ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home on a Sloped Site
Created on: 23 Nov 2020 16:56
J
JayneCobb
Hello everyone,
As I introduced myself here in the general forum, we have had several discussions with different general contractors, both for solid construction and timber frame.
We are now at the point where we have received some floor plan proposals.
I would like to present to you here (firstly?) the draft from the company Holz 1, which we particularly like because of the gallery and because it includes many of the features we communicated in advance.
I redrew this myself, so please forgive me if some elements appear a bit amateurish.
Most of the windows are not included in the drawing. What we would find extremely appealing is the (probably very expensive) idea of extending the eastern glass area at the southeast corner over two floors, but I couldn’t quickly find this option in the program.
I sketched in the larger bed on the ground floor to show proportions, as this room could potentially serve as a bedroom for us later.
From the linked thread above, it was already suggested by several forum members to locate the living/dining area on the garden level and the sleeping area upstairs.
Our reasons for planning it this way (though we are not yet entirely fixed):
- significantly shorter distances for carrying groceries, taking out trash, etc.
- nicer view from the living area into the greenery/mini-valley I described compared to the basement level
- more spacious feeling with an open ceiling/the gallery
- entering and being able to "just relax"
- simple accommodation of a frailty scenario (potentially living on one floor later, at least for a certain time)
We appreciate any further comments, ideas, etc. — thank you in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Lot size: 791 sqm (8505 sq ft)
Slope: yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2 (double garage planned)
Number of floors: 2 to 2.5 (garden floor, ground floor, and possibly half an attic as a gallery with open space above ground floor)
Roof type: gable roof (35-42° specified)
Orientation: still open
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in); eaves height 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Additional requirements: Distance from house to street approx. 4.50 m (15 ft), terrain slopes downward from street
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type:
Unfortunately, the development plan restricts us to a gable roof; if we had free choice, I would have opted for a clear Bauhaus style.
Basement, floors:
Garden floor 1/4 basement, 3/4 sleeping area. Above that, ground floor as living area, possibly a half open attic (gallery with open space + 1 room).
Number of people, ages:
3-4 people: 44 and 46 years old; son 1.5 years old, and husband’s 12-year-old daughter (she either spends every second weekend there or lives there permanently).
Space requirements on ground and upper floors:
Because the garage will likely need a basement due to the slope, we have planned the basement (storage, possibly workshop) there with access both from the garden side and from inside the house. On the garden/basement floor itself: technical room and laundry, three bedrooms, and main bathroom. On the ground floor (level with street, also accessible from garage) is the living area with kitchen, open living and dining area, pantry/utility room, an office/guest room, and a guest bathroom. An architect from a developer suggested the possibility of a half attic as a gallery with open space over the living area and a small room (guest room, office), which I really like.
Office: family use or home office?
There will definitely be some home office usage.
Number of guests per year:
Hard to say, but a small guest room is planned.
Open or closed architecture:
Rather open in the living area; above all, the view into the unbuildable, sloping green space (southeast) should be emphasized by high ceilings (no intermediate floor there) and large windows.
Open kitchen, kitchen island:
Kitchen can be separated by sliding door; no kitchen island needed.
Number of dining seats:
6
Fireplace:
Preferred (or wood stove), but not a must.
Music/Stereo wall:
Yes
Balcony, roof terrace:
Balcony on the ground floor facing southeast (preferably partly recessed into the house, but probably too little space), south side.
Garage, carport:
Garage preferred.
Productive garden, greenhouse:
Partly productive garden, partly digging/play area, partly nice to look at, partly play options for our son.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be:
We imagine a KfW55 standard house prepared for photovoltaic system installation.
I want the ground floor designed so that if mobility becomes limited in the future, we don’t have to move out immediately but can live on one level. Therefore, an additional room on the ground floor is a must, currently used as office/guest room and potentially convertible into a bedroom. For the same reason, the guest bathroom should already have a shower, and somewhere on the ground floor space for washing machine connections should be planned.
I personally lean toward spaciousness and many rooms but notice that the budget clearly limits this. My partner is more minimalist and wouldn’t mind if the house isn’t too large.
House Design
Planner:
Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
Gallery/open space (openness)
What do you not like? Why?
Less space (e.g. currently small bathroom, which can be adjusted) — budget-driven
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
520,000-550,000 euros gross (very rough estimate, no formal offer yet)
Personal price limit for house including fittings:
530,000 euros (but never say never)
Preferred heating technology:
Air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which details/extensions
- can you live without:
Garage can be shorter
- can you not live without:
Something open (some special feature/beautiful detail)
View of the biotope strip to the southeast
Why is the design the way it is now?
