ᐅ City Villa with Home Office – Request for Feedback and Smart Optimization Ideas
Created on: 6 Jun 2020 19:31
A
AlexF76
Hello dear future homeowners and fellow builders!
We are currently in the planning phase of our house. The plot is purchased, now we just need to bring it to life/build on it.
We have received the first draft from the architect and already had a constructive discussion afterwards. I have now incorporated some of my ideas into the draft and adjusted it. It would be great if you could share your opinions on the house and the floor plan in general, and where you think clever improvements could be made or the size reduced. Currently, the whole thing is about 260 m² (2800 sq ft), and we would ideally like to end up under 250 m² (2700 sq ft). If that is not possible or only with too many compromises, that would be okay, but we would still like to optimize the floor plan.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 1200 sqm (13,000 sq ft)
Slope: None, flat terrain, living in the North.
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: See site plan
Setback from border: 3 m (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Ceiling height: 2.70 - 2.80 m (8.9 - 9.2 ft)
Roof style: See site plan
Architectural style: Urban villa with traditional clinker brick
Orientation: Main entrance facing west
Maximum height limits: Ridge height (FH) 8.50 m (28 ft), Eaves height (TH) 6.50 m (21 ft)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Urban villa with traditional clinker brick
Basement, number of floors: No basement, 2 floors
Number of occupants and ages: 3 (43, 35, 2) hopefully one more child in the future and possibly an elderly parent later on
Space needed at ground floor and upper floor: 200-250 m² (2150-2700 sq ft)
Office use: Family use or home office? Home office, 8-12 hours daily
Guest overnight stays per year: On average 2-4 guests about 5 times a year, later most likely 1 parent living permanently
Open or closed layout: Open
Traditional or modern construction: More country style
Open kitchen, cooking island: Open kitchen with cooking island (cooking island not a must)
Number of seats for dining: 3-4 at the kitchen island, 10-12 at the dining table
Fireplace: Yes, please
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: Definitely
Garage, carport: Yes, garage for 2 cars and for winter birthday parties
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: Maybe later
Reasons for yes or no to certain features:
Balcony at the front so I can step out from the office occasionally and we can enjoy the setting sun in the west in the evenings.
The kitchen should definitely be bright with a view of the street, as my wife wanted, which is why it is unfortunately a bit far from the garage and utility room.
Guest room and guest WC should be barrier-free and large enough so that parents or we could live there later.
House Design
Origin of planning:
Rough drafts by me, first draft by the architect, current version is the first draft with my changes.
What do you particularly like and why?
Utility room (laundry) upstairs
Walk-in closet area
Minimal hallway despite many rooms
Bright
Possibility to separate living areas later
It’s not a run-of-the-mill design
What do you not like and why?
First of all, the large size! About 260 m² (2800 sq ft)! It would be great to reduce this below 250 m² (2700 sq ft) with a smarter layout. Otherwise:
Ground floor:
The kitchen could be a bit smaller without significantly affecting the exterior shape. Currently, there is no window directly offering a view to the terrace, maybe there is an idea for that.
I’m also unsure about the utility/technical room. Some say a technical room of 3-4 m² (32-43 sq ft) is enough, others recommend 6-8 m² (65-85 sq ft). What do you think? The utility room here would be without dryer and washing machine as these are upstairs. Maybe you have a good idea how to properly separate the technical room and utility room. Ideally, the utility room should still have natural light and direct access to the garage for groceries to be dropped off there (freezer) or drinks to be fetched during parties in the garage, allowing direct access to the utility room. The size of the technical room is still undecided. We plan either geothermal heat or air-to-water heat pumps and intend to install a photovoltaic system if the roof design makes sense. Because of the considerable size (initially it was 280 m² / 3000 sq ft), I have tried to reduce the size in some areas including the utility room. Now the question is whether the combined utility and technical room might become too narrow or cramped.
Regarding the fireplace, which is currently placed in the corner of the living room, we are still unsure if it fits there. Is the space sufficient and does it make sense to have it there? Our main concern is not heating the whole room with the fireplace, but rather the atmosphere it creates.
Also, the kitchen is quite far from the utility room and garage, but my wife wants it bright, which we understand and can live with.
No pantry adjacent to the kitchen, which is unfortunate. If anyone has ideas for that, please share.
