strange house layouts

Badger_Lady

I rented a room in a new-build which had a really odd layout due to building regs (as mentioned above).

It was a standard 2-up, 2-down terrace - ground floor: stairs, living room leading to kitchen with space for table... first floor: master bedroom en-suite, 2nd bedroom and bathroom.

But they had to have a ground-floor disabled WC (with wide door etc), so the stairs had to be changed to lead out of the kitchen (making unusable space where the table should be) and there was a corner cut out of the living room. And 3 toilets in a 2-bed starter home!

I don't know about there having to be a downstairs bedroom space (there wasn't in this house), but there obviously are some fairly strict requirements for disabled access on new builds that don't always make sense.

kunekune

I'm really glad that you all agreed with me about the first house - and confirmed my theory about how it had been done! It's expensive for Halifax, too. I quite like it, although it's above our price range, and there is plenty of space, but I couldn't work out who would go where, especially as intellectually disabled son would not be able to get up those open stairs from the dining room. So we would end up with adults in the 'master' (built in foot spa???), son in the other downstairs bedroom (that's quite good for him), daughter with her own shower room upstairs (not sure about the wisdom of that) and a room that can't be used as a bedroom at all unless someone either borrows daughter's en suite or treks to the downstairs bathroom! It's a study, really (and yes, we do always use our fourth room as a study/snorer's retreat, but we're not conventional).

We're in a rented new build ourselves at the moment and although there are lots of toilets you couldn't call it disabled friendly. On the ground level at the front there is the garage, a utility room and a toilet. On the next level is the kitchen/living space - no toilet on this floor. Then up another flight of stairs to find one large bedroom and one small bedroom, and a bathroom. Then another lot of stairs to a medium sized bedroom with balcony, small bedroom and bathroom. If disabled access was required for pp, then this must have been an exception: it is impossible for anyone to reach the living floors by wheelchair, as there are stairs from the garage or steps to the back of the house. It works for us now, as one of the children is reliable enough to be on an upper floor, but if they had been younger (or if we were older and our knees even more decrepit) it wouldn't. ANd this is one of the better laid out new builds in the area (Skipton Properties - they do seem to use better architects than the really big companies).

bandraoi

There is a code or list of requirements for homes to be disabled/elderly friendly called the Lifetime Homes standard.

It is included in the new "best practice" evaluation method for homes - the code for
sustainable homes. Page 167 on of http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/code_for_sustainable_homes_techguide.pdf

Disabled access isn't a must have under building regs but the Lifetime Homes standards may be cited as a planning condition by some councils or an effort to get the best possible score under the code for sustainable homes may be influencing some of the design decisions described above.

bandraoi

PasturesNew wrote: »

This is tying my brain in knots trying to work that one out.

A house either has or hasn't got a room. There isn't much middle ground. And any room can be a bedroom by chucking a bed in it.

What you are saying would seem to indicate that all new builds with open plan living/kitchen areas would be illegal.

http://www.lifetimehomes.org.uk/pages/16_lth_standards.html
are the lifetime homes standards

In houses of two or more storeys, there should be space on the entrance level that could be used as a convenient bed space.
Stated specifications and dimensions to conform

A space on the entrance level that could conveniently be used as a bed-space.

Not any space can be used as a bedspace. As you said an open plan kitchen/dining room isn't suitable, a sitting room where the door opens from the street into the sitting room wouldn't work too well. A sitting room with the stairs in it, or which is the only access to the kitchen also wouldn't work too well either.

On the other hand if a downstairs sitting room doesn't have those features and the worst happens, it can be converted to a bedroom reasonably easily and an upstairs room can be used as a sitting room for other members of the family. It may not be a long term solution, but it will make coming home from hospital a possibility.

Builders don't have to design/build to the life time homes standards though so open plan sitting room/kitchens in 2 up 2 downs aren't against regs yet, they're just not considered best practice.

PasturesNew

The trouble is we all have different lifestyle needs and people who have modified houses have modified them for their situation and needs and within their budget/space available.

The only real answer is to design your own house and have it built.

I am seriously thinking this might be what I do in the end.

clutton_2

on several occasions i have visited a new build block of flats which has been in progress for the past 18 months - 8 storeys, inner city , and they have had to make ALL doorways in the whole development accessible for a wheelchair.

gabyjane

susieb wrote: »

I think all new builds have to have a room on the downstairs that could be a bedroom (eg dining or study) this is to do with building regs that they have to be disabled access.

Hmm well we have just bought a new town house and that is obviously up a set of stairs before we get to any rooms, absolutely no disabled access at all. There is a garage under the house which could be converted but we won't be doing so!

kunekune

We don't have room in ours for the car. It has the spare dishwasher (one came with the house), the spare sofa (the one we couldn't get up the stairs), the spare fridge freezer and freezer (again, there's a f/f with the house), all the coats, the old tv cabinet (too big for the living room), and an awfully big collection of empty cardboard boxes and carrier bags. Plus various boxes not unpacked since we moved in October. I don't think it could be turned into a room because it has the boiler and an immersion heater, and also there's probably a covenant preventing the door being changed. Next door uses its as a gym, and even has a tv in it.

brazilianwax

glastowinebar wrote: »

Talking of garages...

do anyone actually use theirs? Every single householder in our street parks their car in the driveway. No one seems to want to convert their garage because of the saleability factor, but it is the most obvious place to make into a room that you'd actually use!

Yep. We have a (detached) double garage and double driveway. Garage houses the posh car and motorbike, plus garden furniture, paint, ladders, tools and other general junk. Other car lives on the drive.

There are a couple of houses of our basic design around the estate. I noticed that one had converted theirs recently, although being detached from the house, I don't know what they're using that for!

brazilianwax

arnie&caseysma! wrote: »

Mt friend built her house about 4 years ago and had to have a ramp for disabled access to at least one of the external doors.....it seems to be the way that you need disabled facilites now before plans for new builds are approved.

My house is almost 5 years old. The downstairs loo (not the actual loo, the room) is bigger than most and all the downstairs doors are wider than normal. The front path is effectively a ramp to the front door (which is rarely used). Kitchen and dining room are open plan (although that isn't the standard layout) but the living room is oversized, so I guess if it came to it you could split it with a stud wall and turn part of it into a downstairs bedroom.

Dunno how you'd manage the bathing arrangements though