ᐅ Feedback on Floor Plan – Are Size and Price Acceptable?
Created on: 28 Apr 2020 09:19
J
JohannFugger
Hello dear house building forum,
After a promising start working with our architect, there has been a significant drop in performance lately, and we’re no longer sure if he is really doing his best to achieve the optimal result for us.
--> Time for the house building forum!
Attached are the floor plans for the granny flat, first floor, attic, and exterior views.
Where we started / Basic information:
- Single-family home with shared wall – one child (10)
- Slightly sloped site – ideal for a small granny flat for later use by our child or for rental
- Roof pitch 38° – gable roof
- South-facing slope
- Plot approx. 650sqm (7000 sqft)
- The small extension at the rear living area on the ground floor came about because the neighbors want to build a noticeably longer house, so we’re trying to visually soften the resulting wall at our terrace
- My wife had a slipped disc, so we decided to plan a laundry chute from the basement to the first floor. The washing machines should definitely stay in the basement
- We are currently planning a simple gas heating system, photovoltaic system, and central mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
- Gas fireplace
- Open-plan design
Our main concerns at the moment:
- Is the size appropriate? On the plans, it all looks quite nice, but when the architect estimates a price of 545,000 EUR, it makes us wonder if everything really adds up. (The building plot also had to be paid for)
- Do you find the exterior look harmonious and balanced?
- Do you think a wardrobe of this size on the first floor is sufficient?
- We have currently commissioned the architect only up to phase 4 – do you think it makes sense to have him carry out the other construction phases as well, or should we rather hire an external construction expert? Phases 5 to 9 alone would cost another 45,000 EUR, which seems quite high to me.
We are already looking forward to your feedback and an open discussion!
Best regards
JohannFugger
After a promising start working with our architect, there has been a significant drop in performance lately, and we’re no longer sure if he is really doing his best to achieve the optimal result for us.
--> Time for the house building forum!
Attached are the floor plans for the granny flat, first floor, attic, and exterior views.
Where we started / Basic information:
- Single-family home with shared wall – one child (10)
- Slightly sloped site – ideal for a small granny flat for later use by our child or for rental
- Roof pitch 38° – gable roof
- South-facing slope
- Plot approx. 650sqm (7000 sqft)
- The small extension at the rear living area on the ground floor came about because the neighbors want to build a noticeably longer house, so we’re trying to visually soften the resulting wall at our terrace
- My wife had a slipped disc, so we decided to plan a laundry chute from the basement to the first floor. The washing machines should definitely stay in the basement
- We are currently planning a simple gas heating system, photovoltaic system, and central mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
- Gas fireplace
- Open-plan design
Our main concerns at the moment:
- Is the size appropriate? On the plans, it all looks quite nice, but when the architect estimates a price of 545,000 EUR, it makes us wonder if everything really adds up. (The building plot also had to be paid for)
- Do you find the exterior look harmonious and balanced?
- Do you think a wardrobe of this size on the first floor is sufficient?
- We have currently commissioned the architect only up to phase 4 – do you think it makes sense to have him carry out the other construction phases as well, or should we rather hire an external construction expert? Phases 5 to 9 alone would cost another 45,000 EUR, which seems quite high to me.
We are already looking forward to your feedback and an open discussion!
Best regards
JohannFugger
J
JohannFugger28 Apr 2020 14:15Matthew03 schrieb:
It's a shame you didn't address the questions about the necessity of the separate apartment and the remaining 200sqm (2,150 sq ft) for "only" three people... If you want help and suggestions for a fresh start, providing more information is essential. Often, I and others have pointed out that having a separate apartment solely for generating income to finance the build is usually a bad idea, meaning it rarely pays off. Also, open floor plans can be achieved even with 30sqm (320 sq ft) less. Overall, that represents significant potential savings; with 450k you can do quite a bit. The idea of the separate apartment comes from the fact that our son (10) shouldn't be forced out at 18, but we want to at least offer him the option to stay. Later on, we do also consider the possibility of renting it out.
J
JohannFugger28 Apr 2020 14:18Matthew03 schrieb:
a total of 200sqm (2,153 sqft) for "only" three peopleThe living area basically came about naturally. The architect received a few Pinterest images from us showing things we liked. After quite some time, this is what resulted. There was never a fixed requirement for the number of square meters needed... He has known the budget since the second meeting.J
JohannFugger28 Apr 2020 14:26So, here is what I have understood so far:
- The entrance area and dressing room are too small (my wife already suspected this). Why don’t I hear such things from the architect – oh dear.
- The living area is inefficiently laid out.
- I think we could probably reduce the length by about 1.5m (5 feet).
- Bay windows drive up costs – although they look nice. Especially the one facing the street really defines the appearance. Some find it disharmonious, but I haven’t yet understood how it could be improved.
- Better to place the staircase against the wall of the semi-detached house since it doesn’t need natural light.
- The mezzanine/open space shouldn’t be against the wall.
--> Mirroring the layout could be an option?
- The good thing about all this: You can still do something with 450,000 EUR (about 490,000 USD).
--> It’s unfortunate that the architect has already taken significant fees – let’s see how the meeting goes...
- The entrance area and dressing room are too small (my wife already suspected this). Why don’t I hear such things from the architect – oh dear.
- The living area is inefficiently laid out.
- I think we could probably reduce the length by about 1.5m (5 feet).
- Bay windows drive up costs – although they look nice. Especially the one facing the street really defines the appearance. Some find it disharmonious, but I haven’t yet understood how it could be improved.
- Better to place the staircase against the wall of the semi-detached house since it doesn’t need natural light.
- The mezzanine/open space shouldn’t be against the wall.
--> Mirroring the layout could be an option?
- The good thing about all this: You can still do something with 450,000 EUR (about 490,000 USD).
--> It’s unfortunate that the architect has already taken significant fees – let’s see how the meeting goes...
JohannFugger schrieb:
Thanks for the positive feedback – which parts do you mean?JohannFugger schrieb:
modern / Bauhaus / minimalist (?)Appearance is a matter of personal taste.
For me, the design is too complex for a minimalist modern building, with too many different shapes both in projections and recesses as well as window formats.
You’ve received a lot of criticism here. It’s not meant to be harsh, as you’ve already recognized yourself. The blame should be directed at the architect, but anyway.
The positive side is that the plot and the concept have potential to create something stylistically in that direction. I would suggest making a priority list. What are your wishes and in which order? There is a lot of potential for savings. Of course, that means you won’t have a 100m² (1076 sq ft) open-plan living area. You might want to consider whether your child really needs 25m² (269 sq ft) plus a gallery for 6-7 years before perhaps moving into the granny flat. Or maybe they will surprise you and study far away?
If you remove all that, you might end up with just an "extension" or "projection," or whatever you want to call it. You can easily reduce 50m² (538 sq ft) or more without losing much quality. With a less complex building shape, you could also get back within your budget. The advantage is it would look more modern and minimalist.
JohannFugger schrieb:
The living area basically developed organically. The architect received a few Pinterest images from us showing things we liked. After some time, this is what came out of it. We never set a specific requirement for how many square meters we needed... He has known the budget since the second meeting.My hairdresser says that every time, clients come in with pictures of hairstyles and want exactly the haircut shown. In her opinion, these are the most difficult customers.
Maybe the architect misunderstood the images, and with a few small communication errors, a project like this can quickly get off track.
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