Hello everyone,
we have now started the first "internal" draft planning and I would be very grateful for any feedback – especially if there are any of our “ideas” that are completely off the mark...
Development Plan / Restrictions:
"Facts"
no development plan, last plot at the edge of a village area
Plot size: 330m² (approx. 21.8m x 14.8m / 71.5ft x 48.5ft)
Slope: about 7°
Clay-loam soil, limestone at shallow depth
Information according to building permit inquiry
Site coverage ratio: 0.6
Floor area ratio: 1.2
Street = building line
2 parking spaces
Number of storeys: max. 2 full storeys
Roof style: any
Eaves height 6m (20ft)
Ridge height 10m (33ft)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: flat roof preferred, but e.g., also “modern barn” style
Basement with daylight from the slope as a lower ground floor, above that a “real” storey
2 persons (35, 36 years old)
Space requirement ground floor and upper floor: approx. 200m² (2,150 sq ft) total
Office: 2x home offices
Guest stays per year: none
Open architecture
Modern construction method
Open kitchen with kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 4
Fireplace: no
Garage, carport: not essential, 2 parking spaces sufficient
Utility garden, greenhouse: as little garden as possible
Other wishes: KNX system, air conditioning for main rooms
House design
Designer: do-it-yourself
What do you like most? Why?: main living areas all on one level
What do you dislike? Why?: bathroom and dressing room borderline “small”
Personal budget for the house, including fixtures: approx. 500,000 to max. 700,000 euros
Preferred heating system: we don’t really care
If you had to cut back, on which details or extensions
- Can be omitted: lounge on ground floor, pantry
- Cannot be omitted: guest WC on upper floor, dressing room, minimum clear ceiling height on upper floor 2.70m (better 3m / 9ft 10in)
Why has the design turned out as it is now?, for example:
“Optimizing” the eaves height while maximizing the use of setback distances
Minimize earthworks as much as possible (considering the soil...)
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Have I completely misjudged any fundamental aspect? Is any detail of the design “absurdly expensive”?
Note 1: Views are just for a general idea of the plot situation at this stage – windows and so on still look pretty rough…
Note 2: Plan is drawn roughly to scale (5mm grid = 50cm / 20 inches), numbers in () are m²; north is bottom left on ground floor and upper floor plans, the beautiful view to the south is top right :-)
Already now: many thanks for all your feedback!!!
we have now started the first "internal" draft planning and I would be very grateful for any feedback – especially if there are any of our “ideas” that are completely off the mark...
Development Plan / Restrictions:
"Facts"
no development plan, last plot at the edge of a village area
Plot size: 330m² (approx. 21.8m x 14.8m / 71.5ft x 48.5ft)
Slope: about 7°
Clay-loam soil, limestone at shallow depth
Information according to building permit inquiry
Site coverage ratio: 0.6
Floor area ratio: 1.2
Street = building line
2 parking spaces
Number of storeys: max. 2 full storeys
Roof style: any
Eaves height 6m (20ft)
Ridge height 10m (33ft)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: flat roof preferred, but e.g., also “modern barn” style
Basement with daylight from the slope as a lower ground floor, above that a “real” storey
2 persons (35, 36 years old)
Space requirement ground floor and upper floor: approx. 200m² (2,150 sq ft) total
Office: 2x home offices
Guest stays per year: none
Open architecture
Modern construction method
Open kitchen with kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 4
Fireplace: no
Garage, carport: not essential, 2 parking spaces sufficient
Utility garden, greenhouse: as little garden as possible
Other wishes: KNX system, air conditioning for main rooms
House design
Designer: do-it-yourself
What do you like most? Why?: main living areas all on one level
What do you dislike? Why?: bathroom and dressing room borderline “small”
Personal budget for the house, including fixtures: approx. 500,000 to max. 700,000 euros
Preferred heating system: we don’t really care
If you had to cut back, on which details or extensions
- Can be omitted: lounge on ground floor, pantry
- Cannot be omitted: guest WC on upper floor, dressing room, minimum clear ceiling height on upper floor 2.70m (better 3m / 9ft 10in)
Why has the design turned out as it is now?, for example:
“Optimizing” the eaves height while maximizing the use of setback distances
Minimize earthworks as much as possible (considering the soil...)
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Have I completely misjudged any fundamental aspect? Is any detail of the design “absurdly expensive”?
Note 1: Views are just for a general idea of the plot situation at this stage – windows and so on still look pretty rough…
Note 2: Plan is drawn roughly to scale (5mm grid = 50cm / 20 inches), numbers in () are m²; north is bottom left on ground floor and upper floor plans, the beautiful view to the south is top right :-)
Already now: many thanks for all your feedback!!!
Hello everyone,
thank you very much for the feedback so far. Comments like "fall protection, drainage,..." were exactly what I meant by "odd ideas"—things you don’t normally think of. I actually wanted to place the office intentionally next to the living room. I work in the office in the evening while my wife is in the living room, so an office should at least be close to the living spaces.
Access will be from the street.
A few additional notes:
- We do not want a balcony—unnecessary frills :-)
- The garden and terrace are more like optional features; a small terrace to sit outside in the summer would be nice
- We currently own a condominium in the city center, but it has become a bit too small and a little hectic for us
One (honest) question: why no walk-through rooms? You hardly need to access the utility room anyway, so does it really matter how you get there? That was my thought at least :-)
Because of the slope, there is also the option of access on the opposite side ("uphill") with entry to the upper floor.
