ᐅ Design of a single-family house, 2 full stories, gable roof, no basement, double garage
Created on: 28 Mar 2025 14:34
S
schrauberlouisS
schrauberlouis28 Mar 2025 14:34Hello dear forum members,
Over 1.5 years ago, we were lucky to secure a 500m² (5,382 sq ft) plot in our highly sought-after hometown and now want to upgrade from our terraced house to a great single-family home. To achieve the best possible improvement, I am hoping for your experience and suggestions for improvement.
I have been enthusiastically following this forum for months and have already learned a lot. We have spent the time that has passed in a kind of “self-discovery” process and, for example, took a long time to come to terms with the idea of “no basement” due to cost/benefit considerations. (Unfortunately, this is still a prejudice in the area and among acquaintances.)
We have already visited two general contractors and were relatively disappointed with their designs because a lot of information and wishes were overlooked. Since it is also very difficult to find an architect who suits us, I have spent the past year reviewing and adapting numerous prefab house designs, designs from here, etc., or drawing my own. Of course, we will then go to a planner or architect. This approach is obviously not the right one, but I don’t want to waste any more time on countless meetings where the key points get lost again.
DIY designs are often harshly criticized here and in other forums 🙂 I hope to be spared and am curious what you think about this. Many thanks in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 500m² , ridge direction predetermined from east to west
Slope no, very flat
Floor area ratio 0.4 (may be exceeded by 50% by counting garages, etc., but the municipality is not very strict about it)
Edge development boundary garage
Number of parking spaces 1.5 per residential unit
Number of storeys I + attic or II
Roof type gable, hip, tent, and staggered shed roofs allowed
Orientation south
Maximum heights / limits
I + attic:
Eaves height from finished ground level on ground floor max. 4.3m (14 ft)
Roof pitch 35 - 42 degrees
II:
Eaves height min. 5.25m (17 ft)/max. 5.75m (19 ft)
Roof pitch 20 - 35 degrees
Garages:
gable roof 18 - 25 degrees or matching main building
shed roof 8 - 18 degrees
flat roof with green roofing
Client Requirements
Style, roof shape, building type single-family home, gable roof
Basement, storeys
no basement due to high groundwater, flat site, and cost/benefit considerations, 2 storeys + attic storage (possibly above garage)
Number of people 4, ages 34, 32, 2, 0
Space requirements ground floor, upper floor approx. 170m² (1,830 sq ft) total
Office: home office (possibly bedroom later in life or for health reasons)
Overnight guests per year almost none, but 3rd children’s/guest room upstairs as a spare room or due to lack of basement for children’s hobbies etc.
Open or closed layout living room can be closed off as a retreat, cooking + dining open
Conservative or modern design both
Open kitchen, kitchen island yes
Number of dining seats at least 6, expandable for birthdays etc.
Fireplace no
Music/stereo wall no
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage double garage with 9m (30 ft) length (max boundary development) for 2 cars + motorcycle, workshop for DIY maintenance or woodworking, bicycles, etc. (currently mostly stored at parents or elsewhere)
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Other wishes/features/daily routine, also reasons why some things should or should not be included
- since gable roofs on a garage on the boundary are allowed in Bavaria, I also considered putting the technical room + laundry room in the attic of the garage (accessible from the upper floor, but difficult to implement and 35-degree roof partly too shallow). Instead, we now plan a “cold roof” with an intermediate floor (access e.g. by freight elevator from the garage) to create some basement replacement, e.g., for winter tires and more.
- staircase separated from living area because children are noise-sensitive
- functional and relatively large cloakroom (only 2m (6.5 ft) closet here, but we see the office as a backup cloakroom for seasonal jackets etc.)
- straight or half-landing staircase
- shower on ground floor desirable, not a must. Large shower upstairs without glass wall
- kitchen and dining open, living room separable
- space in living room for U-shaped sofa + play area
- ground floor office also as multifunctional room for home office, additional cloakroom, guest, or elderly bedroom
- upstairs 2 children’s rooms and a third (smaller) children’s room initially and possibly permanently for laundry, hobbies, additional children’s play area, spare bedroom, or occasional second home office (after mother’s parental leave).
