ᐅ Two-story single-family house without a basement, with an outbuilding and driveway on the south side
Created on: 12 Jan 2025 21:11
L
leinoel
Hello! Happy New Year to you all!
My husband and I recently purchased a plot of land and are currently busy planning how our house should look. I have already read several forum posts and have been able to take away a few tips – many thanks for that!
We are now gathering initial quotes to roughly estimate whether our current plans are completely off, within budget, or if we might even be able to plan a bit more generously. We aimed for a compact design but still allowed for a bit of luxury – at least on paper. We would appreciate feedback on our plan – both positive and negative comments are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1000m2 (10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no, flat plot
Site coverage ratio: no restrictions
Floor area ratio: no restrictions
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: street side 3–5 m (10–16 ft), 3 m (10 ft) on both left and right sides, rear building boundary about 30 m (98 ft) – so plenty of space
Edge development – what does this mean? Open construction method is required; neighbors are at least 3 m (10 ft) from the property boundary
Number of parking spaces: 2 cars
Number of storeys: no requirements; we want 2 above-ground storeys but no basement (due to high groundwater level)
Roof type: pitched roof is mandatory; our idea is shown in the elevations (maximum roof area facing south for photovoltaic panels). Whether this makes sense cost-wise will depend on the quotes. Otherwise, it will be a traditional gable roof with the ridge running parallel to the street
Architectural style: Bauhaus or modern country house style (we like the combination of plaster and wood)
Orientation: garden to the northeast, street to the southwest
Maximum heights/limits: maximum building height at the building line 7 m (23 ft), maximum ridge height 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: modern country house style, pitched roof, two storeys without basement
Basement, storeys: no basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people, 37 years, 33 years, 4 years, 1 year
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor: living-dining-kitchen area, home office/guest room, bathroom, utility room, cloakroom; Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry/storage room
Office use: family use or home office? Home office twice a week, sleeping accommodation for parents-in-law
Guest stays per year: 3–4 weeks
Open or closed layout: living areas on the ground floor open but preferably with the option to install a sliding door later when the children are older and visitors come, in order to have some privacy
Conservative or modern construction: open to both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: absolutely open to the dining room; a kitchen island would be my wish but takes a lot of space ... might end up as a peninsula instead
Number of dining seats: 4 people, but should have space for up to 15 people for events like Christmas or birthdays – it’s fine if an additional large table is placed in the living room and the sofa moved temporarily
Fireplace: YES
Music/stereo wall: not a must
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: yes, carport in the front building setback; behind that, a garage as a basement substitute room plus a room for a sauna (alternatively, placing the sauna inside the main building is also fine, but we didn’t manage that in our planning; the sauna should measure at least 2 m x 2 m (6.5 ft x 6.5 ft))
Utility garden, greenhouse: no greenhouse, but a few fruit trees are already on the plot; we want to add native perennials and small vegetable beds to be cultivated with the children
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons for why certain things should or should not be included: we want at least one living room to have a view of the garden – so to the north. Therefore, the living rooms are arranged in an L-shape. The other two living rooms should face the street (south). This street has very little traffic and currently a nice undeveloped view (it is farmed). The toilet on the upper floor should be a separate room. Maximizing afternoon sunlight in the living rooms would be desirable (appropriate sun protection for the hot period is planned).
House Design
Who designed the plan:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? I especially like our plot because it is so quiet, and we are already looking forward to sleeping with open windows in summer. I like the – compared to our current home – large bathroom where, hopefully, people won’t bump into each other brushing their teeth and where there is still space for a laundry hamper. The kitchen next to the dining area is also very important to us. We don’t have that now, and it can be a challenge with the children.
What do you not like? Why? The entrance area – I’m not sure whether there will be enough space for our clothes. Also, perhaps it would be practical to have a direct connection from the garage into the house. I also worry that the long corridor between the buildings might be too dark.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: we are currently waiting for this
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €600,000 (about 600,000), but we would prefer to target €500,000 (about 500,000)
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (deep drilling or horizontal collector)
If you have to give up on details/extensions
- can you do without: lift-and-slide door (a hinged door is also fine), straight staircase, kitchen island, staircase from living room to upper floor
- cannot do without: guest room, garden view from at least one living room, bathroom on the ground floor, separate toilet on the upper floor
Why is the design the way it is?
We conducted a needs analysis and arranged the rooms according to cardinal directions (lighting is important to me — it will also be important later). After many pencil sketches and moving paper furniture around, this design finally emerged. This is the first one I haven’t completely reworked after just a few days. Let’s see if it stays that way 😀
My husband and I recently purchased a plot of land and are currently busy planning how our house should look. I have already read several forum posts and have been able to take away a few tips – many thanks for that!
