ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home / Bungalow – 155 sqm
Created on: 16 Oct 2022 21:50
F
Frennie
Hello everyone,
We have been planning our own home for about a year now and have gone through many iterations (from basement to two-story, etc.). In the end, we want to build a bungalow and would appreciate some critical feedback and suggestions. So far, we have created the floor plan ourselves, but we will hand it over to the building company afterward. Thank you!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – 1,056 sqm (0.26 acres)
Slope – 2 m (6.6 ft) drop over 35 m (115 ft)
Site coverage ratio – 0.4 (according to §17 Federal Land Utilization Ordinance WR)
Floor area ratio – 1.2 (according to §17 Federal Land Utilization Ordinance WR)
Building setback line and boundaries – 4 m (13 ft) from property line
Adjacent development – NW, N, NE
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of floors – 1
Roof style – gable or hipped roof with two small dormers + triangular windows facing SW
Architectural style – bungalow, because the plot is large enough, children within sight and hearing range, barrier-free possible
Orientation – SW (like neighboring houses)
Maximum heights / restrictions – 9 m (30 ft) height / 4 m (13 ft) to neighboring properties
Other specifications – roof pitch 25-40°
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type – timber frame construction, bungalow with exposed roof beams in living and bedrooms (except entrance area + technical room, possibly to create storage space)
Basement, floors – no basement
Number of people, ages – 33, 29, <1 planned, planned
Space requirements on ground floor / upper floor // rooms
Office use: family or home office? – both, current home office not necessary but possibly in future
Guests per year – 6
Open or closed architecture – closed
Traditional or modern style – modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – kitchen island and separable kitchen with sliding door
Number of dining seats – 6-8
Fireplace – no
Music / stereo wall – no
Balcony, roof terrace – covered terrace between dormers
Garage, carport – garage (not prefab – timber frame with gable roof as additional storage area) with adjacent shed/workshop
Kitchen garden, greenhouse – kitchen garden
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be included
- Living area should not exceed 155 sqm (1,668 sq ft) (cost factor)
House Design
Who created the plan – do-it-yourself – floor plan DIY
What do you like in particular? Why? – separation of living and sleeping areas, covered terrace and entrance, small dormers and high ceilings due to exposed roof beams
What do you dislike? Why? – possibly the office is too small? Technical/utility room large enough
Personal price limit including equipment: 500,000 €
Preferred heating system: photovoltaics + battery with air-to-water heat pump + underfloor heating
If you have to give up certain features / expansions
-can you do without: actually all rooms should be as planned
-can’t do without: -
Why is the design as it is now? For example
After many iterations with a draftsman from a construction company and different styles (single-family house with two floors, with or without basement), we tried to fit all our wishes ourselves into one floor plan.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? – That’s the question for you 😉
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Critical feedback, thoughts, and suggestions regarding major issues, feasibility, and practicality.
Best regards
Frennie
We have been planning our own home for about a year now and have gone through many iterations (from basement to two-story, etc.). In the end, we want to build a bungalow and would appreciate some critical feedback and suggestions. So far, we have created the floor plan ourselves, but we will hand it over to the building company afterward. Thank you!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – 1,056 sqm (0.26 acres)
Slope – 2 m (6.6 ft) drop over 35 m (115 ft)
Site coverage ratio – 0.4 (according to §17 Federal Land Utilization Ordinance WR)
Floor area ratio – 1.2 (according to §17 Federal Land Utilization Ordinance WR)
Building setback line and boundaries – 4 m (13 ft) from property line
Adjacent development – NW, N, NE
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of floors – 1
Roof style – gable or hipped roof with two small dormers + triangular windows facing SW
Architectural style – bungalow, because the plot is large enough, children within sight and hearing range, barrier-free possible
Orientation – SW (like neighboring houses)
Maximum heights / restrictions – 9 m (30 ft) height / 4 m (13 ft) to neighboring properties
Other specifications – roof pitch 25-40°
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type – timber frame construction, bungalow with exposed roof beams in living and bedrooms (except entrance area + technical room, possibly to create storage space)
Basement, floors – no basement
Number of people, ages – 33, 29, <1 planned, planned
Space requirements on ground floor / upper floor // rooms
- Entrance area, shower/WC, bathroom, living-dining area, central kitchen, pantry, master bedroom, child 1, child 2, child 3, office, technical room, covered entrance, covered terrace
- Separated sleeping area accessed through hallway
- Central kitchen with island and access to terrace and roof windows, kitchen separable from living area with sliding door
- Children’s rooms all roughly equal in size (with possibility for bunk beds thanks to exposed roof beams)
- Technical and utility room: air-to-water heat pump, photovoltaics, battery storage, washing machine, and all other necessary connections/distribution (well away from main living areas)
- Office: soundproofed area
Office use: family or home office? – both, current home office not necessary but possibly in future
Guests per year – 6
Open or closed architecture – closed
Traditional or modern style – modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – kitchen island and separable kitchen with sliding door
Number of dining seats – 6-8
Fireplace – no
Music / stereo wall – no
Balcony, roof terrace – covered terrace between dormers
Garage, carport – garage (not prefab – timber frame with gable roof as additional storage area) with adjacent shed/workshop
Kitchen garden, greenhouse – kitchen garden
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be included
- Living area should not exceed 155 sqm (1,668 sq ft) (cost factor)
House Design
Who created the plan – do-it-yourself – floor plan DIY
What do you like in particular? Why? – separation of living and sleeping areas, covered terrace and entrance, small dormers and high ceilings due to exposed roof beams
What do you dislike? Why? – possibly the office is too small? Technical/utility room large enough
Personal price limit including equipment: 500,000 €
Preferred heating system: photovoltaics + battery with air-to-water heat pump + underfloor heating
If you have to give up certain features / expansions
-can you do without: actually all rooms should be as planned
-can’t do without: -
Why is the design as it is now? For example
After many iterations with a draftsman from a construction company and different styles (single-family house with two floors, with or without basement), we tried to fit all our wishes ourselves into one floor plan.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? – That’s the question for you 😉
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Critical feedback, thoughts, and suggestions regarding major issues, feasibility, and practicality.
