ᐅ Own floor plan design for a 180 sqm urban villa with double garage – feedback requested
Created on: 30 Dec 2022 10:14
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dimba234
Hello everyone,
after being an active silent reader here for quite some time, I decided it was time to register.
A few weeks ago, we applied for a building plot with our local municipality and have now received the approval for the land. Although we plan to start building at the beginning of 2024, we are already putting a lot of thought into how our house might look. We have created a rough floor plan draft ourselves. I would like to ask you for feedback and suggestions.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 576 sqm (6,200 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site occupancy index (floor area ratio for ground coverage): 0.3
Floor space index (floor area ratio for all floors): 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: building boundary as per development plan
Edge development: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: at least 1.5 parking spaces
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: hip roof, gable roof, pitched roof, saddle roof
Architectural style: -
Orientation: see attachment
Maximum height / limits: eaves height 7 m (23 ft)
Other requirements: -
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: single-family house with two full stories and a hip roof
Basement, floors: no basement, two full floors
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (2 1/2 years and newborn)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? Two offices (ground floor + upper floor)
Guest bedrooms per year: -
Open or closed layout: open living and dining area
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, kitchen island not necessarily required
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage with storage space; carport with shed also possible
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are preferred or avoided: -
House Design
Who designed it:
-Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? Two offices; open living and dining area with cozy sofa corner; children’s rooms facing south; master bedroom facing north; utility room with access to the garage
What do you not like? Why? Overall, we like our design. We want to maximize the use of our garden area on the south side. To get more out of it, the house would need to be narrower and longer (currently 11 x 10.5 m (36 x 34.5 ft)). In our designs, this always failed because the rooms become too narrow and elongated. As laypersons, we probably overlook major planning mistakes. So, we ask here for constructive criticism and suggestions.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: -
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 500,000
Preferred heating technology: -
If you have to give up one or more details/additions,
-what can you do without: garage, the second office/guest room
-what you cannot do without: -
Why did the design end up like this? E.g.
-Collection of ideas from catalogs and internet searches
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
The main question is whether we have sensibly planned the layout and arrangement of garage, house entrance, and rooms in relation to the plot and its orientation. Is the design coherent overall?
The attached image with the house on the plot (Entwurf.jpg) is a draft from the responsible planning office for the building area. We want to build the house and garage aligned in the same way. However, the house will be placed at the front building boundary and the garage shifted towards the rear plot boundary.
PS: We created the design with a rudimentary online tool. Unfortunately, the tool does not allow adjusting room names (therefore “playroom” instead of “children’s room,” etc.), but I think you understand what is meant.
I look forward to your feedback 🙂!
after being an active silent reader here for quite some time, I decided it was time to register.
A few weeks ago, we applied for a building plot with our local municipality and have now received the approval for the land. Although we plan to start building at the beginning of 2024, we are already putting a lot of thought into how our house might look. We have created a rough floor plan draft ourselves. I would like to ask you for feedback and suggestions.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 576 sqm (6,200 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site occupancy index (floor area ratio for ground coverage): 0.3
Floor space index (floor area ratio for all floors): 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: building boundary as per development plan
Edge development: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: at least 1.5 parking spaces
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: hip roof, gable roof, pitched roof, saddle roof
Architectural style: -
Orientation: see attachment
Maximum height / limits: eaves height 7 m (23 ft)
Other requirements: -
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: single-family house with two full stories and a hip roof
Basement, floors: no basement, two full floors
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (2 1/2 years and newborn)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? Two offices (ground floor + upper floor)
Guest bedrooms per year: -
Open or closed layout: open living and dining area
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, kitchen island not necessarily required
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage with storage space; carport with shed also possible
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are preferred or avoided: -
House Design
Who designed it:
-Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? Two offices; open living and dining area with cozy sofa corner; children’s rooms facing south; master bedroom facing north; utility room with access to the garage
What do you not like? Why? Overall, we like our design. We want to maximize the use of our garden area on the south side. To get more out of it, the house would need to be narrower and longer (currently 11 x 10.5 m (36 x 34.5 ft)). In our designs, this always failed because the rooms become too narrow and elongated. As laypersons, we probably overlook major planning mistakes. So, we ask here for constructive criticism and suggestions.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: -
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 500,000
Preferred heating technology: -
If you have to give up one or more details/additions,
-what can you do without: garage, the second office/guest room
-what you cannot do without: -
Why did the design end up like this? E.g.
