ᐅ Single-family house, 160 m² with basement, on a 500 m² plot of land
Created on: 9 Jun 2020 18:34
M
Murmelstein
Hi,
We have a 500m2 (5400 sq ft) plot where we would like to build.
We have now received the initial plans from our preferred construction company.
We need a basement because my wife and I both work from home, and we have three children who should each have their own room.
The attic is not really a good option due to the small dormer window and a building height limit of 9 meters (30 ft). The basement is quite expensive because of the clay soil, but in the end, we decided in favor of the basement, and the first financing simulations fit approximately a $680,000 build cost including additional construction expenses. The land is not included, of course.
I think the plans are already quite good, but I don’t have much expertise. A master bathroom was our request. The guest bathroom on the ground floor is there because we often have guests staying with us.
In my opinion, the pantry can be left out.
I planned the upstairs hallway once larger and once smaller to allow for a bigger children’s bathroom.
I miss the external staircase to the basement. If the stairs were on the right side, it would allow for "normal" windows in the basement offices. I have pointed this out. Also, the street runs roughly along the house from left to right and drops about one meter (3 ft).
I’m not sure about the layout of the "fitness" room; I think it might be structurally necessary. I want to bother the architect only once we are 100% sure we are going with this construction company.
What I generally don't like right now is that generic feel when looking at it, but the house is simply a standard two-story with a 30° pitched roof.
I would really like to know from your experience whether this covered terrace is a good idea or not.
Thanks in advance
We have a 500m2 (5400 sq ft) plot where we would like to build.
We have now received the initial plans from our preferred construction company.
We need a basement because my wife and I both work from home, and we have three children who should each have their own room.
The attic is not really a good option due to the small dormer window and a building height limit of 9 meters (30 ft). The basement is quite expensive because of the clay soil, but in the end, we decided in favor of the basement, and the first financing simulations fit approximately a $680,000 build cost including additional construction expenses. The land is not included, of course.
I think the plans are already quite good, but I don’t have much expertise. A master bathroom was our request. The guest bathroom on the ground floor is there because we often have guests staying with us.
In my opinion, the pantry can be left out.
I planned the upstairs hallway once larger and once smaller to allow for a bigger children’s bathroom.
I miss the external staircase to the basement. If the stairs were on the right side, it would allow for "normal" windows in the basement offices. I have pointed this out. Also, the street runs roughly along the house from left to right and drops about one meter (3 ft).
I’m not sure about the layout of the "fitness" room; I think it might be structurally necessary. I want to bother the architect only once we are 100% sure we are going with this construction company.
What I generally don't like right now is that generic feel when looking at it, but the house is simply a standard two-story with a 30° pitched roof.
I would really like to know from your experience whether this covered terrace is a good idea or not.
Thanks in advance
pagoni2020 schrieb:
already saying: "guest" + WC, so a rarely and only very briefly used room,I see it differently: it is the toilet on the ground floor—the one closest when you come home, need to use the toilet while cooking or doing garden work, or in the evening during family time... with 5 people, it is constantly in use! pagoni2020 schrieb:
I think you should completely redesign the ground floor layout (or have it redesigned!);Yes, I would agree—the area proportions between the upper floor and ground floor are not balanced.
I don’t understand the argument that the guest bathroom is used only by guests. Our ground floor bathroom is used several times daily by all household members. Only rarely does anyone go upstairs to the bathrooms for quick toilet visits or handwashing. Is it different in your homes?
Oops – this was already mentioned.
Oops – this was already mentioned.
pagoni2020 schrieb:
However, as soon as this would limit another important function, the window in the guest bathroom would probably be the first thing to go.And what would that be? I don’t see anything... sure... for now... but the design is not finished, nor close to it. There is enough space. See #61P
pagoni20207 Jul 2020 11:08ypg schrieb:
I see it differently: it’s the bathroom on the ground floor—the closest one when you come home, or need to use the bathroom while cooking or gardening, or in the evening during family gatherings... with 5 people, it’s constantly in use!
