ᐅ Opinions on Single-Family Homes with a Small-Scale Hobby Agricultural Extension
Created on: 15 Jul 2015 12:15
B
Barossi
Hello everyone,
We have been happily following along for quite some time :-)
Great forum, thank you for that!
In May, we purchased a very beautiful and large plot of land (with an existing building; the house must be demolished!). We would like to build on this plot and have already taken the first steps by consulting with an architect recommended by very good friends. After a very good conversation discussing our needs and priorities, the first sketches have now been created.
We would like to hear your opinion on the following floor plan.
Zoning restrictions/planning permission: §34
Plot size: 2200m² (0.54 acres)
Floor area ratio:
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors:
Roof type: "flat" pitched roof
Architectural style: traditional (brick construction) with a modern "extension"
Layout: rather open design
Maximum heights/restrictions: -
Clients’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: brick construction, "flat" pitched roof, as few sloped ceilings as possible, high ceilings
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 floors
Number of people, ages: 2 adults (41 & 34), 1 child (26 months) + 1 child planned (2–3 years), then possible need for an au pair
Office: 1 office upstairs (as long as no second child), 1 separate office + "music room"
Traditional or modern design: rather traditional → brick
Open kitchen, kitchen island: very much desired, including kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes, preferably water-heated
Garage, carport: carport with 2 parking spaces and direct access to the house
House design: from our architect
What do we particularly like?
We find the parents’ area on the upper floor very nice. The extension in front of the house is also very well designed.
What do we not like?
The kitchen may be a bit small; the kitchen island has not yet been included. The children’s bathroom upstairs could be smaller and only requires one sink.
In the extension, I would divide the workspace.
As already mentioned, this is the first "rough" draft following an initial meeting of about 2–3 hours with our architect!
We would be very grateful for any advice and suggestions.
We have been happily following along for quite some time :-)
Great forum, thank you for that!
In May, we purchased a very beautiful and large plot of land (with an existing building; the house must be demolished!). We would like to build on this plot and have already taken the first steps by consulting with an architect recommended by very good friends. After a very good conversation discussing our needs and priorities, the first sketches have now been created.
We would like to hear your opinion on the following floor plan.
Zoning restrictions/planning permission: §34
Plot size: 2200m² (0.54 acres)
Floor area ratio:
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors:
Roof type: "flat" pitched roof
Architectural style: traditional (brick construction) with a modern "extension"
Layout: rather open design
Maximum heights/restrictions: -
Clients’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: brick construction, "flat" pitched roof, as few sloped ceilings as possible, high ceilings
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 floors
Number of people, ages: 2 adults (41 & 34), 1 child (26 months) + 1 child planned (2–3 years), then possible need for an au pair
Office: 1 office upstairs (as long as no second child), 1 separate office + "music room"
Traditional or modern design: rather traditional → brick
Open kitchen, kitchen island: very much desired, including kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes, preferably water-heated
Garage, carport: carport with 2 parking spaces and direct access to the house
House design: from our architect
What do we particularly like?
We find the parents’ area on the upper floor very nice. The extension in front of the house is also very well designed.
What do we not like?
The kitchen may be a bit small; the kitchen island has not yet been included. The children’s bathroom upstairs could be smaller and only requires one sink.
In the extension, I would divide the workspace.
As already mentioned, this is the first "rough" draft following an initial meeting of about 2–3 hours with our architect!
We would be very grateful for any advice and suggestions.
ypg schrieb:
I think there is a contradiction when a) you want to stick to the floor plan but b) you request changes that force modifications to that design, potentially overturning much or all of it.
I don’t see the problem with the architect being confronted with your wishes again. Surely you like this design apart from the points you mentioned, so why would the second design be any different? Your architect has their own style, which you will surely recognize in the next version as well 🙂
And if that one doesn’t turn out so well... It won’t be deleted anyway 😉 Hello Yvonne,
the changes seem rather minor, don’t they? I don’t think that’s a big deal.
As mentioned before, we find the architect’s first draft very successful. The second meeting is coming up, and we think it’s only right to make some corrections then.
