living room where the new bedroom is on the plan so we’re looking at that now.
3) by doing 2) we should be able to avoid the corridor completely.
4) we are planning on venting using a Bora downdraft extractor which we are planning going under the floor to an outside wall.
Just to answer some points:
1) We could go up but don’t want to. We love single story living.
2) We’re really liking the idea of the living room where the new bedroom is on the plan so we’re looking at that now.
3) by doing 2) we should be able to avoid the corridor completely.
4) we are planning on venting using a Bora downdraft extractor which we are planning going under the floor to an outside wall.
Interesting and we've done something similar. I prefer the openness of number 2 and agree with others on the size of the hall. I think I'd put a door between the garage and the utility room if didn't cost too much.
You don't say what you will be using it for but when we designed ours we kept in mind that we need a bag drop place as we travel a lot. We arranged it so we can eventually section off part of the property giving us a small one bedroom en-suite studio with kitchenette with own front door.
You don't say what you will be using it for but when we designed ours we kept in mind that we need a bag drop place as we travel a lot. We arranged it so we can eventually section off part of the property giving us a small one bedroom en-suite studio with kitchenette with own front door.
I do not see the point of the stagger at the back, if you run it straight across you do not need to make the living room smaller or put RSJs in. The extra bit of hall is pointless and without it would give a bigger bathroom or even room for a bathroom and second en-suite. Getting rid of the corridor gives you a bigger bed 3 and room for a walk in cupboard or a bigger ensuite with a separate shower.
You could put a sun tunnel in the middle hall and use that as your study...
If you put the living room at the back any visitors would have to walk right through the house to get to it and both your bedrooms would be at the front, not ideal unless you have a large front garden or live in a cul-de-sac...
ben5575 said:
I would have a slight variation on hornmeister's theme.
I haven't looked at dims or roofs and I've assumed the back of the house faces SW as you say, so high level principles only (so don't blame me for obvious mistakes...).
I think a wall between open plan kitchen diner/living room is important as there will be times when you want to shut yourself off from noise/smells/other people.
This wall can have a single or double internal door which can be opened when entertaining. The bifold/sliders to the kitchen and new living room create sun trap and share a common patio space. As both rooms open on to it, this will be a social space and extends the new 'public' L shape you've now created with the rooms, to form a very large indoor/outdoor square shape. You could reinforce this with pergola structure/sail etc.
Private spaces kept to the front of the house.
|https://thumbsnap.com/8s7aUaIf[/url]
Edited with Rev 1 plan...! <cough> ensuite opening into Bed 2 not Hall obviously...! </cough>
So funny Ben - we did a sketch earlier and pretty much ended up with this. Only difference was no en-suite to the front bed because it will be for very very occasional use only as it’s my music room/Office. Mrs G did think of putting a WC in the utility but we may want to decrease the size of that to make the garage longer (currently 5m long and should be 6m).I haven't looked at dims or roofs and I've assumed the back of the house faces SW as you say, so high level principles only (so don't blame me for obvious mistakes...).
I think a wall between open plan kitchen diner/living room is important as there will be times when you want to shut yourself off from noise/smells/other people.
This wall can have a single or double internal door which can be opened when entertaining. The bifold/sliders to the kitchen and new living room create sun trap and share a common patio space. As both rooms open on to it, this will be a social space and extends the new 'public' L shape you've now created with the rooms, to form a very large indoor/outdoor square shape. You could reinforce this with pergola structure/sail etc.
Private spaces kept to the front of the house.
|https://thumbsnap.com/8s7aUaIf[/url]Edited with Rev 1 plan...! <cough> ensuite opening into Bed 2 not Hall obviously...! </cough>
Edited by ben5575 on Wednesday 6th November 18:38
Vanden Saab said:
I do not see the point of the stagger at the back, if you run it straight across you do not need to make the living room smaller or put RSJs in. The extra bit of hall is pointless and without it would give a bigger bathroom or even room for a bathroom and second en-suite. Getting rid of the corridor gives you a bigger bed 3 and room for a walk in cupboard or a bigger ensuite with a separate shower.
You could put a sun tunnel in the middle hall and use that as your study...
If you put the living room at the back any visitors would have to walk right through the house to get to it and both your bedrooms would be at the front, not ideal unless you have a large front garden or live in a cul-de-sac...
We do have a deep front garden that’s completely screened from the lane with mature hedging so front bedroom (which we have now) is absolutely fine.
Here's my take. Move lounge to place of bed 1, move bed 1 to where bed 3 is and reconfigure bathroom (rotate 90 degrees). This will remove long corridor, with double doors from hallway to kitchen.
Edit: having reviewed my plan it looks a bit of a mess where the ensuite and lounge now back on to each other, there's a bit more tidying to do here.
