Hello dear forum community,
after quietly reading along for a long time, we have now registered here and want to share our house plans with you.
First of all, we would like to say a big THANK YOU – the information you get here is truly invaluable.
Now a bit about us: we are both around 50, and our two grown children have moved out. Currently, we live in my parents’ house, but we want to realize our own dream of building a house. We are very fortunate to be able to afford the construction without any problems. The building plot belongs to us, and the local building authority has given us a verbal go-ahead so far (there is no zoning plan as it is currently farmland). We only have to contribute proportionally to the development costs, which is fine for us.
Our children and guests enjoy visiting, so we want to set up a guest apartment in the basement. For old age, our design allows us to convert the ground floor barrier-free at any time with minor modifications, including an elevator if needed. In case of emergency, the guest apartment could also be used for a carer, although hopefully this will never be necessary.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 2,100m² (0.52 acres)
Slope: Yes, see elevations
Floor area ratio: no zoning plan
Floor space index: no zoning plan
Building envelope, building line and boundary: no zoning plan, we keep at least 6.0m (20 feet) clearance all around
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1 story, basement
Roof style: hinted “shed roof”
Architectural style: ???
Orientation: North/South
Maximum height / limitations: No specifications
Further requirements: No valid zoning plan, planning permission granted for usual residential construction
Owner’s Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: one-story bungalow with basement (prepared for barrier-free access)
Basement, floors: basement yes, single-story with open roof structure
Number of people, age: 2, me 50, her 48, 1 dog
Space requirements ground floor / upper floor: see floor plan
Office: family use or home office? Occasional home office for me
Overnight guests per year: many
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: special
Open kitchen, kitchen island: definitely yes
Number of dining seats: minimum 8
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: integrated in the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Who created the design?
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-Yourself (DIY)
The planning was done by us ourselves.
What do you particularly like? Why?
Optimized for our personal wishes— we have incorporated all our requirements.
What do you dislike? Why?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for house including fittings: We estimate construction costs around €700,000–800,000 (about $750,000–860,000), but financing is secured and this is not the main focus here.
Preferred heating technology: not finalized yet, definitely photovoltaic and solar panels on the roof, air-to-water heat pump or geothermal energy.
If you had to give up something, on which details / additional features could you do without?
Good question, probably the pool if it meant we could get a hot tub instead...
What can you absolutely not do without?
The large open space and the guest apartment.
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example:
Standard planter’s template? No, we simply planned according to our preferences, open roof structure, large open space because we like to entertain guests, wellness area is a must.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
What is the most important fundamental question regarding the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
after quietly reading along for a long time, we have now registered here and want to share our house plans with you.
First of all, we would like to say a big THANK YOU – the information you get here is truly invaluable.
Now a bit about us: we are both around 50, and our two grown children have moved out. Currently, we live in my parents’ house, but we want to realize our own dream of building a house. We are very fortunate to be able to afford the construction without any problems. The building plot belongs to us, and the local building authority has given us a verbal go-ahead so far (there is no zoning plan as it is currently farmland). We only have to contribute proportionally to the development costs, which is fine for us.
Our children and guests enjoy visiting, so we want to set up a guest apartment in the basement. For old age, our design allows us to convert the ground floor barrier-free at any time with minor modifications, including an elevator if needed. In case of emergency, the guest apartment could also be used for a carer, although hopefully this will never be necessary.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 2,100m² (0.52 acres)
Slope: Yes, see elevations
Floor area ratio: no zoning plan
Floor space index: no zoning plan
Building envelope, building line and boundary: no zoning plan, we keep at least 6.0m (20 feet) clearance all around
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1 story, basement
Roof style: hinted “shed roof”
Architectural style: ???
Orientation: North/South
Maximum height / limitations: No specifications
Further requirements: No valid zoning plan, planning permission granted for usual residential construction
Owner’s Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: one-story bungalow with basement (prepared for barrier-free access)
Basement, floors: basement yes, single-story with open roof structure
Number of people, age: 2, me 50, her 48, 1 dog
Space requirements ground floor / upper floor: see floor plan
Office: family use or home office? Occasional home office for me
Overnight guests per year: many
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: special
Open kitchen, kitchen island: definitely yes
Number of dining seats: minimum 8
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: integrated in the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Who created the design?
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-Yourself (DIY)
The planning was done by us ourselves.
What do you particularly like? Why?
