Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 657 sqm (approx. 23m x 28.5m / 75ft x 94ft)
Slope: Level ground
Site coverage: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Boundary building: Garage may be built on the property line
Number of parking spaces: 2 parking spaces
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge height 10m (33ft), eaves height 6m (20ft)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Urban villa
Basement, floors: No basement, 2 full floors
Number of occupants, age: 2 people, 30 years old, later 2 children
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office, family use or home office: Family use
Open or closed layout: Open
Traditional or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Both
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: Yes
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony
Garage, carport: Double garage
Cistern connected to garden and garage
House Design
Planner: Architect working together with us
What is liked most? Large living/dining area, bay window with garden view, spacious rooms
Estimated price according to architect/planner: Still gathering offers; expected to be between 280k and 300k including the plot
Personal price limit for house including fittings: 350k
Preferred heating technology: Geothermal with probe
Good morning,
I’m reaching out again. We are soon entering the final planning phase. After parting ways 2 ½ months ago with our preferred builder just before signing the contract, we decided to take matters into our own hands. On one hand, to build the house more cost-effectively, and on the other, to tailor it more individually to our wishes without overpaying.
We have already requested and compared quotes for most trades. Some are still missing, for example interior doors, interior and exterior plastering, and stairs. But the shell construction, windows, heating, ventilation, plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and roofing are already settled.
Soon we would like to submit the building permit application (sometimes called planning permission). Currently, we are finalizing the floor plan with our architect. Since you gave valuable advice a few months ago, I would like to ask for your input again now.
A few notes:
- We have already arranged for the “Sleeping” room on the upper floor to be slightly reduced in favor of the storage room and the children's room in the next plan update.
- The fireplace will be further detailed, and the double door to the living room will be shifted slightly further to the left to enlarge the wall for the living room cabinet.
- The staircase is drawn incorrectly; it should actually be a half-landing staircase.
Notes on the floor plan:
Ground floor:
- Living area: 88.72 sqm (approx. 955 sq ft)
- Usable area: 63.51 sqm (approx. 684 sq ft)
Upper floor:
- Living area: 78.4 sqm (approx. 844 sq ft)
Total:
- Living area: 167.12 sqm (approx. 1,799 sq ft)
- Usable area: 63.51 sqm (approx. 684 sq ft)
I welcome any questions or feedback.
Thank you and best regards,
Michael
Two images have been added to the original thread from the discussion. Regards, Yvonne, Mod
Plot size: 657 sqm (approx. 23m x 28.5m / 75ft x 94ft)
Slope: Level ground
Site coverage: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Boundary building: Garage may be built on the property line
Number of parking spaces: 2 parking spaces
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge height 10m (33ft), eaves height 6m (20ft)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Urban villa
Basement, floors: No basement, 2 full floors
Number of occupants, age: 2 people, 30 years old, later 2 children
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office, family use or home office: Family use
Open or closed layout: Open
Traditional or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Both
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: Yes
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony
Garage, carport: Double garage
Cistern connected to garden and garage
House Design
Planner: Architect working together with us
What is liked most? Large living/dining area, bay window with garden view, spacious rooms
Estimated price according to architect/planner: Still gathering offers; expected to be between 280k and 300k including the plot
Personal price limit for house including fittings: 350k
Preferred heating technology: Geothermal with probe
Good morning,
I’m reaching out again. We are soon entering the final planning phase. After parting ways 2 ½ months ago with our preferred builder just before signing the contract, we decided to take matters into our own hands. On one hand, to build the house more cost-effectively, and on the other, to tailor it more individually to our wishes without overpaying.
We have already requested and compared quotes for most trades. Some are still missing, for example interior doors, interior and exterior plastering, and stairs. But the shell construction, windows, heating, ventilation, plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and roofing are already settled.
Soon we would like to submit the building permit application (sometimes called planning permission). Currently, we are finalizing the floor plan with our architect. Since you gave valuable advice a few months ago, I would like to ask for your input again now.
A few notes:
- We have already arranged for the “Sleeping” room on the upper floor to be slightly reduced in favor of the storage room and the children's room in the next plan update.
- The fireplace will be further detailed, and the double door to the living room will be shifted slightly further to the left to enlarge the wall for the living room cabinet.
- The staircase is drawn incorrectly; it should actually be a half-landing staircase.
Notes on the floor plan:
Ground floor:
- Living area: 88.72 sqm (approx. 955 sq ft)
- Usable area: 63.51 sqm (approx. 684 sq ft)
Upper floor:
- Living area: 78.4 sqm (approx. 844 sq ft)
Total:
- Living area: 167.12 sqm (approx. 1,799 sq ft)
- Usable area: 63.51 sqm (approx. 684 sq ft)
I welcome any questions or feedback.
