How to Spot a Bad Townhouse Floor Plan Before It's Too Late (3 Bedroom)

[@SteveKarrasch]

Which is your favourite 3 bedroom floor plan? Need help in Surrey or the Fraser Valley? Book A Call: calendly.com/stevekarrasch

[@gm2407]

One thing about rooms in the middle of the building, e.g bathrooms ect. They can have difficulties with ventalation and no natural light (assuming no skylight). So mould can be an issue.

[@12snapper43]

I’m with you about those blasted islands that everyone has to have these days. U shape much more practical.

[@WorkingProduct]

Honey come quick!! 3 bed townhome video just dropped!!!! Thanks for the great content

[@anitapreciosa2830]

I do love the "classic" dining room setup since it doubles (or triples) as a board game sanctuary. It's also the perfect spot for ongoing puzzles, and great to do crafts on and, most often, homeworks. We keep ours nicely decorated, but not very formal. We call it the "calm room", although not so calm. It is right next to our "reading room" (formerly known as formal living room), which is our elevated version of a reading nook/library/office with super comfy chairs and sofa. This is how we made every room relevant and they are all used everyday. The family room is the "noisy room" since it is where we watch movies and kids play the most.

[@autumnmoonfire3944]

So I’m in the US, but very close to Quebec, one thing I was noticing looking at real estate ads in Quebec was homes that didn’t have an en-suite bathroom off the main bedroom, but instead had a big luxury bathroom that might have a direct door into the main bedroom. I also lived with just my husband in a two bedroom condo with a larger than normal bathroom, I’m here to say it would have been better to have tiny bathroom and a powder room! The number of times someone was stuck waiting…Think long and hard about any property with less than a bathe and a half!

[@PastelP-b4u]

the first floor plan was fine. My spouse had an older TH most of the other units in the complex were close to that first layout you showed. but no upstairs laundry, and no fireplace..... His was more like some of those full of stairs narrow modern ones everywhere now, full flight to the kitchen. two to have a shower, go to bed, two full flights to take down laundry. narrow floors and lots and lots of stairs. I hated moving anything in or out of that place, I hated daily living in it... and now I have an elderly dog who needs to be carried on stairs, I'm so thankful we sold and live in a little one level house, with just a few steps down into the yard But that stairs townhouse took a long time to sell EVEN during the RE mania over the pandemic. any unit like ours overloaded w staircase sat, and others went for multi offers right away. even when there was no inventory on the market. end users don't want a chunk of their strata fees/UE going towards sqft wasted on useless hallway and stairwell. Older people downsizing from SFD don't want to climb up and down multiple flights. Young parents don't want to carry children or laundry up and down multiple flights. Even the airbnb investors were skipping our unit as soon as one w less stairs became available. Ppl are really limiting their buyer options buying into bad layouts, kiss of death if we get to a point most buyers are end users again.

[@realTLC]

Hahhah here in my part of California these "starter" homes are 1.5 mil to 2 mil. I will count myself lucky if I one day can afford one.

[@SteveKarrasch]

We aint far off in Vancouver.

[@jeanminnick9617]

I wish every real estate listing included a floor plan!

[@davidinwashington]

I love these floor plan videos, keep em coming!

[@jayatlanta2560]

YES! Been waiting for this!

[@SteveKarrasch]

Tell your friends.

[@northsource7215]

stumbled across your video randomly. We have a 4 bdrm/ 3.5 bath, 2150 sq ft TH in Langley. What we really love about our floorplan is the 2 separate "living" spaces on the middle floor. ground level is the garage and 4th bdrm and full bath. We get a lot of compliments for the layout. it's interesting to see how others are laid out. good content!

[@SteveKarrasch]

Welcome!

[@m.b5777]

Good content. Another good video would be to point out the main features of detached homes, townhouses, condos that sell even in a bad market. Like what are the main characteristics of highly desirable properties

[@gregpendrey6711]

This is super helpful and I like how you use the cursor to help us see what your talking about. Just don't abuse the cursor it's not meant to make us dizzy haha. Happy to see more plans. Most of us never had or it is our first attached home.