Upper floor:
We generally like the upper floor, but it would be great if the utility room had enough space not only for the washing machine and dryer but also for ironing and hanging clothes that can’t go into the dryer. Is 6 m² (65 sq ft) sufficient? How should the washing machine, dryer, and furniture best be arranged?
Again, where can we save floor space upstairs? Especially the office is quite large and could be smaller, and the children’s rooms at 14-16 m² (150-170 sq ft) are actually sufficient.
Likewise, the walk-in closet should be less narrow, and the corner space might not be necessary. If you have ideas for that, please share. I tried to avoid the long narrow shape shown in (Obergeschoss-14-Alternative.jpg), but I am not very happy with the current result (Obergeschoss-16.jpg). This also compromises the bedroom size (will it become too tight?) and the children’s rooms. Which of the two proposals do you prefer? Or do you have a better idea?
The bathroom could also be reduced by 1-2 m² (11-22 sq ft) as long as it doesn’t feel cramped. All this depends on whether it’s feasible and makes sense, as well as coordinated with the ground floor.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
2000 Euro (approx. $2150) per m² (sq ft price depends on region)
Personal budget for the house including fittings:
550,000 Euro (approx. $600,000) excluding land. We would prefer to stay under 500k. We do not want to end up with a "jam house" (meaning a house where the mortgage is so high you can’t even afford jam on your bread).
Preferred heating technology:
We have not decided yet between geothermal or air-to-water heat pump. No gas heating! If you have tips for this house, please let us know!
If you had to give up something, which features or finishes could you live without?
Smart home
If you had to give up something, which features or finishes are absolutely essential?
Open living/dining area
Welcoming entrance from the street
Garden and sunlight
Front balcony above the office
Guest room and guest WC with shower for future living of a parent
Sauna
Distance to TV should be at least 4.5 m (15 ft). Currently it’s 5 m (16.5 ft).
Why is the design like it is now?
Our wishes and ideas were implemented by the architect with additional creativity and experience. Unfortunately, there was initially too much hallway space and too little room for the technical room and guest room, and the walk-in closet had no natural light.
What do you think are its strongest and weakest points?
The total area is quite large; some rooms are bigger than we need, and in others, it would be great to have 1-3 m² (11-32 sq ft) more. But many factors depend on other conditions, like identical external footprints on ground and upper floors, access to other rooms, etc. Unfortunately, rooms are usually not fully independent.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
General opinion about the floor plan and exterior – constructive critical feedback welcome
Ideas for optimizing room layout/placement and possible space savings
Are there any corridors or places that are too narrow or tight?
Creative and clever ideas to use space efficiently and make it cozy
Windows – better with slightly rounded or straight tops and with concrete surrounds or without? What do you like or dislike about the facade?
Roof – better with or without a mansard/hip extension?
PS:
The site plan is from the first draft; the middle and right parts have since been moved forward because we wanted more than 10 m (33 ft) of garden at the back.
The m² figures are approximate and may vary slightly.
On the front view, a window next to the garage is actually meant to be a side door.
Window placement on the floor plans is not always exact; I still need to adjust it.
If you have further questions, please ask, I will try to answer them.
Thank you very much for your help and feedback! We really appreciate it! I will upload updates and adjustments as we progress. We are very excited to see the final result!
Have a great weekend!
AlexF76
We are currently in the planning phase of our house. The plot is purchased, now we just need to bring it to life/build on it.
We have received the first draft from the architect and already had a constructive discussion afterwards. I have now incorporated some of my ideas into the draft and adjusted it. It would be great if you could share your opinions on the house and the floor plan in general, and where you think clever improvements could be made or the size reduced. Currently, the whole thing is about 260 m² (2800 sq ft), and we would ideally like to end up under 250 m² (2700 sq ft). If that is not possible or only with too many compromises, that would be okay, but we would still like to optimize the floor plan.
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 1200 sqm (13,000 sq ft)
Slope: None, flat terrain, living in the North.
