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?
Otherwise, I see many things the same way as my predecessors.
It's a pity that the living room and children's rooms don’t get much sunlight; somehow everything is planned opposite to the sun’s path—even though it could be easily achieved here.
In the winter months (September to April), the carport structure also blocks the sun. The roof extension adds to that. Then there are the walls... it will be a rather dark house.
Honestly, I would start over!
Best regards, Yvonne
It's a pity that the living room and children's rooms don’t get much sunlight; somehow everything is planned opposite to the sun’s path—even though it could be easily achieved here.
In the winter months (September to April), the carport structure also blocks the sun. The roof extension adds to that. Then there are the walls... it will be a rather dark house.
Honestly, I would start over!
Best regards, Yvonne
B
Bau-Schmidt20 Aug 2017 20:34Do you get approval for such a long driveway?
Changeling schrieb:
Therefore, there is only one drivable access from the south. What I don’t understand is why there can’t be access to the property from the west? Is the entrance to the south connected to a street there, or does the driveway have to come entirely from the street on the west side?
By the way, I completely agree with Yvonne’s points about the location and sunlight. The last possible late summer sun coming from the west will then be blocked by the large terrace roof.
The stairs are used multiple times daily, including when carrying laundry baskets and so on. And you don’t move in just once; children grow up and suddenly want beds that are 140cm (55 inches) wide, the children’s furniture is replaced with youth furniture, etc. A ceiling height of 240 cm (7 ft 10 in) in a room over 9 m (30 ft) wide might feel a bit oppressive. Nowadays, a standard height is closer to 254 cm (8 ft 4 in), which means a floor-to-floor height of around 290 cm (9 ft 6 in) to account for the ceiling structure, and such a height requires a suitable staircase.
Shoes in the carport? Are you going to have slippers there and then shuffle under the roof into the house? And in winter, won’t the shoes be freezing cold?
An open living room... I wouldn’t create three zones that look like three separate furniture showrooms side by side, with the fireplace becoming a bottleneck when entering this room.
And a home office in the living room with three children—I just can’t take that seriously. A proper dedicated workspace should be created for that. It also helps to separate work and leisure time. And I know what I’m talking about, I’ve been working from home for over 10 years.
To summarize:
You have a north-facing orientation, and on the west side, you’re blocking your own sunlight to prevent people from the south from seeing your terrace. Then you put the entrance also on the west side, which further reduces the last chance for sunlight in the living room.
I think you need to seriously work on your fear of neighbors first. You can create privacy with bushes or planted pergolas. Blocking sunlight from your garden is a bad solution in comparison.
Maybe you could mark the building area on your sketch of the plot so the forum can consider what else might be possible.
Regarding the heating: yes, we built in 2013/2014, but there are only two of us. Our hot water tank is very small. With children, you can only dream of that. And the heating specialists always want access to the unit from all sides—that’s really inconvenient.
My recommendation: start by optimizing the plot layout for sunlight and the west-facing orientation; move outbuildings out of the sun. Relocate the entrance to improve the hallway, enlarge the utility room, and reconsider if three children's bedrooms upstairs are really necessary. Rethink ceiling heights and the staircase, and whether it really has to be a 10m x 10m (33ft x 33ft) footprint.
Then see what remains of the floor plan.
You have a north-facing orientation, and on the west side, you’re blocking your own sunlight to prevent people from the south from seeing your terrace. Then you put the entrance also on the west side, which further reduces the last chance for sunlight in the living room.
I think you need to seriously work on your fear of neighbors first. You can create privacy with bushes or planted pergolas. Blocking sunlight from your garden is a bad solution in comparison.
Maybe you could mark the building area on your sketch of the plot so the forum can consider what else might be possible.
Regarding the heating: yes, we built in 2013/2014, but there are only two of us. Our hot water tank is very small. With children, you can only dream of that. And the heating specialists always want access to the unit from all sides—that’s really inconvenient.
My recommendation: start by optimizing the plot layout for sunlight and the west-facing orientation; move outbuildings out of the sun. Relocate the entrance to improve the hallway, enlarge the utility room, and reconsider if three children's bedrooms upstairs are really necessary. Rethink ceiling heights and the staircase, and whether it really has to be a 10m x 10m (33ft x 33ft) footprint.
Then see what remains of the floor plan.
