ᐅ Floor Plan Discussion / Single-Family Home on a Narrow Lot with Northeast Orientation
Created on: 16 Jan 2025 07:05
Z
Zitronenwalter
Hello everyone,
I came across this forum while working on our floor plan and looking for experience reports from potentially suitable home builders.
Since there are already detailed and technically knowledgeable discussions here, I would like to present our proposed floor plan for discussion. The plot is located in a new development area, with neighboring buildings from the older stock to the southwest.
Overall, we are quite satisfied with the design in terms of maximizing the use of the plot. However, we are somewhat uncertain about the orientation and size of the windows in the living-dining area (is the glazing sufficient, or will it be too dark in winter?), as well as the location of the main terrace (will it be shaded in the mornings during summer and extremely hot in the evenings?).
We welcome your opinions on the floor plan/layout, especially regarding our “pain points” or anything else you notice (both positive and negative).
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,382 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site occupancy index (floor area ratio): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio: 2
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries
Edge development: none
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: classic/modern
Orientation: SW/NE
Maximum heights/restrictions: see cross-sections
Additional requirements: roof overhang 0.5 m (20 inches)
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: classic/modern, gable roof with minimal pitch preferred, single-family house
Basement, floors: basement, 2 full stories
Number of residents, ages: 5 (37, 37, 5, 3, 0)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors: 3 children’s bedrooms
Office: family use on the ground floor, home office in the basement
Guest overnight stays per year: approximately 10
Open or closed layout: open
Conservative or modern construction: conservative-modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island
Fireplace: no
Music/sound wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/particulars/day schedule, and reasons for any inclusions or exclusions: none to mention
House Design
Who planned the design: architect, fine-tuning by us
What do you particularly like? Why?:
Short and direct routes (e.g., kitchen to dining, kitchen to terrace, garage to entrance). Efficient use of space and plot. Clear separation between living and entrance/mudroom areas. All bedrooms on one level with the option to create a simple gallery for the children later.
What do you dislike? Why?:
Uncertainty about the orientation of the living corner with the TV and the wall by the staircase. Does this block off the living-dining area too much from the south? Unfortunately, I have no idea how to change this without drastically disrupting the entire floor plan.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approximately €700,000 (house including ancillary costs, excluding garage)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: (€700,000)
Preferred heating technology: heat pump/underfloor heating
If you had to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you do without:
-cannot do without:
Why did the design turn out this way? For example:
Which wishes were fulfilled by the architect? Large living-dining area with lift-and-slide door, as much garden space as possible, double garage or carport
I came across this forum while working on our floor plan and looking for experience reports from potentially suitable home builders.
Since there are already detailed and technically knowledgeable discussions here, I would like to present our proposed floor plan for discussion. The plot is located in a new development area, with neighboring buildings from the older stock to the southwest.
Overall, we are quite satisfied with the design in terms of maximizing the use of the plot. However, we are somewhat uncertain about the orientation and size of the windows in the living-dining area (is the glazing sufficient, or will it be too dark in winter?), as well as the location of the main terrace (will it be shaded in the mornings during summer and extremely hot in the evenings?).
We welcome your opinions on the floor plan/layout, especially regarding our “pain points” or anything else you notice (both positive and negative).
Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,382 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site occupancy index (floor area ratio): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio: 2
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries
Edge development: none
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: classic/modern
Orientation: SW/NE
Maximum heights/restrictions: see cross-sections
Additional requirements: roof overhang 0.5 m (20 inches)
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: classic/modern, gable roof with minimal pitch preferred, single-family house
Basement, floors: basement, 2 full stories
Number of residents, ages: 5 (37, 37, 5, 3, 0)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors: 3 children’s bedrooms
Office: family use on the ground floor, home office in the basement
Guest overnight stays per year: approximately 10
Open or closed layout: open
Conservative or modern construction: conservative-modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island
Fireplace: no
Music/sound wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/particulars/day schedule, and reasons for any inclusions or exclusions: none to mention
House Design
Who planned the design: architect, fine-tuning by us
What do you particularly like? Why?:
Short and direct routes (e.g., kitchen to dining, kitchen to terrace, garage to entrance). Efficient use of space and plot. Clear separation between living and entrance/mudroom areas. All bedrooms on one level with the option to create a simple gallery for the children later.
