ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home with Garage and Roof Terrace
Created on: 8 Oct 2025 20:00
L
leah1003
Hello everyone,
We are a young couple (26 and 28 years old) currently planning to build our single-family home. Two children are planned for the future. We have already purchased the suitable plot – it is located on the edge of a field in a small village, so it is a very quiet location.
At the moment, we are about to commit to a construction company that will handle both the building permit (planning permission) and most of the construction as general contractor. However, we would like to carry out some trades as self-performed work.
We designed the floor plan together with a friend who is studying for a Master’s degree in architecture. So far, these are still draft drawings, which we now want to turn into permit-ready plans. However, we have reached a point where we feel “stuck” – we literally can’t see the forest for the trees. Unfortunately, we don’t like the floor plan 100%, some rooms are missing, and we are unsure how to proceed.
Therefore, we would appreciate any input, ideas, or suggestions for improvements – but first, here is an overview following the question checklist:
Plot & Development
Our Preferences & Requirements
Building Style & Construction
Rooms & Layout Concept
Building Services (planned)
Special Features & Current Challenges
What we like about the draft:
We were uncertain for a long time whether the gable or the eaves should face the field. The current plan has the eaves facing the field – this seems more generous towards the garden. We are open to opinions on this!
What currently bothers us:
Garage idea:
Budget & Self-performed Work
What could we possibly do without?
What we do not want to give up:
About the development of the draft
Our main question(s) to you:
Final summary
We are trying to create a modern, well-thought-out, and suitable home for our needs – with a realistic budget and self-performed work where it makes sense. It is important to us that the house is special but not excessive or “over the top.”
We look forward to any feedback – whether on room layout, building services, facade design, roof terrace, or details.
Thank you very much in advance!
We are a young couple (26 and 28 years old) currently planning to build our single-family home. Two children are planned for the future. We have already purchased the suitable plot – it is located on the edge of a field in a small village, so it is a very quiet location.
At the moment, we are about to commit to a construction company that will handle both the building permit (planning permission) and most of the construction as general contractor. However, we would like to carry out some trades as self-performed work.
We designed the floor plan together with a friend who is studying for a Master’s degree in architecture. So far, these are still draft drawings, which we now want to turn into permit-ready plans. However, we have reached a point where we feel “stuck” – we literally can’t see the forest for the trees. Unfortunately, we don’t like the floor plan 100%, some rooms are missing, and we are unsure how to proceed.
Therefore, we would appreciate any input, ideas, or suggestions for improvements – but first, here is an overview following the question checklist:
Plot & Development
- Size: approx. 1,600 m² (17,220 sq ft)
- Dimensions: approx. 26 m (85 ft) wide × 60 m (197 ft) deep
- Topography: flat plot, no slope
- Location: edge of field in a small village
- Neighboring buildings:
- Northwest: Residential complex with two full stories + converted attic
- Northeast: large open meadow
- Development plan: none
- Requirements from building pre-application (preliminary enquiry):
- No explicit restrictions
- Recommendation to build towards the front (street side)
Our Preferences & Requirements
Building Style & Construction
- Two full stories
- Attic space used for storage
- Gable roof
- Timber frame construction
- Facade: combination of wood cladding and brickwork
- Style: modern, “clean”, clear lines – rather simple than ornate
- Basement: not planned
Rooms & Layout Concept
- Kitchen:
- Open, but separable with glass sliding door
- Pantry directly adjacent to the kitchen, ideally integrated into the kitchen cabinet front
- Dining/Living area:
- Open and spacious
- Dining table for 6 people, extendable to 10–12 people
- Master area:
- Bedroom with direct access to walk-in closet and separate bathroom
- Children’s rooms:
- Two equivalent children’s bedrooms
- Bathrooms:
- Children’s bathroom on upper floor
- Guest toilet on ground floor, ideally with shower
- Office/guest room (currently not included in the draft)
- Utility room:
- For washing, drying, and hanging laundry
- Technical room:
- Housing building services, possibly integrated into garage
- Garage:
- Simple design
- Technical room + separate toilet as an “external WC” can be integrated (as an idea, not yet part of the plan)
- Roof terrace over the garage desired (to enjoy unobstructed views of the sunset and the field)
Building Services (planned)
- Heat pump
- Photovoltaic system
- Ventilation system
- Smart home technology
- KfW-40 standard (energy efficiency standard)
Special Features & Current Challenges
What we like about the draft:
- Good orientation of rooms according to cardinal directions
- Simple, modern design without bay windows or building projections
- Long side of the house facing the garden = more openness to the south
We were uncertain for a long time whether the gable or the eaves should face the field. The current plan has the eaves facing the field – this seems more generous towards the garden. We are open to opinions on this!
