New build floor plan ideas - is it too tiny?

[simplepimple]

I'm planning on undertaking a self build bungalow on a very small plot and the planners have only allowed the size in the attached plan.

I appreciate the size is restrictive and am struggling to work out a better layout to try and give a feeling of more space. The bungalow is south facing at the front and can't have any windows on the right hand side due to the neighbours house.

Has it got to be 2 bed? I think it would work better with one big bedroom and a bigger bathroom.
Conversely, could you make it a dormer bungalow?
Are you building it for you to live in?

I think I would change the kitchen around and put it at the back of the property. Put a window where the patio doors currently are, put the kitchen sink under it and then run cabinets/storage along that back wall and down along the wall beside the bathroom (so it is L shaped). Put the patio door on the left hand wall and having dining area in the kitchen.

Put the living room at the front of the house. I assume the area to the left of the front door is storage - could some of this storage be incorporated into the extra storage in the kitchen so you slightly widen the living room at the front of the property?

Also, if you keep the layout as it currently is I don't think you are going to have a lot of room to move around at the back of the property as the placement of a sofa, chairs, dining table will restrict access to the current patio doors which would defeat the purpose of having them - having the kitchen and dining area at the back and patio doors to the side would flow better and give you a bit more breathing space.

There seems to be a lot of space given over to the hallway.. could you leave bedroom 1 where it is but put the kitchen diner and lounge running accross the back of the house and move bedroom 2 and the bathroom to where the kitchen is on your current plans therefore increasingly useable living space but decreasing the size of the hallway?

My suggestion would be similar to 3littlemonkeys, I think the hallway as it is doesn't make good use of the available floorspace. Is there any potential for making it a dormer?

Is there the opportunity to create a cellar and put the second bedroom and a utility room down there?

Thanks for your thoughts everyone - I would have liked a dormer but the planners are concerned about overloading the small cul de sac the plot is on so no permitted development and a larger size build was refused planning earlier.

I agree about the hallway taking up space - I'd be open to taking it out and perhaps having a small porch instead and an inner small hallway to separate the bedrooms from the lounge but I know many people dislike the front door opening into living space.

I can move the living area to the back of the house 3littlemonkeys82 however my concern there is that the whole living area would then be north facing. I'd have a very sunny bathroom at the front though.

I am building it for me to live in - not sure there's even room for a cat! I would like a second bedroom for the occasional guest if possible.

I could later add in a room and second bathroom upstairs in the loft but it wouldn't have building regs so might be an issue if I ever sold it at a later date - though I'm not planning to sell at all.

I work that out to be around 55 sqm or just under 600sqft which for a 2 bed isn't huge but it's not tiny either if it is just you living in it. Be clever with storage solutions (provided you can have a pitched roof you can create storage in the roof space) and furniture and I see no reason why you can't make it work. I would strongly advise doing anything that doesn't comply with building regs - you can be reported to the council and get in some pretty serious hot water and they can make you change it back.

Good to know that wimbler - thank you.

I was also wondering whether to have a vaulted ceiling to make it seem more spacious - the outline planning has velux windows in the roof and that would also bring in more light.

I wouldn't move the lounge to the front, it will be better opening onto the garden. I would put the master bedroom at the back too if possible.

I think the bathroom could be smaller perhaps and whilst I like the main bedroom at the back I love sunshine so personally prefer south facing. I could change the patio doors to french ones with a little window each side to allow more room for furniture.

If you're sticking to the basic layout, I would at least rehang the door in Bedroom 2 so that it lies flat to the wall once opened. I'd also consider setting that door in line with the wall of Bedroom 1 (not sure where bathroom door goes) - if you can do that, then the space within the small bedroom which is taken up by the swing of the door would be kept down to a minimum.

Think about putting the front door off centre - you come into a small hall with a bathroom off to the middle of the front then a door into the living area with the two bedrooms off (main bedrrom to the front as you like sun and the smaller second room behind)

My drawing is appalling sorry (mirror image might work - can't work out windows

You can wiggle the size of the bedrooms and a diagonal wall might be pretty (with the door in?)

If you have outline permission for Velux windows, would/could you consider them for the bathroom and put the bathroom on the right hand side. I know you're not allowed windows on the side but could you have a rooflight?

I like that a lot katymac - the current layout is very traditional and the house will be timber frame so all the walls can be moved.

I'm going to explore front doors in different places than in the centre.

I don't think you'll get a sofa and a dining table in that lounge/diner area very comfortably. Can you lose the hall and make the open plan living space bigger? How about a windowless bathroom in between bedrooms 1 and 2 (bed 2 becomes shorter but wider) so that most of the hall becomes part of the kitchen diner

Yes HUTH27 (one of my favourite programmes) I'd be happy to put the bathroom on the right hand side either with a velux for light.

I would consider swapping the guest bedroom and the bathroom and having Jack and Jill doors to the bathroom. Put a good sofa bed into the second room and then it can be used a a snug, craft room, study or whatever when you don't have people staying over.

I've been busy with paper & scissors - top of my shopping list is a ruler as using a stanley tape measure is not all that accurate!

I think as pickachew says I can fit two double beds down the right hand side with a bathroom in the middle especially if I reduce the current master bed size and the make the bathroom slightly smaller.

Badly moved walls. Bathroom on the top right, accessed from both bedrooms. Reclaims a bit of that hallway space. Obviously, will need to swap big and small windows.

Windows & walls easy to move at this point in time.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts - some great ideas.

can you loose the hallway but keep the coat cupboard.
I would keep the kitchen at the front. less schlepping of shopping.

I like PickaChew's suggestion

If keeping this layout, if shift some doors about.