Hello dear forum community,
after quietly reading along for a long time, we have now registered here and want to share our house plans with you.
First of all, we would like to say a big THANK YOU – the information you get here is truly invaluable.
Now a bit about us: we are both around 50, and our two grown children have moved out. Currently, we live in my parents’ house, but we want to realize our own dream of building a house. We are very fortunate to be able to afford the construction without any problems. The building plot belongs to us, and the local building authority has given us a verbal go-ahead so far (there is no zoning plan as it is currently farmland). We only have to contribute proportionally to the development costs, which is fine for us.
Our children and guests enjoy visiting, so we want to set up a guest apartment in the basement. For old age, our design allows us to convert the ground floor barrier-free at any time with minor modifications, including an elevator if needed. In case of emergency, the guest apartment could also be used for a carer, although hopefully this will never be necessary.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 2,100m² (0.52 acres)
Slope: Yes, see elevations
Floor area ratio: no zoning plan
Floor space index: no zoning plan
Building envelope, building line and boundary: no zoning plan, we keep at least 6.0m (20 feet) clearance all around
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1 story, basement
Roof style: hinted “shed roof”
Architectural style: ???
Orientation: North/South
Maximum height / limitations: No specifications
Further requirements: No valid zoning plan, planning permission granted for usual residential construction
Owner’s Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: one-story bungalow with basement (prepared for barrier-free access)
Basement, floors: basement yes, single-story with open roof structure
Number of people, age: 2, me 50, her 48, 1 dog
Space requirements ground floor / upper floor: see floor plan
Office: family use or home office? Occasional home office for me
Overnight guests per year: many
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: special
Open kitchen, kitchen island: definitely yes
Number of dining seats: minimum 8
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: integrated in the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Who created the design?
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-Yourself (DIY)
The planning was done by us ourselves.
What do you particularly like? Why?
Optimized for our personal wishes— we have incorporated all our requirements.
What do you dislike? Why?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for house including fittings: We estimate construction costs around €700,000–800,000 (about $750,000–860,000), but financing is secured and this is not the main focus here.
Preferred heating technology: not finalized yet, definitely photovoltaic and solar panels on the roof, air-to-water heat pump or geothermal energy.
If you had to give up something, on which details / additional features could you do without?
Good question, probably the pool if it meant we could get a hot tub instead...
What can you absolutely not do without?
The large open space and the guest apartment.
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example:
Standard planter’s template? No, we simply planned according to our preferences, open roof structure, large open space because we like to entertain guests, wellness area is a must.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
What is the most important fundamental question regarding the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
after quietly reading along for a long time, we have now registered here and want to share our house plans with you.
First of all, we would like to say a big THANK YOU – the information you get here is truly invaluable.
Now a bit about us: we are both around 50, and our two grown children have moved out. Currently, we live in my parents’ house, but we want to realize our own dream of building a house. We are very fortunate to be able to afford the construction without any problems. The building plot belongs to us, and the local building authority has given us a verbal go-ahead so far (there is no zoning plan as it is currently farmland). We only have to contribute proportionally to the development costs, which is fine for us.
Our children and guests enjoy visiting, so we want to set up a guest apartment in the basement. For old age, our design allows us to convert the ground floor barrier-free at any time with minor modifications, including an elevator if needed. In case of emergency, the guest apartment could also be used for a carer, although hopefully this will never be necessary.
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 2,100m² (0.52 acres)
Slope: Yes, see elevations
Floor area ratio: no zoning plan
Floor space index: no zoning plan
Building envelope, building line and boundary: no zoning plan, we keep at least 6.0m (20 feet) clearance all around
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1 story, basement
Roof style: hinted “shed roof”
Architectural style: ???
Orientation: North/South
Maximum height / limitations: No specifications
Further requirements: No valid zoning plan, planning permission granted for usual residential construction
Owner’s Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: one-story bungalow with basement (prepared for barrier-free access)
Basement, floors: basement yes, single-story with open roof structure
Number of people, age: 2, me 50, her 48, 1 dog
Space requirements ground floor / upper floor: see floor plan
Office: family use or home office? Occasional home office for me
Overnight guests per year: many
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: special
Open kitchen, kitchen island: definitely yes
Number of dining seats: minimum 8
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: integrated in the house
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Who created the design?
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-Yourself (DIY)
The planning was done by us ourselves.
What do you particularly like? Why?
Optimized for our personal wishes— we have incorporated all our requirements.
What do you dislike? Why?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for house including fittings: We estimate construction costs around €700,000–800,000 (about $750,000–860,000), but financing is secured and this is not the main focus here.
Preferred heating technology: not finalized yet, definitely photovoltaic and solar panels on the roof, air-to-water heat pump or geothermal energy.