Thank you and best regards,
Michael
Two images have been added to the original thread from the discussion. Regards, Yvonne, Mod
In my opinion, these floor plans are not yet ready for construction approval, as they are not consistent. The ground floor includes a large amount of circulation space, including an entrance area/lobby leading to the garage. The staircase has 19 steps, which would only be justified with a clear ceiling height of 3.00 meters (10 feet). I do not see this ceiling height in the elevations. Additionally, the stairwell is very long. The bay projection in the living/dining room complicates and potentially increases the cost of the floor plan, especially if the basement floor plan does not align with it. The children on the upper floor do not really need a balcony; if at all, it would make more sense for the parents in connection with the bedroom. I find the garage oversized, even in comparison to the house itself.
On the upper floor, the bathroom is generously sized; whether it truly needs to be almost 13 m² (140 sq ft) after furnishing remains to be seen. The storage room seems more like leftover space and is poorly proportioned for practical use. The door arrangement in the bedroom, together with the flush window, makes it impossible to build a large wardrobe. At minimum, the door should be moved toward the bathroom.
The kitchen on the ground floor, the guest toilet on the ground floor, and the bathroom on the upper floor are located in three different areas, which complicates and increases the cost of plumbing installations.
I would not commit to the building type "townhouse" at this stage. The term is associated with particular expectations regarding the building form and proportions (square footprint; hipped roof; bay windows, etc.), which might be impractical in your specific building situation. Perhaps your spatial requirements would be better suited to an open floor plan from which a building form can develop that is not predetermined. This is the architect’s work, known as preliminary design and design phases (LPh 1-3).
Furthermore, the house should also be an expression of individual living and lifestyle. For the construction budget, I would want to build a more interesting house with a clear architectural statement. You should reconsider your overall building project and approach the design process with more openness. Additionally, compliance with building and planning regulations (building permit/planning permission) must of course be ensured.
On the upper floor, the bathroom is generously sized; whether it truly needs to be almost 13 m² (140 sq ft) after furnishing remains to be seen. The storage room seems more like leftover space and is poorly proportioned for practical use. The door arrangement in the bedroom, together with the flush window, makes it impossible to build a large wardrobe. At minimum, the door should be moved toward the bathroom.
The kitchen on the ground floor, the guest toilet on the ground floor, and the bathroom on the upper floor are located in three different areas, which complicates and increases the cost of plumbing installations.
I would not commit to the building type "townhouse" at this stage. The term is associated with particular expectations regarding the building form and proportions (square footprint; hipped roof; bay windows, etc.), which might be impractical in your specific building situation. Perhaps your spatial requirements would be better suited to an open floor plan from which a building form can develop that is not predetermined. This is the architect’s work, known as preliminary design and design phases (LPh 1-3).
Furthermore, the house should also be an expression of individual living and lifestyle. For the construction budget, I would want to build a more interesting house with a clear architectural statement. You should reconsider your overall building project and approach the design process with more openness. Additionally, compliance with building and planning regulations (building permit/planning permission) must of course be ensured.
Watcher78 schrieb:
I find most rooms simply too narrow, as BeHaElJa already mentioned, they are shaped like corridors. I don’t like the floor plan. The elevations look okay to me.Do you dislike the floor plan because you find the rooms too narrow, or is there another reason?
If you think "most" rooms are too narrow, that would apply to about half to three-quarters of them...
Here’s a quick list of the narrowest rooms in the floor plan:
WC 1.4 meters wide (4.6 feet) – you might be right here, though this room is mainly meant for washing hands and using the toilet. In emergencies, it could also be used for showering.
Storage room 1.5 meters wide (5 feet) – a closet on one side as storage space should be enough.
Utility room 2.44 meters wide (8 feet) – this should be sufficient, right?
Bathroom 2.44 meters wide (8 feet) – should also be adequate.
Child’s room 1 2.88 meters wide (9.5 feet) – enough space.
All other rooms are wider than 3 meters (9.8 feet).
At the moment, we are at 225,000 euros including the plot, but as mentioned, a few trades are still missing. Of course, the targeted 300,000 euros does not include garden, terrace, etc. The limit, as mentioned above, is 350,000 euros. We can only hope it will be cheaper ;-).
Regards,
Michael
W. Pickartz schrieb:
which can only be maintained with very disciplined planning and a very basic construction and finishing standard. That’s exactly what I wrote. I based it on my own building project, which is in Lower Saxony but still, the standard offers were all around €1300 per square meter, and now we are at €1650 per square meter with some extras that were not considered in the initial offers.
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