Tuesday, December 29, 2009

More Family Pics



These are more recent family pics

Sun Screens

This is not really a new idea but it seems to have gained more popularity recently what with "green" concerns.  The main problem with nice glass windows is that they let the sun directly into the house and it can get pretty hot.  So what people do is either put in thick curtains, close windows and put on the aircon.  Thats why you go around and see most houses with the upstairs windows closed.  It all seems rather self defeating in a way and I am sure the electricity bills are high.  In addition I dont like constant air con as I feel suffocated by the poor air quality (low in oxygen and high in dust) and also the dryness.


Recent years has seen an upsurge of usage of aluminum sun screens in form of louvered screens shielding walls and windows.  It is effective as it absorbs the direct sun rays and also allows a view from the window (downwards).  In addition, it also allows siting of the air con condenser units.  Many times I have seen well designed houses ruined by that metal block mounted on the wall.  However I dont like aluminum screens and have opted for wooden screens.  Below is a design.  The screen will be hung from the rafters/truss of the roof.  It should have a gap between the wall sufficient for full opening of a window as well as access to installation of an air con condenser unit.

Note from the diagram the effectiveness of the screen from the shadows behind it.


I have included an Illustrator designed screen for those who are interested in more details.  I have put in a horizontal gap of about 2 inch but really its not scientifically designed and I am sure readers can come up with a better design.  The main objectives would be balancing the shielding from the sun and at the same time allowing the house occupants to look outside.  I estimate a 2 inch gap allows horizontal views and a larger downward view.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Problem #1

The Land and Survey Dept apparently makes a comment on the house design before the Local Authority processes the submission of the house plans.  And on the 17th Dec, they said the current plans had to be rejected as it includes an liveable attic (in other words considered a 3 storey house).  The authority for approving this attic resides with the dreaded SPA (State Planning Authority).  Needless to say, it would be a foolhardy step to seek approval from the SPA.  They make take months to approve.  Subdivisions approval by the SPA has been known to take years.  So we have to change the plans to remove the staircase access to the attic.  Although I had an eye to use the attic, it would have been mainly for storage rather than liveability so thats ok.

House Plans submitted !

On 15th Dec, the house plans were submitted to the Local Authority for approval.  The clock starts ticking.
Below is the elevation view of the plans that were submitted. It would help if you use a microscope.  The right side has been cropped.  Click the image for a full view of the entire plan.


Final Design (Almost)

This series of drawings show an advanced stage design of our house.  There is some tinkering needed.  However essentially the basic architecture is there.

You will note the implementation of previously design features such as the back garage with space for reverse and going out the main gate in forward mode.  However the concept of the roof on all sides were not incorporated.

A new feature is the addition of wooden louvered screens in front of windows to shield the windows and also hide the ugly air cons.  I will post my design of these shields later.

My wife commented that the design a bit too contemporary and so some attention is needed to tinker with the over all look.





Front left elevation

Ground floor layout has a study (cum geriatric room) as originally planned.  Note the kitchen overlooking the deck and front of house





1st floor layout. Note the guestroom next to the master does not have an ensuite bathroom. It was not possible as we did not want any draining pipes (and leaks) into the kitchen below.  No lah - no feng shui, just practical issues.  There is a generous family room for days when I travel and then the family can retreat upstairs.  All bedrooms can accommodate 2 beds.


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Roofing

One of the earlier design principles was that the walls should be protected from the sun as much as possible through generous eaves.  This is possible through 2 steps

  1. A steep pitch of roof allowing a deeper drop of the eaves
  2. The roof covering ALL sides of the house.  There are quite a few houses where 2 sides are exposed to the sun. 

The 1st pic (Sketchup) shows a conventional roof in many houses.   The shadows shows much of the ground floor wall exposed.


The 2nd pic shows the improved design (now more common) with a roof covering on all 4 sides.  You can see now that part of the side of the ground floor is sheltered.


Another important design requirement was ventilation.  This meant the addition of gables and/or dormers on the roof with louvered windows for constant circulation of air.


Hence the best roof design (from my perspective) is in the 3rd pic (without a dormer-too much a hassle to draw lah).


The little window allows for constant ventilation.  A ventilator fan is even better.  Look at this product - Solar Powered Gable Mounted Attic Fan

Finally there remains to determine the material for the roof.  It appears that there are no totally satisfactory solution.  Tiles will eventually deteriorate and it has been found to be leaky as well.  Spandek (zincalume) metal roofing is ok until the rubber ring around the nails deteriorate and water leaks in.  In addition it requires more insulation due to transfer of heat.  In the end we decided on Kliplok where no puncture of the roof is required and hence waterproofing is better.  They have a patented system of clipping the roofing under the overlapping roof sheets without puncturing the metal.  It was emphasised on us that metal truss would be required to minimise warping of the roofing (and leaking).  I am not sure why.

Flooring

A big decision is the floor of the house.  Our current house floor is wooden and it has served us very well.  It is much softer on the feet. We know, after a few hours in the tiled kitchen, compared to the other parts of the house.  The kids grew up on it, falling on it, knocking their heads on it without serious damage.  The colour of the house is warmer and people like to lounge around on wood rather than on cold tiles.

However there was a price on that.  I used ordinary wood and hence it was vulnerable to dry rot (or those little termites).  Eventually I will have to consider replacing the floorboards.  This was the main concern of my wife.

Hence for the new house, we have to decide whether it should be concrete floor (with tiles) or wooden floorboards.  If wooden, what wood would it be?

