ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Gable Roof House Measuring 9x13 m with an Attached 6x9 m Loft Extension
Created on: 24 Oct 2024 12:46
B
Biker99
Hello,
I came across this interesting forum yesterday and would like to take the opportunity to present my first floor plan draft here in the hope of receiving valuable advice. Often, being too focused on one direction limits ideas, so fresh eyes and new inspiration from others are always very helpful.
The general idea is to have the house built completely turnkey by a prefab house company, without any DIY efforts on our part. So far, no architect has been hired because I first wanted to try putting my own wishes and ideas on paper. I believe that with this DIY preliminary planning, there might be a better basis to go directly to an architect or even several prefab home providers to obtain feasible implementations and corresponding cost estimates.
I look forward to your feedback (and I’m already bracing myself...).
Development Plan / Restrictions
Currently, paragraph 34 applies. However, a design guideline is expected next year. The house has already been initially designed within the preliminary framework of this guideline.
The plot size is about 650 m² (7000 sq ft). It is a flat lot on a road with through traffic. Floor area ratio is 1.5. A detached garage will be attached to an existing building with two full floors plus an attic conversion on the right side, and next to the garage will be the new house.
The existing building is oriented with the eaves side to the street. The new house is planned to be positioned with the gable end facing the street.
The neighboring house on the other side (directly on the street) also has its gable end facing the street. Parking spaces: 2 (in front of the garage) plus a double garage (6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)). Number of floors: 1.5. Roof type: pitched roof, 25 to max 35 degrees. Style: conventional. Orientation: northeast to southwest.
Maximum heights/limits
The planned maximum height is about 8.5 m (28 ft).
The house must be set back 3 m (10 ft) from the front property line. The double garage should/setback 5 m (16 ft) from the front property line (unfortunately, no more was allowed in the planning approval inquiry, so from my view, only a front entrance to the house is currently feasible).
A direct connection from the double garage to the house is desired.
A corresponding positively approved preliminary building permit is available.
Homeowners’ Requirements
We want a modern house with a pitched roof.
A basement (possibly a partial basement) is desired and unfortunately required due to space constraints (not for living purposes; the basement should only serve as storage or a hobby/craft room).
For the knee wall height of the 1.5-story building, we envision 1.60 to 1.80 m (5’3” to 6’0”).
Number of occupants: 2 persons, 60 years old.
The house should be designed to be barrier-free as much as possible and should allow living only on the ground floor at an advanced age.
The total required area on the ground floor and upper floor should be around 180 m² (1937 sq ft).
The office will be used privately only.
We expect about 5 guest stays per year.
The living/dining area should be spacious and as open as possible.
A storage room between the double garage and the house (which also allows access from the garage to the house) is required.
The kitchen should be open with a cooking island or peninsula.
A central fireplace in the living/dining area is planned/desired.
A balcony with access from the gallery and the office is also desired. Alternatively, a loggia (either one-sided or spanning the width of the house) could be considered.
It is important for us to have an open gallery over the dining area where you can stay and where fitness equipment will also be placed.
The double garage measuring 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft) is fixed, as several vehicles need to be accommodated.
House Design
A first preliminary plan created using a 3D program is available.
What I like about the initial plan are the open sight lines, the gallery, and the large living/dining area facing the garden (southwest).
I especially struggled with the staircase design. Initially, I wanted a straight staircase with access from the living/dining area, but I discarded this for various reasons (also because a cellar staircase is still needed “underneath,” which makes a straight staircase less visually appealing).
After initially planning bathroom access from the sleeping area (which also leads to the dressing room), I eventually decided for an access from the hallway to allow a wider shower, a large double washbasin in front of the window, and a toilet with at least 90 cm (35 inches) clearance to the side.
What I don’t like yet is the gable side area between the open space and the office with the 90-degree angle.
In the (probably too) narrow utility room, the washing machine and dryer are to be accommodated.
Why did the design turn out this way?
For example, only about 18 m (59 ft) of plot width is available, which limits the house width to a maximum of 9 m (30 ft) with a set double garage width of 6 m (20 ft).
