ᐅ Floor plan for a single-family house with 200 m² living area, including a 75 m² granny flat / accessory apartment, a 140 m² basement, and a 56 m² garage

Hello everyone,

I am planning to build a house. I might receive a share of the plot from my mother if she gets her own apartment (accessory dwelling unit) on the property (our relationship is excellent so far). In any case, there should be two separate units on one plot. (Yes, financing might be challenging…)

Zoning Plan/Restrictions (Requests from the Building Authority as there is no zoning plan)
Plot size: approx. 1050 m² (given in exchange for mandatory accessory dwelling unit on the plot)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: no zoning plan
Floor area ratio: no zoning plan
Building setback lines, building line, property boundary: no zoning plan, but the building authority requests at least 3 meters (10 feet) setback from the street
Edge construction: maximum 9.0 m (30 feet) for garages up to 3.0 m (10 feet) height
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of storeys: one-story with a converted attic (2/3 of the lower floor may be max. 2.30 m (7.5 feet) high)
Roof type: building inquiry was for a gable roof with two small dormers
Architectural style: no specifications
Orientation: no specifications
Maximum height/limits: 9.0 m (30 feet)
Other requirements: residential building should not be larger

Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: hipped roof up to 2.3 m (7.5 feet) line at approx. 35°, above 2.3 m (7.5 feet) line between 10° and 22°
Basement, storeys: one-story with finished attic (wish: basement with bathtub)
Number of people, ages: currently 1+1 persons, 34 (me) and mother 58 (in the accessory dwelling)
Room requirements on ground floor, upper floor: main apartment 200 m² (2150 sq. ft.) + accessory dwelling 75 m² (807 sq. ft.)
Office: family use or home office? both home offices
Overnight guests per year: sometimes 2 adults + 2 children
Open or closed architecture: open plan
Traditional or modern design: rather modern design
Open kitchen, kitchen island: both units with open kitchen and kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6 in main unit + 4 in accessory dwelling
Fireplace: yes, in both units
Sound/music wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: not necessary
Garage, carport: (optional) garage only; no garage or carport for accessory dwelling
Utility garden, greenhouse: none
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for certain choices:

• No skylights
• Solar panels later

House Design
Who designed the plan: do-it-yourself (myself)
What do you especially like? Why? Most walls overlap each other
What do you dislike? Why? Utility room and living room in the accessory dwelling because the living room is too small and the utility room too large
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: not yet available
Personal maximum budget for the house, including equipment: (total) 700,000 plus significant own work and family involvement
Preferred heating technology: fireplace and natural gas (available in the street)

If you had to give up, which details/extensions
-you can give up: 1. fully finished basement 2. garage 3. basement rough construction 4. pantry 5. kitchen island 6. indoor sauna 7. completed children’s room with bathroom 8. full upper floor finish
-you cannot give up: fireplace in both apartments

Why did the design turn out the way it did? For example:
Standard design from the architect? No
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
My apartment:

• Parents’ bedroom (one door only) + dressing room + private bathroom (shower + [optional large bathtub])
• 3 children’s rooms (min. 15 m² (160 sq. ft.)) each with separate bathroom (shower + [optional bathtub])
• 2 offices
• Living room (min. 20 m² (215 sq. ft.)) with fireplace
• Kitchen (min. 15 m² (160 sq. ft.)) + [optional kitchen island]
• Dining room for 5 people
• Bathroom downstairs + [optional shower]
• 1 sauna inside (or outside)

Accessory apartment:

• Standard layout with office

Additional wishes:

• An extra room/hallway must be located between bathroom and living spaces
• All rooms with windows (at least the bathrooms)
• Laundry room (upstairs)
• Garden access (north side)
• More light/open space in entrance area
• Pantry

A mix of ideas from various magazines…
What do you think is particularly good or bad about it?
Good: bedroom and laundry room upstairs so laundry does not have to be carried through the entire apartment, no costly skylights
All bathrooms have windows
Bad: utility room is too large and living room in accessory apartment too small

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

• Any fundamental mistakes in the plan?
• Can the utility room be moved to the attic (not the converted attic)?
• Garage directly on the property line?
• Is (partial) basement with bathtub and/or garage financially feasible?

Koehler schrieb:

• 3x children's rooms (min 15m² (160 ft²)) each with an additional bathroom (shower + [optional bathtub])
• 2x offices

I think that's quite a lot for one person, and that's where I see the main issue. You're building a house for yourself and going all out with at least five rooms you won’t actually use. I haven’t looked at the floor plan in detail yet, but to me the main mistake is that you’re designing a spacious house intended for a family of five, while planning to move in alone. This isn’t aligned with your actual needs.

Koehler schrieb:

Roof style: The preliminary building inquiry was for a gable roof with two smaller dormers

And now Chinese—why not include it right away in the preliminary inquiry?

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Thank you very much for the initial feedback.

I understand the criticism that I am currently one person planning for five people, but I will only build once in my life and will not plan and move every time something changes in life. If it were easier or better, I could lie and say that I have a wife or girlfriend with two children already and a third planned. However, I do not think that is right, and I want to be transparent.

The preliminary building inquiry unfortunately took seven months and was approved only a week ago. The intention was to build a two-story house, but the building authority argued for so long based on local standards and considered fewer and fewer houses until this outcome was reached. The available space under a hip roof is much larger than with a gable roof, and I am trying to build a house that also fits my height of 190cm (6 feet 3 inches) so that I do not bump my head everywhere.

Your personal contribution is commendable, but I strongly recommend handing over the entire planning process to a professional. With a house of this size, it’s too risky to build incorrectly.
In my opinion, the budget is worryingly low.
Most readers will probably be very skeptical about your available manpower. You can’t manage something like this alone, and even with family and friends, it can become a bottomless pit. Exactly what do you plan to handle yourself for 275 m² (2,965 sq ft) plus 140 m² (1,507 sq ft) of basement?

The floor plans are disastrous. There is no need to discuss the details, as nothing really works. It feels like you have 30 small rooms, 100 corners, and doors, passages, and cramped spaces everywhere.

No offense intended, but this should be discarded and completely redesigned.