ᐅ Floor plans for a single-family house with a separate apartment, 280 m² on a compact 320 m² plot
Created on: 29 Aug 2022 11:51
M
medow1982
Hello everyone,
attached is our project with a request for suggestions for improvement, especially regarding the interior layout. The building permit application is currently in process, so please avoid complete redesign proposals for the building envelope, entrance, etc. Doors and walls can still be adjusted inside.
And yes, we are fully aware that this is a small constrained plot with limited garden space, but this is all we have here and we’re happy with it!
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 310 m2 (3,337 sq ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5–2
Roof type: 45-degree gable roof
Orientation: SW
Additional requirements: Must be attached to neighbors and adapted accordingly. Changes to roof shape, knee wall height, number of floors, etc. are not possible!
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Attached house, adapted to neighbors. This is restricted. Open floor plan. Flexible for aging occupants.
Basement, floors: Basement = self-contained apartment according to regional building codes, with separate entrance for permanent rental in the basement.
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults + 2 children (4 and 1 year old), basement apartment: either 2 people or a shared office for 2 to max. 6 people
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: at least 120 m2 (1,292 sq ft). We have 165 m2 (1,776 sq ft) + 18 m2 (194 sq ft), so more than needed.
Office: Family use or home office? All three desired. One mixed-use room for home office and guests planned on the ground floor.
Guest sleepers per year: maximum 2, 1–3 times per year
Modern construction style
Open kitchen, kitchen island: possibly
Number of dining seats: 1
Fireplace: no
Balcony: yes, roof terrace: no due to neighbors
Garage, carport: no, only 2 parking spaces and storage rooms on the floors. One parking space will be realized with grass pavers and a sliding gate so that the garden visually appears larger.
House Design
Who designed the plan: 2 years of our own planning, final design approved by an architect as feasible.
- Planner from a construction company: yes
- Architect: yes
What do you particularly like? Why: We planned 3 separate living units so that we can live on the ground floor as we get older and the kids move upstairs or we can rent it out. A barrier-free ground floor was very important to us. In case of emergency, we can also rent out the ground and upper floors. Only the basement apartment is planned for rental; ground and upper floors for own use.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: approx. 1 million €
Preferred heating system: Air-to-water heat pump, split system for cost reasons. 8 kWp solar system, 2 centralized ventilation systems. Basement made of concrete + Styrodur insulation, ground and upper floors with Poroton T7-MW 36.5 bricks. Soundproofing and increased living space were priorities, and unfortunately, we no longer qualify for KfW40+ funding. We simply didn’t have enough time for the KfW40+ NH standard because interest rates have risen sharply.
If you have to give up something, which details or expansions?
- Can give up: definitely the garage. We don’t own a car and use car sharing, which works well for the family. We can occasionally use a garage and shed on the neighboring property.
- Cannot give up: terrace, garden, balcony
Why is the design as it is now?
For example, standard design from planner? No, everything developed by us. Strong restrictions due to attachment to neighbors and limits on ridge height, roof shape, and height of the adjoining building. “Wish for” options are hardly possible here since the house must be attached to the neighbor.
Which wishes did the architect implement? Most of them.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? We have a very small plot and limited freedom in terms of shape, but in our opinion, we made the best of it. For cost reasons, we omitted Gutex insulation in the roof. We only have the attic peak, the bathroom, and one room with a sloping ceiling (knee wall height 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in)).
According to the site manager, this should not lead to extreme overheating, but we might still install it depending on feedback. The attic is open and connected to the ventilation system, so air in the basement will be mixed via the heat exchanger anyway. My parents also don’t have Gutex insulation in their prefab home from the 1980s, and yes, the attic gets quite warm but not over 35°C (95°F). We planned to compensate with blinds but are still unsure.
Additionally, we plan to convert the kitchen on the ground floor into a living room as we age and relocate the kitchen accordingly. Everything is optional, and planned with flexible plumbing. In the basement, we might still plan another room but are unsure of the location.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the size of the bathroom and hallway sufficient, or should we have it adjusted?
In the basement, we will add a south-facing window on the left side to brighten the basement apartment. This will reduce privacy and garden space but should please the basement occupants.
attached is our project with a request for suggestions for improvement, especially regarding the interior layout. The building permit application is currently in process, so please avoid complete redesign proposals for the building envelope, entrance, etc. Doors and walls can still be adjusted inside.
And yes, we are fully aware that this is a small constrained plot with limited garden space, but this is all we have here and we’re happy with it!
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 310 m2 (3,337 sq ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5–2
Roof type: 45-degree gable roof
Orientation: SW
Additional requirements: Must be attached to neighbors and adapted accordingly. Changes to roof shape, knee wall height, number of floors, etc. are not possible!
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Attached house, adapted to neighbors. This is restricted. Open floor plan. Flexible for aging occupants.
Basement, floors: Basement = self-contained apartment according to regional building codes, with separate entrance for permanent rental in the basement.
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults + 2 children (4 and 1 year old), basement apartment: either 2 people or a shared office for 2 to max. 6 people
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: at least 120 m2 (1,292 sq ft). We have 165 m2 (1,776 sq ft) + 18 m2 (194 sq ft), so more than needed.
