ᐅ Site Planning for New Single-Family Home Construction, 180 sqm, with Space for a Grand Piano
Created on: 10 Dec 2023 20:59
D
DerBer1
Hello everyone,
I have mostly been a silent reader until now, but I’m stuck with my plans and need some advice. Here are the basic details first:
Homeowner requirements
Bright with lots of space, modern, open but not too stylish. Function follows design.
Lots of space and storage, no dark hallways, entrance area ideally with an atrium.
Guest bathroom and staircase to upper floor should not be directly at the main door (to avoid dirt area).
We have a grand piano (1.6x1.8 m (5.2x6 ft)), which must be accommodated in the house (an heirloom with personality, occasionally played). Ideally in the living room on the ground floor in a dark corner to avoid direct sunlight. Alternatively upstairs, but definitely not in the basement.
Well insulated. We are considering QNG certification to qualify for the KfW loan, but not if it leads to unreasonable extra effort.
House design
Planned by: Do-it-Yourself
What do you especially like?
The version with a straight staircase is basically just a larger version of the sample house with a 10x12 m (33x39 ft) footprint. I’m not a fan of straight stairs, and the basement access would go through the living room. However, the entrance with a separate wardrobe is appealing.
With the bay window variant: the bay window likely increases costs. The guest bathroom is accessed through the dirt zone near the entrance door. If I swap staircase and guest bath, the bathroom won’t have a window unless I move the garage forward as well.
With the 10x12.5 m (33x41 ft) variant: The grand piano somehow doesn’t fit well.
Personal budget limit for house, basement, including fittings, garage, terrace, driveway
900,000
Preferred heating system:
Air-source heat pump with underfloor heating and ideally also central residential ventilation.
If you have to give up on certain features or expansions, which ones would you drop?
The grand piano can be moved upstairs if necessary. The garage can be replaced by a carport.
Which features can you absolutely not do without?
The basement is still under discussion. My wife prefers having a basement. I could live without one.
Why is the design like it is now?
Experimenting with SweetHome 3D after studying many show homes and floor plans, none of which suited us because a room was always missing or there wasn’t enough space for the grand piano in the living area.
The goal is to get a rough idea of how much living area is needed to fit all the desired rooms, so we can then estimate costs.
I try to keep the footprint to 10x12 m (33x39 ft) so that the overall living area doesn’t get out of hand. However, this limits fitting a guest room as well as the grand piano on the ground floor. The space shouldn’t feel cramped. I definitely do not want to make it bigger since we don’t need extra space upstairs.
I’m open to all criticism. My thinking is probably stuck on these floor plans, so a push in a completely different direction might be helpful.
Questions I am asking myself:
I have mostly been a silent reader until now, but I’m stuck with my plans and need some advice. Here are the basic details first:
| Plot size | 900 sqm (already owned) |
| Slope | Entire plot drops from north to south by about 1.2 m (4 ft) over 29 m (95 ft), within the building envelope of the house over 13 m (43 ft) it drops about 0.6–0.8 m (2–2.5 ft) |
| Site coverage ratio | 0.2 |
| Floor area ratio | 0.33 |
| Building envelope, building line, and boundary | House 15x11 m (49x36 ft), garage 6x8.5 m (20x28 ft); garage width can increase if it remains within the building envelope of the house. The building envelope was defined for a smaller plot, which was later extended eastwards (see image Baufenster.jpg). I assume the envelope may be moved east accordingly, but approval is still pending. |
| Edge development | Garage only |
| Number of parking spaces | 2 |
| Number of storeys | 2 full floors |
| Roof type | Gable roof with 25–30° pitch |
| Orientation | View from living-dining area towards northwest, as this side is unobstructed |
| Maximum heights / restrictions | - Wall height 6.1 m (20 ft) (measured from top of ground floor slab) - Base height 0.3 m (1 ft) (from top of ground floor slab) - Excavations not allowed - Filling up to 0.5 m (1.6 ft) allowed - Width-to-length ratio must not significantly deviate from 1:1.2 - Excavations and fillings allowed for garage access (base height up to 1 m (3.3 ft)) |
| Basement, floors | |
| Number of occupants, age | Currently 2 adults + 1 child (space for a second child must be possible) |
| Space requirements on ground floor | Large entrance area with lots of storage, generous living-dining room with pantry, guest room, guest bathroom |
| Space requirements on upper floor | Bedroom with optional separate walk-in closet, bathroom, child’s bedroom 1, home office. (If there is a basement, the guest room will move there to make space for a second child’s room upstairs. Without a basement, a second child’s room is needed on the upper floor.) |
| Office | Required (1 home office) |
| Occasional overnight guests per year | Occasionally for 1–2 days, about 5–10 people. |
| Open or closed design | Mixed. Staircase outside the living area, but an atrium in the entrance area would be nice. Open living-dining area is good for spaciousness, but it would be advantageous if it can optionally be separated. |
| Open kitchen, kitchen island | Open kitchen yes, kitchen island not required. We prefer a U-shaped kitchen for short distances. |
| Number of dining seats | 6+2 (dining table size 2.2x1 m (7.2x3.3 ft)) |
| Music/sound system wall, TV wall | Should be on one wall and provide storage space. We didn’t like a design where the TV acts as a room divider between living and dining. |
| Balcony, roof terrace | If there is space in the bathroom for a sauna, a balcony would be nice. Probably omitted for cost reasons. |
| Garage, carport | For 2 cars. Garage obviously preferred but not essential. Possibly a combination where the carport also covers the main entrance. |
| Special considerations | View towards southeast is not pleasant due to industrial sites. |
Homeowner requirements
Bright with lots of space, modern, open but not too stylish. Function follows design.
