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Floorplan Review Please...

10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago

We are working with a builder to build a home in Idaho. My family of four (one 5yr old and one 10yr old) will be moving into the home when I retire from the Air Force.

We are thinking of a few changes but not sure if we have though of everything.

The large garage bay is for an RV and will have a 14' door and will be 41' internal space deep.

I'm thinking that the back bedroom en-suite should be done away with and a powder room should be added somewhere near the laundry.

It will have spray foam insulation regardless of it being cost effective. I want it sealed up and insulated , and I want NO settling.

Tankless water heater.

Gas or wood fireplace? I love the smell and the crackle of burning wood but not sure I always want to store and split the wood. I am leaning towards gas but I want it to be functional and good looking...

The office in the front of the house might be too small for my wife and I to share and her do crafts in... might have to consider a change. Our plan for the flex room is for a kids play room, the office could do that for them but we're not sure we want that so close to the living room...

We have never had an open kitchen like this and we are concerned about displaying our mess. The flipside is that anyone working in the kitchen is still involved with those in the living room...

Any opinions or advice?

House Plans · More Info

Comments (26)

  • 10 years ago

    Bedroom 3 doesn't have much privacy, so what if you do this: change the ensuite bathroom to a hall bath (and removing or relocating that closet will give the bathroom more storage and elbow room). Then put bedroom 3 where the Flex room is. Take the leftover space and combine it with the original Br 3, turn the bathroom into your powder room (reconfiguring that space, of course, I'm thinking put the powder room between the flex room and Br 3, so it isn't in direct line of sight to the public spaces, or between flex room and entry.) The flex room door could still be off the hallway, so it seems more private. You want to be able to see (and hear) what's going on sometimes!

    Chris thanked bpath
  • 10 years ago

    Those seem like some good ideas! That gives us some discussion fodder to take to the builder. I have not really modified an existing floorplan before. I was thinking that we might need to stay within the existing exterior dimensions so that we don't raise the cost too much. So, costs are a concern and we want to be careful.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I would not want a humongous RV garage door facing the street. A side load lot and side load door will be so much more attractive.

    A kids playroom needs to be within sight (relatively speaking) when the kids are young. I'd use the office area for that now, and swap places with the flex room as they get some age on them and they want privacy.

    The hall leading to the kitchen is wasted space. Eliminate it and the mudroom can have more storage.

  • 10 years ago

    Are both kids the same sex? Keeping the separate bathrooms will save you lots of unnecessary headache.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    In this case the RV door is non-negotiable. It is the reason that this house is being built! Having it face forward might not be to everyone's taste but it is a large portion of our lifestyle and cannot be configured differently where we are building .

    II think I agree about the kids being in sight, I just don't always want to hear them...LOL!

    I have been thinking about that hallway beside the kitchen. Do you think always coming from the garage and having to go through the kitchen and living room is a functional solution? It is a lot of dead space and putting additional space or the powder room somewhere there might be a better use of space.

    If we did away with the bath near bedroom #2, we could bedroom #2 and the flex room's closet as walk-ins in that same space... That would give us more storage and open up bedroom #2.

  • 10 years ago

    Before I even attempt to answer this....what part of Idaho? There is a huge difference between Boise and Bonners Ferry :)


  • 10 years ago

    LOL, this is in SW Boise.

  • 10 years ago

    Have you considered being able to enter your closet from the laundry room? It would be very convenient and your layout makes it easy to do. You could do a pocket door if you prefer. I really like the convenience of mine. I'd also want a 1/2 bath by the garage entry.


    GW · More Info


    Chris thanked autumn.4
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    Find a corner lot so that the RV garage doesn't look like it's the most important part of the house over the people---which you just confessed was the case. I'd do a separate rear garage or do temp storage at a local facility before I'd let it run the show on building a house.

  • 10 years ago

    Autumn, the model we looked at had the door from the master closet into the laundry, I think he is building this house that way. That is one change I will most likely make if it isn't part of the plan.

  • 10 years ago

    Here is what this house looks like built.

    House Plans · More Info

  • 10 years ago

    I think the house is attractive from the outside and don't think the RV door detracts from that at all.

    I'd be concerned about the kitchen--it's really broken up with almost no contiguous counter space. Given that the great room is spacious, I'd consider making the island deeper so you could serve/entertain from one side. I'd also take the layout to the kitchen forum and get their input. For me, the kitchen is the most important part of a floor plan, and I know I wouldn't want to cook or entertain from this one. (And it's not the openness that's the problem--it's the passageways.



  • 10 years ago

    Thank you for the comments mrspete!

    We are considering the changes to the bedrooms and flex room.

    The dining room nook area is approx. 12.5' X 10', not including the 4' path next to the island . What is a more appropriate size?

    The 90* turn into the master does not seem like a hindrance in the model, I am going to bring this up with the builder as well.

    We are considering changes to the master bath and laundry rm.

