ᐅ 10x10 m urban villa (approximately 1,670 sq ft, 6 rooms), fine-tuning welcome
Created on: 20 Aug 2017 14:34
C
Changeling
Ground Floor:
Upper Floor:
Outdoor Areas:
Positioned on the Plot:
Development Plan / Restrictions:
The plot may only be built on the southern half; otherwise, there are no particular restrictions.
Plot size: 900 square meters (approx. 30 x 30 meters / 98 x 98 feet)
Slope: No, only on the west side does the land slope down 3 meters (10 feet) toward the street at the end of the plot. On the north side, there is a retaining wall because the plot is about 2 meters (7 feet) above street level there. Therefore, access by vehicle is only possible from the south.
Clients’ Requirements
Style, Roof Shape, Building Type: A two-story urban villa with a pyramid hip roof (square hipped roof), since the upper floor has no sloped ceilings.
Basement: No basement, as it is too expensive, impractical, and involves additional construction risks.
Number of Occupants, Age: 2 adults (30 years old), 1 child (3 years old), with 1-2 more children planned.
Living Room: A large, open living area was important to us as this is where life happens. A computer corner is planned in the lower right corner since we spend more time at the computer than watching TV. We also work a lot from home and do not want to be confined to a separate room.
Fireplace: Yes.
Guest Room: Also used as storage space, which is especially useful since there is no basement.
Kitchen: The stove and sink are not in their final positions yet – a cooking island is undesirable because of the extractor hood and impractical due to splashing.
Technical / Utility Room: Also serves as a pantry and should be filled with shelves up to the ceiling.
Children’s Rooms: Size should be adequate.
Bedroom: Almost too large, but necessary due to the large wardrobe and double bed.
Bathroom: The design is still at an early stage; for example, the shower is planned as a built-in enclosure without a cabin.
Terrace: Important to us, along with a covered area so we can leave items outside occasionally.
Garage, Carport: As large as possible! It should be a wooden carport, fully closed at the front with sectional doors, and open or closed at the rear as needed. We currently use our garage as a "second living room" and for storing garden tools and similar items. Due to the long car, space will be tight; likely the terrace will be slightly smaller and the carport deeper (or the roof overhang on the left extended). The additions on the far left are planned later as a garden shed or similar and are therefore not a fixed part of the house. The covered connection to the house is a must, so we can enter without getting wet. The lower part facing the street is purely for privacy and is not a solid wall.
Garden: We will build our greenhouse ourselves as we have it now.
House Design:
Planning by: Planner from a construction company; outdoor areas added by us.
What do you particularly like? Why?: The numerous outbuildings and large carport for space, the large living room with open kitchen (also for space). Also, the level access to the terrace (which we don’t have currently).
What do you dislike? Why?: The basement level feels a bit cramped (utility room/kitchen small), while the upper floor is very spacious, but so far this is the best solution.
Cost Estimate by Architect/Planner: $290,000 USD with a maximum of +10% overrun.
Insulation / Construction: Unfortunately, it is built only to the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) standards; I would have preferred better insulation, but it is likely too expensive. The masonry consists of calcium silicate blocks (20 cm / 8 inches outside + 16 cm / 6 inches EPS (polystyrene) insulation boards).
Heating System: Ground-source heat pump (brine-water) with earth probe; gas connection would be too expensive and we do not want oil heating.
If you had to give up features / expansions
- Could you do without: At most one fewer children’s room; the rest should stay as is...
- Could you not do without: Everything? That would be difficult.
Why did the design turn out the way it is?
We reviewed suggestions from the planner, spent a weekend designing alternatives ourselves, and ultimately found the current compromise. It includes essentially all our wishes.
The design could have been better if the house orientation had been different; otherwise, the kitchen/terrace/dining area wouldn’t all have to be squeezed next to the carport. However, since the street is on the south side and the northern half of the plot cannot be built on, the house must be positioned as it is and the terrace on the south side to catch the sun. We do not want the carport on the east side, as that would place the house further toward the center of the plot and make the terrace fully visible from the neighboring house to the south.
A similar-sized building plot on the east side will be developed with another single-family urban villa.
What is the most important / fundamental question regarding the floor plan in 130 characters?
What do you think? What could be improved or is missing? Any concerns?
Upper Floor:
Outdoor Areas:
Positioned on the Plot:
Development Plan / Restrictions:
The plot may only be built on the southern half; otherwise, there are no particular restrictions.
Plot size: 900 square meters (approx. 30 x 30 meters / 98 x 98 feet)
Slope: No, only on the west side does the land slope down 3 meters (10 feet) toward the street at the end of the plot. On the north side, there is a retaining wall because the plot is about 2 meters (7 feet) above street level there. Therefore, access by vehicle is only possible from the south.
Clients’ Requirements
Style, Roof Shape, Building Type: A two-story urban villa with a pyramid hip roof (square hipped roof), since the upper floor has no sloped ceilings.