The floor plan gives me the impression that the designer from the construction company tried to fit in every possible wish somehow. In my opinion, it doesn’t feel very homey.
It starts with the hallway. For me, the hallway is actually the calling card of the house, but here it is unfortunately a dark and cramped space. When several guests arrive, they first have to be led one by one through the kitchen before being greeted. There is also no space for shoes here. As a workaround, it seems you want to store shoes in the carport in the future. Is that seriously going to be the solution for the rest of your life? What will you do when you have birthday parties? Will all guests have to leave their shoes in the carport? Do you have slippers for everyone there, or will they have to walk back into the house on socks without shoes through the dirt? I imagine that looks quite funny in the snow during winter. The carport also is probably not locked and accessible to anyone (people and animals) at any time of day or night?
Next is the utility room. 6 sq.m (65 sq.ft) for heating, electrical, water, and washing machine? That will be very tight, and in the end, the washing machine will probably end up in the kitchen due to lack of space.
Then the stairs. We have 19 steps and a space of 3.2m x 2.2m (10.5 ft x 7.2 ft) to comfortably access the upper floor. I would really like to see your stair design from the stair builder.
On the upper floor, there was a forced attempt to squeeze in three children’s bedrooms at all costs. I would not want to grow up in “Child 1.” Due to the close proximity to the parents’ bed and the small room size, you experience every love scene of the parents up close. Additional frustration arises when, as the child grows, their room requirements increase. Try furnishing the room reasonably for a child aged 12 or older (desk with PC, TV, wardrobe, 1.60m (5 ft 3 in) bed).
Because of the three children’s rooms, the master bedroom is also very cramped. The partner who ends up sleeping at the foot of the bed is not to be envied here. With a rough room width of 2.80m (9 ft 2 in), you will probably only have a passage of about 54cm (21 inches) left (280cm - 6cm plaster - 220cm bed). Probably even less. After someone has stubbed their toe on the bedpost twice, it might be time to kindly switch sides.
My tip: As some have already said, you should probably start over and consider whether you might want to invest a bit more money and increase the house size. With 10m x 10m (33 ft x 33 ft), such room requests as a third child’s bedroom or a guest room on the ground floor are difficult to implement sensibly without negatively affecting other rooms.
Best regards,
Michael
It starts with the hallway. For me, the hallway is actually the calling card of the house, but here it is unfortunately a dark and cramped space. When several guests arrive, they first have to be led one by one through the kitchen before being greeted. There is also no space for shoes here. As a workaround, it seems you want to store shoes in the carport in the future. Is that seriously going to be the solution for the rest of your life? What will you do when you have birthday parties? Will all guests have to leave their shoes in the carport? Do you have slippers for everyone there, or will they have to walk back into the house on socks without shoes through the dirt? I imagine that looks quite funny in the snow during winter. The carport also is probably not locked and accessible to anyone (people and animals) at any time of day or night?
Next is the utility room. 6 sq.m (65 sq.ft) for heating, electrical, water, and washing machine? That will be very tight, and in the end, the washing machine will probably end up in the kitchen due to lack of space.
Then the stairs. We have 19 steps and a space of 3.2m x 2.2m (10.5 ft x 7.2 ft) to comfortably access the upper floor. I would really like to see your stair design from the stair builder.
On the upper floor, there was a forced attempt to squeeze in three children’s bedrooms at all costs. I would not want to grow up in “Child 1.” Due to the close proximity to the parents’ bed and the small room size, you experience every love scene of the parents up close. Additional frustration arises when, as the child grows, their room requirements increase. Try furnishing the room reasonably for a child aged 12 or older (desk with PC, TV, wardrobe, 1.60m (5 ft 3 in) bed).
Because of the three children’s rooms, the master bedroom is also very cramped. The partner who ends up sleeping at the foot of the bed is not to be envied here. With a rough room width of 2.80m (9 ft 2 in), you will probably only have a passage of about 54cm (21 inches) left (280cm - 6cm plaster - 220cm bed). Probably even less. After someone has stubbed their toe on the bedpost twice, it might be time to kindly switch sides.
My tip: As some have already said, you should probably start over and consider whether you might want to invest a bit more money and increase the house size. With 10m x 10m (33 ft x 33 ft), such room requests as a third child’s bedroom or a guest room on the ground floor are difficult to implement sensibly without negatively affecting other rooms.
Best regards,
Michael
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