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
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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
Myrna_Loy30 Aug 2022 14:35Only bring your coat rack. The family has to walk through the hallway with dirty shoes, and the stroller must be pushed through the hallway and two doors, ending up under the stairs in front of the bathroom, where dirt is tracked into the bathroom where people walk barefoot. And children are not known for having few belongings or neatly storing them in closets. (I’m just glad when the school bag, shoes, and skateboard don’t block the door so much that I can’t get in…) The door also swings open directly into the coat rack area—try squeezing four people in there.
But let me guess, you already have this setup, just much smaller, and you think it’s great.
But let me guess, you already have this setup, just much smaller, and you think it’s great.
medow1982 schrieb:
On the ground floor: a cloakroom under the stairs plus a hallway with enough space for a stroller and a dressing area. If the stroller is there, you won’t have access to any storage under the stairs.
medow1982 schrieb:
We measured the kitchen several times, made it easy to visualize by walking through it, and checked it out at the kitchen studio. Currently, we have 2 by 2.8 meters (6.6 by 9.2 feet) and manage fine. The new planned kitchen is almost twice as big, and there’s even room for a pantry cabinet. It feels like you’re living in a tent right now and just happened to come into money—no offense intended. Hello? You’re building 300 square meters (3,230 square feet) for 1 million. Even if you’re not an avid cook, a 4 square meter (43 square feet) kitchen described as “adequate so far” can’t really be your excuse going forward.
medow1982 schrieb:
And yes, we’ll find a solution for the bathroom. We’re looking forward to that. 🙄
medow1982 schrieb:
The kitchen could later be converted into an additional room if the utility connections are planned redundantly in a different way. Why? Why do you want to keep remodeling your house?
The balance between entertainment and useful information in this thread is heavily tipping toward the first right now. I’ll open the first bag:
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medow198230 Aug 2022 15:07Myrna_Loy schrieb:
Why are you here then? Because of a changed door swing? Honestly, I don’t understand you. You’re building a house for 1 million, have been planning for over two years, and you end up with a house that makes a Flair 125 look like Hollywood? Why?
And again – there is no wave of outrage here; for that to happen, we would have to be personally affected. We just don’t understand the purpose and ideas behind your planning, since it would be possible to build much better with a smaller budget. Because we like the large open living-dining area on the ground floor, and we already have it now. Light/much space and a dark projector wall. We get light from all sides and don’t feel confined.
If someone stays overnight in the office, it will be a maximum of twice a year. In that case, they can gladly walk through the living room to get to the bathroom and vice versa. We definitely do not find 36m2 (387 sq ft) too large. An additional room is something we want only in old age, which is why the kitchen connections are flexible. Of course, having a bathroom connection to the room on the ground floor without moving the staircase would be great, but there were no suggestions for this, just complaints :-)
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medow198230 Aug 2022 15:15K a t j a schrieb:
If the stroller is placed there, you won’t be able to access any closet under the stairs anymore.
It feels like you’re currently living in a tent and suddenly came into money, no offense meant. Hello? You’re building 300 sq meters (3,229 sq ft) for 1 million. Even if you aren’t a passionate cook, a 4 sq meter (43 sq ft) kitchen described as “so far sufficient” can’t really be your excuse for the future.
We’re curious. 🙄
Why? Why do you want to keep remodeling your house?
The balance between entertainment and informative value in this thread is clearly tipping heavily towards the first. Let me open the first bag:
Our project is definitely not too expensive. Of course, you could do it for 800k if you’re skilled, do a lot yourself, and give up a lot—but that does not apply to us. It’s best to look at what a new two-bedroom apartment currently costs (not below 6000 €/m2 (557 sq ft) and used ones not below 4000 €/m2 (372 sq ft)), at least not in southern Baden, and I don’t generally compare with eastern Germany or poorer federal states.
Calculated per square meter, this results in a reasonable price for a single-family home that no one can deny, even including the expensive basement, which is often criticized here :-). Whether you like it or not. I would appreciate more suggestions like those from Katja 😎
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SaniererNRW12330 Aug 2022 15:20medow1982 schrieb:
Our project is definitely not too expensive.Calculated per square meter (square foot), it's still reasonable. In terms of quality, it's like paying the price of an E-Class for a Passat.But you already know that and are just convincing yourself that your design is better...
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medow198230 Aug 2022 15:25medow1982 schrieb:
Our project is definitely not too expensive. Of course, you can do it for 800,000 if you are skilled, do a lot yourself, and are willing to compromise on many things, but that doesn’t apply to us. It’s best to see what a new two-room apartment currently costs (no less than 6,000€/m2 (about 557 sq ft) and used ones no less than 4,000€/m2 (about 371 sq ft)), at least not in southern Baden; I generally don’t compare with the eastern parts or poorer federal states.
Calculated per square meter, it results in a reasonable price for a home that no one can deny, even including an expensive basement that is often criticized here 🙂. Whether you like it or not. I would like to see more suggestions like Katja’s 😎 So, is the kitchen too small or too large 🙂
SaniererNRW123 schrieb:
Considering the square meters, it’s still acceptable. But when it comes to quality, it’s like paying the price of a Mercedes E-Class for a Volkswagen Passat.
But you already know that, and you’re trying to justify your design... I have only discussed the project costs objectively. @katja, what do you think about #57?
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