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
You have received a lot of constructive criticism here, but you are so fixed on and convinced about your floor plan orientation/layout that even @hanghaus2023 or @ypg don’t bother to consider alternative floor plans at the moment.
Moreover, there are still no answers regarding the exact site conditions (I remind you of the 1.5 m (5 feet) slope), so the ideas about how the building fits into the plot are also missing.
And again about the staircase – I understand how it looks, but you have not taken its shape into account at all on the ground floor. (And it is also unclear where a possible home lift would be placed.) Given the size and the intended roof design, the staircase’s position is still far from ideal. Unfortunately, you lack the basic technical understanding, which can already be seen from the floor plan. The same applies to the spans on the ground floor, which @nordanney also pointed out again.
10 to 15 years is still a very long time. I don’t find the rooms, their location, or their possibilities very attractive for that period. And which basement would be the alternative… or do you mean your ground floor?
Rooms over 6 meters (20 feet) deep with windows on only one side are not great either 😉.
Moreover, there are still no answers regarding the exact site conditions (I remind you of the 1.5 m (5 feet) slope), so the ideas about how the building fits into the plot are also missing.
And again about the staircase – I understand how it looks, but you have not taken its shape into account at all on the ground floor. (And it is also unclear where a possible home lift would be placed.) Given the size and the intended roof design, the staircase’s position is still far from ideal. Unfortunately, you lack the basic technical understanding, which can already be seen from the floor plan. The same applies to the spans on the ground floor, which @nordanney also pointed out again.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
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 okay.
I briefly considered putting the children in the basement (due to the slight slope) as a sort of separate apartment. But they are still too “young” for that... I want to keep them close... and in a few years keep nighttime visits by boys or girls somewhat under control 😀
10 to 15 years is still a very long time. I don’t find the rooms, their location, or their possibilities very attractive for that period. And which basement would be the alternative… or do you mean your ground floor?
Rooms over 6 meters (20 feet) deep with windows on only one side are not great either 😉.
The guest restroom doesn’t work for wheelchair users. Take a compass and draw turning circles with a diameter of 1.5 m (5 feet).
I do find large floorboards quite impressive. However, the look is somewhat spoiled by the staircase. It’s simply squeezed into the corner, and the large attic can’t be accessed from there. That’s a shame. You have so much storage and space up there — perfect for a slot car track, an air track mat, a display area for decorations, suitcases, and so on, or even a cozy nest for one of your children. That doesn’t work with a retractable staircase. Friends of mine moved their son’s drumset upstairs, which made the downstairs much quieter. And the attic didn’t even need to be fully converted for that.
On the ground floor, in the open-plan living area, there’s a 2 m (6.5 feet) wide strip along the entire length of the house that’s basically empty. You could reduce that without losing any comfort. On the contrary, this would bring natural daylight to the wall facing the hallway.
The middle child’s bedroom on the upper floor will be quite dark. Here, too, reducing the depth by about 1 m (3 feet) wouldn’t hurt. The upper floor is not suitable for walkers or wheelchairs.
Write down all your points and wishes. What should go into the living room, the bookshelf unit, the shoe collection in the cloakroom, how many running meters of wardrobe space do you need for clothes in the dressing room, etc.? What about your sports gear? Where should the sports bag go? Where does the equipment belong?
From that, you can create a house that fits your needs. Just being big isn’t enough.
I do find large floorboards quite impressive. However, the look is somewhat spoiled by the staircase. It’s simply squeezed into the corner, and the large attic can’t be accessed from there. That’s a shame. You have so much storage and space up there — perfect for a slot car track, an air track mat, a display area for decorations, suitcases, and so on, or even a cozy nest for one of your children. That doesn’t work with a retractable staircase. Friends of mine moved their son’s drumset upstairs, which made the downstairs much quieter. And the attic didn’t even need to be fully converted for that.
On the ground floor, in the open-plan living area, there’s a 2 m (6.5 feet) wide strip along the entire length of the house that’s basically empty. You could reduce that without losing any comfort. On the contrary, this would bring natural daylight to the wall facing the hallway.
The middle child’s bedroom on the upper floor will be quite dark. Here, too, reducing the depth by about 1 m (3 feet) wouldn’t hurt. The upper floor is not suitable for walkers or wheelchairs.
Write down all your points and wishes. What should go into the living room, the bookshelf unit, the shoe collection in the cloakroom, how many running meters of wardrobe space do you need for clothes in the dressing room, etc.? What about your sports gear? Where should the sports bag go? Where does the equipment belong?
From that, you can create a house that fits your needs. Just being big isn’t enough.
Dear Te,
you seem to assume that your children will live with you until at least age 22, or even into their mid or late 20s. I find it almost impossible to have bedrooms right next to the parents in that case.
Adult children do sometimes stay longer at home, but usually for financial or practical reasons—not because they want that much closeness, unless they are neurodivergent.
Generally, they want to become independent, maybe move into a shared flat if their training income allows it, or move to a city to study.
If they do stay at home, it’s usually because they have their own space—not just an extra 5cm (2 inches) of "kid’s room," but the ability to come and go independently, have guests, and sleep or party out of the parents’ earshot. Attic spaces, granny flats, or former guest rooms are suitable for this life stage. A room right next to dad, who is very interested in who comes and goes, definitely is not.
Plan for the time until they are 18-20 years old, and then expect to be empty nesters. You will notice the size and level of comfort much more with the now-empty rooms.