Yes, I would agree—the space ratio between the upper floor and the ground floor is not balanced. I personally prefer shower bathrooms, so with so many people, I would definitely consider adding a shower and toilet on the ground floor as well (the garden staff tends to get dirty all the time). It wouldn’t bother me, and there is space available—just not well planned.
@Murmelstein since you have a master bathroom upstairs plus a separate kids’ bathroom with THREE sinks, the overall distribution of wet rooms doesn’t seem right to me. I’d rather have two fewer sinks upstairs and instead add a shower and toilet on the ground floor. Kids are just as often upstairs as downstairs and don’t always run to the sink assigned to them upstairs—they go wherever is easiest.
Kids are wonderfully simple in that way... I wish we adults could keep that mindset more!
You have a lot of new ideas here, so I would take them to a (different) architect or at least have someone else draft a floor plan based on your preferences!
In that sense, I have to agree with [USER=12491]@ypg[/USER, since you have a large family that mainly spends time on the ground floor; a proper bathroom or shower/toilet there would be appropriate. You already have five sinks, two showers, and a bathtub upstairs, where you are usually only sleeping and are there less often.
ypg schrieb:
Yes, I would agree – the area proportions between the upper floor and the ground floor do not seem balanced.What stands out to me as especially unbalanced is that essentials like the placement of rooms are being changed, even though the preliminary design phase (or was this phase skipped entirely?) should already be completed. It seems to me that the distribution of building volumes is not well thought out yet.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
M
Murmelstein7 Jul 2020 13:08Wow, thanks for your input!
What you see here is the architect’s second design attempt. We are actually part of the problem, since at the beginning we didn’t really know what we wanted and were just experimenting. Of course, I don’t need a 20 sq m (215 sq ft) foyer... The staircase and other walls would be adjusted. I am currently leaning towards a landing staircase because it creates more living space on the ground floor while still providing a proper entrance hall.
But we are definitely still in the preliminary planning stage. We have spoken with four companies, received plans, and have now simply chosen a builder based on many factors. The actual planning is only really starting now. So far, the architect has held back her professional opinion 100% and only presented what we provided as input. Changing the builder now would be more than excessive. Sure, an independent architect or residential space designer would approach it differently, but we can’t afford that and this is a construction model that doesn’t suit us.
Therefore, I am still grateful for your help here, since you provide us with input for our next meeting with the architect.
The shower bathroom in the basement comes from the idea that we have the guest room there and simply spend a lot of time in the basement. Both of us work from home.
A guest toilet without a window is a no-go for my wife, but if that makes everything else significantly better, then it’s okay.
But yes, the biggest issue right now is the position of the staircase. It just doesn’t work. However, we really like the upper floor and are afraid that a new staircase would ruin everything upstairs.
What you see here is the architect’s second design attempt. We are actually part of the problem, since at the beginning we didn’t really know what we wanted and were just experimenting. Of course, I don’t need a 20 sq m (215 sq ft) foyer... The staircase and other walls would be adjusted. I am currently leaning towards a landing staircase because it creates more living space on the ground floor while still providing a proper entrance hall.
But we are definitely still in the preliminary planning stage. We have spoken with four companies, received plans, and have now simply chosen a builder based on many factors. The actual planning is only really starting now. So far, the architect has held back her professional opinion 100% and only presented what we provided as input. Changing the builder now would be more than excessive. Sure, an independent architect or residential space designer would approach it differently, but we can’t afford that and this is a construction model that doesn’t suit us.
Therefore, I am still grateful for your help here, since you provide us with input for our next meeting with the architect.
The shower bathroom in the basement comes from the idea that we have the guest room there and simply spend a lot of time in the basement. Both of us work from home.
A guest toilet without a window is a no-go for my wife, but if that makes everything else significantly better, then it’s okay.
But yes, the biggest issue right now is the position of the staircase. It just doesn’t work. However, we really like the upper floor and are afraid that a new staircase would ruin everything upstairs.
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