Hello fellow home builders,
we would love to benefit from your experience and would appreciate it if you could critically review our floor plan draft. The images are attached.
We recently found a plot of land and have started planning. In terms of the house shape and design, I fell in love with a house by Kitzlinger (reference house Erkenbrechtsweiler). This Cape Cod style in sandalwood or cappuccino color just looks great, in my opinion, and goes really well with white. Using a free software program, I copied the exterior dimensions and rearranged the interior walls and staircase completely to our taste. So this is just an amateur draft. Of course, I copied from other floor plans as much as possible.
The ideas behind it:
- We prefer a straight staircase even though it takes up a lot of space. However, it is not a must-have.
- The office/guest room (northwest side) should be on the ground floor, as my wife needs it for work and sometimes wants to take documents into the living room.
- The idea of a separable kitchen: An open-plan kitchen is great. But we would like the option to close it off. If you look closely, I left a gap in the wall between the pantry and kitchen. A slim, lightweight partition could be installed there as a sliding element, allowing the kitchen to be completely separated from the living room. I know that would be 4 meters (13 feet). Such a long sliding door would be a custom solution and the question is whether it can even be built.
Additional details:
- KFW 55 standard
- Solid brick house (which probably means the wall thicknesses in the floor plan aren’t accurate)
- Air-to-water heat pump with underfloor heating
Best regards
we would love to benefit from your experience and would appreciate it if you could critically review our floor plan draft. The images are attached.
We recently found a plot of land and have started planning. In terms of the house shape and design, I fell in love with a house by Kitzlinger (reference house Erkenbrechtsweiler). This Cape Cod style in sandalwood or cappuccino color just looks great, in my opinion, and goes really well with white. Using a free software program, I copied the exterior dimensions and rearranged the interior walls and staircase completely to our taste. So this is just an amateur draft. Of course, I copied from other floor plans as much as possible.
The ideas behind it:
- We prefer a straight staircase even though it takes up a lot of space. However, it is not a must-have.
- The office/guest room (northwest side) should be on the ground floor, as my wife needs it for work and sometimes wants to take documents into the living room.
- The idea of a separable kitchen: An open-plan kitchen is great. But we would like the option to close it off. If you look closely, I left a gap in the wall between the pantry and kitchen. A slim, lightweight partition could be installed there as a sliding element, allowing the kitchen to be completely separated from the living room. I know that would be 4 meters (13 feet). Such a long sliding door would be a custom solution and the question is whether it can even be built.
Additional details:
- KFW 55 standard
- Solid brick house (which probably means the wall thicknesses in the floor plan aren’t accurate)
- Air-to-water heat pump with underfloor heating
Best regards
A brief initial assessment: Has the land already been purchased? The zoning plan appears to allow for two-story construction, but the house does not.
With its length plus the garage, it could be tight on a plot narrower than 20 meters (65 feet).
The living room dimensions don’t match the photos. In the photo, the living room is at least 5 meters (16 feet) wide.
Aside from that, I like the house.
The staircase is planned too short. How long it needs to be is also pinned above.
I find the kitchen island too short.
It’s obvious that you haven’t included realistic furniture, or at least the sizes are too small: 50 cm (20 inches) cabinets, a 160 cm (63 inch) bed that is somewhat short.
Unfortunately, you probably won’t achieve the effect in the dormer with your double bed.
I find the hallway disproportionally large compared to the children’s bedroom.
Expensive house number – how much is the house supposed to cost?
Regards, Yvonne
With its length plus the garage, it could be tight on a plot narrower than 20 meters (65 feet).
The living room dimensions don’t match the photos. In the photo, the living room is at least 5 meters (16 feet) wide.
Aside from that, I like the house.
The staircase is planned too short. How long it needs to be is also pinned above.
I find the kitchen island too short.
It’s obvious that you haven’t included realistic furniture, or at least the sizes are too small: 50 cm (20 inches) cabinets, a 160 cm (63 inch) bed that is somewhat short.
Unfortunately, you probably won’t achieve the effect in the dormer with your double bed.
