ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home of Approximately 150 m²

Created on: 12 Feb 2018 18:09
C
chrisw81
Hello,

After a long search, we signed the notarized contract for the land purchase at the end of December. We are now actively planning the floor plan. Unfortunately, the plot is somewhat awkwardly shaped (not rectangular), which creates some limitations for the layout from our perspective. We already have a first draft, but there are several areas we don’t like and are unsure how to improve. Maybe you have some ideas; we would appreciate your input.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 601 m² (6465 sq ft)
Building envelope, building line, boundary: Building line with the house on the west side
Peripheral setbacks: 7 m (23 ft) from the street (north), otherwise the usual 3 m (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2 desired
Number of floors: 1 full story allowed
Roof style: Gable roof
Design style: open construction method
Orientation: South
Maximum heights / limits: Ridge height max. 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements: Max. 100 m² (1076 sq ft) of built-up area

Client Requirements
Style, roof form, building type: Solid construction house, rectangular, no bay windows, no projections, etc., gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement; 1.5 stories
Number and age of residents: 2 people, age between 30 and 40, possibly children later
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor – living/dining room, kitchen, guest toilet, utility room, office
Office: family use or home office?: family use
Guest stays per year: 20 days
Open or closed architecture: open living area, closed hallway
Conservative or modern style: conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, island without cooktop
Number of dining seats: 2-4
Fireplace: yes, chimney planned
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes, special features, daily routine, and reasons for preferences:
- A wardrobe area on the ground floor is important where coats can be stored relatively out of sight.
- On the upper floor, it would be nice to have an open gallery with a desk or similar (not a must and not necessarily next to the stairs).
- A walk-in closet would be nice but not essential.
- A storage room on the upper floor is very important since we do not have a basement.

House Design
Who created the design:
- Basic design by the construction company (FIBAV Stadthaus Vision Studio)
- DIY modifications based on online floor plans (especially Viebrockhaus Maxime 330)
What do you particularly like? Why?:
- Layout of the living/dining area and the narrowing kitchen reduces the hallway effect a bit
- Many windows in the living/dining area
- Wide hallway on the ground floor
What do you dislike? Why?:
- Few options to place furniture (dresser, wardrobe) in the ground floor hallway due to many doors
- Very large hallway upstairs, considered wasted space
- Bedroom is quite small; should be the largest room upstairs (preferably 16 m² (172 sq ft), children’s rooms rather 14 m² (151 sq ft))
- Stair placement limited by chimney location
- Door placement upstairs limited by chimney
- A staircase rotated 90 degrees (entrance next to front door) would appeal more
- Difficult to align windows upstairs and downstairs on the gable end vertically
- Floor-to-ceiling windows upstairs; wider windows with a sill height around 100 cm (40 inches) would be preferred
Price estimate by architect/planner: 200,000 €
Personal price limit for the house including equipment: 210,000 €
Preferred heating technology: gas heating

What details or expansions could you give up?
- Can do without: gallery next to stairs upstairs. Living area could also be narrower (e.g., 4.20 m (14 ft) instead of 4.47 m (15 ft))
- Cannot do without: storage room upstairs, shower in guest toilet, extra natural light in the ground floor hallway (e.g., side panel on front door or window)

Why was the design made this way? For example, standard plan from planner?
- Since the house has very little space on the south side, the house should be very narrow in order not to waste more space to the south. It should be wider so that living, dining, and kitchen areas face south as much as possible.
Were corresponding wishes from the architect implemented? No architect meeting has taken place yet.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can the ground floor hallway be better designed to fit a wardrobe? Can the stairs be positioned better or replaced? Should the hallway be enlarged and living space reduced? How can the upstairs hallway be better utilized? Can the bedroom be enlarged? Is it possible to swap the bedroom with another room, e.g., move it to the southeast to allow a walk-in closet?

Thank you very much in advance for your criticism and suggestions!

Lageplan eines Baugrundstücks mit Parzellen, Straßenverlauf und Gebäudestrukturen.


Grundriss: Kochen/Essen/Wohnen, HWR, WC, Diele, Gast, Treppenhaus, Schornstein.


Grundriss Obergeschoss: Zimmer 1, Zimmer 2, Schlafen, Bad, Flur/Galerie, Abstell, Schornstein.
11ant7 Mar 2018 14:43
kaho674 schrieb:
But the contract has already been signed with the general contractor, including the architect.

Contract for what: generally to build with company XY, then the attitude "there are only pitchers outside" does not apply. Specifically for the design 08/15: then it is different, then there will be no more than the 08/15 version D.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
kaho6747 Mar 2018 14:50
11ant schrieb:
Contract for what: generally for building with company XY, then the attitude of "there’s only jugs outside" doesn’t apply.

Yes, that’s usually the case. The contract is with the general contractor, including architectural services, for a house with external dimensions xyz. The floor plan is then more of a rough sketch, quickly drawn up, and that’s it.
C
chrisw81
7 Mar 2018 15:08
kaho674 schrieb:
The contract is with the general contractor including architectural services for a house with external dimensions of xyz. The floor plan is then just a rough draft that gets quickly scribbled and that’s it.

Unfortunately, that’s how it is :-(
kaho6747 Mar 2018 15:15
About the floor plan:
Apart from the jagged walls,
- how wide are your doors on the upper floor?
- What is the current square meter size of the children's rooms in your plan?
- Have you tried marking the 2-meter (6.6-foot) line in the storage room?
- The protrusion for the fireplace only makes sense if you already have a quote with exact dimensions for the fireplace.
11ant7 Mar 2018 15:22
kaho674 schrieb:
The floor plan is just a draft that gets quickly sketched and then forgotten.

At least you have already contributed some suggestions, so the original poster is not left without any input. If necessary, a selection can be made from these, from which the "architect" will create a submission plan (building permit / planning permission). Drawing the curves in your staircase should be something they can manage.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
C
chrisw81
7 Mar 2018 15:31
kaho674 schrieb:
Regarding the floor plan:
Apart from the jagged walls,
- how wide are your doors on the upper floor?
On the upper floor, all doors are 88.5 cm (35 inches) clear opening width, except for the storage room, which is 76 cm (30 inches).
I think that’s acceptable.
kaho674 schrieb:

- What is the floor area of the kids’ rooms now?
The kids’ rooms are about 14 m² (151 sq ft), the left one possibly only 13.5 m² (145 sq ft), but that works.
kaho674 schrieb:

- Have you tried to mark the 2 m (6.5 ft) line for the storage room?
The storage room is about 2.5 m (8 ft) deep, so the 2 m (6.5 ft) line would be roughly at 1 m (3.3 ft). Tall cabinets will go along the inner wall, while smaller sideboards or similar furniture will be on the outer wall.
kaho674 schrieb:

- The recess for the fireplace only makes sense if you already have a quote with exact dimensions for the fireplace.
I have already chosen the fireplace. The exact centimeters don’t matter much because to the right of the fireplace (also inside the recess) there will be a drywall shelving unit, which is adjustable in width. Of course, I can ask the fireplace installer again now about the estimated dimensions. But I think it’s safe to plan with approximately 55 cm (22 inches) for the flue + 90 cm (35 inches) for the fireplace + 55 cm (22 inches) for the drywall shelving unit.