Were the corresponding/which wishes implemented by the architect?
Yes.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
Airy, sufficient number of rooms
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the layout of the house suitable to meet our requirements?
As I introduced myself here in the general forum, we have had several discussions with different general contractors, both for solid construction and timber frame.
We are now at the point where we have received some floor plan proposals.
I would like to present to you here (firstly?) the draft from the company Holz 1, which we particularly like because of the gallery and because it includes many of the features we communicated in advance.
I redrew this myself, so please forgive me if some elements appear a bit amateurish.
Most of the windows are not included in the drawing. What we would find extremely appealing is the (probably very expensive) idea of extending the eastern glass area at the southeast corner over two floors, but I couldn’t quickly find this option in the program.
I sketched in the larger bed on the ground floor to show proportions, as this room could potentially serve as a bedroom for us later.
From the linked thread above, it was already suggested by several forum members to locate the living/dining area on the garden level and the sleeping area upstairs.
Our reasons for planning it this way (though we are not yet entirely fixed):
- significantly shorter distances for carrying groceries, taking out trash, etc.
- nicer view from the living area into the greenery/mini-valley I described compared to the basement level
- more spacious feeling with an open ceiling/the gallery
- entering and being able to "just relax"
- simple accommodation of a frailty scenario (potentially living on one floor later, at least for a certain time)
We appreciate any further comments, ideas, etc. — thank you in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Lot size: 791 sqm (8505 sq ft)
Slope: yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2 (double garage planned)
Number of floors: 2 to 2.5 (garden floor, ground floor, and possibly half an attic as a gallery with open space above ground floor)
Roof type: gable roof (35-42° specified)
Orientation: still open
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in); eaves height 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Additional requirements: Distance from house to street approx. 4.50 m (15 ft), terrain slopes downward from street
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type:
Unfortunately, the development plan restricts us to a gable roof; if we had free choice, I would have opted for a clear Bauhaus style.
Basement, floors:
Garden floor 1/4 basement, 3/4 sleeping area. Above that, ground floor as living area, possibly a half open attic (gallery with open space + 1 room).
Number of people, ages:
3-4 people: 44 and 46 years old; son 1.5 years old, and husband’s 12-year-old daughter (she either spends every second weekend there or lives there permanently).
Space requirements on ground and upper floors:
Because the garage will likely need a basement due to the slope, we have planned the basement (storage, possibly workshop) there with access both from the garden side and from inside the house. On the garden/basement floor itself: technical room and laundry, three bedrooms, and main bathroom. On the ground floor (level with street, also accessible from garage) is the living area with kitchen, open living and dining area, pantry/utility room, an office/guest room, and a guest bathroom. An architect from a developer suggested the possibility of a half attic as a gallery with open space over the living area and a small room (guest room, office), which I really like.
Office: family use or home office?
There will definitely be some home office usage.
Number of guests per year:
Hard to say, but a small guest room is planned.
Open or closed architecture:
Rather open in the living area; above all, the view into the unbuildable, sloping green space (southeast) should be emphasized by high ceilings (no intermediate floor there) and large windows.
Open kitchen, kitchen island:
Kitchen can be separated by sliding door; no kitchen island needed.
Number of dining seats:
6
Fireplace:
Preferred (or wood stove), but not a must.
Music/Stereo wall:
Yes
Balcony, roof terrace:
Balcony on the ground floor facing southeast (preferably partly recessed into the house, but probably too little space), south side.
Garage, carport:
Garage preferred.
Productive garden, greenhouse:
Partly productive garden, partly digging/play area, partly nice to look at, partly play options for our son.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be:
We imagine a KfW55 standard house prepared for photovoltaic system installation.
I want the ground floor designed so that if mobility becomes limited in the future, we don’t have to move out immediately but can live on one level. Therefore, an additional room on the ground floor is a must, currently used as office/guest room and potentially convertible into a bedroom. For the same reason, the guest bathroom should already have a shower, and somewhere on the ground floor space for washing machine connections should be planned.
I personally lean toward spaciousness and many rooms but notice that the budget clearly limits this. My partner is more minimalist and wouldn’t mind if the house isn’t too large.
House Design
Planner:
Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
Gallery/open space (openness)
What do you not like? Why?
Less space (e.g. currently small bathroom, which can be adjusted) — budget-driven
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
520,000-550,000 euros gross (very rough estimate, no formal offer yet)
Personal price limit for house including fittings:
530,000 euros (but never say never)
Preferred heating technology:
Air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which details/extensions
- can you live without:
Garage can be shorter
- can you not live without:
Something open (some special feature/beautiful detail)
View of the biotope strip to the southeast
Why is the design the way it is now?
