Which floorpan for a 3-bed new build?

[Catycity]

Helping a friend choose between floorplans. The two without utility room are both 933 sq ft and same price. The one with utility is 1034 sq ft but is also £17k more expensive than the other two.

1. One French doors.

1. Two French doors.

1. With Utility but more expensive.

Friend is querying if the £17k extra for the one with utility is worth it? It would stretch their budget as they need to factor in extras etc.

Between the 3 floorplans, which is better in order of preference?

[quote Catycity]@Aroundtheworldin80moves

So, in order of original post. With measurements and image of house.

1. 1 French doors, bay window.

1. 2 French doors, bay window.

1. Utility, but no bay window.[/quote]

I love how they use the depth of the tiny bay to pretend the first two lounges are wider. Based on the dimensions I would rule out 1 and decide between the other two on the basis of affordability.

@titchy

I like the bigger landing in 3! Can use as study or reading area.

That's a really good idea to make use of that space!

@PickAChew

Would you say that 3 is worth £17k more though? They can afford it at a stretch. They're thinking that they want the floorpan and home that will future-proof them the most.

There are other 3-bed styles on the development but they're the top 3 of my friend's choices. If in future they were to sell, then floorpan 3 has the edge in terms of being the biggest 3-bed and having a utility. However, like others have said, floorplan is the nicest with 2 French doors and a bay window.

*floorplan 2

In option 2, I wonder if it would be possible to fit washer dryer in the cupboard just outside bedroom 2? Plumbing is accessible but I’m not sure if it’s big enough. Laundry upstairs is popular in other countries, gets the noise out of the kitchen and avoids lugging it all up and downstairs. Unless she dries outside a lot.

I really don’t like the absence of french doors in option 3, it feels like the garden is very cut off, you don’t get the view out to the garden or the ability to open it up in summer.

@minipie

In 3 at least there’s the French doors to open out to in summer.

Wondering if the utility back door is a bit more functional and practical than French doors?

But yes, a merger of 2 and 3 would be the ideal.

If she can afford the bigger house then she should get that one. They utility will be so useful. They are not big houses so having a space like that in which to put cleaning things like mops and brushes, and muddy clothes and shoes out of the way, will be invaluable.

I was going to say the utility room BUT......if you were having hard flooring (rather than carpet) in the kitchen / diner then french doors out that room would seem more practical than out of the living room. Would you really want shoes by your living room door or people coming in and out with shoes on??

@emmathedilemma

Apparently people with house style 3 have been known to add a conservatory of lean to. They generally have bigger gardens to do than compared to 1 and 2.

[quote Catycity]@minipie

In 3 at least there’s the French doors to open out to in summer.

Wondering if the utility back door is a bit more functional and practical than French doors?

But yes, a merger of 2 and 3 would be the ideal.[/quote]
French doors have their drawbacks. As they open outwards, they catch the wind and swing open quite violently so need securing open, which can be a pain on a cooler day if kids want to be in and out - I sometimes need to brace myself when I open ours and if the wind is strong, I end up using the front (well, side) door and walking round. An ordinary back door in a convenient place is better from that pov.

And if the garden is bigger as well as the house, it's definitely worth the extra 5%.

I would go for the utility room definitely.

Even very small, you can do a lot, mine is small and I can dry all my washing in there as I can (just) stand a clothes airer up in there.

But other things woudl also matter, eg garden, parking etc

4, secondhand house will get more floor space for money
Second choice 3, feels much more spacious.

If she can afford the extra, utilities are great

@steppemum

Yeah it will fit an airer and easy access to garden for the clothes line outside on a sunny day.

But also... have you heard of a Sheila Maid? It's a ceiling mounted, pulley operated clothes airer. That would save space too...

sheilamaid.com/pages/history

we actually have something like a shiela maid and a clothes airer.
I hanng anything that can go on a hanger on the 'shiela maid' (ours is just a long wooden bar) and knickers and socks on the clothes airer.

I can hang 4 loads of washing at a time, and we ahve an extractor fan so that it dries.
Not having washign anywhere else in the house is amazing
(I won't use a tumble drier for clothes, just sheets and towels)

Number 2.

The bedroom in number 3 is a very strange shape and will be hard to plan furniture around and french doors in the living room will be lovely in summer.

2-3

The main bedroom is slightly seperate from the other two. Better for having sex in soundproofing

Definitely utility room. The bedroom walls are weird though, I can't work out why they haven't done a straight wall.

@UnbeatenMum

I know 😂 the shapes are odd. Yet, people still buy these homes so I guess they get away with it.

Weird walls in a bedroom aren’t so bad I reckon as you can use the alcoves for a wardrobe and/or a desk (if child’s room). In fact it can be more efficient than straight walls. As long as there is still enough straight wall somewhere to put the bed and bedside tables.

[quote Catycity]@steppemum

Yeah it will fit an airer and easy access to garden for the clothes line outside on a sunny day.

But also... have you heard of a Sheila Maid? It's a ceiling mounted, pulley operated clothes airer. That would save space too...

sheilamaid.com/pages/history[/quote]
If your friend wants a sheila maid, make sure she finds out and takes a note of where the ceiling joists are! As will need to hang the pulleys from there.

[quote Catycity]@minipie

In 3 at least there’s the French doors to open out to in summer.

Wondering if the utility back door is a bit more functional and practical than French doors?

But yes, a merger of 2 and 3 would be the ideal.[/quote]
Sorry I meant the absence of French doors in the kitchen. The kitchen is where we live in the daytime, and will get hottr due to cooking and appliances, so French doors from the living room are a lot less useful.

17k on top of the 350k isn't too much for the extra bedroom space /landing space and utility.

Also separate backdoor is useful for pets /cat flaps etc

@minipie "will get hottr due to cooking and appliances"

What about windows for letter out heat? There's also the functional utility room door, but a bit awkward because it comes inside.

Yeah, kitchen/dining area is very important space.