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: See site plan
Setback from border: 3 m (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Ceiling height: 2.70 - 2.80 m (8.9 - 9.2 ft)
Roof style: See site plan
Architectural style: Urban villa with traditional clinker brick
Orientation: Main entrance facing west
Maximum height limits: Ridge height (FH) 8.50 m (28 ft), Eaves height (TH) 6.50 m (21 ft)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Urban villa with traditional clinker brick
Basement, number of floors: No basement, 2 floors
Number of occupants and ages: 3 (43, 35, 2) hopefully one more child in the future and possibly an elderly parent later on
Space needed at ground floor and upper floor: 200-250 m² (2150-2700 sq ft)
Office use: Family use or home office? Home office, 8-12 hours daily
Guest overnight stays per year: On average 2-4 guests about 5 times a year, later most likely 1 parent living permanently
Open or closed layout: Open
Traditional or modern construction: More country style
Open kitchen, cooking island: Open kitchen with cooking island (cooking island not a must)
Number of seats for dining: 3-4 at the kitchen island, 10-12 at the dining table
Fireplace: Yes, please
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: Definitely
Garage, carport: Yes, garage for 2 cars and for winter birthday parties
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: Maybe later
Reasons for yes or no to certain features:
Balcony at the front so I can step out from the office occasionally and we can enjoy the setting sun in the west in the evenings.
The kitchen should definitely be bright with a view of the street, as my wife wanted, which is why it is unfortunately a bit far from the garage and utility room.
Guest room and guest WC should be barrier-free and large enough so that parents or we could live there later.
House Design
Origin of planning:
Rough drafts by me, first draft by the architect, current version is the first draft with my changes.
What do you particularly like and why?
Utility room (laundry) upstairs
Walk-in closet area
Minimal hallway despite many rooms
Bright
Possibility to separate living areas later
It’s not a run-of-the-mill design
What do you not like and why?
First of all, the large size! About 260 m² (2800 sq ft)! It would be great to reduce this below 250 m² (2700 sq ft) with a smarter layout. Otherwise:
Ground floor:
The kitchen could be a bit smaller without significantly affecting the exterior shape. Currently, there is no window directly offering a view to the terrace, maybe there is an idea for that.
I’m also unsure about the utility/technical room. Some say a technical room of 3-4 m² (32-43 sq ft) is enough, others recommend 6-8 m² (65-85 sq ft). What do you think? The utility room here would be without dryer and washing machine as these are upstairs. Maybe you have a good idea how to properly separate the technical room and utility room. Ideally, the utility room should still have natural light and direct access to the garage for groceries to be dropped off there (freezer) or drinks to be fetched during parties in the garage, allowing direct access to the utility room. The size of the technical room is still undecided. We plan either geothermal heat or air-to-water heat pumps and intend to install a photovoltaic system if the roof design makes sense. Because of the considerable size (initially it was 280 m² / 3000 sq ft), I have tried to reduce the size in some areas including the utility room. Now the question is whether the combined utility and technical room might become too narrow or cramped.
Regarding the fireplace, which is currently placed in the corner of the living room, we are still unsure if it fits there. Is the space sufficient and does it make sense to have it there? Our main concern is not heating the whole room with the fireplace, but rather the atmosphere it creates.
Also, the kitchen is quite far from the utility room and garage, but my wife wants it bright, which we understand and can live with.
No pantry adjacent to the kitchen, which is unfortunate. If anyone has ideas for that, please share.
Upper floor:
We generally like the upper floor, but it would be great if the utility room had enough space not only for the washing machine and dryer but also for ironing and hanging clothes that can’t go into the dryer. Is 6 m² (65 sq ft) sufficient? How should the washing machine, dryer, and furniture best be arranged?
Again, where can we save floor space upstairs? Especially the office is quite large and could be smaller, and the children’s rooms at 14-16 m² (150-170 sq ft) are actually sufficient.
Likewise, the walk-in closet should be less narrow, and the corner space might not be necessary. If you have ideas for that, please share. I tried to avoid the long narrow shape shown in (Obergeschoss-14-Alternative.jpg), but I am not very happy with the current result (Obergeschoss-16.jpg). This also compromises the bedroom size (will it become too tight?) and the children’s rooms. Which of the two proposals do you prefer? Or do you have a better idea?
The bathroom could also be reduced by 1-2 m² (11-22 sq ft) as long as it doesn’t feel cramped. All this depends on whether it’s feasible and makes sense, as well as coordinated with the ground floor.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
2000 Euro (approx. $2150) per m² (sq ft price depends on region)
Personal budget for the house including fittings:
550,000 Euro (approx. $600,000) excluding land. We would prefer to stay under 500k. We do not want to end up with a "jam house" (meaning a house where the mortgage is so high you can’t even afford jam on your bread).
Preferred heating technology:
We have not decided yet between geothermal or air-to-water heat pump. No gas heating! If you have tips for this house, please let us know!
