Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Design- Traffic Flow

Go to the May Archives at the bottom of this page for the a complete index of subjects.

This blog will contain over 250 question that you should ask B 4 U buy or build ,including
"Was arsenic used to treat the lumber in the deck?
"Is there fluoride in the water?"
"How often is the water system out of service"
"Are there hazardous materials buried on the premises?"
"What about the sexual predator website?"
"Do the neighbors have guns?"
and more

Design -
013-Traffic Flow - It is obvious that you will determine if the floor plan is adequate for your needs but is is interesting to see plans that have major flaws in them.

Imagine the house with 12 or 15 people in it at one time.

When the dishwasher is open does it block the traffic that is bringing plates from the table?

Are there two exits from most public rooms that will allow traffic to enter and exit to the other rooms?

Are the halls wide enough for two people to pass?

Would 36 inch doors or 42 inch doors be more accommodating than 30 inch doors and what is the difference in cost?

Are there areas that will will be congested with a crowd that can be modified by re-designing or knocking out a wall or adding a door?

Can the homeowner get to the kitchen without going through public areas? In two story houses we recommend "pajama stairs" mentioned in another section.

Can inexpensive additions add space. Such items as a screen porch off of the kitchen are less expensive than a big eat in kitchen and are useful in mild weather.
A shelf above the sink that reaches out to the porch will help traffic flow because it can be used to pass items from the fridge, the sink and the stove to the outside table without blocking the door leading to the porch.



No comments: