Hello,
I would like to start a new thread regarding the initial design planning.
Previous thread: Single-family house – Opinions on our design
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Einfamilienhaus-Meinungen-zu-unserem-Entwurf.25622/
Here are the main points:
The foundation slab is already in place: 12.49 x 12.49 m2 (41 x 41 ft2) and 30 cm (12 inches) thick.
The foundation slab was inspected for quality by an energy consultant and a structural engineer – no issues were found.
The locations of the underground drainage pipes are marked in the image titled "Foundation Slab - Drainage Pipes."
The house is planned to be built on the existing foundation slab. Demolition is not planned.
The house needs to be constructed as a one-story plus attic (E+1) with a gable roof at a 22° pitch.
The original submission plan from the previous owner was applied for but has not been received yet.
Our own submission plan from the architect exists but was mostly rated as unsatisfactory.
Negative points in the submission plan:
Our specific requests:
We like the ground floor and its room layout quite well. However, the half-landing staircase should be replaced by a space-saving alternative.
The staircase was placed centrally to allow the desired rooms to be created.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: Parcel 35, 775 m2 (8,835 ft2)
KFW 55 standard
Slope: Yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.80
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see site plan
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of storeys: 2
Roof style: Gable roof, 22° pitch
Style / orientation: South - southeast
Maximum dimensions/limits: Building maximum = 14 m x 10 m (46 x 33 ft) plus single-story extension with max. length 10 m (33 ft), max. depth 3 m (10 ft)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Gable roof, 22° pitch
Basement, storeys: No basement, 2 full storeys
Number and ages of occupants: 4 persons (3 females, 1 male), ages 40, 38, 12, 9
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Since no basement, more space per floor needed → approx. 90 m2 (970 ft2) per floor
Office use: Home office planned, possibly later converted to a bedroom / guests about 6 times a year
Open or closed layout: Open layout, at least on the ground floor
Traditional or modern design: Modern design
Open kitchen with island: Yes, open kitchen with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 1
Fireplace: Yes, should be placed in the living room, as the chimney should not pass through the children’s bedrooms.
Music / stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony: yes, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Double garage with partition
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine explanations:
Photovoltaic system + possibly battery storage, active ventilation system with heat recovery, air heat exchanger, cistern
House design
Planner: Architect
- Company planner: No
- Architect: Yes
- DIY: No
What do you especially like? Why? Ground floor thanks to the open design with large windows
What do you dislike? Why? Upper floor layout
Estimated price according to architect/planner: ?
Personal budget limit for house including fixtures: 400,000 €
Preferred heating technology: Air heat exchanger with underfloor heating
If you had to give up something, which details or features could you do without?
- Can give up: Battery
Cannot do without:
Why is the design the way it is now? e.g.
Not a standard design from the planner, ideas based on model houses + floor plans found online + architect input
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
How can I improve the layout of the house?
I would like to start a new thread regarding the initial design planning.
Previous thread: Single-family house – Opinions on our design
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Einfamilienhaus-Meinungen-zu-unserem-Entwurf.25622/
Here are the main points:
The foundation slab is already in place: 12.49 x 12.49 m2 (41 x 41 ft2) and 30 cm (12 inches) thick.
The foundation slab was inspected for quality by an energy consultant and a structural engineer – no issues were found.
The locations of the underground drainage pipes are marked in the image titled "Foundation Slab - Drainage Pipes."
The house is planned to be built on the existing foundation slab. Demolition is not planned.
The house needs to be constructed as a one-story plus attic (E+1) with a gable roof at a 22° pitch.
The original submission plan from the previous owner was applied for but has not been received yet.
Our own submission plan from the architect exists but was mostly rated as unsatisfactory.
Negative points in the submission plan:
- Ground floor + upper floor
- Staircase between ground and upper floor is not properly dimensioned
- Ground floor
- Staircase unsuitable, takes up too much space; entrance to living area is through the kitchen
- Access from garage to house does not fit due to height differences
- Upper floor
- Staircase unsuitable, room layout and a dark hallway with hallway width only 1.10 m (3.6 ft)
- Balcony extends across the entire house length
- See east elevation under the image “View all sides”
- The balcony was extended because the upper floor protrudes 70 cm (28 inches) beyond the ground floor, covering the resulting overhang. In the previous plan, the balcony was only above the bay window.
Our specific requests:
We like the ground floor and its room layout quite well. However, the half-landing staircase should be replaced by a space-saving alternative.
The staircase was placed centrally to allow the desired rooms to be created.
- Keep the technical room in the marked position for connection reasons, near the turning circle.
- Keep the front door position as shown – access from the garage plus guests parking in front of the garage.
- Central staircase to maintain short walking distances.
- Type of staircase: corner staircase with quarter turns (1x or 2x 90° turns) or straight staircase. Spiral staircases are not desired.
- Modern house with an open kitchen and living area.
- Home office.
- Guest toilet with shower.
- Pantry for freezer, food, and beverages.
- Large children's bedrooms, preferably on the south side.
- Room for a walk-in dressing area.
- Separate entrance to the master bedroom, not through the dressing room.
- One master bathroom and one children’s bathroom.
- Small utility room (approx. 6–8 m2 (65–86 ft2)) on the upper floor for washing machine and dryer.
