(Journal — Buying)
Reading a floor plan before you visit
· WORDS BY
A. Kulkarni
Five things to look for on a plan before a viewing, from where the light comes in to how far the kitchen is from the table.
THE STUDY AT AURELIA HOUSE, PUNE
CATEGORY
Buying
PUBLISHED
WORDS
A. Kulkarni
A plan tells you things a photograph cannot. Ten minutes with one before a viewing saves an hour on site.
Start with the arrow that marks north. Once you know where the sun rises and sets, you can tell which rooms get morning light and which ones heat up in the afternoon.
Follow the route from the door
Trace the path from the entrance to the kitchen, then to the main bedroom. Count the doors and corners on the way. Short, direct routes usually mean a plan that is easy to live in.
Look at where the table sits in relation to the kitchen. If you would have to carry plates through a living room to reach it, you will notice that every day.
GARDEN ENTRY — AURELIA HOUSE
PRIVATE SUITE — AURELIA HOUSE
A good plan is one you can walk through in your head.
What the plan leaves out
A plan shows width and length. It does not show ceiling height, the view from a window or how much noise comes through a wall. Mark those questions on the drawing and take it with you.
On site, stand in each room and compare it with the plan. Where the two feel different is where to ask questions.
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