We are now gathering initial quotes to roughly estimate whether our current plans are completely off, within budget, or if we might even be able to plan a bit more generously. We aimed for a compact design but still allowed for a bit of luxury – at least on paper. We would appreciate feedback on our plan – both positive and negative comments are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1000m2 (10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no, flat plot
Site coverage ratio: no restrictions
Floor area ratio: no restrictions
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: street side 3–5 m (10–16 ft), 3 m (10 ft) on both left and right sides, rear building boundary about 30 m (98 ft) – so plenty of space
Edge development – what does this mean? Open construction method is required; neighbors are at least 3 m (10 ft) from the property boundary
Number of parking spaces: 2 cars
Number of storeys: no requirements; we want 2 above-ground storeys but no basement (due to high groundwater level)
Roof type: pitched roof is mandatory; our idea is shown in the elevations (maximum roof area facing south for photovoltaic panels). Whether this makes sense cost-wise will depend on the quotes. Otherwise, it will be a traditional gable roof with the ridge running parallel to the street
Architectural style: Bauhaus or modern country house style (we like the combination of plaster and wood)
Orientation: garden to the northeast, street to the southwest
Maximum heights/limits: maximum building height at the building line 7 m (23 ft), maximum ridge height 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: modern country house style, pitched roof, two storeys without basement
Basement, storeys: no basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people, 37 years, 33 years, 4 years, 1 year
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor: living-dining-kitchen area, home office/guest room, bathroom, utility room, cloakroom; Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry/storage room
Office use: family use or home office? Home office twice a week, sleeping accommodation for parents-in-law
Guest stays per year: 3–4 weeks
Open or closed layout: living areas on the ground floor open but preferably with the option to install a sliding door later when the children are older and visitors come, in order to have some privacy
Conservative or modern construction: open to both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: absolutely open to the dining room; a kitchen island would be my wish but takes a lot of space ... might end up as a peninsula instead
Number of dining seats: 4 people, but should have space for up to 15 people for events like Christmas or birthdays – it’s fine if an additional large table is placed in the living room and the sofa moved temporarily
Fireplace: YES
Music/stereo wall: not a must
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: yes, carport in the front building setback; behind that, a garage as a basement substitute room plus a room for a sauna (alternatively, placing the sauna inside the main building is also fine, but we didn’t manage that in our planning; the sauna should measure at least 2 m x 2 m (6.5 ft x 6.5 ft))
Utility garden, greenhouse: no greenhouse, but a few fruit trees are already on the plot; we want to add native perennials and small vegetable beds to be cultivated with the children
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons for why certain things should or should not be included: we want at least one living room to have a view of the garden – so to the north. Therefore, the living rooms are arranged in an L-shape. The other two living rooms should face the street (south). This street has very little traffic and currently a nice undeveloped view (it is farmed). The toilet on the upper floor should be a separate room. Maximizing afternoon sunlight in the living rooms would be desirable (appropriate sun protection for the hot period is planned).
House Design
Who designed the plan:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why? I especially like our plot because it is so quiet, and we are already looking forward to sleeping with open windows in summer. I like the – compared to our current home – large bathroom where, hopefully, people won’t bump into each other brushing their teeth and where there is still space for a laundry hamper. The kitchen next to the dining area is also very important to us. We don’t have that now, and it can be a challenge with the children.
What do you not like? Why? The entrance area – I’m not sure whether there will be enough space for our clothes. Also, perhaps it would be practical to have a direct connection from the garage into the house. I also worry that the long corridor between the buildings might be too dark.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: we are currently waiting for this
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €600,000 (about 600,000), but we would prefer to target €500,000 (about 500,000)
Preferred heating technology: geothermal (deep drilling or horizontal collector)
If you have to give up on details/extensions
- can you do without: lift-and-slide door (a hinged door is also fine), straight staircase, kitchen island, staircase from living room to upper floor
- cannot do without: guest room, garden view from at least one living room, bathroom on the ground floor, separate toilet on the upper floor
Why is the design the way it is?
We conducted a needs analysis and arranged the rooms according to cardinal directions (lighting is important to me — it will also be important later). After many pencil sketches and moving paper furniture around, this design finally emerged. This is the first one I haven’t completely reworked after just a few days. Let’s see if it stays that way 😀
wiltshire schrieb:
The purpose can be questioned. A fireplace produces radiant heat, which feels very different from the warming of the air through the underfloor heating surface. This, along with the coziness, is where I see the benefit. I would rather “sacrifice” the TV than the fireplace. Everyone has their own preferences. We would never give up our fireplace; its regular use for heating was even a key factor in our building project.
