Do you need space in the laundry room for jackets, shoes, backpacks, without them and laundry getting in each other's way? How about a guest closet? I know it gets chilly and it rains in Austin.

Yes, we don't need sink and freezer space in the laundry so planning to build a small storage bench with some hooks there.

We don't really have space for a coat closet in the foyer so thinking of a closet in study room.

Is this a custom build or a stock plan from a builder that can be changed a little?

You potentially have room for a closet under the stairs. Many times, even with stock plans there are small voids that are overlooked but can actually be used.

That's a good point. This is a stock plan from the builder but minor modifications as per our request will be considered. We will definitely look into this, if that space can be used. Thanks.

Would you believe me if I told you this is a terrible design?

I would, if you can please let me know why. I definitely want as many opinions as possible.

You funnel a lot of traffic through the kitchen. The corner pantry is designed by Satan himself (I know this because I have one). You are a long way away from any light in the kitchen and the overall layout is poor. The bedrooms are weirdly sized - any dimension under 10' is going to feel cramped. The walk in closets are not walk in once you put clothes in them. Same thing in the dining room - how are you going to GET to that covered patio? Especially if there are occupants in that room, or if you have a table AND a sideboard, etc.

Imagine putting clothes away from the laundry into the master closet... It's a terribly convoluted path. (And I HATE laundry - LOL!)

Will you really USE a study?

If you have a road to the left - why not try to figure out how to use that as an entrance vs paving your front yard?

There are really a host of other issues here - the roof is likely to be massive, the upstairs rooms seem to be just "fit in there"

to name a few....

Thanks for your inputs. Agree with you on the bedroom and closet sizes.

Back side of the house is south facing so I'm hoping kitchen gets enough light.

Wanted laundry room closest to kitchen and kids bedrooms, so compromised on the distance from master bedroom.

Study will be used as a hobby room or a library. But yes, it'll be least used room.

Would definitely look into using side road as entrance.

The best houses (for harnessing natural light) are 1-2 rooms deep, including covered porches and attached garages. This plan is 4 by 4. :-( Light is unlikely to reach that far.

Orientation is also super important.... Southern light is best for living spaces, West-facing rooms will be hot.

Are there any other plans from this builder that y'all like? Maybe we can take a look at those...? :-)

I see a lot of hallway and a lot of turns to get anywhere. I do like that there is a pretty straight shot from the garage to the kitchen for carrying in groceries.

You have a Study, Game Room, Living Room and Family Room. Will you really use all of those spaces, it seems a little redundant to me.

And as a teenager I would love to have bedroom 3 since it is tucked so far away from the most used areas of the house (Family room, Parents Bedroom) and right next to the garage it will be easy to sneak out and in at night :)

Corner pantry doesn't bother me, I have one and I like it especially since mine is on the outside wall of the house so it actually stays cool in there during the winter.

I don't know about glare, the sun will come in that window during the late morning and afternoon. Are you home watching TV then or is everyone at work. One thing I do notice is that it may be hard to see TV from the kitchen since it will be a 90 degree angle from your prep area.

Since your kitchen is in the middle of the your house it won't get any natural light unless you put in some sort of skylight, so plan on extra lighting in that area. Kitchens without enough light can be dangerous places, seems as I get older I want brighter lights everywhere especially when using knives.

I would also suggest at least one "human sized" door in the garage. I it were me I would add 2, one on the East side and one on the West.

Study room will be used as a crafts room for few years and then as a library.
Game room will be used as a yoga room and as a hangout when kids have their friends over.
I'm sure toys will be scattered around in family room as well, so that leaves only living room mess free room. That's the first room guests will see and we hope to keep it inviting.

Daughter already has her eyes on the second floor bedroom, she'll get that room once she's teenager :)

You are right, we don't watch as much TV in the mornings.

I'll have to do something about natural light in kitchen, as lot of you pointed out.

Thanks for your response.

Back side of the house is south facing so I'm hoping kitchen gets enough light.

The kitchen will get absolutely NO LIGHT because it is 18' from any windows. How do I know? I had a condo with windows facing west. Even in winter when the sun is lower in the sky and the sun penetrates as it goes down, I never had light in my kitchen which was only 11' from the floor to ceiling windows.

Not a chance you'll have light, especially in summer with the kitchen in the dark hole.