- Tiled stove; the chimney flue should not run through the children’s bedrooms. Preferred route is through the bathroom or utility room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: Parcel 35, 775 m2 (8,835 ft2)
KFW 55 standard
Slope: Yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.80
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see site plan
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of storeys: 2
Roof style: Gable roof, 22° pitch
Style / orientation: South - southeast
Maximum dimensions/limits: Building maximum = 14 m x 10 m (46 x 33 ft) plus single-story extension with max. length 10 m (33 ft), max. depth 3 m (10 ft)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Gable roof, 22° pitch
Basement, storeys: No basement, 2 full storeys
Number and ages of occupants: 4 persons (3 females, 1 male), ages 40, 38, 12, 9
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Since no basement, more space per floor needed → approx. 90 m2 (970 ft2) per floor
Office use: Home office planned, possibly later converted to a bedroom / guests about 6 times a year
Open or closed layout: Open layout, at least on the ground floor
Traditional or modern design: Modern design
Open kitchen with island: Yes, open kitchen with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 1
Fireplace: Yes, should be placed in the living room, as the chimney should not pass through the children’s bedrooms.
Music / stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony: yes, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Double garage with partition
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine explanations:
Photovoltaic system + possibly battery storage, active ventilation system with heat recovery, air heat exchanger, cistern
House design
Planner: Architect
- Company planner: No
- Architect: Yes
- DIY: No
What do you especially like? Why? Ground floor thanks to the open design with large windows
What do you dislike? Why? Upper floor layout
Estimated price according to architect/planner: ?
Personal budget limit for house including fixtures: 400,000 €
Preferred heating technology: Air heat exchanger with underfloor heating
If you had to give up something, which details or features could you do without?
- Can give up: Battery
Cannot do without:
Why is the design the way it is now? e.g.
Not a standard design from the planner, ideas based on model houses + floor plans found online + architect input
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
How can I improve the layout of the house?
Yes, the ceiling height really isn’t great because the corresponding mezzanine is missing above. I would also prefer to give that space to the kids.
I still don’t understand the issue with air and fire. Of course, air fuels the fire. But we’re not talking about an open fireplace here.
I can only agree that the two compete with each other. I would even say they interfere with each other. It’s not a cozy fireplace because everything escapes upward.
The chimney bothers me less inside the house than on the roof. All I can say is it looks like an asparagus.
I still don’t understand the issue with air and fire. Of course, air fuels the fire. But we’re not talking about an open fireplace here.
I can only agree that the two compete with each other. I would even say they interfere with each other. It’s not a cozy fireplace because everything escapes upward.
The chimney bothers me less inside the house than on the roof. All I can say is it looks like an asparagus.
kaho674 schrieb:
...
The thing with air and fire is still not clear to me. Of course, air fuels the fire. But we are not talking about an open flame here.
.... just.Since you haven’t studied the five elements and Feng Shui yet. I’m actually surprised, since you’re quite the wimp [emoji2]
ypg schrieb:
Because you haven’t looked into the 5 elements and Feng Shui yet. Honestly, I’m surprised, you seem a bit clueless too [emoji2] Oh, I don’t really have any insight into Feng Shui. To me, it often feels more like a belief system than based on practical standards. That’s why I’ve never really dealt with it further.
ypg schrieb:
…
Air fuels fire, dear @kaho, and not just since Feng Shui [emoji2]
.However, I need to correct myself: air is not one of the 5 elements...
But that doesn’t really help the original poster.
Off the top of my head, I would say the living room could easily give up half a meter (about 1.5 feet) so that a very deep cabinet can be placed in the hallway, one that could even hold a stroller or something similar. It occurs to me that the shortest route from the front door to the upper floor passes through the living room, which I find unacceptable: it means there is no private retreat area in the living room. Anyone sitting on the sofa won’t have peace during the day. It’s even worse when teenagers come home in the evening, possibly with their friends.
But that’s not so easy to fix, except by putting a locking door on the living room. However, that doesn’t make sense because it would also lock people out from the other side.
As I think further: why is the staircase set in stone like this? Wouldn’t it make much more sense to rotate it 90 degrees? That would also create a zoning between the parents’ and children’s areas on the upper floor. In my opinion, that’s a better alternative.
I like the floor plan, except for a few minor issues that have already been mentioned.
The entrance area could be a bit narrower to allow more space for the utility room.
The staircase in the living room is a matter of personal taste; I personally don’t mind it.
Usually, I’m not a fan of such small air spaces, but here, combined with the staircase AND the fireplace, I don’t find it that bad. Is there a cross-section of the building/stairwell available?
The entrance area could be a bit narrower to allow more space for the utility room.
The staircase in the living room is a matter of personal taste; I personally don’t mind it.
Usually, I’m not a fan of such small air spaces, but here, combined with the staircase AND the fireplace, I don’t find it that bad. Is there a cross-section of the building/stairwell available?
To make the equipment room in the garage more practical, I would place the door inside so that it aligns flush with the equipment room’s exterior door. This way, you don’t have to walk through the entire space, which is filled with bicycles, ride-on toys, lawnmowers, and so on. Even better, I would remove the partition wall between the garage and the equipment room entirely and install sliding doors instead. This allows easier access to the items directly from the garage.
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