ᐅ House Design on a 1,000 m² Sloped Plot: Reviewing Our Modern Single-Family Home Plan
Created on: 2 Dec 2025 19:14
U
Uwe-gss11
Hello everyone,
so ... starting over, and this time properly ;-)
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size
- approx. 1,000 sqm (10,764 sq ft)
Slope
- slight slope starting from the middle; drops about 1.5 m (5 ft), but should not be a problem for the house
Site occupancy index / Floor area ratio
- Buildable according to the building regulations of RLP, similar to neighboring buildings ... 2 houses nearby also have 2 full stories + 45° gable roof
Building window, building line, and boundary
- about 20 m (66 ft) from the street, 3 m (10 ft) boundary clearance
- boundary construction max. 12 m (39 ft) on one side, average wall height 3.2 m (10.5 ft), construction facing the street does not count as boundary construction ... only 50 cm (20 inches) distance must be kept from the sidewalk
- Plot width: 25.8 m (85 ft) - depth: approx. 38 m (125 ft)
Edge development
- no
Parking spaces
- Garage = 2 parking spaces, at least 4 more cars can fit in the driveway (for visitors, for example)
Number of floors
- 2 full stories
Roof type
- Gable roof with 45° pitch (= slight optimization for photovoltaic systems from autumn to spring ... summer gets plenty of sun anyway)
Architectural style
- simple but modern
Orientation
- South-southeast
Maximum heights / limits
- previous building (demolished) was 11.9 m (39 ft) high
Further requirements
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
- see above
Basement, floors
- no basement, 2 full stories + unfinished attic under the gable roof
Number of occupants, ages
- 2 adults in their mid to late 50s, 2 teenagers
Space requirements on ground and upper floors
- We currently live in an old building with large rooms ... it should not feel cramped ;-)
Office: family use or home office?
- Yes, "multipurpose room for office + guests"
Guest stays per year
- rare ... probably mainly used as office, or if one parent wants to "move abroad" for a while ;-)
Open or closed plan
- living, dining, and kitchen open; rest closed
Conservative or modern construction
- modern, whatever that means ;-)
Open kitchen, kitchen island
- Yes
Number of dining seats
- basically a table for 6 is enough but should be extendable for gatherings
Fireplace
- no
Music / stereo setup
- 2 floor-standing speakers next to the TV
Balcony, roof terrace
- terrace ... the one on the east is shaded in midsummer (= good), but the terrace also extends to the south ... we will see which becomes our "main terrace" once we live there
Garage, carport
- large garage with plenty of storage space (since we don’t have a basement)
Utility garden, greenhouse
- some space for growing things ... strawberries, mint, chives, rhubarb, tomatoes
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons for preferences or exclusions
- the "village main road" is to the north and relatively busy during peak hours. Therefore, all living areas face south
House Design
Who designed it:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Large, bright rooms with unobstructed views of greenery
What do you not like? Why?
- Overall it fits, but where/how does the living room door open onto the terrace ... we still don’t know where our main terrace will be.
- When I wasn’t sure how much space I needed, I preferred to have "a bit more" ... maybe it’s too big? ... honestly, I don’t know where to cut significantly ... okay, I could reduce 1 m (3 ft) in the south, but I don’t want the dining table and sofa directly at the glass wall. Upstairs this would be easier, but that one meter???
- I originally wanted the wardrobe directly between the front door and the door to the garage (on the exterior wall, where the guest WC is now). But a guest WC without daylight is probably not desirable.
Cost estimate from architect/designer:
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings:
- none yet ... but I’m relatively flexible
Preferred heating technology:
- waiting for the heating demand calculation ... ideally, at least 80% would be covered by controlled residential ventilation. For extremely cold days (if they still happen), more baking in the oven or other heating methods will be used ;-)
If you had to give up on any details or additions
- basically nothing ... we are only building once in life, and then it should fit.
Why was the design made this way?
Own design based on “gut feeling” about what we would like ... it has been in my mind for years.
PS: This is my second attempt here; the first one (under https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/unser-efh-aufm-land-4-personen.49842/) had too little information.
I have already adjusted the plan a bit here:
- The garage is less deep so that the technical room gets a window, and the supply / air for controlled residential ventilation can go directly outside.
- I have slightly redesigned the kitchen (dining table in the middle instead of at the bottom). This could save some space downstairs, but not much.
... I’m a bit clueless ... but maybe you can give me some suggestions. I will also talk to the planner again and ask a friendly architect for advice.
Okay, now “fire away” 😀
THANK YOU!
