4 Common Floor Plan Mistakes to Avoid!!

Have you decided on your perfect floor plan? Great! Before you give your builder the go ahead make sure you carefully review your plans both with your builder and with your family members.

Any mistakes at this stage can be costly and also inconvenient to live with later on. Below are some common floor plan mistakes that often go [missed]:

1. Light switches, power points and data points

The positioning of light switches is important. You don’t want to be back tracking just to turn off a light.

A helpful tip is to imagine walking through the layout of your floor plan. Are light switches positioned conveniently or do you have back track to turn on or off the light?

Also apply the same principles to power points and data points. No one wants to be pulling long extension cables from one side of the room to the other just to connect a desk lamp. Think practical!

BUILDING HACK: Why not install a two way light switch near your bedside table so you can turn off your bedroom light without even getting out of bed?!

2. Storage, storage, storage

Do not underestimate the amount of storage you may need. Just think of the clothes, sports gear, books, DVDs/CDs, tools and linen that you currently have. Try to mentally store those possessions in your floor plan. Do you have enough storage? If not have a chat with your builder for clever ways to add extra storage compartments to your floor plan.

Also don’t forget about kitchen storage for all your appliances and cooking utensils. Most new homes come standard with a walk-in pantry these days but it’s always handy to have extra storage in the kitchen.

BUILDING HACK: Take advantage of under stair storage. There is generally plenty of space behind the gyprock underneath the stairs. All you need is a dwarf door and presto you have another storage space.

3. Utility

An extra living area (‘man cave’) may seem like an excellent idea and may look great on the floor plan, but make sure you have a think about the practical utility of such spaces. For example, if you already have a home theatre and extra living room, a ‘man cave’ may not add much utility to your house. Consider maybe using this space to increase storage, add an extra bedroom or simply extend your surrounding spaces.

BUILDING HACK: We have come across modern floor plans which incorporate a small workshop within the garage. The design extends the garage for a workshop nook with little additional cost. Great utility!

4. Sizing and shaping your rooms

Don’t just assume that the dimensions and shape of rooms on the floor plan are perfect. Walk through display homes and try to visualise the space with your furniture and family. Will the bed be situated in the centre of the room or against a wall? Is the room big enough for a queen bed or only a single?

Also make sure you are happy with the orientation of your floor plan. If not, builders can usually flip floor plans very easily. For example, you may want your garage to be on the right hand side of your block not the left hand side.  

Last but not least don’t rush it. Take the time to review your floor plan carefully. Make sure its perfect and have the chat with your builder.

Comment below and let us know of your experiences.