ᐅ Assessment & Assistance for a Semi-Detached House, Approximately 180 sqm, DIY Floor Plan

Hello everyone,

we have purchased a 337 m² (3623 ft²) plot on which we now want to build our semi-detached house. We are in discussions with various construction companies, but their approaches vary widely. Since we are often presented with floor plans based on our key specifications that we don’t like at all (often a standard run-of-the-mill semi-detached house), we have started to think about it ourselves. It’s also quite different that one company has a problem with the structural engineering for a ground floor measuring 8 x 12 m (26 x 39 ft), while another does not. Our wish is also to have the technical equipment on the attic floor (see separate thread).

Now I would like to get your opinion on our DIY floor plan. Does it make sense? What have we overlooked? Constructive suggestions are welcome, as I don’t really like, for example, the bathroom/office solution on the upper floor.

Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 337 m² (3623 ft²)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.7
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 12 m length (39 ft), plot is 11.5 m wide (38 ft), so effectively 8.5 m (28 ft)???
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2.5
Roof style: pitched roof, 30 degrees, no knee wall
Architectural style
Garden side facing fully south
Maximum heights/limits: 12 m length (39 ft), 6.5 m eaves height (21 ft)
Further requirements: adjacent semi-detached house will also be built later without a basement with dimensions of 8.5 x 10.1 m (28 x 33 ft), smaller than ours

Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: no special requirements
Basement, floors: no basement, 2.5 floors
Number and age of residents: 38, 38, 2, x 😉
Room requirements ground floor, upper floor: ground floor airy, bright, spacious; upper floor 3 bedrooms, bathroom, office
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Number of overnight guests per year: a couple every three months or so
Open or closed architecture: open
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: open with island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music/sound system wall: no, TV on wall
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace (added later)
Garage, carport: none, as garage space here is very disadvantageous
Utility garden, greenhouse
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be

- House technology preferably in the attic since we usually spend most time on the ground floor and want plenty of space there
- Avoid standard floor plan with U-shaped staircase if possible, therefore the compromise of a V-shaped staircase with glass railing on the ground floor, open without storage under the stairs, winding stairs connecting ground floor and attic
- Lots of window area, lift-and-slide windows on the ground floor with external blinds because of south-facing side
- Kitchen and lounge somewhat separated and not too close to each other
- Ceiling height on the ground floor at least 2.65 m (8.7 ft)
- Make use of sloped ceilings in the attic space

House Design
Who designed it: DIY
What do you like most? Why? Open living space, open stairway
What do you dislike? Why? Bathroom/office on the upper floor
Price estimate according to architect/designer: 450k
Personal budget limit for house, including fittings: 550k
Preferred heating technology: heat pump

If you have to give up on something, which details/extensions
- Can be waived: pantry on ground floor, “even more” windows
- Cannot give up: separate office

Why is the design the way it is now? For example,
A mixture of many examples from various magazines…
What do you think makes it especially good or bad? Good because it is not standard and conveys a generous, bright sense of space

The stairs look different in size on every floor? How is that supposed to work?

My initial thoughts:
- The bedroom does not allow enough passage between the bed and the wardrobe, even with sliding doors.
- The hallways will be dark.
- The ground floor construction with large window fronts will be expensive.
- Is the neighbor already building? Are they building with or without a basement?
- Do you have dimensioned drawings / plans?

kati1337 schrieb:

The stairs look different in size on each floor? How is that supposed to work?

On the ground floor, it’s a V-shaped staircase, and on the upper floor and attic, it’s a U-shaped staircase. All are 1 meter wide (about 3.3 feet). In the attic, I just measured again and set it to 90cm (35 inches), so that would actually be a bit wider.
Otherwise, I’ve learned that it’s not a problem if the profile changes.

SoL schrieb:

My first thoughts:
- The bedroom won’t have enough space for passage between the bed and the wardrobe, even with sliding doors.
- The hallways will be dark.
- The ground floor design with large window fronts will be expensive.
- Is the neighbor already building? Are they building with or without a basement?
- Do you have detailed drawings or plans with dimensions?

- I also thought about the bedroom, maybe take some space from the children’s room.
- Which hallways exactly? The staircase won’t be concrete but an open stringer staircase, so the hallway upstairs should get some natural light. Otherwise, I don’t see how to do it differently in a semi-detached house.
- I know 🙂
- Also without a basement, timber frame construction, the neighbor will only start after us.
- Unfortunately no, only the one from the tool. Are there better tools for that? The house dimensions are 8 x 12 m (26 x 39 ft).

Why is the second bedroom located on the north side and the master bedroom on the south?

Unfortunately, the full dimensions of the floor plan are missing, but the staircase setup will not work, as one of the walls from the upper floor extends over the stairwell opening to the ground floor, which will cause issues with headroom clearance.

How is the neighbor building? Aligned flush with your property line?