We will also take the next step and consult an architect. From the first discussions with house suppliers, it quickly became clear that nothing from the standard portfolio would work anyway.
thank you very much for the feedback so far. Comments like "fall protection, drainage,..." were exactly what I meant by "odd ideas"—things you don’t normally think of. I actually wanted to place the office intentionally next to the living room. I work in the office in the evening while my wife is in the living room, so an office should at least be close to the living spaces.
Access will be from the street.
A few additional notes:
- We do not want a balcony—unnecessary frills :-)
- The garden and terrace are more like optional features; a small terrace to sit outside in the summer would be nice
- We currently own a condominium in the city center, but it has become a bit too small and a little hectic for us
One (honest) question: why no walk-through rooms? You hardly need to access the utility room anyway, so does it really matter how you get there? That was my thought at least :-)
Because of the slope, there is also the option of access on the opposite side ("uphill") with entry to the upper floor.
We will also take the next step and consult an architect. From the first discussions with house suppliers, it quickly became clear that nothing from the standard portfolio would work anyway.
Passage rooms require walking paths and 2 doors.
2 doors reduce the available wall space.
A walking path equals a hallway but is less noticeable.
Why no terrace? There are so many stylish options that function more as living spaces than traditional gardens. Where does this almost aversion to outdoor areas come from?
2 doors reduce the available wall space.
A walking path equals a hallway but is less noticeable.
Why no terrace? There are so many stylish options that function more as living spaces than traditional gardens. Where does this almost aversion to outdoor areas come from?
GaertM1 schrieb:
Due to the slope, there is the possibility of access from the other side ("uphill side") with entry to the upper floor.
We will also take the next step and consult an architect. During the first discussions with home builders, it quickly became clear to us that nothing from the standard offerings would work anyway. That is a very good idea. With the budget you have, you could create something really special. Find an architect who has experience with sloping sites and relevant references.
You are welcome to share the designs here.
Regarding your own labor, I would suggest avoiding DIY on this.
The statement "street = building line" confuses me a bit in a village setting. Does that apply to the house or just to a garage or carport?
Depending on the door type, walkthrough rooms may also have less usable space (in addition to the points mentioned by haydee). This is particularly critical for your utility room. You will need the exterior wall entirely for the house connection points for water, electricity, possibly gas, and communication lines. Minimum clearances must be maintained here.
You will also need a distribution cabinet, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, heating system, buffer storage, etc. Now network equipment is added as well. It is not completely quiet either. Therefore, the room should be very well ventilated while also being as soundproof as possible. Sliding doors are therefore not suitable.
If the terrace is not needed, I would recommend using this area as an enclosed room instead.
I also agree with the comment from @Elokine. The roof shape does not matter initially.
You will also need a distribution cabinet, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, heating system, buffer storage, etc. Now network equipment is added as well. It is not completely quiet either. Therefore, the room should be very well ventilated while also being as soundproof as possible. Sliding doors are therefore not suitable.
If the terrace is not needed, I would recommend using this area as an enclosed room instead.
I also agree with the comment from @Elokine. The roof shape does not matter initially.
Am I the only one noticing the obvious mismatch between the lot size and the desired living/usable area? After deducting the 3m (10 feet) setback around the property, you’re left with 8.8m x 15.8m (29 feet x 52 feet). After subtracting the wall thickness and other structural elements, that’s roughly 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft) per floor, so with a maximum of two full floors, you reach the desired 200 sqm (2,153 sq ft)... and the lot is completely built up! Parking spaces, access paths, trash bins, etc. haven’t even been considered, not to mention the terrace. Offset floors only make the situation worse.
My personal opinion: for an impressive house, you need a more impressive lot. On a small lot, you build a modest, compact house.
My personal opinion: for an impressive house, you need a more impressive lot. On a small lot, you build a modest, compact house.
I can understand the argument "2 doors = walking distance = hallway," and thanks also for the note about the utility room and the clearances.
No misunderstanding: I have no aversion to being "outside"; actually quite the opposite. We have a hobby that is very close to nature and quite time-consuming on weekends (golf), and when the weather is nice, we like to sit on the terrace. Working in our own garden only takes time away from that, which we would rather spend differently. But of course, a small terrace with a grill and at least enough space for two chairs should definitely be there, and I have nothing against a bit of greenery.
Regarding the building line: it does indeed mean "house = on the street." All houses in the village are built directly on the street, usually without a sidewalk (or with a small sidewalk in the village center).
@ Hangman: Note – no setback area at the street side, due to the building line.
No misunderstanding: I have no aversion to being "outside"; actually quite the opposite. We have a hobby that is very close to nature and quite time-consuming on weekends (golf), and when the weather is nice, we like to sit on the terrace. Working in our own garden only takes time away from that, which we would rather spend differently. But of course, a small terrace with a grill and at least enough space for two chairs should definitely be there, and I have nothing against a bit of greenery.
Regarding the building line: it does indeed mean "house = on the street." All houses in the village are built directly on the street, usually without a sidewalk (or with a small sidewalk in the village center).
@ Hangman: Note – no setback area at the street side, due to the building line.
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