- as much south-facing garden as possible towards the quiet residential street, resulting in the disadvantage of a “long driveway,” but we see this as practical space for playing, parking, etc.
House Design
Designer:
- own design (wall thicknesses roughly assumed: exterior 40cm (16 in), interior 20cm (8 in))
What do you especially like? Why?
- fits all wishes
- large garage with storage room above
- open kitchen with island and direct access to the main terrace
- adjacent pantry with more than 4m (13 ft) of shelves
What do you dislike? Why?
- location of bathroom upstairs is above ground floor office → drainage difficult & noise issue if used as a bedroom later.
- kitchen relatively small, but acceptable compromise due to the long shelf wall in the utility room as backup for fryer, pantry, etc.
- bathroom with T-layout at 3.6m x 3.6m (12 ft x 12 ft) almost too tight
- technical room only along a 3.6m (12 ft) long wall and in the middle of the house (long supply routes regarding connections) → questionable if feasible
- entrance is right at driveway without a landing, but unavoidable due to only 17m (56 ft) wide building zone and urgent desire for a double garage
- generally, we would like to have the option to separate the upper floor as a separate living unit later in life, which is not possible here. An external staircase would be required in that case.
- house size & living area of about 180m² (1,940 sq ft) feels large at first, but we find it hard to do without the usual basement and have therefore planned a reserve.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: own estimate approx. €650,000 - 700,000
Personal price limit including equipment: we have not set a fixed price limit; we want to build the optimal, efficient house that suits us (as expensive as necessary and as inexpensive as possible…). The land (standard land value €440/m²) is paid for, we live in a paid-off terraced house with 136m² and have some equity available.
Preferred heating technology : heat pump (air or ring trench)
If you have to give up something, which features / expansions
- can give up if necessary: pantry, large office on ground floor, third room upstairs
- cannot give up: everything else
Over 1.5 years ago, we were lucky to secure a 500m² (5,382 sq ft) plot in our highly sought-after hometown and now want to upgrade from our terraced house to a great single-family home. To achieve the best possible improvement, I am hoping for your experience and suggestions for improvement.
I have been enthusiastically following this forum for months and have already learned a lot. We have spent the time that has passed in a kind of “self-discovery” process and, for example, took a long time to come to terms with the idea of “no basement” due to cost/benefit considerations. (Unfortunately, this is still a prejudice in the area and among acquaintances.)
We have already visited two general contractors and were relatively disappointed with their designs because a lot of information and wishes were overlooked. Since it is also very difficult to find an architect who suits us, I have spent the past year reviewing and adapting numerous prefab house designs, designs from here, etc., or drawing my own. Of course, we will then go to a planner or architect. This approach is obviously not the right one, but I don’t want to waste any more time on countless meetings where the key points get lost again.
DIY designs are often harshly criticized here and in other forums 🙂 I hope to be spared and am curious what you think about this. Many thanks in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 500m² , ridge direction predetermined from east to west
Slope no, very flat
Floor area ratio 0.4 (may be exceeded by 50% by counting garages, etc., but the municipality is not very strict about it)
Edge development boundary garage
Number of parking spaces 1.5 per residential unit
Number of storeys I + attic or II
Roof type gable, hip, tent, and staggered shed roofs allowed
Orientation south
Maximum heights / limits
I + attic:
Eaves height from finished ground level on ground floor max. 4.3m (14 ft)
Roof pitch 35 - 42 degrees
II:
Eaves height min. 5.25m (17 ft)/max. 5.75m (19 ft)
Roof pitch 20 - 35 degrees
Garages:
gable roof 18 - 25 degrees or matching main building
shed roof 8 - 18 degrees
flat roof with green roofing
Client Requirements
Style, roof shape, building type single-family home, gable roof
Basement, storeys
no basement due to high groundwater, flat site, and cost/benefit considerations, 2 storeys + attic storage (possibly above garage)
Number of people 4, ages 34, 32, 2, 0
Space requirements ground floor, upper floor approx. 170m² (1,830 sq ft) total
Office: home office (possibly bedroom later in life or for health reasons)
Overnight guests per year almost none, but 3rd children’s/guest room upstairs as a spare room or due to lack of basement for children’s hobbies etc.
