ᐅ Floor Plan Single-Family Home with Granny Flat as a Three-Unit Residence
Created on: 5 Jul 2021 06:50
F
florian93
Hello everyone,
I have been a quiet reader here for a long time and have gained a lot of information and ideas from this forum. Many thanks for that!
Since the end of last year, we have been looking into building a house. Initially, we spoke with a few turnkey construction companies. We moved forward with planning more concretely with one company. However, we were never completely satisfied with the results, as we felt the flexibility and individuality were always limited beyond a certain point. Meanwhile, we have turned to an architect from the neighboring village who will support us from planning to the finished house (phases 1-8). We have now reached the point of a "final" draft including a cost estimate.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 709 sqm (7,630 sq ft)
Slope: No
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Floor space index (FSI): 0.8
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge construction: garage
Number of parking spaces: 1.5 per residential unit (= 5)
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: 38-47° (100-116°F) gable or half-hipped roof
Style: No specification
Orientation: No specification
Maximum height/restrictions: None
Other requirements: None
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Classic-modern, gable roof
Basement, floors: 2 full floors (according to development plan only 1.5 => however, neighbors in the immediate area have been granted permission for 2 as long as the overall height does not exceed 1.5, which requires a lower roof pitch)
Number of people, age:
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: home office
Overnight guests per year: can sleep on the sofa
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open, kitchen island maybe
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: provision for future installation
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: garage, but also open to a carport (depending on savings)
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: No, possibly a small utility area in the garden
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions: None
House design
Who designed the plan: architect
What do you especially like? Why?
What do you dislike? Why?
Cost estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: Is it even possible to define this nowadays?
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you had to give up something, which features/extensions
- you can live without: fireplace (or just fireplace preparation), smart home (I’m an IT professional and can retrofit it myself later)
- you cannot live without: none
Why does the design look as it does now? For example:
Standard design from the planner? Basic idea is ours + several discussions with the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summed up in 130 characters?
I have been a quiet reader here for a long time and have gained a lot of information and ideas from this forum. Many thanks for that!
Since the end of last year, we have been looking into building a house. Initially, we spoke with a few turnkey construction companies. We moved forward with planning more concretely with one company. However, we were never completely satisfied with the results, as we felt the flexibility and individuality were always limited beyond a certain point. Meanwhile, we have turned to an architect from the neighboring village who will support us from planning to the finished house (phases 1-8). We have now reached the point of a "final" draft including a cost estimate.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 709 sqm (7,630 sq ft)
Slope: No
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Floor space index (FSI): 0.8
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge construction: garage
Number of parking spaces: 1.5 per residential unit (= 5)
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: 38-47° (100-116°F) gable or half-hipped roof
Style: No specification
Orientation: No specification
Maximum height/restrictions: None
Other requirements: None
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Classic-modern, gable roof
Basement, floors: 2 full floors (according to development plan only 1.5 => however, neighbors in the immediate area have been granted permission for 2 as long as the overall height does not exceed 1.5, which requires a lower roof pitch)
Number of people, age:
- Currently: 3 (Dad 27, Mom 25, son 1)
- Future: 4-5 (Dad, Mom, 2-3 children) + 2 in granny flat (parents, in about 5-10 years)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
- Ground floor + upper floor:
- Size: approx. 160-180 sqm (1,722-1,938 sq ft); inspired by the new build of an acquaintance
- Rooms ground floor: open kitchen/dining/living area + small pantry, office, utility/technical room, guest WC
- Rooms upper floor: large bathroom, master bedroom, 3 children’s rooms
- Granny flat:
- Size: approx. 50 sqm (538 sq ft); based on our old 2-room apartment
- Rooms: open kitchen/dining/living area, bathroom, bedroom
Office: home office
Overnight guests per year: can sleep on the sofa
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open, kitchen island maybe
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: provision for future installation
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: garage, but also open to a carport (depending on savings)
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: No, possibly a small utility area in the garden
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions: None
House design
Who designed the plan: architect
What do you especially like? Why?
