Hello,
we have been following this forum for some time now and have finally received our first draft from the architect. We are not entirely satisfied and wanted to ask for advice here before our next meeting with the architect.
We were unsure whether we are allowed to post the architect’s plan here directly, so we redrafted it ourselves, but the most important details should still be visible.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 350m2 (3,767 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio for ground area): 0.4
Floor area ratio (total floor area in relation to plot size): 1.2
Building envelope, building line and boundary line
Edge development: yes
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 + attic
Roof type: gable roof with 46° pitch
Architectural style: ?
Orientation
Maximum heights / limits: wall height up to 7.5m (25 ft) above street level, house length directly affects roof height due to fixed roof pitch and thus influences setback distances.
Other requirements: terraced development pattern (house/garage/house/garage…), fire separation wall without windows on the west side
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type: gable roof mandatory
Basement, number of floors: without basement (due to cost)
Number of occupants, age: 4 people (ages 34, 33, 4, 2)
Space requirements on ground floor: utility/technical room, kitchen, living room, dining area, guest WC
Space requirements on upper floor: bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, office, laundry room
Space requirements in attic floor: children’s rooms 1 and 2, bathroom
Office use: both family use and home office, currently 95% home office
Guests per year: not relevant
Open or closed layout: open, but living room and kitchen separated by dining area
Conservative or modern style:
Open kitchen with island; kitchen island desired but not at any cost
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: TV in living room
Balcony, roof terrace: no balcony
Garage, carport: double carport + extension for bicycles and small workbench (two parking spaces must be provided, tandem parking is not allowed)
Utility garden, greenhouse: only a small vegetable and herb bed
Other wishes/particulars/daily routine, including reasons why some things should or should not be included:
KNX system (brother-in-law is a master electrician but has no own company), controlled residential ventilation, photovoltaic system, window seat on the ground floor, bathtub not necessary; my wife has always liked the idea of a straight staircase—if it fits well here, we are open to suggestions.
House Design
Who created the design: architect, first draft
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you not like? Why?
Window arrangement (exterior view)
Ground floor: living room is too small, guest WC too narrow
Upper floor: access to laundry room through the bathroom, too many doors in the bedroom (doors to bedroom and walk-in closet to be removed)
Attic floor: children’s room 1 has only one window, knee wall only 0.75m (2.5 ft); we will increase it to 1.1m (3.6 ft), cross gable not symmetrical, cross gable might be omitted to save space for more photovoltaic panels
The attic floor will be completely redesigned. Children’s rooms on the east side, bathroom in the northwest, and storage in the southwest.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: €550,000
Personal budget for the house including fittings: €450,000 (including owner contributions)
Preferred heating technology: ground-source heat pump + photovoltaic, probably air-to-water heat pump + photovoltaic for cost reasons
If you have to give up something, on which details/additional features
-can you give up: kitchen island, bathtub
-can you not give up:
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? The architect’s room program was implemented.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
We initially only considered a rectangular house; with the cube shape we gain some space on the ground floor and a double carport is possible. Also, with the current height (12.25m / 40 ft), the house must be at least 4.9m (16 ft) away from the neighboring property (12.25 * 0.4) according to regulations.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can we best arrange the ground floor so that especially the living room doesn’t feel cramped?
We are also considering extending the house by 11m (36 ft).
we have been following this forum for some time now and have finally received our first draft from the architect. We are not entirely satisfied and wanted to ask for advice here before our next meeting with the architect.
We were unsure whether we are allowed to post the architect’s plan here directly, so we redrafted it ourselves, but the most important details should still be visible.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 350m2 (3,767 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio for ground area): 0.4
Floor area ratio (total floor area in relation to plot size): 1.2
Building envelope, building line and boundary line
Edge development: yes
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 + attic
Roof type: gable roof with 46° pitch
Architectural style: ?
Orientation
Maximum heights / limits: wall height up to 7.5m (25 ft) above street level, house length directly affects roof height due to fixed roof pitch and thus influences setback distances.
