ᐅ Single-family house with a gable roof, 160–165 square meters

Hello everyone,

We have already read several threads and posts over the past few weeks and would now like to present our design here in the forum for discussion—hoping to receive some important feedback on any areas that might not quite fit.

We look forward to your comments.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 729 sqm (7,849 sq ft)
Slope: yes, up to 4 m (13 ft) rising from the street to the garden boundary
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building window, building line, and boundary present
No requirements for edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of storeys: 2
Roof types: gable, hip, half-hipped, shed roof
Style: no specification
Orientation: no specification
Maximum heights/limits: eaves height 5.5 m (18 ft); ridge height 10 m (33 ft)
Roof pitch: 35-45°

Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: classic gable roof house with a third gable and garage
Basement, storeys: 2 storeys, no basement
Number and age of occupants: M30, F27, Child 1
Room requirements on ground and upper floor: approx. 80 sqm (860 sq ft) each
Office: home office
Guest bedrooms per year: fewer than 10
Open or closed layout: closed layout
Traditional or modern construction method: mixed
Open kitchen, island: kitchen separable by double sliding door, island desired
Number of dining seats: 8
Fireplace: possible retrofit
Garage included in the plan
Office can also be used as a third child’s bedroom
Parents’ bedroom in the third gable

House Design
Designed by: architect of the general contractor
What we like:
- Requirements based on the plot generally implemented
What we don’t like:
- Kitchen with island currently not feasible (house shape would need to be more rectangular)
- Utility/technical room not ideally positioned for connection to public infrastructure
- Children’s room “too large” (would automatically be smaller with a more rectangular shape)
- Entrance area solution (mud zone)
Preferred heating system: probably trench collector

If you had to omit something, which details/fixtures could be left out?
- Living room can be smaller, staircase can be different

Why is the design as it is?
The design was implemented based on our ideas and drawings.

What is the key/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?


The site plan is not yet in the current version and serves only for illustration here.

Fridger schrieb:

Basic requirements regarding the plot have been implemented

Is that correct? You have a height difference of about 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the front door to the terrace? ... How do you envision handling that?

Fridger schrieb:

What don’t you like?
- Kitchen with an island currently not feasible (the house shape would need to be more rectangular)
- Utility/technical room location is not optimal for connection to public infrastructure
- Children’s room is “too large” (would naturally be smaller with a more rectangular shape)
- Entrance area solution (mudroom)

I think that’s quite a lot, and these aren’t minor issues you can just build on.
As planned, I only see a single-wall kitchen right now. Anything more would either be awkward or require compromises. For the living area: try sketching in the furniture to see how it would feel.

What will be the knee wall height? There are quite a few windows drawn in here. Could you show a section view—you must have one already?

I think the upper floor layout is quite good. However, the 2m (6.6 ft) height line is important because, depending on the knee wall height, the dressing room mostly consists of sloping ceilings and therefore offers limited space.
You should also include the furniture in the drawings to identify any tight spots.
I find the ground floor "suboptimal." The kitchen is too small for 4-5 people. There is hardly any space for a cloakroom, but instead, there is a huge living room. Rensch-Haus has a house of this size with a very similar upper floor at their show home park in Erlangen. Maybe you can get some ideas for the ground floor layout from that floor plan.

ypg schrieb:

Is that so? You have a height difference of about 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the front door to the terrace? ... How do you plan to handle that?

Unfortunately, given the plot, we have no option but to retain the slope behind the terrace.

ypg schrieb:

I think that’s quite a lot, and these are not minor issues to simply build on. As planned, I currently only see a single-wall kitchen. Anything more would be disruptive or a compromise. Regarding the living area: try drawing in the furniture to see how it will actually feel.

Yes, there are still some challenges regarding the ground floor layout. Definitely, we have yet to establish the basics in the kitchen to realize what we have envisioned:

For now, I consider the area of the dining and living rooms to be adequate.

ypg schrieb:

What is the knee wall height? There are quite a few windows shown here. Could you share the cross-section – you should have that available.

icandoit schrieb:

Where is north?

On the site plan, north is at the top.

Fridger schrieb:

Unfortunately, given the plot, we have no choice but to retain the slope behind the terrace.

Wow, that’s a massive earthwork!
How much budget have you planned for the house and additional construction costs?

Fridger schrieb:

In the kitchen, we don’t yet have the basics to implement what we envisioned:

No, that doesn’t work at all. But I did...

Fridger schrieb:

For now, I consider the area in the dining and living room reasonable.

What do you mean by reasonable? You have a large surplus of space there, which is missing elsewhere, particularly in the kitchen and wardrobe area. You’re planning for 4 people, possibly even 5, and you only have a small emergency cloakroom niche...
The living room corner on the right side is only 3.50 meters (11.5 feet) wide. Where is the TV supposed to go?
I would create a cloakroom on the upper left side of the plan and extend the kitchen into the current open area. The pantry could share space with the cloakroom up there. The current pantry is not effective for furnishing either—a shelf behind the door and a freezer... that space could be used much more efficiently in a properly planned kitchen with about 90 cm (35 inches) of kitchen countertop length.

ypg schrieb:

The living area: try sketching in the furniture to see how it will look.

Yes, I can’t really picture it right now, especially the bay window... how it will be furnished. Please include the dimensions as well.
There is only one bathroom for four people in the house; the ground floor should at least have a shower, since the children will be growing up...
If this house design is preferred or required, there are countless floor plan examples online for families like yours. The ground floor layout isn’t well planned. The kitchen entrance right after the front door, hardly any cloakroom space, yet a lot of space is lost. In particular, I haven’t really liked the living room so far. Furniture 😀, and... do you typically watch TV on the sofa?