Any advice for these plans for a 4 unit site.

Hi All, im really out of ideas with these plans for a 4 unit site. I would like some input from you guys please

1. UNIT1: Can anyone suggest any ideas of increasing the size of Bed2 and Bed3 in unit 1? 7.5m2 rooms including the robe is too small. Im looking for 9m2 incl robe as minimum size. I somehow need to make that bathoom smaller to take the extra space.
   
   I prefer not to put anything on the wall in the diniing room near the fridge recess since this space is reserved for a table.
   
2. UNIT 3: Can anyone suggest any ideas of accessing the outside stepout from the WC or Laundry?. Currently there is a door from Bed 2. I was going to swap the euro laundry position for the toilet (and make it more narrow) but that still wont be enough room for a person to exit to the stepout.
   
   Should the window for Bed3 face the alresco or towards the colorbond shed?

Any other ideas or improvements with other rooms?

Note:
All units are at max site coverage so it a room gets bigger then i must make another space smaller.
I was told we need a min front setback of 5.4m from garage to fit another car in the driveway and that 3.470m width exterior is the minimum for a single garage.

I see nothing on the attached pdf

Tano said:

Hi All, im really out of ideas with these plans for a 4 unit site. I would like some input from you guys please

1. UNIT1: Can anyone suggest any ideas of increasing the size of Bed2 and Bed3 in unit 1? 7.5m2 rooms including the robe is too small. Im looking for 9m2 incl robe as minimum size. I somehow need to make that bathoom smaller to take the extra space.
   
   I prefer not to put anything on the wall in the diniing room near the fridge recess since this space is reserved for a table.
   
2. UNIT 3: Can anyone suggest any ideas of accessing the outside stepout from the WC or Laundry?. Currently there is a door from Bed 2. I was going to swap the euro laundry position for the toilet (and make it more narrow) but that still wont be enough room for a person to exit to the stepout.
   
   Should the window for Bed3 face the alresco or towards the colorbond shed?

Any other ideas or improvements with other rooms?

Note:
All units are at max site coverage so it a room gets bigger then i must make another space smaller.
I was told we need a min front setback of 5.4m from garage to fit another car in the driveway and that 3.470m width exterior is the minimum for a single garage.

Click to expand...

Some ideas from an unqualified amateur

Unit 1,that 7.6m2 rooms should be excluding robes so close to 9m2?. And With small rooms like that I would be inclined to put sliding doors on them. To make them bigger your best bet would be making living or dining room smaller.

Unit 3, Can you swap wc with bathroom, make wc narrow straight in and rework linen cupboard and extra space to make an entrance out?
Window will depend on what sort of landscaping will be around shed? my opinion is alfresco would be a better view but could hamper sound suppression for the room if there will be a few late nights out there.

cheers

Unit 1 and 2 are the problems.

That bathroom needs to be reduced and the space put back into the dining room. Either move it over to the boundary and rethink linen layout or just reduce. either way - it's WAY too big compared to the dining room area adjacent. By doing this, the Bed 1 robe can go next tot he kitchen and make that room bigger. 3.2m is right on the minimum for a queen bed and those 18c windows aren't going to help furnish-ability - think more like 14c windows.

Colorbond stores like that don't work and aren't accepted. They need to be built into the dwelling, either as an 'add on' look or internally. Otherwise, it's just cheap cop out that gets you royally screwed over with an amended DA come certification time.

Unit 3 and 4 - reduce the WC width and swap the swinging door for a small 1450 slider or similar. Some saving to be had there.

Think about a slider to the front bedrooms to capitalise on the front courtyard. This will add value.

Flip ensuite to Master so door moves away form zero lot wall - then you can put the bed against this wall with a side table and still get into the ensuite.

Don't worry about the laundry not accessing outside - these are apartments with courtyards.

Sliders to robes instead of doors. Make the robes 1200 long and just leave a little recess next to them for a tallboy / chest of drawers / desk.

