Hello dear house-building forum!
I have already done a lot of reading but still haven't found a suitable solution or optimization for our single-family home. Maybe you can help me further?!
First, some details about our single-family home:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size – 890 sqm (9579 sq ft)
Slope – no
Site coverage ratio – ?
Floor area ratio – 0.4
Building envelope, building line, and boundary – building line is 6 m (20 ft)
Edge development?
Number of parking spaces – garage for 1 car
Number of floors – 1
Roof type – any
Architectural style – bungalow area, old house still standing, will be completely demolished
Orientation – ?
Maximum heights/limits:
- Ridge height max. 9 m (29.5 ft) measured from the top of the foundation
- Eaves height of the single-story main structures must not exceed 2.75–3.00 m (9.0–9.8 ft) (measured from top of foundation to bottom edge of gutter)
- Roof extensions allowed up to max. 2/5 of the eaves length
Other requirements – originally a designated bungalow area
Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type – single-family home modern, pitched roof, solid construction
Basement, floors – no basement, ground floor, first floor, finished attic
Number of people, ages – 3–4 / 30, 31, 1 year
Space needed on ground and upper floors – 80–90 sqm (860–970 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? No office but a guest room with a desk
Number of overnight guests per year – 20–30
Open or closed layout? ?
Conservative or modern construction? Rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island? Both
Number of dining seats – 6–8
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – yes, in a small version
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – garage with sauna and small lounge area, space for DIY/workshop
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why this or that should or should not be included: Utility room is intentionally on the east side because daylight in the guest room and guest bathroom was more important to us. The sauna is intentionally located in the 2.20 m (7.2 ft) high garage because we want direct access to the garden.
House design
Who planned it: self-drawn, architect digitized. BUT: so far only the dimensions are set, interior walls, windows, and furniture are partially not yet in the correct positions!
-Planner from a construction company: no
-Architect: yes
-Do-it-yourself: all
What do you particularly like? Why? We think we have a coherent flow for everyday living but are still open to improvements and tips for saving space
What don’t you like? Why? Solution in the garage with sauna, first floor: master bedroom with dressing room, which should be able to fit at least 2 wardrobes of 3 m (10 ft) each
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 320,000
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: 300,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump with photovoltaics
If you had to give up something, which details/extensions
-Can you live without: we are open to suggestions
-Can’t live without: guest room, sauna, size of utility room
Why is the design the way it is now? E.g.
Standard design from the planner? Inspired by Viebrockhaus Maxime 800
Which wishes have been implemented by the architect? So far everything exactly as we drew it...
A mix of many examples from various magazines... no
What makes it in your view particularly good or bad? Good everyday workflow, short distances, all the rooms we want are accommodated
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Can the rooms in the house still be optimized, e.g. on the first floor?
How can I fit a sauna with a small lounge area in the garage without feeling cramped?


I have already done a lot of reading but still haven't found a suitable solution or optimization for our single-family home. Maybe you can help me further?!
First, some details about our single-family home:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size – 890 sqm (9579 sq ft)
Slope – no
Site coverage ratio – ?
Floor area ratio – 0.4
Building envelope, building line, and boundary – building line is 6 m (20 ft)
Edge development?
Number of parking spaces – garage for 1 car
Number of floors – 1
Roof type – any
Architectural style – bungalow area, old house still standing, will be completely demolished
Orientation – ?
Maximum heights/limits:
- Ridge height max. 9 m (29.5 ft) measured from the top of the foundation
- Eaves height of the single-story main structures must not exceed 2.75–3.00 m (9.0–9.8 ft) (measured from top of foundation to bottom edge of gutter)
- Roof extensions allowed up to max. 2/5 of the eaves length
Other requirements – originally a designated bungalow area
Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type – single-family home modern, pitched roof, solid construction
Basement, floors – no basement, ground floor, first floor, finished attic
Number of people, ages – 3–4 / 30, 31, 1 year
Space needed on ground and upper floors – 80–90 sqm (860–970 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? No office but a guest room with a desk
Number of overnight guests per year – 20–30
Open or closed layout? ?
