01/02/10 – Los Angeles – Small Single Family <2500 sqft

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Total: 0

Comment: Just one comment so far — I see red, orange and yellow markers on the map, but no green markers. I know that some townhomes last week fell into the green/slow (18-20/20) category, so why am I not seeing any green markers?

Project Name: Glenwood

Size: 1,564 sq ft

Project Address: Glenwood Victorville

Project URL: http://www.kbhome.com/Plan~PlanID~00350511-149.1558.aspx

Total: 11

Comment: I had difficulty visualizing how the furniture would work in the living room. The window is good as it lets light in, but the focal point would be where? on the outside of laundry/pantry block wall? Then would get in the way of the circulation path.
The Study could be in the Opt. Retreat.
The main Bedroom could have larger windows, and Bedroom 4 is awkward with the location of closet.

Project Name: FOUR SEASONS AT HEMET – INVITATIONALS 1

Size: 1772 sqft

Project Address: 251 Eagle Lane Hemet, CA 92545

Project URL: http://www.khov.com/Home/CA/749/ModelsAvailable/Invitationals1/InteractiveFloorPlan.htm

Total: 12

Comment:

Project Name: Mozaic

Size: UP to 1850 SQ ft

Project Address: 2660 E. Santa Ana Boulevard North in South Los Angeles CA

Project URL: http://www.leehomes.net/New_Homes/Select_Language/Mozaic/mozaic.html#Plans

Total: 5

Comment: What a nice new look! Thank you for continuing to make this project informative, user friendly, and a home that we are free to share and grow in.

Here are comments! Feel free to contact me if you have further questions or comments for me regarding them.
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New design- bugs etc. First I should tell you I am a firefox user if that has anything to do with issues or things I point out.

1. Looks like the GREEN of the location map is not working.
2. The compilation of the plans, in the sliding box with the scores, is showing same item at least TWICE.
3. Where am I to put the PLAN name or number I am looking at?
4. For launching the analyze plan form- I would have like some underline or other signifier that tells me to CLICK ON THIS.
5. Is EMAIL optional?

@
Matthew and John are you limiting us on the number of plans for the development? My first one has 5 that qualify (and many are so similar). Should I add them all?

Can we add a blurb or link to walk score (is it under learn more maybe?) and what is needed to be considered walkable (food within x or whatever!)?

Can we also put a side note in the test that whatever item you are scoring cannot be determined (like STUDY not included, outdoor living space is defined, or orientation is unknown) that you should put NO?

@
As for my first entry:

1. Note that mapquest was having an issue finding this project BUT not the walk score site. 49 was the return YUCK.

2. No site plan or orientation is available.

3. I will score PLAN 1 A
The Good. For under 1850 we have 3 decent bedrooms. They have enough closet place and TWO windows each! Master room windows- the bed may have to block one of them (Not known how high they are on the wall). We even have a study upstairs which I like since the public space on the first floor can get loud. The kitchen- has an unusual place/space for a pantry that I think would work. Enough counter space!

Not so good. Dining is complete disaster. No window- just THREE yes THREE entry doors . Upstairs HALL goes FOREVER. Living room is narrow, no focal, and not enough light.

Thanks!

Project Name: Olive Grove

Size: 2049 sq feet

Project Address: 14063 N. Carlton Lane, Sylmar, CA 91342

Project URL: http://www.leehomes.net/New_Homes/Olive_Grove/Floorplan_800.jpg

Total: 7

Comment: Again a home taken up by the garage.

We have a walk score of ZERO.

No site plan or orientation provided on this last unit (at least they could provide that for the last one).

Front entry has space, a good size closet, and nice separation. But the one off the garage …you are dropped into the kitchen. So I had to go with NO :(

Kitchen. It looks to be 14 by 10 which is a great size BUT. DARK- Not enough window space (needs at least double). TRAFFIC issues- Entry at back of it. The refrigerator to the peninsula is too tight. If you had the door open you could not walk past it. DESIGN (ok I know it is not in our slow measure but it is POOR). No excuse for having the dishwasher on the LEFT of the sink. The sink needs to be closer to the dining area making a more workable triangle. Is that a teeny tiny pantry behind the garage entry door?

The master closet is way too big but the room and other bedrooms are just fine. These are baths that are compact and work (though the master vanity really should only have one sink).

I scored this as a study WITHOUT the optional bedroom. With laundry right across from it, which can be noisy, we really need wall with a door.

thanks!

Project Name: Brookville at river village

Size: 2756

Project Address: 28723 Calle De La Paz Santa Clarita CA, 91350

Project URL: http://www.newhomesource.com/homedetail/market-24/planid-537031

Total: 11

Comment:

Project Name: Laurel Park

Size: 1830 sq feet

Project Address: 17420 Winter Pine Way Santa Clarita, CA 91387

Project URL: http://www.pardeehomes.com/fair-oaks-ranch/laurel-park/floorplans/plan1/

Total: 9

Comment: This plan has potential. They needed to take it a little further. As it stands if we had a walkable location and a EAST or North orientation it would be a moderately slow home.

