Family Houses for GCI (3 or more bedrooms)

(Any individual image can be printed out in isolation by clicking on the image, then printing the resulting page.)

What I consider important desiderata:

Three bedrooms, with possibility to add one more
Actual or possibility of future bedroom on ground floor for guests, elderly, handicapped, or office
Alternatively, detached 1-bedroom cabin can be "teen hut", guest or elderly room, or possible income as rental
Full bathroom with tub (including shower) & bidet on floor with majority of bedrooms
Bathroom window NOT inside bathtub space
1/2 bath on the other floor, preferably with shower
Bathrooms above each other to share stack and minimize plumbing
Mud room with air-lock entry for winter use
Minimize peaks and valleys in roof for less construction costs and possibilities of leaks; for example, minimize dormers, bump-outs, storage additions, etc.and make those deemed necessary with shed roof rather than gable roof
Flat ceilings everywhere to conserve heat; also maybe slightly low (7' 9") for same reason
Tankless water heater (compact & energy efficient)
Wood stove (emergency heating)
Auxiliary electric baseboard heater in any bathroom with tub or shower for extra heat while bathing; heater typically under a window; towel bar above heater and below window, and reachable from tub or shower for a warm dry towel after bathing
Of course, all the usual energy & water saving measures such as super insulation, plenty of south-facing windows for solar gain, energy star appliances, low flow plumbing fixtures, dual flush toilets, compact fluorescent lights, double-pane windows, storm door on summer entrance door (which may not have an air lock entry.)

Washer & dryer on floor with majority of bedrooms (wash dirty items close to where they are dirtied)
Separate washer & dryer if possible (less expensive to buy and to replace if broken)
Near-ceiling shelves completely around very small bedrooms and bathrooms for linens, supplies, books etc.
Small chest freezer on ground floor
Built-ins in very small bedrooms, such as:
- platform bed with storage underneath
- shelves and double-hang rods in part of closet (along with full-hang area also)
- between-the-studs shelves for socks & underwear (hidden behind bedroom door when open)

-Bruce

Lot Plans (Preliminary)

Surrounding Lots

Closeup of the two lots

The Main House Design Contenders

In order of small to large

16 x 40, SnapSpace two-story

Four shipping containers are stacked, two on the bottom and two on top, then covered with classic siding and peaked roof to yield a home-like appearance. I do not yet have the floor plan.

24 x 28, 3 br MDI Ripples Hill Affordable by Gordon-Stanley Architecture
courtesy of Chris Spruce

24 x 32, 3br Isle au Haut Affordable

Courtesy of Albert Gordon

24 x 32, 3br Bruce's modification of Isle au Haut Affordable

Roof is simplified
House is simple two-story style, similar to MDI Ripples Hill
Porch added
Main entry door moved under porch (from dining room to living room)
Possibility to partition out a small bedroom from the living room

Note: the rather odd window arrangement still needs to be worked out to get
a more symmetrical look similar to MDI Ripples Hill.

24 x 34, 5 to 4 br NAHN Minnesota High Eff. Dayton

24 x 36, 3 br Spurling Design New Solar (5 March 2011 NEW IMPROVED DESIGN)

FEATURES:
Simple compact footprint
Double lock entries
Back entrance tub great for fishermen, farmers & carpenters
Hearth with mass wall
Radiant floor heat
Greenhouse my be added to south of family room
Optional office or 4th bedroom if walls are installed on dotted lines

FEATURES:
3 Bedrooms
Steep roof slope (18:12) allows for optimal solar collection
Standing seam metal roof
Optional solar roof laminate
Upstairs kneewall at same height as window sills
Optional skylights
Optional circular stair to 3rd floor

Newer design

24 x 40, 3br SnapSpace single story

Three shipping containers (left) are placed side-by-side, then covered with classic siding and peaked roof to yield a home-like appearance (right.)

2 small bedrooms are 8' x 12'
1 master bedroom is 12' x 16'
central living room/kitchen area is 16' wide, 24' long

The Also Rans

In order of small to large

20 x 26, 3 br

20 x 28, 3 br Harris 2001

20 x 29, 3 br National Beloit

20 x 30, 3 br Cottage

20 x 30, 3 br The Cardinal

20 x 30 4 br, Bruce Plan04

(looks similar to "The Cardinal" just above

Family Houses for GCI (3 or more bedrooms)

Lot Plans (Preliminary)

The Main House Design Contenders

In order of small to large

16 x 40, SnapSpace two-story