01
Lay out a normal day before moving walls
Design around the intended resident. A parent, adult child, long-term tenant, and home office each put different pressure on privacy and circulation.
Walk through where someone drops keys, stores groceries, cooks, eats, works, sleeps, and does laundry. Small circulation conflicts are much easier to fix on paper.
02
Fit plumbing into the plan early
Place kitchens and bathrooms with real plumbing routes in mind. Test doors, furniture, cabinets, appliance clearances, and mechanical space at the same time.
A short plumbing run may save space and money, but only if the sewer elevation and framing allow it. Let the field information shape the kitchen and bath relationship.
03
Use windows without giving up privacy
Use windows for daylight and ventilation without exposing both households. Treat elevations and finishes as part of the property, not as a separate mood board.
Check window locations from inside both homes and from neighboring yards. Daylight is valuable, yet a direct view into a bedroom or patio rarely feels like a good trade.
04
Test the drawing with real furniture
Draw the bed, sofa, table, refrigerator swing, shower entry, and storage doors at usable sizes. A room label alone does not prove that the room works.
City and state references
Documents checked for this guide
Public pages change. Check these links again before a design or construction decision depends on them.
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