Hello everyone,
finally, we have reached an important step… the plot is signed for.
We want to build with an architect and already have some ideas about what we like and what we don’t.
We definitely want to give the architect the opportunity to apply their expertise regarding the floor plan… maybe they can convince us.
But if not, we are currently (almost) quite happy with this self-drawn floor plan.
A few key facts…
Plot size: 660 sqm (about 7100 sq ft), floor area ratio 0.4, no slope, approximately 26m x 25m (85 ft x 82 ft)
Longest building side allowed: max. 15m (about 49 ft)
L-shaped bungalow with covered terrace (southwest side)
We want to build with a basement. This should have windows with natural daylight behind the garage on the east side. There will be 2–3 living rooms down there (playroom, hobby room, later for the kids or grandparents if necessary).
The roof will not be converted into a living space — 20-22° (degrees) pitch, hip roof, for aesthetic reasons.
We know that a basement is more expensive than a second floor, etc. The budget is roughly 650,000–700,000 (currency).
Utility room, laundry room, sauna, etc. will all be located in the basement since there is enough space. 🙂
Now to the floor plan:
We like an open design with a large entrance area.
What we like about this floor plan:
Children’s area separated from parents
Connection from the garage with access to the storage room and basement
Access from kitchen and living room to the terrace possible
Master bedroom with direct view of the garden on the southeast side (in summer the shutters are closed anyway)
Children’s rooms with windows facing west, slightly southwest.
Open questions…
Are the children’s rooms too narrow at almost 3m (about 10 ft)?
Is the living room too narrow at almost 4.5m (about 15 ft)?
The L-shape at the terrace is about 3m (10 ft) deep — here we could possibly adjust a bit to enlarge the children’s rooms.
My wife doesn’t like that the kitchen is visible directly from the entrance area.
(I prefer the kitchen visibility over the living room couch). What do you think is better or worse?
The kitchen window is on the south side, possibly too much sun… maybe we should add an awning if needed.
I can’t fit a second toilet elsewhere without making the children’s rooms even smaller… so it will remain a guest toilet for the parents.
Is a door between the entrance area and the living area for a windbreak useful, or unnecessary? (We have underfloor heating.)
(Maybe a hidden interior door, but I’m unsure what happens if it gets damaged.)
The floor area ratio will be tight… 15m x 15m = 225 sqm (about 11,200 sq ft) + garage + driveway… we might need to reduce the width a bit.
660 sqm x 0.4 = 264 sqm (about 2,840 sq ft).
I have seen many floor plans here… wishes and practicality have to match somewhere.
I’m really curious about the experts’ opinions…
Is it rubbish or usable?
Thanks
finally, we have reached an important step… the plot is signed for.
We want to build with an architect and already have some ideas about what we like and what we don’t.
We definitely want to give the architect the opportunity to apply their expertise regarding the floor plan… maybe they can convince us.
But if not, we are currently (almost) quite happy with this self-drawn floor plan.
A few key facts…
Plot size: 660 sqm (about 7100 sq ft), floor area ratio 0.4, no slope, approximately 26m x 25m (85 ft x 82 ft)
Longest building side allowed: max. 15m (about 49 ft)
L-shaped bungalow with covered terrace (southwest side)
We want to build with a basement. This should have windows with natural daylight behind the garage on the east side. There will be 2–3 living rooms down there (playroom, hobby room, later for the kids or grandparents if necessary).
The roof will not be converted into a living space — 20-22° (degrees) pitch, hip roof, for aesthetic reasons.
We know that a basement is more expensive than a second floor, etc. The budget is roughly 650,000–700,000 (currency).
Utility room, laundry room, sauna, etc. will all be located in the basement since there is enough space. 🙂
Now to the floor plan:
We like an open design with a large entrance area.
What we like about this floor plan:
Children’s area separated from parents
Connection from the garage with access to the storage room and basement
Access from kitchen and living room to the terrace possible
Master bedroom with direct view of the garden on the southeast side (in summer the shutters are closed anyway)
Children’s rooms with windows facing west, slightly southwest.
Open questions…
Are the children’s rooms too narrow at almost 3m (about 10 ft)?
Is the living room too narrow at almost 4.5m (about 15 ft)?
The L-shape at the terrace is about 3m (10 ft) deep — here we could possibly adjust a bit to enlarge the children’s rooms.
My wife doesn’t like that the kitchen is visible directly from the entrance area.
(I prefer the kitchen visibility over the living room couch). What do you think is better or worse?
The kitchen window is on the south side, possibly too much sun… maybe we should add an awning if needed.
