Hello fellow homebuilders,
My developer, in my opinion, has done a pretty good job of implementing our ideas and wishes, and I would appreciate your opinions and suggestions for improvement, as I’m not a natural architect.
First, some details and wishes we have so far:
- Detached house with a granny flat (for the parents, and later for renting out). Main unit approximately 160 sqm (1720 sq ft), granny flat 55 sqm (590 sq ft)
- No basement, but storage space under the stairs on the ground floor, under the roof, a larger garage, and a garden shed
- The development plan allows for 2 full floors (roof pitch probably up to 28 degrees), so it’s a hipped roof
- Built solidly with 36 cm (14 inches) T9 bricks
- KfW 70 energy standard
- Heating: gas condensing boiler
- Underfloor heating
- Orientation of the house: not shown on the floor plan, but north is at the top, south at the bottom 🙂 so the conservatory faces west
- We definitely wanted a walk-in closet and a master bathroom in the bedroom
We struggled a bit with the layout of the living room/kitchen on the ground floor of the main unit. We think the arrangement is okay overall, but I feel the living room is a bit small? What do you think?
Note: On the north wall of the living room, we removed the window from the floor plan. The photo still shows it included—please don’t be confused!
We tried to plan the window sizes considering the north/south orientation (it’s often recommended to have fewer windows facing north and more facing south to reduce heat and energy loss).
The bathroom in the granny flat is a bit out of place compared to the other bathrooms; ideally, all bathrooms would be more or less stacked vertically, right? Is that a problem? The developer says no, but I suspect that might increase costs accordingly.
What do you think about the current plan? Any suggestions for improvements?
Oh, and the total cost for the whole house will be around 320,000 EUR.
Thanks in advance for your active feedback 🙂
Karismasen
My developer, in my opinion, has done a pretty good job of implementing our ideas and wishes, and I would appreciate your opinions and suggestions for improvement, as I’m not a natural architect.
First, some details and wishes we have so far:
- Detached house with a granny flat (for the parents, and later for renting out). Main unit approximately 160 sqm (1720 sq ft), granny flat 55 sqm (590 sq ft)
- No basement, but storage space under the stairs on the ground floor, under the roof, a larger garage, and a garden shed
- The development plan allows for 2 full floors (roof pitch probably up to 28 degrees), so it’s a hipped roof
- Built solidly with 36 cm (14 inches) T9 bricks
- KfW 70 energy standard
- Heating: gas condensing boiler
- Underfloor heating
- Orientation of the house: not shown on the floor plan, but north is at the top, south at the bottom 🙂 so the conservatory faces west
- We definitely wanted a walk-in closet and a master bathroom in the bedroom
We struggled a bit with the layout of the living room/kitchen on the ground floor of the main unit. We think the arrangement is okay overall, but I feel the living room is a bit small? What do you think?
Note: On the north wall of the living room, we removed the window from the floor plan. The photo still shows it included—please don’t be confused!
We tried to plan the window sizes considering the north/south orientation (it’s often recommended to have fewer windows facing north and more facing south to reduce heat and energy loss).
The bathroom in the granny flat is a bit out of place compared to the other bathrooms; ideally, all bathrooms would be more or less stacked vertically, right? Is that a problem? The developer says no, but I suspect that might increase costs accordingly.
What do you think about the current plan? Any suggestions for improvements?
Oh, and the total cost for the whole house will be around 320,000 EUR.
Thanks in advance for your active feedback 🙂
Karismasen
K
karismasen10 Sep 2014 00:06First of all, thank you for the feedback.
I have considered the following changes:
It confirms some of my concerns.
As I already mentioned, I find the living room too small, and that is what bothers me the most. But how can this be changed without extending the entire building shell by 2 meters (6.5 feet) or making the granny flat even smaller?
I also considered extending the "bay window" by 2 meters (6.5 feet) instead of having a conservatory, which seems like a more acceptable solution. That would give us an additional 8 square meters (86 square feet). Is that enough? And a terrace could be added on the roof, although I consider that unnecessary since there is already a terrace and garden 3 meters (10 feet) below.
Access to the terrace is unfortunately only through the conservatory and kitchen. Instead of a hinged door, a sliding door will be installed to avoid interference with the chairs.
The sofa will be placed against the wall, no longer positioned freely in the room. The TV will then be in the center of the room. I have thought about installing a 1.5-meter-high (5 feet) wall for the TV. The purpose of this wall is basically to act as a room divider and to hide the unsightly back of the TV.
I want the large hallway upstairs as it is—welcoming and not overwhelming (there is already enough of that downstairs). I also think there is little room to move walls around.
The utility room should accommodate all the technical equipment; if necessary, the washing machine can go into the main bathroom.
We have additional storage options under the roof for seasonal clothing and items not currently in use, etc. We could also plan the storage room from the granny flat into the main apartment on the ground floor. However, then the granny flat would have no storage options.
I have considered the following changes:
It confirms some of my concerns.
As I already mentioned, I find the living room too small, and that is what bothers me the most. But how can this be changed without extending the entire building shell by 2 meters (6.5 feet) or making the granny flat even smaller?
I also considered extending the "bay window" by 2 meters (6.5 feet) instead of having a conservatory, which seems like a more acceptable solution. That would give us an additional 8 square meters (86 square feet). Is that enough? And a terrace could be added on the roof, although I consider that unnecessary since there is already a terrace and garden 3 meters (10 feet) below.
Access to the terrace is unfortunately only through the conservatory and kitchen. Instead of a hinged door, a sliding door will be installed to avoid interference with the chairs.
