I have a couple of observations here, which I’ll share in no particular order.
First of all, this looks like a build-to-plan house. If so, be wary of “minor” changes, like moving walls and closets. They will likely be at a huge price premium.
Secondly, what are your future plans? When you say, my fiancee and I have no kids, do you mean “not now” (which is pretty common) or “not ever”? My wife and I bought a lovely 2400 square foot, 3 bedroom house when we moved to CT – thinking “one bedroom for us, one for our son, and one for future child number two”, giving up a dedicated guest bedroom right away. Now, two children later, we’re already packed tight, and it’s really fun when we decide to have large family gatherings like Thanksgiving! Do yourself and your marriage a favor and make DARN SURE you will never need that guest bedroom for a guest bedroom. Unless your fiancee is as in to model trains as you are, this will eventually become a source of conflict. Your only solutions at that point will be to expand the house, move, or rip out your layout (and moving will also involve some degree of ripping up your layout). I know everything seems happy and loving right now, but do yourself a favor and give some long, hard thought to your future family arrangements.
In light of that, what about using the garage (or part of it) as a layout space? Since two sides of the garage border on the house, it wouldn’t be hard or expensive to insulate it. This would also give you more space for a multi-level layout.
Finally, I have to agree with those who say that 12x11 is enough space for a good-sized layout, it’s well short of what is available to those folks with true model railroad empires. You may need to downsize your plans and / or ambitions.
I want to thank all of you for the opinions and comments. I am considering using one side of the garage for more space. The Mrs. (to be) loves trains and got to see a little bit of the work i can do on them on an 8x8 I was building. I tore it down to start packing for the move. I still have a lot of time to plan this out right and make sure that it is moveable in the future. We are planning on living here for about 15 years and then moving up north. I will have to talk to her about it and see what she says about the idea. If using one side of the garage, is it better suited for a multi-level layout. I only want 2 levels. Thanks everyone!
She may love trains, but may not want trains everywhere!
I would NOT choose the garage as s place for trains…here’s why: It is harder to keep clean as dust and etc will be more in the garage than in a cozy bedroom. If the car gets parked there too, it WILL be dusty. Also, The temperature will be more stable in the house as it is climate controlled. THAT will be better on you and the trains!!!
I understand totally the “not an option” of removing the wall and closets…it has far reaching circumstances. It changes your home’s layout and tax structure. It changes resale value {not everyone wants to put in a MRR!}.
Unless you are both way beyond childbearing years…then children are SURE to enter in before 15 years is up! SO be aware you may have to give up your layout room, after all.
I second, third, fourth the idea of just having 2 levels with separate {not connected} layouts. It gives you a chance to have : 2 eras, 2 RR prototypes, 2 differing RRs {proto or free lanced}, 2 differing operations {roundy dogbone and switching for Instance}. SO you have many more freedoms that a connected bi-level don’t necessarily afford.
I would also think about using #3 as it has a shorter closet door, but if she prefers {or you do} #2, then go for it and be happy!
Good luck and be blessed that you have such a space for a grand layout.
A garage might not be the right place for a layout, although it is often done. If you have (and it seems that you do) a spare room you can use, you are much better of building your layout in this room, than in an either too hot or too cold or even humid garage. Don´t forget that you will need a place for the “dirty” jobs as well, cutting lumber and painting is better done not inside the house, if you want to stay at peace with the missus. Guess how I learned that [swg]
Take out the second bathroom between bedroom 2 and 3 and all closet space from bedrooms 2,3, and 4.[;)]
Relocate the entry and foyer to the nook.[:-,]
Connect the far wall of bedroom 4 with the garage…actually scratch that, extend the garage wall out to the far side of bedroom 4…then relocate the second bathroom to the far side of the garage.[I]
Should be plenty of space for the train layout with room to spare.[ip] [swg][(-D]
I’m just curious what that square is, floating off in space north of the WIC.
Anyhow, if it was me, I’d pick Bedroom 4 if only because it looks to have the smallest closet, and therefore is the least useful of the three bedrooms to actually serve as a bedroom. I know this from growing up as the kid with the smallest closet in the house.