Lots of space and storage, no dark hallways, entrance area ideally with an atrium.
Guest bathroom and staircase to upper floor should not be directly at the main door (to avoid dirt area).
We have a grand piano (1.6x1.8 m (5.2x6 ft)), which must be accommodated in the house (an heirloom with personality, occasionally played). Ideally in the living room on the ground floor in a dark corner to avoid direct sunlight. Alternatively upstairs, but definitely not in the basement.
Well insulated. We are considering QNG certification to qualify for the KfW loan, but not if it leads to unreasonable extra effort.
House design
Planned by: Do-it-Yourself
What do you especially like?
The version with a straight staircase is basically just a larger version of the sample house with a 10x12 m (33x39 ft) footprint. I’m not a fan of straight stairs, and the basement access would go through the living room. However, the entrance with a separate wardrobe is appealing.
With the bay window variant: the bay window likely increases costs. The guest bathroom is accessed through the dirt zone near the entrance door. If I swap staircase and guest bath, the bathroom won’t have a window unless I move the garage forward as well.
With the 10x12.5 m (33x41 ft) variant: The grand piano somehow doesn’t fit well.
Personal budget limit for house, basement, including fittings, garage, terrace, driveway
900,000
Preferred heating system:
Air-source heat pump with underfloor heating and ideally also central residential ventilation.
If you have to give up on certain features or expansions, which ones would you drop?
The grand piano can be moved upstairs if necessary. The garage can be replaced by a carport.
Which features can you absolutely not do without?
The basement is still under discussion. My wife prefers having a basement. I could live without one.
Why is the design like it is now?
Experimenting with SweetHome 3D after studying many show homes and floor plans, none of which suited us because a room was always missing or there wasn’t enough space for the grand piano in the living area.
The goal is to get a rough idea of how much living area is needed to fit all the desired rooms, so we can then estimate costs.
I try to keep the footprint to 10x12 m (33x39 ft) so that the overall living area doesn’t get out of hand. However, this limits fitting a guest room as well as the grand piano on the ground floor. The space shouldn’t feel cramped. I definitely do not want to make it bigger since we don’t need extra space upstairs.
I’m open to all criticism. My thinking is probably stuck on these floor plans, so a push in a completely different direction might be helpful.
Questions I am asking myself:
- Is a budget of 900,000 enough to cover house + basement + garage + driveway + terrace and garden fence?
- Is a basement significantly more expensive? If I need a utility room, storage, and a second child’s bedroom instead of a basement, that’s also quite costly.
- Does it make sense to put the guest room in the basement? We hope to get some daylight in a southeast-facing basement room, as this is the lowest part of the plot and excavation will be necessary for garage access anyway.
- Can I fit all my requirements into a 10x12 m (33x39 ft) footprint without the grand piano feeling too cramped?
- Is a standard house (or free planning with a general contractor) enough for our needs, or should we definitely consult an independent architect beforehand?
- Is the house orientation reasonable or are there better options? We are quite restricted by the building envelope but other houses in the development deviate considerably. We intend to request moving the house eastwards since the plot has been expanded there.
- Does it make sense to put the garage basement instead of the house? We don’t need a large basement, but 50 sqm (540 sq ft) would be good.
xMisterDx schrieb:
Do you play piano yourself and can judge that? 😉
And noisy children... sorry, is your living room furnished with plastic furniture and rubber flooring? Children can and should be taught not to scribble with pens on wooden tables or grand pianos...
They can also be noisy in the upstairs hallway, which is even more likely since the bedrooms are located there... Yes, I do, and yes, I can judge.
And my point wasn’t that the kids scribble on the piano, but that I can’t play in peace because of that.
ypg schrieb:
Making music is usually done together or for others. No, most of the time you play alone at home.
HeimatBauer schrieb:
That’s exactly why my recommendation is to proceed as in point 3 – that is, to consult a specialist with the requirement (whatever it may be). They can then not only place the speaker in the room but also take into account factors like room modes.That’s exactly the right approach. A music room at home is a dream for every musician, whether amateur or professional.
I am confident that I have not overlooked any indication that the questioner is a passionate amateur musician, and I do not at all intend to move the grand piano from the lounge on the main floor to the upper storey at the expense of elegance. Rather, the facts are as follows:
1. The client’s dissatisfaction with the design attempts already occurs on the ground floor – in my opinion causally related to the fact that all design attempts started with the ground floor (which is the more challenging level to work from);
2. One of the two floors (both of which can be full storeys here) must accommodate a grand piano according to the project requirements;
3. Fulfilling point 2 on the ground floor requires a) more space than the desired building footprint allows, and b) for a full upper floor (considering the roof pitch here implies at least a generous knee wall) results in excess floor area upstairs (the development plan does not exclude “Tuscany-style” upper floors, but this would make the house appear out of place in the neighborhood);
4. The client wants to provide a suitable spot for the piano as an heirloom that preserves its value and does not necessarily envision it in a setting like those known from house concerts in villas in Bogenhausen seen in Derrick episodes.
