ᐅ Experiences with Floor Plan Design – Any Feedback?

I kindly ask you to review the floor plan of our future house and thank you in advance for your time and attention. The floor plan has not yet been reviewed by an architect.

--> Despite many efforts, I was unable to make the drawings larger. They originate from Sweet Home, were converted into a PDF, and then into a JPEG. If there is a better way to do this, please let me know. Otherwise, I hope it won't be too much trouble for you to enlarge the floor plans on your computer. It is possible, but as mentioned, I could not upload them in a larger size on this site. :-(

Now, here are the answers to the questionnaire:

QUESTIONNAIRE

Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 567 sqm (almost rectangular, only slightly trapezoidal)
Slope: no (barely noticeable visually, maximum 1-2%)
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Single-family house / semi-detached allowed
Building type: detached
Building envelope, building line and boundary: to be measured yet, but the chosen house fits within it, as does a garage/carport for two cars
Setbacks: allowed for garage etc., otherwise the usual three meters (about 10 feet) distance
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of stories: two full stories
Roof type: hipped roof
Architectural style: unknown
Orientation: not yet determined
Maximum heights / limits: “Difference between finished floor level of ground floor and ridge height of main roof max. 11.5 meters (38 feet)“; “Difference between finished floor level of ground floor and eaves height of main roof max. 7.0 meters (23 feet)”
Other specifications: So far, we have only interpreted the development plan as laypersons. After the architect’s consultation, I will provide further details. For now, due to discretion, we do not want to publish the development plan, site plan, cadastral excerpt, etc. online, since we are currently only focusing on the house floor plan, not on its location on the plot. We also need to wait for the surveyor’s results on this.

Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: unknown, hipped roof, single-family home for two adults
Basement, stories: no basement, two full stories
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults
Room requirements ground floor / upper floor:
GF – kitchen, guest bathroom with shower, living room, utility room for technical equipment and hobbies.
UF – master bathroom with sauna, bedroom, two “closet and storage rooms” (larger one also usable as guest room)
Office: family use or home office? Exclusively for the couple
Overnight guests per year: 10 nights
Open or closed architecture: ?
Conservative or modern design: ?
Open kitchen, kitchen island: closed kitchen
Number of dining seats: 2-4 in the kitchen, 6-8 in the living room
Fireplace: yes, in the living room
Music / stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: neither
Garage, carport: for two cars
Utility garden, greenhouse: neither, except for some tomatoes and possibly raspberries
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons for preferences or exclusions

House design
Planner:
- Do-it-yourself

What do you like most? Why?
Nothing particularly stands out; the floor plan is pragmatic and kept simple due to our financial situation. We emphasize brightness, openness, and transparency in every room, aiming for as many windows (or door windows) of the same shape and size as possible. Except for the main entrance side on the ground floor, all openings are floor-to-ceiling windows or patio doors, allowing direct outdoor access from every room. On the upper floor, the windows should be identically sized and arranged as symmetrically as possible. Due to budget constraints, practical reasons, and the extra cost and maintenance of window grilles (instead of mullions), we decided against using door windows upstairs.

What do you dislike? Why?
Everything is satisfactory and fits our budget. We would prefer more door windows.

Price estimate by architect/planner: fixed, already commissioned offer/order EUR 312,780.00 (house only, excluding garage/carport, landscaping, incidental construction costs, land, etc.)

Personal budget limit for the house including fittings: EUR 400,000.00
Preferred heating technology: gas condensing boiler plus solar thermal system (according to legal requirements)

If you have to give up something, which details/extras
- Can give up: possibly a new kitchen
- Cannot give up: window muntins (grids)

Why is the design as it is now?
There has been no architect consultation yet. The floor plan is a mix of example floor plans from various prefab home providers and our own ideas and requirements. Two special features for a relatively small house are, in our view, the somewhat larger utility room (which should be nearly like a second kitchen for hobbies) and the sauna in the master bathroom, which required a larger bathroom than we would need without the sauna.

What do you consider particularly good or bad about it?
Good:

• We live as a couple only, so each of us has one closet and “storage” room
• The guest bathroom on the ground floor will also include a shower
• We own few pieces of furniture and value pictures and plants more, which allows us to have many windows and glazed doors

Bad:

• Relatively narrow hallways
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
• For now, our concern refers only to the house floor plan, not its placement on the plot, as we are still waiting for information from the surveyor and architect. We welcome suggestions for improvements, additions, and criticism. It is important to us that the house looks harmonious, balanced, and “pleasing” from the outside. Due to lack of expertise in architectural harmony or facade design, we initially focused only on symmetry in the exterior facade. We do not want a house that looks unstructured or chaotic from the outside. Nor do we want too many different window shapes and sizes. On the ground floor, every room should allow access to the garden.