ᐅ Planning a 130 sqm single-family house on a 500 sqm plot of land
Created on: 1 May 2021 10:47
R
Ruska
Hello,
we have been juggling ideas back and forth for several days now and would appreciate some fresh external input.
The plot is already owned, and the house has been purchased from a major general contractor (134 sqm (1,444 sq ft)).
We are maximizing the zoning plan, meaning we cannot build larger or taller.
Besides optimizing the floor plan, we are still considering the positioning of the house.
It is an excellent plot with a 3 m (10 ft) wide access path, so we only have to keep 3 m (10 ft) distance on all sides.
Two parking spaces side by side would be ideal, but I would prefer not to risk ending up just 3 cm (1 inch) too close to the neighbor.
Alternatively, we could arrange them in tandem or enlarge the "front garden" and convert it into parking space.
The house could be rotated if that helps.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,382 sq ft)
Slope: no, almost perfectly flat
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): 0.2
Floor space index: 0.4
Building window, building line, and boundary: 3 m (10 ft) distance on all sides
Border development: none
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: classic
Orientation: N/E
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 8.8 m (29 ft), eaves height 4.3 m (14 ft)
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family house
No basement
Number of occupants: 2 adults + 2 children
Room requirements ground floor: 70 sqm (753 sq ft), upper floor: 60 sqm (646 sq ft)
Family use with small office/guest sofa
Guests per year: 5
Conservative construction
Open kitchen with island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6
No fireplace
Music/stereo wall: yes
Carport
Guest WC with shower
Small walk-in closet in master bedroom
Small pantry
"Open" walk-in shower upstairs without door between 3 walls, toilet somewhat hidden, large washbasin/mirror (3 women at home...)
House Design
Planning origin: modified catalog house
What do you particularly like? Why? All desired rooms included, open-plan living area as the heart of the ground floor, equally sized children’s rooms
What do you not like? Why? How to distribute everything sensibly? Small walk-in closet affected by roof slope
Cost estimate from architect/planner: not applicable, as already purchased
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which features/extensions
-Can you give up: pantry, storage room upstairs
-Can’t give up: equally sized children’s rooms, open kitchen, office, guest WC with shower
Why is the design as it is now?
Example: standard design from the general contractor
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can we optimize the layout (adjust walls, windows, doors)?
Thank you very much for your suggestions!
Best regards,
Ruska
we have been juggling ideas back and forth for several days now and would appreciate some fresh external input.
The plot is already owned, and the house has been purchased from a major general contractor (134 sqm (1,444 sq ft)).
We are maximizing the zoning plan, meaning we cannot build larger or taller.
Besides optimizing the floor plan, we are still considering the positioning of the house.
It is an excellent plot with a 3 m (10 ft) wide access path, so we only have to keep 3 m (10 ft) distance on all sides.
Two parking spaces side by side would be ideal, but I would prefer not to risk ending up just 3 cm (1 inch) too close to the neighbor.
Alternatively, we could arrange them in tandem or enlarge the "front garden" and convert it into parking space.
The house could be rotated if that helps.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,382 sq ft)
Slope: no, almost perfectly flat
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): 0.2
Floor space index: 0.4
Building window, building line, and boundary: 3 m (10 ft) distance on all sides
Border development: none
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: classic
Orientation: N/E
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 8.8 m (29 ft), eaves height 4.3 m (14 ft)
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family house
No basement
Number of occupants: 2 adults + 2 children
Room requirements ground floor: 70 sqm (753 sq ft), upper floor: 60 sqm (646 sq ft)
Family use with small office/guest sofa
Guests per year: 5
Conservative construction
Open kitchen with island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6
No fireplace
Music/stereo wall: yes
Carport
Guest WC with shower
Small walk-in closet in master bedroom
Small pantry
"Open" walk-in shower upstairs without door between 3 walls, toilet somewhat hidden, large washbasin/mirror (3 women at home...)
House Design
Planning origin: modified catalog house
What do you particularly like? Why? All desired rooms included, open-plan living area as the heart of the ground floor, equally sized children’s rooms
What do you not like? Why? How to distribute everything sensibly? Small walk-in closet affected by roof slope
Cost estimate from architect/planner: not applicable, as already purchased
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which features/extensions
-Can you give up: pantry, storage room upstairs
-Can’t give up: equally sized children’s rooms, open kitchen, office, guest WC with shower
Why is the design as it is now?
Example: standard design from the general contractor
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can we optimize the layout (adjust walls, windows, doors)?
