ᐅ 200 m² single-family house for 4-5 people without a basement on a narrow lot
Created on: 7 Sep 2019 18:07
H
hausbauer
Hello,
I’m looking forward to your opinions on this design.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 525 m² (5650 sq ft), 17 m (56 ft) narrow along the street at the south end x 31 m (102 ft) long north-south orientation
Land is completely flat
Site coverage ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary each 5 m (16 ft) from the street at the south and from the northern border
Edge development
Number of parking spaces 2
Maximum height / limits 8 m (26 ft) total height (attic will be quite low)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors 2 full floors without basement
Number of people, age 2 adults + 2 children (currently small) + possibly a third child
Room requirements on ground and upper floor 2 children’s rooms, 1 office/guest room large enough to be another children’s room, 1 additional small office, guest bathroom with shower, open living-dining area
Office: family use or home office? Only for work after hours and weekends, as well as for taxes etc.
Number of overnight guests per year few
Open or closed architecture
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage, carport Double garage would be good, but probably won’t fit?
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why some things should or shouldn’t be included
Bedroom facing north for a clear view; no north-facing garden because it would be too dark in autumn/winter due to shading from surrounding houses; overall, lots of natural light in the living areas is very important to us
Enough usable space and storage inside the house (large utility and service room), since we don’t have a basement and there is no room on the plot for large garden sheds
House Design
Who designed it: self-designed based on a template
What do you like most? Why? Layout of the upper floor (nice children’s rooms with south and southwest orientation, bedroom facing north, large utility room), possibility of a second terrace on the north side by the guest room for shade and view north in midsummer
What do you not like? Why? Entrance area on the ground floor is a bit narrow, otherwise we’re quite inexperienced with what might work well or not in everyday life.
If you had to compromise, on which details or expansions
-You could do without: large hallway areas, if necessary a half-landing staircase (instead of more space-consuming stairs), if needed a pantry next to the kitchen (could be replaced by space under the stairs), a structural requirement might mean adding an extra partition wall in the utility room (which could also be used as a room divider for more storage space)
-You cannot do without: south-facing living-dining area, enough space for bicycles etc. on the property (currently a bit tight)
Questions about the floor plan:
- Is the plot well used?
- Is the entrance area too narrow at 175 cm (69 inches)?
- Are the rooms arranged practically for a family of 4 to 5?
- Do we have enough storage given that we lack a basement and the attic is quite low?
- Is it a big disadvantage in terms of sound transmission that the two children’s rooms share a common wall?
Note: The entire plan will be revised by a professional once we are happy with the overall layout. Then dimensions will be more precise, drawings nicer, and structural calculations reliable. I’m just interested in early feedback on potential weak points and good alternatives.
I’m looking forward to your opinions on this design.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 525 m² (5650 sq ft), 17 m (56 ft) narrow along the street at the south end x 31 m (102 ft) long north-south orientation
Land is completely flat
Site coverage ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary each 5 m (16 ft) from the street at the south and from the northern border
Edge development
Number of parking spaces 2
Maximum height / limits 8 m (26 ft) total height (attic will be quite low)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors 2 full floors without basement
Number of people, age 2 adults + 2 children (currently small) + possibly a third child
Room requirements on ground and upper floor 2 children’s rooms, 1 office/guest room large enough to be another children’s room, 1 additional small office, guest bathroom with shower, open living-dining area
Office: family use or home office? Only for work after hours and weekends, as well as for taxes etc.
Number of overnight guests per year few
Open or closed architecture
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage, carport Double garage would be good, but probably won’t fit?
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why some things should or shouldn’t be included
Bedroom facing north for a clear view; no north-facing garden because it would be too dark in autumn/winter due to shading from surrounding houses; overall, lots of natural light in the living areas is very important to us
Enough usable space and storage inside the house (large utility and service room), since we don’t have a basement and there is no room on the plot for large garden sheds
House Design
Who designed it: self-designed based on a template
What do you like most? Why? Layout of the upper floor (nice children’s rooms with south and southwest orientation, bedroom facing north, large utility room), possibility of a second terrace on the north side by the guest room for shade and view north in midsummer
What do you not like? Why? Entrance area on the ground floor is a bit narrow, otherwise we’re quite inexperienced with what might work well or not in everyday life.