I came across this interesting forum yesterday and would like to take the opportunity to present my first floor plan draft here in the hope of receiving valuable advice. Often, being too focused on one direction limits ideas, so fresh eyes and new inspiration from others are always very helpful.
The general idea is to have the house built completely turnkey by a prefab house company, without any DIY efforts on our part. So far, no architect has been hired because I first wanted to try putting my own wishes and ideas on paper. I believe that with this DIY preliminary planning, there might be a better basis to go directly to an architect or even several prefab home providers to obtain feasible implementations and corresponding cost estimates.
I look forward to your feedback (and I’m already bracing myself...).
Development Plan / Restrictions
Currently, paragraph 34 applies. However, a design guideline is expected next year. The house has already been initially designed within the preliminary framework of this guideline.
The plot size is about 650 m² (7000 sq ft). It is a flat lot on a road with through traffic. Floor area ratio is 1.5. A detached garage will be attached to an existing building with two full floors plus an attic conversion on the right side, and next to the garage will be the new house.
The existing building is oriented with the eaves side to the street. The new house is planned to be positioned with the gable end facing the street.
The neighboring house on the other side (directly on the street) also has its gable end facing the street. Parking spaces: 2 (in front of the garage) plus a double garage (6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)). Number of floors: 1.5. Roof type: pitched roof, 25 to max 35 degrees. Style: conventional. Orientation: northeast to southwest.
Maximum heights/limits
The planned maximum height is about 8.5 m (28 ft).
The house must be set back 3 m (10 ft) from the front property line. The double garage should/setback 5 m (16 ft) from the front property line (unfortunately, no more was allowed in the planning approval inquiry, so from my view, only a front entrance to the house is currently feasible).
A direct connection from the double garage to the house is desired.
A corresponding positively approved preliminary building permit is available.
Homeowners’ Requirements
We want a modern house with a pitched roof.
A basement (possibly a partial basement) is desired and unfortunately required due to space constraints (not for living purposes; the basement should only serve as storage or a hobby/craft room).
For the knee wall height of the 1.5-story building, we envision 1.60 to 1.80 m (5’3” to 6’0”).
Number of occupants: 2 persons, 60 years old.
The house should be designed to be barrier-free as much as possible and should allow living only on the ground floor at an advanced age.
The total required area on the ground floor and upper floor should be around 180 m² (1937 sq ft).
The office will be used privately only.
We expect about 5 guest stays per year.
The living/dining area should be spacious and as open as possible.
A storage room between the double garage and the house (which also allows access from the garage to the house) is required.
The kitchen should be open with a cooking island or peninsula.
A central fireplace in the living/dining area is planned/desired.
A balcony with access from the gallery and the office is also desired. Alternatively, a loggia (either one-sided or spanning the width of the house) could be considered.
It is important for us to have an open gallery over the dining area where you can stay and where fitness equipment will also be placed.
The double garage measuring 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft) is fixed, as several vehicles need to be accommodated.
House Design
A first preliminary plan created using a 3D program is available.
What I like about the initial plan are the open sight lines, the gallery, and the large living/dining area facing the garden (southwest).
I especially struggled with the staircase design. Initially, I wanted a straight staircase with access from the living/dining area, but I discarded this for various reasons (also because a cellar staircase is still needed “underneath,” which makes a straight staircase less visually appealing).
After initially planning bathroom access from the sleeping area (which also leads to the dressing room), I eventually decided for an access from the hallway to allow a wider shower, a large double washbasin in front of the window, and a toilet with at least 90 cm (35 inches) clearance to the side.
What I don’t like yet is the gable side area between the open space and the office with the 90-degree angle.
In the (probably too) narrow utility room, the washing machine and dryer are to be accommodated.
Why did the design turn out this way?
For example, only about 18 m (59 ft) of plot width is available, which limits the house width to a maximum of 9 m (30 ft) with a set double garage width of 6 m (20 ft).
313 is non-negotiable, and a 3m (10 feet) distance from 313 will also be planned and maintained. A positively approved preliminary building inquiry with the specified dimensions is available. If the 6m (20 feet) / 9m (30 feet) for the attic and house don’t fit exactly, the building will simply be a few centimeters narrower.
