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?

*letting

Yeah, windows are ok for ventilation but don’t make you feel like part of the outdoors on a sunny day the way open French doors would. And the kitchen is under the window in option 3 so you can’t sit by it or have your table there. If the utility is the only access from kitchen to garden then it’s going to limit its usefulness as you can’t have the floor space full of airers and it will get quite muddy. So not great for laundry really.

It’s so frustrating they won’t mix and match. If they could I’d do option 3 but with the kitchen the other end and french doors like in option 2.

If it’s strictly between those plans then I would choose option 2. I really wouldn’t want to be stuck in the option 3 kitchen in summer. I would see about making a laundry cupboard somewhere outside the kitchen, upstairs landing cupboard maybe.

However... you said the option 3 garden is bigger... that could make a difference depending on how much bigger.

@minipie

I don't know if yours is in a new build or second hand home, but on this development my friend is looking at most homes are overlooked. So, whilst the French doors are lovely, having a view of the neighbours at the back of the garden overlooking isn't be best sight.

An extension in the future would be possible on 3 because garden is a bit bigger. Or maybe a conservatory or lean to at the back?

Just a shame these floorplans can't be bespoke.

3 but none of those are well thought out. Does it have to be that development. That screams cheap new build that the builders are squeezing every drop out of.

Not a new build but definitely overlooked! Urban terrace with small garden. Still much prefer having doors opening to the garden from the kitchen ... It’s all personal preference and priorities though, no house is perfect so it depends on your friend’s particular tastes and the way she lives.

I like 2 because the downstairs loo has a window, otherwise 3 to have a bigger garden.

3 - third bedroom looks a better size which is worth 17K with the utility too IMO.
2
1

3 the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are more evenly sized, much easier to live in long term, easily worth 17k

3, because bedroom 3 in the other two is absolutely tiny and you'd struggle to get anything other than a bed in there. And a utility is a big plus.

My preference would be
3
2
1

@Bamaluz downstairs wc window is good observation.

@pequini so there is another development in town but equivalent square metres is £50k more which is a significant jump. Their floor plans are actually quite similar tbh. Here is the other developer's downstairs floorplan that is similar to 3 with utility.

Here's the other developer's equivalent to floorplan 3. With measurements this time.

I'd go for option 2. Love the french doors from both the living and the dining rooms.

2 but then I would also love a utility so 3 would be the second choice, although I don't really like the layout of the bedrooms on 3. 2 wins for my with the layout, 2 French doors and a bay window.

Downstairs storage limited to under-stairs in 1 and 2?
It would be 3 for me. Clutter out of site in utility plus sticking the washing machine and dryer in there frees up kitchen space.
Although it would be ideal to have door from kitchen to garden, I would forgo that for the extra space inside and out.

@species5618 "Although it would be ideal to have door from kitchen to garden, I would forgo that for the extra space inside and out."

It seems that the other developer has the right balance. But for £50k more... So, that's not worth it.

That can be a matter of location. There's some houses gone up near us with a developer who has 3 sites in the area, around 240 for a 3 bed townhouse. It's about 340 for the same house in a different, more central, part of town and under 200 for one a couple of miles out of town.

There is the opportunity to have three good sized bedrooms. I dont understand the desire to go for either an extra ensuite or a large landing instead.

We have a large landing and have a double drawer unit there which houses dvds, craft items, Halloween/Easter decorations, etc.
Also have bedrooms with a similar layout to house 3 - much more interesting rooms to walk into than square ones, and you just have to look for furniture to fit those quirky areas.
We designed and self built and deliberately added these features.

@SchoolNightWine good idea! Thanks for posting that it's a good idea for sure. Being smart with space and getting storage in. Like, mirror wardrobes are good for small rooms as they make them feel bigger. etc.

Utility or number 1.

I’d prefer 2. It is nice to have the two sets of french doors and it is the only one that has a window in the downside toilet. I’m not keen on toilets that feel like cupboards under the stairs.

The extra size to 3 is approx 10sm this equates to £1700 per meter which is about right for lower end build costs

The bigger house 3 is much better if they can squeeze to that,

Aside from the utility room, bedroom 3 looks bigger on the 3rd house. So if she's likely to need that as a bedroom then the bigger room would be best.
Otherwise I like house 2 the best. The dining area of house 1 looks awful, you'd have the dining table right in the way of two doors.

If they have or want 2 children design 3 is better as bedrooms 2 and 3 more equal, if however they only have 1 child then bed 3 makes a good home office or playroom