They minimized the windows from the side of the home and had decent sized ones in back. ALL rooms orient to the backyard of the home! The bedrooms work, closets are decent sized, and I love the ability to have a deck off the master. The kitchen is a classic compact design we all have seen.

But the downfalls. We see some wasted space on the first floor. The entries- too big for the front and poor from the garage. Baths- The 1/2 bath has issue with being narrow and the door swing. The master bathroom gave a zipcode to the toilet space. They tried to get a “tech space” in but it fell short.

Project Name: Stetson Ranch, Canyon Country – the “Remington 5″

Size:

Project Address:

Project URL: http://www.khov.com/InteractiveFloorPlan.asp?Path=/Channels/Home/CA/781/ModelsAvailable/782R2/InteractiveFloorPlan

Total: 11

Comment: Only a 46 walkability; orientation unknown; I thought the master bath was awkward with the tub in the middle like that… Otherwise, not too bad.

Project Name: Stetson Ranch

Size: 2900

Project Address: 15978 Thompson Ranch Drive, Santa Clarita, California 91387

Project URL: http://www.americanhomeguides.com/floorplans/details/HPC-148688/9410054.html

Total: 10

Comment:

Project Name: Acacia @ Rosena Ranch — Residence 1

Size: 2129 sq ft

Project Address: 34.184304,-117.410407

Project URL: http://www.lennar.com/New-Homes/California/San-Bernardino/Acacia-At-Rosena-Ranch/Residence-1

Total: 7

Comment: Walkscore: 0/100!

Project Name: Sedano @ Rosena Ranch — Residence 1

Size: 1975 sq ft

Project Address: 34.183713,-117.412888

Project URL: http://www.lennar.com/New-Homes/California/San-Bernardino/Sedano-At-Rosena-Ranch/Residence-1

Total: 5

Comment: Walkscore 0/100!
The website is missing a properly labeled site plan that shows where this house is in the community, so I right-clicked on the google map and chose “what’s here?” and it displays an x and y coordinate that is of a specific lot that I randomly chose. This is also the reason why I don’t think this unit deserves the orientation point since if any house can go on any lot then the design was not intentionally oriented to ‘take advantage of the sun’.

Project Name: Alpine @ Willow Ranch, Plan 1

Size: 1234 sq. ft.

Project Address: 7482 Hooper Bay Rd, Corona, CA

Project URL: http://www.kbhome.com/Community~CommID~00350623.aspx

Total: 11

Comment:

Project Name: Mondrian — Typical Floorplan

Size: 2400 sq ft

Project Address: 33.972899, -118.419939

Project URL: http://www.leehomes.net/New_Homes/Mondrian/mondrian.html

Total: 17

Comment: Except for the entry, this plan is really good. Funny – this is the EXACT same developer that produced Apartment/Loft week’s Gomer Pyle – The Market Lofts! The circulation around the dining are is not so good, as is the way the route through the master to the master ensuite leaves a strip of wasted space along the side of the room since you couldn’t place a chair there without bumping into it every time you wanted to change your shirt.

Comment:

Project Name: Pacific Laurel, Plan Two

Size: 2154 sq ft

Project Address: same as above?

Project URL: http://pacificcommunities.com/pacificlaurel/residences.html

Slow Home Test Score: 6

Comment:

Project Name: Aria @ West Creek — Residence 2

Size: 1897 sq ft

Project Address: 28847 Coal Mountain Ct, Santa Clarita, CA

Project URL: http://www.lennar.com/New-Homes/California/Los-Angeles/Aria-At-West-Creek/Residence-2

Slow Home Test Score: 8

Comment: There is a siteplan with this development! The garage does not take the entire front of house which is nice. I like the dining and secondary bedrooms.

Windows are everywhere so sun will be everywhere. This house has a family room and living room and I looked at them equally. Issue I have is with the super bath and where in the master am I to put a bed? Then I was not sure what was going on in the kitchen. Are those extra appliances? The door from the garage is here too.

Project Name: Pacific Crest

Size: 1850 – Plan 5

Project Address: 1900 cherry ave 90755

Project URL: http://www.anastasi.com/adc/pc_a1.html

Slow Home Test Score: 7

Comment: ****John,
Homes with more than one space for a similar function, what shall we do?

This really will show up next week. Bigger homes may have more duplication type of scenarios (game room, great room((though I look as these as the combo eat and live space)), family room, living room, theatre room… an upstair loft which could flex). Friends of ours have two den/office.

For an earlier plan I had a family on second floor and living on first and I looked at both for the living measure. I liked one but not the other but I said YES.

Any thoughts on these situations?

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Slow Home Test Score: 0

Comment: Back Entry is laundry room, making laundry room difficult to keep clean. Nook will only fit a very small table. Family room is ok, but I think couch will be very far from either fireplace or tv. The living room at the front will not be used. Both Bed 2 and 3 have sideyard view. Master bathroom is weird with opposite sinks.