This does not imply that your relationship isn’t great.
you seem to assume that your children will live with you until at least age 22, or even into their mid or late 20s. I find it almost impossible to have bedrooms right next to the parents in that case.
Adult children do sometimes stay longer at home, but usually for financial or practical reasons—not because they want that much closeness, unless they are neurodivergent.
Generally, they want to become independent, maybe move into a shared flat if their training income allows it, or move to a city to study.
If they do stay at home, it’s usually because they have their own space—not just an extra 5cm (2 inches) of "kid’s room," but the ability to come and go independently, have guests, and sleep or party out of the parents’ earshot. Attic spaces, granny flats, or former guest rooms are suitable for this life stage. A room right next to dad, who is very interested in who comes and goes, definitely is not.
Plan for the time until they are 18-20 years old, and then expect to be empty nesters. You will notice the size and level of comfort much more with the now-empty rooms.
This does not imply that your relationship isn’t great.
Uwe-gss11 schrieb:
Yes, I can afford the space ... apparently this causes envy ... end of story! Then hire an architect instead of trying to play the role of "PL" (planning without expertise) yourself. Cutting costs on the necessary professional assistance only leads to shaking heads and regret. And yes, for many of the constructive helpers here, this is also the end of their willingness to support your project. Kerstin is not only right that your staircase (due to its location) does not work even with arctan 1.0, but she also contributed to this forum the most cited example collection image (as well as the equally well-known Max Headroom failure image).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
If you want to build in a way that gives your still-young teenagers a nice space, I would suggest setting up rooms under the roof. Include a bathroom, two bedrooms, a kind of living room with a sofa, projector, TV, foosball table, Wi-Fi repeater for the best coverage, whatever... or two large bedrooms. Sofas work perfectly in knee wall areas. That way, they have their own space upstairs, but you can still keep an ear out in case a group of motorbike riders storms into the attic.
And I’d bet that some of them might still like that even at age 22, especially if Dad stops commenting on their visits 😉
Regarding the “I can afford space”: having space alone is by no means a sign of good style.
And I’d bet that some of them might still like that even at age 22, especially if Dad stops commenting on their visits 😉
Regarding the “I can afford space”: having space alone is by no means a sign of good style.
U
Uwe-gss119 Dec 2025 18:09haydee schrieb:
The guest WC doesn’t work for wheelchair users. Take a compass and draw 1.5 m (5 feet) turning circles. Yes, thanks ... noted.
haydee schrieb:
I do find large floorboards somehow impressive. However, the look is somewhat spoiled by the staircase. It’s just squeezed into the corner, and the large attic can’t be accessed from it. That’s a shame. .... A retractable staircase won’t work here. Since the staircase isn’t intended as a “design element in the middle of the room” but purely functional, I thought it might even be good that it’s somewhat hidden.
Built-in closets are planned underneath (in the office). So the location would fit.
If I use a different staircase design, the office layout gets complicated.
... but why wouldn’t it “work,” as 11ant says?
I also considered accessing the attic with a staircase, but then decided against it.
At first, the question was whether to have a flat roof or a pitched roof. Since a pitched roof costs barely more and is better suited for photovoltaics, we chose a pitched roof. The attic is not really intended for living space but only as storage for items rarely needed ... so a retractable staircase should be enough.
haydee schrieb:
On the ground floor in the open-plan area, you have a 2 m (6.5 feet) wide strip running the entire length of the house that is just empty. You can reduce that without losing comfort. On the contrary, you’d bring natural light to the wall facing the hallway. Yes, at least about 1 m (3 feet), as mentioned above, should make sense.
haydee schrieb:
The middle child’s bedroom upstairs will be dark. Here too, reducing the depth by one meter won’t hurt. Yes, see above.
haydee schrieb:
The upper floor is not suitable for walker or wheelchair. Why not? The hallways and doors are wide enough. Yes, I understand the shower and WC also need 1.5 m (5 feet) turning circles.
haydee schrieb:
Write down all your points and wishes. What should go into the living room, the shelving unit, the shoe collection in the wardrobe, how many meters of closet space for clothes in the walk-in closet, etc. What about your sports equipment? Where should the sports bag go? Where does the gear go? - In the attic: Christmas decorations, suitcases, ski boots, ??? … items rarely accessed
- In the living room: mainly a (large) sideboard under the TV for hi-fi (and CDs/DVDs no longer needed), etc. … we don’t have anything else at the moment
- In the dining room: a sideboard (or our old kitchen cabinet) for dishes, glasses, etc.
- In the office (built-in closet under the stairs): documents and whatever else comes up … ironing items …
- In the utility/technical room: washing machine, dryer, freezer chest, canned goods, pantry items … and of course the technical equipment
- In the garage (the entire back wall can become shelving): skis, bicycles, lawn mower, tools, vases, etc. … everything usually stored in a basement (which we don’t have)
As I said:
- My wish is for the living and sleeping areas to face south, and on the north side (towards the street) only technical rooms, bathrooms, stairwell, garage.
I am really open to suggestions, but then preferably with a proposed solution. Simply saying “that doesn’t work” doesn’t help me, because I want to UNDERSTAND WHY something doesn’t work … only if I understand the WHY can I improve it (or have it improved).
When I talk with the architect, I want to understand why he does something or explain better why I want something.
... imagine an architect plans something, and I just accept it “because he says so” … that can also go wrong.
There are plenty of examples here where an architectural design gets “torn apart.”
THANK YOU!
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