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Original poster

New build layout - which do you prefer?

77 replies

RosieLeaLovesTea · 17/02/2022 21:26

Hi all

My DH and I are looking to buy a new build house. Never had a new build before. Always older properties.

We have seen two properties today:

1st is a bit smaller- 1257 sq ft for £500,000
It essentially has 3 medium size rooms downstairs- kitchen/diner same size roughly as ours now. Lounge and an extra family room. The bedrooms upstairs are all a good size and similar size to what we have now.
1st photo. This house comes with carpets, curtains and integrated appliances.

The 2nd is 1400 sq ft for £530,000
It has a really large kitchen/diner while width of house
Smaller lounge.
It also has an open plan hallway and open room which is described as a dining area but in the show home they had it set up as a study. Decent size bedrooms upstairs and slightly bigger bathroom and en-suite. Also a larger hallway with full height ceiling which is a feature. Carpets extra and the appliances are extra.

Both are detached houses and we are gaining a garage which we don’t have now.

I will attach a picture of layout. Can you tell me which one you prefer?

New build layout - which do you prefer?
New build layout - which do you prefer?
OP posts:
Original poster
RosieLeaLovesTea · 18/02/2022 07:58

Thanks to all those who have replied. It’s so helpful. I had not thought about separate shower cubicle in family bathroom being so important. There is a shower over the bath in 2nd house. I don’t think it will be possible to put a wall up because the stairs. The bottom stair is very wide and curved so would be in the way where the wall would go.

OP posts:
Original poster
RosieLeaLovesTea · 18/02/2022 08:00

I’ve also attached a pic of the upstairs landing looking down to the entrance hall and the double height window. It’s an attractive feature but I think it would be difficult to keep the window clean.

New build layout - which do you prefer?
OP posts:
Alrightqueenie · 18/02/2022 08:01

Is there an option to rejig the layout or would it cost more? I'd ask if they could borrow space from living/family/kitchen spaces to create a utility room.

CovidCorvid · 18/02/2022 08:01

@RosieLeaLovesTea

Thanks to all those who have replied. It’s so helpful. I had not thought about separate shower cubicle in family bathroom being so important. There is a shower over the bath in 2nd house. I don’t think it will be possible to put a wall up because the stairs. The bottom stair is very wide and curved so would be in the way where the wall would go.
You wouldn’t need a door near the bottom of the stairs, just between the room and the kitchen. Would stop it being a walkthrough because otherwise it’s in danger of just being a wide hallway.
gunnersgold · 18/02/2022 08:02

2nd one so much better and worth the £30k! Remember with new builds plot is very important . We have added way more than neighbours due to plot ! All paid the same amount when new !

CovidCorvid · 18/02/2022 08:03

I like that window, it’s lovely and light.

You could also always chop the bottom step if you did want to put a door between the hall and the room to make it more private.

CovidCorvid · 18/02/2022 08:04

Also from that last photo it looks like a nice outlook…..as long as local kids don’t congregate on the grass. Is that public space?

CellophaneFlower · 18/02/2022 08:05

I originally preferred house 2, but after a 2nd look I think you'd be paying 30k more for a feature staircase that makes the rest of the layout rubbish. The open room is obviously awkward and the lounge is really narrow. I'd go with house 1, but if the rooms are also on the small size I'd look elsewhere or stick to older properties. Obviously just my opinion, but room sizes are really important to me.

ToastieCrumbs · 18/02/2022 08:07

I’d almost always want the kitchen and family/breakfast room at the back opening onto the garden so house 2 for me. But I agree the stair/ dining room layout is a bit aggravating. I would remove the doors to the kitchen at the very least. That would give more cupboard space in the kitchen too.

icklekid · 18/02/2022 08:09

I loved the floor plan on 2nd one - possibly because we have extended our 1930s semi to have a similar large back room. The photos you’ve posted make me like it even more but definitely comes down to personal choice. I’d make the small room off the open plan kitchen into a play room and the other living room a more adult space!

DisforDarkChocolate · 18/02/2022 08:10

I like the second one more but the open plan hall and dining room may put me off. I just don't like the idea of people coming in letting in the cold and interputing dinner. I would like a separate dining room if possible. It wouldn't work as a study for the same reason either.

ivykaty44 · 18/02/2022 08:11

user1471481356 The showe will be fitted in the bath, so you just step into the bath to have a shower

U.K. typically doesn’t have as much land as Australia and subsequently the houses are not as spacious. Add this to the fact we live a hot soak in the bath, in general most people would be upset if there wasn’t a bath - so they double up

I’d prefer bedrooms 2 and 3 to have ensuits and bedroom 4 was incorporated in the master bedroom as a dressing room

ThatPosterIsSoRight · 18/02/2022 08:30

I was going today house 1, but I love that double height hallway. It would make me feel happy every day. Maybe an extra £5 a month for the window cleaner to clean that inside too.

