Any house designers on here? Need help with home plans...

[Mopar5]

Normally you pay an architect to do the drawings and present it for approval for a building permit .

Normally you pay an architect to do the drawings and present it for approval for a building permit .

Of course you get a licensed architecture firm to finalize everything and create the plan set for approval by the municipality. These plan sets way to broad for a homeowner to do them ad hoc. However, the more realistic the homeowner can develop the plans for layout using sound principles, the less money they will pay the architect to correct their dreams vs reality.

This exactly how I remodeled my house and it saved me thousands in drawing fees since my architect only had to take my design and create the formal plan set with it. Since I had rough electrical, plumbing, door and window schedules, they only had to create the foundation modifications and finalize all the details in a manner acceptable to the local building department

I like the dreams vs reality part seems like every time I get involved in a project my extras get shot down.

[nicka]

I built a house near the beach around 20 years ago and I still have it to this day.  I decided to pickup this book from one of the big box hardware stores.  I found a plan that I really liked and it fit my lot size.  I forget how much it costed for the plans, but it came in large sheets and it had many pages and it was complete.  These plans are not specific to a certain region, so you will have to submit those plans to your local zoning board.  They will add their codes to the plans. I decided to go with a construction loan.  The interest is a bit higher, but your only paying the portion that you "draw" out.  For the most part, I knew who was good. I worked out an agreement for 1 draw when rough in was finished and final.  This eliminates the need to chase down those who only show up for 1 hour.  I also did a seasonal rental, but only during the summer.  I tried renting myself, but it became to much of a hassle.  I turned it over to a local realtor.  The weeks it didn't rent, I would stay there.  It allowed me to inspect the home.  Being able to write off expenses during the short term rental season helps.  Hope this helps.

[Cuda Cody]

Thank you for all the wonderful replies and ideas.  I think I'm close on the 2nd floor design (the most important because of the better views), but still having trouble getting the 1st floor dialed in and that is where I need help.  More details will help explain how I've gotten to this point so far.

After coming up with the idea to custom build a home for the specific short term rental use I decided to set up check points before proceeding to each step.  Here's the requirements I wanted to hit..

- Must be Ocean front to maximize the experience of the customers and keep it rented as much as possible.
- Must have at least 4 master bedrooms w/ big bathrooms that WOW the users + target sleeping 12 to 16 people.
- Must return at least 6% a year at a minimum, but target return will be 10% to 12%.
- Must be fully managed by a company so we don't need to handle any part of it.
- Must be in a City that supports and encourages short term rentals.

After making a list of cities along the Oregon and Washington coast that the plan would work we spent a lot of time looking at lots online that were for sale (and homes that could be torn down) but we could not find the right lot to make the plan work.  Then my wife and I took a day and drove miles of ocean front roads (in the cities that we listed that would work) and made notes about any vacant lots that would work.  Then I looked up the names on the city tax records and then google phone numbers to the owners.  I just started cold calling people to see if they would sell their lot.  Most were friendly and happy to talk about how much they love the beach, but they all said no to selling.  I anticipated people would say no, so I had cash offers ready for each lot and before hanging up I gave them my phone number and the cash offer and told them to think it over.  I called back about a month later and still nobody wanted to sell.  Then about 2 months after making my first cold calls I had 1 person call me and ask if my offer was still good.  I said YES, for sure.  We wrote the deal up and we now own a beach front lot that will work for us.

The next step is to do the design.  I have a designer picked out, but I want to give him as much of the plan as possible so he only needs to tighten it up and get me the full set of plans.  The lot has some building codes that will have to be met....

- Max building height 20' (so each floor will be between 8' to 9' tall)
- Max building size is 40' wide and 50' long (4,000 SF)

I have a building construction degree so I will be the General on it, but I still want to save money when I can.  Since I'm pretty good with design and this is a very unique design I need it to be perfect to maximize the ROI.  Plus it will save me paying a designer more than I have to.

Here's where I'm at so far.  I've attached a photo of our inspiration so you get a feel for what it will look like.  The bathrooms will have the tub and shower as one unit (like the photo below).  The stair will be "floating" so when a person walks in they see the ocean and when they walk up to the 2nd floor they get the WOW visual of seeing the big open room and all of the ocean (https://www.viewrail.com/floating-stairs/flight/).  I'm happy with the 2nd floor, but the 1st floor needs a lot of work. 

[Cuda Cody]

This is where I am on the 1st floor, but it's not feeling right.  I really want to get 2 more bunk beds (total of 4).

[anlauto]

  Don't forget you still have cars to restore

[CNUMB]

The tubs next to the showers will not work.. well at least by code here and pretty much thru out the states..

[CNUMB]

BTW, that place in Australia is amazing.. But codes here in the states, especially ADA accessibility will kill your floor plan.. Sorry...

[Cuda Cody]

That photo of the tub next to the shower is from place we stayed at in the states.

[CNUMB]

I could see that possibly working as long as it is totally waterproofed around the deck of the tub and the tub is actually built in with the tile or granite over-lapping the tub deck ..

[cuda hunter]

shower tub combo won't be an issue.

Looks like you truly have it figured out with the exception of putting two more bunk's in.

Your most likely going to have to loose some of your gathering space downstairs to achieve the two bunks.
The couch area and the foos ball area are most likely going to have to be lost to incorporate the two bunks.

You can gain some sq.ft. by not having an inset entry.  Between those three areas you can come up with enough sq.ft. to add in the two bunks. 

Are you set on the inset entry? 
Are you absolute on having the extra sitting space on the first floor?   

Does your covered patio have full glass for viewing the ocean from the downstairs sitting room? 

[nsmall]

Thats a really cool story of how you landed the spot.  I have so many positive memories of spring break on the Oregon coast when I was in college.  Good luck with the build.

[HP2]

Sacrifice some open space on the second floor to another bunk room?

[CNUMB]

You could use True Tankless electric water heaters instead of the tank ones, way less space and could be mounted inside any closets. Or if you have gas, get gas tankless and mount them outside if possible!! Then get 2 stackable washer dryers-1st floor. Eliminate the washer/dryer/heater on 2nd floor floor, bump the bedroom wall into that space, rearrange the bunk beds .. sorry for the scribble!!

[Cuda Cody]

I like the idea of stacking the washer and dryers.  If I need more room that is a good option. 

I'm tightening the plans up and hope to have them done in the next day or two. 

[cuda hunter]

On demand water heaters will require a service area in front of the box of 32". Can't bury them behind the washer dryer like you have on the plans. Stackable w/d is a good idea to save that space.