New House Build in the Country!!!

[tractorshopper]

Right GP, we have a lot of walkout basements here and there are very few that have retaining walls. The slope just follows the natural slope along side the foundation walls. Our footers are usually stair stepped.

 

[ustmd]

Congratulations on the house and building your dream.

I am with some of the others at rethinking the doorway openings as well as the hallway into the master and the opening to the other bedrooms on the first floor. They look very tight. If you have to move big furniture (such as a 6 or 9 drawer dresser) into that master bedroom, I do not think you could make the turn in the hallway without standing it up on end. Same for the other two bedrooms.

We went with 36 inch doors and have never regretted it.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Well, unless i missed something not seeing any basement stairs. Depends on if you want a crawl space or not. If you are going with a crawl space no you won't need any fill or a retaining wall. If you don't want a crawl space, and this is how I would do it and wish i did it, I would in fill with sand and pour concrete. Gives you nice solid floor for tile, wood floor and in floor heat. Residential builders don't like it because, all the plumbing and the like have to be right on. Personally wouldn't want to have to mess with a crawl space and full basements are over rated and expensive.

 

[justinramani]

Today they started work on improving the 1300 foot road....

 

[buckeyefarmer]

thanks for sharing. Lots of room.
agree with the others on the doors, most of mine are 3'.
was confused about the garage, I'm assuming the 3 car is a 2nd garage.

 

[mjarrels]

I'm confused? You are military, right. During my 21 year Navy career, I was looking a possible PCS change every three years. Building a house was not an option.

mark

 

[tractorshopper]

Mark, I was thinking same thing. My rate had a 5 year sea to 3 year shore rotation, but I always heard some had the opposite, so maybe they are on a better end of that stick in the Army or in their positions.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I looked at your plans more closely.

I agree to adjust space at the top and bottom of stairs where you can to make it easier to move furniture in and out. In the 3 car garage, you can easily move the water heater and hvac further away from the stairs. And move the closet at the top of the stairs elswhere.

Think about only one sink in bath that's not the master to provide more counter space.

 

[Bigkrank]

Reminds me a bit of last house I built 5 years ago. Master bedroom at other end of house from other bedrooms was one of the best things I did. Put double doors on master bedroom, also a can't live without. Made everything handicap friendly if needed in the future. Garage to house door with handicap threshold and designed for a ramp from garage into house. All very low step heights into house and basement.

Access to basement from garage is great also. Another can't live without feature was a dedicated overhead door with opener in the garage sized for golf cart.

 

[GPintheMitten]

As you consider door widths, there's a limit of course before you have to widen hallways or other major changes. But if you want it, now is the time to do it. And now is the time to consider furniture movement.

Typically the trim is around door casing is 2 1/4" (some are wider) with a quarter inch reveal of door casing, that's 5". So a 36" door requires a minimum 41" hallway. Same minimum width of stair way if you have a door at top and/or bottom.

I haven't checked to see the exact width of your halls and stairs, but you may want to see what the max door is by subtracting 5" from the plan.

 

[justinramani]

I'm confused? You are military, right. During my 21 year Navy career, I was looking a possible PCS change every three years. Building a house was not an option.

mark

My wife and I have more stable jobs in the Military. There is always the chance that one of us will need to leave on a temp basis, but getting back to Bragg is pretty easy.

 

[CCWKen]

Looks Great!
I hope everyone likes sleeping on twin beds. I don't think you could get larger box springs through some of those turns.
I'm also not particularly fond of doors at the top of stairs either unless there's a landing or the door knob is about 20" off the floor. It sure makes for an uncomfortable spot when your arms are full of groceries or packages. But maybe it's my Acrophobia.

 

[justinramani]

Looks Great!
I hope everyone likes sleeping on twin beds. I don't think you could get larger box springs through some of those turns.
I'm also not particularly fond of doors at the top of stairs either unless there's a landing or the door knob is about 20" off the floor. It sure makes for an uncomfortable spot when your arms are full of groceries or packages. But maybe it's my Acrophobia.