What do you dislike? Why?:
Uncertainty about the orientation of the living corner with the TV and the wall by the staircase. Does this block off the living-dining area too much from the south? Unfortunately, I have no idea how to change this without drastically disrupting the entire floor plan.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approximately €700,000 (house including ancillary costs, excluding garage)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: (€700,000)
Preferred heating technology: heat pump/underfloor heating
If you had to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you do without:
-cannot do without:
Why did the design turn out this way? For example:
Which wishes were fulfilled by the architect? Large living-dining area with lift-and-slide door, as much garden space as possible, double garage or carport
Zitronenwalter schrieb:
(Fishing, bicycles that should not be stored in the garage) I assume you mean some secondary bikes or bicycles that are currently not in use due to the children’s ages. The daily-use bikes are planned for the garage as indicated. Otherwise, storing bikes in the basement—especially without an external entrance—seems like a bad idea to me.
By the way, the exterior dimension of the garage being "only" 6 meters (20 feet) stands out. To fit bicycles in a corner there, you’d need to drive really short cars.
On the ground floor, I think there is enough storage space.
There is a sufficiently sized wardrobe area, the pantry (storage room) for supplies as well as for mops/vacuums, etc.
The window seat with storage underneath (although it might still make sense to design it at seating height for the table).
I would also plan the kitchen peninsula with a depth of 120 cm (47 inches). Thanks to the three-part kitchen layout (counter run, peninsula, tall cabinet block), you can create a lot of easily accessible storage.
As for the rest (which I don’t see as much), anything else that might traditionally be stored in that area should first be checked for necessity (decluttering) and otherwise, suitable storage should be arranged in the basement. This should be well organized from the start.
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12 square meters (130 square feet) for a home office is absolutely sufficient.
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Arauki11 schrieb:
I understand that people like being outdoors, fishing, etc., but the main goal is to provide suitable space for five adults. I find the planned space quite appropriate. Each person basically has a place to withdraw from the common living area (3 children’s rooms, 1 home office in the basement with sufficient light, 1 guest room on the ground floor), while the living area allows for communal time. The house has roughly 160 square meters (1,722 square feet) of living space on the ground and upper floors combined.
If you move the definitely necessary basement functions to the upper floors and create even more storage there, you’re going to lose additional floor area.
W
wiltshire17 Jan 2025 11:37Zitronenwalter schrieb:
I’m hoping for a “quieter spot” than on the ground floor. A soundproof door helps reduce noise, but it won’t prevent constant disruptions like “Mom or Dad” suddenly bursting through the door.
Zitronenwalter schrieb:
Home office on the ground floor: It’s great that you see it as multifunctional. I bet this will become the preferred workspace.
Zitronenwalter schrieb:
The second level in the children’s rooms is intended as a potential sleeping area for later. I already thought it might be a bit tight. What really matters is having some sort of fall protection and an ergonomically suitable way to get up there. The children will learn how to avoid bumping their heads.
Zitronenwalter schrieb:
Completely moving the pantry out of the ground floor would offer a bit more space, but then there wouldn’t be room for the “open appliances.” For the pantry layout, a sliding door behind the countertop leading into the pantry could work. The countertop would simply continue into the pantry, creating additional usable work depth if needed. In the past, there used to be a “pass-through” between the kitchen and dining room. This could be seen as a “work pass-through” from the kitchen to the pantry. It doesn’t have to be expensive – simple, movable, easy-to-clean colored glass panels are perfectly sufficient.
Zitronenwalter schrieb:
Do you have any other ideas for extra storage? Cutlery drawers integrated into the dining table – depending on the country or cultural background.
ypg schrieb:
What is a bicycle doing in the basement? Stored securely, used on a trainer for winter training, or for modifications.
ypg schrieb:
What is a bicycle doing in the basement?We (a family of four) have 4 bikes in the garage (currently in use) and 6 bikes in the basement (road, gravel bikes, and children’s sizes waiting for second use).
I understand that people have different preferences and lifestyles, so my opinion is just that—an opinion. I personally have no problem having a basement under my house, as I had one in my old house and have even lived in basement apartments a few times in my life.
I considered the floor plan here generally successful, which is not often the case, and if the original poster requested a basement from the architect, the remaining space has been used very well.
Nevertheless—and this is where I’ll leave my comments—the basement here is essentially being built into an almost flat plot of land, which will lead to considerable additional costs. At least one, preferably two or three, “light wells” will slightly reduce the size of the plot but will also create extra landscaping expenses.
