Hello everyone,
We are fortunate to have acquired a plot in a new development area. However, the building envelope seems to be designed more for a duplex than for a detached single-family home. Since our neighbors and we would prefer a detached single-family house, we are looking for solutions and improvements to the architectâs floor plan. As our family owns a construction company and we are receiving a âdiscountâ because of this, we are somewhat tied to the architect, even though the design doesnât always maximize the potential.
Therefore, I would like to ask you to take a look at the floor plan. I have also attached another draft of my own. I am open to suggestions and opinions.
First, the required information:
Development Plan / Restrictions: Development plan attached
Plot size: 446m² (4799 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Building envelope: 11 x 13.5m (36 x 44 ft), but due to setback, max. 8.5 x 13.5m (28 x 44 ft)
Building line and boundaries: â
Edge development: â
Number of parking spaces: 1.5
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: all types allowed
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: northwest
Maximum height/restrictions: eaves height 6m (20 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern single-family house with a hipped roof
Basement, floors: no basement, but two full floors plus attic
Number of people, ages: three people plus dog (32/30/1/1)
Space requirements, ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor â preferably guest room and pantry
Office: family use
Guest stays per year: ~40 overnight stays from family members
Open or closed layout: open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern construction: a bit of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: cooking (half) island
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: none
Sound/TV wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: none
Garage, carport: garage as shown on the plan
Utility garden, greenhouse: none
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
House Design
Planning by:
- Architect from a construction company
- Attached is a draft without exact dimensions, created DIY by you with Floorplanner
What do you especially like?
Orientation of living rooms towards south/southwest, space utilized under the stairs
What do you not like?
Side entrance. Because the entrance is on the side and the garage is set back, parking will be awkward and there is no room to place a doormat in front of the doorâŚ
Only 3.5m (11.5 ft) width for the living room, 4m (13 ft) would be preferable. However, I donât like the hallway/staircase in my own design either because the stairs feel cramped and the hallway is quite long.
Architect/planner's price estimate: approximately âŹ330,000 turnkey
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: âŹ330,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump with controlled ventilation system
What can you give up, if necessary?
- Possible to give up: garage, to gain 50cm (20 inches) more space closer to the property boundary
- Cannot give up: guest room on the ground floor would be desirable
We are fortunate to have acquired a plot in a new development area. However, the building envelope seems to be designed more for a duplex than for a detached single-family home. Since our neighbors and we would prefer a detached single-family house, we are looking for solutions and improvements to the architectâs floor plan. As our family owns a construction company and we are receiving a âdiscountâ because of this, we are somewhat tied to the architect, even though the design doesnât always maximize the potential.
Therefore, I would like to ask you to take a look at the floor plan. I have also attached another draft of my own. I am open to suggestions and opinions.
First, the required information:
Development Plan / Restrictions: Development plan attached
Plot size: 446m² (4799 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.8
Building envelope: 11 x 13.5m (36 x 44 ft), but due to setback, max. 8.5 x 13.5m (28 x 44 ft)
Building line and boundaries: â
Edge development: â
Number of parking spaces: 1.5
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: all types allowed
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: northwest
Maximum height/restrictions: eaves height 6m (20 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern single-family house with a hipped roof
Basement, floors: no basement, but two full floors plus attic
Number of people, ages: three people plus dog (32/30/1/1)
Space requirements, ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor â preferably guest room and pantry
Office: family use
Guest stays per year: ~40 overnight stays from family members
Open or closed layout: open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern construction: a bit of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: cooking (half) island
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: none
Sound/TV wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: none
Garage, carport: garage as shown on the plan
Utility garden, greenhouse: none
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
House Design
Planning by:
- Architect from a construction company
- Attached is a draft without exact dimensions, created DIY by you with Floorplanner
What do you especially like?
Orientation of living rooms towards south/southwest, space utilized under the stairs
What do you not like?
Side entrance. Because the entrance is on the side and the garage is set back, parking will be awkward and there is no room to place a doormat in front of the doorâŚ
Only 3.5m (11.5 ft) width for the living room, 4m (13 ft) would be preferable. However, I donât like the hallway/staircase in my own design either because the stairs feel cramped and the hallway is quite long.
Architect/planner's price estimate: approximately âŹ330,000 turnkey
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: âŹ330,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump with controlled ventilation system
What can you give up, if necessary?
- Possible to give up: garage, to gain 50cm (20 inches) more space closer to the property boundary
- Cannot give up: guest room on the ground floor would be desirable
Bedroom: why two windows? Remove the window on the left side of the plan and then the bed will fit.
Utility room/guest room: I would reduce the size of the guest room to benefit the utility room. If I am reading it correctly, the guest room is not significantly smaller than the childrenâs rooms... as a child, I would feel a bit shortchanged.
