ᐅ DIY Floor Planning for Two People

Created on: 7 Oct 2022 22:54
W
wolko22
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?

North view of a two-story residential building with many windows and entrance door.


East view of a house with two gable roofs, windows, and chimney.


Modern house view from the south: flat roof, large solar panels, window front, and stairway to entrance.


West view of a two-story house with central brick chimney, two gable roofs, and windows.


Ground floor plan of a house with living/dining area, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and terrace.


Site plan: pink plot with buildings, adjacent farmland, size 70 x 30 m (230 x 98 feet).


Ground floor plan: interior layout with walls, doors, stairs, and dimension lines.


Basement floor plan with room layout, dimension lines, and compass rose.


Basement floor plan of a house: garage/workshop, basement rooms, corridors, bathroom, living/sleeping area.


Satellite image of a plot: yellow-outlined rectangle with orange X in the center.
K
kbt09
11 Nov 2022 23:08
I am missing measurements on the floor plan. The cloakroom area does not appear to be deep enough.

The rise of the staircase is not visible.

Who is supposed to use the guest apartment again? Really only occasional guests or someone more long-term?
wolko2212 Nov 2022 14:26
@k-man2021
You can look at it either way, but I just don’t trust those devices. That’s why there is a locked electrical room in the basement, and the photovoltaic battery storage is securely enclosed as well. 😉

Here are the dimensioned floor plans for your information. I hope everything is easy to read.

Floor plan of the ground floor of a house: living, cooking/dining, sleeping, bathroom, wellness.


Floor plan of the basement: garage/workshop with car, guest apartment, storage cellar, bathroom, building services.
wolko2212 Nov 2022 14:33
kbt09 schrieb:

I’m missing measurements on the floor plan. The wardrobe area doesn’t look deep enough.

The rise and run of the staircase are not clear.

Who exactly is supposed to use the guest apartment? Really just occasional guests or someone more permanent?

I’ve just added the dimensions; the wardrobes are currently planned with a depth of 50cm (20 inches) each. We could move the partition wall 10cm (4 inches) to the left to gain a bit more depth.

I hope the measurements are now readable. The staircase has a rise of 17.25cm (6.8 inches) and a run of 28cm (11 inches) with 17 steps.

The guest apartment is intended for family and friends when they visit, possibly later in life for a housekeeper or caregiver. Renting it out as a separate unit is not planned.
H
hanghaus2023
24 Nov 2022 14:34
The floor plans already look much better. I’m curious to see if the architect can make them a bit more stylish. As they are now, they look like a mix of different styles.
wolko2224 Nov 2022 22:08
Hello hanghaus2023,

which styles do you think we have mixed here?
Or to put it differently, which design details in the floor plan do you believe don’t match stylistically?
H
hanghaus2023
25 Nov 2022 08:41
wolko22 schrieb:

Hello hanghaus2023,

which styles do you think we have mixed here?
Or to put it another way, which planning details in the floor plan do you think are stylistically inconsistent?
In my opinion, it’s not really the floor plans. It’s more about the overall concept.

I wouldn’t design the house like that on the plot. For example, a tiny garage (5 meters wide and a 4-meter door) right in the middle of the house? If possible, I would place the garage on the living level and next to the house with at least 7 m by 7 m (23 ft by 23 ft).

I’m waiting to see the architect’s final result.