Best regards
Frennie
K a t j a schrieb:
What was the reason you really want a bungalow? What bothered you so much about the other designs? Hello Katja, I’ll reply for now since my husband is still at work.
Originally, we planned a single-family house with a ground floor + upper floor with knee walls and a basement, which was offered to us as a turnkey solution for 750,000€ (about $810,000). Since that exceeds our budget, we first considered removing the basement. But even then, the floor area quickly becomes quite large with technical and storage rooms on the ground floor, and an upper floor starting with sloped ceilings at 50cm (20 inches) knee walls, according to the development plan. Honestly, we thought that a single-story building would simply be more affordable because there wouldn’t be sloped ceilings requiring extra square meters to compensate for usable space. We were probably wrong about that. We can gladly share the design (basement + ground floor + upper floor) this evening.
With the basement + ground floor option, you’d also have to make sure there aren’t too many “dark” rooms downstairs. Both the children’s bedrooms and the master bedroom should get natural daylight, as well as the family bathroom. I also wonder if this option is really cheaper. It was important for us, for example, to have direct access from the kitchen to the garden for dining. With a basement that extends fully to the southwest at the front, you’d need an elevated balcony or something similar — which might create shade for the rooms below.
We’ll get back to you in detail this evening :-) Thanks so far!
ypg schrieb:
If the single-story design is required by the authorities, but the entire building/residential area is on a slope, I think it makes sense for the development plan to at least allow the basement to be built as a full storey. If this idea were more common and homeowners understood the reasons and benefits, there would be great options that look more harmonious than villas forced onto uneven plots at all costs. Hello ypg,
a basement built as a full storey should be “allowed” since the surrounding houses also have living basements.
Best regards, Franzi
K a t j a schrieb:
The issue with split level houses, in my opinion, is that you can only build them with companies that have done it many times before. But maybe you can get a good deal with prefabricated house suppliers who offer it as a standard model compared to other providers. However, contrary to his own description, Laux is not a prefab builder but a turnkey general contractor who completes the site-ready construction, and he also has a commendably regional operating range. The classic nationwide "prefab" house companies rarely have split level models at all (and then only in their private insured customer catalog).
Frennie schrieb:
We originally planned a single-family house with a ground floor + upper floor, knee wall, and basement, which was offered to us turnkey for €750,000. Since that is beyond our budget, we first considered removing the basement. But even then, the footprint quickly becomes quite large with technical and storage rooms on the ground floor and an upper floor that starts with 50cm (20 inches) knee walls with sloping ceilings (knee wall according to the development plan). To be honest, we thought that a single-story build would simply be cheaper since there are no sloping ceilings that we have to “compensate” for with additional square meters to have enough space. We were probably wrong about that. We can share the design tonight (basement + ground floor + upper floor). The assumption that you were wrong is probably correct. Wrong general conclusions are often drawn from the prices of general contractor offers—whether high or low. I am looking forward to seeing the old design (I wanted to see it from the start). Often it is the concepts that were unfairly discarded that come closest to the truth.
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I really like the proposed split-level floor plan.
No, for a basement living area you don’t need an elevated terrace, balcony, or anything like that. There are also no dark rooms. @K a t j a roughly sketched it out.
I would probably plan it roughly like this:
Basement: Living/Dining/Kitchen mostly in the part that fully extends above ground level. Garden access is available.
Utility room, WC, and stairs should be placed on the side where floor-to-ceiling windows aren’t possible.
Ground floor: 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. While the kids are young, one of the children’s rooms can be your bedroom. At first, not every child needs their own bedroom. A laundry or utility room should also be accommodated here.
Attic: Parents’ bedroom and office, for when the kids are older. This space can later be converted into a separate apartment. Storage space is also available.
Take a look online, preferably on Pinterest, for ideas on building knee-wall cabinets.
No, for a basement living area you don’t need an elevated terrace, balcony, or anything like that. There are also no dark rooms. @K a t j a roughly sketched it out.