[@thepilotist7297]

Great video. Would love to see a similar video about detached homes!

[@Queenskrossing]

I really enjoyed your floor plan videos. I grew up in real estate but am too sensitive of a person to be an agent.

[@SteveKarrasch]

You sure need a thick skin.

[@naughtscrossstitches]

Living almost in the tropics I find the concept of a coat closet really interesting. We don't have them. They aren't part of our floor plans. So a cupboard right near the front door doesn't make any sense in the same way. Your jumpers get put in your rooms, we don't do that whole take lots of layers off when you get home or put them on when you go out. BUT also we don't heat our houses the same way either so you often wear those layers at home.

[@5610winston]

24:20 I have lived for four months through the winter in an all-electric apartment during a bout of home repairs, and I will never again live without some form of combustion-based heating and cooking. Fireplace with gas logs, gas water heater, gas cooktop, you don't miss them 'til the grid goes out for several days.

[@mrachel3]

On the first one, I would move laundry to the utility room and convert the upstairs laundry to an en suite for the primary bedroom.

[@FerretKibble]

"Closed" plans all the way - on the "favourite" plan I was wondering how feasible making the main floor stairwell come into a wee hallway might be, so that you could have a guest ready dining room that isn't exposed to kitchen and the living room craft mess.

[@andrewgalloway9766]

im a bespoke builder For people who get what they want in uk, open plan favourability is waning again as buyers of family and retirement homes prefer to shut a kitchen door for all the original reasons preferring one or two stories only, the town house design shown are preferred by large builders cramming in units i like your choice of layout but developers lose 1 third of units with the wider layout we are now incorporating blocks of flats in with town houses and semi detached and detached two stories in the same development to keep the returns up but can bring areas down as the old adage of birds of a feather flock together that is people want family homes surrounded with family home retirement flats or bungalows together with singles willing to put up with singles /young couples liked and enjoyed info and how presented thanks

[@amylynn3821]

Wanted to see if there was anything like my townhouse and what you might think of it. Mine is sort of a hybrid of the one you liked and the last one. Only one car garage that opens into a rec room and also a full laundry/ utility on this floor with a full bath and a walkout to the garden. The formal front door is actually up a flight and opens into a foyer with a coat closet. The powder room is down one step off the first landing. The upstairs is similar to the one you like. When I bought it I wanted a bathroom on each floor, a lower level walkout that was not below grade and some separation between the kitchen and living rooms.

[@rpvitiello]

Interesting how the newer units are almost the same as 1950s and 60s townhouses in New Jersey/ NYC which aren’t that different from new construction here too.

[@SteveKarrasch]

It’s a density thing.

[@mariusdufour9186]

It's crazy that quite a few of these units would be illegal here in Brussels. You need to have a second door between a powder-room and any living or dining area. Bedrooms have to be 9m² or larger, with the primary bedroom being 14 m² or larger. The unit before the last one is definitely out. Also, what's up with having to walk through the garage to get to the Foyer and the staircase ? Now you need to keep your garage spotless for when guests come over, and it'll still be less classy than a separate pedestrian entrance. All these two car garages also seem like such a waste of space. Even if you have two cars, just park one outside in front of the garage. The shown end units are great and all, except that they don't have anywhere near enough windows in that third wall to make it worth it. Seems like a massive wasted opportunity. Similar units with two shared walls will cost less to heat or cool for very little loss in actual natural light, and they'll probably be less expensive to buy too.

[@Evangeline185]

None of those floor plans required you to walk through the garage, they all had a door separate from the garage.

[@gm2407]

Why are the washer and dryer always on the bedroom floor? Potential fire hazard blocking the escape route stairs. Surely placing in a walled of utility room downstairs is best.