What currently bothers us:
- The office/guest room is completely missing
- The laundry area is not ideally planned yet – e.g., where exactly do we dry clothes in winter?
- Covered entrance area – but will it be too dark there?
- Children’s bathroom vs. office/laundry room: We are considering giving up the separate children’s bathroom to instead integrate the office or laundry/ironing room there. On the ground floor, the guest toilet could be made slightly larger and include a shower – in case mornings get busy or guests want to shower on the ground floor.
Garage idea:
- Relatively simple garage, only the technical room should be insulated and have a concrete floor slab
- The rest of the garage could remain paved and uninsulated
- Roof terrace on the garage with views over the fields – our heartfelt wish
Budget & Self-performed Work
- Total house cost including garage: €550,000–600,000 (without landscaping)
- Self-performed work:
- Earthworks
- Roofing
- Flooring
- Electrical work
- Painting
- Landscaping: currently approx. €15,000 planned for basic paving
- Overall budget including fixtures: €650,000–700,000
What could we possibly do without?
- If necessary, we could do without the separate children’s bathroom – although of course that would reduce comfort.
- Instead, a larger guest toilet with shower on the ground floor, and use the upper floor room as laundry space.
What we do not want to give up:
- Generous, well-equipped kitchen – we love cooking.
- The roof terrace on the garage – the view is really unique and very important to us.
About the development of the draft
- Currently, we are probably on the fourth draft
- Originally, the house was larger and had a gallery and open staircase – but that was not affordable
- The garage was initially attached directly to the house – now it is detached with a covered walkway
Our main question(s) to you:
- Do you have any ideas on how to integrate the missing office without losing the spaciousness of the design?
- Could the covered entrance become too dark?
- What do you think about orienting the eaves side to the field instead of the gable?
- Are there sensible alternatives for better positioning the laundry/drying area?
- Do you see ways to better tailor the room program to our needs without exceeding the budget?
Final summary
We are trying to create a modern, well-thought-out, and suitable home for our needs – with a realistic budget and self-performed work where it makes sense. It is important to us that the house is special but not excessive or “over the top.”
We look forward to any feedback – whether on room layout, building services, facade design, roof terrace, or details.
Thank you very much in advance!
Papierturm12 Oct 2025 17:31I won’t respond in chronological order, but rather where things come to mind first:
Basically, I like brick cladding. And I’m actually glad that the zoning plan / building permit has already made that decision for us. Unfortunately, that means I have some experience that I wish I didn’t have.
However, there are at least three things to consider here.
1. Choosing a supplier for post-and-beam construction becomes more difficult: many suppliers have no experience with brick cladding and, if at all, only offer brick slips (thin brick tiles). Several suppliers don’t deduct the full “cost” for a plaster facade if you install the brick cladding yourself. I had various offers last year that only discounted between 20–25€/m² (about 1.9–2.3 USD/sq ft). Realistically, the discount should have been significantly higher. Also, many suppliers only accept their “certified brick slip panels”; if you don’t like the appearance, you have to switch to a cavity wall with a full brick outer layer, which means wider walls.
2. As of 2024, I’ve received quotes for brick cladding starting at 180€/m² (about 16.7 USD/sq ft). These are substantial costs. (Brick slips and full brick cladding were priced similarly.)
In addition, there are extra house costs with full brick cladding, such as a larger foundation, bigger roof, and thicker sheathing, since the anchors are only certified from 60mm (about 2.4 inches) thickness upwards.
3. Many contractors were reluctant to take on brick cladding on prefab houses. In the end, I only found a few. Sure, they exist, but it was quite challenging. We finally chose a company that is quite active in brick cladding for prefabricated houses.
Also, if I recall correctly, there was mention of an additional wooden cladding.
One of the biggest advantages of brick cladding is that it’s extremely low-maintenance. A wooden cladding, in contrast, requires quite a bit of upkeep, depending on the type.
As said, I love brick cladding, but you should be aware of the pros and cons.
And it will probably run more smoothly with solid construction.
Absolutely. The bedroom should be left and not crossed afterward. Everything else doesn’t work very well in daily life.
You identified the problem well, but the solution is not ideal.
As mentioned before, I would completely redesign that. And if nothing else works, I’d add a separate access to the kitchen instead of routing through the pantry.
This again depends on the building services.