-Collection of ideas from catalogs and internet searches
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
The main question is whether we have sensibly planned the layout and arrangement of garage, house entrance, and rooms in relation to the plot and its orientation. Is the design coherent overall?
The attached image with the house on the plot (Entwurf.jpg) is a draft from the responsible planning office for the building area. We want to build the house and garage aligned in the same way. However, the house will be placed at the front building boundary and the garage shifted towards the rear plot boundary.
PS: We created the design with a rudimentary online tool. Unfortunately, the tool does not allow adjusting room names (therefore “playroom” instead of “children’s room,” etc.), but I think you understand what is meant.
I look forward to your feedback 🙂!
dimba234 schrieb:
We have received our preliminary design. Overall, we like it.Of course you like the design in this form: the staircase has been moved to the other side of the hallway, the bathroom and office have been swapped, and otherwise the draftsman has simply copied your original design. Then there is "symmetry," which is always popular.dimba234 schrieb:
Except for the sofa corner, which is probably a bit too tight—on the other hand, the kitchen area is huge. That’s why we will swap the kitchen with the living area.This is a typical “we don’t really care what you get” floor plan. A random layout with furniture just drawn in. The unsystematic approach of simply swapping kitchen and living area doesn’t fix this, since it is nonsense itself. A kitchen is too expensive and too central to be left without proper planning. I assume this will be a “city villa” without a basement. What does the lighter gray wall between the children’s rooms mean?My overall assessment is: “heartlessly done.” When it comes to inclusive “planning,” general contractors are “quick finishers,” as you can clearly see here again. Do yourselves two big favors: go to an architect, and be prepared not to do their work for them. I see two common misconceptions here: first, skipping an architect supposedly saves their entire fee; and second, symmetry is the key to making the result look neat. Both are about 90% disappointed hopes. Just the necessary “safety margin” in room sizes required to make even an unprofessional design furnishable more than compensates for the supposed fee savings. However, this extra size also allows you the freedom to place windows according to symmetry.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
S
Sunshine38730 Jan 2023 17:30I think the hallway area on the upper floor is much too large (this always happens when the staircase is designed this way), but otherwise the floor plan can be built like this and you can feel comfortable living in it. It's a standard floor plan after all. However, not everyone has to build with an architect. And even then, sometimes floor plans turn out to be really disastrous.
I should add a third common misconception among self-building clients: since the draftsman is often even authorized to create the original plans and the general contractor (GC) has already built many houses, the amateur planning is supposedly no longer just amateurish after the so-called "quote-unquote architect" filter stage, but rather "reviewed and refined." The small but true core is that the draftsman does have some knowledge and experience and does make adjustments to the amateur plans, especially to modify details that could hinder the building permit process based on his experience. On the other hand, he is instructed by the GC to basically "give the benefit of the doubt" to the client, approving all non-permitting obstacles created by the self-planning builder. He should avoid costly permit application delays and watch out for permit blockers but, at the same time, not create obstacles that might prevent the client from signing the construction contract. This results in an unspoken rule: "keep quiet if you notice the client is a rather weak architect; don’t alienate him with criticism." And of course, the pros know the value of symmetry for the "wife acceptance" factor, and tend to adjust accordingly. So an amateur draft remains an amateur draft, and the client—as the master of his "tin of ravioli"—feels reassured that the specialists have left so much of his original plan intact, because "then it must be good."
Of course, this floor plan can be built as is. If you have the budget, you won’t mind the wasted space. On the contrary, the unprofessional planning is even "skillfully disguised," so you hardly notice it. The fact that the single-run straight staircase takes up a lot of space is not just my frequent criticism here (usually met with deaf ears), but for me, it wouldn’t be a major issue in this case. Its contribution to the overall design’s lost potential is just not that significant. I know (from experience) that even independent architects can be careless or weak in planning. But I don’t find that to be a sufficient excuse to avoid hiring a transparently self-paid architect. That’s precisely why there is the option to involve a forum community in the discussion of design phase 2. @ all amateur planners: design phase 2 is the one that does not exist at all in a GC full-service contract. At least design phase 3 is included there as a mere preliminary part of phase 4.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Sunshine387 schrieb:
I think the hallway area upstairs is way too large (but that’s always the case when the stairs are designed that way), but otherwise, the floor plan can be built as is and still feel comfortable. It’s basically a standard layout. Of course, not everyone has to work with an architect. And sometimes you get plans from those situations that are really terrible.
