Factors in House Design

Mark BlaisdellTDJ 4M

Factors in House Design

Rural or Urban? Choosing a neighborhood – consider: •Schools•Parks and recreation•Shopping•Roads nearby – to and from work, shopping, etc•Economic stability of the area•Services – police, fire, plowing, waste collection...•Taxes – Ottawa taxes are approx. $3000/yr for family home•Economic stability of the area

Choosing a Lot

Quiet streets –front and back Mature trees and vegetation Future city plans – More

development? Services - water and sewer?

Stormwater? Topography – slope, etc Building restrictions? (size, siding,

design...) Exposure – south gets all day sun Soil conditions – clay? rock? Location of utilities – hydro, phone

Factors in House Design

Total cost of the lot should not exceed 15-25% of the total project budget

Hire a lawyer to perform “title search” – Does the seller actually own the land he/she is selling?

Uniting the House and Lot

How to best orient the house? – Prevailing winds Sun (southern exposure – good solar

gain) Northern exposure – less light, more

heat loss Sizing and design Projected family size – as well as resale

value Financial resources– how much can you

afford and how much do you need?

Uniting the House and Lot Access to the house – children and visitors Landscaping and garden possibilities

Laneway and garage? Full or partial basement? Built on a slope – affects excavation and

foundation costs, as well as fill requirements Frost line – 4’ depth minimum in this area

Developing a House Plan

3 Main areas of a home: 1. Living – playing, entertaining, reading,

writing 2. Sleeping – bedrooms (adults, kids,

bathrooms) 3. Working – Kitchen, laundry, storage

and workshopOne must be able to pass from one area to the other without going through the third. Hallways, stairs and doors connect these spaces.

The areas should proceed from public to more private upon entering the main entrance.

Living Room

Flexible space Large size 435 ft2 to small size 145

ft2

Open concept combines dining and living area for a larger space

Furniture may be located to maximize space

Bedrooms

Off the master bedroom there is often a bathroom

Walk in closets are a nice feature Large size 200+ ft2 to small size

under 100 ft2

Consider the wall space – a single bed may go against the wall but doubles or larger are hard to make if placed against the wall

Bathrooms

Half bathroom (sink and a toilet) min. 20 ft2

Full bathroom (three fixtures – tub/shower, sink, toilet) min. 45 ft2

A single family, 3 bedroom house typically has at least a 1 ½ bathrooms, but 2 full bathrooms is more “marketable”.

Furniture Sizing and Space A combined living and dining room may

average 260 ft2

About half of this will be occupied by furniture

Typical size of common furniture articles may be found on-line or in “Architectural Graphics Standards” a book listing common size requirements and standards.

Factors in House Design

Mark BlaisdellTDJ 4M