The sofa will be placed against the wall, no longer positioned freely in the room. The TV will then be in the center of the room. I have thought about installing a 1.5-meter-high (5 feet) wall for the TV. The purpose of this wall is basically to act as a room divider and to hide the unsightly back of the TV.
I want the large hallway upstairs as it is—welcoming and not overwhelming (there is already enough of that downstairs). I also think there is little room to move walls around.
The utility room should accommodate all the technical equipment; if necessary, the washing machine can go into the main bathroom.
We have additional storage options under the roof for seasonal clothing and items not currently in use, etc. We could also plan the storage room from the granny flat into the main apartment on the ground floor. However, then the granny flat would have no storage options.
K
karismasen10 Sep 2014 00:10Oh, and swap the kitchen and living area in the granny flat! BUT then the cooking fumes would be in the middle of the room and wouldn’t ventilate as well as by a window!?
Your initial idea is already good.
In my opinion, the storage room in the granny flat is unnecessary – I would convert it into a dedicated utility room.
I also like the idea of swapping the kitchen and dining area in the granny flat. This allows for a nice L-shaped kitchen and compensates for the lost storage space. The cooking fumes aren’t really an issue either. They will spread just as well (or poorly) through the patio door, and you’ll have them throughout the entire apartment anyway if you don’t have an external vent. A window alone won’t be enough.
Instead of a conservatory, I would extend the bay window from the kitchen area all the way through to the end of the living room. This way, you get a living room of nearly 34m2 (365 sq ft) with completely different furnishing possibilities. Rather than a balcony, I would just put a roof on it – we have done the same.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to have technical installations on the upper floor. Electricity, water, gas meters, technicians, chimney sweeps would all have to go through the entire private area of the house.
And as I mentioned before: I would definitely swap the laundry room and the children’s bathroom upstairs – it just makes sense with your floor plan.
In my opinion, the storage room in the granny flat is unnecessary – I would convert it into a dedicated utility room.
I also like the idea of swapping the kitchen and dining area in the granny flat. This allows for a nice L-shaped kitchen and compensates for the lost storage space. The cooking fumes aren’t really an issue either. They will spread just as well (or poorly) through the patio door, and you’ll have them throughout the entire apartment anyway if you don’t have an external vent. A window alone won’t be enough.
Instead of a conservatory, I would extend the bay window from the kitchen area all the way through to the end of the living room. This way, you get a living room of nearly 34m2 (365 sq ft) with completely different furnishing possibilities. Rather than a balcony, I would just put a roof on it – we have done the same.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to have technical installations on the upper floor. Electricity, water, gas meters, technicians, chimney sweeps would all have to go through the entire private area of the house.
And as I mentioned before: I would definitely swap the laundry room and the children’s bathroom upstairs – it just makes sense with your floor plan.
B
Bauherren201410 Sep 2014 08:08I would actually start over from scratch.
The living room is too small or difficult to furnish (and I actually find the living room/kitchen combination in the granny flat even worse), the terrace is only accessible through the conservatory, etc... I think there are just too many compromises.
So again my question: Why so many corners and edges in the building shape? With a rectangular building shape, you might be able to achieve much more and fix the “problem areas” that still exist now.
And another thing about the upstairs hallway: Do you actually have such a large hallway? Our hallway on the upper floor is 7 square meters (75 square feet) – it’s spacious and, want to know something? Actually, it’s almost too big! And where do you spend more time, upstairs or downstairs? What good is the “inviting” situation upstairs if everything downstairs is awkward and problematic?
The living room is too small or difficult to furnish (and I actually find the living room/kitchen combination in the granny flat even worse), the terrace is only accessible through the conservatory, etc... I think there are just too many compromises.
So again my question: Why so many corners and edges in the building shape? With a rectangular building shape, you might be able to achieve much more and fix the “problem areas” that still exist now.
And another thing about the upstairs hallway: Do you actually have such a large hallway? Our hallway on the upper floor is 7 square meters (75 square feet) – it’s spacious and, want to know something? Actually, it’s almost too big! And where do you spend more time, upstairs or downstairs? What good is the “inviting” situation upstairs if everything downstairs is awkward and problematic?
I have to agree with Bauherren2014 on this. With this house, you would be making far too many compromises. I wouldn’t want to put myself through that in my own home, especially since you end up living in it for many years.
Who actually sees the "large, welcoming" upstairs hallway? Your children’s friends! And they really couldn’t care less! I find a spacious, inviting entrance area much more important. When guests arrive, you all walk in single file down the entire (long) hallway. They can only take off their coats just before entering the living room. It’s simply a long, dark corridor. To me, that doesn’t feel welcoming at all.
No, I wouldn’t want to put myself through a house with such a complicated layout.
Who actually sees the "large, welcoming" upstairs hallway? Your children’s friends! And they really couldn’t care less! I find a spacious, inviting entrance area much more important. When guests arrive, you all walk in single file down the entire (long) hallway. They can only take off their coats just before entering the living room. It’s simply a long, dark corridor. To me, that doesn’t feel welcoming at all.
No, I wouldn’t want to put myself through a house with such a complicated layout.
K
karismasen10 Sep 2014 10:58I like the idea of the bay window extending along the entire wall.
In terms of cost, it probably wouldn’t make much difference since a conservatory is quite expensive, right?
I don’t understand the concern that the entrance area might be too dark. We do have windows by the staircase, so there should be enough natural light there, shouldn’t there?
In terms of cost, it probably wouldn’t make much difference since a conservatory is quite expensive, right?
I don’t understand the concern that the entrance area might be too dark. We do have windows by the staircase, so there should be enough natural light there, shouldn’t there?
Similar topics