Edited by soxboy on Wednesday 6th November 21:31
any reason why you're keeping the utility room? You could open that up for a larger kitchen diner. Bed-room at the front can be ok depends on how well you sleep and how busy the road is (ours is quite busy but I sleep REALLY well!). I'd also square the rear off (as proposed just above) it shouldn't cost a huge amount more to do but will free up a chunk of extra space
irocfan said:
any reason why you're keeping the utility room? You could open that up for a larger kitchen diner. Bed-room at the front can be ok depends on how well you sleep and how busy the road is (ours is quite busy but I sleep REALLY well!). I'd also square the rear off (as proposed just above) it shouldn't cost a huge amount more to do but will free up a chunk of extra space
Depending on the drainage I would look to partition the utility to put a cloakroom in. I would also see about making the house bathroom a bit bigger so that a bath can go in.soxboy said:
irocfan said:
any reason why you're keeping the utility room? You could open that up for a larger kitchen diner. Bed-room at the front can be ok depends on how well you sleep and how busy the road is (ours is quite busy but I sleep REALLY well!). I'd also square the rear off (as proposed just above) it shouldn't cost a huge amount more to do but will free up a chunk of extra space
Depending on the drainage I would look to partition the utility to put a cloakroom in. I would also see about making the house bathroom a bit bigger so that a bath can go in.I love my bath soaks so are looking at that too.
In a way we could get away with one large bathroom as there’s only the two of us but I think an en-suite is desirable.
Is the utility currently uninsulated? I see an allowance has been made to line the walls; will works also need to be done to the floor and roof? Headroom looks tight if required.
Given the clunkiness of the extensions, I'd possibly considering challenging the architect to look at an option where the entire rear gable is removed and shifted right ( or left as seen in the rear ele) maybe with the potential for a vaulted ceiling facing onto the garden? This will require extending the flat roof of the utility but if thermal upgrades are required then this might have to be remodeled anyway..
Given the clunkiness of the extensions, I'd possibly considering challenging the architect to look at an option where the entire rear gable is removed and shifted right ( or left as seen in the rear ele) maybe with the potential for a vaulted ceiling facing onto the garden? This will require extending the flat roof of the utility but if thermal upgrades are required then this might have to be remodeled anyway..
Beyond Rational said:
Is the utility currently uninsulated? I see an allowance has been made to line the walls; will works also need to be done to the floor and roof? Headroom looks tight if required.
Given the clunkiness of the extensions, I'd possibly considering challenging the architect to look at an option where the entire rear gable is removed and shifted right ( or left as seen in the rear ele) maybe with the potential for a vaulted ceiling facing onto the garden? This will require extending the flat roof of the utility but if thermal upgrades are required then this might have to be remodeled anyway..
Utility is indeed currently lacking insulation and does have reduced headroom. Yes floor will require insulation too - it sits lower than the rest of house so should be fairly straightforward.Given the clunkiness of the extensions, I'd possibly considering challenging the architect to look at an option where the entire rear gable is removed and shifted right ( or left as seen in the rear ele) maybe with the potential for a vaulted ceiling facing onto the garden? This will require extending the flat roof of the utility but if thermal upgrades are required then this might have to be remodeled anyway..
We’ve already decided we will talk to the architect with a view to changing the entire roof so that we end up with one primary gable ended roof across the entire property and then the master bed at the front and the living room at the back have gable ended roofs at 90 degrees.
Have been playing around with the floor plan today and think we’re pretty close to a good solution based on the helpful ideas on here to move the living room to the back.
Budget permitting, l’m going to change the entire roof so that we have no flat or difficult join sections.
Will talk to architect next week to tighten it up a little as this is a bit rough at the moment with some doors probably needing to be moved and the bathrooms possibly needing some re-sizing.
The hallway will have some storage space added and the bathroom/bed three doorways will need some refining too.
Edit to add: thank you to everyone who gave the time to comment and offer advice, it’s is very much appreciated.
Budget permitting, l’m going to change the entire roof so that we have no flat or difficult join sections.
Will talk to architect next week to tighten it up a little as this is a bit rough at the moment with some doors probably needing to be moved and the bathrooms possibly needing some re-sizing.
The hallway will have some storage space added and the bathroom/bed three doorways will need some refining too.
Edit to add: thank you to everyone who gave the time to comment and offer advice, it’s is very much appreciated.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 8th November 20:30
If you get a chance if you're up in the next couple of weeks, see if you can head over to the Avant development at Tall Trees in Yarm.
They have two show houses which show how that connection between Kitchen/diner and Living room works both open plan which you're kind of showing and walled off like I was suggesting (I appreciate the different sizes to yours, but you'll get a feel for how each solution works):
Open Plan (about a minute in on the video): https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
Separated: https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
They have two show houses which show how that connection between Kitchen/diner and Living room works both open plan which you're kind of showing and walled off like I was suggesting (I appreciate the different sizes to yours, but you'll get a feel for how each solution works):
Open Plan (about a minute in on the video): https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
Separated: https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
ben5575 said:
If you get a chance if you're up in the next couple of weeks, see if you can head over to the Avant development at Tall Trees in Yarm.
They have two show houses which show how that connection between Kitchen/diner and Living room works both open plan which you're kind of showing and walled off like I was suggesting (I appreciate the different sizes to yours, but you'll get a feel for how each solution works):
Open Plan (about a minute in on the video): https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
Separated: https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
Thanks for the links Ben - I may very well do that. The aim is to have a solution where it can be open or closed if we can do it elegantly.They have two show houses which show how that connection between Kitchen/diner and Living room works both open plan which you're kind of showing and walled off like I was suggesting (I appreciate the different sizes to yours, but you'll get a feel for how each solution works):
Open Plan (about a minute in on the video): https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
Separated: https://www.avanthomes.co.uk/find-your-new-home/ta...
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