In terms of price comparison, here are some numbers.  It is estimated that it would cost RM 60 per sq ft for re-inforced concrete floor.  Hmmm I have just been told thats probably the cost of the house structure included (beams, pillars).  Jon says its more like RM 25 per sq ft for the floor.  The tiles would probably be about RM 4 per sq ft, not counting installation cost.  Selangan Batu is about RM 10 per sq ft (Grade A tongue and groove) but with joists, sanding, installation etc, it may go up to RM 20 per sq ft.  Kempas, very attractive (grain and colour pattern) but not as hardy is about RM 14 per sq ft just for the surface wood.

In any case, Selangan Batu would be the best choice.  It is resistant to insect attack provided it is kept away from open sun and rain.  It is cheaper than tile and concrete and friendlier.  Kempas is attractive but it is expensive and comes only in 3 foot lengths.  In addition it is not hardy.  The only problem is taht it is difficult to find good quality Selangan Batu.  Either they have the common problem of pin holes in the wood or they are not old enough.

With wooden floors, however, you need to consider what to do with sealing the ceiling of the ground floor as the noise from the first floor would be transferred down.  One option is using plaster.  However a new option is using a light colour softwood called Agapis (?) which looks like pine.

Even with a wooden ceiling, it still looks cheaper that concrete and tile ! Selangan Batu it will be.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Change of Design

The constraint on the size of the house has been due to the earlier desire for a closed garage rather than the typical Malaysian open garage.  I initially wanted a closed (walled) garage so that there could be a swing (or roller shutter) door that can provide security for people getting in and out of the garage.  Considering these days, people get robbed even getting in and out of the car.  Because it was closed, it had to comply with the required Local Authority setback of 9m at the back of the house (6m from the front of house).  The closed garage was abandoned as the cost of the mechanism for the swing door was too expensive locally (its cheap in NZ!).  With an open garage, the house could be enlarged and more space allocated for the internal areas.

I think this was the last major design obstacle.

SketchUp Modelling

From the floor plans (developed in Adobe Illustrator), I developed the 3D model using Google's SketchUp.  A picture is attached.  Note the impact is not only a 3D perspective but also viewing the house in the morning and afternoon light.  This model, you will see, includes a floor above the garage.
This was a response to creating sufficient rooms for the whole family.  However my wife persuaded me that
  1. This is dangerous (on top of burning cars)
  2. The kids are growing up and we may end up with a huge house to clean
Cant argue with that but still, as can be seen by the model, the idea is interesting.  The flooring would have to be concrete but it could be a self contained unit for renting out in future !

Note also the following

  • The high roof with 40 degree pitch
  • The 2 dormers extending from the roof.  This indicates the idea of an accessible attic and with ventilation through the attic.
  • The 3 ft raised floor
  • The side access to the house. I later abandoned that as I dont like people coming and out next to the drive way.  Imagine you or the kids tripping into the path of a moving car.This was moved to the front and away from the driveway.

The 2nd image shows initial layout.  It looked too crammed and like office cubicles.



Some distractions

I saw this pic (www.thereifixedit.com) and thought what a great idea it was, as long as the struts hold out, that is.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Some initial ideas

Some of the early ideas were drawn up as seen below

The house design is fundamentally the same concept as the current house I designed although it is now 2 floors.  Note the following

  • The kitchen facing the front as we have found that we spend a lot of time in the kitchen and a view of the front is important.  
  • Note also the open concept rather than closed off dining and living rooms.
  • The garage is at the back because I do not like to navigate between cars to get through the front door and also I do not like to back out of the front gate.  With this design I can reverse and go forward out of the house.  This reduces the chances of accidents and backing over kids or animals.
  • A study on the ground floor will double as a bedroom for the time when we become geriatrics and cannot climb stairs.  This is also where the raised house is important so that we can be 3 ft higher from any intruders outside the window.
  • A large deck in front of the house extending into the side and the patio allowing for protection from the afternoon sun and a cool area for gatherings.  Note that you cannot have a deck without a raised floor.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Starting (and stopping)

Some planning started in 2006 on ideas on what is required in our new house.   The architectural principles were identified. (Doesnt this look like an ICT Enterprise Architecture project?).
Below are some of them:


Security

  • Autodoor enclosed garage
    • To protect cars and access to cars
    • To allow safe entry or exit from cars from/to house
  • Grills with fire release for windows
  • Isolation of sleeping quarters from other areas
    • Only 1 door access
    • Sealed off access during night
    • Internal strong door
  • Raised floor
    • Make it difficult to access from ground level
  • Autogate for remote opening/closing of the main gate
  • Movement sensor lights
Natural Cooling

  • Well ventilated
    • Raised floor to allow for air flow underneath the house
    • Air flow through all parts of house
    • Open vents in key areas
  • Walls shielded from sun
    • Using generous eaves
    • Angled roofs and walls (40 degree pitch)
    • Sun screens for windows
  • Well insulated Roofing
However since funds were still not available, planning did not get very far......

Monday, December 14, 2009

In The Beginning

In 2004, we made the decision to move nearer to town.  We agreed that we would build a house although buying a ready built new house or renovating an old house were alternatives.

However buying a new house would mean we would be limited to at best a semi detached house within a tiny patch, more likely a corner terrace house.  In addition, I estimate we would be paying a premium of at least RM50,000, more like RM 100,000 due to developer profits and speculative costs.  Renovating an old house may turn out worse and the renovation costs could exceed RM 100,000.

It is our contention that building a new house on a piece of land of our choice allows us to design the house we want and also get the best value for money.

A detached house would require a plot of land at least 15 points (thats 0.15 of an acre).  Compare this with terrace house of 6 points.  We eventually secured a plot of land of 18 points.  This was on a built up lot of a housing estate which the developer sold instead of building a house on it.  This piece of land was ideal because it has already been filled, has drains, retaining walls and even an access road.  Street lighting, telephone, water and electricity is already available.  Best of all its only 10 min from the City.

However purchasing this land used up all our available funds and developing it had to wait.......