The Islander 4 is another variation of our popular Islander house plan that is simple to construct. The Islander 4 was modified for our client who needed a simpler plan with wood siding and no hearth. With their drive from the north east and plenty of land, we were able to move the garage doors from the east wall close to the front door to the north side. Now the front yard has more room for landscaping.

The Islander 4 is another variation of our popular Islander house plan that is simple to construct. The Islander 4 was modified for our client who needed a simpler plan with wood siding and no hearth. With their drive from the north east and plenty of land, we were able to move the garage doors from the east wall close to the front door to the north side. Now the front yard has more room for landscaping.

First Floor

It still boasts the large informal dining, kitchen, and great room as other Islanders but with an emphasis on shelves for books and collections. With the door to the basement at the bottom of the stairs, the foyer and kitchen area has a little more character. The master bathroom has been slightly revised, but it is still large and private, yet nearby the other bedrooms. Garage The garage is attached on the north and would function well with the doors on the west or east as well. Since it is stepped down from the house, the ceilings are extra high.

Basement

Their land did not slope enough to the south to allow for glass on the south basement wall, but they still needed the full basement for the workshop space it provided. The small amount of windows will bring ample light and the door to the outside makes adding large equipment easy.

Construction Info

The roof is designed to be constructed with trusses which allows for a very open first floor. The entire kitchen, dining, and great room are designed to be open and vaulted with scissor trusses. In non-vaulted areas, the ceilings are 8' on both the first floor and in the basement There is enough glass to be considered passive solar, but since it does not have an excessive amount of south glass it requires no additional thermal mass in the floors or walls to maintain interior comfort. This is called sun-tempering.

Modification Ideas

Since these ideas may affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should only be undertaken with professional assistance.

- Move the garage doors to the west if your land allows.
- If your land slopes to the south, add a full daylight basement for extra bedrooms or studios - Widen the doors and halls, and remove the steps for a wheelchair friendly plan.
- Increase the south glass and interior mass for higher solar gain
- Add a full front porch and change the roof to metal for more of a farm house look.

Read more about the drawings available for various Sun Plans.