Office: Family use or home office? All three desired. One mixed-use room for home office and guests planned on the ground floor.
Guest sleepers per year: maximum 2, 1–3 times per year
Modern construction style
Open kitchen, kitchen island: possibly
Number of dining seats: 1
Fireplace: no
Balcony: yes, roof terrace: no due to neighbors
Garage, carport: no, only 2 parking spaces and storage rooms on the floors. One parking space will be realized with grass pavers and a sliding gate so that the garden visually appears larger.
House Design
Who designed the plan: 2 years of our own planning, final design approved by an architect as feasible.
- Planner from a construction company: yes
- Architect: yes
What do you particularly like? Why: We planned 3 separate living units so that we can live on the ground floor as we get older and the kids move upstairs or we can rent it out. A barrier-free ground floor was very important to us. In case of emergency, we can also rent out the ground and upper floors. Only the basement apartment is planned for rental; ground and upper floors for own use.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: approx. 1 million €
Preferred heating system: Air-to-water heat pump, split system for cost reasons. 8 kWp solar system, 2 centralized ventilation systems. Basement made of concrete + Styrodur insulation, ground and upper floors with Poroton T7-MW 36.5 bricks. Soundproofing and increased living space were priorities, and unfortunately, we no longer qualify for KfW40+ funding. We simply didn’t have enough time for the KfW40+ NH standard because interest rates have risen sharply.
If you have to give up something, which details or expansions?
- Can give up: definitely the garage. We don’t own a car and use car sharing, which works well for the family. We can occasionally use a garage and shed on the neighboring property.
- Cannot give up: terrace, garden, balcony
Why is the design as it is now?
For example, standard design from planner? No, everything developed by us. Strong restrictions due to attachment to neighbors and limits on ridge height, roof shape, and height of the adjoining building. “Wish for” options are hardly possible here since the house must be attached to the neighbor.
Which wishes did the architect implement? Most of them.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? We have a very small plot and limited freedom in terms of shape, but in our opinion, we made the best of it. For cost reasons, we omitted Gutex insulation in the roof. We only have the attic peak, the bathroom, and one room with a sloping ceiling (knee wall height 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in)).
According to the site manager, this should not lead to extreme overheating, but we might still install it depending on feedback. The attic is open and connected to the ventilation system, so air in the basement will be mixed via the heat exchanger anyway. My parents also don’t have Gutex insulation in their prefab home from the 1980s, and yes, the attic gets quite warm but not over 35°C (95°F). We planned to compensate with blinds but are still unsure.
Additionally, we plan to convert the kitchen on the ground floor into a living room as we age and relocate the kitchen accordingly. Everything is optional, and planned with flexible plumbing. In the basement, we might still plan another room but are unsure of the location.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the size of the bathroom and hallway sufficient, or should we have it adjusted?
In the basement, we will add a south-facing window on the left side to brighten the basement apartment. This will reduce privacy and garden space but should please the basement occupants.
M
medow198230 Aug 2022 10:51Where exactly is there supposed to be a maximum distance between the bedroom and the bathroom?
I also don’t understand what a living room has to do with the path to the bathroom or bedroom.
I don’t see the granny flat as a negative either. What would you say about an apartment building? Every second apartment in Germany is located in a multi-family house with multiple units and a shared stairwell.
Multiple people share one stairwell and basement and don’t complain about having a "rabbit hutch" (small space) where neighbors can look in.
It is clear, and even intentional, that multifunctionality suffers. You can’t have everything at the same time.
I also don’t understand what a living room has to do with the path to the bathroom or bedroom.
I don’t see the granny flat as a negative either. What would you say about an apartment building? Every second apartment in Germany is located in a multi-family house with multiple units and a shared stairwell.
Multiple people share one stairwell and basement and don’t complain about having a "rabbit hutch" (small space) where neighbors can look in.
It is clear, and even intentional, that multifunctionality suffers. You can’t have everything at the same time.
medow1982 schrieb:
Where exactly is there a maximum distance between the bedroom and bathroom?
I also don’t understand what a living room (common area) has to do with the route to the bathroom or bedroom.
I don’t see anything negative about a granny flat either. What do you say about an apartment building? Every second flat in Germany is in a multi-family building with several units and a shared stairwell.
Multiple people share one stairwell and cellar and don’t complain about their “rabbit hutch” that everyone can look into.
It’s definitely clear—and also intended—that multifunctionality suffers. Oh dear, these are the kind of questions and statements that make a planner cringe. Fundamental knowledge about living and lifestyle is missing here, which has been mentioned several times already and keeps being challenged by you.
For example: When the ground floor and upper floor are separated, you have to walk from the bedroom through the living area to get to the bathroom, probably multiple times and often semi-naked. It doesn’t help that you don’t plan to separate them yet. If a separation is planned, it should be taken into account, otherwise the separation is nonsense and can be omitted.
medow1982 schrieb:
You can’t have everything at the same time. That’s coming from the right person.
