ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home with Garage and Roof Terrace

GeraldG schrieb:

Ideally, position the sink and cooktop so that when using them, you face a "pleasant view" (usually the garden or living room).

haydee schrieb:

Our architect, a father of three, on the topic of a kids’ bathroom: “Do they like cleaning so much that they pay for it?” At first, the kids are too small, and the bathroom just collects dust for years. Then they use it for maybe 3 or 4 years, and then they move out.

RomeoZwo schrieb:

I wouldn’t want to miss our kids’ bathroom. But it has turned into the dad’s bathroom.
The girls (big and small) use the main bathroom, and dad has his peace and quiet in the adjacent (shower) bathroom.

Papierturm schrieb:

First, some thoughts on the floor plan, in no particular order.

Ground floor:
When entering, you have to be careful not to hit the front door against the wall. This will often be a problem in everyday life.
Either there will be no sidelights next to the door, making the hallway quite dark,
or there won’t be space for a conveniently accessible light switch, which then would have to be behind the door.
Simply reversing the door is also a poor solution because then it would swing into the wardrobe.

The pantry has two entrances. This means, very expensive space is used purely as circulation area. About one-third of the pantry area is unusable space, just a “corridor.”

The utility room is very large, with a lot of empty space in the middle—more than actually needed.

How will the space under the stairs be used?

My suggestions:
- Make the technical/utility room smaller to create a brighter hallway.
- Use the space under the stairs for storage.
- Rethink the entire layout of the guest WC, pantry, and kitchen. A lot of space is spent here on planning that mostly turns into circulation space in the pantry.

Upper floor:
- Access to the rooftop garage terrace through the bathroom is inconvenient.
- In daily life: you get up, go to the bathroom, return past the bed to the wardrobe area, then back to the bathroom... This will wake most sleeping partners.
- The bedroom has a large “dance floor” in the dressing area.
- You have to really like a shower around 2.3m (7.5 ft) deep.
...
To pause here:
I consider the upper floor to be poorly planned in terms of traffic flow, usable space, and everyday functionality. I would completely redesign it. Access to the roof terrace should be via the landing; rooms should be planned from there and sensibly reduced in size. A 23m² (248 sq ft) bedroom and 15m² (161 sq ft) master bathroom are such luxuries that there is room to create proper circulation zones and perhaps even add a small office or guest room with a few tweaks.

A neutral question: Are there specific reasons for choosing timber frame construction? And for the particular facade combination?

Guest WC: Ours is only slightly larger and includes a shower. It’s a question of room proportions and door positions.
Office: Either rooms get smaller, converted or reshaped (e.g., changes to the pantry, which would require significant replanning), or the house has to be significantly larger. I would try, as mentioned above, to place the office on the upper floor.

Heat pump: Air-to-water heat pump? Air-to-air heat pump? Ground source?
Smart home features are also a cost factor.

Laundry area: In the utility room. This room can be made smaller while still providing enough space.
Entry area will be dark anyway (see above), it depends on the hallway design.
Children’s bathroom: I find a second shower useful. Unsure if a separate children’s bathroom is necessary.

Fundamentally, to respond to some of the questions:
Purely from an optimization perspective regarding budget and everyday usability, I see several opportunities for improvement.

I would:
- Enlarge the ground floor bathroom, including the shower.
- Remove the children’s bathroom.
- Redesign the upper floor room plan as mentioned above; in doing so, make the master bathroom accessible for children too.
- Provide access to the roof terrace for everyone.
- If the pantry is necessary, make it fully enclosed and square-shaped (the angled corner only causes unnecessary circulation space).
- At the same time, see if the hallway can be widened enough to allow a sidelight next to the door and a suitable position for light switches.
- Integrate a storage room under the stairs.

ypg schrieb:

Hello, the windows in the stairwell do not fit. They are drawn incorrectly.

But then the whole plan doesn’t actually fit on the plot?!
The entire structure including the garage is just under 22 meters (72 feet) wide. Depending on the state, you have to maintain a setback distance of 2.5 or 3 meters (8 ft 2 in or 9 ft 10 in). (The higher the building, the greater the distance, as required by some state building codes.)
Taking the smallest value of 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in) in the west, the garage becomes a boundary building and for fire safety reasons may not have any windows or a roof terrace facing the neighbor’s property on its side.

How should we imagine this? Parcel 24/2 is the driveway to the multi-story building?

Is the nice view towards the green meadow or across the street? The seating window facing north also suggests a view to the north?
Honestly, I don’t understand (roof terrace aside) why the house is not oriented to the east towards the green meadow, with a window front there.

Let me put it this way: You are placing the house across the plot. In my view, this has exactly the opposite effect of spaciousness. Yes, you get more garden space at the back of the property. But the plot is already large anyway. Large doesn’t automatically mean spacious if the rest is very tight. On the west side, almost no plot is left. And the sun comes around this side, so this is where one would want to gather somehow.
The short side of the house faces east without a view of the unique meadow. You’re surely not going to stand on the elevated, cold east-facing roof terrace in autumn or winter to enjoy the view. In my opinion, that seating window should be there.