Open or closed layout living room can be closed off as a retreat, cooking + dining open
Conservative or modern design both
Open kitchen, kitchen island yes
Number of dining seats at least 6, expandable for birthdays etc.
Fireplace no
Music/stereo wall no
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage double garage with 9m (30 ft) length (max boundary development) for 2 cars + motorcycle, workshop for DIY maintenance or woodworking, bicycles, etc. (currently mostly stored at parents or elsewhere)
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Other wishes/features/daily routine, also reasons why some things should or should not be included
- since gable roofs on a garage on the boundary are allowed in Bavaria, I also considered putting the technical room + laundry room in the attic of the garage (accessible from the upper floor, but difficult to implement and 35-degree roof partly too shallow). Instead, we now plan a “cold roof” with an intermediate floor (access e.g. by freight elevator from the garage) to create some basement replacement, e.g., for winter tires and more.
- staircase separated from living area because children are noise-sensitive
- functional and relatively large cloakroom (only 2m (6.5 ft) closet here, but we see the office as a backup cloakroom for seasonal jackets etc.)
- straight or half-landing staircase
- shower on ground floor desirable, not a must. Large shower upstairs without glass wall
- kitchen and dining open, living room separable
- space in living room for U-shaped sofa + play area
- ground floor office also as multifunctional room for home office, additional cloakroom, guest, or elderly bedroom
- upstairs 2 children’s rooms and a third (smaller) children’s room initially and possibly permanently for laundry, hobbies, additional children’s play area, spare bedroom, or occasional second home office (after mother’s parental leave).
- as much south-facing garden as possible towards the quiet residential street, resulting in the disadvantage of a “long driveway,” but we see this as practical space for playing, parking, etc.
House Design
Designer:
- own design (wall thicknesses roughly assumed: exterior 40cm (16 in), interior 20cm (8 in))
What do you especially like? Why?
- fits all wishes
- large garage with storage room above
- open kitchen with island and direct access to the main terrace
- adjacent pantry with more than 4m (13 ft) of shelves
What do you dislike? Why?
- location of bathroom upstairs is above ground floor office → drainage difficult & noise issue if used as a bedroom later.
- kitchen relatively small, but acceptable compromise due to the long shelf wall in the utility room as backup for fryer, pantry, etc.
- bathroom with T-layout at 3.6m x 3.6m (12 ft x 12 ft) almost too tight
- technical room only along a 3.6m (12 ft) long wall and in the middle of the house (long supply routes regarding connections) → questionable if feasible
- entrance is right at driveway without a landing, but unavoidable due to only 17m (56 ft) wide building zone and urgent desire for a double garage
- generally, we would like to have the option to separate the upper floor as a separate living unit later in life, which is not possible here. An external staircase would be required in that case.
- house size & living area of about 180m² (1,940 sq ft) feels large at first, but we find it hard to do without the usual basement and have therefore planned a reserve.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: own estimate approx. €650,000 - 700,000
Personal price limit including equipment: we have not set a fixed price limit; we want to build the optimal, efficient house that suits us (as expensive as necessary and as inexpensive as possible…). The land (standard land value €440/m²) is paid for, we live in a paid-off terraced house with 136m² and have some equity available.
Preferred heating technology : heat pump (air or ring trench)
If you have to give up something, which features / expansions
- can give up if necessary: pantry, large office on ground floor, third room upstairs
- cannot give up: everything else
N
nordanney28 Mar 2025 15:07schrauberlouis schrieb:
- The house size and living area of about 180m² (1,940 sq ft) seems large at first, but we find it difficult to do without the usual basement and have therefore planned some extra space as a reserve. I’m not an expert in floor plans. But where exactly are the reserves or specific basement/storage rooms that you have planned? I only see many rooms (how exactly do you think the children’s hobby room will be used?) and a lot of space.