Uwe-gss11
so ... starting over, and this time properly ;-)
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size
- approx. 1,000 sqm (10,764 sq ft)
Slope
- slight slope starting from the middle; drops about 1.5 m (5 ft), but should not be a problem for the house
Site occupancy index / Floor area ratio
- Buildable according to the building regulations of RLP, similar to neighboring buildings ... 2 houses nearby also have 2 full stories + 45° gable roof
Building window, building line, and boundary
- about 20 m (66 ft) from the street, 3 m (10 ft) boundary clearance
- boundary construction max. 12 m (39 ft) on one side, average wall height 3.2 m (10.5 ft), construction facing the street does not count as boundary construction ... only 50 cm (20 inches) distance must be kept from the sidewalk
- Plot width: 25.8 m (85 ft) - depth: approx. 38 m (125 ft)
Edge development
- no
Parking spaces
- Garage = 2 parking spaces, at least 4 more cars can fit in the driveway (for visitors, for example)
Number of floors
- 2 full stories
Roof type
- Gable roof with 45° pitch (= slight optimization for photovoltaic systems from autumn to spring ... summer gets plenty of sun anyway)
Architectural style
- simple but modern
Orientation
- South-southeast
Maximum heights / limits
- previous building (demolished) was 11.9 m (39 ft) high
Further requirements
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
- see above
Basement, floors
- no basement, 2 full stories + unfinished attic under the gable roof
Number of occupants, ages
- 2 adults in their mid to late 50s, 2 teenagers
Space requirements on ground and upper floors
- We currently live in an old building with large rooms ... it should not feel cramped ;-)
Office: family use or home office?
- Yes, "multipurpose room for office + guests"
Guest stays per year
- rare ... probably mainly used as office, or if one parent wants to "move abroad" for a while ;-)
Open or closed plan
- living, dining, and kitchen open; rest closed
Conservative or modern construction
- modern, whatever that means ;-)
Open kitchen, kitchen island
- Yes
Number of dining seats
- basically a table for 6 is enough but should be extendable for gatherings
Fireplace
- no
Music / stereo setup
- 2 floor-standing speakers next to the TV
Balcony, roof terrace
- terrace ... the one on the east is shaded in midsummer (= good), but the terrace also extends to the south ... we will see which becomes our "main terrace" once we live there
Garage, carport
- large garage with plenty of storage space (since we don’t have a basement)
Utility garden, greenhouse
- some space for growing things ... strawberries, mint, chives, rhubarb, tomatoes
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons for preferences or exclusions
- the "village main road" is to the north and relatively busy during peak hours. Therefore, all living areas face south
House Design
Who designed it:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Large, bright rooms with unobstructed views of greenery
What do you not like? Why?
- Overall it fits, but where/how does the living room door open onto the terrace ... we still don’t know where our main terrace will be.
- When I wasn’t sure how much space I needed, I preferred to have "a bit more" ... maybe it’s too big? ... honestly, I don’t know where to cut significantly ... okay, I could reduce 1 m (3 ft) in the south, but I don’t want the dining table and sofa directly at the glass wall. Upstairs this would be easier, but that one meter???
- I originally wanted the wardrobe directly between the front door and the door to the garage (on the exterior wall, where the guest WC is now). But a guest WC without daylight is probably not desirable.
Cost estimate from architect/designer:
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings:
- none yet ... but I’m relatively flexible
Preferred heating technology:
- waiting for the heating demand calculation ... ideally, at least 80% would be covered by controlled residential ventilation. For extremely cold days (if they still happen), more baking in the oven or other heating methods will be used ;-)
If you had to give up on any details or additions
- basically nothing ... we are only building once in life, and then it should fit.
Why was the design made this way?
Own design based on “gut feeling” about what we would like ... it has been in my mind for years.
PS: This is my second attempt here; the first one (under https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/unser-efh-aufm-land-4-personen.49842/) had too little information.
I have already adjusted the plan a bit here:
- The garage is less deep so that the technical room gets a window, and the supply / air for controlled residential ventilation can go directly outside.
- I have slightly redesigned the kitchen (dining table in the middle instead of at the bottom). This could save some space downstairs, but not much.
... I’m a bit clueless ... but maybe you can give me some suggestions. I will also talk to the planner again and ask a friendly architect for advice.
Okay, now “fire away” 😀
THANK YOU!
Uwe-gss11
U
Uwe-gss118 Dec 2025 18:33Hello everyone,
First of all, thank you very much for the many suggestions... I have revised the plan a bit ;-)
Not much, but something... A professional ("interior" architect) will also review the plan in the next few days... but I still want to come up with my own ideas.
Children:
Our children are currently 11 and 13 years old. I hope they will stay with us for another 10 to 15 years... and I think "normal, spacious children's rooms" are still fine.
