Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 549m² (5906 ft²)
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 14 x 12m (46 x 39 ft)
Number of floors: 2 allowed with eaves height up to 4m (13 ft)
Roof style: Gable roof 38–45°
Maximum heights/limits: Eaves height max. 4m (13 ft); ridge height max. 11m (36 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowner requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: Single-family house with gable roof, between modern and classic
Basement, floors: no basement
Number of occupants, age: currently 2, 29 years old, planned final 4
Office: family use or home office? Mainly family use as a guest room
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen with sliding door, which will usually remain open except when cooking fish or hosting guests
Fireplace: chimney planned for masonry stove
Garage, carport: garage 9 x 4m (30 x 13 ft) planned, carport to follow
Additional wishes/features/daily routine: a small pool is planned
House design
Who created the design:
- Planner from a construction company: yes
- Architect: yes
What do you particularly like? It is already quite close to our ideas but could be improved
What don’t you like? Staircase, layout of the upstairs bathroom
Preferred heating technology: undecided yet between air-to-water heat pump or gas (but gas needs a storage tank for the energy saving regulations, right?); geothermal energy not allowed
Please provide suggestions for improvements or optimization. I would especially like your opinions regarding the staircase. We would probably move the roof window from above the dressing room to above the stairs, any thoughts?
Edit: The house will have approximately 152m² (1635 ft²) of living space
Plot size: 549m² (5906 ft²)
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 14 x 12m (46 x 39 ft)
Number of floors: 2 allowed with eaves height up to 4m (13 ft)
Roof style: Gable roof 38–45°
Maximum heights/limits: Eaves height max. 4m (13 ft); ridge height max. 11m (36 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowner requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: Single-family house with gable roof, between modern and classic
Basement, floors: no basement
Number of occupants, age: currently 2, 29 years old, planned final 4
Office: family use or home office? Mainly family use as a guest room
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen with sliding door, which will usually remain open except when cooking fish or hosting guests
Fireplace: chimney planned for masonry stove
Garage, carport: garage 9 x 4m (30 x 13 ft) planned, carport to follow
Additional wishes/features/daily routine: a small pool is planned
House design
Who created the design:
- Planner from a construction company: yes
- Architect: yes
What do you particularly like? It is already quite close to our ideas but could be improved
What don’t you like? Staircase, layout of the upstairs bathroom
Preferred heating technology: undecided yet between air-to-water heat pump or gas (but gas needs a storage tank for the energy saving regulations, right?); geothermal energy not allowed
Please provide suggestions for improvements or optimization. I would especially like your opinions regarding the staircase. We would probably move the roof window from above the dressing room to above the stairs, any thoughts?
Edit: The house will have approximately 152m² (1635 ft²) of living space
Cico1 schrieb:
Shouldn't a walk-in closet only be accessible from the bedroom?
I think having access from both the bedroom and hallway would take away closet space.The advice is meant differently: a walk-in closet should not be a confined space within the bedroom, because in practice, after dressing, you would disturb anyone sleeping (lights on/off, door opening/closing).
Either make the bedroom accessible through the closet or have the closet accessible from the hallway.
Regarding the size of the children's rooms: 13.5 m² (145 ft²) can be acceptable. However, with rooms under sloped ceilings, it is often the case that builders only list the floor area, not the actual usable living space, which is smaller.
Bathroom/utility room: the utility room under the roof is very small. Was the knee wall height mentioned? If there is a knee wall, placing the washing machine under the slope and installing a skylight here is, in my opinion, essential. However, I see the risk—especially considering no dryer is available—that the bathroom might be misused as a laundry storage and drying area. That wouldn't be ideal.
I find a pantry unnecessary. It would be better to enlarge the utility room.
A sliding door seems unnecessary—cooking odors spread throughout the house anyway once the door is opened. Plus, a sliding door still needs to be opened. Then all the unpleasant smells will rush out (in our case, guests already know at the front door that something delicious is cooking).