If you had to give up something, on which details / additional features could you do without?
Good question, probably the pool if it meant we could get a hot tub instead...
What can you absolutely not do without?
The large open space and the guest apartment.
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example:
Standard planter’s template? No, we simply planned according to our preferences, open roof structure, large open space because we like to entertain guests, wellness area is a must.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
What is the most important fundamental question regarding the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
After our discussion started drifting a bit toward the question of architect yes/no/maybe, which wasn’t our original intention, we spontaneously decided to take advantage of the nice weather today, put on our motorcycle gear, and check out the new housing developments in the area. Honestly, we didn’t see much innovation – it’s mostly either catalog homes or standard gable roofs. Here and there you can spot so-called town villas.
Truly custom-designed houses with that certain extra touch are unfortunately very rare. There are some special designs, but we believe our own design holds its own.
For example, there was a thread here recently that made me question whether it really came from an architect.
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-efh-Hanggrundstück-mit-Terrasse-dachterrasse.44274/unread
We have now decided to continue on two tracks. As recommended several times here, we will create a list of our requirements and wishes and get in touch with an architect — without providing house plans from us, only the plot.
At the same time, we’re continuing to work on our own design, gladly incorporating all the suggestions we receive here and trying to implement them.
So far, we have noted: roof shape, a more intricate entrance area, better integration of the outdoor space into the overall concept, and designing the basement so that it doesn’t count as a full floor – even though two full stories would be permitted.
We would appreciate any constructive feedback from you regarding the actual floor plans (without the roof shape): Do you see issues with drainage, are the room sizes appropriate, are the basement rooms and guest apartment functional, and so on. If anyone wants to contribute to this, many thanks in advance.
@Würfel*
Actually, we like to relax at home with a sauna session every now and then, followed by chilling out on the terrace or the couch 🙂 The separate area from the private rooms is because we are a group of friends who enjoy going to the sauna together, and we want to offer that at home as well, but the private area should remain private...
Truly custom-designed houses with that certain extra touch are unfortunately very rare. There are some special designs, but we believe our own design holds its own.
For example, there was a thread here recently that made me question whether it really came from an architect.
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-efh-Hanggrundstück-mit-Terrasse-dachterrasse.44274/unread
We have now decided to continue on two tracks. As recommended several times here, we will create a list of our requirements and wishes and get in touch with an architect — without providing house plans from us, only the plot.
At the same time, we’re continuing to work on our own design, gladly incorporating all the suggestions we receive here and trying to implement them.
So far, we have noted: roof shape, a more intricate entrance area, better integration of the outdoor space into the overall concept, and designing the basement so that it doesn’t count as a full floor – even though two full stories would be permitted.
We would appreciate any constructive feedback from you regarding the actual floor plans (without the roof shape): Do you see issues with drainage, are the room sizes appropriate, are the basement rooms and guest apartment functional, and so on. If anyone wants to contribute to this, many thanks in advance.
@Würfel*
Actually, we like to relax at home with a sauna session every now and then, followed by chilling out on the terrace or the couch 🙂 The separate area from the private rooms is because we are a group of friends who enjoy going to the sauna together, and we want to offer that at home as well, but the private area should remain private...
wolko22 schrieb:
planned construction start 2024I find that very optimistic.
I also have a plot (greenfield) directly adjacent to residential development. Utility lines already run almost up to the property boundary, and there is a finished road as well. Two years ago, I visited the local authority with my neighbor (who might also want to build). At the end of last year, there was an unexpected approval from the district, but since then the process has been moving very slowly again. I do not expect any excavation to start before 2025.
wolko22 schrieb:
Honestly, we don’t see much innovation there – mostly catalog homes or standard gable roofs. Occasionally, you also spot what’s called an urban villa.
Unfortunately, truly custom-designed houses with that special touch are hardly found. Of course, those are there. They are also affordable. 😉
In new development areas, the vast majority of buyers are young couples and families, for whom budget plays a very important role.
Their main goal is to own a home, which has become quite difficult in recent years. The proven catalog floor plan isn’t popular without reason; it’s used accordingly to build cost-effectively.
