The latest Google SketchUp model has arrived so as usual we thought we’d share it with you by clicking HERE (500k)

The model is not yet complete to the new specifications but we wanted to see a before and after, so they’ll be a newer version posted shortly. This will include extra Velux windows, the internal balcony overlook closed up (maybe – opinions please) and the bathroom removed and placed where the 3rd read bedroom is.

We are also changing the design of the master bedroom, and these changes will all be reflected in the final model as we are now close to submitting for final planning approval.

As always this model is free for you to use and chop and change around. We’d love to see what you come up with, but as with all of the download this will be under a creative commons share alike with no commercial use.

Enjoy.

Your rights of use ( please read )
We are releasing this model under the CREATIVE COMMONS rights management. The copyright we are releasing this under is BY-NC which basically means :

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

The model is the first bit of work we have from David who took the previous contractors ArchiCAD drawings and converted it for us so that we could pan around the property and get some sizes etc etc .  In time we will of course release the autoCAD files so you can rip the building apart and redesign the interior until your heart is content.

The idea in the long run is to open the plans up to everyone and run a competition with a cash prize to the design that works the most for us and we’ll then build the house accordingly( submissions will have to be practical people ) .

You already know we are huge fans of the power of the internet and the talent that lays at the other side of the computer screen and we want to tap into that and use the collective creative juices that are out there.

Here is a simple video I captured so you can see the model :

Google SketchUp
The model is in Google SketchUp format.
You can download SketchUp (standard ) FREE for Mac & PC HERE .

Download The Model
The file is 4,1Mb zipped and comes out to 12Mb+ when unzipped.
You can download the model by clicking HERE

Your rights of use ( please read )
We are releasing this model under the CREATIVE COMMONS rights management. The copyright we are releasing this under is BY-NC which basically means :

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

So you are free to change the model,  release your shared work but not for any commercial gain.  We have given this to the community for free and insist this is carried on.

AOB
If you have any problems, questions or comments please feel free to use the comments section below or get in contact with us through the site.

So with the job up on ELance we are getting a staggering response to our request for some help modifying the plans.

This is all great and encouraging, however some people seem to be having issues downloading the provided files so its time we made them available to all.

Drawings
The drawings you’ve seen before are available on Flickr HERE but if want to download them as full size PDFs then select this : 4.5Mb PDF

ArchCAD file
Here is the file that we have been sent. It’s our understanding that you can open this file in AutoCAD but that is really up for you guys and girls to check before applying for the role : 18Mb ArchiCAD Zip

ArchiCAD Libraries ( not sure what these are for but here they are ) : 8Mb Zip

Visio
Here is my attempt to modify the original plans with Visio to give you an idea of what we want impimenting properly on the plans. The Visio Zip can be downloaded from here : Visio File 340k or there is the HQ 300dpi Jpg here

And finally if you want to see the original ELance.com here is what it basically said :

We have some basic house plans that we had done by an architect that we now need to make changes to, to help up visualize the new layout for the renovation.

We have the “official” plans in digital format and can supply you the files so all the scales etc etc are correct. These plans are currently in ArchiCAD and you will need to be able to open and modify these and return them to us. Ultimately we are not worried what format you use as long as we get an electronic copy along with PDFs etc etc of views that we require.

The original digital file is complete with all current sizes of what is there and we need to place some rooms and some stairs and see how things start to pan out. We know what we are looking for and can be very specific about our request, we have made the changes in a Visio files ( sample export attached ) , and need these properly scaling to fit as something tells me this is not 100% accurate. I can export these from Visio into AutoCAD if you like to a re sizable Vector Image .

Unfortunately i have to add the following : Please on bid if you can fully follow through and deliver as we have been let down before hence we have “half” as set of plans.

Update – 050209
We have now selected a bidder to work with, so please do not apply any further. Some if the portfolios we see where excellent and we would certianly work with a lost of you. However this time you were all pipped by someone who we think can help us deliver out initial vision. Many many thanks.

What made this more disappointing was the fact that we thought we’d found an architect that understood us, the house and the vision. The architect even came to stay with us for a few days to measure up and talk through the ideas, and while i “think” ultimately we got what we asked for (plans of how the building is now) we really thought we were starting a relationship that was going to continue as the house grew into our home, so when things fell flat it was a major personal blow to us both.