I'm surprised by the amount of concern over door width and hall size. I will definately talk with the builder about it.

It rained all day yesterday - so no work was done. They did deliver 3 concrete culverts for the driveway. They may be able to burn the slash pile today if the weather cooperates.

 

[Scooter78]

I would have to agree on door way size. When we built our house in '06, I went had them make the door ways 3' in whole house. I was the builder but my framer and door sales man all said why are you doing that? I was 30 and my wife was 28, I told them just never know might need larger door ways. Well the next year my wife was diagnosed with MS. Boy am I glad I put in larger door ways!

 

[mjarrels]

Watch the tight corners, the only way we can get a full size sofa in/out the living room is to remove a window in our cape cod.
mark

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm so obsessed with doors that when I build my addition, I'm going to custom build my new front door 4 feet wide. I hate french doors, they always leak. If it's not leaking now, it will in time. They are great for getting stuff in and out of room, but horrible at keeping the wind out. I've been hired to repair and try to weather seal too many of them to want one in my own house.

 

[GPintheMitten]

My research shows 32" to be a comfortable minimum for wheel chairs.

My advice is to make most of the doorways and hallways the larger of that and what will facilitate moving sofas and king size bed mattresses through. For the king size foundations, there are split foundations.

But not all doors need to be 32".

But I do advise at least one 36" exterior door.

Here's a site that details wheel chair accessibility.

How Wide Does a Doorway Need To Be For A Wheelchair?

 

[GPintheMitten]

Btw, despite all the discussion about doors and hallways (we do obsess don't we), your plans look great. Quite a large home. Enjoy the process. It can be stressful but rewarding.

 

[bspeedy]

House is just a place to sleep, so I won't comment on that. You've already gotten some good advice on it.

As for the GARAGES...

I strongly urge you to increase the size of your attached garage. Less than 22 feet wide, total will be a problem for you at some time. Do this - park your car and your wife's car side by side and open one door enough to get out between cars and one on the outside of each - not fully open but enough for ingress and egress. Leave the doors open and measure the width. Unless you have a prius and she has a honda fit, you will realize you need a wider garage. Go wide enough for an 18-foot wide door. I promise you won't regret it.

Also, since you are on a large piece of land, it might make sense to build a pole barn instead of the fancy detached garage. For the same money as that detached you could probably build a 40x80.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

House is just a place to sleep, so I won't comment on that. You've already gotten some good advice on it.

As for the GARAGES...

I strongly urge you to increase the size of your attached garage. Less than 22 feet wide, total will be a problem for you at some time. Do this - park your car and your wife's car side by side and open one door enough to get out between cars and one on the outside of each - not fully open but enough for ingress and egress. Leave the doors open and measure the width. Unless you have a prius and she has a honda fit, you will realize you need a wider garage. Go wide enough for an 18-foot wide door. I promise you won't regret it.

Also, since you are on a large piece of land, it might make sense to build a pole barn instead of the fancy detached garage. For the same money as that detached you could probably build a 40x80.

Agree on the garage size, and did that on our attached garage, you want it big enough to still get two cars in be able to get out and still get up your wheel chair ramp. Don't so much agree on 18' door size did that! Nice idea, however our door faces north west and get hit with the winter wind. And an 18' door bends in the wind big time. Yes, I have bracing. Also, when you open an 18' door lets out a lot of heat. Had to do over think I would go with two small but wide doors. Side note: make sure you get tall enough door.
Agree with Eddie on the French doors. Not fan of sliding either. Been down both roads. Went with 36" door and large picture window in the walk out basement. Never considered making 48 door.
A handicap accessible house is a big deal, or at least one that can be made into easily is a big deal. It is one thing to get MS, like guys wife above did,(not trying to minimize situation)but then to have to turn around and figure out how to modify your house or have to move on top of it.I have spinal stenosis so chances of being in wheel chair some day real high. It is nice feeling to know I will not have to move out and will be able to get around. Also, I did know when we built.