If you had to give up something, which features or finishes could you live without?
Smart home
If you had to give up something, which features or finishes are absolutely essential?
Open living/dining area
Welcoming entrance from the street
Garden and sunlight
Front balcony above the office
Guest room and guest WC with shower for future living of a parent
Sauna
Distance to TV should be at least 4.5 m (15 ft). Currently it’s 5 m (16.5 ft).
Why is the design like it is now?
Our wishes and ideas were implemented by the architect with additional creativity and experience. Unfortunately, there was initially too much hallway space and too little room for the technical room and guest room, and the walk-in closet had no natural light.
What do you think are its strongest and weakest points?
The total area is quite large; some rooms are bigger than we need, and in others, it would be great to have 1-3 m² (11-32 sq ft) more. But many factors depend on other conditions, like identical external footprints on ground and upper floors, access to other rooms, etc. Unfortunately, rooms are usually not fully independent.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
General opinion about the floor plan and exterior – constructive critical feedback welcome
Ideas for optimizing room layout/placement and possible space savings
Are there any corridors or places that are too narrow or tight?
Creative and clever ideas to use space efficiently and make it cozy
Windows – better with slightly rounded or straight tops and with concrete surrounds or without? What do you like or dislike about the facade?
Roof – better with or without a mansard/hip extension?
PS:
The site plan is from the first draft; the middle and right parts have since been moved forward because we wanted more than 10 m (33 ft) of garden at the back.
The m² figures are approximate and may vary slightly.
On the front view, a window next to the garage is actually meant to be a side door.
Window placement on the floor plans is not always exact; I still need to adjust it.
If you have further questions, please ask, I will try to answer them.
Thank you very much for your help and feedback! We really appreciate it! I will upload updates and adjustments as we progress. We are very excited to see the final result!
Have a great weekend!
AlexF76
It still won’t be enough. Just a bathroom that fits a house like this will consume the budget of an upper mid-range car.
I would increase the budget, reduce the floor plan by more than 10 sqm (approximately 108 sq ft), simplify the house design, roof, and cut back a little here and there.
I would increase the budget, reduce the floor plan by more than 10 sqm (approximately 108 sq ft), simplify the house design, roof, and cut back a little here and there.
So the 550k should be enough for 256sqm (2,756 sq ft) of living space plus a 60sqm (645 sq ft) double garage with complex architecture?
What do you mean by your father-in-law’s construction company? You should be able to easily check how much all of this will cost you. Or do you mean a construction company as in a bricklaying business?
It could work if you really have very good connections. But I think an extra 50k could easily be added on top, even with connections. What other features are you planning? I think I read something about a smart home system? Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery? Fireplace? Sauna? Other fittings? Balconies? I believe just the exterior facade alone will be above average in price. I get the feeling you don’t want to save on fittings either, and then even with connections, 2k can be reached quickly (I think that’s almost impossible to avoid). “Connections” is always a flexible term. Materials cost money, and very few people actually work for free.
Regarding the floor plan:
The office is simply oversized. You probably won’t have customers up there anyway.
I find alternative 14 better for the walk-in closet situation. With alternative 16, you’re taking away 2sqm (22 sq ft) from the children’s room. Of course, 16sqm (172 sq ft) is technically enough for a children’s room, but I think it doesn’t fit with the size of your house. In a standard 160sqm (1,722 sq ft) house, that would be reasonable, but with yours being about 100sqm (1,076 sq ft) larger, I find it quite small. (And then the study is almost as large as both children’s rooms combined.)
To identify exact bottlenecks, a more detailed dimensioning would be important.
The kitchen looks generous. The dining area feels cramped. However, 64sqm (689 sq ft) of open-plan space should actually be enough to avoid tight spots if the layout fits.
I have the feeling that the architect (or you) are placing excessive importance on the exterior appearance. A lot of money is spent there, but the interior doesn’t feel nearly as well thought out. From the outside, the house is “wow,” but inside I don’t find a single “wow” spot (except maybe the huge master bathroom with 20sqm (215 sq ft)).
I would say the house needs to be at least 20sqm (215 sq ft) smaller. Fewer corners, a simpler roof, fewer balconies. Solid fittings, but nothing premium. Maybe then, with connections, it could work within the budget.
What do you mean by your father-in-law’s construction company? You should be able to easily check how much all of this will cost you. Or do you mean a construction company as in a bricklaying business?
