ᐅ Floor Plan Design: Single-Family Home with Basement; 560 sqm Plot

JKHandler schrieb:

From a furnishing perspective, that would work, but unfortunately the chimney would no longer be close to the living room. I also can’t immediately see a way to position it near the ridge in the upper area.

It’s also near the ridge there. Or where exactly is the ridge? Where are the eaves?
But you’re right, if you could just change quite a bit spontaneously, then you wouldn’t need an architect.
Because the upper floor also needs attention. I’ve already mentioned that some areas are planned very large, unnecessarily large. A bedroom can also be 3 meters (10 feet) deep; it doesn’t need to be 4.37 meters (14 feet 4 inches). The utility room is even more necessary upstairs. On the ground floor, a broom can be stored in a kitchen cabinet if necessary. That’s just the disadvantage of having a basement: nothing is readily accessible.

JKHandler schrieb:

We just took a look at how to integrate a storage room into the ground floor, but no matter how we shift the walls, at first glance we don’t see a practical solution here. Does the floor plan need to be completely reconsidered then? [...]
The initial assumption is that if you now try to add a storage room on the ground floor, the entire floor plan no longer works (or hopefully someone here has a brilliant idea). Would it make sense to evaluate it from this perspective?

Trying to squeeze an extra room into a "finished" floor plan almost never works. The first attempt usually results in an awkward corner that multiplies every time you try to fix it, like cell division (or at least as "ten little soldiers" backwards). The proper sequence (notably in the preliminary design phase!) is: 1. Define the spatial program, 2. refine it, 3. distribute it across the floors, then 4. develop the upper floor layout, and 5. derive the ground floor layout from that. Intervening at step 5 causes a massive mess, and trying to reverse steps 4-3-2-1 breaks everything again. Making changes even in step 6 (when everything down to the ground floor has already been transferred from the preliminary design to the final design) causes an even bigger disruption.
Whether a floor plan "clucks like a chicken" or only flutters instead of flying when it suddenly can’t work properly anymore, I don’t know. The evaluation still makes sense, but then instead of the product called "Building Approval Check," we should use the smaller sibling, the "Mini Floor Plan Check." Both can be used separately or combined like multi-stage rockets. Some architects offer similar services, but usually at a higher cost. If you come to me, one of my colleagues, or another architect besides your current one, you can also get a "second opinion."

How have you been working with your current architect, given that such an essential element as a whole (albeit "small") room only became apparent as missing so late in the process? – You shouldn’t realize on your way from Munich to Sylt in Hannover that one of the children isn’t sitting in the car. It all costs time and money to keep going in circles with the architect. This is where it backfires that some younger architects adapt too much to clients and skip the "preliminary design" phase. This then continues down the line into the cost planning as well [quote ...uhmm... Sonneborn].

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What ceiling height will you end up with? Around 2.90 meters (9 feet 6 inches)? That could start to feel a bit odd in smaller rooms.

ypg schrieb:

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Here it is close to the ridge as well. But where exactly is the ridge? Where are the eaves?
You are right, though—if you could just change a lot spontaneously, then you wouldn’t need an architect.
Because you also have to consider the upper floor. I’ve already mentioned that some areas are planned much too large, unnecessarily large. A bedroom can also be 3 meters (10 feet) deep; it doesn’t need to be 4.37 meters (14 feet 4 inches). A storage room upstairs is even more necessary. On the ground floor, a broom can also be stored in a kitchen cabinet if needed. The disadvantage of a basement is not having things readily accessible.

The entrance is on the eaves side. The ridge and roof are indicated in the top view here; an asymmetric gable roof or a staggered shed roof could be realized. Personally, we wouldn’t miss a storage room upstairs that much—a built-in closet would work there as well. But a storage room on the ground floor is definitely something missing when simulating everyday situations. I think we have to discuss this with the architect. In theory, the building structure should still allow for a storage room at the expense of the office, right? What do you recommend as storage room sizes (or minimum dimensions regarding furniture usability)?

11ant schrieb:

Forcing an additional room into an already “finished” floor plan almost never works. The first attempt usually leads to an unsatisfactory corner which, with every attempt to smooth it out, multiplies like cell division (or at least like “ten little soldiers” backwards). The procedure (notably in the preliminary design phase!) is: 1. establish the space program, 2. qualify it, and 3. allocate it across the floors, then 4. specifically divide up the upper floor, and 5. derive the ground floor from that. Intervening at step 5 causes a massive collision of elements; steps 4-3-2-1 collapse backwards. Even changing at step 6 (when everything down to the ground floor has already been transferred from preliminary to detailed design) causes an even louder crash.
I don’t know whether a floor plan “squeaks” like a chicken when it suddenly flutters instead of flies, but the analogy makes sense. We should consider using the smaller sibling “The Small Floor Plan Check” instead of the product “The Build-Ready Check.” Both can be used individually but also combined like rocket stages. Some architects offer something similar, but effectively more expensive. If you go to me or one of my colleagues (or another architect different from the current one), you can also get a “second opinion.”

How did you proceed with the current architect when such an essential aspect like an entire (even if “small”) room was noticed so late? You shouldn’t realize from Munich to Sylt that one of the children is not in the car only once you reach Hannover. That costs time and money going in circles with the architect. This is the downside when some younger architects adapt too much to the client and skip the “preliminary design” stage. It then continues similarly during cost planning [Quote ...uhm... Sonneborn].

Unfortunately, private messaging is not possible—are there alternatives?

K a t j a schrieb:

What ceiling height are you aiming for? Somewhere around 2.90 meters (9 feet 6 inches)? That could feel a bit strange in small rooms.

The clear room height would be approximately 2.78 meters (9 feet 2 inches) without suspended ceilings, and about 2.56 meters (8 feet 5 inches) with suspended ceilings (ideally only in corridors). We found the room height of approximately 2.78 meters (9 feet 2 inches) very pleasant after visiting several show homes. However, room heights are very subjective.

JKHandler schrieb:

Unfortunately, contacting via private message is not possible. Are there any alternatives?

Actually, it is possible; there are two quick ways: 2. enter the mentioned titles of my external posts including the quotation marks into a search engine, and you will find them on "Bauen jetzt"; 1. look deeply into my avatar image, and you will recognize the provider name behind my username.

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JKHandler schrieb:

The ridge and roof are indicated in the top view here; an asymmetric gable roof or a staggered shed roof are both feasible.

An asymmetric roof looks "off" if there is no "reason" for it—that is, if it does not harmoniously continue a particular feature of the building structure.

JKHandler schrieb:

Mathematically, the building volume might still allow for an additional room at the expense of the office, right?

If rooms come at the expense of other rooms, the planning should go back to where they were forgotten or incorrectly sized. Storage rooms have no assigned stakeholder but serve what I would call the collective household purpose. They can sometimes have the additional function of an acoustic buffer (for some people, it is crucial that K1 and K2 cannot hear anything from conception attempts in K3). Usually, having several storage rooms scattered around is better than one compact area, as they serve different purposes (some items need long-term storage, like seasonal clothing, while others should be easily accessible, like towels or bedding), and sometimes they function as temporary storage for flea market goods and bulky waste. I prefer to keep copier paper near the office and towels near the bathroom. Junk can go anywhere.

JKHandler schrieb:

Room heights are very subjective, though.

Not only subjective. I have 2.5 meters (8 feet 2 inches) ceilings and traditional ceiling lamps; with spotlights, I could objectively manage with less.

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