Regarding the kitchen, Yvonne has basically covered everything...
Utility room/guest room: I would reduce the size of the guest room to benefit the utility room. If I am reading it correctly, the guest room is not significantly smaller than the childrenâs rooms... as a child, I would feel a bit shortchanged.
Regarding the kitchen, Yvonne has basically covered everything...
P
Painkiller13 Sep 2016 11:19Our kitchen is not shown in the plan. As mentioned, we have a full counter line of 3.4m (11 feet) where the coffee machine is located; knives and fruit are on the island, and the kettle and other electrical appliances are taken out of the drawer only when needed.
EDIT: Isnât 2.9m (9.5 feet) a bit tight for a bed and nightstands? The longer window is more like a "basement window" with a sill height of 1.75m (5 feet 9 inches); we were actually planning to place the bed below it.
EDIT2: Yes, reducing the size of the guest room is still possible, but then the TV wall would also shrink. Since both childrenâs rooms will effectively be occupied by only one child each, this probably wonât feel like a disadvantage.
EDIT: Isnât 2.9m (9.5 feet) a bit tight for a bed and nightstands? The longer window is more like a "basement window" with a sill height of 1.75m (5 feet 9 inches); we were actually planning to place the bed below it.
EDIT2: Yes, reducing the size of the guest room is still possible, but then the TV wall would also shrink. Since both childrenâs rooms will effectively be occupied by only one child each, this probably wonât feel like a disadvantage.
P
Painkiller13 Sep 2016 11:25We have an appointment tomorrow; his statement was "he has an idea."
- Is the utility room also intended for housing technical equipment? 6.xx m² (about 65 sq ft) for both seems a bit small to me.
- I would reconsider the layout of the upper floor; as it is, it just doesnât work.
1. No space for a bed.
2. The office is just big enough for a small workspace. Apparently, a wardrobe is planned behind the door, then an L-shaped desk on the left and top sides of the room. Adding a shelf at the bottom side isnât really possible because 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) is already too narrow for that.
3. I can accept Child 1âs room. The niche can be used well for a bed or desk. But Child 2âs room is completely inadequate. Even if you argue that your family planning is complete, I think 12 m² (about 129 sq ft) is a total waste. It simply cannot be furnished properly at all.
4. The distance from the bed to the bathroom is probably the longest possible within the house.
The root of the problem, in my opinion, is the position of the staircase. It works because of the protrusion on the ground floor, but it makes the upper floor almost completely unusable.
Attached is a suggestion. To be clear, I would reconsider the entire floor plan because I donât find the stair location suitable.
Downside: You can only fit two 1.5 m (5 ft) wardrobes in the walk-in closet. On the other hand, you could move the wall in the master bedroom at the top side towards Child 2âs room, so that a 3 m (10 ft) wardrobe fits, as I have indicated. However, that also partly defeats the purpose of having a walk-in closet if you end up with wardrobes back in the bedroom again.
Advantages:
- The walk-in closet is not a confined space, which is especially convenient if sleepers have different bedtimes.
- The bed area is sufficiently spacious.
- Child 2âs room becomes more usable.
As mentioned, this is just to offer some ideas.
Best regards
- I would reconsider the layout of the upper floor; as it is, it just doesnât work.
1. No space for a bed.
2. The office is just big enough for a small workspace. Apparently, a wardrobe is planned behind the door, then an L-shaped desk on the left and top sides of the room. Adding a shelf at the bottom side isnât really possible because 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) is already too narrow for that.
3. I can accept Child 1âs room. The niche can be used well for a bed or desk. But Child 2âs room is completely inadequate. Even if you argue that your family planning is complete, I think 12 m² (about 129 sq ft) is a total waste. It simply cannot be furnished properly at all.
4. The distance from the bed to the bathroom is probably the longest possible within the house.
The root of the problem, in my opinion, is the position of the staircase. It works because of the protrusion on the ground floor, but it makes the upper floor almost completely unusable.
Attached is a suggestion. To be clear, I would reconsider the entire floor plan because I donât find the stair location suitable.
Downside: You can only fit two 1.5 m (5 ft) wardrobes in the walk-in closet. On the other hand, you could move the wall in the master bedroom at the top side towards Child 2âs room, so that a 3 m (10 ft) wardrobe fits, as I have indicated. However, that also partly defeats the purpose of having a walk-in closet if you end up with wardrobes back in the bedroom again.
Advantages:
- The walk-in closet is not a confined space, which is especially convenient if sleepers have different bedtimes.
- The bed area is sufficiently spacious.
- Child 2âs room becomes more usable.
As mentioned, this is just to offer some ideas.
Best regards
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