Optimized for our personal wishes— we have incorporated all our requirements.
What do you dislike? Why?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for house including fittings: We estimate construction costs around €700,000–800,000 (about $750,000–860,000), but financing is secured and this is not the main focus here.
Preferred heating technology: not finalized yet, definitely photovoltaic and solar panels on the roof, air-to-water heat pump or geothermal energy.
If you had to give up something, on which details / additional features could you do without?
Good question, probably the pool if it meant we could get a hot tub instead...
What can you absolutely not do without?
The large open space and the guest apartment.
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example:
Standard planter’s template? No, we simply planned according to our preferences, open roof structure, large open space because we like to entertain guests, wellness area is a must.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
What is the most important fundamental question regarding the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
wolko22 schrieb:
Why is this topic brought up again and again? Why not? Aside from the fact that I didn’t realize the topic was settled, your question is about what makes your thoughts/designs/plans particularly good or bad. In my opinion, this apartment and the imbalance in the spatial layout, with only one bedroom in the main dwelling, make the plan particularly poor.
It’s not about whether someone has ever been or currently is in that situation… it’s about space usage or waste. Maybe you should also read all the posts. Fundamentally, Katja also views the accessory apartment here critically.
wolko22 schrieb:
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? Yes, but the current layout that @wolko22 has in mind could be made more cost-effective through other measures. As I mentioned before, I would think more in terms of a single level, combining wet rooms for wellness and guest use, and reconsidering the room sizes for wellness as well as cooking/dining and living areas. The granny flat could also easily be smaller than the currently planned 43 + 8 (bathroom) square meters (462 + 86 square feet).
I would also limit the hobby workshop strictly to a real workshop, and plan car parking separately, either with a carport or garage, independent of the house.
I believe the next step should really be to consult a local architect who can also address the unresolved issues related to building permit / planning permission.
I like the idea of orienting the terrace according to the sun’s path. This way, you have the option of shaded or sunny spots available throughout the day, depending on the temperature.
I would also limit the hobby workshop strictly to a real workshop, and plan car parking separately, either with a carport or garage, independent of the house.
I believe the next step should really be to consult a local architect who can also address the unresolved issues related to building permit / planning permission.
I like the idea of orienting the terrace according to the sun’s path. This way, you have the option of shaded or sunny spots available throughout the day, depending on the temperature.
M
motorradsilke27 Nov 2022 21:55wolko22 schrieb:
@hanghaus2023
We wanted to create a terrace that catches the sun in the east, south, and west – morning sun while having breakfast, midday sun yes, but not directly at the large window front of the open-plan living area, and evening sun when we face the garden.
Is there a flaw in this idea? I wouldn’t necessarily design one large terrace for this, but rather several seating areas distributed throughout the garden.
H
hanghaus202328 Nov 2022 09:17wolko22 schrieb:
@hanghaus2023
Unfortunately, we can’t offer you more at the moment. You have already tracked the terrain profile very well. The exact placement of the house on the plot is still open and also depends on the building authority’s approval. We determined the reference height above sea level using Earth, and measured the rest of the terrain profile on site.Where in the plan is the reference point located, and what is the elevation?
Your architect will determine the position on the plot, taking into account neighboring buildings and your preferences.
H
hanghaus202328 Nov 2022 09:39I imagine it more like this.
Large L-shaped bungalow with a basement and a separate carport.
In the basement (lower ground floor), the desired large hobby room, the granny flat, and the utility/technical room.
Large L-shaped bungalow with a basement and a separate carport.
In the basement (lower ground floor), the desired large hobby room, the granny flat, and the utility/technical room.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Large L-shaped bungalow with a basement and separate carport
In the basement (lower ground floor) you can have the desired large hobby room, a granny flat, and a utility room. Before building a house of this size or in this style, think it through carefully.
You will become a slave to a huge house, with cleaning, tidying, maintenance, and garden care.
We faced the same decision,
and ended up with a three-room bungalow without a basement, barrier-free (accessible), and with a sauna.
On weekends, we had 12 people over, and there was space for everyone; there are exactly 6 sleeping places.
You probably don’t need more than that. For additional accommodation, there are guesthouses or holiday apartments.
Among acquaintances with enormous houses, people increasingly retreat to fewer rooms, while the rest becomes cluttered and filled up, often with valuable things.
If you add a garage and heat it, that will be sufficient for a hobby or the car.
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