A spare room and guest room can be covered by the office. Overall, if desired, a lot of space can be saved. You can create plenty of storage space in the attic; it may not be extremely convenient, but you also don’t constantly run to the basement.
Ground floor without office, smaller ground floor, office on the upper floor, smaller children’s rooms. No loss in quality of life and a lot of money saved.
If you can afford it, that’s not the issue.
Do you access the attic stairs through the bathroom or bedroom 2?
You should consult the architect without having your own design, even if it is above average in quality. I particularly like the approach of planning with fixed wall thicknesses of 40cm/20cm (16 inches/8 inches) and room dimensions only accurate to the nearest decimeter. With 34cm/32cm (13 inches/12.5 inches), I wouldn’t consider a conversion for senior living but rather assume new construction near retirement age. Going early and without advice to the general contractor (GC) was obviously a mistake.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
You should consult the architect without having your own design, even if it is above average in quality. I particularly like the approach of planning with fixed wall thicknesses of 40cm/20cm (16 inches/8 inches) and room dimensions only accurate to the nearest decimeter. With 34cm/32cm (13 inches/12.5 inches), I wouldn’t consider a conversion for senior living but rather assume new construction near retirement age. Going early and without advice to the general contractor (GC) was obviously a mistake.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
M
MachsSelbst28 Mar 2025 17:09My all-time favorite... the third child must feel quite unwanted when having to live in a tiny 11.5m² (124 sq ft) while the siblings each have 16m² (172 sq ft).
The suggested furniture already shows it: a bed and wardrobe fit, but no desk.
Or is the third child not supposed to go to school, but instead be sent to the night shift anyway?
The suggested furniture already shows it: a bed and wardrobe fit, but no desk.
Or is the third child not supposed to go to school, but instead be sent to the night shift anyway?
N
nordanney28 Mar 2025 17:24MachsSelbst schrieb:
My all-time favorite... the third child must feel pretty unwanted when they’re stuck living in a tiny 11.5m² (124 sq ft) room, while the siblings each have 16m² (172 sq ft).
The suggested furniture already shows it: a bed and wardrobe fit, but no desk.
Or is the third child not supposed to go to school, but instead be sent on night watch? Which third child? The original poster only has two children and doesn’t plan to have a third.
This is a room for...
Always read the whole text. Wink.
I really like the design. You have included many thoughtful details, such as the passage from the utility room to the garage.
What I am still not completely clear about conceptually:
In this case, I would strongly recommend that you decide clearly whether you want it that way or if you prefer to use the additional living space differently or build correspondingly smaller. 180m² (1,938 sq ft) for a single-family house with 2 children's rooms is quite a luxury. However, I consider the cost calculation quite feasible with moderate expectations (our costs are quite similar).
A few points I noticed:
- The master bedroom is already quite large at 19m² (204 sq ft). Perhaps the space is more important to you elsewhere upstairs (bathroom?).
- The corridor on the upper floor is nicely compact. However, I don’t see any windows there. You might be able to add a window on the west side above the garage.
- Personally, I would reconsider separating off the living room. Children especially like to move freely between rooms when playing. You already have sound insulation to the upper floor through the door in the hallway. Also, it unnecessarily reduces the size of the nice open-plan living area.
What I am still not completely clear about conceptually:
schrauberlouis schrieb:
-You can do without these: pantry if necessary, large office on the ground floor, third room on the upper floor
In this case, I would strongly recommend that you decide clearly whether you want it that way or if you prefer to use the additional living space differently or build correspondingly smaller. 180m² (1,938 sq ft) for a single-family house with 2 children's rooms is quite a luxury. However, I consider the cost calculation quite feasible with moderate expectations (our costs are quite similar).
A few points I noticed:
- The master bedroom is already quite large at 19m² (204 sq ft). Perhaps the space is more important to you elsewhere upstairs (bathroom?).
- The corridor on the upper floor is nicely compact. However, I don’t see any windows there. You might be able to add a window on the west side above the garage.
- Personally, I would reconsider separating off the living room. Children especially like to move freely between rooms when playing. You already have sound insulation to the upper floor through the door in the hallway. Also, it unnecessarily reduces the size of the nice open-plan living area.
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