Other requirements: terraced development pattern (house/garage/house/garage…), fire separation wall without windows on the west side
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type: gable roof mandatory
Basement, number of floors: without basement (due to cost)
Number of occupants, age: 4 people (ages 34, 33, 4, 2)
Space requirements on ground floor: utility/technical room, kitchen, living room, dining area, guest WC
Space requirements on upper floor: bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, office, laundry room
Space requirements in attic floor: children’s rooms 1 and 2, bathroom
Office use: both family use and home office, currently 95% home office
Guests per year: not relevant
Open or closed layout: open, but living room and kitchen separated by dining area
Conservative or modern style:
Open kitchen with island; kitchen island desired but not at any cost
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: TV in living room
Balcony, roof terrace: no balcony
Garage, carport: double carport + extension for bicycles and small workbench (two parking spaces must be provided, tandem parking is not allowed)
Utility garden, greenhouse: only a small vegetable and herb bed
Other wishes/particulars/daily routine, including reasons why some things should or should not be included:
KNX system (brother-in-law is a master electrician but has no own company), controlled residential ventilation, photovoltaic system, window seat on the ground floor, bathtub not necessary; my wife has always liked the idea of a straight staircase—if it fits well here, we are open to suggestions.
House Design
Who created the design: architect, first draft
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you not like? Why?
Window arrangement (exterior view)
Ground floor: living room is too small, guest WC too narrow
Upper floor: access to laundry room through the bathroom, too many doors in the bedroom (doors to bedroom and walk-in closet to be removed)
Attic floor: children’s room 1 has only one window, knee wall only 0.75m (2.5 ft); we will increase it to 1.1m (3.6 ft), cross gable not symmetrical, cross gable might be omitted to save space for more photovoltaic panels
The attic floor will be completely redesigned. Children’s rooms on the east side, bathroom in the northwest, and storage in the southwest.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: €550,000
Personal budget for the house including fittings: €450,000 (including owner contributions)
Preferred heating technology: ground-source heat pump + photovoltaic, probably air-to-water heat pump + photovoltaic for cost reasons
If you have to give up something, on which details/additional features
-can you give up: kitchen island, bathtub
-can you not give up:
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? The architect’s room program was implemented.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
We initially only considered a rectangular house; with the cube shape we gain some space on the ground floor and a double carport is possible. Also, with the current height (12.25m / 40 ft), the house must be at least 4.9m (16 ft) away from the neighboring property (12.25 * 0.4) according to regulations.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can we best arrange the ground floor so that especially the living room doesn’t feel cramped?
We are also considering extending the house by 11m (36 ft).
By "double stacker," these half-height lift platforms are meant. The first car drives onto the platform. The lift raises (the car is at least lifted at the rear), and then another car can be parked in the same spot.
In the better and more expensive systems, the area underneath is also excavated, allowing the first car to leave without needing the second car to move first. In the cheaper versions, it works like tandem parking but with a smaller footprint. Apparently, this is intended by the building regulations to prevent morning rearranging of cars.
In the better and more expensive systems, the area underneath is also excavated, allowing the first car to leave without needing the second car to move first. In the cheaper versions, it works like tandem parking but with a smaller footprint. Apparently, this is intended by the building regulations to prevent morning rearranging of cars.
Stegott schrieb:
Here, I tried to position the plan on the plot. But the sketch doesn’t show a 5.20 m (17 feet) distance to the neighbor, does it? I haven’t understood yet how wide the house is allowed to be, so it’s hard for me to give you any advice.
W
WilderSueden8 Mar 2022 09:47Stegott schrieb:
However, nothing changes without the roof; we still have to maintain the required distance, and we need two parking spaces as well.I see two points here:- With a narrower parking space, you can design the side more attractively.
- Also, a passage would be possible even if a car is parked there.
At the moment, you can’t access the storage room with two cars parked. For me, it would be unacceptable to be able to get to my bike only if I move the car first. And with two doors (and staggered at that), you can’t get a wheelbarrow through to the garden either.
Würfel* schrieb:
But in the sketch, isn’t the distance to the neighbor less than 5.20 m (17 feet)? I haven’t understood how wide the house is allowed to be so far, so it’s difficult for me to give you advice. The distance rule refers to the highest point, which is 13 m (43 feet). The minimum distance must be 40% of the height, so 5.2 m (17 feet). For the other floors, such as the ground floor, the distance can be smaller. The minimum distance is 3 m (10 feet). This means the ground floor protrudes somewhat like a cube.
WilderSueden schrieb:
I see two points here:
- with a narrower parking space, you can design the side area more attractively
- also, a passage would still be possible even if a car is parked there.
At the moment, you can’t get to the storage room with the bikes if two cars are parked there. For me, it’s unacceptable to only access the bikes if I have to move a car first. And with two doors (especially offset), you can’t get a wheelbarrow through to the garden either. The doors will definitely be changed. We plan to park mostly one behind the other, or even in front of the house on the street. But with a double carport in winter, we would have the option to park side by side to avoid scraping ice off the cars. As I said, the double carport is not fixed yet.
Similar topics