The best houses are as ODD already said 1-2 rooms deep with the public rooms (that includes the kitchen) and bedrooms having windows on 2 walls. Everything about this house is poorly designed,.

I avoid:

1. Designs that do not relate to the site.

2. Closets where hanging clothes turn corners.

3. Windowless walk-in closets.

4. Angled walls.

5. Corner pantries.

6. Stairs with different shaped treads.

7. Kitchens with overly interrupted work triangle.

8. Large expanses of exterior wall without windows.

9. Walk-in closets that will be difficult to walk into.

10. Hallways less than four feet wide.

11. Stairs less than 3'-6" wide.

12. Master bathrooms with little counter space.

13. Closets with doors that insufficiently provide full access to the closet's content.

14. Clothes closets accessible from a bathroom.

15. Tiny (utility) mud rooms.

16. Gas chambers without windows.

17. Gas chambers.

18. Excessive circulation.

19. Spaces that are jumbled together without much rhyme or reason.

20. Plans that surround a space that makes it dark.

21. Living rooms are too small to be useful because of circulation.

22. Looking through a screened porch from a living room to any view.

23. Corner bedrooms without window on each exterior wall.

24. No coat closet at exterior entrances.

25. Door swings that impede into laundry room work space.

26. Doors that swing in front of other doors.

27. Different ceilings in an open space that do not transition well.

28. insufficient space beside a door for the light switch.

to name a few.

Well, I'm glad I know this about kitchen light now, rather than when it's too late. Makes me think about changing the floorplan!

Mark Bischak, appreciate your inputs. That's a good list to consider :)

I've never had a client who would tolerate a kitchen with no natural light and no direct view of the yard. There was a time when people had cooks and house keepers . I've renovated many of those houses and the primary mprovement was opening the kitchen up to the rear of the house and adding windows. This house looks like the "before" plan.

please rethink. that kitchen will be extremely dark and laundry rooms which aren't directly vented to an outside wall are not ideal.

If you have the opportunity to change to a different plan I encourage to to take a look at them. It’s great that you have southern exposure in the back (if this is where the main living areas are)....it helps tremendously to bring in lots of light. If they have a plan that has the main living areas located across the back of the house, that will help to give you a nice, bright interior.

Will definitely rethink. I didn't realize it would be so dark until many of you pointed out.

Just wanted to post these pics. This was our rental while we were in the process of building our home. The kitchen was located in the middle of the plan with no windows. I could not see into the sink during broad daylight and always had to have the lights on. These pics show exactly the way it looked to the eye when in the space....it not just the photos.

The fact that the back of your home will face south would help some, but because there are no windows on the east and west sides of the plan that could help bring light into the kitchen, it will make the stove area feel like a cave. You will need lights on to cook.

Well, I'm glad I know this about kitchen light now, rather than when it's too late. Makes me think about changing the floorplan!

Have you considered working with an architect to design a house that will work for you and your family or are you stuck using the builder's plans?

Your best chance of success is to start from scratch with a local architect that can design a home with you to meet your needs and fits your site. Taking a design and trying to change it to meet your needs is what the cries for help are started with here on Houzz, that and having unqualified people design homes.

"Daughter already has her eyes on the second floor bedroom, she'll get that room once she's teenager"

It appears that the only way to get into that second floor bedroom is through the game room. There are two issues with that room, in my opinion:

1. It's a convoluted path to the bathroom in the middle of the night if your daughter is sick
2. There is no privacy for your daughter if any folks are in the game room (no matter what it's being used for) and she has to go back and forth between her bedroom and the upstairs bathroom.

I would use the "Study" as a formal living room, and use the room labeled "Living Room" as a dining room. I'd use the space labeled "Dining" as a breakfast nook.

Thanks nidnay for posting pics. That gives me a fair idea. And as you rightly guessed we can't afford an architect or a custom build at this point.

The main reason why we chose this lot was it's location, liked the neighborhood and schools, commute is easy for current job and future job opportunities in this infamous Austin traffic. Like anywhere else the farther I go the better value and square footage I'll get for my money but that's not a possibility for various reasons.

The option I've is look into different floorplans which I'll do as no natural light in kitchen would be bothersome for me. Few of the problems pointed out are not really deal breaker for me and can live with those.

Appreciate all the feedback everyone. Gave me lot of ideas, will decide on what works for our family. Thanks.