Best regards, Barossi
ypg schrieb:
If a kitchen island is desired, it requires more space than your current kitchen allows, so the width of the kitchen needs to be changed, the depth adjusted, and accordingly, the other rooms will also be affected.
Hello Yvonne,
then the house might become about 1 meter (3 feet) longer, which wouldn’t be a problem. This way, the master bedroom area upstairs would also expand.
Our architect said: bigger is always possible, his initial suggestion was just the basic layout.
Best regards, Barossi
Barossi schrieb:
Our architect said: Bigger is always possible; his proposal was just the basic version. If you want to plaster it and your budget allows, why not?!? 😉
I took another look at the kitchen area: it would need to be widened from an estimated 2.20 meters (7.2 feet) to 4.20 meters (13.8 feet) for a comfortable island (2 x 1.20 meters (3.9 feet) walkway, 1.80 meters (5.9 feet) island). With a house width of around 9 meters (29.5 feet), that would add about 18 square meters (194 square feet).
A living room width of 4.15 meters (13.6 feet) is quite narrow for a sofa about 3 meters (9.8 feet) wide, especially if the remaining 1 meter (3.3 feet) is intended as the main access to the kitchen. You could, of course, also widen this area: with an estimated 12 meters (39.4 feet) plus the 2-meter (6.6 feet) extension, that would add another 14 square meters (151 square feet). The same applies upstairs, where the additional space would then ease the layout of the upper floor.
However, with these enlargements, you end up with extra space everywhere because you are compensating for the narrow areas. This also means higher costs.
My basic opinion is: if you squeeze the design in two or three spots, enlargement and the resulting added expense are not the solution.
An architect can create equivalent floor plans. Sure, increase the house size by half a meter (1.6 feet) if the costs remain acceptable, but this will open up other layout options, so the utility room doesn’t have to be positioned in the middle of the house.
A living room width of 4.15 meters (13.6 feet) is quite narrow for a sofa about 3 meters (9.8 feet) wide, especially if the remaining 1 meter (3.3 feet) is intended as the main access to the kitchen. You could, of course, also widen this area: with an estimated 12 meters (39.4 feet) plus the 2-meter (6.6 feet) extension, that would add another 14 square meters (151 square feet). The same applies upstairs, where the additional space would then ease the layout of the upper floor.
However, with these enlargements, you end up with extra space everywhere because you are compensating for the narrow areas. This also means higher costs.
My basic opinion is: if you squeeze the design in two or three spots, enlargement and the resulting added expense are not the solution.
An architect can create equivalent floor plans. Sure, increase the house size by half a meter (1.6 feet) if the costs remain acceptable, but this will open up other layout options, so the utility room doesn’t have to be positioned in the middle of the house.
ypg schrieb:
I reviewed the kitchen area again: approximately 2.20 meters (7 ft 3 in) would need to be widened to 4.20 meters (13 ft 9 in) for a comfortable island (2 x 1.20 meters (4 ft) walkways, 1.80 meters (6 ft) island). This would add around 18 square meters (194 square feet) to a house width estimated at 9 meters (30 ft).
A living room width of 4.15 meters (13 ft 7 in) is quite narrow for a sofa about 3 meters (10 ft) wide, especially if the remaining 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) serves as the main walkway to the kitchen. You could of course widen this as well: with an estimated 12 meters (39 ft) plus 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) extension, that would be an additional 14 square meters (151 square feet). The same applies upstairs; the size would be more comfortable then 😀
You’d have extra space everywhere because the tight areas are compensated by the expansions. However, this also means higher costs.
My general opinion is: if you compromise in 2 to 3 areas, expanding and thus increasing costs is not the solution.
An architect can create equally functional floor plans. Okay, allow the house to grow half a meter (1 ft 8 in) larger if the cost is still acceptable, but that naturally opens other planning options so the utility room doesn’t have to be lost in the middle of the house.
Hello Yvonne,
thank you very much for your very valuable thoughts. It’s not that simple ...
… although we really like the orientation of the rooms according to the cardinal directions. Also, we don’t mind the utility room being in the middle.
Best regards,
Barossi
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