ᐅ Single-Family Home Planning: Requests for Help, Tips, Suggestions, and Feedback Welcome
Created on: 8 Feb 2016 13:59
M
McEgg
Since we are just slowly starting to plan our single-family home, I would like to share it here for feedback. I’m sure many people will have tips, suggestions, and even criticism that could help us. I’m trying not to write a long novel to avoid overwhelming readers and to keep it readable.
Plot details:
Key zoning plan specifications:
Our basic wishes:
About us:
We are still undecided about how to build. Therefore, I said I want to look into companies from the following categories:
Prefabricated house (timber frame construction):
We visited the prefab house center in Mannheim several times. Based on online research and recommendations from acquaintances who have built with this company, we had an appointment with Fertighaus Weiss GmbH. The consultant took a lot of time for an initial meeting (5 hours) and planned a first draft house with us. It’s basically a first idea based on what we have expressed as our wishes. As a first draft to see what is roughly possible on the plot, I think it’s okay. But it’s not yet something that convinces us. Here are just the ground floor and upper floor:
Comments:
Other appointments:
What do you think of our current approach and draft?
Plot details:
- 540 m² (approximately 5800 sq ft)
- 19 m (62 ft) wide
- Garden facing south
- Flat terrain
- Currently undeveloped
- New residential area (30 plots) in Rhein-Pfalz district
- High groundwater expected (requires waterproof basement construction, “white” or “black” tank)
Key zoning plan specifications:
- Floor area ratio (FAR) 0.3
- Total floor area ratio 0.6
- 2 full stories permitted
- Maximum wall height 4.5 m (15 ft)
- Maximum ridge height 9.5 m (31 ft)
- Gable or hip roof with pitch between 30° and 45°
- Dormers may cover up to half of each building side’s width; each individual dormer may cover up to one third of the building width, maximum 4 m (13 ft)
- Garage must be at least 5 m (16 ft) behind the street building line
- Garage allowed on only one side of the building
Our basic wishes:
- Usable basement (waterproof construction, “white” or “black” tank)
- Ground floor
- Shower bathroom
- Office
- Open kitchen-living-dining area
- Fireplace in living-dining area
- Pantry
- Entrance vestibule (?)
- Straight staircase to the upper floor
- Upper floor
- Main bathroom
- Master bedroom
- Walk-in closet
- 2 children’s rooms
- Gallery (?)
- Double garage
- With access to pantry (not sure if allowed in Rhein-Pfalz)
- Construction style
- Simple, modern, clean lines
- High ceilings
- Unfortunately, due to zoning, no upper floor without sloped ceilings possible
- Budget
- I estimate we’ll end up around 350,000 € (house only, without land), probably about 10% higher
About us:
- She: born 1982, teacher (civil servant)
- He: born 1981, executive at a large German mid-sized company (approx. 6,000 employees worldwide)
- Child 1: born late 2015, mostly just kicking, drooling, sleeping, and eating at the moment
- Child 2: still swimming like a tadpole in the Rhine
We are still undecided about how to build. Therefore, I said I want to look into companies from the following categories:
- Prefabricated houses (timber frame construction)
- Property developer (solid masonry construction)
- Architect
Prefabricated house (timber frame construction):
We visited the prefab house center in Mannheim several times. Based on online research and recommendations from acquaintances who have built with this company, we had an appointment with Fertighaus Weiss GmbH. The consultant took a lot of time for an initial meeting (5 hours) and planned a first draft house with us. It’s basically a first idea based on what we have expressed as our wishes. As a first draft to see what is roughly possible on the plot, I think it’s okay. But it’s not yet something that convinces us. Here are just the ground floor and upper floor:
Comments:
- The width of 10 m (33 ft) results from 19 m (62 ft) plot width minus 6 m (20 ft) double garage (boundary building) and 3 m (10 ft) clearance to neighbor
- Negative ground floor aspects:
- No entrance vestibule
- Passage from hallway to living area too narrow
- Lower right area of living space (right next to staircase / above “office”) is too narrow (we have a large sofa)
- Ground floor
- Arrange shower bathroom and pantry vertically
- Access to pantry from kitchen side upstairs
- Position office horizontally instead of vertically
- This allows moving the staircase to the left wall of the pantry, creating more space for passage and living area
- Upper floor
- Moving the stairs causes a problem upstairs that I have not yet solved
- I generally like the upper floor layout, but because the stairs access is on the left side, I cannot reach the walk-in closet anymore
- I do not want the walk-in closet to be a pass-through room (!)