    The RV garage is non-negotiable. We will have 40' of driveway right in front of the garage, so there are no issues with access.

  • 10 years ago

    Mshahmd, I missed your post, the kids are both boys, sharing the bathroom will be no issue.


  • 10 years ago

    I am curious. Tell us more about the RV. Not because I think you should ditch it, but it's intriguing.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    The RV story is a long one. The answer is funny though, we don't currently have one. Well, we have a 20' toy hauler camper with pop-out tents, but it isn't the RV we will be storing in the garage. We sold our previous 40' 5er and will be purchasing a 39' diesel pusher after I retire and we settle in the house. The previous RV ended up with weather damage due to the sun and elements, it was costly to store it and maintain it. The next will not have that problem. Having it at the house keeps it close for use, close for care and reminds us to get out of the house and do things while the kids are young.

  • 10 years ago

    Thank you for sharing. I think it's nice you and your family have a hobby like this!

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    You might bump the wall on the right out so the flex room, bathroom, and closet are even. Gives you a little more space to work with, and might look better from the front.

    What are you thinking of changing in the master bath?

    My favorite kitchen configuration is based on an L, but here, what to do about that wonderful pantry? Thinking...flip the shower and pantry, so the pantry door is closer to the dining area? This also means that when you walk out of the bedroom, you aren't smack in the middle of the kitchen, but have the width of the door as a buffer.

    Of course you want the RV on your property if you can! Enjoy :)

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    12.5x10 would be a good-sized dining room ... if you didn't have two doors in that dining room! Do you have a printout of this plan? Draw in a table and chairs. An average table would probably be 6' long, so that leaves you 3' on each end. That's 3' for a chair to be placed AND for the only door to your back yard to be placed. Imagine scooting through that area carrying a platter of meat bound for the grill. It's not enough space.

    Incidentally, the main rooms in my house are arranged in a straight line: Family room, breakfast room, kitchen. My breakfast area is 16.5 x 10 with a desk and a walking path on one side, meaning that the actual eating area is about 10x10 (and our table is 42" round). It would work fine IF, IF, IF we didn't have the back door right by the table. It's the door that ruins the works. When someone doesn't tuck a chair in all the way, it prevents us from reaching the door (and moving that chair to reach the door is a constant irritation). If we want to open the door allll the way to get some air into the room, we have to move a chair all the way to the other side of the table. In our case, it would be better if we had a slider instead of French doors.

    Of course walking into this master bedroom in a model is no problem! It won't be a problem in everyday life either. What will be an issue is getting furniture into the room.

  • 10 years ago

    Can the dining room be pushed out even with the master? That would give plenty of room for table, passage, and even a nice buffet table/sideboard at the end.

  • 10 years ago

    I know you'll have a long driveway, but something seems out of scale, there's a lot of garage hogging the front, and the pretty front door and house seem to be peering from behind. Could you shift the garages to the left, allowing the RV garage to slide back alongside the house? That would give you more driveway for arranging things when you pack up or unload. And it would let the office enlarge a bit, so you have both have room to work. And you might even be able to rearrange the master bathroom and closet better. Can you manage the additional square feet?

  • 10 years ago

    I agree that pushing the dining room out even with the master, which would allow the table to lie "short end" towards the kitchen would be more functional ... though not as nice looking, in my opinon.

    I agree with the "out of scale" thing.


  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I don't find the GARAGE with a small bit of house attached to be very attractive at all. But, it's what has to exist in order to fit homes on small suburban lots. But it sounds like this isn't a small suburban lot???? If so, I don't get why you wouldn't do a side load with turnaround.

    The DR space isn't sufficient, or flexible for added seating for larger meals. The kitchen mudroom transition doesnt work, and wastes space. Don't care for the flex room idea ar all, as it's just territory to get argued over. Kids can and should share baths. With hall access for more versatility. One bath needs to be accessible to a wheelchair, including the route to get into it.

  • 10 years ago

    As it turns out the buildable portion of the lot is about 80' wide and 110' deep. This limits what we could do on the lot and the width of the house, it is that largest lot avail and where it is, we are not limited by restrictive covenants.


  • 7 years ago
    We just recently bought a house with a similar layout. I love the separation of the master and other bedrooms. I don't like that the laundry is off the garage but ours is in a hall not a separate room. I think if you swaped the pantry with the laundry you could eliminate that short hall and gain a little in the kitchen dining. Access the laundry from the master. Our house has a pellet stove that kind of is a cross between wood and gas. We love it. Easy, just turn it on but crackles like a wood fire. Our house has an attached 3 car garage with side entry like a lot of people have suggested. It does look like a room because of windows facing the street but is harder to use. I would never think of it to park an RV. We live in Montana and know what life is like in this area of the world. Our kitchen is basically 2 opposite L shapes with the sink facing the dining area and back yard. I enjoy that view. It backs up to the living room so isn't open concept. I like having that separation too.