Hello dear community,
Since the beginning of this year, we have been planning our prefabricated house with Weberhaus and are now close to signing the contract.
As we have been following this forum from the start to get answers to our questions and gather ideas, we would now like to take the opportunity to upload our floor plan for community feedback.
Overall, we are quite happy with the design – we are just still refining the bathroom. For personal and health reasons, having a second access through the bedroom is mandatory, even though it uses a few square meters.
The two openings to the kitchen and living room will have sliding doors.
Enjoy reviewing and providing input.
Good luck
Stefan
Since the beginning of this year, we have been planning our prefabricated house with Weberhaus and are now close to signing the contract.
As we have been following this forum from the start to get answers to our questions and gather ideas, we would now like to take the opportunity to upload our floor plan for community feedback.
Overall, we are quite happy with the design – we are just still refining the bathroom. For personal and health reasons, having a second access through the bedroom is mandatory, even though it uses a few square meters.
The two openings to the kitchen and living room will have sliding doors.
Enjoy reviewing and providing input.
Good luck
Stefan
L
lubawinskis2 Apr 2024 11:33Hello,
Thank you all for taking the time to critically review the planning. There are indeed many points that have made us think again, and we will probably need more time for the planning phase.
Many questions were raised on the last two pages, which I probably won’t be able to answer all.
The (missing) site plan was mentioned several times – apologies for that, I am attaching it here for completeness.
About our living situation: We are 34 and 37 years old and currently childless. Since we don’t know if that will change, we didn’t plan the children's room to be too large, as it would otherwise become a big unused space.
The bathroom is actually a challenging point – as mentioned at the beginning, we are not happy with it yet, and I feel we want too much there: garden view, second bedroom access, spaciousness, washing machine, toilet close to the door.
Regarding three levels: It is intentional that my home office is in the basement. I spend 2 out of 5 weekdays in the office and do not work on weekends. This means the room remains unused 4 out of 7 days. Currently, my office faces south, and I constantly have to close the blinds there.
In a basement, we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or similar for workshop activities or storage.
The sliding doors seemed like a very space-saving alternative to us. But I understand they are more for aesthetics than soundproofing.
All in all: Thank you for your feedback. Some things (for example, sliding doors, the bathroom anyway) we will thoroughly reconsider and definitely change.
All the best!
Stefan
Thank you all for taking the time to critically review the planning. There are indeed many points that have made us think again, and we will probably need more time for the planning phase.
Many questions were raised on the last two pages, which I probably won’t be able to answer all.
The (missing) site plan was mentioned several times – apologies for that, I am attaching it here for completeness.
About our living situation: We are 34 and 37 years old and currently childless. Since we don’t know if that will change, we didn’t plan the children's room to be too large, as it would otherwise become a big unused space.
The bathroom is actually a challenging point – as mentioned at the beginning, we are not happy with it yet, and I feel we want too much there: garden view, second bedroom access, spaciousness, washing machine, toilet close to the door.
Regarding three levels: It is intentional that my home office is in the basement. I spend 2 out of 5 weekdays in the office and do not work on weekends. This means the room remains unused 4 out of 7 days. Currently, my office faces south, and I constantly have to close the blinds there.
In a basement, we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or similar for workshop activities or storage.
The sliding doors seemed like a very space-saving alternative to us. But I understand they are more for aesthetics than soundproofing.
All in all: Thank you for your feedback. Some things (for example, sliding doors, the bathroom anyway) we will thoroughly reconsider and definitely change.
All the best!
Stefan
lubawinskis schrieb:
In a basement, we also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or similar space where you carry out handiwork or store things. Looking at the elevations on the site plan, I mainly see this basement as strong evidence that you haven’t read the 11ant basement rule ("With or without a basement: one rule as a decision-making tool"). @jan_christlieb just praised it on Easter Sunday *happy*
lubawinskis schrieb:
The sliding doors seemed to us like a very space-saving alternative. But I understand they are more for the eye than for sound insulation. Some (these) sliding doors are primarily scars left by working with building permit and construction planning firms who, unlike independent architects, don’t talk customers out of even the most impractical wishes. So it’s a “double stitch” just in case someone overlooks the prominently placed stylish downspout box in the living room. Is it supposed to be spotlighted? *SCNR*
lubawinskis schrieb:
We will thoroughly reconsider and definitely change some things (e.g., sliding doors, bathroom anyway). No, please don’t change anything here. This design is not worth even a sixteenth of your mental effort to improve. Without tears, just toss it in the bin—or, to put it as a Monopoly Chance card: “You have gained an insight. Go immediately to an independent architect with this!” It’s good your children haven’t seen this flop yet.
lubawinskis schrieb:
Well… overall: thanks for your feedback. The kind of thanks that motivates me most is when those warned in time actually listen to the warning shot.
The drawing clerks inserted between seller and production—mistaken by many inexperienced homebuyers as “architects”—may appear to save architectural fees at first glance, but in practice they are a slot for money thrown away on poorly planned products. Although they deliver poor quality without malice, it is precisely due to a lack of qualification. A home is meant to be a place to live for many years. You wouldn’t go to a shoe repair and locksmith combo store for your wedding hairstyle, even if Ali is really nice.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
lubawinskis schrieb:
Since we don’t know if this will stay the same, we didn’t plan the children’s room to be too large; otherwise, it would become a big unused space. And anyone with a hobby goes to the basement. Future hobby needs that require natural light are not possible. A spare room could serve that purpose, if you have one.
lubawinskis schrieb:
We also see the advantage of not having to build a garage or similar space in the basement, where you do workshop tasks or store things. You prioritize a basement and thus storage space more than living or common areas. What do you end up with? A multipurpose room of almost 36sqm (about 387 sq ft), a master bedroom that is larger than necessary, and an average-sized children’s room.
