Review request for my house plan :)

[amachismo]

Hi All,
My plan is to construct 3 portions , 1 duplex and 2 rental units in 40x60 site (Its a south facing site with park in front). Floor Plans attached

1. Ground floor is for parking ( almost 1200 sqft) + 2bhk Rental unit + small watchman room + 2x 5000ltrs sump + rainwater harvesting
2. First floor - Duplex unit base ( which has Living + pooja +kitchen + 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + balcony+ internal stairs) + 2BHK rental unit
3. Second Floor - Duplex unit ( family room + Master Bed room + Study Room/ mini hometheater + Open space/garden/sit out ) + If budget permits one more 2BHk rental unit + Solar pannel setup
4. I have left provision for lift for future use

Have gone for duplex plan rather than going for single ~2200 sqft house in one floor for 2 main reasons
1. I like duplex house
2. My duplex unit will be park facing so it has lot of lighting, balconies.... more. [All three sides of plot already has houses constructed]

Please let me know if there are better ways that I can plan this project
- Space utilization in duplex unit and rental units
- Dimensions of rooms reasonably enough ?
- Better placement of lift/pooja/stairs/rooms/closet/bathrooms
- Is 4.7"ft x 4.3 walkin closet sufficient for rental units or should i opt for wall length wardrobe ?
- Should i have utility for kitchen in all units? (I am planning for 3.6 x 7 ft utility to kitchen in duplex unit),
- Any other valuable suggestions for betterment of this project are welcome.

*** Thanks in advance for your valuable time and suggestions***
Arun

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

[Ravi h.g.]

Hi amachismo,

Plan looks good, following are my observations.

1. increase bathroom width from 4' 3" to 4' 7.5" at all places and changes to adjoining bedrooms

2. shift kitchen in ground floor, first floor (2 bhk after lift--north side) from present to northwest (present bedroom). since its corridor, even if u have chimneys, exhaust fan etc lot of smell can be avoided. may be you have vaastu reasons, still northwest is ok for kitchen. if u have 7' X 8' kitchen , u can have kitchen utility (bigger).

3. you have general bathroom in first floor, above ground floor living and bedroom area. take enough precaution for waterproofing.

4. first floor --internal stair and second floor internal stairs are not in sync.


regards,
ravindra kumar hg

[amachismo]

Thanks for all the inputs ravindra really appreciate it . Would discuss the same with architect.

4. first floor --internal stair and second floor internal stairs are not in sync.

Dint get how there are not in sync??

Arun

[Ravi h.g.]

Hi amachismo,

First Floor internal stairs are ' L ' shape and second is not so. you can get that from your architect.

all the best.

regards,
ravindra kumar hg

[ravivasudeva]

1. Instead of such big open terrace on 2nd floor, why don't you go for double height living room by having Open To Sky. This adds charm to duplex house and provides good lighting to the house.
This requires you to readjust internal staircase and reduce open terrace area.
2. I personally like Kitchen with a attached store room, this helps to keep all the provisions. check if you want this.
3. There is no common bath/toilet + sink (powder room) for your guests. It isn't a good idea to send them via your bedroom to use toilet.
4. Why is the balcony area written as utility attached to bedroom?
5. Where is the area to dry cloths?

[Chida_gs]

Hi Arun,

Other Observations.

In the Duplex House, Make Single Room instead of 2 Bed Rooms, Make the Living Hall bigger one.

So Duplex in 1st Floor will have 1 Big Hall, Kitchen + Dining, 1 Bedroom with Attached Toilet + 1 Common Toilet + 1 Balcony + 1 Utility+ 1 Pooja Room.
Use the 2nd Floor Open Terrace for Additional Room + Study room+ Family Hall + 1 More Bedroom with attached Toilet.
Balcony should be Open More in North East Side

I prefer to Put Kitchen always in South East (Agni) & Bedroom South West (Kubera) as this should always as per Vaastu. Rest you can manage.