Pull all kitchens back to 1100-1200 between benches and use a 900 cooktop but a 600 oven. reduce pantry to 620 door - an 820 is going to feel like a barn door. 3.3m for a family room is simply a STUPID measurement - 3.6m is an absolute minimum NIL exceptions.

Put an extra highlight to ALL living rooms on the 1.0m setback wall - these will be DARK rooms otherwise with very poor cross-flow ventilation.

My drawing It might make some sense - I hope!

Notes/Ideas. Many of these are small house ideas which are commonly used in villas/apartments to make them more useable:

- take out the bricked pantry and use a laminate one. They look heaps better AND take up less room.
- add highlight windows to living areas for extra light
- put shower over bath
- put toilet in the bathroom. This is not my fave but honestly it's done a lot and if it's a choice between that and a better sized bedroom I'd do it
- much smaller vanity in bathroom
- sliding doors to robes


Shower over bath


Smaller Vanity

Thanks everyone for those great ideas. I cant believe it didnt see all those problems (18c windows, 820mm pantry doors etc) and i will be pushing for Myf;s space saving ideas.

Aaron , can you explain what you mean by " By doing this, the Bed 1 robe can go next tot he kitchen and make that room bigger."

Balga is one many villa R40 suburbs where they are ditching baths, putting toilets in main bathrooms to try and eek out space where they can.

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-wa-balga-116911387

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-wa-balga-116770219

Tano said:

Thanks everyone for those great ideas. I cant believe it didnt see all those problems (18c windows, 820mm pantry doors etc) and i will be pushing for Myf;s space saving ideas.

Aaron , can you explain what you mean by " By doing this, the Bed 1 robe can go next tot he kitchen and make that room bigger."

Click to expand...

I think he means that if you make that ridiculously large bathroom smaller then the dining area could be next to bathroom so you can put the robe for the master bedroom next to the kitchen fridge recess. That frees up the old robe spot in the master to make it larger and more furnishable.

Other thing I forgot to point out is to move the support column for the Alfrescos to the outside edge, not 600mm from egde. It makes the space so much more furnishable

Myf, for unit 1.
Is the room next to the garage a laundry with a T(ub), W(ashing machine) and L (inen)?

Can you explain what is happening with Unit 3 ensuite?

Tano said:

Myf, for unit 1.
Is the room next to the garage a laundry with a T(ub), W(ashing machine) and L (inen)?

Can you explain what is happening with Unit 3 ensuite?

Click to expand...

Yup it's a laundry - sorry for my awful drawing. I think I was using T for Trough

Unit 3: once you take out the euro laundry, shove the WIR over to where the euro laundry was then do something nice in the ensuite. Double shower or double vanity or just line everything up in a cheaper version of this .....

Thanks everyone. I would have been screwed with the design if it wasnt for everyones help. Ill send this back to the builder tonight.

_______________
Common changes to all dwellings:
1. Pull all kitchens back to 1100-1200 between benches and use a 900 cooktop but a 600 oven
2. Take out the bricked pantry and use a laminate one. They take up less room
3. Kitchen pantry to have 620mm door instead of 820mm
4. Put an extra highlight window to ALL living rooms on the 1.0m setback wall - these will be dark rooms otherwise with very poor cross-flow ventilation
5. Change from 18c to 14c windows to all Bed1 (master)


Unit 1 & 2
1. Minimum dimension should be 3.6m for family room .
2. Move Bed1 (master) robe out.
3. Sliding doors to Built in Robes
4. Put toilet in bathroom and shower over bath (but preferably separate shower if possible)
5. Put Linen closet in Laundry with a sliding door to the step out


Units 3 & 4
1. Remove euro laundry and enlarge ensuite (larger vanity) and enlarge Walk In Robe.
2. Change door in Bed 2 back to a window
3. Put Linen closet in Laundry with a sliding door to the step out
4. Put toilet in Bathoom and add a shower over the bathtub
5. Remove the corridor wall
6. Enlarge bed 3 by moving the wall out.
7. move ensuite door away from zero lot wall -> then you can put the bed against this wall with a side table and still get into the ensuite.