wolko22 schrieb:
We have now decided to continue working on two fronts.You are welcome to try that. However, usually after the first meeting with the (right) architect, you quickly realize it’s best to hide your own design and quietly move it to the recycling bin. In my opinion, the real challenge is finding the right architect. If I were you, I would invest much more time and effort into that than into your own ideas. Browse their websites with project references or visit completed buildings. After some time, you develop a sense for who is most aligned with your style. With a bit of luck, they will also have the time and enthusiasm to work with you. 🙂
wolko22 schrieb:
We really hardly found any custom-designed houses with that special extra.Because it costs a lot of money! Even a standard house for 4 people without a sauna or guest wing already comes close to your budget limit.And the "special" features are usually imagined by the future homeowner during planning, especially if they design it themselves in a complicated way. I remember a labyrinth planned by the original poster, who was offended and hurt by criticism, claiming he wasn’t as boring as the rest of us. The same goes for a poster who planned a utility/storage room of only 3 square meters (about 32 sq ft) and said we just don’t want to grant her a large open space and that she’s simply different. Special! 😉 Special doesn’t necessarily mean good. Usually, it’s a sideways thought… if you know what I mean (crooked twin gable roofs)…
By the way, most people tend to spend their remaining budget on attractive tiles or other higher-quality finishes rather than special roof shapes or other external highlights.
wolko22 schrieb:
We are very fortunate to be able to afford the house construction without problems,So if you talk to an architect, watch your choice of words. Because any architect will then design a million-dollar house for you with all your wishes like guest apartment, lots of photovoltaic panels, and a wellness area—even if that’s not necessarily visible from the outside.Your advantage is the plot of land. However, that doesn’t make you a tycoon, as you yourself note. If you take a flat rate of €800,000 for additional construction costs, landscaping, and kitchen, and subtract €200,000 from that, you have €600,000 left for the house. With a few nice-to-have features, that results in a standard house on a hillside.
wolko22 schrieb:
We estimate construction costs around €700,000–800,000, but that shouldn’t be the topic here; financing is secured.You see: construction costs are always a topic. Dream houses are rarely discussed anyway, and why would they be?!wolko22 schrieb:
I can understand that a lot of this causes irritation or rejection; after all, it’s not standard but "special."..wolko22 schrieb:
Garden access from all rooms, etc., is also not affordable for us; our budget is limited.By the way, the extra costs for that are hardly significant.wolko22 schrieb:
The separate area from the private rooms is because we are a group of friends who enjoy going to the sauna together, and we would like to offer that at home, but the private area should stay private...You can’t plan separate rooms for every special hobby or interest or occasion. A smart floor plan uses multifunctional rooms that cover many needs. An office used as a home office during the day becomes a gym in the late afternoon, a relaxation room in the evening, and a guest room at night. Okay, with the hillside and large plot, you have more possibilities. But I don’t know any sauna group (they were quite popular in the 1980s) that objected to using the family bathroom. Conversely, no one would mind if someone you sweat with naked uses the family shower.If the toilet is occupied at your place, I would just take the path past the fridge and snacks to your private bathroom and then sit down on the sofa to relax… sorry 🙂 … so please review your ideas and the actual daily routines carefully 😉
P.S. Is it really still common these days to meet privately for sauna sessions?
A small tip on the side: We obtained our universal floor plan through a construction company. They offered to redesign their catalog homes to fit our wishes for free, or alternatively a "custom design," where we had to contribute €1500 (about $1600) IF we decided not to build with the company.
In the end, we paid that fee – we had two preferred companies, but eventually went with the other one. Even so, that was still a very good price for a custom design. Maybe there are construction companies in your area that you have already contacted and who also offer planning beyond the catalog options?
We are very satisfied with this deal; with an independent architect, we definitely would have spent more money.
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Feedback on your own floor plans, as you requested:
Ground floor:
- Bathroom of 10 m² (about 108 sq ft) seems rather small compared to the overall house size
- The passage to the shower / next to the bathtub: how many centimeters (inches) is that? It looks tight
- What is the purpose of the small staircase in the bedroom?
- What are those two “wall stubs” next to the window in the dining room?
Basement:
- Is there space for a TV by the seating area in the open room?
- Is the basement also intended for storage (kitchen supplies)? It is quite far from your kitchen
General: The layout is complex with many corners, which creates a lot of space but also means you could get lost easily – but this has already been mentioned several times.
In the end, we paid that fee – we had two preferred companies, but eventually went with the other one. Even so, that was still a very good price for a custom design. Maybe there are construction companies in your area that you have already contacted and who also offer planning beyond the catalog options?
We are very satisfied with this deal; with an independent architect, we definitely would have spent more money.
-------
Feedback on your own floor plans, as you requested:
Ground floor:
- Bathroom of 10 m² (about 108 sq ft) seems rather small compared to the overall house size
- The passage to the shower / next to the bathtub: how many centimeters (inches) is that? It looks tight
- What is the purpose of the small staircase in the bedroom?
- What are those two “wall stubs” next to the window in the dining room?
Basement:
- Is there space for a TV by the seating area in the open room?
- Is the basement also intended for storage (kitchen supplies)? It is quite far from your kitchen
General: The layout is complex with many corners, which creates a lot of space but also means you could get lost easily – but this has already been mentioned several times.
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