If you had to compromise, on which details or expansions
-You could do without: large hallway areas, if necessary a half-landing staircase (instead of more space-consuming stairs), if needed a pantry next to the kitchen (could be replaced by space under the stairs), a structural requirement might mean adding an extra partition wall in the utility room (which could also be used as a room divider for more storage space)
-You cannot do without: south-facing living-dining area, enough space for bicycles etc. on the property (currently a bit tight)
Questions about the floor plan:
- Is the plot well used?
- Is the entrance area too narrow at 175 cm (69 inches)?
- Are the rooms arranged practically for a family of 4 to 5?
- Do we have enough storage given that we lack a basement and the attic is quite low?
- Is it a big disadvantage in terms of sound transmission that the two children’s rooms share a common wall?
Note: The entire plan will be revised by a professional once we are happy with the overall layout. Then dimensions will be more precise, drawings nicer, and structural calculations reliable. I’m just interested in early feedback on potential weak points and good alternatives.
Yes, you are. It’s nice to have, but if it’s not there, it would also be nice to just go outside sometimes.
I’m also sun-focused, but what’s not there isn’t there. You won’t get a 100% package. Anyone who needs that buys a plot in a zone with a 34-meter (110 feet) outdoor area and accepts the corresponding disadvantages.
The rest of the time, I don’t have time anyway to just sit there and relax. 8:
I’m also sun-focused, but what’s not there isn’t there. You won’t get a 100% package. Anyone who needs that buys a plot in a zone with a 34-meter (110 feet) outdoor area and accepts the corresponding disadvantages.
The rest of the time, I don’t have time anyway to just sit there and relax. 8:
Hausbauer schrieb:
We would prefer a double carport directly by the street, but this probably won't be approved. Carports often have different regulations than garages. You should check with your local building authority whether a carport can be located closer to the street and, if so, exactly where. Without this information, I wouldn’t start planning.
I have a northwest-facing terrace, which is pleasant while the barbecue is on the south side.
In summer, however, the play area is still shaded by a sun sail. The sun rises over the house from about 9 a.m. and reaches the terrace from around 3 p.m.
With 5 meters (16 feet), you still have enough space to place a chair facing south.
Regardless of the sun’s position, is the garden facing the street or towards forest and fields?
1. Measure for a south-facing garden
Privacy screening
This also creates shade.
Check, as Kaho suggested, whether a carport can be placed closer to the street.
I wouldn’t recommend placing a bed under the window. It’s not convenient for quick window cleaning—you’ll end up climbing over the bed and then need to change the bedding afterward.
In summer, however, the play area is still shaded by a sun sail. The sun rises over the house from about 9 a.m. and reaches the terrace from around 3 p.m.
With 5 meters (16 feet), you still have enough space to place a chair facing south.
Regardless of the sun’s position, is the garden facing the street or towards forest and fields?
1. Measure for a south-facing garden
Privacy screening
This also creates shade.
Check, as Kaho suggested, whether a carport can be placed closer to the street.
I wouldn’t recommend placing a bed under the window. It’s not convenient for quick window cleaning—you’ll end up climbing over the bed and then need to change the bedding afterward.
I agree with haydee regarding the south-facing terrace... sitting outside in winter is possible even if the house only has a small south-facing terrace or, in a traditional way, a bench along the house wall on a surrounding path, for example. That way, you are very well protected. I also like to sit in full sun during winter.
The most recently uploaded plan is actually oriented with true north at the top, right? So, there is even more northwest at the back of the garden? How tall is that garage with the pitched roof on the next-but-one property? About 6 meters (20 feet)?