In combination with a technically slow-responding underfloor heating system, I think it’s something to evaluate individually to see how well it might work for me. For me, it always felt too warm, and I sometimes had to basically cool down the room to avoid overheating.
Basically, though (without underfloor heating), my recommendation would always be: go for the fireplace! Maybe I’m wrong or can only speak from my personal experience with underfloor heating.
Regarding the other planning ideas, an old saying from our former construction manager comes to mind: In summer, people plan huge windows and terraces, and in winter, huge heating systems and even space for the Christmas tree. The season during which planning takes place definitely influences the planned house.
The idea of the recessed staircase that @wiltshire mentioned sounds interesting and it would be really great to see it visualized in a drawing.
Arauki11 schrieb:
Basically, it can be a purchased or self-built garden shed. I once had one (a modular system with numbered wooden parts) that I even bought secondhand and placed on a concrete slab. I then added a storage room for garden tools on the back, all done with simple but functional means. In Scandinavia, simplicity is more common, whereas here it is sometimes done more expensively.
Our previous sauna in the basement was comfortable and nice, but you need an appropriate room around it because you don’t want to see a workbench or shelves when leaving the sauna, but rather a pleasant atmosphere. Nature provides that by itself; the chill afterwards is a different matter. Heating it is not a problem and is done the same way as inside the house. I would also prefer to have it close to the house because nobody wants to walk half the neighborhood in a towel or be seen by neighbors, especially when you have to go through wet grass or rain. Snow would at least be romantic.
Our plan for the current house was similar, to connect the sauna to the carport. But for various reasons, it didn’t end up as a sauna but as a spacious storage room, and instead, we installed a luxurious hot tub in the garden.
Electrically, it’s no problem; you just need the appropriate power cable at the location.
Today, I might do it differently, but for understanding, here are 2 pictures. It was for a holiday apartment and was supposed to be built with inexpensive (roof battens) but still neat-looking materials. Great, thanks – that looks like a very appealing solution.
Arauki11 schrieb:
I had overlooked that and thought the entire structure was planned as a carport. Maybe this plan will become clearer due to construction costs, or do you absolutely need a fully enclosed, masonry room for that? I’m not sure if the position of the sun alone can resolve this, but for me, the benefits of a garage would be too dominant regarding the impact on my house. The garage would primarily serve as a basement replacement space; I seriously doubt a car will ever be parked there – it would be used for storing things normally kept in a basement plus a workbench. We will probably need the space. The size is admittedly estimated, but I don’t think it’s far off reality: ski equipment, children’s clothes, toys, tools, gardening supplies, bikes/scooters, ice skates, car tires, camping gear. That takes up quite a bit of room.
Arauki11 schrieb:
I don’t like the layout with the staircase there/access from the hallway/living room/fireplace, but that’s just my personal opinion.
Originally, we also really wanted a straight staircase… for whatever reason. In the end, we chose the one that fit best in terms of shape for our rooms, and it turned out to be a different one, but a particularly nice design. A straight staircase does come with complications if it’s set as a fixed requirement. I believe the less attractive or limited solution in the open plan living space comes from that. Just because you have a narrow staircase now doesn’t mean it has to stay that way or be avoided by a certain shape; our staircase is definitely not narrow but also not straight. Thanks for your honest feedback, we will take another look at it – let’s see what comes out of it.
wiltshire schrieb:
I have also considered the staircase. If maximum soundproofing is not a top priority for you, the straight staircase can be built as a walk-in cupboard and slightly shifted towards the "north." This would enlarge the study, benefit the children's rooms upstairs, while the other rooms become a bit narrower. Instead of a narrow corridor, you would simply walk past the open kitchen. Combining the two traffic routes—the hallway and the passage from the kitchen to the dining room—can create more usable space. Just a conceptual idea. The straight staircase looks nice as well. We simply placed it along the wall without any hallway. This takes up minimal space—but we have already moved the children out. Good input – I need to take a closer look at it. I’m still not quite sure where the staircase should go. I’ll try to sketch it out over the next few days. I need a break from planning today anyway. Sounds like a good option overall.
ypg schrieb:
Quick question: which federal state does OE stand for?The federal state would be Lower Austria, but only OE was available as an option.Similar topics