- Use as a single-family house plus granny flat, with the option to separate into 3 units later, e.g., when children grow older or if renting is desired
- Separate garden areas for the main house and granny flat
- Large windows facing south => lots of daylight (neighbor to the south is quite far away + good privacy to the east thanks to granny flat)
- Garden/terraces on the south side
- Direct access to the garage from inside
- Direct access to the granny flat for times of sole family use
What do you dislike? Why?
- Very dark entrance area
- Concern that the kitchen/dining/living area might be too small or cramped
Cost estimate according to architect/planner:
- Note: everything calculated very generously based on current raw material prices
- All-in: 778k (we already own the serviced land)
- of which 40k are additional construction costs
- of which 35k already planned for furnishings
- of which 50k already planned for outdoor facilities and open spaces
- Resulting in:
- after deductions for subsidies: 662k (3x KfW 40 Plus + energy consultant = 116k)
- after deductions for assured DIY work: 642k
- after deduction of approx. 160k for granny flat (financed by parents): 482k
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: Is it even possible to define this nowadays?
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you had to give up something, which features/extensions
- you can live without: fireplace (or just fireplace preparation), smart home (I’m an IT professional and can retrofit it myself later)
- you cannot live without: none
Why does the design look as it does now? For example:
Standard design from the planner? Basic idea is ours + several discussions with the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
- Almost all of our wishes
- Staircase with straight steps
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
- Good: not a run-of-the-mill standard design, visually very appealing (in our opinion)
- Bad: nothing
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summed up in 130 characters?
- We would simply like some unbiased opinions/optimizations from third parties
- How can the entrance area be improved in terms of natural light?
florian93 schrieb:
I already mentioned that we’re not 100% satisfied with the kitchen yet. We’re happy to receive any suggestions for improvement from all sides – so feel free to share! 🙂
After consulting with the architect, the utility room is large enough for the technical equipment. He recommends a compact air-to-water heat pump with integrated ventilation and hot water tank. The exact size is already marked on the plan. The house connection, an electrical control cabinet, and a water softener will also go in there – then the room will be full. Does that not work?
We really appreciate criticism when it’s well-founded. We’re not trying to force anything here, nor do we want to regret later that, for example, a staircase placed in the middle of the living area prevents us from dividing the house into two separate living units. Children grow up. And the fact that they don’t necessarily have to move out to have their own apartment is – in our opinion – a positive thing. TLDR: Criticism? Yes, please! But with reasons and/or suggestions for improvement. I thought my criticism was already well justified...
By the way, where is the laundry/utility room? Did I miss it somewhere?
How long is the whole setup supposed to be used for three living units, theoretically?
I definitely wouldn’t want to move into the tiny unit for the grandparents. Stove, sink, washing machine, and sofa (!) all jammed next to each other on one wall? But maybe I’m just too picky...
If the child takes over the upper floor later, is a <5m² (54ft²) bathroom on the ground floor really enough for the parents? Then the child moves out for university, the parents either don’t come back or only stay for a few years, and you end up living as two people in three cramped units instead of a nice single-family home...
M
Myrna_Loy5 Jul 2021 11:59The granny flat now has the feel of a holiday apartment.
And yes, my mother also talked for years about definitely wanting to downsize in old age – yet even in their 80s they still live in a 220 sqm (2,370 sq ft) house because after half a century they couldn’t imagine living in less than 100 sqm (1,080 sq ft). My parents-in-law have a house designed for four separate living units as a multi-generational home. The attic is now storage space for my mother-in-law, the basement is storage for my father-in-law, and we use the granny flat on the ground floor as storage. For 10 years they have been talking about finally dividing the house.
Absurd.
I would plan for now and today. Not for 10-15 years from now. Not for 20 years from now. It’s of course tempting to have 230 sqm (2,475 sq ft) of living space if it’s easy to finance – but then I would still plan for NOW. Not for every eventuality.
And yes, my mother also talked for years about definitely wanting to downsize in old age – yet even in their 80s they still live in a 220 sqm (2,370 sq ft) house because after half a century they couldn’t imagine living in less than 100 sqm (1,080 sq ft). My parents-in-law have a house designed for four separate living units as a multi-generational home. The attic is now storage space for my mother-in-law, the basement is storage for my father-in-law, and we use the granny flat on the ground floor as storage. For 10 years they have been talking about finally dividing the house.