The most recently uploaded plan is actually oriented with true north at the top, right? So, there is even more northwest at the back of the garden? How tall is that garage with the pitched roof on the next-but-one property? About 6 meters (20 feet)?
I would also recommend the larger north-facing garden. Position the house along the 5m (16 ft) boundary line, like your neighbors. Anything else would probably look odd. I would try to place the house as far to the right (east) as possible. This would mean relocating the garage elsewhere.
This would allow for a wrap-around terrace on the west and north sides. Swap the kitchen and guest rooms accordingly.
Additionally, sunlight does not only come directly from one direction, provided the surrounding buildings are not too close. This means that western sunlight also reaches the side facing north, and southern sunlight also partially reaches the west side.
Good luck!
This would allow for a wrap-around terrace on the west and north sides. Swap the kitchen and guest rooms accordingly.
Additionally, sunlight does not only come directly from one direction, provided the surrounding buildings are not too close. This means that western sunlight also reaches the side facing north, and southern sunlight also partially reaches the west side.
Good luck!
H
hausbauer8 Sep 2019 09:57First of all, thanks for the many responses! The tendency clearly goes towards a north-facing garden.
The floor plan would have to change quite a bit with a north garden because the garage would then have to move next to the house, and the entrance correspondingly to the south side. I’m seriously considering reworking the entire plan. You basically start over close to scratch with all these discussions... Living room, dining, kitchen from south to north along the west side would probably be the consequence.
ypg schrieb:Actually, I do. From November to February, whenever the sun comes out at midday on weekends, I like sitting on our south-facing balcony of our current apartment wearing a thick jacket. Also, I once lived in a basement apartment that was never really bright at any time of day despite large windows (due to heavy shading caused by an overly large balcony above). Since then, natural sunlight/daylight in living spaces has become very important to me. Well, you can also place the living room facing south on the street side in a north garden layout, but then you basically need privacy screening again.
WHY?
Who sits in their garden in lousy weather?
kaho674 schrieb:I already asked, it’s a very tedious issue with the carport. The development plan neither allows nor explicitly forbids it. At the moment, I have to assume a strict no—which is a pity because a (double) carport at the street would simplify things greatly in any house variant.
Carports often have different regulations than garages. Maybe ask your local building authority/building department if a carport can be placed closer to the street and, if so, exactly where. Without this information, I wouldn’t start planning.
haydee schrieb:Good point! Then we’ll probably make the north window in the bedroom a bit wider (possibly fixed glazing with a narrow operable window next to it).
I wouldn’t put a bed under a window. There’s no quick window cleaning then. You’d have to climb on the bed and afterwards change the bed sheets.
kbt09 schrieb:Yes, it’s oriented north. The huge garage on the property after next, towards the west, should be 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high. The garage itself would already be a bit too close for my taste regarding autumn evening sun, but my bigger concern is that the neighbor to the west will realize this fall when passing by that this boundary garage casts a lot of shade in the afternoon and then focus on the south-facing garden. Then I would have his probably 8 m (26 ft) tall house as a shade provider for my north garden (see sketch), while my south garden gets wonderful evening sun. A bit of a dilemma.
The last plan uploaded is actually oriented north, right? So north straight up, meaning even more northwest at the back of the garden? That garage with a pitched roof on the property beyond next door, how tall is that? About 6 m (20 ft)?
Ippebson schrieb:The surroundings are somewhat unpredictable.
I would also recommend the larger north garden. Position the house along the 5 m (16 ft) line like your neighbors. Everything else would probably look odd. Try to place the house as far to the right (east) as possible. That would mean moving the garage somewhere else.
That way, a wrap-around west-north terrace could be realized. Swap kitchen and guest room.
Additionally, sunlight doesn’t only reach locations facing a certain direction if the surrounding buildings are not too dense.
The floor plan would have to change quite a bit with a north garden because the garage would then have to move next to the house, and the entrance correspondingly to the south side. I’m seriously considering reworking the entire plan. You basically start over close to scratch with all these discussions... Living room, dining, kitchen from south to north along the west side would probably be the consequence.
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