ᐅ Preliminary floor plan design for a 220 m² single-family house

Created on: 20 Jun 2017 22:41
R
R.Hotzenplotz
Hello!

We have already gone through several plans with our architect and I think we are almost there, about to start the detailed planning phase. Before that, I’m looking forward to getting feedback from other users.

Development plan/restrictions: §34 – two full stories

Plot size: 1,085m² (1,1679 yd²)

Basement, floors – 2 full stories plus partial basement

Number of people, ages – 3 people (37, 34, 1, second child planned)

Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor – the requirement was that bedrooms and the study should be about 17m² (183 ft²) each; the entire house should be approximately 220m² (2,368 ft²)

Office: family use

Guests per year: 1

Open or closed architecture: closed

Traditional or modern design: modern

Open kitchen, kitchen island – no open kitchen, but yes to a kitchen island

Number of dining seats – 6

Fireplace – yes

Music/stereo wall – TV wall

Balcony, roof terrace – balcony

Garage, carport – large garage

Additional wishes/special features/daily routines, preferably with reasons why certain things should or should not be included – everyone should be able to sleep as undisturbed as possible in their bedrooms, even if other family members are awake. The husband is sometimes up as early as 4 a.m. Otherwise, watching TV in the evening should be possible without disturbing those sleeping upstairs.

House design
Who created the design:
- Architect (freelancer for a general contractor)

What do you like most? Why?
The upper floor with well-sized rooms and the location of the rooms exactly where they should be (only the washroom area we would still like to move to the outer right corner so that you don’t have to pass it every time you use the toilet). On the ground floor, the access through an airlock, the kitchen, and the dining area with the study next to it are especially liked.
Also appreciated is that after adjustments, the study now faces the garden instead of the street.

What don’t you like? Why?
We originally wanted the distance from wall to wall where the sofa and TV stand is to be about 6.40m (21 ft) (large screen & surround system), but so far only 5.69m (19 ft) has been realized.

Laundry room as described.

Kitchen larger in square meters than needed; the approx. 3m² (32 ft²) could theoretically be used well in the living area.

Price estimate according to architect/planner:
720,000 euros (including construction incidentals)

Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
800,000 euros

Preferred heating technology:
Gas

If you have to give up on something, which details/features can you do without?

- Can do without:
Technical systems like controlled residential ventilation

- Cannot do without:
Space (except for the kitchen)

Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Is this a standard design from the planner?
The architect has largely implemented our wishes; the only issue is the living room situation.

What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Patient, quick to implement, has already gotten to know us well.
No negative points.

Do you notice any other points that might not fit or that we should consider, which we might have overlooked?

In the basement, the room currently labeled as home cinema might possibly be used as one medium- to long-term. For the foreseeable future, it will be a storage room.
Y
ypg
20 Jul 2017 20:39
If you are planning from scratch, make the balcony face south.

Best regards, Yvonne
R
R.Hotzenplotz
20 Jul 2017 21:38
I think the appearance of the hipped roof house is quite okay. Details that don't fit were addressed.
ypg schrieb:
If you are having a new plan made, then make the balcony face south


Regards, Yvonne

Definitely no. The balcony has to face the garden, not the street. I find that completely pointless. Who would want to sit on the balcony facing the street? Not us.
Y
ypg
20 Jul 2017 22:44
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:


Definitely not. The balcony should face the garden, not the street. I find it completely pointless. Who would want to be on the balcony facing the street? We wouldn’t.

?? Because nobody hangs out on a balcony when they can sit in the garden? I thought it was more for drying laundry (utility room) and just for a change of scenery when stepping outside briefly.
T
Traumfaenger
20 Jul 2017 22:53
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
Almost 630k. But several things aren’t included yet. For example, controlled residential ventilation, smart home systems, security fittings, threshold sealing for patio doors, additional electrical work beyond the scope of the construction specification.

Is that just the price for the house itself, without all the extras? So no demolition of the old building, exterior landscaping, various trades outside the house, etc.? Probably no lighting, kitchen, and so on. So only the costs for the main structure?
R
R.Hotzenplotz
20 Jul 2017 23:01
ypg schrieb:
?? Because nobody lounges on a balcony when they can sit in the garden? I thought it was more for drying laundry (utility room) and just to have a change of scenery when stepping outside briefly

We also wouldn’t want to hang laundry facing the street. It’s fine as it is. The fact that we have to redesign some parts due to structural issues doesn’t mean we want to reconsider such fundamental, deliberate decisions now. And again, earlier they started asking if we didn’t want the kitchen facing the garden… no.
Traumfaenger schrieb:
But that’s just the price of the house itself, without all the extras? So, no demolition of the old building, no landscaping, no various trades outside the house, etc.? Probably no lighting, kitchen, and so forth? So just the cost for the structural shell?

Exactly. In the end, the whole thing with everything included costs about 1.4 million.
T
Traumfaenger
20 Jul 2017 23:07
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:

Exactly. In the end, the whole project with everything included costs about 1.4 million.

Respect. Even if you spread it over the entire area including the basement of 382 m² (4109 ft²), that's still 3,665 euros per square meter (without adequately considering the land portion). That is quite expensive, even for Cologne. Social housing is just slightly below that.