I would probably plan it roughly like this:
Basement: Living/Dining/Kitchen mostly in the part that fully extends above ground level. Garden access is available.
Utility room, WC, and stairs should be placed on the side where floor-to-ceiling windows aren’t possible.
Ground floor: 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. While the kids are young, one of the children’s rooms can be your bedroom. At first, not every child needs their own bedroom. A laundry or utility room should also be accommodated here.
Attic: Parents’ bedroom and office, for when the kids are older. This space can later be converted into a separate apartment. Storage space is also available.
Take a look online, preferably on Pinterest, for ideas on building knee-wall cabinets.
Due to the low knee wall height, I would probably plan like this:
Ground floor: living / dining / kitchen, hallway, utility room, master bedroom, guest toilet with shower
Upper floor: 3 children’s rooms, bathroom, office.
By the way, I wouldn’t build a split-level house if the slope is as expected.
Ground floor: living / dining / kitchen, hallway, utility room, master bedroom, guest toilet with shower
Upper floor: 3 children’s rooms, bathroom, office.
By the way, I wouldn’t build a split-level house if the slope is as expected.
Frennie schrieb:
Hello ypg,
a basement as a full floor should be "allowed," since the surrounding houses also have habitable basements.
Best regards, Franzi Told you so 🙂
However, I would still reconsider the split-level and/or basement option. A basement, whether a full floor or not, comes with restrictions you wouldn't have otherwise.
In terms of price range, roughly and generally speaking from cheapest to most expensive:
a standard pitched roof house with a finished attic, gable ends will guarantee plenty of natural light
a hipped roof house with a finished attic, which would require dormers
a two-story house, always the alternative for small plots where every square meter must be utilized
bungalow
bungalow with basement
Frennie schrieb:
With the basement + ground floor option, you’d also need to ensure there aren’t too many “dark” rooms downstairs. I don’t see that as an issue because, generally speaking, you can install plenty of standard windows in the basement.
Meanwhile...
Frennie schrieb:
Honestly, we thought a single-story build would simply be cheaper since we wouldn’t have sloped ceilings that require additional square meters to compensate for in order to have enough space. ...a single-story home of a certain size ends up with a lot of circulation space and/or you lose natural light in the center of the house from windows.
It’s also problematic if you choose a complex roof structure (from the frying pan into the fire) instead of focusing on usable square meters. That usually means a hipped roof. A U-shaped layout with exposed beams, etc., will roughly cost you about 20,000-25,000€ more and you lose storage and living space under the roof. Living area under the roof naturally arises from a certain roof pitch; you don’t have to pay extra for that—except for the interior finishing, of course. Compared to a bungalow, you save on the size of the foundation slab. Not least, a nicely designed pitched roof house tends to have much better energy efficiency than a bungalow.
Your current design has many areas planned too small. That’s not the way to build a cheaper house.
For the room program, you need at least:
12sqm (130 sq ft) per child’s room, so 36sqm (390 sq ft) total
15sqm (160 sq ft) bedroom
12sqm (130 sq ft) family bathroom
25sqm (270 sq ft) central dining and gathering area
15sqm (160 sq ft) kitchen (less if combined with dining area)
2sqm (22 sq ft) pantry
16–20sqm (170–215 sq ft) living room
8sqm (85 sq ft) office (12sqm (130 sq ft) if used also as guest room)
5sqm (54 sq ft) secondary bathroom
12sqm (130 sq ft) utility room
5sqm (54 sq ft) laundry/housekeeping room
12sqm (130 sq ft) hallway
_________
172sqm (1850 sq ft)
If there’s a staircase, add about 10sqm (110 sq ft) plus a few linear meters of hallway.
That’s roughly 100sqm (1075 sq ft) on the ground floor and 70sqm (750 sq ft) on the upper floor. You get about 30sqm (320 sq ft) virtually for free if you don’t cut down the knee walls—or, as @haydee suggested, use the space under knee walls for storage. That works well with dressers or DIY built-in wardrobes, too.
Don’t underestimate the living area under sloped ceilings between 1 and 2 meters (3–6.5 feet) in height. Well-planned rooms with these areas actually feel generous. That means the impact of sloped ceilings isn’t just negative; the plus and minus level out.
Regarding the slope of 120cm (47 inches)... you have to see how it’s handled. Some builders level it in a day so that you can clearly see the slope but still enter the house and access the terrace easily without any additional fill along the property boundary.
I just realized: that means “on the slope.”
Since a designer is involved and a house with three children’s bedrooms is not rocket science: could it be that you’re reinventing the wheel by giving them tasks that are impossible to solve?
You can get 170sqm (1830 sq ft) in compact construction for around 500,000€.
So: I would first have a standard house planned by a professional and then raise any issues you want adjusted so your house turns out the way you want it. I don’t see a bungalow of this size with this roof structure coming in under 600,000€.
One more thought: or 70sqm (750 sq ft) ground floor, 70sqm (750 sq ft) basement, 30sqm (320 sq ft) attic... your builder should tell you which option is more cost-effective for your plot.
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