The cloakroom is also too small, in my opinion. I assume there is a wooden staircase with open risers, and underneath it, a pile of clothes will likely accumulate, which will be visible from the dining area.
Regarding the guest room, @Climbee is right with the example of a grandma visit. However, if this only happens a few days a year, it can be managed, and when grandma goes to bed, you can turn on the bedroom TV.
I read from the "either/or" position of the skylight that the budget might be tight?
I would rather skip a corner of the house and/or a sliding door than an extra window in the attic.
In general, some details are missing, such as the site plan, which would be needed to assess, for example, orientation or window placement.
You might want to browse through other floor plan discussions available here in the forum.
However, you will have to go through quite a few pages to find relevant threads.
Hello,
I would definitely find it bothersome not being able to see who is standing outside the door, nor being able to see the front yard or street. You would have to look out of the bathroom window to see who is there. There is practically no cloakroom, which is not workable at all with two children. The path to the pantry always passes very close to the dining table, so it gets cramped when bringing groceries into the house. I find the living room area very uncomfortable. Someone is always walking through the kitchen, pantry, or guest room (especially with children), so you never really have any peace. Otherwise, I find the upper floor too angular; from the children’s room you have to walk around many corners to get to the toilet. I would redesign the floor plan.
Best regards,
Sabine
I would definitely find it bothersome not being able to see who is standing outside the door, nor being able to see the front yard or street. You would have to look out of the bathroom window to see who is there. There is practically no cloakroom, which is not workable at all with two children. The path to the pantry always passes very close to the dining table, so it gets cramped when bringing groceries into the house. I find the living room area very uncomfortable. Someone is always walking through the kitchen, pantry, or guest room (especially with children), so you never really have any peace. Otherwise, I find the upper floor too angular; from the children’s room you have to walk around many corners to get to the toilet. I would redesign the floor plan.
Best regards,
Sabine
- Ok, the idea of not disturbing someone who is sleeping makes sense in practice. But is having the walk-in closet only accessible via the hallway really the best solution?
- We don’t need a huge bedroom since it’s mainly just for sleeping anyway. It’s a good tip that the children's rooms can be larger.
- Whether to have a pantry and utility room separate or combined is still undecided. My wife wanted them separate so the technical equipment can operate quietly in the utility room, while she can use the other room for everything else.
- Open kitchen or with two sliding doors—that’s a question we’ve had for a while. It will probably stay open because you can retreat to the kitchen if needed.
- The cloakroom will be planned larger.
- I’m uncertain about the staircase—I think it shouldn’t take up too much space.
- Regarding the site plan, there is an arrow marked at the bottom right. South is downwards, so north is upwards.
The floor plan will be redesigned freely as suggested by the building expert.
Thanks in advance. If there are any more suggestions—just share them.
- We don’t need a huge bedroom since it’s mainly just for sleeping anyway. It’s a good tip that the children's rooms can be larger.
- Whether to have a pantry and utility room separate or combined is still undecided. My wife wanted them separate so the technical equipment can operate quietly in the utility room, while she can use the other room for everything else.
- Open kitchen or with two sliding doors—that’s a question we’ve had for a while. It will probably stay open because you can retreat to the kitchen if needed.
- The cloakroom will be planned larger.
- I’m uncertain about the staircase—I think it shouldn’t take up too much space.
- Regarding the site plan, there is an arrow marked at the bottom right. South is downwards, so north is upwards.
The floor plan will be redesigned freely as suggested by the building expert.
Thanks in advance. If there are any more suggestions—just share them.
The pantry is about 100 cm deep (40 inches), so there’s not even enough space to put a freezer cabinet against the wall, as it wouldn’t be possible to open it.
Additionally, the access to the kitchen is past the dining table. The sofa area, at 337 cm (133 inches), isn’t very spacious, and then there’s the 300 cm (118 inches) dining table. I find the layout quite awkward.
Maybe it would be helpful to share the original floor plan.
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