ᐅ Single-family house floor plan, approximately 200 sqm – comments welcome

Created on: 22 Oct 2020 21:24
C
Carlotte
Dear forum,

After spending hours as silent readers in this forum, my partner and I are now ready to share our floor plan for your feedback.

First, here is the questionnaire:

Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 1322 sqm (approx. 14,230 sq ft); about 23 x 56 m (75 x 184 ft)
Slope: No
Site coverage ratio: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Floor area ratio: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Edge development: No, only carport/garage and garden shed or storage shed allowed
Number of parking spaces: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Number of stories: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Roof style: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Design style: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Orientation: corner plot approx. 23 x 56 m, streets to the north and west
Maximum height/restrictions: no development plan – § 34 Federal Building Code
Other requirements: none

Client Requirements
Design style, roof type, building type: Modern but not too "clean"; preferably a gable roof with a shallow pitch (20–25°)
Basement, stories: no basement, preferably 2 full floors
Number of occupants, ages: currently 2 (30 and 31 years old), planning for 2 children
Space requirements ground floor, upper floor: Ground floor: entrance hall + cloakroom, guest toilet, office/guest room, large utility room + pantry, open living/dining/kitchen area, approx. 100–110 sqm (1076–1184 sq ft);
Upper floor: 2 children's rooms, children's bathroom, open "parents’ area" with dressing room and master bath, small storage room, preferably gallery/open space, approx. 90 sqm (969 sq ft)
Office: occasional home office use, combined workspace and guest room
Overnight guests per year: 10 nights
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern, not too "clean"
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with freestanding island; slight separation between dining and living areas desired
Number of dining seats: 8
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double carport
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included: if possible, an open staircase

House design
Who designed it: DIY based on various sources
What do you particularly like? Why?: Separation of dining and living areas despite open layout; direct passage from carport into utility room/pantry and then the kitchen; open space with view of the garden; all bedrooms facing the garden; rectangular building shape
What do you dislike? Why?: -
Price estimate according to architect/planner: floor plans of comparable size were around €450,000
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: €550,000–580,000 including carport, excluding landscaping (plot already owned)
Preferred heating system: ground source heat pump, KFW 55 standard

If you have to give up something, on which features/extensions
-you can give up: open staircase; storage room upstairs; fireplace
-you cannot give up: all other rooms in some form

Why is the design as it is now?
A mix of many examples. So far, the floor plans we received from planners were less to our liking.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters? Affordable (in Lower Saxony; urban area)? Can the staircase on the upper floor be built as shown? Does a ventilation system make sense for KFW 55?

Please ignore the window placement for now; it is rather arbitrary at the moment. The house will be positioned with a 3 m (10 ft) setback on the northeast side of the plot. This means the garden will extend to the south (short side, approx. 23 m (75 ft) total width) and west (approx. 56 m (184 ft) length).

Suggestions, comments, and improvement ideas are very welcome.

Many thanks in advance and best regards,
Carlotta

Floor plan of a house with kitchen, dining area, living room, office, entrance hall, and carport.


Upper floor plan: master bedroom, two children's rooms, bathrooms, corridor, and storage room
S
Sparfuchs77
26 Oct 2020 09:27
RomeoZwo schrieb:

I’m not particularly fond of the ground floor either, but from above it does look really nice (whether it is impractical due to noise or smells, we’ll leave that aside)

However, I wouldn’t want to give up 10 square meters (108 square feet) in my house just for a “really nice” look (and only from above). But everyone building a house has to decide that for themselves. Off the top of my head, I can think of 20 ways I would rather use an extra 10 square meters (108 square feet).

I tend to agree that open spaces only look truly good when both the room size and the open space size are appropriate. If the open space is too small, to me it feels like it’s there just to tick a box on the trendy list.
A
Alessandro
26 Oct 2020 09:54
Sparfuchs_ schrieb:

For a "really stylish" look (and only from above), I wouldn’t want to give up 10sqm (107 sq ft) of space in my house ^^ But that’s something every homeowner has to decide for themselves. I can immediately think of 20 other ways I could use 10sqm (107 sq ft) more effectively for myself.

I tend to agree that open voids only work well if there is sufficient room size and void size. If the void is too small, to me it seems like it’s there just to tick a trendy box.


Of course, you don’t give up space for an open void if you could use it better. We were uncertain during planning and even throughout construction how our void of about 8sqm (86 sq ft) would feel. Family, friends, and even the builder were skeptical at first.

Now, almost everyone likes it, and the builder occasionally brings potential buyers by to show them the space and proportions. About 90% of the time, the feedback is positive.

Having a large window at both ends of the corridor really makes a difference. You wouldn’t get the same effect with a closed room.

Bright corridor with wooden floor, wire railing and right wall made of metal panels.


We have operable windows on both sides of the corridor, so odors clear out within five minutes through cross-ventilation.

I understand which kind of "open voids" you mean, but to me those are more like galleries and would require a living area of at least 250sqm (2691 sq ft) for four people to accommodate all the rooms.
Nida35a26 Oct 2020 09:58
Cross-ventilation at the top: how do you open the window up there, electrically?
A
Alessandro
26 Oct 2020 10:07
No. To the right of the open space is a studio with a window.
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Hausbau2022
26 Oct 2020 10:23
Great house, @Alessandro. We visited several yesterday, and for us, it’s clear that we wouldn't build without an open space above, as I would feel too "confined." Are there more pictures of your house, including the floor plan and the house you showed earlier?
H
haydee
26 Oct 2020 10:31
Thanks. It looks more spacious from above than I expected. I wouldn’t have guessed.
You have a well-designed house.