Yes i was thinking of moving the external storage door to inside garage.
Dont think changing the way the stair going up and down is possible as it affects all three floors. Its a big change unless can find an alternative stair design

with a straight flight of stairs as wide as yours it's possible to add a lift to an existing stairwell and you would possibly only need form garage up to living areas for elderly parents staying in the guest room but always best allow for space in planning and a bigger entry foyer would be helpful

Yes you must have stairs as well, the garage is narrow so I don't see you opening doors to unload, but pulling in part way to the garage. so would you consider removing the internal from the garage and just using the external door, The stairs would still reach each level internally, but with changes. If the internal door was removed so that entering via the external door, is there enough space to have the stairs run back to the left and up to the first floor sliding door end?

Sorry I missed the last couple of posts, crossed over. I understand that changing the stairs changes the floorplans ,as I suggested earlier to flip the upstairs retreat with the bathrooms was to make way for the changes needed to the staircase, When entering you will have the stairs going up from the front door to work with this floor plan change And agree with OKL, always best to plan for future needs and plan a space for a Lift, they are becoming big time in multi floor buildings

Roughly like this

And on the Laundry can the deck be extended across the laundry so that you would have cabinets running down one long wall and then a door to outside?

Upstairs you have a powder room and a toilet in the bathroom. I would eliminate the toilet in the bathroom and make the vanity a bit more generous

Sorry using the external door to get access to inside to the stairs is messy.
It takes a too many changes to flip the stairs and the entry from garage will be hard if it flips.
Yes i am considering to extend the deck behind laundry to have an external wall there but not sure it’s possible due to the fence height, will see. If not will put a nice window
Regarding the extra toilet we talked about it before, with 3 kids we thinks its an added bonus to avoid the fights in the morning hours, it has the space with the vanity is 1000mm, so why not.
We really got some good points from our discussion so far especially with the laundry nd basement storage door.
Now can we focus on the kitchen and east/west windows, unless you have an actual plan with the different stair layout no point talking about the stairs, there is too many elements to consider especially when 3 floors involved by the same staircase

There is only one way to access the stairs from garage unless the stairs changed to L or U so access stairs from the front side of the garage but then that’s affects the living space.

Also that means 1st floor bathrooms move to the front of the house and flipping the master nd ensuite, then you cant have the same type windows due to overlooking which affects the facade and view from inside.

If someone can really show how i can fit the stairs then i can try to design the rest around it

try working with the stairs you have but reverse them and yes you will have to make changes to the floorplan. By extending the deck past the laundry was to allow for a door out onto the deck, not another window

If u can widen the garage to boundary moving window to back wall I would do that. It will cost more to transfer load from upper floors though. Other alertanatine is moving stairs

Cant move any external walls due to setbacks and heights. Only internal changes can be done

Reverse the stairs, remove the external ground floor door into the downstairs area, looking at the driveway angle you can't swap the door with the window. This door for me is a security risk any way

some more ideas to consider with external door for workshop and access to storage and toilet

, alternate arrangement for kitchen with original windows, laundry without external doors, bigger guest bathroom and more space at entry

and linen moved to below windows in the retreat to allow more space in kids' bedroom and bathrooms

More rough suggestions for reversing the stairs, Imagine opening the front door and looking up the stairs to a full height window and an open balustrade to the bedroom floor, stairs will be filled with light.. Instead of the current which has you looking down a dark tunnel.

The bedroom floor has two baths and 3 toilets plus a further 2 toilets downstairs are they all needed, you could save money with just reducing these,

Reversing the stairs and adding a return which will give a privacy to the external entrance, keeping both doors with a drop zone as you come in from the garage, arrangement of rooms within this space to suit your needs.

Bedrooms are for sleeping which means night time, Bathrooms with a Northerly aspect will be warmer,dryer and brighter

Thanks but garage stairs wont work that way due to ceiling clearance you need a min of 2100 of Clearance from each step

I had commented earlier that I didn't think you could swap the external garage door and window due to the slope of the driveway but if OKL can do it I can too.

That's a very low ceiling in that area for a Media room, what ventilation will you be able to get

Sorry no external door on the garage side, i need it access from inside the garage to go to the ground floor. The old door was just a storage one which we decided to get rid off.

That makes it much easier with just the one internal door, what about ventilation

There is a window for the basement, and theatre aka internal storage doesnt need a window.

Aircon and powder room for media,

Another consideration with the tight space in the entrance would be to partially step back the walls on both sides of the staircase to make the entrance more spacious

sorry the reason we want to have a lounge is for the visitors, so opening up really wont work, we want the visitors to move straight into the lounge area.

also i checked OKL plan for the ground floor, we tried that combo for kitchen, but from inside it looks better to be the pantry on the south side. I am definitely making the changes to laundry and alfreco.