Absurd.
I would plan for now and today. Not for 10-15 years from now. Not for 20 years from now. It’s of course tempting to have 230 sqm (2,475 sq ft) of living space if it’s easy to finance – but then I would still plan for NOW. Not for every eventuality.
P
pagoni20205 Jul 2021 12:01In projects like these, I often notice the focus is somewhat one-sided, centering on the technical aspects and details—down to the color of the light switches—while the living space for the parents is just “somehow” accommodated.
Aside from the future financial arrangements regarding the granny flat, I don’t see anything about what the parents actually want or need. Often, parents step back too much for their children and, in my opinion, tend to be overlooked. This isn’t necessarily meant negatively, but I would prioritize the parents’ interests and needs much more.
- Are they definitely moving in? When? Make a clear agreement!
- How do they want to live? What do they want or need to feel truly comfortable there?
I experienced a similar situation 30 years ago, and our parents had a generous attic apartment with a view of the river, a roof terrace, and so on. While I understand concerns about possible future health issues... I am older than your parents, and I would definitely not want to move in under those conditions. Why should two adults (not young children) struggle in 50sqm (540 sq ft) in a prime location? Does one lose the desire or the right to a nice life after 60? That’s just when it really begins! You have a house they could sell, so why not create a fantastic apartment for them with you, possibly designed 100% to their taste by an interior designer? Later division for use by grandchildren in 30 years is not excluded... but first come the parents, and then a long time with nothing else!
If the parents are not yet even 60 and their first grandchild is already here, then the grandchildren will have long moved out, hopefully while grandparents are still alive.
My parents said the same thing back then, yet we built them a stylish 90sqm (970 sq ft) apartment. You’ll inherit the sale of their house, so what’s the problem? Of course, they say it’s enough—that’s probably generational—but I wouldn’t want to live in a fancy and spacious part of the house while my parents were cramped in a micro-apartment. That would have felt awkward and unfair to us. My parents would have moved into 30sqm (320 sq ft), but when it was really stylish and special, they beamed—and that’s exactly what we wanted!
Please don’t take this as harsh criticism but rather as a timely suggestion to think it through. You’re thinking about your unborn children when they grow up, but in my opinion, the living parents are much too often overlooked—just because they are less assertive or tend to step back.
Aside from the future financial arrangements regarding the granny flat, I don’t see anything about what the parents actually want or need. Often, parents step back too much for their children and, in my opinion, tend to be overlooked. This isn’t necessarily meant negatively, but I would prioritize the parents’ interests and needs much more.
- Are they definitely moving in? When? Make a clear agreement!
- How do they want to live? What do they want or need to feel truly comfortable there?
I experienced a similar situation 30 years ago, and our parents had a generous attic apartment with a view of the river, a roof terrace, and so on. While I understand concerns about possible future health issues... I am older than your parents, and I would definitely not want to move in under those conditions. Why should two adults (not young children) struggle in 50sqm (540 sq ft) in a prime location? Does one lose the desire or the right to a nice life after 60? That’s just when it really begins! You have a house they could sell, so why not create a fantastic apartment for them with you, possibly designed 100% to their taste by an interior designer? Later division for use by grandchildren in 30 years is not excluded... but first come the parents, and then a long time with nothing else!
If the parents are not yet even 60 and their first grandchild is already here, then the grandchildren will have long moved out, hopefully while grandparents are still alive.
florian93 schrieb:
My parents say the size is perfectly fine for their age. Reduced to the essentials but still not so small that they feel uncomfortable.
My parents said the same thing back then, yet we built them a stylish 90sqm (970 sq ft) apartment. You’ll inherit the sale of their house, so what’s the problem? Of course, they say it’s enough—that’s probably generational—but I wouldn’t want to live in a fancy and spacious part of the house while my parents were cramped in a micro-apartment. That would have felt awkward and unfair to us. My parents would have moved into 30sqm (320 sq ft), but when it was really stylish and special, they beamed—and that’s exactly what we wanted!