I briefly considered placing the children in the basement (due to the slight slope) as a kind of separate apartment. But they are still too "young" for that... I want to keep them close... and in a few years, have some control over late-night visits from friends 😀
General house layout:
As mentioned: Upstairs (to the north) is a fairly busy street during rush hours. Therefore, all living spaces are located on the ground floor.
The wall between the open-plan room and the hallway is load-bearing, and according to the planner, it makes sense to have the wall on the upper floor exactly above it. Yes, I know this means the corridor in front of the children's rooms and the parents’ bathroom is somewhat large... but I need this depth downstairs for the utility room and guest restroom... and the width results from the three bedrooms positioned side by side.
I am also thinking about the future… if someone ever needs a wheelchair, the bathrooms, corridors, and doors will be a bit wider.
In general:
I understand what some mean by "Tetris," but I find the clear north/south layout with a load-bearing wall in between actually "well structured"... better than many convoluted plans. Also, all the plumbing is grouped in the upper right corner on both floors.
What I changed:
Ground floor:
First of all, thank you very much for the many suggestions... I have revised the plan a bit ;-)
Not much, but something... A professional ("interior" architect) will also review the plan in the next few days... but I still want to come up with my own ideas.
Children:
Our children are currently 11 and 13 years old. I hope they will stay with us for another 10 to 15 years... and I think "normal, spacious children's rooms" are still fine.
I briefly considered placing the children in the basement (due to the slight slope) as a kind of separate apartment. But they are still too "young" for that... I want to keep them close... and in a few years, have some control over late-night visits from friends 😀
General house layout:
As mentioned: Upstairs (to the north) is a fairly busy street during rush hours. Therefore, all living spaces are located on the ground floor.
The wall between the open-plan room and the hallway is load-bearing, and according to the planner, it makes sense to have the wall on the upper floor exactly above it. Yes, I know this means the corridor in front of the children's rooms and the parents’ bathroom is somewhat large... but I need this depth downstairs for the utility room and guest restroom... and the width results from the three bedrooms positioned side by side.
I am also thinking about the future… if someone ever needs a wheelchair, the bathrooms, corridors, and doors will be a bit wider.
In general:
I understand what some mean by "Tetris," but I find the clear north/south layout with a load-bearing wall in between actually "well structured"... better than many convoluted plans. Also, all the plumbing is grouped in the upper right corner on both floors.
What I changed:
Ground floor:
- I made the utility/technical room wider. As a result, it now has a window and an exterior wall for access.
- This allowed me to place the guest restroom along the right exterior wall.
- The hallway is now less of a cornered space but more spacious and square.
- You can access the shoe bench directly from both the utility room and the front door, which keeps the dirt area small at the entrance.
- I rotated the kitchen/dining area by 90°, which could save about 1 meter (3 feet) in length downstairs.
- The living area is intentionally not oriented towards the TV. I sketched swivel chairs facing downwards... it would be silly to sit with your back to the beautiful view.
- The staircase has a short flight of about 1.8 meters (6 feet)... this was not previously clear.
- Bathrooms: - Of course, walk-in showers will be installed... I tried to illustrate this more clearly.
- Yes, the parent area has two doors in a row... usually, I don’t go straight through two doors into the bathroom but first to the dressing area, then into the bathroom... so it rarely happens that I use both doors consecutively... constructive suggestions for improvement are welcome.
- Of course, I could save a lot of space in the parent area by not having a walk-in closet and just placing the wardrobe on the wall next to the children’s room. That would save the whole "traffic area" between the wardrobes (about 5 square meters / 54 square feet)... but I want it to be somewhat separate.
- Also, on the upper floor, I could save about 1 meter (3 feet) downstairs... I might do that... or even have to, if the building depth is not approved.
- I will also consult a bathroom planner to ensure everything is done properly, and to find a useful solution for the "corner at the urinal."
Compared to the fundamental criticisms from posts 4, 5, and 6, practically nothing has changed.
What you call a load-bearing wall doesn’t seem relevant here, as it is probably incorrectly positioned within the house (spans at the bottom of the plan). All rooms are still unnecessarily large and uninspired, just big for the sake of big. You don’t need 32 sqm (344 sq ft) to design a master bedroom with a walk-in closet.
No, no matter where you want to place it, it is still not recognizable. Or rather, just because you mark 180 cm (71 inches) upstairs somehow doesn’t make for a sensible staircase that is properly considered in the ground floor office. It’s quite unclear why the staircase in such a large house is squeezed into a corner at all. For
it is also not very practical. Given the house size, an area should be planned where a home lift could be installed later on. So, a ceiling opening should already be considered, etc.