For the first floor, I cant see how the changes will bring any extra space than losing the Linen space. those bedrooms are already big enough and no need for additional space. Also with the bathroom config, its hard to access the bathtub in common bath, and it become a smaller shower in ens.

I am trying to see how i can reverse the steps and keep the master bedroom window to the north side, It is a nice view to the north side. you cannot have see through windows to any other side because of the overlooking issue.

Also debating between an L shape kitchen and straight line kitchen, we think a straight line will looks better aesthetically, only draw back is to have a sink in the island. We plan to use the pantry sink for most tasks, and island bench is for smaller tasks.

I would stay with the straight kitchen and reduce the depth of the pantry on the south, but many ways to do things

The entrance, by partially opening up the walls to the staircase, even by 3 steps will make the cramped entrance feel more spacious, the large door swinging back to the family with still direct visitors to the living room

Another basic idea for you to consider for the master, I haven't drawn it yet but I feel it could work to open up the master to the north, once again many ways to do things

I don't know your specific council building code, but as this is a sub division and you own the original house which is on the eastern side, wouldn't you be able to allow highlight windows on the eastern side of the new build as you certainly wouldn't object as a different owner might.

The one big concern for me with this new 4 bed house is the small outdoor space available, even the planned deck is small for the number of occupants ?

The simple way to make revering the stairs work and accessing the Master bed is to keep the current layout and just swapping the Ensuite and Robe, entering the master via the WIR

Reversing the master is not an option, as we dont want to loose the north facing window for the master. it will be a highlight. I think i will be able to keep the current layout and reverse the stairs, only need to findout how i can arrange the stair going to the basement, L shape or U shape. There is always options.

That's what I thought I said, keep the original layout just swap the ensuite with the WIR so you can enter via the robe and not via the ensuite

Thanks, but thats bit messy accessing a bedroom through a WIR

something very roughly like this would fix that

think we have addressed most of the issues, any suggestions

That’s great. Well done. Hope you find it was worth the angst. I wouldn change a thing

so much better with each revision but, with relatively narrow garage, i prefer the external entry to storage downstairs, easier access from garage to upstairs and kitchen carrying groceries and simplified walkways and bonus storage upstairs

thanks @oklouise , we have considered these options as its not wasting any space instead making use of every little space and no corridors, but aesthetically we believe when you enter the house it looks so much better to see the stairs going up. and when its going up you loose all the other options. thanks for that linen think, we were just discussing about it while you post, again question is to sacrifice the robe space for a linen or not. The current linen space is not ideal as an open stair balustrade will really open up the space, again wasted space for aesthetical reasons.

i remember all the consultation about the view of doorway to the stairs from the front door but my suggestions are always for the comfort of those living in the house and moving around every day rather than the occasional guest (although i would still prefer a deeper front porch to move the front door away from the stairs) but any plan will be a compromise and always best to have considered every option than to later discover alternatives that you hadn't considered and luckily you have invested in the design first so that you will arrive at the solutions that suits your family best

Great result well done to you. when do you start the build

once we finalise the plan we have to apply for permit etc. takes about a year i guess to start the construction.

The only way i could reverse the stairs is to create a light well behind the gym, under the deck out the living, so there will be natural light and when you enter the house you wont be looking to a dark hole, this will give a more liveable feel to the gym aswell, again adding up more cost to the construction. Still wont give the same appeal of stairs going up.

Keep the stairs going up for the light that will come down it and for the best impact when entering the house,

Also better access to the upstairs bedrooms

You won't want the stairs at the front door going down into the basement, sorry Your current plan is really good

Another option instead of a light well is to have a glass floor section in the ground floor just above were the stairs lands. and open the wall in the sitting room/use steps hanging in a wire. so there is plenty of light coming in one side of stairs plus light above the landing area. this brings some cool features to the house, which i am

already thinking to have a glass floor section somewhere and a mesh floor section somewhere probably in the first floor above entry. Light is not an issue anymore

again the big question is when you enter do you want to see the stairs going up or down. Hmm.. tough decision to make

https://illumeskylights.com.au/illume-skylight-alternative-premium/

thanks

Final plan

Make sure you place the ensuite shower taps in the middle of the shower. If you place them under the head you’ll never reach them. I do love a tub in the ensuite.

@bigreaderdont really understand what you mean

@heloanand I mean the taps you will use to turn the shower on. If you place them at either end of the shower you will need to really reach to turn them on. Centring them in the middle of the shower wall will give you good access.

ensuite layout may change, we haven’t finalised that bit