Other appointments:
- Appointment with property developer (Missivbau) scheduled for early March
- Appointment with architect scheduled for early March
What do you think of our current approach and draft?
The available plot is almost identical to yours, including dimensions and the roof slopes on the first floor. Yesterday, I started planning. The challenge is to meet the demands of functionality, design, and my wife’s requirements.
I will share my idea as soon as I have something on paper.
I will share my idea as soon as I have something on paper.
Yes, I’m quite interested. In the meantime, we have created our own floor plan using Sweet Home 3D, which we like so far. Whether the whole thing is truly feasible will have to be confirmed by a professional. However, I expect that some changes will still be made once it’s reviewed by someone with real expertise.
No, but as I said, it’s completely unprofessionally put together by us and doesn’t include any measurements. We wouldn’t be surprised if the house ends up looking completely different. So far, we haven’t had any real discussions with an architect.
In the draft, the house is 10 meters (33 feet) wide and 11 meters (36 feet) long.
I can’t manage the roof with the tool. The basement isn’t included, as the layout is relatively unimportant.
The bathroom on the upper floor is causing us the most problems. We’ll see what comes of it once we actually sit down with someone.
In the draft, the house is 10 meters (33 feet) wide and 11 meters (36 feet) long.
I can’t manage the roof with the tool. The basement isn’t included, as the layout is relatively unimportant.
The bathroom on the upper floor is causing us the most problems. We’ll see what comes of it once we actually sit down with someone.
I really like this. I appreciate the openness towards the kitchen.
However, I don’t like the storage room being too long – I would sacrifice some space there and give it to the hallway at the entrance instead.
I would move the garage slightly closer to the terrace – that way, you’ll create a more sheltered spot from the wind.
Are you building with a basement? How did you decide on that?
However, I don’t like the storage room being too long – I would sacrifice some space there and give it to the hallway at the entrance instead.
I would move the garage slightly closer to the terrace – that way, you’ll create a more sheltered spot from the wind.
Are you building with a basement? How did you decide on that?
It's good to hear that this seems like a solid starting point.
If I shorten the storage room, I would lose the wall space needed for the TV unit. In the plan, the storage room is about 150 x 350 cm (5 x 11.5 feet). What do you mean when you say that a smaller storage room would benefit the hallway?
The idea with the garage isn’t bad, actually. However, that would make the driveway even bigger... On the plan, the house is set back 3 meters (10 feet) from the street and the garage 8 meters (26 feet). According to the development plan, the house must be at least 3 meters (10 feet) and the garage at least 5 meters (16 feet) back.
Yes, there will also be a basement. But it will only be a utility basement with a hobby room or something similar. We haven’t decided on the layout yet. I just don’t want to regret not having a basement in 10 years. It’s much harder to add one later on.
Maybe it’s all a bit too big. We’ll see. Eventually, the plan might be scaled down. Kids’ rooms of 17–18 m² (183–194 square feet) do seem quite large.
If I shorten the storage room, I would lose the wall space needed for the TV unit. In the plan, the storage room is about 150 x 350 cm (5 x 11.5 feet). What do you mean when you say that a smaller storage room would benefit the hallway?
The idea with the garage isn’t bad, actually. However, that would make the driveway even bigger... On the plan, the house is set back 3 meters (10 feet) from the street and the garage 8 meters (26 feet). According to the development plan, the house must be at least 3 meters (10 feet) and the garage at least 5 meters (16 feet) back.
Yes, there will also be a basement. But it will only be a utility basement with a hobby room or something similar. We haven’t decided on the layout yet. I just don’t want to regret not having a basement in 10 years. It’s much harder to add one later on.
Maybe it’s all a bit too big. We’ll see. Eventually, the plan might be scaled down. Kids’ rooms of 17–18 m² (183–194 square feet) do seem quite large.
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