Basement: No basement, as it is too expensive, impractical, and involves additional construction risks.
Number of Occupants, Age: 2 adults (30 years old), 1 child (3 years old), with 1-2 more children planned.
Living Room: A large, open living area was important to us as this is where life happens. A computer corner is planned in the lower right corner since we spend more time at the computer than watching TV. We also work a lot from home and do not want to be confined to a separate room.
Fireplace: Yes.
Guest Room: Also used as storage space, which is especially useful since there is no basement.
Kitchen: The stove and sink are not in their final positions yet – a cooking island is undesirable because of the extractor hood and impractical due to splashing.
Technical / Utility Room: Also serves as a pantry and should be filled with shelves up to the ceiling.
Children’s Rooms: Size should be adequate.
Bedroom: Almost too large, but necessary due to the large wardrobe and double bed.
Bathroom: The design is still at an early stage; for example, the shower is planned as a built-in enclosure without a cabin.
Terrace: Important to us, along with a covered area so we can leave items outside occasionally.
Garage, Carport: As large as possible! It should be a wooden carport, fully closed at the front with sectional doors, and open or closed at the rear as needed. We currently use our garage as a "second living room" and for storing garden tools and similar items. Due to the long car, space will be tight; likely the terrace will be slightly smaller and the carport deeper (or the roof overhang on the left extended). The additions on the far left are planned later as a garden shed or similar and are therefore not a fixed part of the house. The covered connection to the house is a must, so we can enter without getting wet. The lower part facing the street is purely for privacy and is not a solid wall.
Garden: We will build our greenhouse ourselves as we have it now.
House Design:
Planning by: Planner from a construction company; outdoor areas added by us.
What do you particularly like? Why?: The numerous outbuildings and large carport for space, the large living room with open kitchen (also for space). Also, the level access to the terrace (which we don’t have currently).
What do you dislike? Why?: The basement level feels a bit cramped (utility room/kitchen small), while the upper floor is very spacious, but so far this is the best solution.
Cost Estimate by Architect/Planner: $290,000 USD with a maximum of +10% overrun.
Insulation / Construction: Unfortunately, it is built only to the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) standards; I would have preferred better insulation, but it is likely too expensive. The masonry consists of calcium silicate blocks (20 cm / 8 inches outside + 16 cm / 6 inches EPS (polystyrene) insulation boards).
Heating System: Ground-source heat pump (brine-water) with earth probe; gas connection would be too expensive and we do not want oil heating.
If you had to give up features / expansions
- Could you do without: At most one fewer children’s room; the rest should stay as is...
- Could you not do without: Everything? That would be difficult.
Why did the design turn out the way it is?
We reviewed suggestions from the planner, spent a weekend designing alternatives ourselves, and ultimately found the current compromise. It includes essentially all our wishes.
The design could have been better if the house orientation had been different; otherwise, the kitchen/terrace/dining area wouldn’t all have to be squeezed next to the carport. However, since the street is on the south side and the northern half of the plot cannot be built on, the house must be positioned as it is and the terrace on the south side to catch the sun. We do not want the carport on the east side, as that would place the house further toward the center of the plot and make the terrace fully visible from the neighboring house to the south.
A similar-sized building plot on the east side will be developed with another single-family urban villa.
What is the most important / fundamental question regarding the floor plan in 130 characters?
What do you think? What could be improved or is missing? Any concerns?
Regarding the design, I would just say that having a toilet above the stove is not ideal. Also, I don’t quite understand the idea of doing laundry in the south/west area. The staircase looks very narrow.
About the garage:
From 100 to 0.
Going from a large garage with plenty of unnecessary storage space to a parking situation where cars have to be parked one behind the other doesn’t make sense to me.
That is definitely not satisfactory!
In this respect, I would suggest consulting a qualified planner.
About the garage:
From 100 to 0.
Going from a large garage with plenty of unnecessary storage space to a parking situation where cars have to be parked one behind the other doesn’t make sense to me.
That is definitely not satisfactory!
In this respect, I would suggest consulting a qualified planner.
C
Changeling4 Sep 2017 10:30ypg schrieb:
Regarding the design, I just want to say that having the toilet directly above the stove is not ideal. Also, the laundry location in the south/west part needs some explanation. The staircase looks very narrow. As I said, kitchen and bathroom fittings are not yet finalized; this is only about the floor plan. Or did you mean a bathroom generally located above the kitchen? If so, why?
Laundry in the south/west – do you mean the storage room upstairs? We don’t do laundry there. A more accurate term for this forum might be hobby room?
I actually designed the staircase according to the dimensions provided here; it should be fine.
ypg schrieb:
Regarding the garage:
From a large multi-car garage with a lot of unnecessary storage space to a parking situation where you have to park cars one behind the other – I don’t understand this at all. This is by no means satisfactory! I did explain the reasoning: parking side by side is not possible with this building envelope / plot / our requirements. The options are:
- Carport on the right: then the house and terrace shift too far to the left.