Therefore, I am certainly not motivated by a philistine attack on acoustic quality when I take up the questioner’s own proposal and encourage him to see a solution to his design challenge in placing the piano in the equivalent upper storey. Acoustic construction there – keyword: partially open eaves – could in fact offer even more diverse possibilities.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
1. The client’s dissatisfaction with the design attempts already occurs on the ground floor – in my opinion causally related to the fact that all design attempts started with the ground floor (which is the more challenging level to work from);
2. One of the two floors (both of which can be full storeys here) must accommodate a grand piano according to the project requirements;
3. Fulfilling point 2 on the ground floor requires a) more space than the desired building footprint allows, and b) for a full upper floor (considering the roof pitch here implies at least a generous knee wall) results in excess floor area upstairs (the development plan does not exclude “Tuscany-style” upper floors, but this would make the house appear out of place in the neighborhood);
4. The client wants to provide a suitable spot for the piano as an heirloom that preserves its value and does not necessarily envision it in a setting like those known from house concerts in villas in Bogenhausen seen in Derrick episodes.
Therefore, I am certainly not motivated by a philistine attack on acoustic quality when I take up the questioner’s own proposal and encourage him to see a solution to his design challenge in placing the piano in the equivalent upper storey. Acoustic construction there – keyword: partially open eaves – could in fact offer even more diverse possibilities.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
HeimatBauer12 Dec 2023 16:26DerBer1 schrieb:
Slope
The entire plot slopes down from north to south by about 1.2m (4 feet) over 29m (95 feet), and within the building area of the house over 13m (43 feet) it slopes by about 0.6-0.8m (2-2.6 feet)
(...)
– you can’t do without:
The basement is still open for discussion. My wife is in favor of a basement. I could do without it. Regarding "basement" and "slope," the basement regulation needs to be considered. 0.8m (2.6 feet) is already significant.
DerBer1 schrieb:
Balcony, Roof Terrace
If there is room in the bathroom for a sauna, a balcony would be nice. But it will probably be removed for cost reasons. I would advise against squeezing a sauna into the bathroom. In my opinion, a sauna needs its own dedicated room. Of course, you CAN simply make the bathroom large enough to include a sauna, a relaxation area, and so on—but then you end up with a huge space that, from my experience, never really feels cozy.
Friends of mine have this setup, and they have:
- Wall 1 entirely made of glass windows for the view (surprise: they are transparent in both directions!)
- Wall 2 with a double vanity (but only one person uses it at a time)
- Wall 3 has the bathtub and shower area (where only the shower is actually used)
- Wall 4 is the sauna
The total floor area is absurdly large, and it’s the least comfortable bathroom I have ever been in, in terms of atmosphere. It’s always cold, no matter how much heating is on—unless the sauna is running, then it’s unbearably hot—unless you open the now permanently fogged-up windows... In the middle of this big room, the loungers just sit there looking demotivated.
So yes, if you consider a sauna from Klafs, for example, they have glossy brochures showing how their sauna fits in. Better try something like that first.
HeimatBauer schrieb:
Regarding the topic of "basement" and "slope," the basement regulation must be observed. 0.8m (2.6 feet) is already something to consider.DerBer1 schrieb:
Wall height 6.1m (20 feet) (from top of ground floor) – base height 0.3m (1 foot) (from top of ground floor) – excavation not permitted – backfilling up to 0.5m (1.6 feet)As far as I know about basement regulations, this is a case of an optional basement, and the builder’s wish for a basement with a smaller footprint than that of the main house* could be easily achieved.*) On this occasion, regarding the idea of an under-garage basement: no, I don’t see that here, and as explained in the section "Small basements" in part three of the basement series "Alternative basement types and cost considerations," as well as in part two "Partial basements: The solution between yes and no?," that is not such a brilliant idea either.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
HeimatBauer schrieb:
Regarding the topic "basements" and "slope," the basement regulation must be considered. 0.8 m (31.5 inches) is already something.0.8 is 0.8. Nothing more! And sometimes only 0.6 m (23.6 inches) 😉 Considering that the original poster needs a bit more space on the ground floor because they want a wing, a nice plot with an unobstructed view—but unfortunately facing northwest—I assume they will forgo the basement to have more room on the ground floor.
This way, a nice sauna with a view can also be accommodated in the upper floor. I would invest the money in quality features rather than a basement, which, if used as living space, would have to be built higher or require additional earthworks.
That is neither good for the plot nor for the budget. And in the end, there would be no space or room for the wing and much more.
@DerBer1
How is the floor area ratio? 180 sqm (1938 sqft) can be reached quickly including the garage. Do outbuildings and paving count towards the so-called second floor area ratio at 50% extra?
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