Please don’t take this as harsh criticism but rather as a timely suggestion to think it through. You’re thinking about your unborn children when they grow up, but in my opinion, the living parents are much too often overlooked—just because they are less assertive or tend to step back.
F
florian935 Jul 2021 12:13pagoni2020 schrieb:
With these types of projects, I often notice the focus is somewhat one-sided—centered on the owners, the technical aspects, and even details like the color of the light switches—while the living area for the parents is merely “enabled” in a rather basic way.
Aside from any future financial arrangements regarding this granny flat, I don’t see anything about what the parents would actually want or need. Often, parents hold back too much for their children and, in my opinion, get somewhat neglected. This isn’t meant negatively, but I would put the parents’ interests and needs much more at the forefront.
- Are they definitely moving in? When? A clear agreement is essential!
- How do they want to live? What do they want or need to truly feel comfortable there?
About 30 years ago, I faced a similar situation, and our parents then lived generously in the attic with a view of the river, rooftop terrace, and so on. While I understand concerns about potential future health issues... I’m older than your parents and wouldn’t move in under those conditions. Why should two adults (not your young kids) have to struggle in 50m² (540 sq ft) with just one room? Do people lose the desire or right to a decent lifestyle after 60? That’s just when life really begins! They have a house that could be sold—so why not create a great apartment for them at your place, perhaps designed 100% by an interior architect to suit their needs? Later subdivision for use by grandchildren in 30 years is not off the table, but first your parents come, and then there’s a long way to go!
If your parents aren’t even 60 yet and there are already grandchildren, then by the time the grandparents are older, the grandchildren will likely have moved out.
That’s what my parents said back then too, yet we built them a stylish 90m² (970 sq ft) apartment. You will inherit the proceeds from selling their house anyway, so what’s the problem? Of course, they’ll say what they have is enough—that’s a generational attitude—but I wouldn’t want to live in style and comfort in the same house while my parents are stuck in a micro-apartment. That would have felt very uncomfortable and unfair. My parents would have moved into 30m² (320 sq ft), but when it became nice and special, they were thrilled—and that’s how we wanted it!
Please don’t take this as harsh criticism but rather as a timely suggestion. You think of your unborn children when they turn 18 and beyond... but, in my opinion, the living parents are being neglected far too much, just because they’re less outspoken or tend to put themselves second. We don’t take constructive criticism as harsh or negative. We are grateful you brought it up. We will reflect again and sit down with my parents and our architect. Thank you!
Also consider that your current apartment, which served as a model for you, fits you well now as a young couple. Whether it meets the conscious or unconscious needs of your parents is another matter.
About the kitchen
I would design the island more like an aircraft carrier rather than square-shaped, meaning elongated. You should check whether you can position it facing the window front or have the side of the island placed quite close to it.
About the kitchen
I would design the island more like an aircraft carrier rather than square-shaped, meaning elongated. You should check whether you can position it facing the window front or have the side of the island placed quite close to it.
P
pagoni20205 Jul 2021 12:20florian93 schrieb:
We don’t take constructive criticism as harsh or negative. We appreciate you bringing this up. We will reflect on it again and discuss it with my parents and our architect. Thank you! Thank you, that was exactly the intention, based on my own experience. Of course, people are different, but for example, I would rather feel taken advantage of by my children and then set boundaries myself than have things “scrimped” from the start. I think this is something you especially need to decide among yourselves—what importance you give to the parent, or what they want. Just accepting whatever they demand can eventually feel bad for one or even both sides. My mother was bursting with pride and enjoyed showing her apartment, and I was happy to be there and could even live there now. Unfortunately… due to circumstances… part of the house had to be rented out or even sold, and then the whole project was over. For that reason, I wouldn’t plan on renting to outsiders, except maybe as a holiday rental if you enjoy hosting people and meeting others. I rented my house/apartment as a vacation rental for years to be able to keep it, but many people don’t want to do that. Such things can be figured out beforehand for yourself.
Similar topics