[@vap57]

Greater Toronto Area here...surprised there are no basements. Most of the townhomes built here have a basement. Even some 3 level towns that have drive in garage on the ground floor have a small basement with laundry and utilities. Though there are also some three level towns with ground level drive in garage with no basement. What about staccked towns (IMO Yuck!). Are they a big thing in the GVA?

[@SteveKarrasch]

we built as vertical as possible here.

[@maryjanegibson7743]

We don't live in BC, and I find it astonishing how expensive it is to house a family there.

[@dorkusmaximus3033]

Thanks!

[@dolorescordell129]

Why do the contractors do floor plans where you have to go through a public area to get from the bedroom to a bathroom?? If I have company, I really don't want to have to dodge guests while running half naked from bathroom to bedroom!

[@Kev4Kev]

My question is why is the living room in the back in the first one I've never seen that in any townhome built in the 60's, 70's, 80's or 90's

[@CafeLu]

I love townhouses!

[@CafeLu]

And yes, I am also a weirdo that loves a galley kitchen.

[@SteveKarrasch]

Crazy!

[@lindsaywebb1904]

A central fireplace isn't so effective because the convection induced will naturally draw cold air from the perimeter creating drafts, that's why traditionally fireplaces are on the perimeter. They were moved to a more central position mostly based on the ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright who placed the hearth as the metaphorical heart of the home.

[@daniellecollier7276]

I have never heard this definition for a living room, I was always told the living room is the more formal area for guests and salespeople who magically found their way past the front door. It would be the one right at the front door because it's the clean, formal room that is mostly only used for company. The family room on the other hand is the casual, comfortable space where the family hangs out, it would be nice if it opens up to the kitchen, but it's hidden nature away from the front door was always the tell tale sign of family vs living room. I'm wondering if this definition is a Canadians thing...

[@evhvariac2]

I don’t like open concept. Closed concept is the best. Separation from noises and kitchen smells

[@JoeBlo-y4q]

Love those 3 bed townhomes! Will pay up to 35k! Call soon!!!!

[@catherinecarney2507]

$900,000 for a townhouse! This is why older people like me-I'm 58 and own my single-family home-can never move.

[@davealmer3803]

Just as bad in Ont some of the TH floor plans that are 13-1500Sqft are awful 3 levels and the bottom level is usually a waste of space 2nd lvl is so small often no room for a dinner table and decent furniture. The 3rd lvl says 3BR but in actuality its so small it s 2 BR+Den and 1 HR outside of GTA=650 000+ no wonder nobody can afford a home in Canada.

[@staceywacey1978]

I was with you until you said fewer bathrooms LOL. You need enough bathrooms to accommodate the number of butts that are usually in the house, because inevitably, there will be a situation where everyone is sick or having a potty emergency at the same time and that's where the extra bathrooms will come in handy.

[@sheelaghhalstead4549]

I dont see the big plus of kitchen sink being under a window. "Oh you can look outside when washing up.". But most cooks spend much more time chopping and slicing at a counter than they do washing up; even if they have no dishwasher. So I want my window above a counter.

[@Nic1700]

Friends of mine have a galley kitchen where there's counterspace below the window, and the sink opposite of it. They have mirror piece on the wall above the sink. I tend to dislike galley kitchens, but I find that makes them feel a bit brighter and more open.

[@Wds__99]

Can you review a floor plan i'm considering?

[@SteveKarrasch]

Sure... if you hire me to be your agent, its included in our fee.

[@briananderson8733]

Why would I want to drag guests from my front door to the back placed living room ? Family room is place to put kids while entertaining.

[@Harryfultzguzman]

Does the government know about this floor plan issues ? Some serious shyt.

[@Ynnsie]

I'm interested in what you say but the way you circle and circle and circle with your mouse - I get dizzy. Watch this episode - you go nuts with your mouse. I only lasted about 8 minutes. Too bad.

[@SteveKarrasch]

I can’t even last 6 minutes.