Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm familiar with the terminology of FS, but wouldn't really know where to begin to apply it to this house.
Yes, of course she gets the larger closet. Actually, that closet use to be one big closet, but she didn't want to share a closet with me. So I had the architect split it, giving her a larger portion. She was happier with that change, even though there was some loss in closet space from adding that wall and 2 doors.
I can tell you that most spec builders will place the garage on the high side of the lot - So garage location is more of a function of topography than aesthetics. Placing the garage on the high side gains you two things 1) you have a flatter driveway 2) You have less stairs into the house from the garage which increases your effective garage space. Are you working with a builder or architect currently? If so, ask them.
My wife and I are about to start building a house (not us, but a builder LOL). We've selected the floorplan, but are having a conflict over what side the garage should be placed. Well, that's not the only conflict we're having, but this is one that we are REALLY having an issue with. It's a side entry garage, and the front covered porch will be on the right side of the house. Our lot is 130' wide and about 400' deep. (just over an acre)
To me, all arrows point in the direction of having the garage on the left, when looking into the lot:
1. The existing driveway access from the street is on the left side of the lot.
2. There's nice landscaping along the left side of the lot.
3. The sun shines down on the right side of the lot, from back to front as the day progresses.
a.The master bedroom will get a lot of sun.
b.The breakfast nook will get morning sun.
4. The lot will better accommodate a future shed/workshop on the left side of the lot, behind where the house will sit, so I'll be able to use the driveway to access it (future boat parking, etc).
My wife doesn't completely disagree with me, but a big factor in this decision is because of what's on the other side of the adjacent vacant lot to the right. It's an older mobile home and the lot has lots of "stuff" scattered across the entire lot. There's a 105' vacant lot between us and them, and her father owns the vacant lot. We'll be helping him build something on that vacant lot, so we'll have a say in the placement of that building. It may end up being a manufactured home, but much, MUCH nicer looking than the MH located on the other lot.
I'm trying to explain to her we can put up literally any type of screening or landscaping to obscure the view from over there. But, it's just getting to the point where she's dead set on having the porch on the other side.
Anyone follow what I'm saying here? What other factors would there be in determining what side of the lot the garage should sit?
Thanks for reading!
Ok, so I totally agree with your garage on the left idea, and I really like the layout of this house, it's pretty cool. But I can see where your wife may be a bit put off by the trailer over on the right.
So with that here's my helpful hints for pleading your case with the wife:
With the money that you will be saving by NOT having to pay to re-route the driveway access to the house, you will set aside the extra $$$ for some serious landscaping/screening, (15-30 gallon trees instead of 3 gals.)to be put in as the house is being built.
The sunlight on the right side of the house will be so much better in the master bathroom for morning makeup rituals, and extra $$$ saved can also be used for custom window coverings for the window over her soaker tub and in the master bedroom (to add to the screening of icky trailer views)
(and yes, that trailer won't be there forever)
and ALSO you need to promise to work diligently to get your father in law to set the Mfg. home next door in such a way that also blocks the sight lines of the neighboring lot!
Seems to me you'd want your garage on the same side of the house as the kitchen (the left as you look at the pic) for unloading groceries easiest
FYI: The entire floor plan will be flipped, not just the garage, so the kitchen won't get closer or father regardless of which side the garage is located.
The only consideration I"ve ever taken is that the garage needs to have an entry door into my kitchen or breakfast area. Why? So it's easier to unload groceries - not as far to drag all those bags!
Sorry. I've got 5 kids and until the last few years they all lived at home, plus two of their friends that we took in. Feeding 7 teens means a lot of groceries. Making 20 trips to and from the car dragging groceries in makes me want my garage right off the side of the house the kitchen is on. I guess I"m just lazy that way!
Is the house go to sit directly in the middle? Due to it being a side facing garage, I would put it on the side that has the most room for a turning ratio. Then I would pound in as row of 10' 4x4's, put some 8' fencing and cover it with vines as close to the property line a legal. After a few years of ground settling and growth, set up a garden in front of it.
I can put any fencing right on the property line (or just my side of it). We're planning to place the home right in the middle of sides, leaving ~30' on each side. We may have to move it closer to one side, though, once we figure out the size of the septic drain field, which my wife wants to have placed on the same side as the garage. My guesstimate is the drain field will be around 30' wide, so I may move the house the other direction by 10-15', to allow room for me to drive past the drain field to a future outbuilding.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