I can’t fit a second toilet elsewhere without making the children’s rooms even smaller… so it will remain a guest toilet for the parents.
Is a door between the entrance area and the living area for a windbreak useful, or unnecessary? (We have underfloor heating.)
(Maybe a hidden interior door, but I’m unsure what happens if it gets damaged.)
The floor area ratio will be tight… 15m x 15m = 225 sqm (about 11,200 sq ft) + garage + driveway… we might need to reduce the width a bit.
660 sqm x 0.4 = 264 sqm (about 2,840 sq ft).
I have seen many floor plans here… wishes and practicality have to match somewhere.
I’m really curious about the experts’ opinions…
Is it rubbish or usable?
Thanks
I
Iotafreak6 Apr 2021 16:34I need to take care of the kids for a moment, I’ll check back a bit later today.
Thank you already for so many opinions.
By the way, our main focus is living now and not just the later years... and we simply prefer single-level living at the moment... Here’s a picture of a style we like visually...
Thank you already for so many opinions.
By the way, our main focus is living now and not just the later years... and we simply prefer single-level living at the moment... Here’s a picture of a style we like visually...
H
hampshire6 Apr 2021 16:51I like bungalows and can easily understand the reasoning behind them. With a basement, I don’t have the same feeling of needing to manage the space as I do with an upper floor, which creates a sense of calm.
The design gives me the impression that it was planned from an external shape inward, rather than from an internal need outward.
Where do guests go to the restroom? Almost into the most private area and nearly across the entire house. I find this arrangement unfavorable.
How do the children get to the bathroom and back? They always have to pass through the area where "strangers" are expected. The little one doesn’t mind, but teenagers might find that uncomfortable – as could some guests.
How do groceries get to the kitchen? Always past the dining area on a long route. This makes daily routines more complicated and ultimately results in more cleaning. I find this impractical.
The bedroom will feel cramped if it is also meant to store an average selection of clothing.
I find the large entrance area well designed for a wardrobe and as a potential visual highlight.
If you want to keep the L-shaped bungalow, try the following adjustments: do not center the entrance, arrange the living room lengthwise rather than across the garden, place the staircase, WC, and entrance hallway close to each other, and provide private rooms with private access.
While the separation of the master bedroom from the children’s rooms is desirable once the children reach a certain age, this feature significantly disrupts the structure of your floor plan. Peace and a sense of privacy can also be created in adjacent rooms with some additional construction effort.
The design gives me the impression that it was planned from an external shape inward, rather than from an internal need outward.
Where do guests go to the restroom? Almost into the most private area and nearly across the entire house. I find this arrangement unfavorable.
How do the children get to the bathroom and back? They always have to pass through the area where "strangers" are expected. The little one doesn’t mind, but teenagers might find that uncomfortable – as could some guests.
How do groceries get to the kitchen? Always past the dining area on a long route. This makes daily routines more complicated and ultimately results in more cleaning. I find this impractical.
The bedroom will feel cramped if it is also meant to store an average selection of clothing.
I find the large entrance area well designed for a wardrobe and as a potential visual highlight.
If you want to keep the L-shaped bungalow, try the following adjustments: do not center the entrance, arrange the living room lengthwise rather than across the garden, place the staircase, WC, and entrance hallway close to each other, and provide private rooms with private access.
While the separation of the master bedroom from the children’s rooms is desirable once the children reach a certain age, this feature significantly disrupts the structure of your floor plan. Peace and a sense of privacy can also be created in adjacent rooms with some additional construction effort.
Iotafreak schrieb:
Here is a picture that we find visually appealing... A bungalow on a terp – well, everyone has their own taste.
hampshire schrieb:
As nice as it is to separate the master bedroom from the children's rooms once the kids reach a certain age, this feature really disrupts the layout structure of your floor plan. If I wanted that, I wouldn’t look for inspiration from Weiss but rather from Rensch-Haus.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Iotafreak schrieb:
Is the floor plan optimizable, or is it basically useless?I feel like nothing is really getting through to you. I already said pretty much everything in #7. There is more to say, but since you keep only mentioning that you/you all like a bungalow and don’t engage with the points I or others have made, I’ll refrain from saying more.
Maybe you’re just in a hurry right now...
I’ll patiently wait for the architect’s design! 🙂
I believe an attic doesn’t necessarily need to be fully utilized. It can offer advantages at a lower cost.
Sticking with Rensch-Haus for a moment, they have nice bungalows. Take the Madeira, for example. It looks a bit traditional from the outside. They have more modern options available, though. I actually saw the Madeira as a show home. The parents’ area is fantastic. The entrance feels impressive, almost like a villa. That stayed with me. OK, the open space is a bit small. You can enlarge it. Then, between the storage room and the guest/office/child’s room, you can add a staircase, and the bathroom can be moved to the side, creating a nice little cloakroom. No shoes, no bags, no bottleneck at the entrance.