Conservative or modern construction? Rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island? Both
Number of dining seats – 6–8
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – yes, in a small version
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – garage with sauna and small lounge area, space for DIY/workshop
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why this or that should or should not be included: Utility room is intentionally on the east side because daylight in the guest room and guest bathroom was more important to us. The sauna is intentionally located in the 2.20 m (7.2 ft) high garage because we want direct access to the garden.
House design
Who planned it: self-drawn, architect digitized. BUT: so far only the dimensions are set, interior walls, windows, and furniture are partially not yet in the correct positions!
-Planner from a construction company: no
-Architect: yes
-Do-it-yourself: all
What do you particularly like? Why? We think we have a coherent flow for everyday living but are still open to improvements and tips for saving space
What don’t you like? Why? Solution in the garage with sauna, first floor: master bedroom with dressing room, which should be able to fit at least 2 wardrobes of 3 m (10 ft) each
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 320,000
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: 300,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump with photovoltaics
If you had to give up something, which details/extensions
-Can you live without: we are open to suggestions
-Can’t live without: guest room, sauna, size of utility room
Why is the design the way it is now? E.g.
Standard design from the planner? Inspired by Viebrockhaus Maxime 800
Which wishes have been implemented by the architect? So far everything exactly as we drew it...
A mix of many examples from various magazines... no
What makes it in your view particularly good or bad? Good everyday workflow, short distances, all the rooms we want are accommodated
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Can the rooms in the house still be optimized, e.g. on the first floor?
How can I fit a sauna with a small lounge area in the garage without feeling cramped?
desixtor schrieb:
I have the feeling that the eaves point you measured is not correct.
The eaves point (also [I]eaves line) is defined as the intersection between the vertical outer surface (surface of the exterior wall) and the roof covering. (Wikipedia)[/I] Our eaves point is defined in the development plan / building permit planning; please refer to my first thread where I quoted the relevant section from the development plan.
Melo_36 schrieb:
"Our eaves point is defined in the development plan, check my first thread where I quoted this from the development plan."Are you sure your interpretation is correct? That way, you could build something like this, right?Melo_36 schrieb:
A steel door in the guest room (a sleeping area with potentially longer occupancy) seemed even less appealing to us. As an airlock, however, that would be even less suitable, which doesn’t really make the bathroom any better for this purpose.
Climbee schrieb:
“Remember when Uncle Fritz had diarrhea here and Tom quickly wanted to get to the toilet from outside and...” *lol* I hadn’t even thought about those who lock the second bathroom door yet
By the way, I would also classify a sauna as a living space, which likely means it cannot benefit from any boundary construction rights.
Melo_36 schrieb:
The knee wall in the master bedroom is the so-called storage space and is not used, It can’t be used anyway, since only very flexible people could access it. The cat is happy about that
Melo_36 schrieb:
For clarity, here is the cross-section: Apparently, the designer lacks the understanding that legally, the eaves height does not refer to the top edge of the gutter but to the theoretical intersection line of the exterior wall and the roof covering.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
The eave height is measured from the ground/soil level up to the point where the roof meets the exterior wall.
With a room height of 2.75 meters and a ceiling thickness of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inches) measured from the top edge of the finished floor level (OKBP), you already reach your maximum of 3.00 meters (10 feet).
Perhaps the architect should handle everything from the start and already be involved when the development plan is created?
With a room height of 2.75 meters and a ceiling thickness of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inches) measured from the top edge of the finished floor level (OKBP), you already reach your maximum of 3.00 meters (10 feet).
Melo_36 schrieb:
Due to the bungalow zoning area, an architect is necessary to calculate the number of storeys and the structural engineering. Only one full storey is allowed, and there are percentage limits for the ceiling heights of any upper storeys that cannot be exceeded. I cannot calculate that with just a pencil.
Perhaps the architect should handle everything from the start and already be involved when the development plan is created?
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