Project Name: Montecito @ Rancho Conejo — Residence 1

Size: 2502 sq ft

Project Address: 1591 Arroyo View St, Thousand Oaks, CA

Project URL: http://www.shapellhomes.com/communities/smartplan.cfm?plan=south-montecito-1.swf&community_id=329

Slow Home Test Score: 2

Comment: This must be a narrow lot, since there is no connection to all to a decent outdoor space (the porch is unfortunately cut straight through by circulation, leaving 2 small spaces on either half). I think that the location of the stair in relation to the position of the front door (centered on the facade) makes for a really poor set of spaces on the main floor. I also think that there are way too many bathrooms (I took the optional bed 3 as the basis for my review).

Project Name: Las Brisas at Porter Ranch — Residence 5

Size: 1645 sq ft

Project Address: 20327 Paseo Meriana Northridge, CA

Project URL: http://www.shapellhomes.com/communities/smartplan.cfm?plan=south-las_brisas-5.swf&community_id=332

Slow Home Test Score: 6

Comment:

Project Name: Carriage House

Size: About 1000 sq ft

Project Address:

Project URL: http://www.robinsonresidences.com/Residences/CarriageHouse/Carriage_Plans.asp

Slow Home Test Score: 9

Comment: M.A.M
In response to your question about multiple rooms, in general I would say you need to be skeptical. Too often, these redundant spaces are used to make the house sound better and more grand on the feature sheet. Sometimes, a second living space can work well if it is for a loud use(media) or a quiet one (reading) that needs to be away from the rest of the living space.

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Slow Home Test Score: 0

Comment:

Project Name: Oak Crest

Size: 1, 830 Sq. Ft

Project Address: 27311 Rose Mallow Lane Santa Clarita, CA 91387

Project URL: http://www.pardeehomes.com/fair-oaks-ranch/oak-crest/floorplans/plan-2/

Slow Home Test Score: 8

Comment: There are a number of unusual things about this house. It is odd to have the family room in the same room as the kitchen, separating the kitchen from the dining room. The living room has no focus point.
The Master bathroom is the most unusual I’ve seen so far, with two walk in closets, and an over-sized tub in the middle of the room. The bathroom with it’s closets is larger than the Master bedroom its self. The Master bathroom entering from the kitchen/family room is unappealing.

It was difficult to distinguish where the optional bedroom would fit into the plan.

Project Name: Cherry Hill

Size: 2, 600 sq/ft

Project Address: 13834 Eaton Hollow Ave Moorpark, CA 93021

Project URL: http://www.pardeehomes.com/moorpark-highlands/cherry-hill/floorplans/plan-1/

Slow Home Test Score: 5

Comment: Walk Score – 6

Orientation and Lot Location information is not provided.

Master bedroom located in back corner of house (behind garage), while all other bedrooms are in the top right-hand corner

Great room does not have access to exterior (only through dining room)

Proper entry foyer.

Great room offers built-n cabinets and a fireplace. Large windows.

Outdoor living is only accessible through the dining room.

Master ensuite is well laid out, water closet foor other bedrooms is very tight for space,

Project Name: Madera at Medallion – Plan 1 Floor Plan

Size: 2319 sq ft

Project Address: 11723 Christmas Rose Drive, Bakersfield CA, 93311

Project URL: http://www.beazer.com/new-homes-for-sale/Bakersfield-CA-Medallion-new_home-Madera_at_Medallion_-_Plan_1-135409.aspx

Slow Home Test Score: 10

Comment:

Project Name: SILVER LEAF-BEAZER HOMES Plan 2

Size: 2684 ft sq

Project Address: Putney Road and Kiblurn

Project URL: http://www.losangelesreguide.com/floorplan-detail-listing.php?CID=HPC-151665|9417269

Slow Home Test Score: 4

Comment:

Project Name: Palmdale Homes

Size: 1165m sq

Project Address: Palmdale, California

Project URL: http://www.newhomes.com/houses/homedetail.jsp?regionid=3587&homeid=108410&luxury_homes=false&siteid=1&picform=2&displayarea=1#

Slow Home Test Score: 8

Comment:

Project Name: Sedona II at Terreno

Size: 1413 sq ft

Project Address: Lancaster

Project URL: http://www.newhomesource.com/homedetail/market-24/planid-789253

Slow Home Test Score: 8

Comment:

Project Name: Bedford at Terreno Vista

Size: 2205 sq ft

Project Address: lancaster

Project URL: http://www.newhomesource.com/homedetail/market-24/planid-789251

Slow Home Test Score: 4

Comment:

Project Name: Pacific Legacy Piedra

Size: 2149 sq ft

Project Address: Lancaster

Project URL: http://www.newhomesource.com/homedetail/market-24/planid-793266

Slow Home Test Score: 16

Comment: I found the dining table in an awkward position, ad well as the path that lead through the living room between the furniture and tv.

Project Name: The Mews

Size: 1603

Project Address: 4254 – 4300 Perlita Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90039

Project URL: http://www.thegreenmews.com/pdf/4300.pdf

Slow Home Test Score: 14

Comment: My system at work is limited to IE7 .. I have no red/orange/yellow/green tags showing up tat all

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Slow Home Test Score: 0