ᐅ Single-Family Home Design – Approximately 160–170 sqm / Innovative Gable Roof

Hello everyone,

I have been following this forum for several years because I am very interested in the topic of building (especially smart homes). Now that we have decided to actually build, I registered and would like to participate more actively in the discussions.

First of all, I would really appreciate feedback on our first draft for a single-family house.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 700 sqm (7,535 sq ft)
Slope: yes, approximately 1.5-2 m (5-6.5 ft) sloping to the south
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio (GFAR): 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: Blue line, site plan
Edge development: garage allowed
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: Gable roof
Architectural style: Modern
Orientation: South
Maximum heights / limits: ridge height 8.50 m (28 ft), max. building length 18 m (59 ft)
Other requirements:
According to the development plan, only gable roofs, staggered shed roofs, and hip roofs are permitted. However, we are trying to interpret the development plan creatively.

Excerpt from the development plan
12.1 Roof shape and pitch, covering and green roofs
Compared to the original plan, previous restrictions regarding green roofs will be relaxed. Freestanding garages are also allowed to have flat roofs, even if these are not greened.
For ecological reasons, solar panels on or integrated into the roof covering are generally permitted and explicitly encouraged. Therefore, when an integrated solar or photovoltaic solution is installed, roof coverings in darker colors are exceptionally allowed.

Homeowners’ requirements:
Pantry, basement, built-in masonry fireplace, built-in walk-in showers on ground and upper floors, laundry chute, direct access from the garage, no balcony but a terrace, double garage, kitchen island
Rooms on ground floor - office, living room, kitchen, dining room
Rooms on upper floor - 2 children’s rooms, bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom (possibly separate toilet)
Style, roof type, building type - modern, gable roof *cough*, cube
Basement, floors: with basement, 2 full stories
Number of occupants, age: 2 (aged 33 and 35)
Space requirement ground floor and upper floor - ground floor 80 sqm (860 sq ft) / upper floor 80 sqm (860 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? Home office (frequent)
Overnight guests per year: few
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction style: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes, masonry
Music/sound wall: not necessary
Balcony, roof terrace: not necessary
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: not necessary
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included
- The house was planned based on experiences from friends who have built (we are basically the last in the group to build)

House design
Who designed the plan: architect
What do you like most and why?
- Kitchen - dining room - living room aligned towards the south
- Ground level access to house and terrace
- From our point of view meets (most of) the requirements
- Gable roof interpreted as almost flat roof creatively in accordance with the development plan (if it gets approved, feedback on this is also welcome)
What do you dislike and why?
- Sense of space, initially the house was planned as split-level but we were just afraid about aging difficulties; however, from our perspective, split-level offers a nicer spatial experience. Also, less earth would need to be moved, and the house would fit better to the terrain.
- Windows still need detailed planning
- The garage door is visible from outside
- Initially, an overhang of the upper floor above the terrace was planned, which might be more sensible
- Staircase should be smaller
- The plan is still very rough, this is only version 3
Price estimate by architect/planner: n/a
Personal price limit for house including fixtures: 770,000 (without plot)
Preferred heating system: heat pump (possibly brine/water system)

If you had to give up something, which features / expansions
- Could you do without: basically nothing, we want to implement all our requirements (you only build once). If really necessary, maybe the basement and thus the office on the ground floor
- Cannot do without: direct access from garage, ground-level access

Why is the design the way it is now? Talks with friends who have built (e.g., direct garage access)
Standard design from planner? No, individually planned by the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? Ground-level access, room layout, modern house appearance
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Good
- Modern and creative form (the neighborhood mainly consists of steep gable roofs, few hip roofs, and only one staggered shed roof)
Bad
- Previous design was split-level which would have created a more attractive house with better spatial feeling, but everyone advised against split-level and we are very skeptical as well and have ruled it out
What is the most important basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
What is your general feedback on the design? What is good/bad? What can be improved?
How do you see the chances of approval regarding the "distorted gable roof"/"capped split level"?

Best regards

Building plot:

Ground floor:

Upper floor:

Exterior view:

Upper floor variant 2:

Here are further details from the development plan:
B.2 Roof shape, roof pitch, roof covering, green roofs
(Section 74, paragraph 1, item 1 of the State Building Code)
Roofs must be constructed as symmetrical pitched gable roofs, staggered gable/mono-pitched roofs, or half-hipped roofs with a roof pitch of 22° to 48°. The roofing must be done using red or reddish-brown tiles or roof shingles.
Up to one-third of the roof area may also consist of glass and metal-colored materials such as copper and titanium zinc sheets.
Green roofs and solar systems on or integrated into the roof covering are generally permitted.
If a solar or photovoltaic solution integrated into the roof covering is implemented, roofing in a different, darker color (dark gray, anthracite) is permitted.
Garages and outbuildings, if included under the main roof, must match the main building in roof shape, pitch, and covering. Detached garages may have flat roofs or a roof pitch between 22° and 38°.
B.3 Roof structures and cross gables
(Section 74, paragraph 1, item 1 of the State Building Code)
Roof structures are permitted under the following conditions:
• Width of individual dormers no more than one-third of the building length; multiple dormers up to a maximum of half the building length
• Distance to the verge (bargeboard) at least 2.0 m (6.6 ft)
• Distance to ridge and eaves at least 1.0 m (3.3 ft)
No specific requirements are set for dormer roofing materials.
Cross gables are permitted under the following conditions:
• Width no more than one-third of the building length
• Distance to the side building edge at least 1.0 m (3.3 ft)
• Ridge height at least 0.5 m (1.6 ft) below the main ridge

schwimbi schrieb:
Slope yes, about 1.5-2m (5-6.5 feet) descending to the south

How do you envision the design without a basement? That is quite a steep slope...

schwimbi schrieb:
What do you think the chances are for approval regarding the "crippled gable roof"/"masked top floor"?

What kind of concealed roof are you planning there? The ridge direction is explicitly specified, so it should be built accordingly.

Apart from the fact that I kept wondering if you are building the ultimate house for your friends while reading, I think the floor plan doesn’t look bad at first glance.
The walk-in closet is too narrow.
However, I can’t really imagine the house on that slope.
Why are you reluctant to consider a split-level design? Is it because of age? Then you should also make the shower toilet suitable for aging, etc.
Alternative: a basement with an upper floor, i.e. ground floor and basement, so you can have barrier-free access to the garden.
By the way, not only cube designs are modern, offset shed roofs as well as gable roofs can also be designed very contemporary—usually a bit more dynamic than a cube, which often comes across as quite boring and blocky.

Yes, in principle, I like the floor plan as well.

On the upper floor, I see one more room than required, and on closer inspection, it would be helpful to have some exact measurements to better understand certain rooms and their suggested furnishings, for example the upper floor bathroom or the walk-in closet.

ypg schrieb:
How do you imagine the execution without a basement? That’s quite a steep slope...



What kind of concealed roof do you have there?
The ridge direction is explicitly specified, so it should be built accordingly.

Aside from the fact that I kept thinking while reading whether you’re building the ultimate house for your friends, I find the floor plan not bad at first glance.
The walk-in closet is too narrow.
However, I can’t imagine the house on the slope.
Why can’t you get on board with a split-level? Because of age? Then you should also design the shower toilet to be age-appropriate, etc.
Alternative: Basement with an upper level, that is, ground floor and basement, so you have barrier-free access to the garden.
By the way, it’s not just the cube style that’s modern; offset shed roofs as well as gable roofs can also be very modern, at least somewhat more dynamic than a cube, which often looks quite dull and bulky.

Wow, thank you very much for the feedback. Really great.

We imagine executing the slope by cutting down 0.5m (1.5 feet) on the north side and filling in 1.5m (5 feet) at the bottom. The site hasn’t been measured yet; we are currently using the lines from the schematic development plan as a guide (see building plot picture).

The ridge direction of the roof would be followed; the gable roof (on top of the flat roof) is aligned according to the required ridge direction.

I’m sorry if it appears that we are building the perfect house for our friends. It should rather express that we have now seen a lot and stayed in some houses for several days, so in our view we can clearly assess what we want and what we don’t. For example, nobody among our friends has a masonry chimney (and many advise against it) — but we will install one anyway. Nobody among our friends has a KNX system (and many advise against it) — but we will also install it anyway. You only build once, and it’s for yourself and only for yourself.

The issue with the split-level is really about age and the fact that just the thought of living in a split-level house bothers us. Carrying groceries up and down stairs all the time, going to the office — stairs, going to the bathroom — stairs... And when children arrive, you end up putting an unsightly gate on the once-beautiful staircase.
I have read through all the split-level threads thoroughly.

Thanks for the tip regarding the barrier-free ground floor toilet/shower. We’ll probably need to make that a bit larger.

I doubt that blatant disregard for a zoning plan can still be considered a "creative interpretation."

I can’t follow the floor plan regarding the shed roof (on the dressing room or where?), which you refer to as a gable roof. Are there any section drawings available?

A few carefully removed load-bearing walls might not be a bad idea.

schwimbi schrieb:
one only builds once, and only for oneself.

If that is really your attitude, why don’t you act accordingly?

To me, it looks more like you’re building to make your housewarming guests jealous and to show off in front of the building authority.

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