Of course, this floor plan can be built as is. If you have the budget, you won’t mind the wasted space. On the contrary, the unprofessional planning is even "skillfully disguised," so you hardly notice it. The fact that the single-run straight staircase takes up a lot of space is not just my frequent criticism here (usually met with deaf ears), but for me, it wouldn’t be a major issue in this case. Its contribution to the overall design’s lost potential is just not that significant. I know (from experience) that even independent architects can be careless or weak in planning. But I don’t find that to be a sufficient excuse to avoid hiring a transparently self-paid architect. That’s precisely why there is the option to involve a forum community in the discussion of design phase 2. @ all amateur planners: design phase 2 is the one that does not exist at all in a GC full-service contract. At least design phase 3 is included there as a mere preliminary part of phase 4.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
In principle, it will work. I also find it comfortable with appropriate furnishing, since with 180 sqm (1938 sq ft) there are hardly any tight spots. However, in my opinion, it does not fit on the plot.
Because:
The north arrow is initially incorrect. It would need to be rotated 45 degrees according to the site plan. West would be the bottom left corner of the house on the plan. From southwest to northwest is the nice evening sun in summer. This benefits the guest toilet as well as the bathroom upstairs, and incidentally the guest room or office, but not the main living areas. An office or home office does not necessarily need intensive sunlight. The children’s rooms are well oriented, as is the utility room... you just need to know what you want. This would not be my choice.
Then you probably plan to move the house further forward. In that case, I would avoid placing the family bathroom facing the street. If you swap the kitchen and living area, the bathroom would also be above the living room… that can work, but personally, I would prefer the soil stack in a more concealed position. Possibly with a laundry chute directly into the utility room, though that is not necessarily needed with a stairwell.
Has the reason for wanting to move the house forward actually been discussed? I would create a pleasant southwest-facing garden and locate the kitchen and dining area there, placing the living area in the more private northern zone.
*Furnishing: a proper wardrobe is missing. Yes, you can fill the hallway with cupboards, but it’s nicer to create dedicated space for wardrobes so they don’t obstruct the hallway. If you swap kitchen and living area, keep in mind that a completely different kitchen will be installed there, not as spacious as shown here.
Upstairs I wouldn’t plan the bedroom as a passage room; out of respect for the partner’s peace (if applicable), I would always place the walk-in closet beforehand.
I would swap the toilet and shower so you don’t exit the shower naked in front of a window. Also, the toilet is used more frequently, so it can benefit from natural light.
The staircase has a trip hazard when leaving the guest room/office.
Because:
The north arrow is initially incorrect. It would need to be rotated 45 degrees according to the site plan. West would be the bottom left corner of the house on the plan. From southwest to northwest is the nice evening sun in summer. This benefits the guest toilet as well as the bathroom upstairs, and incidentally the guest room or office, but not the main living areas. An office or home office does not necessarily need intensive sunlight. The children’s rooms are well oriented, as is the utility room... you just need to know what you want. This would not be my choice.
Then you probably plan to move the house further forward. In that case, I would avoid placing the family bathroom facing the street. If you swap the kitchen and living area, the bathroom would also be above the living room… that can work, but personally, I would prefer the soil stack in a more concealed position. Possibly with a laundry chute directly into the utility room, though that is not necessarily needed with a stairwell.
Has the reason for wanting to move the house forward actually been discussed? I would create a pleasant southwest-facing garden and locate the kitchen and dining area there, placing the living area in the more private northern zone.
*Furnishing: a proper wardrobe is missing. Yes, you can fill the hallway with cupboards, but it’s nicer to create dedicated space for wardrobes so they don’t obstruct the hallway. If you swap kitchen and living area, keep in mind that a completely different kitchen will be installed there, not as spacious as shown here.
Upstairs I wouldn’t plan the bedroom as a passage room; out of respect for the partner’s peace (if applicable), I would always place the walk-in closet beforehand.
I would swap the toilet and shower so you don’t exit the shower naked in front of a window. Also, the toilet is used more frequently, so it can benefit from natural light.
The staircase has a trip hazard when leaving the guest room/office.
ypg schrieb:
However, in my opinion, it does not fit on the plot.
Because:
The north arrow is initially incorrect. According to the site plan, it should be rotated by 45 degrees. Correct. However, whether the right side of the plan faces south or southeast only slightly affects the fact that the original poster’s simple idea of swapping the kitchen and sofa area essentially means shifting by a significant amount of sun exposure. This is one of those points that doesn’t bother every freelance architect, but a draftsman would never overlook.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
hanghaus202330 Jan 2023 18:36180 m² (1937 sq ft) are hardly feasible within the budget.
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