ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home on a South-Facing Slope

Created on: 4 Mar 2019 20:17

Guido1980

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 639 m2 (6875 ft2). This is plot No. 1 from the exposé.
Slope yes, south-facing slope
Floor area ratio 0.4 (50% exceedance not allowed) => for this design 0.3873
Floor space index 0.5 => for this design 0.376 (however, basement “living spaces” may still need to be considered if the building authority requires it)
Building envelope, building line and boundary There is a building boundary with the following setback distances: North 3 m (10 ft), East 3 m (10 ft), South 5 m (16 ft), and West 8 m (26 ft)
Edge development with ancillary structures allowed, max. 15 m (49 ft) total or max. 9 m (30 ft) on one boundary
Number of parking spaces double garage + possibly 1 carport with one parking space on the north side
Number of stories 1.5 stories plus a basement level
Roof style gable roof, 28° – 35° pitch
Architectural style modern
Orientation facing south, meaning ridge runs west-east across the slope, with roof surfaces facing north and south
Maximum heights/limits Eaves max. 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in) above finished floor level ground floor (FFL GF), maximum ridge height 8.50 m (28 ft) above finished floor level ground floor (FFL GF)
Further specifications

Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type modern, white plastered with gable roof at maximum pitch and dark roof tiles
Basement, floors basement with fitness/wellness room
Ground floor living and dining area + guest room, upper floor bedroom with dressing room, office, child’s bedroom, bathroom
Number of persons, ages three people; 2 x 38 years old, 1 x 16 years old
Space requirements on GF, UF floor plans available, living area approx. 170 m2 (1830 ft2) + 75 m2 (807 ft2) basement
Office use: family use or home office? home office
Overnight guests per year 10
Open or closed architecture open
Conservative or modern construction modern
Open kitchen preferred, with kitchen island
Number of dining seats minimum 6
Fireplace yes, in living room and possibly in fitness/wellness room
Music/sound system wall yes
Balcony, roof terrace yes, balcony on upper floor facing west, terrace on double garage facing southwest
Garage, carport yes, double garage with driveway from south connecting to basement and rooftop terrace above, facing southwest
Utility garden, greenhouse no, possibly a small vegetable garden
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why certain features should or shouldn’t be included preferably a small garden shed, possibly a built-in garden pool, garden pond, fitness room possibly with sauna and whirlpool

House Design
Who designed the plan: myself
- Planner freelance architect
- Architect first meeting with architect took place, concept available (see pictures)
- Do-it-yourself no, turnkey contract, possibly some trades subcontracted or partial self-performed or trades contracted individually
What do you like most and why? south-facing slope location with a view
What don’t you like and why? plot size is a bit small but no alternative
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 2000 €/m2 (186 €/ft2) living area, plot 83,000 €
Personal price limit for house including fittings: 600,000 € (excluding plot)
Preferred heating technology: n/a

If you had to give up some details/additions
- can give up: garden pool
- cannot give up: double garage with rooftop terrace

Why is the design as it is now? because it meets the requirements and fits the plot
Standard design from planner? no! individually designed
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? double garage with rooftop terrace

What do you think of it or do you have any suggestions for improvement?

Development area with yellow roads, orange plots and elevation details NHN, blue outlines.

Attic floor plan with rooms: child, office, dressing room, bedroom, bathroom, corridor, living room

Floor plan of house with living room, dining, kitchen, hallway, guest room, shower/WC, stairs, roof terrace.

Basement floor plan: double garage, fitness room, cellar, heating, shower/WC, stairs.

Garden plan: central house, surrounding lawn area, terrace and stairs.

Modern house on green slope with terrace, balcony and water view.

Modern two-story house on green hill with balcony, terrace and garage.

3D render of white single-family house with gable roof, terrace and hillside location.

3D model of white single-family house on green slope with roof and windows.

Site plan of residential area: plots with area measurements (m²) and buildings, street names visible.

ypg19 Apr 2019 09:37

#85

kaho674 schrieb:
But cars are constantly coming and going next door. Who knows if they’ll even move in. I moved out when I was 17.

