ᐅ Floor plan of a single-family house with two full stories, approximately 185 m² on a 575 m² plot.
Created on: 13 Oct 2021 11:53
S
Snooze27
Hello everyone,
we are currently planning the floor plan of our house, and today I’m sharing the first draft from our designer. We plan to start construction in late 2022/early 2023 and would appreciate your open and honest feedback.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 575m² (6,187 sq ft)
Slope: No
Building line, setback, and boundary: 5 m (16.5 ft) distance from the street to the north
Number of parking spaces: minimum 2 behind the 5 m (16.5 ft) setback from the street
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Gable roof with 25% pitch
Basement, floors: 2 full floors without a basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults in their mid-20s, possibly 2 children in the future
Space needs on ground and upper floors: Ground floor - kitchen, open living/dining area, utility room, office; upper floor - bedroom, 2 children’s rooms, bathroom
Front door orientation: preferably facing east
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with a kitchen island (not freestanding)
Fireplace: yes (possibly water-heated)
Balcony, roof terrace: no, but the flat roof of the garage might be converted later
Garage, carport: open parking space and single or double garage
Garden for use, greenhouse: yes, southeast part of the property
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are preferred or avoided: The south and west garden areas, which we plan to use most, are connected to the main living spaces.
House Design
Planner: designer
What do you especially like? Why?: Open living-dining area, larger toilet on the ground floor with shower and urinal, T-shaped layout in the upstairs bathroom
What do you dislike? Why?: We find the house footprint quite large, but it hardly gets smaller without a basement, right?
Cost estimate according to architect/designer: 380,000€
Personal price limit for house including equipment: 450,000€
Heating Technology and Energy
Air-source heat pump
Photovoltaic system with energy storage
Solar thermal system (possibly)
Water-heated fireplace (since we have our own firewood)
Ventilation system with heat recovery (possibly)
Underfloor heating
If you had to give up certain features or extensions,
- which ones could you do without: walk-in closet in the master bedroom, single garage instead of double garage is also possible.
Why was the design created like this?
After much consideration regarding the best placement of the house and the orientation of living spaces according to cardinal directions and sunlight exposure.
Additionally, some rooms have been arranged following Feng Shui principles.
What is the most important fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
- Could the house be designed a bit smaller? What do you think?
- We are also considering whether to insulate the floor panels of the attic or to insulate the roof and possibly convert the attic later.
- Possibly, instead of a double garage, build a slightly larger single garage further south/lower, and add an open parking space in front of the house. This would allow us to shift the house further east and widen the garden on the west side of the house from currently 4.5 m (15 ft) to 6-7 m (20-23 ft). This would greatly improve afternoon and evening use.
I look forward to your suggestions and critiques!
Best regards, Snooze27
we are currently planning the floor plan of our house, and today I’m sharing the first draft from our designer. We plan to start construction in late 2022/early 2023 and would appreciate your open and honest feedback.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 575m² (6,187 sq ft)
Slope: No
Building line, setback, and boundary: 5 m (16.5 ft) distance from the street to the north
Number of parking spaces: minimum 2 behind the 5 m (16.5 ft) setback from the street
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Gable roof with 25% pitch
Basement, floors: 2 full floors without a basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults in their mid-20s, possibly 2 children in the future
Space needs on ground and upper floors: Ground floor - kitchen, open living/dining area, utility room, office; upper floor - bedroom, 2 children’s rooms, bathroom
Front door orientation: preferably facing east
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with a kitchen island (not freestanding)
Fireplace: yes (possibly water-heated)
Balcony, roof terrace: no, but the flat roof of the garage might be converted later
Garage, carport: open parking space and single or double garage
Garden for use, greenhouse: yes, southeast part of the property
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are preferred or avoided: The south and west garden areas, which we plan to use most, are connected to the main living spaces.
House Design
Planner: designer
What do you especially like? Why?: Open living-dining area, larger toilet on the ground floor with shower and urinal, T-shaped layout in the upstairs bathroom
What do you dislike? Why?: We find the house footprint quite large, but it hardly gets smaller without a basement, right?