Air-to-water heat pump, split unit: a suitably shaped 10–11 m² (108–118 sq ft) space should work.
Air-to-water heat pump, monoblock: it might be tight.
People are strange. I suspect that, if built as planned, almost everyone would use the bathroom route rather than coming from outside.
I can’t really judge whether the roof terrace idea will work well—that’s not my strength. But in terms of routing, most will probably go through the house.
leah1003 schrieb:
We find post-and-beam construction more attractive, efficient, and sustainable as a building method, and we also have a professional connection to wood, so we feel a sense of affinity with it. As for the facade, I think that’s a matter of taste; we don’t like plaster facades at all. It also wouldn’t fit the small village, where almost every house is clad with brick.
Basically, I like brick cladding. And I’m actually glad that the zoning plan / building permit has already made that decision for us. Unfortunately, that means I have some experience that I wish I didn’t have.
However, there are at least three things to consider here.
1. Choosing a supplier for post-and-beam construction becomes more difficult: many suppliers have no experience with brick cladding and, if at all, only offer brick slips (thin brick tiles). Several suppliers don’t deduct the full “cost” for a plaster facade if you install the brick cladding yourself. I had various offers last year that only discounted between 20–25€/m² (about 1.9–2.3 USD/sq ft). Realistically, the discount should have been significantly higher. Also, many suppliers only accept their “certified brick slip panels”; if you don’t like the appearance, you have to switch to a cavity wall with a full brick outer layer, which means wider walls.
2. As of 2024, I’ve received quotes for brick cladding starting at 180€/m² (about 16.7 USD/sq ft). These are substantial costs. (Brick slips and full brick cladding were priced similarly.)
In addition, there are extra house costs with full brick cladding, such as a larger foundation, bigger roof, and thicker sheathing, since the anchors are only certified from 60mm (about 2.4 inches) thickness upwards.
3. Many contractors were reluctant to take on brick cladding on prefab houses. In the end, I only found a few. Sure, they exist, but it was quite challenging. We finally chose a company that is quite active in brick cladding for prefabricated houses.
Also, if I recall correctly, there was mention of an additional wooden cladding.
One of the biggest advantages of brick cladding is that it’s extremely low-maintenance. A wooden cladding, in contrast, requires quite a bit of upkeep, depending on the type.
As said, I love brick cladding, but you should be aware of the pros and cons.
And it will probably run more smoothly with solid construction.
leah1003 schrieb:
The walking distance in the master bedroom is a good point—so maybe a layout like bedroom -> walk-in closet -> bathroom makes more sense?
Absolutely. The bedroom should be left and not crossed afterward. Everything else doesn’t work very well in daily life.
leah1003 schrieb:
Hello,
Thank you very much for the detailed reply! I really appreciated it—I’ll try to respond now:
Originally, we hadn’t considered access to the pantry. The idea came up because we thought about having to carry groceries around the whole loop via the hallway, living room, and kitchen to unload. With direct access, you could quickly put the bags in there.
You identified the problem well, but the solution is not ideal.
As mentioned before, I would completely redesign that. And if nothing else works, I’d add a separate access to the kitchen instead of routing through the pantry.
The utility room could probably be designed smaller—maybe 10 m² (about 108 sq ft) would suffice. This room needs to accommodate the building services and preferably also two drying racks for laundry.
This again depends on the building services.
Air-to-water heat pump, split unit: a suitably shaped 10–11 m² (108–118 sq ft) space should work.
Air-to-water heat pump, monoblock: it might be tight.
We also thought about the access from the upper floor to the roof terrace for a long time. There will also be access from outside via an external staircase. We thought that if you’re sitting on the terrace upstairs, you’d have a quick way to the toilet.
People are strange. I suspect that, if built as planned, almost everyone would use the bathroom route rather than coming from outside.
I can’t really judge whether the roof terrace idea will work well—that’s not my strength. But in terms of routing, most will probably go through the house.
T
Teimo198812 Oct 2025 18:55I am probably one of the few owners of a roof terrace here, although my situation is a bit different. Our approximately 70 sqm (750 sq ft) roof terrace was created by adding an extension on the ground floor. The roof terrace now sits on top of the extension as well as an existing garage.
The roof terrace serves as a garden substitute for the living unit on the upper floor. This works quite well.
In a single-family house, this wouldn’t make much sense in my opinion. Usually, you want direct access to the terrace from the kitchen. Carrying everything through the whole house… well, you have to want that. Of course, you could install an outdoor kitchen or something similar. If it’s just about the view, I would consider other options (balcony, panoramic windows, etc.) since a roof terrace can be quite expensive.