The (only) four linear meters (13 feet) of windows can also be placed on the gable side.

Yes.

With a dryer inside and/or outside. Cold weather dries very well. If needed, you can use the garage.

In my opinion, a simple garage does not go together with a roof terrace.

Oh dear. Technically that causes extra costs. Also, I’m just saying "simple garage." But if I were you, I’d consider why 190 square meters (2,045 square feet) is not enough and why you want to outsource the technical room, because you can’t fit the usual number of rooms in this huge area!
There are families of four here who manage well with 140 square meters (1,507 square feet). I believe @roteweste has 150 square meters (1,615 square feet) with three children.

That doesn’t matter. There can also be more people.

Regarding the design: Personally, I would orient the house lengthwise on the plot so you can open it more to the east.
Garage, if the budget allows, goes in the northwest.
I find the hallway area too large, and also the pantry. The pantry loses 2 square meters (22 square feet) due to the door to the corridor. Then there is this long wall you have to go around to get to the kitchen. For example, make a door directly into the kitchen, then the guest toilet gains space. I know no one who prefers to reach the kitchen through the pantry.

The open-plan area is a good size, also the kitchen, although I must say this “G” shape feels more cramped than spacious. In terms of area though, it’s fine!
The bedroom is very impractical: The partner who is already asleep (or still awake) is disturbed not only by light but also by the sliding bathroom doors. Also, a walk-in closet should be placed in front so that the bedroom is not a passageway.
For four people, I find a separate children’s bathroom unnecessary.

€15,000 for paving a 6-meter (20 feet) driveway, the long side of the house and the terrace will probably not be enough for your standards.
Additional building costs of about €50,000 as well as the garage still need to be deducted.
Whether you find a general contractor who will allow electrical and roofing work is questionable. Earthworks should not be a problem.

Plan a standard room layout with normal sizes on 160 square meters (1,722 square feet), then you are financially safe. This can include an office, technical room, walk-in closet, and pantry.
The facade is not to my taste. Somehow too plain. It should be seen with real materials. Brick cladding is inexpensive and at the top

...I forgot, it was my first thought: A stretcher from the ambulance cannot turn the corner at 1.8 meters (6 feet) wide.
We have an open passage of 2 meters (6 ft 7 in), but not the entrance in the passage. We have white plaster, so it’s bright, but, as mentioned, no roof cover. For things like a ladder or moving furniture, it is too narrow in the long term. Also for strangers or families who meet or wait in front of the entrance. Also, crates of drinks or strollers have to be turned around the corner sometimes. It’s not a nice setup.

Nauer schrieb:

Hi,

Many specific points have been raised already—and it seems even more questions than originally planned have come up. This is meant as a compliment: you’re thinking about many details, but at the moment you are getting caught up in floor space issues in some areas and still missing key improvements regarding circulation and everyday functionality.

The floor plan on the upper level is particularly impractical—excessively long walking distances, a huge footprint, and still no real flexibility for an office/guest room or a convincing concept for private and shared spaces. Having the bedroom act as a central hub between the bathroom and dressing room is always controversial for those planning. At the same time, the children’s bathroom will likely remain unused for a long time, reducing flexibility and future usability.

Regarding the decision to forgo a basement: have you thoroughly reconsidered storage space and room for technical equipment in everyday use? The garage, as shown, is hardly suitable as a substitute—especially if an outdoor toilet is planned there. Are you aware of the additional effort and costs involved if more complex waterproofing and hygiene regulations are required for sanitary facilities integrated into the garage? Combined with the roof terrace, this is quite a challenge.

The size you’ve planned for the utility/technical room—has this been confirmed by the HVAC company taking into account all installations and maintenance clearances? Photovoltaics, ventilation system, heat pump, storage tanks, possibly central water softening, IT—all easily accessible? This is often underestimated, and then bicycles and e-scooters end up stored in front of it.

I’d really recommend not being discouraged by the criticism of the ground floor layout and room connections, but instead to ask yourself deliberately: Could you reduce circulation areas by cleverly rearranging kitchen/pantry/hallway to a practical size, possibly even gain an extra room, and create a bright, open entrance? Try experimenting with design software freely—and at the same time check if the pantry might suffice as a simple storage space, so that instead of two entrances you could gain a more practical single access.

By the way, I would coordinate the technical equipment questions (type of heat pump, sensible room layout including the utility room, etc.) closely with the respective manufacturers/installers before proceeding with design. There are significant differences from state to state regarding what installation areas are approved.

Honestly: all these rooms and spaces won’t serve you any better day to day than an unused children’s bathroom or roof terrace if the zoning and brightness on the ground floor aren’t right. Maybe start prioritizing without regard to the current layout: What will still be important to you in 10 years? What has simply become standard in houses around you? And have you already considered how to make the most of the beautiful view to the east while still creating a welcoming south-facing ground floor?

Good luck!