Southern VA lot - What to do

[buckeyefarmer]

Typically, interior walls aren't insulated, but its a pretty cheap 'quality of life' thing to add during planning/construction, but difficult/expensive after the home is built.

The thing with plumbing, it's just more cost effective is your design can have fixtures back to back (not 100% back to back, just on same wall, opposite sides, near each other) on a common wall; less slab penetrations, less pipe, less roof penetrations for vents, ect. Not the end of the world, and not always possible.

I will use pex, and not really worried about plumbing run length.
In my current house I have only 1 plumbing stack thru the roof. I tied everything together in attic.

 

[airbiscuit]

Every iteration is better.

Maybe use a barn door or sliding door for the pantry?
Why not put a microwave with a fan over the cooktop rather than using a cart for the microwave?
Are you going with a built in oven and cooktop rather than a range?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Every iteration is better.

Maybe use a barn door or sliding door for the pantry?
Why not put a microwave with a fan over the cooktop rather than using a cart for the microwave?
Are you going with a built in oven and cooktop rather than a range?

The cooktop was from the first house plan, where I had a double wall oven. I forgot to put it in, so another change. Or might go with a range with double oven.
Maybe a pocket door or barn door for the pantry. I have a 2 ft door on my pantry here that opens out in the kitchen, I’m used to it. I also thought of having it open in.
Wife does not like/want microwave over stove. She wants it lower. I added it to right of fridge.
Then her dining hutch takes the rest of that wall.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

If no attic room, I’m also thinking using no more than 6/12 roof truss with 3/12 inside so ceiling slopes. We like ceiling fans, so lots of those.
Outside walls Thinking hardy sheet siding with battens.

I might have to adjust kitchen wall to get headroom for basement steps. I’ll know when I do elevation DWg.

I love my existing concrete porch, but due to costs will probably use wood.

Most doors are 3 ft. A couple are smaller.
If I went smaller I’d use mini splits, but might go central with this size house. Maybe geothermal again.
I’d like at least a wood stove in basement for emergency heat.

 

[civilian]

Dining room with outside door faces front yard? What if you shortened MB along bath wall and creat a hallway to the opposite yard? Also any way to put in a good quality double door in mud room to allow for a straighter shot to the stairs? Jon

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dining room with outside door faces front yard? What if you shortened MB along bath wall and creat a hallway to the opposite yard? Also any way to put in a good quality double door in mud room to allow for a straighter shot to the stairs? Jon

I will have walk out basement on back side. So don’t want door on that side.
Mud room is the back door, and probably will be the main door used.
The other door is the “front door” that will rarely get used. Might keep door at bottom of family room to the porch.
Instead of wrap porch, might only keep the 2 end porch roofs. And small entry porch on front.
It will depend on how best to sit the house on the terrain.
I’m not gonna spend too much time on this until I get a drive and well put in.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I for one say nix that idea because I did it. Not the bed, but the Jacuzzi tub recessed to the floor. Sure looked cool. Got a lot of oooo's and ahh's from people who saw it.
Reality is it's really awkward getting in and out. I was young when I did it too.
I ended up pulling it and resetting it on the floor.

You didn't want to make it so it raised out of the floor with hydraulics?

 

[ning]

Consider a vestibule/airlock, front & back - basically an enclosed porch where you can come in one door, close it, then go through the other door, without a blast of frigid wind blowing into the house. Great place to hang dripping rain gear too.

Our front porch sports about 20 pairs of shoes and boots (probably some that haven't been worn in years, I keep trying to get people to winnow it down) and various jackets. Even if it's a bit of a mess people coming in see all the shoes and realize maybe they should take theirs off before coming in the house...

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I’m switching back to more of a smaller cabin approach. Got feelers out on a 24x(32-36)x10 cabin with a couple pole barn builders, that have done residential.
Similar to this without garage doors, on a slab.
Might just do metal ceiling with blown in insulation, and tongue and groove wood interior walls.
Then if we decide to move there, will build a larger house later and could use this as a shop.

 

[airbiscuit]

Sounds good.