Thank you very much for your suggestions!
Best regards,
Ruska
Nida35a schrieb:
Shifting the house to the north, rotating/mirroring it, and facing the private south gardenThat is an option. However, the idyllic privacy in the garden would be lost due to neighbors on the left and below.
Also, this would add about 20 meters (65 feet) more distance for utilities and driveway, which I’m already concerned might conflict with the site coverage ratio.
I would move away from the 9 x 10 meter (10 x 11 yd) dimension. The 10 meters (11 yd) in width don’t add any value. You can see this clearly with the garage.
Additionally, I would try to create some distance to the neighbor on the west side.
Regarding the garden area, you should consider whether you want to divide it into sections and design it nicely (north and south) or just have an open space, essentially a football field on the north side.
Additionally, I would try to create some distance to the neighbor on the west side.
Regarding the garden area, you should consider whether you want to divide it into sections and design it nicely (north and south) or just have an open space, essentially a football field on the north side.
Nida35a schrieb:
then you’ve already thought everything through,
the decision is up to you. We’ve been thinking about it for a while. The orientation of the plot isn’t ideal, but we’re just glad to have found something at all. The location, however, is perfect for us.
ypg schrieb:
I would move away from the 9 x 10 meter (30 x 33 feet) layout. The 10 meters (33 feet) width doesn’t add much. You can see that clearly at the garage.
Also, I would try to get a bit more distance from the neighbor on the west side.
As for the garden area, you should consider whether you want to divide it into sections and design it nicely (north and south) or just have one big open lawn, basically a soccer field in the north. I’m a fan of clear structures and not too much fuss. That means one main garden with enough space for a trampoline, sandbox, swing, etc.
That only works with the “soccer field” option.
What would you suggest instead of 9 x 10 meters (30 x 33 feet)? Since we’re building without a basement, we can hardly go smaller without losing rooms 🙁
Ruska schrieb:
We've been working on it for a while. The plot's orientation isn't ideal, but we're just glad to have found something at all. The location is perfect for us.Clearly the wrong approach. When dealing with a challenging plot, the house has to be designed to fit the land—not the other way around, where you buy a house and then try to fit it in somehow. Even shifting walls around hardly helps.130 square meters (1,400 square feet) without a basement for four people is already quite tight. It definitely shouldn't be a standard cookie-cutter floor plan.
Ruska schrieb:
What would you choose instead of 9x10? Definitely not 10 in width.
To be honest, I find it difficult to provide tips or advice based on the rough sketch and what seems like approximate measurements for the house (9.51 is not 10). I also can’t see a difference for exterior walls at 49cm (19 inches). Especially when space is limited and the plot defines the boundaries for a typical single-family house, the design must be refined down to 10cm (4 inches), remain flexible, and still allow for buffer zones: plaster thickness up to the garden fence, walkways in bedrooms and dressing rooms... according to your specs, I don’t think the dressing room and bedroom would even work here.
Ruska schrieb:
Customized catalog house Then please specify which house and which provider you are referring to.
Ruska schrieb:
Two parking spaces side by side would be ideal, but I don’t want to risk being 3 cm too close to the neighbor in the end. You should first allow 10cm (4 inches) for a fence and another meter (3 feet) for a hedge... Your computer sketch doesn’t allow for exact planning, nor does it give a sense of the plot size to the viewer. This also applies to the owner and planner.
Also, a vehicle is not as wide as a carport, so you should plan a path between the car and the house as well...
Ruska schrieb:
The pantry is more than just a walk-in closet Then a closet might be sufficient and you’d save yourself the trouble of searching between the utility room and pantry.
Ruska schrieb:
If we move the house further north, unfortunately there won’t be much garden left. Of course there will still be garden!
Ruska schrieb:
We currently have two parking spaces one behind the other at the same location, seems to work. Appearances or assumptions don’t get planning permission, nor do established rights, and two parking spaces without turning options and with a hammerhead driveway are hardly worth discussing.
I strongly recommend you buy graph paper tomorrow and redraw the house accurately with a pencil. 1 millimeter = 10cm (4 inches), that will also represent interior walls or about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) for load-bearing walls.
Then include precise measurements for outdoor areas, parking spaces, and turning radius.
Right now, I only see a major frustration and poor planning regarding the vehicle space, which due to its frequency, duration, and limited use of the plot will lead to much dissatisfaction. This will also reduce the resale value...
In the meantime, as mentioned before, please show the original design.
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