- Carport on the left: the house becomes too dark, which we were advised against here. Also, the floor plan becomes problematic if we want the entrance from the carport.
Having an entrance from the carport is more important to us than parking side by side. We’re used to this for now, so I’ll just continue to move the cars once a week.
The space used remains about the same! Around 50m² (540 sq ft) is still taken up by the carport.
The only possible alternative might be to move the carport on the left further forward (assuming we are allowed a boundary line building) and have the entrance on the south side—but then we lose a sheltered entrance, and a 5m (16 ft) long canopy looks quite odd. Also, there would be no space for the shoe rack in the carport, which means a larger hallway and smaller rooms elsewhere... I haven’t found the right solution for that yet.
ypg schrieb:
that having a toilet above the stove isn’t necessarily a good idea. A leaking drain dripping through the ceiling into the cooking pot is rarer than a lightning strike with an extra number (?)
Changeling schrieb:
For us, having an entrance from the carport is more important than parking side by side. That’s what we are used to for now, so I’ll just keep rearranging the cars once a week. I would also prefer to park a car that is used once a week under cover, but happily in a separate garage a few hundred meters away. A trapped parking space is something tolerated in a renovation, but it also makes a new build appear like a renovation in this respect. In my view, tandem parking only works if the two cars differ in nothing except color (including shopping bags, laundry tokens, parking discs etc. placed in exactly the same spots). That means duplicate child seats and dog baskets as well. Otherwise, you end up moving cars all the time.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Please explain the distance to the private road. It looks like a 3m (10 feet) setback line. As far as I know, a 3m (10 feet) distance is not necessarily required from public roads, etc. Therefore, the house could still be shifted further to the left within the building envelope, and the carport next to it should fit. Where am I wrong in my thinking?
Apart from that, a few minor points about the floor plan:
It’s clearly not finalized yet, but okay, you’re still in the planning stage. The walking paths and terrace doors should probably be reconsidered now. Otherwise, it will turn out poorly.
With this floor plan, I could imagine a nice sideboard as a room divider with a TV on one side and the dining table on the other, to save space.
The door to the pantry should be a proper door.
Apart from that, a few minor points about the floor plan:
It’s clearly not finalized yet, but okay, you’re still in the planning stage. The walking paths and terrace doors should probably be reconsidered now. Otherwise, it will turn out poorly.
With this floor plan, I could imagine a nice sideboard as a room divider with a TV on one side and the dining table on the other, to save space.
The door to the pantry should be a proper door.
kaho674 schrieb:
explain the distance to the private road. It looks like a 3m (10 feet) boundary. As far as I know, no 3m (10 feet) distance is required for public roads, etc. For public roads, 5 m (16 feet) is actually common, and I don't see the 3 m (10 feet) limit (plus the carriageway width making a total of 6 m (20 feet)) being reduced due to turning circle requirements, even though legally it could be allowed for a public pedestrian and vehicular path. I rather doubt this is a private road here (but that wouldn't help anyway).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
C
Changeling4 Sep 2017 13:3811ant schrieb:
A car used once a week I use the car daily. However, due to our working hours, we only need to move it once a week (if at all) to make it fit. So I don’t see this as a major issue, and we also save the cost of a second gate.
Furthermore, of course we would prefer to have the cars parked side by side! But that simply cannot be realized. Ideas or alternative compromises are very welcome.
kaho674 schrieb:
Therefore, the house could still be shifted further to the left within the building area, and the carport right next to it should be possible. Where is my mistake in thinking? That really looks possible on the plan. In fact, we visited the plot, took measurements, and then the terrace would be directly in front of the slope, with a direct view of the street and noise coming from there. Also, there would be no sun due to the trees, which we definitely want to avoid. So on the right, only a simple wide carport can be placed (in our case quite generously at about 4.5-5m (15-16.5 feet) wide).
kaho674 schrieb:
It’s not finalized yet, but okay, you are still in the planning stage. The walking paths and the patio doors should maybe be reconsidered now; otherwise, it will become messy.
With this floor plan, I can imagine a nice sideboard as a room divider with the TV on one side and the dining table on the other, to save space.
The pantry door should be a proper door. Apart from minor details, the floor plan should soon be finalized.
- The TV is more or less placed in the corner and does not interfere, but a sideboard as a divider is conceivable.
- The patio door is of course on the left (everything else is windows).
- The fireplace could go into that corner, that’s true — we only placed it there in front so that the heat can quickly spread throughout the house if needed and not just stay in the living room (the stove is freestanding).
- Why is the front door reversed? We actually designed it that way so that the bathroom door remains more accessible and you can easily pass by the closet or wardrobe.
The private road, if any, would only be the southern, newly constructed street. We currently need 4.5m (15 feet) to swing in front of our carport at a 90° angle, so I positioned it 1.5m (5 feet) in front of the 3.5m (11.5 feet) wide street.
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