Were the corresponding/which wishes implemented by the architect?
Yes.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
Airy, sufficient number of rooms
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the layout of the house suitable to meet our requirements?
J
JayneCobb24 Nov 2020 14:37haydee schrieb:
or you fill the garage with the excavation from the house.We currently think there won’t be that much volume (the slope is quite steep) and that it would be best used to level the garden... One architect sees it similarly. But we are not yet in detailed planning, so this assumption might still change.
Yes, the topography is quite interesting, that’s true. 😀
Could you please explain the advice for a detached garage? Is it because of the site’s elevation profile? Because otherwise, it would be expensive to align the garage and house? Or are there other reasons? Thank you!
haydee schrieb:
There are also natural slopes outside the military training areaYes, but then it must have been very playful nature here – and one where the cat was away from the house ;-)JayneCobb schrieb:
We currently think there won’t be that much to move (the slope is quite steep) and that this is the best way to level the garden…I also think this is mostly about redistributing soil. But I have to spoil your dreams with two drawbacks: first, every digger bucket costs money – even those with “own soil donations” – and second, you don’t put the volume back 1:1 but have to compensate at least (I believe about a quarter on average) for “compaction loss.”JayneCobb schrieb:
Could you please explain the advice for a detached garage? Because of the terrain’s elevation profile? To avoid expensive matching between garage and house?I can only speculate about @haydee’s reasons; mine would be as follows: 1. The more uneven the terrain, the more complicated it is to find a fair common ground level. With a detached structure, parking might be easier. 2. I see the most practical location for the garage along the (north) boundary. However, local building regulations limit the “average wall height” towards the neighbor, and this usually refers to the original terrain. As far as I know, the development plan makes an exception from the usual rule (which measures elevations against the terrain before landscaping) only for the house. If you rigidly attach the house to a garage that is itself height-capped relative to the original terrain, you lose the flexibility that the development plan has cleverly built in here. Added to this, with the fill, the “per basement under the garage” option gains an unfair advantage. I find that too high a price for a connecting door, which – in the spirit of Grandpa Willy – would anyway belong in the “overly fussy like a fiddler’s crab” category. I have – damn it, still haven’t measured – over 500 m (over 1600 feet) between front door and garage door, naturally uncovered ;-)https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
J
JayneCobb25 Nov 2020 00:49haydee schrieb:
The upper gallery and open space look like a forced use of an unwanted area. What a pity. 🙁 This is actually one of the most desirable areas.
haydee schrieb:
Always draw all furniture to scale in every floor plan. Go through daily life scenarios. I will do that in the future!
11ant schrieb:
I see the garage, which is set about half a meter further from the street compared to the house, also sitting lower in the terrain (20, 30 cm (8, 12 inches)?) with a slight slope on the driveway (which shouldn’t be a problem with a trench drain). Wouldn’t a downward slope be very unfortunate regarding water runoff, and possibly also snow/ice buildup in winter?
The architect even mentioned trying to raise the house a bit because of water. I think the garage was included in that consideration.
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation about decoupling; that really helps! 🙂
11ant schrieb:
2. I see the most suitable location for the garage is along the (north) property boundary. However, the regional building code limits the “average wall height” toward the neighbor, which usually refers to the original terrain level as far as I know. Hmm, so far I was given the following requirements for a garage (and yes, the garage is on the north side): the external wall area facing the neighbor shall not exceed 25 sqm (if it’s a boundary garage), it must be set back 5 m (16 feet) from the street, and the height measured from the street side (whatever level that refers to) must not exceed 3 m (10 feet).
So far, we don’t see an issue with possibly shifting it 2.50 m (8 feet) to the right if the external wall area would become too large. Then we could place a parking space or something for the trash bins on the left near the boundary?
haydee schrieb:
And I remain in favor of swapping the levels and making better use of the attic. There are stair lifts available for stiff joints. Duly noted. 🙂
JayneCobb schrieb:
Wouldn’t a slope downward be very problematic for water drainage, and possibly also regarding snow and ice in winter?
The architect even mentioned trying to raise the house slightly because of water. He probably included the garage in that, I think. Regarding the water, I was referring to the drip edge (in front of the garage). For the house, I would also prefer (though not necessarily) to raise it — however, the more you raise it, the more I can see the "pro residential basement" group winning 🙂
JayneCobb schrieb:
So far, we don’t see an issue with possibly moving it 2.50 meters (8 feet) to the right if the outdoor area becomes too large. Two and a half meters — is that the state of Baden-Württemberg?
I can hardly assess that because the property dimensions are missing from the site plans.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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