Hello everyone,
We are fortunate to have acquired a plot in a new development area. However, the building envelope seems to be designed more for a duplex than for a detached single-family home. Since our neighbors and we would prefer a detached single-family house, we are looking for solutions and improvements to the architect’s floor plan. As our family owns a construction company and we are receiving a “discount” because of this, we are somewhat tied to the architect, even though the design doesn’t always maximize the potential.
Therefore, I would like to ask you to take a look at the floor plan. I have also attached another draft of my own. I am open to suggestions and opinions.
First, the required information:
Development Plan / Restrictions: Development plan attached
Plot size: 446m² (4799 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Building envelope: 11 x 13.5m (36 x 44 ft), but due to setback, max. 8.5 x 13.5m (28 x 44 ft)
Building line and boundaries: –
Edge development: –
Number of parking spaces: 1.5
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: all types allowed
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: northwest
Maximum height/restrictions: eaves height 6m (20 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern single-family house with a hipped roof
Basement, floors: no basement, but two full floors plus attic
Number of people, ages: three people plus dog (32/30/1/1)
Space requirements, ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor – preferably guest room and pantry
Office: family use
Guest stays per year: ~40 overnight stays from family members
Open or closed layout: open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern construction: a bit of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: cooking (half) island
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: none
Sound/TV wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: none
Garage, carport: garage as shown on the plan
Utility garden, greenhouse: none
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
House Design
Planning by:
- Architect from a construction company
- Attached is a draft without exact dimensions, created DIY by you with Floorplanner
What do you especially like?
Orientation of living rooms towards south/southwest, space utilized under the stairs
What do you not like?
Side entrance. Because the entrance is on the side and the garage is set back, parking will be awkward and there is no room to place a doormat in front of the door…
Only 3.5m (11.5 ft) width for the living room, 4m (13 ft) would be preferable. However, I don’t like the hallway/staircase in my own design either because the stairs feel cramped and the hallway is quite long.
Architect/planner's price estimate: approximately €330,000 turnkey
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: €330,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump with controlled ventilation system
What can you give up, if necessary?
- Possible to give up: garage, to gain 50cm (20 inches) more space closer to the property boundary
- Cannot give up: guest room on the ground floor would be desirable
We are fortunate to have acquired a plot in a new development area. However, the building envelope seems to be designed more for a duplex than for a detached single-family home. Since our neighbors and we would prefer a detached single-family house, we are looking for solutions and improvements to the architect’s floor plan. As our family owns a construction company and we are receiving a “discount” because of this, we are somewhat tied to the architect, even though the design doesn’t always maximize the potential.
Therefore, I would like to ask you to take a look at the floor plan. I have also attached another draft of my own. I am open to suggestions and opinions.
First, the required information:
Development Plan / Restrictions: Development plan attached
Plot size: 446m² (4799 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Building envelope: 11 x 13.5m (36 x 44 ft), but due to setback, max. 8.5 x 13.5m (28 x 44 ft)
Building line and boundaries: –
Edge development: –
Number of parking spaces: 1.5
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: all types allowed
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: northwest
Maximum height/restrictions: eaves height 6m (20 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern single-family house with a hipped roof
Basement, floors: no basement, but two full floors plus attic
Number of people, ages: three people plus dog (32/30/1/1)
Space requirements, ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor – preferably guest room and pantry
Office: family use
Guest stays per year: ~40 overnight stays from family members
Open or closed layout: open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern construction: a bit of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: cooking (half) island
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: none
Sound/TV wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: none
Garage, carport: garage as shown on the plan
Utility garden, greenhouse: none
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
House Design
Planning by:
- Architect from a construction company
- Attached is a draft without exact dimensions, created DIY by you with Floorplanner
What do you especially like?
Orientation of living rooms towards south/southwest, space utilized under the stairs
What do you not like?
Side entrance. Because the entrance is on the side and the garage is set back, parking will be awkward and there is no room to place a doormat in front of the door…
Only 3.5m (11.5 ft) width for the living room, 4m (13 ft) would be preferable. However, I don’t like the hallway/staircase in my own design either because the stairs feel cramped and the hallway is quite long.
Architect/planner's price estimate: approximately €330,000 turnkey
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: €330,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump with controlled ventilation system
What can you give up, if necessary?
- Possible to give up: garage, to gain 50cm (20 inches) more space closer to the property boundary
- Cannot give up: guest room on the ground floor would be desirable
For a narrow house, a different staircase design is naturally more suitable—one that doesn’t extend too far in depth but is stretched out centrally.
A bay window is allowed, and it should be planned where extra space is needed. I would also consider 3.5 x 3.5 meters (11.5 x 11.5 feet) too small for a living room corner, but the bay window shown here compensates for that size.
A bay window is allowed, and it should be planned where extra space is needed. I would also consider 3.5 x 3.5 meters (11.5 x 11.5 feet) too small for a living room corner, but the bay window shown here compensates for that size.
I would use the bay window for the living room—symmetry aside—or choose a different approach. Also, be aware that 12 m (39 feet) is not enough to create a quiet zone. If the dishwasher is running, you won’t just see it, you’ll hear it too.
Five square meters (54 square feet) for the utility room need to be very well planned... at least if you want to do laundry there as well.
The architect’s design is better than yours.
Five square meters (54 square feet) for the utility room need to be very well planned... at least if you want to do laundry there as well.
The architect’s design is better than yours.
P
Painkiller31 May 2016 08:59Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention. The 3.4m (11 feet) allocated for the kitchen with the island is fixed. We already have the kitchen, and it will be brought along.
In our current apartment, we have an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area measuring 3.4 x 11m (11 x 36 feet). However, the entrance is directly in the kitchen. We are already used to having to plan around things like the dishwasher, making sure it doesn’t run when we want to watch a quiet movie, for example.
Basically, you would probably still lean toward the side entrance despite its limitations.
My issue with the planning is that we would prefer the entrance to be on the short side. If I subtract the kitchen and stairs from the remaining 7.2m (24 feet) inside, that leaves about 2m (6.5 feet) for the hallway and a bit of space for the room... (I hope you can follow my train of thought.)
I would just rather not place the utility room on the sunny side so I can arrange the living/dining area in an L-shape.
In our current apartment, we have an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area measuring 3.4 x 11m (11 x 36 feet). However, the entrance is directly in the kitchen. We are already used to having to plan around things like the dishwasher, making sure it doesn’t run when we want to watch a quiet movie, for example.
Basically, you would probably still lean toward the side entrance despite its limitations.
My issue with the planning is that we would prefer the entrance to be on the short side. If I subtract the kitchen and stairs from the remaining 7.2m (24 feet) inside, that leaves about 2m (6.5 feet) for the hallway and a bit of space for the room... (I hope you can follow my train of thought.)
I would just rather not place the utility room on the sunny side so I can arrange the living/dining area in an L-shape.
ONeill schrieb:
If only we had known earlier. Be aware! This concerns the state building regulations. Therefore, it may not apply to North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
P
Painkiller5 Jun 2016 22:07Hello again,
I found a floor plan online that I quite like.
Unfortunately, the entrance is on the long side, but it has a straight staircase, one more room, and a spacious hallway.
Please let me know what you would find problematic about this and if you have any ideas on how to place the entrance on the short side instead.
Best regards
I found a floor plan online that I quite like.
Unfortunately, the entrance is on the long side, but it has a straight staircase, one more room, and a spacious hallway.
Please let me know what you would find problematic about this and if you have any ideas on how to place the entrance on the short side instead.
Best regards
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