It is still not clear how the integration into the plot works exactly, including the location of terraces, etc. Overall, how will all of this work regarding
This will be a massive roof, and due to the staircase position, you cannot even ensure convenient access by simply continuing the staircase. That won’t work because of the roof (headroom clearance).
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
The wall (between the open space and hallway) is load-bearing
What you call a load-bearing wall doesn’t seem relevant here, as it is probably incorrectly positioned within the house (spans at the bottom of the plan). All rooms are still unnecessarily large and uninspired, just big for the sake of big. You don’t need 32 sqm (344 sq ft) to design a master bedroom with a walk-in closet.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
The staircase has a short leg of 1.8m ... this wasn’t clear before
No, no matter where you want to place it, it is still not recognizable. Or rather, just because you mark 180 cm (71 inches) upstairs somehow doesn’t make for a sensible staircase that is properly considered in the ground floor office. It’s quite unclear why the staircase in such a large house is squeezed into a corner at all. For
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
And I’m also thinking about “later” ... if someone ever needs a wheelchair, the bathroom/hallways/doors should be somewhat wider.
it is also not very practical. Given the house size, an area should be planned where a home lift could be installed later on. So, a ceiling opening should already be considered, etc.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
Slope
- slight gradient from the middle; drops approx. 1.5 m, but should not affect the house
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
Building area, building line, and boundary
- approx. 20 m from the street, 3 m boundary setback
It is still not clear how the integration into the plot works exactly, including the location of terraces, etc. Overall, how will all of this work regarding
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
Roof shape
- gable roof with 45° pitch
This will be a massive roof, and due to the staircase position, you cannot even ensure convenient access by simply continuing the staircase. That won’t work because of the roof (headroom clearance).
U
Uwe-gss118 Dec 2025 19:40Why should the staircase not be correct? ... just because I didn’t draw it “professionally”?
My planning tool can’t do better. But here is the corresponding graphic.
And what is wrong with placing the staircase there? I don’t want a staircase in the middle of the house, where rooms would face north (where the staircase is now) ... the stairwell should face the street.
Of course, I could make everything smaller ... but do I want to? ... do I have to?
The option for a home lift would also be taken into account.
My planning tool can’t do better. But here is the corresponding graphic.
And what is wrong with placing the staircase there? I don’t want a staircase in the middle of the house, where rooms would face north (where the staircase is now) ... the stairwell should face the street.
Of course, I could make everything smaller ... but do I want to? ... do I have to?
The option for a home lift would also be taken into account.
N
nordanney8 Dec 2025 20:17Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
I have reworked the plan a bit ;-) No, you really haven’t.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
The wall (between the living area and hallway) is load-bearing, And what does the planner say? Does he want to design the 13 x 7 m (43 x 23 ft) ceiling? Beams? Have the load-bearing wall made of solid concrete to carry the loads? Support columns? A 30 cm (12 inch) thick slab with lots of reinforcement? Pre-stressed concrete slab?
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
A professional (“interior” architect) is also going to review the plan in the next few days Skip the interior architect. Forget your plan. Just go to the architect with your plot, your wishes, and your family life, and tell them you want a great house for about one million. Then look forward to an excellent property.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
And I’m also thinking about “later”… in case someone needs a wheelchair, the bathroom/hallways/doors are a bit wider. No, a) you shouldn’t plan for that now and b) I don’t see anything here. The frail person (in a wheelchair) will have to go upstairs every time they use the toilet. You can’t use the WC downstairs. Upstairs, at best, the master bathroom. The second one is no good for that.
My personal opinion: The same (very expensive) mess as before.
U
Uwe-gss118 Dec 2025 20:52Guys, you’re really getting on my nerves!
Instead of giving helpful advice, you’re commenting in a condescending way;
I run a very large sports forum myself. There, people get help ... and no one talks down to others in a rude way.
Yes, I can afford the space ... apparently that causes envy ... end of story!
Instead of giving helpful advice, you’re commenting in a condescending way;
I run a very large sports forum myself. There, people get help ... and no one talks down to others in a rude way.
Yes, I can afford the space ... apparently that causes envy ... end of story!
N
nordanney8 Dec 2025 21:03Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
Yes, I can afford the space ... probably causing some envy ... period!No, why would we be envious? Many here don’t feel the need because we could afford it ourselves.But apparently, you can’t accept fundamental criticism. No one here is insulting or condescending.
If you want to build such a poorly executed house, go ahead. But for the same money, you can get a much better-quality house (not quantity). Especially with that budget, you can have an expert design a great house without having to calculate every cent carefully.
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