Cost estimate according to architect/designer: 380,000€
Personal price limit for house including equipment: 450,000€
Heating Technology and Energy
Air-source heat pump
Photovoltaic system with energy storage
Solar thermal system (possibly)
Water-heated fireplace (since we have our own firewood)
Ventilation system with heat recovery (possibly)
Underfloor heating
If you had to give up certain features or extensions,
- which ones could you do without: walk-in closet in the master bedroom, single garage instead of double garage is also possible.
Why was the design created like this?
After much consideration regarding the best placement of the house and the orientation of living spaces according to cardinal directions and sunlight exposure.
Additionally, some rooms have been arranged following Feng Shui principles.
What is the most important fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
- Could the house be designed a bit smaller? What do you think?
- We are also considering whether to insulate the floor panels of the attic or to insulate the roof and possibly convert the attic later.
- Possibly, instead of a double garage, build a slightly larger single garage further south/lower, and add an open parking space in front of the house. This would allow us to shift the house further east and widen the garden on the west side of the house from currently 4.5 m (15 ft) to 6-7 m (20-23 ft). This would greatly improve afternoon and evening use.
I look forward to your suggestions and critiques!
Best regards, Snooze27
This is an unusually neat architectural draft; two critical or problematic points immediately catch my eye: the 24cm (9.5 inch) thick masonry wall of the garage (unnecessary) and the location of the utility room with built-over house connections (problematic).
I miss representations of the terrain, without which my basement calculation formula is not applicable.
A little Feng Shui is like being a little pregnant.
If you plan significant owner participation, engaging an architect for planning and construction management is strongly advised. Due to warranty issues for subcontracted work, tradespeople regularly refuse to use materials supplied by the owner. Also, you risk alienating them if you withhold their usual procurement margin. So secondly, expect that owner-supplied materials can usually only be used for self-performed work. And first, do not factor any possible savings into your calculations. Use this "pocket money," for example, for landscaping but never mentally deduct it from the price of a turnkey house.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Snooze27 schrieb:
We find the house’s footprint relatively large, but it hardly could be smaller without a basement, right?
I miss representations of the terrain, without which my basement calculation formula is not applicable.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Additionally, some rooms were oriented according to Feng Shui.
A little Feng Shui is like being a little pregnant.
Snooze27 schrieb:
We want and are able to do a lot ourselves and work in building materials retail.
If you plan significant owner participation, engaging an architect for planning and construction management is strongly advised. Due to warranty issues for subcontracted work, tradespeople regularly refuse to use materials supplied by the owner. Also, you risk alienating them if you withhold their usual procurement margin. So secondly, expect that owner-supplied materials can usually only be used for self-performed work. And first, do not factor any possible savings into your calculations. Use this "pocket money," for example, for landscaping but never mentally deduct it from the price of a turnkey house.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Yes, we are also not entirely satisfied with the pantry; it will probably be removed and replaced with larger cabinets instead.
@Scout I really like your suggestions, we could implement them as you proposed, thank you very much.
Okay, financially we probably won’t quite make it either. We can save a little on the floor area, and some of the technical features would be optional or possibly added later.
The Feng Shui was planned based on our zodiac signs before the first design was even available. The main focus was on which sides are favorable for us and which rooms should be placed there. The open-plan living area was planned taking into account the cardinal directions/sunlight. The front door faces northeast, and ideally, the bedroom should also be located there, but unfortunately, this doesn't work because of the stairs.
I hadn’t heard of Bagua before, but I will take a closer look at it.
@11ant good tip regarding the garage, would 11 meters (36 feet) be enough here?
What exactly do you mean by the location of the utility room with built-over house connections? That the garage should be further back? Or am I misunderstanding?
Regarding the basement calculation, I can only say that the plot is almost completely flat. Along the adjacent building site to the south, our property slopes down about 5 cm (2 inches) over the 26 meters (85 feet) length.
@Scout I really like your suggestions, we could implement them as you proposed, thank you very much.
Okay, financially we probably won’t quite make it either. We can save a little on the floor area, and some of the technical features would be optional or possibly added later.
ypg schrieb:
I find the statement that something was planned according to Feng Shui interesting. What exactly is it? I see a deficiency in the partnership area according to Bagua (pantry) – how does that come about?