You are making the same mistake we did 10 years ago: although there is an office on the ground floor that can be set up as an emergency bedroom, and there is a shower toilet that does not come close to a comfortable bathroom, you are planning (like we did) the sleeping area with full comfort on the top floor.
I had shared my floor plan here back then and unfortunately was not advised that 10sqm (108 sq ft) more on the ground floor provides much more age-appropriate comfort and can make the upper level unnecessary if mobility becomes limited. So, in your case, the office downstairs is not suitable as a shared bedroom! Therefore, my advice is to plan for more space downstairs and less upstairs, leaving the guest room, office, and gym on the upper floor.
That aside:
The design has issues in many areas—literally—and makes the house difficult to navigate, the opposite of being barrier-free. It feels like the house is made up mostly of storage rooms and awkward corners without added value.
- The garage is located on the south side, blocking valuable windows for daylight, so it will get very dark in winter. If it has to be attached to the existing house, then the house itself should be shifted further back (west). If this is not possible due to the building permit/planning permission, consider creating a void space on the south side to allow light through, including appropriate windows.
- The airlock area next to the living room acts as a second hallway.
- The toilet is located in the dirty zone near the entrance door.
- The hallway on the upper floor has many corners, which either create dark spots or, when placing furniture like wardrobes, lead to narrow passages.
- The so-called gallery is cluttered with fitness equipment, which, if set up correctly with space for use, would occupy the center of the open area.
- The bedroom is designed as a walkthrough room. A sick or resting person will be disturbed by other activities.
- The bedroom faces a busy road.
- The bed is too narrow; even with actual widths of 180 or 200cm (71 or 79 inches), there will still be a chair in the way. It will be cramped.
- The bathroom door opens directly into the wet area in front of the shower.
- The vanity is positioned such that a person stands in their own shadow when using the light.
- The void space has no connection to the dining area and does not seem to have been properly planned. Instead, a section of the ceiling is simply omitted.
- Regarding the so-called tilt windows—if you mean roof windows—they don’t come in the specified dimensions and would likely be an expensive custom order.
- The doors are less than 90cm (35 inches) wide.
The kitchen is a dead-end, which some might appreciate, so no criticism there, but it’s worth mentioning. The same goes for the balcony: what is its purpose? How do you access it? But if someone really wants it, then they just spend money on it.
You are planning almost 57sqm (613 sq ft) of secondary and cellar replacement rooms in the living floors (excluding necessary hallways), and additionally, you plan for a cellar for crafts and hobbies.
Costs: 540,000€ for 180sqm (1,938 sq ft) of living space, plus a cellar costing between 120,000 and 150,000€,
Double garage 40,000€
Total around 700,000 to 750,000€
Plus ancillary construction costs plus paving.
I had shared my floor plan here back then and unfortunately was not advised that 10sqm (108 sq ft) more on the ground floor provides much more age-appropriate comfort and can make the upper level unnecessary if mobility becomes limited. So, in your case, the office downstairs is not suitable as a shared bedroom! Therefore, my advice is to plan for more space downstairs and less upstairs, leaving the guest room, office, and gym on the upper floor.
That aside:
The design has issues in many areas—literally—and makes the house difficult to navigate, the opposite of being barrier-free. It feels like the house is made up mostly of storage rooms and awkward corners without added value.
- The garage is located on the south side, blocking valuable windows for daylight, so it will get very dark in winter. If it has to be attached to the existing house, then the house itself should be shifted further back (west). If this is not possible due to the building permit/planning permission, consider creating a void space on the south side to allow light through, including appropriate windows.
- The airlock area next to the living room acts as a second hallway.
- The toilet is located in the dirty zone near the entrance door.
- The hallway on the upper floor has many corners, which either create dark spots or, when placing furniture like wardrobes, lead to narrow passages.
- The so-called gallery is cluttered with fitness equipment, which, if set up correctly with space for use, would occupy the center of the open area.
- The bedroom is designed as a walkthrough room. A sick or resting person will be disturbed by other activities.
- The bedroom faces a busy road.
- The bed is too narrow; even with actual widths of 180 or 200cm (71 or 79 inches), there will still be a chair in the way. It will be cramped.
