In This Post:
– Not keeping the budget in mind
– Orientation of the house
– Errors in designing the room
– Less open spaces
– Front door mistakes
– Planning the kitchen
– Layout not matching the furniture
– Not utilising spaces
– Poor acoustics
– Resale value of the house
– Highlighting the wrong elements
– Compromised storage areas
Most homeowners experience design defects only when they start living in it – by the time it is too late to make any amendments. Designing a house is an intricate process that requires proper planning and budgeting. There is a lot going on especially if you are planning to build a house on your own; you need to ensure the quality of construction materials used, make sure they are available with the construction workers when needed, visit the site and oversee the entire project. In this hullabaloo, it is quite likely that you focus less on the floor plan, especially if you have designed a house without the help of an architect. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most common floor plan mistakes you should avoid before it is too late to make any changes.
12 Most Common Floor Plan Mistakes You Should Avoid
Laying out the floor plan of your house requires you to visualize how and where you want to place each room, the entry and exit points and how the house will look in the end.
- Keeping the budget in mind
- Orientation of the house
- Room design errors
- Less open plan spaces
- Front door mistakes
- Planning your kitchen
- Layout not befitting your furniture
- No-use spaces
- Poor acoustics
- Remember the resale value
- Highlighting the wrong elements
- Compromised storage areas
Let’s discuss each of these in detail.
Keep the budget in mind
Homeowners in the excitement of constructing their dream home tend to get overboard. They don’t make a budget or determine the construction costs before building a residential unit. The result is that once the builder starts constructing, they realise that they have spent a lot on the cosmetics of the house rather than the more important functional elements.
For instance, a swimming pool is not that important than an open plan kitchen. You can save your costs by striking off the pool during the design phase and may construct it later once you have enough finances. It is extremely important to do a market survey and determine the costs before starting the construction process. If going to the market seems a daunting task, you can check out our detailed blogs on determining construction costs of a 5 marla, 10 marla and 1 kanal house in Pakistan.
Orientation of the house
Setting the right orientation of the house is important before construction. It can also save you a lot of money by saving air conditioning or heating bills. You will be able to live comfortably in the house throughout the year irrespective of the harsh weather outside, only if the orientation is right and you don’t fall into the trap of committing common floor plan mistakes.
Having the living room and your master bedroom facing north can allow light to enter the room during the winter season. When temperature rises, then the sun’s arc will travel above the house and become a shield to protect the house from the sun’s direct rays.
Room design errors
One of the most common floor plan mistakes are the small errors in room design. Check out how the door will open. Will it be outwards or facing inwards? Will there be enough space for the door to swing open?
Make sure that the direction of your prayer mat is not facing towards the door as whenever you would offer prayers, you will be disturbed by people entering or leaving the room. Small errors in the floor plan of the house like these can cause problems for the inhabitants who live in the house. Remember, you can’t click the undo button once the house has been built.
Less open plan spaces
Do you want a compartmentalized house with closed spaces or do you prefer a living room that is less private? These are small design elements in a house that you should take into consideration before laying the first brick.
Nowadays, architects and developers also use virtual reality during the construction process. This helps the client visualize how the house will look like and they make changes during the design stages to avoid such mistakes.
Front door mistakes
The front elevation of a house sets the tone of the house. It adds to the curb appeal and plays a major role when you want to resell the house. The main gate of the house plays a pivotal role in creating the perfect entry for your dream home.
Check out our detailed blog on best main gate designs to help you select the right front door. If the main gate is recessed and concealed from public view then your guests would find it harder to locate the main gate and enter the house. Moreover, a major floor plan mistake is that the front door opens up directly into your living room or any private room and then leads you to the guest room. Keep your living spaces more family-oriented and private.
Planning your kitchen
Choose an open kitchen where anybody can walk into and you can also be connected to rest of the family while cooking. If you have playful toddlers or smaller kids at home, it is always wise to choose a floor plan where from the kitchen you can clearly view the garden, swimming pool area and the living spaces. This way you can keep an eye out on your children.
Layout not befitting your furniture
If the layout of your house is such that the furniture you want to place in the room is not fitting in then this can be problematic. That is why when designing the house you should also measure major pieces of furniture and place them accordingly to better calculate where they would go when your house is built.
This is one of the worst floor plan mistakes that you can’t undo. It will add up to your costs if you have to completely change the furniture setting in your house just because the old pieces of furniture couldn’t fit in.
No-use spaces
Every square footage counts. Don’t waste areas that could have otherwise been used in a better way. One of the most common floor plan mistakes is that people make large bathrooms and the rooms are smaller. Or a lot of space is wasted in a staircase which neither allows any light to enter or the space under it can’t be utilized. You can actually create a small study area by utilising the space under the stairs.
Poor acoustics
If you have kids in the house you should be extra careful with the acoustics in a room. You can’t stop the kids from playing and yelling in excitement at the top of their voice every time you feel they are disrupting the peace and quiet of your house.
A common floor plan mistake is a high ceiling, especially of the living area where kids would spend most of their time. A high ceiling causes an echo so if you child is screaming or yelling you will hear it ten times louder which will be much worse than it actually is. You should also take a good look at how to make your room completely soundproof.
Remember the resale value
Always keep in mind that as years pass by you might want to resell the house or put it up on rent. The design of the house should also cater to the common likes and dislikes of people in general. Keep up with the latest trends in the construction industry. Include those things that would click with the buyer. A small terrace, better views or a servant quarter can be some of the elements people look for when buying a house. Calculate a house’s resale value to better understand what your buyer would want.
Highlighting the wrong elements
Don’t make the garage the focal point in your front elevation. It would diminish the curb appeal of the house. Even if you have a modern and stylish garage, highlighting it in the layout of the house would not be attractive once the unit is built. Similarly, you don’t want people to see your laundry area first before walking into the house. In some cases the stairs are not placed near the entrance of the house and the guests have to go all the way round to go up the first floor.
Compromised storage areas
You need as many storage areas in the house as you can. Built-in wardrobes and cabinets help you organize things. Similarly in the kitchen adding compartmentalized shelves can help you manage your kitchen well. When designing the house, make sure you have marked out areas where you will do laundry, wash dishes or hang clothes for drying. These are small things but they really matter once you start living in the house.
So, these were some tips to avoid floor plan mistakes. Make sure you don’t make these construction mistakes when building your dream home or you won’t be able to do much about it once the house has been constructed.
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