The Feng Shui was planned based on our zodiac signs before the first design was even available. The main focus was on which sides are favorable for us and which rooms should be placed there. The open-plan living area was planned taking into account the cardinal directions/sunlight. The front door faces northeast, and ideally, the bedroom should also be located there, but unfortunately, this doesn't work because of the stairs.
I hadn’t heard of Bagua before, but I will take a closer look at it.
@11ant good tip regarding the garage, would 11 meters (36 feet) be enough here?
What exactly do you mean by the location of the utility room with built-over house connections? That the garage should be further back? Or am I misunderstanding?
Regarding the basement calculation, I can only say that the plot is almost completely flat. Along the adjacent building site to the south, our property slopes down about 5 cm (2 inches) over the 26 meters (85 feet) length.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Good tip about the garage, would 11cm (4.3 inches) be enough here? Depending on the roofing, it might be possible with calcium silicate bricks, yes, but I was thinking more along the lines of 17.5cm (6.9 inches).
Snooze27 schrieb:
What exactly do you mean by the location of the utility room with house penetrations above? That the garage would need to be further back? Or set at a distance next to it, or something similar. In any case, the plan shows the garage positioned so that its footprint would cover the house penetrations.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Regarding the cellar calculation, I can only tell you that the plot is almost completely flat; towards the adjacent building plot to the south, our land slopes about 5cm (2 inches) over the 26m (85 feet) length. If that is indeed the case, according to my cellar calculation this would argue against a terrain-related "necessity" for a cellar; however, the suggestion by @haydee to insulate the attic space gains importance (though this would also require a "steeper" roof and a fixed staircase).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Now, not about the costs, but about the floor plan. I’ll skip rereading the possibly already written comments…
Yes, almost all rooms are larger than average, about 20% bigger in the children’s rooms, the bathrooms, the bedroom, and the freezer room as well as the utility room.
Actually, it is. Others plan with 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft), and most tend to go between 125 and 140 sqm (1,345 and 1,507 sq ft). Without a basement.
What would be the purpose of the conversion? You can’t really create living space there. For storing suitcases and decoration boxes, the cold roof is sufficient.
I like that idea. My street has the same orientation, and those who can, sit outside late in the evening in the northwest.
Regarding the floor plan itself: I don’t think it’s good!
The main living area is much too long compared to its width. Ideal rooms have rectangular proportions around 2:3 or 3:4. Approximately. But not 4 x 10, so 2:5.
Too narrow for the length, too long for the width.
It’s nice that you placed the children’s rooms on the south side. I would also position the dining area there, as the central living space. For watching TV, south exposure isn’t necessary. The office is also rather unnecessary there, considering that monitors are hard to see in southern sunlight and the blinds would probably have to be kept closed most of the time.
Overbuilt freezer room has already been mentioned.
Move the carport further back and the entrance door also further down (towards the bottom of the plan) — this will create more usable rooms since the area beside the door will have more space, so the hallway won’t have to be so long.
I would design the living area in an L-shape, with the living room in the southeast and the kitchen in the west, which improves the spatial experience and means you don’t look directly at the cooking pots from the sofa. If this layout was created due to the solar system, I’d prefer the harmony of a room without solar panels.
Place the office in the northwest and the freezer room in the northeast. The upper floor will follow from that.
In the bathroom, you don’t need a 3 to 4 meter (10 to 13 ft) wardrobe wall—pay more attention to plumbing layout there.
The pantry should either be hidden behind a wall or omitted entirely.
The double bed can remain with its head facing north.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Could the house be planned a bit smaller? What do you think?
Yes, almost all rooms are larger than average, about 20% bigger in the children’s rooms, the bathrooms, the bedroom, and the freezer room as well as the utility room.
Snooze27 schrieb:
We find the floor area of the house relatively large, but it’s hardly possible to make it smaller without a basement, right?
Actually, it is. Others plan with 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft), and most tend to go between 125 and 140 sqm (1,345 and 1,507 sq ft). Without a basement.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Or maybe we should insulate the roof and convert the attic sometime.
What would be the purpose of the conversion? You can’t really create living space there. For storing suitcases and decoration boxes, the cold roof is sufficient.
