ᐅ Feedback on the floor plan design for 150 sqm

Hello, we are currently planning the construction of our future home. We have a fairly clear idea of how the house should look and have already presented our plans to four construction companies. They all basically accepted our ideas without much criticism, gave a few minor suggestions here and there, and provided initial cost estimates. Since the companies all took our ideas quite quietly, we assume we are on the right track 🙂

We would like to hear your opinions on the floor plan before we hand over the fine-tuned plans to the construction companies for detailed pricing.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1,150 sqm (12,379 sq ft) - Parcels 19 + 19a - (plot contractually reserved, buildability likely from Jan 22)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.3
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: at least 3 m (10 ft) must be left free for landscaping along the street
Edge development: I found nothing further about edge development in the development plan, so I assume 3 meters (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: parking spaces must be created for our own cars
Number of storeys: max 2 full storeys
Roof style
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum height/limitations: max ridge height 9.5 m (31 ft)
Further regulations: garages must be at least 3 m (10 ft) away from public traffic areas

Requirements from the Homeowners
Architectural style, roof style, building type: urban villa with flat gable roof (KfW55 standard)
Basement, storeys: no basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, 1 child (29, 29, 2 years), another child planned
Space requirements on ground and upper floors:
Ground floor: guest room/office + shower bathroom
Upper floor: 2 children’s rooms, master bedroom, dressing room, children’s bathroom, master bathroom
Office: family use or home office? Home office possibility + overnight guests
Guest stays per year: at least 10 times a year for 2 guests, possibly more
Open or closed architecture
Conservative or modern design: rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music/sound wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: we plan a carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: some use planned
Additional wishes/particulars/daily routine, including reasons for choices: We definitely wanted a storage room, which one company then added upstairs. The last company we spoke with suggested this: concrete stairs with a separate storage room under the stairs behind a door (unfortunately not included in the floor plan as my "Sweet Home 3D" skills ended there). The stairwell would then face the entrance door rather than the living room. We like this idea but wonder if we could give up the second storage room upstairs in favor of more space for the children’s rooms.

House Design
Who designed the plan: mainly our ideas, digitalized by the construction company
What do you like? Why?:

1. The living room-kitchen area was taken 1:1 from a model home where we liked the feeling of space very much.
2. Bedroom and master bathroom are accessed via the dressing room.
3. The master bathroom is also taken almost exactly from a model home.

What do you not like? Why?: We wonder if the hallway is sufficient. It will definitely not be spacious, just functional, but is there enough space?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings:
Preferred heating technology: heat pump, possibly photovoltaic with battery storage (consultation still needed)

If you had to give up details or expansions
- what could you give up: a storage room?
- what couldn’t you give up:

Why did the design turn out as it is now?
A mix of house catalogs, model home visits, and ideas from the construction companies

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?

• Positioning/orientation on the plot: we are still unsure about what looks good or unusual and how the room orientation toward cardinal directions makes sense. We also have photovoltaic with a corresponding south-facing roof in mind. (I attached 2 orientation ideas)
• Does an additional window near the couch in the living room make sense?
• Can the stairwell/gallery window be smaller, will the light be sufficient?
• What are your general thoughts on the floor plan?

Due to my limited "Sweet Home 3D" skills, the ground floor plan looks a bit odd. I superimposed an earlier floor plan as a reference under the new one. Please only pay attention to the stronger outlines for the sofa and dining table. Sorry about that, but it’s the best I could do.

Let me know if we forgot any relevant information. Sorry in advance if my responses are not immediate; I will try to reply as soon as possible.

So, we look forward to your feedback.

Some proportions don't quite fit. The kitchen and dining area at 5.50 m (18 feet) is too tight, and the children's bathroom is also too small if I read the width as 1.70 m (5 feet 7 inches) correctly. Otherwise, you might end up with a tiny bathroom that no one can use comfortably once the children are older. The parents' bathroom is also rather cramped, especially the space between the sink and the bathtub.

RiQu2020 schrieb:

Since the companies all accepted our ideas quite quietly, we assume we are on the right track for now

I think that is a major misconception. After all, the general contractor doesn’t have to live in the house; they just have to build it.

Otherwise, the floor plan should work. What bothers me is the cramped entrance and at the same time the wasted space in front of the staircase, which can then be seen in the rather tight TV area. The fact that the door collides with the sofa is even shown.

By the way, the questionnaire is not fully completed. 😉

And then I come along with "Living area > 4 m (13 feet)" out of nowhere.

There are still quite a few inconsistencies. I agree with the previous comments.
Dining doesn't work, and there's wasted space in front of the staircase.
Why are there two different square meter measurements? With/without the staircase? Where are the 52 m² (560 sq ft)?

Upper floor: Remove the storage room so the entrance vestibule to the children's rooms can be eliminated.

Swap the bathtub with the sink and move it into the corner.

Congratulations on the plot and the possibilities it offers! The house design is clearly structured but, in my opinion, has a few functional weaknesses that don’t require a complete redesign:

• The walk-in closet is more like a storage room than a proper dressing room because the narrow space between the wardrobes leaves little room for dressing and undressing. This is a common trend among many builders nowadays. In a few years, the build year will be recognizable by this—just like houses with particularly cramped kitchens can be dated today. I tend to think in terms of "all or nothing." For "all," there isn’t enough space.
• The entrance area is a challenge for everyday life since jackets, shoes, and children’s items usually need easy access near the entry. In your design, this isn't possible, so in practice, many items will likely end up in the guest room or utility room. You have a fairly large "open area" in the living room. With some clever adjustments, this space could be reduced in favor of a spacious built-in closet near the hallway for better use.
• In the bathroom, there is roughly 60cm (24 inches) of space between the sink and the bathtub by visual estimation. Try it out—I find that too narrow.
• The children's bathroom is very compact but will work. Consider using a bit more space from the hallway, as it might be better allocated to the children’s bathroom.
• The storage room between the children’s bedrooms is a good idea. There’s little advantage to entering this small room. A niche instead of a room, fitted with a preselected standard-sized cabinet, would save costs and might look better. It would also give a bit more space back to the children's rooms.
• The "living area" will be very dark, except during midsummer. Even around noon, reading on the couch will likely require artificial lighting (maybe now, but probably not at age 50 and beyond…). Consider adding a strip of windows above the TV wall. I’ll address the window question below.

RiQu2020 schrieb:

• Positioning/orientation on the plot: We’re still unsure what will look good or odd and how the positioning of the individual rooms relative to the cardinal directions makes sense. We also have the topic of photovoltaic panels with a south-facing roof in mind. (I attached two orientation ideas.)

Don’t worry too much about the photovoltaics. An orientation that also receives morning and evening sun is generally more advantageous for most residential households than a south-facing roof optimized only for peak performance at midday. Place the house as you wish; the solar panels will adapt. I would prefer option 1 because it enlarges the garden view from the kitchen. Alternatively, if possible, I would move the house further into the plot according to my taste.

RiQu2020 schrieb:

• Does adding another window in the living room by the couch make sense?

If the living area is more of a "media room," then leave out the window. However, if your concept of "living" includes a view of the garden, then a large window is necessary.

RiQu2020 schrieb:

• Can the staircase/gallery window be smaller? Is the light sufficient?

That entire side is already quite dark, especially since the TV wall in the living room doesn't have a strip of windows. I wouldn’t reduce the light any further.

Addition: (too) many rooms for the square meters.