I find the hallway disproportionally large compared to the children’s bedroom.
Expensive house number – how much is the house supposed to cost?
Regards, Yvonne
4Motion schrieb:
In terms of the house shape and design, I fell in love with a house by Kitzlinger (reference house Erkenbrechtsweiler). [...] I copied the exterior dimensions and rearranged the interior walls and stairs completely according to our taste.Well, this probably helps amateur planners achieve a visually well-structured house, instead of ending up with a seventeen-sided floor plan after joining the rooms together.
Still, I would develop a floor plan more based on the needs rather than working backward from the exterior (even advanced planners don’t always manage that, but they mostly work forward).
4Motion schrieb:
So it’s just a draft by an amateur. But of course, I copied as much as possible from other floor plans.In that case, you are an expert on "yourself and your family," and you will better “copy” the needs of those people than existing houses ever could. For the approach, the result is quite respectable.
4Motion schrieb:
- Solid masonry house with bricks (so the wall thicknesses in the floor plan are probably not accurate)The wall thickness of 35cm (14 inches) for the exterior wall in your plans is quite close to 36.5cm (14.4 inches) in reality. Does "solid masonry house with bricks" mean what I fear?
There are certainly good reasons for different construction methods, but also plenty of “myths in a bag.” "Solid" is often romantically associated with higher solidity and long-term value, while the opposite is usually just bad-mouthing other methods. And bricks are often idealized as the most “nutritious” among the materials you can build houses with.
A brick is a brick. Yes, there are differences—but they don’t live up to the angelic praises or hateful sermons surrounding them. If you have found a competent builder, you shouldn’t test them with this “make-or-break” question. If the suitable craftsman has more experience with method X, you shouldn’t have them build with method Y.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I will try to answer the questionnaire at the end. For now, let me address the direct questions:
@Yvonne:
The plot has not been purchased yet. It is approximately 21m (69 feet) wide and 600 sqm (6,458 sqft) in size. But you’re right, with the double garage it will be quite wide.
How do you conclude that the living room is more than 5m (16 feet) wide in the picture? I thought it should fit.
True, the staircase is probably too short. Hmm, that’s now a bit tricky.
I naïvely took the furniture directly from the software program, so I wasn’t very precise there.
What do you estimate something like this should cost?
@11ant:
What concerns do you have about a “solid brick house”?
I didn’t want to start a debate about solid construction versus prefab. My wife prefers a solid house because of its thermal mass for cooling in summer. I would personally prefer a wooden house (prefabricated wood frame construction), but my wife always finds those houses feel stuffy or oppressive. So, as the saying goes, “Happy wife, happy life,” she wins. Brick is okay for me too. Our preferred builder also likes working with it.
Now to the questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions:
Plot size: 600 sqm (6,458 sqft)
Slope: Yes, south-facing slope. It should be leveled with fill, like the neighboring houses.
Floor area ratio, site coverage ratio: see attachment
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Edge development: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: for 2 cars
Number of floors: up to 2 possible
Roof style: Preferably a gable roof with dormer
Architectural style: country house style
Orientation: South, slightly west
Maximum height/limits: total height max. 518.80 m (1,702 ft)
Other requirements: none known
Homeowners’ requirements:
Style, roof type, building type: modern country house style, gable roof, single-family house
Basement, floors: yes, 2 floors
Number of occupants, age: 2, around 30 years old
Space requirement on ground floor and upper floor: 150 sqm (1,615 sqft) total without basement
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Guests per year: 4
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern design: conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes, although we want to be able to separate it if possible
Number of dining seats: 4–8
Fireplace: would be nice but not a must-have
Music/stereo wall: yes
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: 2 cars should be under cover, so either double garage or garage + carport
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: no
House design
Who created the design: so far, DIY
What do you particularly like and why?:
- I like symmetry. The windows on the outside should definitely be symmetrical. Also inside as much as possible.
- We like the straight staircase because it feels spacious and open. You can see up from the cloakroom or vice versa. We enjoy the airy feeling and slightly higher ceilings.