Snooze27 schrieb:
Maybe instead of a double garage, just a slightly larger single garage could be built, which would be moved a bit further down/south, and in front of our entrance there would then be an additional open parking space. This would allow us to shift the house further east and thus enlarge the garden on the west side of the house from the current 4.5m (15 ft) to 6–7m (20–23 ft).
I like that idea. My street has the same orientation, and those who can, sit outside late in the evening in the northwest.
Regarding the floor plan itself: I don’t think it’s good!
The main living area is much too long compared to its width. Ideal rooms have rectangular proportions around 2:3 or 3:4. Approximately. But not 4 x 10, so 2:5.
Too narrow for the length, too long for the width.
It’s nice that you placed the children’s rooms on the south side. I would also position the dining area there, as the central living space. For watching TV, south exposure isn’t necessary. The office is also rather unnecessary there, considering that monitors are hard to see in southern sunlight and the blinds would probably have to be kept closed most of the time.
Overbuilt freezer room has already been mentioned.
Move the carport further back and the entrance door also further down (towards the bottom of the plan) — this will create more usable rooms since the area beside the door will have more space, so the hallway won’t have to be so long.
I would design the living area in an L-shape, with the living room in the southeast and the kitchen in the west, which improves the spatial experience and means you don’t look directly at the cooking pots from the sofa. If this layout was created due to the solar system, I’d prefer the harmony of a room without solar panels.
Place the office in the northwest and the freezer room in the northeast. The upper floor will follow from that.
In the bathroom, you don’t need a 3 to 4 meter (10 to 13 ft) wardrobe wall—pay more attention to plumbing layout there.
The pantry should either be hidden behind a wall or omitted entirely.
The double bed can remain with its head facing north.
- I've never seen the entrance squeezed into a corner like that before...
- Entrance area / hallway, etc. are anything but welcoming (and way too much space is wasted)
- Living/Dining/Kitchen areas with 41 m² (440 sq ft) or 44 m² (470 sq ft) including pantry are "small" for a 180 m² (1,940 sq ft) house --> the "non-living" side is over 20% larger than the "living" side (5.26 m / 17.3 ft width vs. 4.26 m / 14 ft, minus walls)
- Don't forget the windows...
- The upstairs hallway is/is going to be dark...
- The floor plan can be made more compact, and well-planned 150-160 m² (1,615-1,720 sq ft) would be more than enough...
What is the neighboring development like? Often, no low-lying west-facing sun reaches the house or the garden strip because the neighboring house blocks it. Still, I would opt for a single garage and leave more space on the west side for that reason.
I would also arrange the open-plan area in an L-shape and place the study where the kitchen is now. The kitchen is too narrow there because of the pantry. The rest would need to be rearranged again. The corridor in front of the utility room is actually unnecessary; the utility space could be accessed directly from the hallway (door under the stairs, and the space beneath the stairs could also be added to the utility area).
Move the garage to the back, so it aligns with the house on the garden side, and then place the main terrace in front of the current study (better the kitchen!). That way, from the dining table, you won’t be looking at the legs of garden chairs and tables but will have an unobstructed view of the garden.
If you can afford it, I would keep the house this size. Upstairs, I think it is quite successful anyway. These are spacious rooms with enough usable area, even if you plan large window surfaces. The staircase on the upper floor also needs a large window to bring sufficient light into the hallway.
But the decision to reduce the size should be made first before it makes sense to tinker with the floor plan.
I would also arrange the open-plan area in an L-shape and place the study where the kitchen is now. The kitchen is too narrow there because of the pantry. The rest would need to be rearranged again. The corridor in front of the utility room is actually unnecessary; the utility space could be accessed directly from the hallway (door under the stairs, and the space beneath the stairs could also be added to the utility area).
Move the garage to the back, so it aligns with the house on the garden side, and then place the main terrace in front of the current study (better the kitchen!). That way, from the dining table, you won’t be looking at the legs of garden chairs and tables but will have an unobstructed view of the garden.
If you can afford it, I would keep the house this size. Upstairs, I think it is quite successful anyway. These are spacious rooms with enough usable area, even if you plan large window surfaces. The staircase on the upper floor also needs a large window to bring sufficient light into the hallway.
But the decision to reduce the size should be made first before it makes sense to tinker with the floor plan.
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