So here’s where we are on the house.
* Post and Beam - we’ll do modern building with steel connectors, not joints
* Two story
* SIP panels for walls - probably roof
* Internal dimensions 32′ x 47′ (this is so that we can do 32′ x 48′ for the SIP panels that come in 4′ or 8′ widths)
* Cement slab for thermal mass and easier first story flooring
* Posts will be 8″x8″
* Beams will be 8″x10″
* 2nd story joists will be 4″x8″ and likely 4′ on center.
I’ve got two pics of our current plans online (up is North):
* Downstairs
* Upstairs (the dashed line in the middle running East/West is the ridge line of the roof)
The upstairs feels pretty well solidified but the downstairs is still in flux. Oh, and don’t try to match them up, I redrew the upstairs to match changed dimensions, but the lower story is still 30′ x 48′.
The entryway is to the north. Directly ahead is another entryway leading south. The open area is 14′ x 17′ and it goes all the way to the roof (approx 22′ high). We’ll be doing cathedral (I think this is the right name) ceilings so that it follows the line of the roof. Likely we’ll flatten the bathroom ceilings so that the space doesn’t feel odd.
The north and south walls will be 6′ high where they hit the roof on the 2nd story. Highest ceiling on 2nd story will be about 13′. On the first story, the posts will be 8′ with 10″ tall beams and 8″ joists so the bottom of the joists will be 8′10″ from the first floor and the bottom of the 2nd floor will be 9′6″ from the first floor.
We’ll just have a railing on the landing and hallway on the 2nd story around the open area. We’ll do bookshelves on the landing. I’m going to try to avoid having a beam across the open area.
We’ll probably do dormer windows on the two upstairs bedrooms that don’t have an East/West wall. Maybe on the master too. I know that there’s a post that’s not touching a wall in the master but we’ll be putting the closet somewhere around there.
So, it’s all pretty much up in the air but that’s where we are so far. I’m sure that it’s overengineered but I’d rather have that and be able to go down than find out that I need to increase the structural support. We’ll definitely have an engineer review it and approve it but we’re feeling pretty good about how we’re doing so far.
So, comments? Feedback?
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September 26th, 2006 at 10:17 pm
Hi Matt,
This is sounding like fun. I was at a shop today that you would have loved. It used to be an oversized garage. Size 30 x 40 feet would be perfect for your workshop/ garage/ temp quarters. He had a very old table saw, but had built extension tables around it. It was fun, but I spent too much of my time there telling myself “thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not covet…”
September 26th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Wow, it’s looking good! If you can print it to scale, try printing it out and pasting it to cardboard to make a 3-d model. You’d be amazed at how that clarifies anything that might seem somewhat iffy or nebulous.
LOVE that kitchen! I can’t tell where the windows are on your sketch, please tell me they’re everywhere.
What’s the rectangle just to the NW of the sink/island? Is that a pantry, a table, or a wall?
One question: the mudroom - do you have to go in the foyer to get to the mudroom from outside? Won’t that defeat the purpose of having a mudroom? I can’t quite make out the vertical writing to the left of the mudroom - what’s it say?
Upstairs looks wonderful. I’d never leave the landing, particularly w/ bookshelves up there! Love the idea of the sloping ceiling and level in the baths. Friends of ours just bought a house here w/ the slope, and the rooms look neat. It opens the rooms quite a bit w/ the door on the lower end, either on the side or directly at the end. He’s not so thrilled with it, but the rest of us like it.
Have you thought of putting a skylight in the roof above the open area by the landing?
What does your plumbing look like, or have you done that yet?
I am anxious to hear how you like using the SIPs. That was one material we looked at, but vetoed b/c of the logistics of running wiring (I think - that was two years ago, and it’s late). Something like that, I’ll have to dig up our plans and check the notes. The insulating factor, though, and the structural design are amazing!
Man, when y’all move, y’all really MOVE! This is so exciting! Thank you for sharing it.
Dy
September 27th, 2006 at 6:44 am
Palmers - wow…30 x 40 - that would be great (and I think it’s doable) but I think it’s a ways off.
Dy - Eventually, I’d like to build a wooden model of the posts and beams. Amber will be moving the design into a home design program we’ve got for the computer to try to figure out where the windows go. We haven’t done anything yet to figure out windows, we just know that there will be lots of them with the majority on the south wall. I think we’re going to avoid wall cabinets on the south side of the kitchen so that we have more room for windows. The rectangle in question is the table ;-).
You’ve got a good point on the mudroom - I’m not sure how we’re going to be dealing with that. The vertical writing there says “pocket or translucent door”.
Skylight in the landing sounds like a good idea - my only concern is putting too much light there (and possibly damaging the books). We can probably get ones that don’t cause problems but we haven’t done much talk about lighting yet.
We’ve done a little plumbing thinking. Downstairs between bathroom and laundry will be our main “wet wall”. Probably 8-9″ thick and it will extend up to also bound the kids bath upstairs. Both bathrooms upstairs will be a step up (10″?) so that we have space for plumbing underneath. So far, the best way to get water to the sink in the island in the kitchen is to run it up through the slab, but I’m not too hot on that idea - I just need to figure out a better way.
SIPs are supposed to have built-in chases that you can fish the wire through. I’ve got a book on request from the library about them and I’m going to be attending a workshop in building with SIPs in late October. We’ll definitely let you know how it goes.
-Matt
November 6th, 2006 at 9:12 pm
[…] Matt has posted some pictures of the property and some of our early floor plan thoughts on his blog. I thought I would offer a few comments of my own on the plans. […]