The footprint is a bit smaller. It also feels wasteful if a 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) basement is left unused. There’s room in the bathroom for both a bathtub and a shower, plus two children’s bedrooms.
Unfortunately, I can’t find the floor plan anymore. I think it was Luxhaus; they had a very generous open space that was designed so a bedroom could be added later, for example.
80 m² (860 sq ft) is quite generous for two people.
Sticking with Rensch-Haus for a moment, they have nice bungalows. Take the Madeira, for example. It looks a bit traditional from the outside. They have more modern options available, though. I actually saw the Madeira as a show home. The parents’ area is fantastic. The entrance feels impressive, almost like a villa. That stayed with me. OK, the open space is a bit small. You can enlarge it. Then, between the storage room and the guest/office/child’s room, you can add a staircase, and the bathroom can be moved to the side, creating a nice little cloakroom. No shoes, no bags, no bottleneck at the entrance.
The footprint is a bit smaller. It also feels wasteful if a 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) basement is left unused. There’s room in the bathroom for both a bathtub and a shower, plus two children’s bedrooms.
Unfortunately, I can’t find the floor plan anymore. I think it was Luxhaus; they had a very generous open space that was designed so a bedroom could be added later, for example.
80 m² (860 sq ft) is quite generous for two people.
I
Iotafreak6 Apr 2021 22:55ypg schrieb:
I can also provide this:
Regarding the idea:
You are planning a living basement but a single-story house on a flat plot. That’s already contradictory—possible, but not or barely practical on a narrow site. Living space in the basement requires more than just a daylight window. With a sloped lot, it’s quite feasible, but excavating a flat plot? And next to the garage? Personally, I miss the execution plan for the site because light wells also need their space, and setback requirements must be observed. In theory, the corner on the east between the garage and bedroom would be a large light well... where grandparents would later be seated? All of this works better, friendlier, more comfortably, and more affordably with a design “built upwards” without a basement.
You’re also including the garage within the thermal envelope, which carries many disadvantages. Since the basement plan is missing here, let’s leave that issue for now.
The explanation why you want to build a bungalow: If it’s for barrier-free access, I would point out the necessary stairs to the heating and laundry rooms. Also, the layout with the narrow corridor is not barrier-free here.
Is that phrased diplomatically? The children always have to pass the open entrance area/front door if they want to go to the toilet. They are practically separated from the private zone yet fully exposed to guests and parents. I’m referring to zoning: private zone/public area.
As long as the staircase isn’t planned too steep. There isn’t much space anyway.
The master bedroom is very difficult to furnish. When entering, you approach a side cabinet. A well-designed room has space behind the door for a wardrobe so it doesn’t interfere. A window right under the bed is also not exactly comfortable...
No, 3 meters (10 feet) work well.
Well... if you plan a large open space, 4.5 meters (15 feet) can feel a bit narrow.
For a terrace located in a house corner, it is advantageous to have a partition wall for terrace furniture.
Currently, this is the only window front that lets plenty of light into the open living area. The covered terrace blocks a lot of light from the large windows. So far, the only window area that compensates for this is the kitchen side (I’m disregarding the 1.26-meter (4 feet) wide window on the west). But as you yourself pointed out, it’s questionable.
When you reach a point like this, I would start the planning over. Guest WC in the private area... main bathroom more accessible. Where is the logic?
For a family, the living area where guests or louder TV watching happens in the evening should be somewhat separated. Yes.
One does not exclude the other 😉 It’s a nice entrance and a fairly large open living area. Still, I don’t see an open plan design. The covered terrace plus the narrow corridor, which also has a bend turning it into a dark tunnel, do not meet the concept of open-plan living.
We have a questionnaire that asks further questions. My assessment of what you want is derived from the initial thread, but some information is still missing.Thanks for the clarification. I didn’t have time in the store to address all points.
I will digest all the information and work on a new plan.
The basement is fixed, even though, as everyone says, it is better realized with a second floor. Our priority:
One level... everything on one floor for daily activities. As already mentioned, the visual appearance is very important to us. A modern bungalow. That’s why no second floor, no attic conversion, etc.
Currently at home, I have the issue that even with a 1.5-meter (5 feet) covered balcony, so much sun shines into the living room that you cannot sit at the dining table... so a properly covered terrace is important. I find there is a difference between daylight and direct sun exposure...
You’re right about the other points, thanks.
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