I also would pick bedroom 4, but for the reason of having 2 daughters, and being as it is the only bedroom without access to any of the bathrooms. Having lived through the arguments of bathroom time and such, easy bathroom access is by far one of the best gifts a house can give a father. Also it is closer to the garage with less traffic hauling things through the middle of the house.
Looks to me that 3 and 4 have exactly the same size closets, but since the room entrance doesn;t project into the room, 3 woul dbe easier to work with for a layout.
4 I’d repurpose to an office or something since it’s the only one without direct access to a bathroom. Leaving 2 as a guest bedroom.
Use the closet corner of 4 (the the doors off the closet) as a workbench area. Couple of tracks through the wall from room 3’s closet could extend over the workbench and be staging. That way when you move out and patch the hole it will be nearly invisible inside closets.
This is true, although I wouldn’t do any extensive modification, replacing a non bearing wall/ closets at a later date is a fairly simple job. Any elec/ closet lighting just needs to be backed off and capped on blank covered box for the time being.
CT really brings up some good points. Your future “family” plans could really torpedo many of this wishful thinking. You could end up in the garage anyway.
I would agree with you. Personnally I would build a new closet in BR 3. Close off the door to the existing closet in BR 3. Tear out the remaining walls in BR 4. You now have 3 useable bedrooms plus a dedicated RR room. If you sell later the RR room can be converted to office, workout room or back to bedroom. Three BR 2 bath homes are very sellable. The only other issue is the large front window. Put blinds on it and close permanently so it looks OK from the outside. Then build an enclosure on the inside to cover the blinds. This could be built to be removable for future sale or if the window gets broken.
Having to remodel a house in order to sell it works fine, as long as the circumstances permit (e.g. you have money and are moving up, or you planned for it, etc.). However, lots of people end up moving to find work, etc. and funds to remodel a house before you sell it may not be available. Just something to think about.
I second the advise about using BR4 instead of 2 or 3 for the train room. Whether kids or guests, bathroom access is really important, and BR4 has less of it that 2 and 3. The jog at the entrance to BR4 is minor to deal with when considering how to run track across the doorway if you want that; otherwise it won’t really matter… The window at the front could be used for a seasonal display from the outside, perhaps even incorporating your trains.
Since there does not appear to be a basement, I’m going to assume this house is somewhere in the south (you mentioned moving up north in the future too). Depending on where in the south, a garage becomes completely uninhabitable in the summer months. You can dress warmly for an operating session in an unheated but insulated garage (and you can add a little heat relatively easily), but you cannot dress cool enough to be comfortable in a stifling garage, especially if a hot car is parked in the other half.
You could easily frame a clean room in your garage. I have a 3 car garage…and I chose a 15x15 room off my kitchen(thanks honey). I like that it has a door to the breezeway which leads to a garage door. Only negative to using the room, in your case, is lugging wood and materials through your home…and ventilation when using harmful materials.
hey everyone. thanks for the advice on everything. I got the mr book designing and building multi-deck mr and there are a lot of good pointers in there too. I’m really torn between what bedroom. The misses wants the 4th room to be a little office room, But she alsoes the idea for the christmas scene. I do like room 4 because of the door and closet are on the same side wall and the door is off set a little. I am in the process of restoring and 300zx and once i finish it i can use the whole garage and leave room to park one car in there. I am located in florida but i can handle the heat. If i used foam board, it shouldn’t compress and expand as bad in the heat. so its still a toss up. I can have a huge layout or and small one in the a/c???
The preference fromt he other half seems to make my idea a decent one - use bedroom 4 as an office, but take downt he closet doors and put your workbench there - then you won;t be ‘hiding’ from her while working on trains. And you cna easily cut a hole in the closet wall between the close in 3 and the closet in 4 to allow for a testtrack connection and/or staging fromt he layout, which would be in bedroom 3.
When it’s time to sell and move, patch the hole (99% of the people who come look at the place will never even see it, inside a closet - I’m not talking a 2 foot square hole here, just needs to be enough to clear the trains) and rehang the closet doors. Layout? What layout?
I completely agree. and like the idea alot. If i can get her to sign off on the hole part then there is a good chance that I would end up doing that. i am going to do some sweet talking and a nice back rub to try and get her to say ok with that. lol