It could work if you really have very good connections. But I think an extra 50k could easily be added on top, even with connections. What other features are you planning? I think I read something about a smart home system? Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery? Fireplace? Sauna? Other fittings? Balconies? I believe just the exterior facade alone will be above average in price. I get the feeling you don’t want to save on fittings either, and then even with connections, 2k can be reached quickly (I think that’s almost impossible to avoid). “Connections” is always a flexible term. Materials cost money, and very few people actually work for free.
Regarding the floor plan:
The office is simply oversized. You probably won’t have customers up there anyway.
I find alternative 14 better for the walk-in closet situation. With alternative 16, you’re taking away 2sqm (22 sq ft) from the children’s room. Of course, 16sqm (172 sq ft) is technically enough for a children’s room, but I think it doesn’t fit with the size of your house. In a standard 160sqm (1,722 sq ft) house, that would be reasonable, but with yours being about 100sqm (1,076 sq ft) larger, I find it quite small. (And then the study is almost as large as both children’s rooms combined.)
To identify exact bottlenecks, a more detailed dimensioning would be important.
The kitchen looks generous. The dining area feels cramped. However, 64sqm (689 sq ft) of open-plan space should actually be enough to avoid tight spots if the layout fits.
I have the feeling that the architect (or you) are placing excessive importance on the exterior appearance. A lot of money is spent there, but the interior doesn’t feel nearly as well thought out. From the outside, the house is “wow,” but inside I don’t find a single “wow” spot (except maybe the huge master bathroom with 20sqm (215 sq ft)).
I would say the house needs to be at least 20sqm (215 sq ft) smaller. Fewer corners, a simpler roof, fewer balconies. Solid fittings, but nothing premium. Maybe then, with connections, it could work within the budget.
I really like the exterior view, but I can't relate it to the construction costs.
In my opinion, every corner, every projection, etc., has a negative impact on the price per m² (square meter) – and you have a lot of them. However, they definitely add to the charm of the design.
That said, I have no way to assess the family favors in monetary terms.
In my opinion, every corner, every projection, etc., has a negative impact on the price per m² (square meter) – and you have a lot of them. However, they definitely add to the charm of the design.
That said, I have no way to assess the family favors in monetary terms.
I still can’t quite put my finger on what bothers me.
From the outside, it looks impressive.
Inside, it feels like Tetris.
Why is there a bathroom in the garage?
Why are there entrances on both the left and right sides of the staircase?
The bathroom on the ground floor could be designed to be more accessible. It is big enough but not senior-friendly.
The staircase and cloakroom are like those in a 130 m² (1,400 sq ft) single-family house.
Almost 30 m² (320 sq ft) on the ground floor is used just for hallway and stairs.
The kitchen is large. I would take a closer look at the layout. It seems quite inefficient.
On the upper floor, I would remove at least one balcony considering the budget. Honestly, how often do you really use it?
Less than expected and hoped for.
The walk-in closet is very awkward. It’s basically just a narrow corridor.
The children’s rooms seem quite small for the size of the house.
Maybe rearrange the entire upper floor completely.
From the outside, it looks impressive.
Inside, it feels like Tetris.
Why is there a bathroom in the garage?
Why are there entrances on both the left and right sides of the staircase?
The bathroom on the ground floor could be designed to be more accessible. It is big enough but not senior-friendly.
The staircase and cloakroom are like those in a 130 m² (1,400 sq ft) single-family house.
Almost 30 m² (320 sq ft) on the ground floor is used just for hallway and stairs.
The kitchen is large. I would take a closer look at the layout. It seems quite inefficient.
On the upper floor, I would remove at least one balcony considering the budget. Honestly, how often do you really use it?
Less than expected and hoped for.
The walk-in closet is very awkward. It’s basically just a narrow corridor.
The children’s rooms seem quite small for the size of the house.
Maybe rearrange the entire upper floor completely.
That looks quite nice and somewhat reminds me of this thread: https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/efh-mit-grossem-luftraum-Meinungen-erbeten.29194/ – however, I’m surprised by the roof design, which appears a bit less complex than expected based on the floor plan. Are you a fan of historic period houses or manor houses?
I completely agree with that.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
haydee schrieb:
I can’t quite put my finger on what bothers me.
From the outside, it’s a wow.
Inside, it feels like Tetris.
I completely agree with that.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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