ᐅ Single-Family House on a South-Facing Slope Floor Plan – Request for Feedback

Hello everyone, after a lot of tinkering, we would really appreciate some feedback on our floor plan ☺️

Development Plan / Restrictions
This is a new residential area.

Plot size approx. 700 sqm (8,000 sq ft)
South-facing slope with access from the north and a nice view towards the south

2 parking spaces per housing unit: 2 in the carport, 2 in front of the house parallel to the street

Floor area ratio, gross floor area ratio, and other regulations are quite generous in the development plan and have been taken into account in the design

Homeowners’ Requirements
Timber frame construction with a shallow pitched roof
Currently 2 adults (32 years old) and 1 child (1 year old), with 1-2 more children planned in the future

Rooms:

• Open living-dining-kitchen area
• 5 (almost) equally sized rooms to be used flexibly as
parents’ bedroom, children’s rooms, office, home office, or rental units as a granny flat
• Family bathroom (including washing machine and dryer)
• Children’s bathroom (alternatively as a bathroom for the granny flat)
• Guest toilet (including utility sink)
• Pantry / storage room
• Storage including technical room
• Carport with bicycle shed and partial basement (used as garden shed)
• Balcony

Special features:

• Ground floor = living space, due to the nice view
• Basement = partly cellar, partly regular rooms facing the garden (possible due to the slope)
• Open roof structure over the large living-dining area
• Intermediate ceiling with attic over the other rooms on the ground floor
• Window seats in the living-dining area and possibly in rooms in the basement
• Barrier-reduced design
• Direct, level, covered entrance from the carport into the house
• Generous balcony
→ How would you recommend shading the balcony so it’s comfortable in high summer, but also usable in breezy and rainy spring weather, while still feeling like being outside (no conservatory)?
• We have purposely omitted a utility room
• Currently, we have planned external venetian blinds (Raffstores) on all windows. Since the two children’s rooms in the basement face south, shading will be necessary there. Do you find external venetian blinds suitable for bedrooms?
• We have not planned any skylights so far, as they are said to require more maintenance. Would you still consider using skylights?
• Due to the layout in the basement, one room—or with an added partition wall, two or even three rooms—could be rented out.

House Design
Mainly own planning
Collaboration with a construction company and an architect

• We really like the room layout and floor plan on the ground floor—what do you think?
• We still need to move a few walls in the basement, but we already like the layout as it is. Your thoughts?
• We oriented the house towards the south. Will it be too warm in summer?
• We have planned many windows (only a few of which open).
→ Would you recommend fewer windows? (due to heat in summer, view from neighbors)
→ Is it enough if only a few windows can be opened in each room?

Initially, it is important for us to create our dream floor plan. Roughly, the price given to us is around 540,000 €.

KfW40+ standard with 10 kWP photovoltaic system and 10 kWh battery

Heating & ventilation:
• Air-source heat pump
• Central ventilation system with possible enthalpy heat exchanger
• Underfloor heating (except in the pantry, possibly with cooling option)

Other:
• Probably a basic Loxone smart home system
• Possibly a water softening system
• Possibly ceiling LED lighting in rooms without visible roof structure

Why did the design turn out this way?
Due to the slope, we want the living and common rooms on the ground floor (= upper level), plus two additional rooms. Because the ground floor is above the second level (the basement) due to the slope, the basement necessarily has to be the same size. Alternatively, you would need a cantilevered upper floor, which is probably extremely expensive.
The extra area in the basement that we don’t need as living space is located partly in the slope, so it basically functions as a cellar.

What is the most important basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
What do you think about the room layout? Is there anything you see negatively or would change?
What do you think about the room sizes?
Will the south orientation and many windows make it too warm in summer?

We look forward to your ideas, thoughts, and tips!

I’ll help out @driver55 before he has to copy his post from another forum himself:

Driver55 schrieb:

I have to admit, I have no idea what is front/back/top and what might be rented out as a granny flat or secondary unit, and when/how/why.
Complete chaos and a terrible room layout.
Just this much: your 62 sqm (667 sq ft) living/kitchen/bedroom area is barely 50 sqm (538 sq ft).
But actually, that doesn’t even matter, because the entire design is highly questionable.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

South-facing slope with driveway in the north and a nice view to the south

Congratulations!

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

How would you shade the balcony so that you can stay there comfortably in high summer, but also in slightly windy and rainy spring weather, while still feeling like you are outdoors (no conservatory)?

A sun sail made from natural material. It would suit the style of the house if the facade is as suggested made of wood. It can simply be taken down during the darker months.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

The house is oriented towards the south. Will it get too warm in summer like this?

That depends on the roof pitch and shading. I wouldn’t find it too warm.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

Would you recommend fewer windows? (Heat in summer, view through neighbors)

Definitely not!

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

Is it enough if there are only a few windows that can be opened in each room?

I like living “inside=outside” on warmer days. For that, having ground-level openings to the outside can never be big enough.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

What do you think of the floor plan?

I like the clear pragmatism of the design. The living area can become a real highlight. The additional rooms behind the carport and one level below are clever and should prove practical. The entrance through the carport can feel a bit tight at times—I’ve seen that in many UK houses. The separate unit’s layout is dysfunctional with a simple Indian-style toilet (beyond the hallway). Still, I like it.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

Do you notice anything negative?

If the “pantry” is meant as a proper pantry, it’s quite far from the kitchen. It works well, though, as a storage room—for example, for drinks.
The separate unit is not well enough separated from the rest of the house; you really need to get along well if it’s an outsider. I would keep the room but drop the idea of a long-term tenant there. Maybe occasionally for AirBnB visitors or trade fair guests...
The carport is somewhat too narrow. The older and narrow car models, which are also parked in a way that makes exiting difficult, suggest more space than there actually is. Once children with their cars arrive, it will get tight—especially if the intention is to park two cars there.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

Or what would you change?

Rethink the separate unit
Widen the carport

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

What do you think of the room sizes?

The rooms are rather small but have a simple shape that makes them easy to use. I find the room sizes good.

Einfamilienhaus-Sued-Hang schrieb:

Will it get too warm in summer because of the south orientation and the many windows?

See above.

I find both the entrance through the carport/garage and the lack of garden access from the living areas to be inconvenient. It has already been mentioned that the pantry is located quite far from the kitchen, and a lot of space is taken up by hallways and storage rooms.

Is there a specific intended use for the small granny flat (or room) including the unusual bathroom with two doors? An au pair arrangement, perhaps? Or is it mainly designed to qualify for subsidies for an additional dwelling unit?

Gudeen. schrieb:

as well as the lack of garden access from the living areas being inconvenient

The terrace offers a nice way to provide garden access facing north. That would be sufficient for me.

Gudeen. schrieb:

Or is this mainly intended just to obtain subsidies for an additional dwelling unit?

That would be one explanation.

What bothers me – as so often – is the missing garden access.
The garden is not directly accessible from the living areas.
Is the terrace meant to be the only place for eating, drinking, and playing?

That means you have the same effort as going to a playground.
You limit yourselves like you would in an apartment.
Outdoor space is just as much part of living.

Try drawing in all the furniture with enough clearance space. The passage from the dining table to the terrace becomes narrow.
Open the bedroom door and the wardrobe feels cramped. The space between the bed and wardrobe becomes so tight that the doors or drawers cannot open properly.
A large house with several points that make everything look small.
Where do you plan to do the laundry?
What is the budget?
A granny flat (18 m² (193 sq ft))?