As if an 18-year-old would care. After all, their own vehicle is parked there. The main thing is that the "kid" has peace from the parents.

kbt0919 Apr 2019 10:14

#86

@kaho674 ... Katja, very nice, I would just swap the cloakroom and shower on the ground floor.

kaho67419 Apr 2019 10:36

#87

ypg schrieb:
As if an 18-year-old would care. After all, their own vehicle is parked there. The main thing is that the “kid” has peace away from the parents.

You think so.
I just can’t get used to the south garage. Half the garden is destroyed, and on the terrace side you can’t plant any privacy trees anymore. Really uncomfortable. Then you start putting some kind of thuja trees in pots on the terrace or something like that, which is pretty lame. Also, you lose a large part of the light-exposed side in the basement level. That would be a perfect spot to park the kid’s car. Like in #61 or something similar. But next to the cars, I don’t find it very appealing.

When it comes to the general contractor’s design, you also have to consider all the paved paths. Just the paving alone costs about 30-40 grand.

kbt09 schrieb:
@kaho674 ... Katja, very nice, I would just swap the wardrobe and shower on the ground floor.

I actually didn’t do that on purpose, because it makes the access from the garage easier that way.

ypg19 Apr 2019 10:51

#88

kaho674 schrieb:
That’s when people start putting some thuja plants in pots on the terrace or something like that.

.... which then dry out every winter...

kaho674 schrieb:
You think so.

Yep. I was a kid myself going through the usual process of growing up. The “transition” lasts from about 14 to 22 years... or something like that, basically the separation.
A huge house is built and the young adult still gets to sleep on the parents’ level. The wellness area is by the garages, which face south... all because of a pool that isn’t used anymore after two years since it’s just too much effort.

Well then

Guido198019 Apr 2019 11:58

#89

face26 schrieb:
With the bathroom, you’re building over your staircase. That means, above the first four steps (counting from the ground floor), you have the ceiling of the upper floor. Now imagine you’re going from the upper floor to the ground floor and you’re standing on the indicated stairs. You’ll probably hit your head if you take another step. From below, that’s probably four steps. Then you’re about 80cm (31½ inches) high and you still have about 1.9m (6 ft 3 in) of clearance to the ceiling...

Edit: sorry... my PC is acting up, I can’t upload the picture... but I think you can imagine it like this. Step from the fourth to the fifth step or vice versa. (if I counted correctly)

Thanks, now I understand... honestly, I’m speechless. How can a "professional" design something like this? Unbelievable.

ypg schrieb:
Well, optimization means in professional circles tracing the idea technically. It doesn’t mean: do something great but not what you’re actually looking at.

So yes, that’s what you ordered: optimization.

Then I ask you: why? It’s strange that so few people (are there any besides you?) see it differently. Of course, you are the client and you decide. It will be built exactly the way you want. But if you think it’s wrong, there is no basis to plan differently, considering what the plot offers.

Regarding the design: I have never seen such a bad design. At least windows and dormers need to be drawn in. Also, for me, not much is understandable here, unless you have given more details than that the garage must face south.

Go to an architect – without any pre-planning! You do not do yourself any favors by pre-empting the professional as a complete layman.

I have been to an architect... he planned the initial drafts of the floor plans, which were completely rejected here (standard floor plan stretched lengthwise and rooms poorly arranged).

Then I tried to optimize it myself... didn’t work either. Then I consulted construction companies and asked them, based on what I learned in this forum, to freely revise the existing floor plans while considering the attached specifications. I also presented version 2 with the garage facing east. The result is now what you call the worst design ever.

To summarize, this means:
- the existing architect’s design is poor
- the revision of the architect’s design is terrible

Do you think I should find a new architect to start a fresh design or ask the current one to revise it again? Of course, he will want to know exactly what to change. I feel like I’m going in circles.

I just saw the new drafts from Katja... I’m going to review them calmly now... many thanks already.

Floor plan: building core with roof pyramid, surrounding outlines, L-shaped extension, north arrow.

Technical drawing of a floor plan with outer boundary line and inner isometric cube.

Overview of house layout: double garage, basement, ground floor, attic, garden.

kaho67419 Apr 2019 12:46

#90

ypg schrieb:

Yep. I was also a child who developed normally into an adult.

Hard to believe!

In any case, planning the nursery here takes some real brainpower. Maybe it could also be used as a guest room for half the year?

ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home on a South-Facing Slope

Reaktionen