Honestly, I somehow feel sorry for you. You want to squeeze everything into that tiny building plot and invest a lot of money in the project. Unfortunately, in my opinion, you completely mess it up because you can’t decide how you want to live. The house should offer all options but ends up not fulfilling any. Everything is one big compromise. But please—there are, after all, three ways of learning. Experience is the bitterest.
M
medow198230 Aug 2022 11:09K a t j a schrieb:
In addition:
- Ground floor and first floor as one residential unit
- Ground floor and first floor as two separate residential units
- Appropriate outdoor facilities for each
Trying to combine all these requirements inevitably leads to a series of compromises. So, it hardly has anything to do with a dream home anymore. That’s probably why it will be sold within a few years as a three-family house or rented out entirely. Yes, that’s how it is. I don’t expect anything else. I never really intended to build a dream home that covers everything. I really don’t understand why people argue so much here about the granny flat / accessory apartment. Of course, the design isn’t perfect, but in general, having a granny flat is a great thing. Whether it’s double energy-efficiency subsidies (KfW funding), tax relief, resale value, or saving on inheritance and gift taxes (note the exemption limit of up to 400,000), and more. On this street, every second house has a similarly dark and even smaller basement apartment that is often rented out, which is quite normal, while in Saarland people are considered poor if they don’t have two cars, four visitor parking spaces, at least one garage, and a 1000m² (about 10,700 sq ft) plot of land. (But everything costs hardly anything there.) Using the basement ourselves would be unnecessary luxury—we don’t even have that much stuff to put down there. Of course, you could install a garage, bar, sauna, gym, etc., as many plan here to complete their “dream house,” but we don't need any of that.
We are optimizing the granny flat and possibly the ground floor. The general contractor said architects always design the way they were taught and what seems optimal to them. But if a client wants a large room that might be architecturally questionable and the builder is happy with it, why should they be convinced to do otherwise unless there are structural or other critical reasons not to? It’s important to us to have three separate residential units, and we don’t mind if that affects the living quality. Of course, having a staircase from the living room to the first floor would be more comfortable and harmonious than accessing it via the hall or exit, but then the units couldn’t be used separately later on. That’s an example of a compromise we’re happy with, but nobody here seems to understand. Our project simply isn’t an off-the-shelf one :-)
S
SaniererNRW12330 Aug 2022 11:09medow1982 schrieb:
I don’t see the granny flat negatively either. What do you expect in a multi-family building? Every second apartment in Germany is in a multi-family building with several units and a shared staircase.
Many people share one staircase and basement and don’t complain about their small space where strangers can peek in. Correct. That’s how it works in a multi-family building. But the multi-family building is designed as such. And each apartment is planned as a properly functioning unit. You have “only” a single-family house with a cramped apartment in the basement and the idea to turn the two floors above into a mix of “a house now” and later “two apartments.”
medow1982 schrieb:
This is, for example, a compromise we are happy to make, but here no one understands. Our project is simply not an off-the-shelf one 🙂 These statements show that you have understood little, if anything. We have already discussed many very good projects here that included a granny flat (accessory dwelling unit) and plans for a future separation. This is nothing unusual.
But slowly it becomes tiresome to explain the basics of life to you. Just build.
S
SaniererNRW12330 Aug 2022 11:19medow1982 schrieb:
Sure, it wasn’t perfectly planned, but generally a granny flat is a really great thing.Generally, a granny flat—and a poorly planned one at that—is not really a great thing. Why? - The cost-benefit ratio usually doesn’t work out
- Involving a third party in your daily life
- You build a single-family house because you want to live without housemates like in a multi-family house
medow1982 schrieb:
Whether it’s double KfW funding, tax relief, selling, or saving on inheritance and gift taxes (note the exemption limit of max. 400,000) and much more.KfW funding: So you build more expensively than the 40NH standard on purpose? In the past, when more funding was available, it wasn’t just a bonus—it was a mandatory condition to make the granny flat affordable. Tax relief: Actually, you have to pay taxes on rental income, so it’s not a way to save taxes.
Inheritance/gift tax: Then you officially have to convert it into a condominium. And this leads me to
Selling: Poorly planned granny flats in basements, often without garden access, are practically impossible to sell. Especially because as a buyer, you depend on the flat owner (the majority vote in the owners’ association ensures the upper unit decides what happens in the lower one).
medow1982 schrieb:
Here on this street, every second house has a similarly dark and even smaller granny flat in the basement that is often rented out, and that’s quite normal.Okay, so if everyone around you jaywalks and drives drunk, is that normal for you too? Do you do it just to keep up with the neighbors? medow1982 schrieb:
For us, it’s simply important to have 3 living units, and we don’t care if it affects living quality.I only know people who build a house to have good living quality. Houses aren’t usually designed so they have three units but nobody really feels comfortable in them. You can have such a wish, but don’t be surprised if you get nothing but shaking heads at your planning and attitude. medow1982 schrieb:
Our project is simply not off-the-shelf.Absolutely. But with a bespoke project, I expect something special in quality. You only want quantity, not quality.Similar topics