Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Berrins (Berrinsaol.com) | |
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 01:11:52 -0700 (MST) |
This is a tough issue. I can see both sides. On the one hand, having standardized house plans would have greatly simplified our lives these past two years. At Pathways we went with customizable house designs off four basic plans. It took (just a guestimate here) a year's worth of cohousing meetings and family time to deal with, created a ton of difficult, emotional and purely subjective decisions (house colors was a big one) and slowed down construction with all the variations and change orders (despite heavy surcharges after the purchase and sales agreements were signed). On the other hand, as we begin to move in within a week or two, watching our own homes and those of our neighbors take shape is an unbelievable feeling. It's fun seeing the choices others made; it's a small reflection of each family. And for all the time and money we're sinking into this, I like feeling that I had some control over what my house will look like and how it will operate. Living in cohousing is the main goal of everyone, orginal occupant or not. Those moving into communities after they are built may not get their ideal house, but they weren't there during the design process and didn't spend 3-5 years of their lives getting it built; the reality is that getting to design your own home is an option open only to the builders. It's a really nice option. Yes, people drop out and move. Families change and their housing needs with them. On the other hand, while many houses change over, many others don't. Many families will live in the houses they designed for decades, perhaps generations. That said, I can't imagine it will be possible to predict a mix of houses that will remain ideal through the years. I do know that every family at Pathways will have the house size they need now and think they will need for several years. Only one family dropped out after we began picking out house sizes, and they were replaced just before construction began, so the new family's house size was changed in time. Perhaps a compromise could be reached; at a minimum, let each household pick the number of bedrooms they need. Otherwise, it will be difficult to attract people to a project if they can't get the house size they need. Bedrooms can always be added later, especially if the houses are designed for easy enlargement. A few other customizations could be allowed for purely objective needs, like health concerns (type of heating/air filtration/air conditioning/low volatile materials) or accessibility (ramps/bathrooms/kitchen counters/appliances). These could be presented as packages (eg, the "heathly home" or "accessible" option) to decrease the number of decisions and decrease the complexity of the project. Leave the purely subjective stuff, like house colors, trim and floor choices, and the design features, like floor plans and bathrooms, to the professionals. That will save a ton of time, emotional upheavals and money. -Roger
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Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Chris ScottHanson, February 11 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question lance millward, February 11 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question PattyMara, February 11 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Berrins, February 12 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Ann Zabaldo, February 12 2000
- Fw: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Lydia & Ray Ducharme, February 12 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Robert Wiener, February 13 2000
- Re: Private Unit Design - a cost/benefit question Merlin Porter-Border, February 14 2000
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