Questions:
What is the cost to change bed1 window to sliding door?
___________

Tano, give me a call, there's a few things thay ade easier clarified on the phone.

For example, a 620 door is onlt for a brick pantry. A 600w lam pty would just have a 600 lam door.
Door to Bed 2 has to become a slider or you can't access that space.

Etc
Etc.

Hi guys
Updated plans!!!

I need some help again . Do you have any ideas to increase the size of Bed 2 to 8.5m2 or 9m2? Currently its 7.28m2. Maybe reduce garage by 70cm and move the laundry and bath down?

I also need a bit bigger linen in laundry. There is some space in front of the wall that backs onto the bathtub but i got no idea how to use it.

Thanks

Facepalm. Cant half tell it's the old 'client said so, so just do it with no common sense applied' drafting office mentality.

Remove the family room bulkhead. Not needed.

Put Bed 2 robe backing onto Bed 3 wall.

Now take family room space taken away and put Bed2 onto boundary, with a 25?4.0 awning window looking into laundry drying court.

If you are over your open space allowance, keep pulling space out of that side family room setback area to fix.

620 door to ens and flip shr and vanity, leaving door and toilet where they are.

That bathdoom layout is gobsmacking. Where to put towel rail? Maybe reduce bed 2 width now to give a bit more space than for one toddler standing.

When I said to pull the bathroom back, I didnt mean ditch the passage! Pull laundry out enough to allow door to come in from bed2/3 area. This should reintroduce some wall with the passage and provide some furnishability and framing of the space.

....and if I hear the term "wasted space"....*shakes fist*

Be my guest

I told Myf the only reason i choose this builder is that they pushed hard on the council to exempt me from their new by-laws. When midvale changed from R20 to R40 on the same day they added a new bylaw that limited developments to lots >1500sqm and above. There are no lots in Midvale that size so they suggested to just buy your neighbour out.

He pushed hard and we both have spent quite a bit of money to allow us to develop our 906sqm R40 block so i do 'owe him one'

Hi Aaron.
Can you explain this bit " I didnt mean ditch the passage! Pull laundry out enough to allow door to come in from bed2/3 area. This should reintroduce some wall with the passage and provide some furnishability and framing of the space."

Can you explain how can i adjust bed 2 since it seems a little too large

Where can i put the towel rail now? -> Put window over bathtub?

note: Is the bulkhead the kitchen bench overhang?

The bulkhead is the family room thing on the east side.

Hmm that family room is awfully large now. It's big enough to be dining and family at 7m long.

Take as much space from that as you want to make things larger. Stop once it's down to 4.5-5m.

And I'm sorry I didn't mean to do ALL those space saving things in the main bathroom - just 1 or 2. Toilet plus small vanity plus shower over the bath is a bit much. You actually have a fair bit of room to play with.

Is there anyway that the front of the house can be moved forwards? I can't see your setbacks. That would solve a million problems and make it easier to increase the size of Bed 2 and 3.

Garage must be set back 5.4m for the extra parking space in front.

Is the bulkhead the wall between the 2 highlight windows?

Finally got my Detailed Drawings after 10 weeks which were promised to be ready in 2 weeks with many many many wonderful excuses. This has royally stuffed me up since demo wont be in time before the new year (50% price hike due to new land fill levy) and now i will have it untennanted for 2 months.

Since im spending close to 100k on site works for clay removal im assuming my site costs are going to blow out again. If the contract shows this new price increase then im canning the development and i will sell the block with DA approval.

There is something i dont understand on the new plans. The old drawings show
"REMOTE SECTIONAL DOOR w/ PELMET" and the new plans show "REMOTE SECTIONAL DOOR w/ T-BAR" Can anyone explain the difference between these 2 and if i am now worse off?

Thanks