For example, in our case, sealing, insulation including slope, water drainage, as well as a parapet surrounding three sides, cost around 30,000 Euros. No flooring or anything else is included in that price. Of course, insulation over a garage can be less extensive than in our case, where there is living space underneath, but it’s something to keep in mind.
The roof terrace serves as a garden substitute for the living unit on the upper floor. This works quite well.
In a single-family house, this wouldn’t make much sense in my opinion. Usually, you want direct access to the terrace from the kitchen. Carrying everything through the whole house… well, you have to want that. Of course, you could install an outdoor kitchen or something similar. If it’s just about the view, I would consider other options (balcony, panoramic windows, etc.) since a roof terrace can be quite expensive.
For example, in our case, sealing, insulation including slope, water drainage, as well as a parapet surrounding three sides, cost around 30,000 Euros. No flooring or anything else is included in that price. Of course, insulation over a garage can be less extensive than in our case, where there is living space underneath, but it’s something to keep in mind.
M
motorradsilke12 Oct 2025 19:30We once had a roof terrace. It was separate from the house, located on top of one of the garages. Very simply constructed, with boards on a slatted substructure, no railing. My eldest son wanted it back then. He and his friends often sat up there. And we did too. We would just take a tray with food and drinks upstairs. From there, there was a nice view over the fields including the sunset, which I don’t have from the garden. My son hasn’t lived at home for many years, and the garage with the terrace no longer exists either. Sometimes I do miss it though.
So I don’t think the idea is that bad.
So I don’t think the idea is that bad.
Papierturm schrieb:
1. Choosing a supplier is more difficult with timber frame construction: many suppliers have no experience with brick veneer, and if they do, they often only offer thin brick slips. [...] Furthermore, some suppliers accept only their "certified thin brick panels"; if the appearance is not satisfactory, you have to switch to a double-layer brick veneer. This means thicker walls. [...]
3. Many contractors have been reluctant to take on brick veneer for prefabricated houses. A brick veneer facade using a brick masonry shell is typically laid in a running bond pattern and requires ties for stability, which are best embedded in the mortar joints of the structural masonry shell (which is naturally not possible with timber frame panels). Thin brick slips, on the other hand, are installed almost like tiles; therefore, this option is the most suitable choice here. In panelized wall construction—sometimes hybrid, partly prefabricated and partly built on-site—the wall assembly including brick veneer and its installation forms a system whose quality cannot be assured if split between different parties. It is unrealistic to expect that the home manufacturer certifies every type of facing brick; this would be prohibitively expensive. Dividing the outer wall “shell” work between the house manufacturer and separate subcontractors for the veneer is clearly a solution I do not recommend.
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Regarding brick veneer in combination with wood frame construction:
Yes, it was definitely more challenging – however, we found a building company experienced with this issue that also offers subsequent trades for installing the brick veneer. The wall structure seemed well thought out and practical. We will not use a separate installation method, and we were advised that, according to the building company, there is no experience with applying brick slips on wood fiber insulation boards, so the brick slips are generally applied on a render base.
Yes, it was definitely more challenging – however, we found a building company experienced with this issue that also offers subsequent trades for installing the brick veneer. The wall structure seemed well thought out and practical. We will not use a separate installation method, and we were advised that, according to the building company, there is no experience with applying brick slips on wood fiber insulation boards, so the brick slips are generally applied on a render base.
leah1003 schrieb:
Yes, that was definitely more challenging – however, we found a construction company that dealt with the issue and also offers follow-up trades for the brick cladding. [...] We won’t do a separate execution. So, the contractor is a carpentry company and wants to create something that the late provider Gussek Haus called a “hybrid wall” (“shell” wall manufactured in the workshop and cladding applied on site) (? )
leah1003 schrieb:
The wall build-up seemed well thought-out and reasonable to me. No, as I said, quite the opposite: inherently problematic by design.
leah1003 schrieb:
And regarding brick slips, we were informed that the construction company has no experience applying them to the wood fiber insulation board, so essentially the execution is brick slips on a render carrier. I would also not recommend brick cladding on wood fiber insulation (or render carrier) boards. I advise you to decide between your preference for a brick facade or for timber frame construction (which in my opinion is only equally good but – except for individual cases – has no advantage). But starting from the facade cladding to build your house is like putting the cart before the horse. Aviate, navigate, communicate – the makeup comes after the outfit, and the crown last.
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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