The walk-in closet counts as storage space, and there is also a storage level (the basement), where a small room is planned as an office. Anyone who wants privacy goes to the basement.
What about the building envelope? At this price, the basement is not built to living space standards, because otherwise the whole basement would have to be included in the thermal envelope/planning permission. I would ask about this, since you are paying a lot of money for relatively little house!
By comparison, a single-family home without a basement of 160sqm (about 1720 sq ft) typically has about one-tenth of that as auxiliary space; you have roughly one-third. And that’s for two people.
The office—with only a basement window—is not considered a living space. This isn’t just an issue if you work from home without being mobile, but could also cause insurance issues. At least you have a second means of escape. However, that staircase won’t be cheap.
If you have children later on, a daycare covered by home office won’t be an option. Personally, I also think it’s too black-and-white to choose a “bright south-facing area” over a “dark north-facing basement space.”
House planning is based on needs. If your needs aren’t clear yet and might change soon, plan flexibly. Having something is better than not having it.
Most homebuilders plan two children’s rooms before having kids—usually exactly two. Some also plan ahead by including a multipurpose room for guests, office, or hobbies that could be converted into a children’s room if a third child comes along.
With your 34/37sqm (about 366/398 sq ft), you should know how likely it is that you’ll have a child. Plan accordingly. I know many who built without kids in their 50s. We did too—intentionally without a basement—but we wouldn’t give up the bright above-ground multipurpose/guest/sports/sewing or hobby room. One reads there, another does crafts, a third watches soccer there while the wife has her girls’ night. The trend is towards multifunctional rooms—the more the better. I can’t imagine anyone choosing to spend quiet time voluntarily in the basement.
lubawinskis schrieb:
I feel like we want too much here: garden view, second bedroom access, large size, washing machine, bathroom near the door. Maybe you’re putting all your wishes into the bathroom? Think of it as its own thing and forget that it could be just one part of the house—and a wellness zone without a noisy washing machine, dirty laundry in front of the tub, or a “throne” toilet, but simply a place to relax that you can lock off with just one door.
lubawinskis schrieb:
It is purposely planned for my home office to be in the basement. I’m in the office two out of five workdays anyway, and I don’t work on weekends. So the room is unused four out of seven days. Currently, my office faces south, and I’m constantly pulling the blinds down there. May I ask on which PC your wife works on her private tasks?
11ant schrieb:
No, please don’t change anything here. I wouldn’t either…
My advice is to let everything settle and take a calm weekend to carefully reconsider each room. Also, think through daily routines including conflicts, illness, mishaps, children with anything, and/or separate activities within the house. Some rooms come as compromises; some phases of life allow no compromises.
Only then should you move forward—whether with your little tower that is one-third underground or maybe a different approach.
Perhaps it should be said upfront that a finished basement suitable for living is more expensive and has only disadvantages for living and working compared to building above ground. Also, no one wants to constantly carry their bicycle down to the basement and then back up again when a wooden shed next to the house does the job much better and cheaper.
There are often good reasons to build a basement. But as far as I can tell, none of those apply to your situation. That’s why my advice is: sit down again and seriously consider whether you really want to put these expensive rooms completely underground, making them even more costly and at the same time less practical.
There are often good reasons to build a basement. But as far as I can tell, none of those apply to your situation. That’s why my advice is: sit down again and seriously consider whether you really want to put these expensive rooms completely underground, making them even more costly and at the same time less practical.
K a t j a schrieb:
There are often good reasons to build a basement. But as far as I can see, none of those apply to your situation. especially since
lubawinskis schrieb:
Plot / Restrictions:
762m² (8,200 sq ft) plot in a residential area, existing buildings, no slope,
20 x 38m (66 x 125 ft), garden facing NNO (north-northeast)
No building restrictions (no floor area ratio, etc.)
1 parking space the plot is quite large and, according to the information provided, has no restrictions.
And then there is still the question about a possible practice with client visits... if allowed, such an arrangement should always be planned so that clients do not have to pass through private living areas.
Washing machines are usually installed in the bathroom only in apartments. Why not plan a small utility room instead? There, dirty laundry can be stored, delicate hand-washing can be done in the sink, and the washing machine’s spin cycle won’t be disturbing.
Otherwise, you end up sitting in the bathtub with the smell of sweaty sports clothes in your nose while the washing machine meditatively runs its spin cycle.
The children’s room is relatively small compared to the rest of the house. A home office in the basement, as well as a business space with customer visits, would both benefit from natural daylight.
A workshop on the ground floor is also much more comfortable.
I would plan only two floors. I could imagine the practice being located in a small extension, for example like in the Rensch-Haus Orlando model (I pass such a model every day, so it is just an example). If there is no practice, the space could be used as a sewing room, man cave, or a room for teenagers, etc.
Otherwise, you end up sitting in the bathtub with the smell of sweaty sports clothes in your nose while the washing machine meditatively runs its spin cycle.
The children’s room is relatively small compared to the rest of the house. A home office in the basement, as well as a business space with customer visits, would both benefit from natural daylight.
A workshop on the ground floor is also much more comfortable.
I would plan only two floors. I could imagine the practice being located in a small extension, for example like in the Rensch-Haus Orlando model (I pass such a model every day, so it is just an example). If there is no practice, the space could be used as a sewing room, man cave, or a room for teenagers, etc.
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