Of course, it is sufficient; I myself have lived in significantly smaller spaces for a long time and was not unhappy. There are also uses for a basement, but just over 40 square meters (430 square feet) of open space is not large—at least not compared to what is mostly built here. I am no longer comfortable in basement rooms, so personally, I would never want to work down there.
I calculate a lower square footage.
Ultimately, I’m just trying to illustrate a different way to prioritize living space versus basement. If this were a sloped site, I would see it differently, as the costs would be significantly lower.
There are people here with experience, so I would be interested to hear about the additional costs involved with excavation and digging in such a situation.
I considered the floor plan here generally successful, which is not often the case, and if the original poster requested a basement from the architect, the remaining space has been used very well.
Nevertheless—and this is where I’ll leave my comments—the basement here is essentially being built into an almost flat plot of land, which will lead to considerable additional costs. At least one, preferably two or three, “light wells” will slightly reduce the size of the plot but will also create extra landscaping expenses.
kbt09 schrieb:
I find the planned rooms quite adequate. Everyone basically has a place to retreat from the common living area (3x children’s rooms, 1x study in the basement with enough light, 1x guest room on the ground floor), and people can stay together in the main living area.
Of course, it is sufficient; I myself have lived in significantly smaller spaces for a long time and was not unhappy. There are also uses for a basement, but just over 40 square meters (430 square feet) of open space is not large—at least not compared to what is mostly built here. I am no longer comfortable in basement rooms, so personally, I would never want to work down there.
kbt09 schrieb:
The house has approximately 160 square meters (1,720 square feet) of living space on the ground and upper floors combined.
I calculate a lower square footage.
Ultimately, I’m just trying to illustrate a different way to prioritize living space versus basement. If this were a sloped site, I would see it differently, as the costs would be significantly lower.
There are people here with experience, so I would be interested to hear about the additional costs involved with excavation and digging in such a situation.
No square meters are printed for the staircase area on the floor plans, and I think that’s missing when you add up the individual values. So I end up with about 142.5 sqm (1534 sq ft) of printed values plus twice the area of the stairwell. The original poster even mentions 165 ... but that doesn’t quite add up. The internal floor area excluding the external walls is around 163 sqm (1755 sq ft) for the two floors.
But in the end, it doesn’t really matter. What caught my eye on closer inspection is that the living room window by the drawn-in seating area looks like a typical “basement strip” window. I would replace that with a window having a sill height of about 90 cm (35 inches). It might cause glare on the TV during winter daytime, but the TV shouldn’t be that important, and shutters or blinds can always be used.
You can’t move every hobby workshop into a carport or garage extension. Especially if it’s a hobby mainly done in winter, the space should be heated.
And I wouldn’t want a study room in a real basement, but with a light well facing south, it should work. Alternatively, there is the suggestion from wiltshire.
The garden isn’t that huge anyway. For example, I’m not keen on adding a garden shed here and something else to store over there. The basement seems more logical to me.
I also like the low roof pitch. With the orientation on the lot, it’s not too bad for solar panels, even though there isn’t a pure south-facing roof side.
But in the end, it doesn’t really matter. What caught my eye on closer inspection is that the living room window by the drawn-in seating area looks like a typical “basement strip” window. I would replace that with a window having a sill height of about 90 cm (35 inches). It might cause glare on the TV during winter daytime, but the TV shouldn’t be that important, and shutters or blinds can always be used.
You can’t move every hobby workshop into a carport or garage extension. Especially if it’s a hobby mainly done in winter, the space should be heated.
And I wouldn’t want a study room in a real basement, but with a light well facing south, it should work. Alternatively, there is the suggestion from wiltshire.
The garden isn’t that huge anyway. For example, I’m not keen on adding a garden shed here and something else to store over there. The basement seems more logical to me.
I also like the low roof pitch. With the orientation on the lot, it’s not too bad for solar panels, even though there isn’t a pure south-facing roof side.
kbt09 schrieb:
The original poster mentions 165 somewhere... but that doesn’t quite fit. The usable interior area excluding the exterior walls is about 163 sqm (1754 sq ft) across the two floors.Perhaps @Zitronenwalter can clarify this for us. I understand it as the plan WITHOUT a basement having these 165 sqm (1776 sq ft).Zitronenwalter schrieb:
We also drafted a plan without a basement. For us, it’s more of an emergency solution with 165 sqm (1776 sq ft).Similar topics