- The bathroom door opens directly into the wet area in front of the shower.
- The vanity is positioned such that a person stands in their own shadow when using the light.
- The void space has no connection to the dining area and does not seem to have been properly planned. Instead, a section of the ceiling is simply omitted.
- Regarding the so-called tilt windows—if you mean roof windows—they don’t come in the specified dimensions and would likely be an expensive custom order.
- The doors are less than 90cm (35 inches) wide.
The kitchen is a dead-end, which some might appreciate, so no criticism there, but it’s worth mentioning. The same goes for the balcony: what is its purpose? How do you access it? But if someone really wants it, then they just spend money on it.
You are planning almost 57sqm (613 sq ft) of secondary and cellar replacement rooms in the living floors (excluding necessary hallways), and additionally, you plan for a cellar for crafts and hobbies.
Costs: 540,000€ for 180sqm (1,938 sq ft) of living space, plus a cellar costing between 120,000 and 150,000€,
Double garage 40,000€
Total around 700,000 to 750,000€
Plus ancillary construction costs plus paving.
The concern about the small rooms is valid. The currently small guest room (which you call an office) could indeed be significantly enlarged and combined with the narrow space next to the kitchen to create a large room, potentially a future bedroom.
All the things currently stored in the storage room between the garage and the living/dining area would then need to be moved to the basement, and that space could be used as a large utility room with a washer, dryer, and storage.
Regarding the location of the gallery: The preferred side with a nice view of greenery is unfortunately the west side. To the south, there is a 10-meter (33 feet) tall neighboring building and a long adjoining extension that is only 3 meters (10 feet) high on the adjoining side but has a 3-meter (10 feet) high fire wall on the boundary side. With south-facing windows, you would always be looking at a 6-meter (20 feet) high, windowless wall.
All the things currently stored in the storage room between the garage and the living/dining area would then need to be moved to the basement, and that space could be used as a large utility room with a washer, dryer, and storage.
Regarding the location of the gallery: The preferred side with a nice view of greenery is unfortunately the west side. To the south, there is a 10-meter (33 feet) tall neighboring building and a long adjoining extension that is only 3 meters (10 feet) high on the adjoining side but has a 3-meter (10 feet) high fire wall on the boundary side. With south-facing windows, you would always be looking at a 6-meter (20 feet) high, windowless wall.
Otherwise, I/we indeed have too many hobbies and too much stuff that has accumulated over the years.
What is shown as furniture in the floor plans (except for the kitchen and a few shelves plus the wardrobes in the dressing room) are all existing pieces of furniture (including a 1.60-meter (5 ft 3 in) bed) that we would like to keep.
Regarding the basement, a partial basement (covering about 50% of the floor area in the middle) would probably be sufficient (if it makes financial sense).
For the light on the south side of the upper floor, I would like to "capture" it with three roof windows.
What is shown as furniture in the floor plans (except for the kitchen and a few shelves plus the wardrobes in the dressing room) are all existing pieces of furniture (including a 1.60-meter (5 ft 3 in) bed) that we would like to keep.
Regarding the basement, a partial basement (covering about 50% of the floor area in the middle) would probably be sufficient (if it makes financial sense).
For the light on the south side of the upper floor, I would like to "capture" it with three roof windows.
ypg schrieb:
- The bathroom door opens directly into the wet area in front of the shower
- The washbasin is positioned so that the user stands in the light
How would you redesign the bathroom on the upper floor, given the window’s position facing the street?By the way, our current shower toilet is about 3 square meters (32 square feet), so the planned 5.6 square meters (60 square feet) for the guest bathroom on the ground floor already seemed quite spacious to me.
ypg schrieb:
- The garage is located on the south side and blocks valuable windows that provide daylight, so it will be very dark in winter. If the garage must be attached to the existing house, then the house itself should be moved further back (to the west). If this is not possible due to the building permit / planning permission, then the plan should include an open space directly on the south side to allow daylight to enter the house through appropriate windows.
This is what the existing property looks like, to which the double garage is to be attached.
Unfortunately, there are no nice views from the windows facing south or southeast.
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