DESIGN QUESTION - New Construction

[Karen Margrave]

We're building a home on a lot that's a few blocks from the ocean, in Capistrano Beach, Orange County, CA. It will be around 2800 sq. ft. with 4 Bdrms and 3 Baths. Asking price will be around $1.2 million. New construction is extremely rare. The lot is an interior lot. (pics below, taken with quad copter and gopro) in an established neighborhood that is a small cul de sac with around 6 other houses. There is no direct view of the ocean. However; if we do a rooftop deck, there's some view.

The house will be 2 stories, and have a back yard that's about 30' deep. QUESTION:

1. Would you put the bedrooms and laundry on the main floor, with living space on the 2nd floor and stairway to rooftop deck?
2. Living space on the main floor, opening to outdoor area, with bedrooms on 2nd floor (master would have small deck), and a small loft space with stairway to roof top deck?

[Will Barnard]

Karen, most of the homes in beach areas where you find kitchens and living space on the second floor is when you have hillside where the garage and entry are on that floor and then you go downstairs to bedrooms.

If your garage and entry will be on first level, I highly recommend you do kitchen and living areas on first floor with bedrooms on second floor. Aside from it being more conforming, you need to consider that buyers will not want to be carrying groceries up a flight of stairs to the kitchen and having living space above the bedrooms causes plenty of foot traffic noise below for those sleeping.