@Ravivasudeva - Additional Store Room in Kitchen means you will buy bulk items, if you are not Joint family & have small family then most of the Food Goods will be become waste as you don't use frequently (Personal Exp) - Space waste, Food waste, amount waste, Place for Cockroachs, Rats etc..
Choice is left to you all. No comments pls on this.

[Ravi h.g.]

Hi Arun,

first and foremost go to site, check physically your dimensions as u have buildings all sides. lucky if u have 40 X 60. most cases, some adjoining neighbor would have come 0.5 or 1 feet. On top of it, you don't know how strong their building is. The moment you start footing excavation, you will come to know how strong adjoining foundation is. In such case you need a retaining wall on 3 sides for structural safety.

Since u have building on all sides, with your plan in hand, check whether your Main door is not facing bath / toilet / duct of opposite building. have 2 balconies, one in kitchen and the other for drying clothes, good cross ventilation.

complete all construction in one go, do not keep for future. it will be too much as you have occupants, storing materials, transporting and all things are going to be mess. your contractor for sure will ask a premium.

all the best

regards,
ravindra kumar hg

[amachismo]

[quote="Ravi h.g."]Hi amachismo,
First Floor internal stairs are ' L ' shape and second is not so. you can get that from your architect.
all the best.

The moment you start footing excavation, you will come to know how strong adjoining foundation is. In such case you need a retaining wall on 3 sides for structural safety.
Since u have building on all sides, with your plan in hand, check whether your Main door is not facing bath / toilet / duct of opposite building. have 2 balconies, one in kitchen and the other for drying clothes, good cross ventilation.
complete all construction in one go, do not keep for future. it will be too much as you have occupants, storing materials, transporting and all things are going to be mess. your contractor for sure will ask a premium.

Thanks Ravi your inputs alerted!! me as the area has loose soil i need to take care .... Thanks again for all your valuable inputs will call my my architect immediately .

[amachismo]

Hi ravivasudeva,
Thanks for all the inputs

1. Instead of such big open terrace on 2nd floor, why don't you go for double height living room by having Open To Sky. This adds charm to duplex house and provides good lighting to the house.This requires you to readjust internal staircase and reduce open terrace area.
--- Initially had same idea of having open sky then the plan turned towards something called convertible duplex , if you see stairs in second floor it has a door if shut then both units become individual. so the debate is still on at home regarding the same ....

2. I personally like Kitchen with a attached store room, this helps to keep all the provisions. check if you want this.
--- I ll ask my archi for the same
3. There is no common bath/toilet + sink (powder room) for your guests. It isn't a good idea to send them via your bedroom to use toilet.
--- There is one common toilet which is accessed bellow internal stairs , it was hijacked from rental unit

4. Why is the balcony area written as utility attached to bedroom?
-- Thats by mistake , its small balcony for drying cloths

5. Where is the area to dry cloths?[/quote]
-- plan to have 2 washing machine points one in First floor under stairs and the other in second floor ( near family room) , plan is to utilize the open terrace for all cloth drying activity .

[amachismo]

Hi Chida_gs
Thanks for the review

In the Duplex House, Make Single Room instead of 2 Bed Rooms, Make the Living Hall bigger one.
So Duplex in 1st Floor will have 1 Big Hall, Kitchen + Dining, 1 Bedroom with Attached Toilet + 1 Common Toilet + 1 Balcony + 1 Utility+ 1 Pooja Room.
Use the 2nd Floor Open Terrace for Additional Room + Study room+ Family Hall + 1 More Bedroom with attached Toilet.
Balcony should be Open More in North East Side

too much of future planning went in and converted the above single bedroom plan to current 2 bed rooms expecting our inlaws to stay with us in future....

@Ravivasudeva - Additional Store Room in Kitchen means you will buy bulk items, if you are not Joint family & have small family then most of the Food Goods will be become waste as you don't use frequently (Personal Exp) - Space waste, Food waste, amount waste, Place for Cockroachs, Rats etc..
Choice is left to you all. No comments pls on this.[/quote]
Will share this info with my wife ..