Dear forum members,
We bought a plot of land last autumn and are currently deep into the floor plan design. We would like to share our current draft with you and welcome any comments and opinions.
[F]irst some preliminary information about the plot and its buildability:[/F]
Best regards
We bought a plot of land last autumn and are currently deep into the floor plan design. We would like to share our current draft with you and welcome any comments and opinions.
[F]irst some preliminary information about the plot and its buildability:[/F]
- 1000 m² (10,764 sq ft) rear plot, southwest facing (so southwest is on the left side of the site plan)
- Building boundary up to approx. 16 m (52 ft) behind the property line (up to the dashed line on the site plan)
- No zoning plan (construction according to § 34 of the Building Code)
- Groundwater at surface level and peaty soil (exact geotechnical report pending), so piled foundation required and no basement
- Affordable! (Our maximum budget for the house including foundation slab is €230,000)
- Country house style
- Bright, large windows facing south/garden
- Open living/dining/kitchen area
- Family of four, 1 bedroom and 2 children’s rooms
- Not oversized, max 150 m² (1,615 sq ft), preferably less
- Solid construction using Ytong blocks (for us the most cost-effective option, although we would have liked to build with wood as well).
- Developed ourselves after studying various floor plans (including from the book "Affordable Building with a Small Budget" by Achim Linhardt) with support from architect friends and our planner (an independent civil engineer).
- Dimensions 12.50 x 7.50 m (41 x 25 ft) (the measurements shown on the site plan are from an earlier draft).
- What we like: open living area, all main rooms have large windows facing the garden, efficient size, although the children’s and bedroom could be smaller, sewing/work nook behind the stairs upstairs, plenty of wall space for large wardrobes in the upstairs bedroom and hallway on the ground floor, light shaft in the stairwell, staircase (we originally wanted a straight run staircase but it would have taken too much space; the one with three quarter turns is also fine with us).
- What we don’t like 100% yet: the height of the house from the outside. It is currently planned as a two-story house with an eaves height of 6.2 m (20 ft), with the ground floor 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in) high and the upper floor 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) high. The gable roof will be an uninsulated, unfinished cold roof, mainly because of the economical prefabricated truss construction method. This is a bit disappointing because I really like sloped ceilings and did not want the character of a townhouse. Lowering the roof with a knee wall of about 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) and an insulated roof with open sloped ceilings would probably be more expensive due to the rafter/beam construction. We would also lose the garden view through the floor-to-ceiling bedroom windows.
- Simple: What do you think about the floor plan?
- Can you still imagine the relatively tall two-story house having a country house character? Maybe it depends on the facade design and choice of materials? Do you think it looks too “blocky,” especially from the front entrance side? Or would a lower eaves height with an attic conversion including a knee wall be preferable?
- We are still unsure how to arrange the windows on the garden side. The drawing with the elevations shows two possible versions. We actually prefer it when the upper floor window is centered over the lower window front. However, this does not align the interior line of sight from the entrance door to the garden/patio door (see ground floor plan). This represents version two; for version one, the window front would have to be shifted about one window width to the right, so that the patio door is behind the dining table. With the window front shifted left, the interior looks better to us, but from the outside it looks strange if it is offset from the upper floor window, right? What do you think?
Best regards
la.schnute schrieb:
I mentioned it somewhere before: everything is to scale, including wall thicknesses and windows... I’m actually curious about the wall thicknesses.
la.schnute schrieb:
We’re more like night owls and mainly want to enjoy the evening sun. Morning sun is only important during breakfast (to somehow get going), so the only east-facing window is in the kitchen. That’s our way of thinking. Well, do you revisit the basics of space planning, light, winter sun, and all that stuff now, or just let the night owl die ignorant in its cave? Considering that people think they’re so different and know everything, I’m leaning toward the latter.
S
saralina8711 Mar 2020 08:05kaho674 schrieb:
Well, should we now revisit the basics of space planning, lighting, winter sun, and all that stuff, or just let the owl die foolishly in its cave? Considering how different and knowledgeable one claims to be, I’m leaning towards the latter. The original poster isn’t actually that different.
saralina87 schrieb:
The original poster isn’t actually that different Oh....
I thought the same recently but forgot to mention it:
Many people think they are so different, that their wishes can’t be understood by others. But it’s really not rocket science, and most people here want openness and spaciousness, space, airiness, and sunlight in the rooms.
The same goes for the little things: you often read, “I’m different from others, I want to hoard, store, and fold laundry according to Marie Kondo.” As if “we” don’t do that?!
At least the newer homeowners who consciously choose to build without a basement know where the challenges lie. And if I now fold my laundry using specific techniques and regularly declutter, it’s simply because there isn’t enough storage space. For example, I would like a cabinet that is one meter (3 feet) wider, so I wouldn’t have to fold. It’s not like anyone enjoys doing it or that time somehow moves differently.
Unfortunately, the utility room has to serve many purposes here. That’s already too much... but 8.5 m² (91 sq ft) in Schnute is different than for most people here.
saralina87 schrieb:
So anders ist die TE eigentlich gar nicht That’s the problem, she just doesn’t realize it.Well, I’ll say it briefly again and skip the long version:
Light is essential in a house—especially in winter. The south side (including southeast and southwest) should be reserved for living areas, otherwise, you risk developing depression. Your house’s ground floor is a mirror image.
M
Matthew0311 Mar 2020 10:15la.schnute schrieb:
Bathroom spray and toilet cleaner, that's all there isEven though it's off-topic, let me ask as a man: what is bathroom spray? Is there some miracle product I don't know about? Something you spray in the bathroom and everything is clean? Then why am I always on my hands and knees with vinegar cleaner, feeling my wife's supervising looks over my shoulder?
P
Pinkiponk11 Mar 2020 10:19Matthew03 schrieb:
So why am I crawling on all fours with vinegar cleaner, feeling my wife's watchful eyes on my back?For us, it's the exact opposite. As soon as I dare not to use one of the roughly 15 "super-duper specialty products" my husband likes to use, I have to listen to a long lecture about why things won’t work without that specific specialty product. He claims to see a difference, but I don’t.