Space when you walk in is really important to me. Our old house had a big hall and our new one has a small one, it annoys me.

Although I’m completely ignoring practicality of having a second separate reception room! That said, we had a ‘dining room’ that we used as a playroom but only until the DC were about 10 and 8, then it wasn’t needed anymore. That open plan bit with the amazing view would be quite a good place to put a small sofa and chill with a book, whilst staying connected to the rest of the family.

ThatPosterIsSoRight · 18/02/2022 08:36

And don’t worry about lack of shower in the family bathroom, that shouldn’t be the deciding factor. We had a new build with similar bathroom and once the DC were a bit older we added a proper shower head, tiling and a shower door thing (proper words escape me today). It was cheaper than buying the house next door that had 2 en-suite showers but a layout we didn’t like as much.

Hathertonhariden · 18/02/2022 08:36

If I had to choose it would be option 2. I'd either put a desk in the lounge or in the guest bedroom (don't need filing cabinets or printer so desk in lounge would be fine). I'd make the open area into a reading space with shelving and a comfy snuggle chair.

Sunshinedreaming2022 · 18/02/2022 14:29

@RosieLeaLovesTea

I’ve also attached a pic of the upstairs landing looking down to the entrance hall and the double height window. It’s an attractive feature but I think it would be difficult to keep the window clean.
The sensible part of me still says house 1 as it’s just more practical. However I’m not a very practical person and seeing that landing is just “wow” and would make me happy everyday so I’m now saying number 2. It’s stunning
greenlynx · 18/02/2022 14:45

You definitely will struggle with such a big window for cleaning and for privacy. It needs a huge blind!

HannibalHeyes · 18/02/2022 14:57

I like the upstairs of 1 and the downstairs of 2.

If those are the only options, I would go for 2.

Thoosa · 18/02/2022 15:45

@greenlynx

You definitely will struggle with such a big window for cleaning and for privacy. It needs a huge blind!
Yes. It’s got the wow factor and loads of light but it would make it tricky to mop across the landing in your knickers. People do live to gawp into an uncurtained window, as I discovered when I put my desk in our front bay window, at our last house. If there’s any passing foot traffic, it gets tricky.
ThatPosterIsSoRight · 18/02/2022 15:56

Let the passers by gawp, I wouldn’t care, it’s stunning

Otherpeoplesteens · 18/02/2022 17:27

My heart and most of my head says the second. Like you say, it's got the wow factor, it is bigger, and the far side of the family room/breakfast kitchen can be partitioned off if you need an extra proper room on the ground floor for a study. You can always reverse that later. Personally I'd put a baby grand piano and bar in the open plan 'dining' area and have an open kitchen-diner.

We carpeted a 1360 sq ft house, all except the kitchen/diner, with high quality carpet and the thickest underlay we could find, in 2017 and it cost under £5k. The builder has to include a fridge and cooker (CML requirements are for a functioning kitchen) so if you take your existing washing machine and dishwasher (if applicable) you're not really going to have to shell out on appliances unless you want to.

However, that huge glass wall is going to lose a lot of heat from a part of the house which is already going to lose heat upstairs. That open hall will be cold and it's not the sort of thing you can remedy with heavy curtains. And the lack of separate shower in the family bathroom would get to us eventually, for reasons stated upthread.

JKRfan · 18/02/2022 18:03

@greenlynx

You definitely will struggle with such a big window for cleaning and for privacy. It needs a huge blind!
It does not need a blind at all. It looks onto the landing. Let in the light....and be happy everyday as someone else said. With lockdowns etc, the more spacious your house, the easier it is to cope. The bigger bedrooms are better for kids as they grow.
LivingDeadGirlUK · 18/02/2022 18:06

I would pick the first as the Family Room would become our shared office, we currently use one of our 3 bedrooms for this.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 18/02/2022 18:10

What direction is the big window in the hallway facing? I probably would put a blind in just for the week or so of 'heat waves' we have if its going to get direct sunlight, it will heat your house up like one of the Eden project green houses, but agree with other posters that its a wonderful feature, I love a lot of light!

Sunshinegirl82 · 18/02/2022 18:19

I'd go for the bigger floor space I think. We have had 2 new builds and I'm in the process of knocking down walls in the current one to make it open plan.

I'd have a lounge/dinner/play/tv room in the open plan area and an adult tv room in the lounge to sit in in the evening without toys. I'd expect to mainly be in the open plan area In the day and then lounge in the evening.Could have a study area in the lounge if need be.

Pay extra for a screen and shower over the bath in the main bathroom.

You could open the doors at the back up into the open plan space and it would be great for parties!

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