Here, in my opinion, are 10 floor plan mistakes which homeowners are prone to make. Of course, there can be kind exceptions to the rule but these are the ones I have invariably observed in my professional years.
Mistake 1# getting sold to upgrades
You might be tempted into buying an upgraded home because of the feel good factor but step back and think- how would the home look when it is bared of the furniture and fittings, the upholstery and the wherewithal. If it still looks good, comfortable and schematically brilliant, you have got your home.
Mistake 2# thinking any less of yourself if you do not understand the drawings
If you do not get the hang of blue prints or floor plans for homes, do not assume yourself in any lesser light. Just as the architects won’t understand too much about your profession, you might also feel a little handicapped with theirs.
It does not mean your grasping power is low. If the drawings faze you , start asking as many questions about them as possible. Also, remember that it is not important for you to know how each door jamb looks on the paper.
Mistake 3# misreading your lifestyle
Floor plans should be in sync with the lifestyle you lead. If you have chronic back stress, climbing stairs each hour may not be what you had bargained for. Similarly, an open floor plan will only cut your ambitions short if you are a privacy-loving person.
Mistake 4# overcapitalising
I will always recommend you to steer close to your budget. It is easy to give in to the temptation of huge floor plans- “Ah! I will upgrade soon so it is only nice to have some more space now”. I beg to differ here.
For me, the upgrades can and will come later. Keep flexible floor plans that can help you add on to them on a later day. However, do not go beyond your budget now. Mortgage constraints can rob you off your peace like nothing else.
Mistake 5# not roping in your family
Rather than going the whole hog yourself, pull in your family for making the decision. This way, there are minimal chances of getting it wrong. If you like something in the plan too much, do not prepare evidence to support your stance.
Instead, ask your family members to find evidence which can annul your choice. For instance, if you think highly of the foyer opening into dining space, ask your family to prove you otherwise. If they can’t, stick with the idea.
Mistake 6# not weighing architectural merit against future concerns
Sold to the architectural features? Well! You are not a minority but caution should be the buzzword here. May be the ceiling to floor windows are good to look at but do you forget that they are energy-vampires too?
Aesthetics is such a pleasing component of home design but it should not come at the cost of high energy bills or greenness of a home.
Mistake 7# not giving safety its due
If you have toddlers and young ones, keep safety as the foremost constructing principle. Find out where the railings, balconies, easy slip-offs are located? It is better to err on the side of caution.
Mistake 8# not giving engineering enough respect
Do not devalue the importance of engineering. Floor plans must be bent towards the “non-complex”. They should be symmetric, utilitarian, and inclined towards the principle of “spatial design and light orientation”.
Mistake 9# not planning for sunlight and air
Floor plans should be oriented towards sunlight and air. For instance, I will always advise you to have your laundry or store room on the western flank to shield your home from harmful afternoon heat. Similarly, large windows on the north provide you a lot of vitamin D. You get the idea, right?
Mistake 10# not reading your home as subset of its surrounding
You can alter your floor plan on a later day (if things terribly misfire or your priorities shift) but you cannot possibly change your location. So remember to learn about the neighbourhood well in advance.
It will help you understand which floor plans work for the area. After all, you do not want to construct out of sync with the surrounding. In other words, just as important as the floor plan is how your house looks when viewed from the adjacent street.
Can you say with confidence that you haven’t made at least 7 of these 10 mistakes? I invite you to add a few to the tally.
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