Time came and went and plans didn’t materialize however 50% upfront payment was made so we hung in there. Heated words were often exchanged in our house and tensions were running high. Months after due date and with me basically on my way to the guys house drawings arrived. I say drawings and not plans as the drawings are missing some key parts (as I’m now painfully aware….need i say “bathroom”). But onwards and upwards.

I’m a HUGE believer in the power of the internet and am now turning to the online communities to break out of the traditional mold and challenge people to think openly. We have the basic layout and the files are in digital format and are looking to post them in some architect forums to let people run wild with their own personal vision of what the house could be like.

Now we are fully aware and expect some of the ideas, layouts and designs to be far fro our taste or practical for that matter but somewhere in there we are hoping to find some true inspiration and someone we’ll choose to work with closer before we then get the plans finally looked at by a French architect.

So in time i’ll post the raw drawings and CAD files on here for you all the play with (they are in ArchiCAD so you’ll need to do some converting) but for now i’m just going to go over and measure the sides of the house again and let the internet hopefully throw some interesting inspiration out way..

UPDATE : We are getting some excellent idea’s thrown out at us from people at ELance and some great feedback from the Architect community on what we should have done BEFORE we got anything drawn up ( or not ) and i’ll be approving all these comments shortly and will try and do a full write-up with the help of these contributors as advice to others before they find themselves down a blind alley like we have.

THANK YOU ALL

On doing so i selected their Barcelona range and dropped items in and then got a nice surprise when i hit the price list button to find all the items were either half price or less!

So what could i do? I hit the buy button and all is on it’s way. Now i know i have to get it to the house but since we need to take a lot of materials over soon we’ll just load this in with us. The plan never was to buy items here and ship but the strong € against the £ now makes it far cheaper to by items here and then take them with me especially at the time of the sales.

Prime example is this sink :

Was £75 now £37.49 . One that i have seen in France €130 and at todays rate thats a saving of £86.25 or €90. That’s the diesel paid for in one item alone ( and the WC the saving was much greater ).

There are of course things that people need to check before buying and shipping these items abroad. Make sure the pipe sizes are the same and that you buy the waste gates with the items so you know everything fits.

Now i normally wouldn’t suggest this but i must admit the way things are right now with the exchange it’s much better to buy all the plasterboard, tiles, grout and wood for the new wall frame it’s going to be about 50% less to create this bathroom.

UPDATE ALL CHANGE: Unfortunately for me however while I’m raring to go and get this started with the Honeymoon coming up I’m not able to get to the house until end of Feb / March. That said with it being sub zero at the moment maybe that isn’t a bad thing.

As usual it’s all change. I’m booked on a very early ferry Jan 10th to go check all is going to fit. Report as usual.

Lee

Now it’s no secret that our plans for the major renovation will have to wait due to the awful €/£ rate so we’ve decided to rip out the terrible bathroom that is there and replace it with something we’ll be happy using in the mean time while keeping in mind that it is a short term fix.

While trying to work out if we have enough space for a good sized shower, toilet and sink we came across the UK site for B&Q ( a UK based DIY store ) over at www.DIY.com , once registered you can use a ton of online tools from kitchen designing, to bathroom designing all for free.

All you need to do is set the size of your room, chose a furniture style and wait while it loads all the info and then it’s just drag and drop till you’re happy. If you want to buy the items them you can simply hit BUY NOW or you can change the style to try different sized items.

I’ll have to admit to not ever seeing myself buying these items from B&Q as these 3 items came to £900, but it certainly does give me an idea of the size of the items to buy.

Get yourself over to www.DIY.com and register and use all the FREE tools, very worth while.

UPDATE: I’ll link to the full post shortly, but the tool actually works as i designed a bathroom to see if it would fit and then i purchased the suite. I so got sold to by the “free” app

I KNOW I am as shocked as you are and later we will go into all the trouble we have had but to get a first round of drawings through is very exciting for us so we thought we’d share them with you.

I’ll go into more details later as well as show you the scribbles over the current drawings with plans of what we are looking to do.

Today we must say is a huge releaf as we paid out and thought we would never see these.

I will publish all the views and files we have shortly. Along with a full writeup and explantion of what these refer to and out plans for that section. In the mean time if you click the image it will take you to the Flickr page so you can see the other images and these full size.