- We need the office on the ground floor because the work tends to move into the living room otherwise.
- We like the large pantry.
What do you not like and why?
- We don’t like very pronounced roof slopes at the edges of the house. That’s why we originally considered a city house with a hip roof.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: There is no cost estimate yet
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 333k
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up something, which details/extensions
-can you live without: the second bathroom, the double garage, the walk-in closet, possibly the straight staircase
-can you not live without: office/guest room
Why is the design the way it is?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
@Yvonne:
The plot has not been purchased yet. It is approximately 21m (69 feet) wide and 600 sqm (6,458 sqft) in size. But you’re right, with the double garage it will be quite wide.
How do you conclude that the living room is more than 5m (16 feet) wide in the picture? I thought it should fit.
True, the staircase is probably too short. Hmm, that’s now a bit tricky.
I naïvely took the furniture directly from the software program, so I wasn’t very precise there.
What do you estimate something like this should cost?
@11ant:
What concerns do you have about a “solid brick house”?
I didn’t want to start a debate about solid construction versus prefab. My wife prefers a solid house because of its thermal mass for cooling in summer. I would personally prefer a wooden house (prefabricated wood frame construction), but my wife always finds those houses feel stuffy or oppressive. So, as the saying goes, “Happy wife, happy life,” she wins. Brick is okay for me too. Our preferred builder also likes working with it.
Now to the questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions:
Plot size: 600 sqm (6,458 sqft)
Slope: Yes, south-facing slope. It should be leveled with fill, like the neighboring houses.
Floor area ratio, site coverage ratio: see attachment
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Edge development: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: for 2 cars
Number of floors: up to 2 possible
Roof style: Preferably a gable roof with dormer
Architectural style: country house style
Orientation: South, slightly west
Maximum height/limits: total height max. 518.80 m (1,702 ft)
Other requirements: none known
Homeowners’ requirements:
Style, roof type, building type: modern country house style, gable roof, single-family house
Basement, floors: yes, 2 floors
Number of occupants, age: 2, around 30 years old
Space requirement on ground floor and upper floor: 150 sqm (1,615 sqft) total without basement
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Guests per year: 4
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern design: conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes, although we want to be able to separate it if possible
Number of dining seats: 4–8
Fireplace: would be nice but not a must-have
Music/stereo wall: yes
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: 2 cars should be under cover, so either double garage or garage + carport
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: no
House design
Who created the design: so far, DIY
What do you particularly like and why?:
- I like symmetry. The windows on the outside should definitely be symmetrical. Also inside as much as possible.
- We like the straight staircase because it feels spacious and open. You can see up from the cloakroom or vice versa. We enjoy the airy feeling and slightly higher ceilings.
- We need the office on the ground floor because the work tends to move into the living room otherwise.
- We like the large pantry.
What do you not like and why?
- We don’t like very pronounced roof slopes at the edges of the house. That’s why we originally considered a city house with a hip roof.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: There is no cost estimate yet
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 333k
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up something, which details/extensions
-can you live without: the second bathroom, the double garage, the walk-in closet, possibly the straight staircase
-can you not live without: office/guest room
Why is the design the way it is?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
4Motion schrieb:
How do you determine that the living room is more than 5m (16 feet) wide in the picture? I thought it should fit.My trained eye. I wrote at least 5 meters (16 feet), not more than...
4Motion schrieb:
I would prefer a wooden house (prefabricated timber frame construction), but my wife always finds such houses oppressive/stuffy.That’s because many, especially in the past, have done without a ventilation system. The first energy-saving regulation houses built as prefabricated units without controlled mechanical ventilation often feel stuffy due to minimal air exchange (except when airing out). This also applies nowadays to solid construction houses since they must comply with energy-saving regulations. So this argument is outdated. However, you should definitely install a ventilation system—not only because your wife is sensitive to stuffy air. There are plenty of discussions on this forum about this topic, so it shouldn’t be the focus here.
Similar topics