ᐅ Single-family house design with approximately 168 m² – feedback requested
Created on: 22 Aug 2020 20:40
H
HappyEnd
Hello everyone,
For several months now, we have proudly owned a plot with an existing building and plan to start construction next year.
After several rounds with architects and general contractors (GCs), two are still in the running, and we want to decide by next month at the latest who we will build with.
The design mostly incorporates my sketches, and the more serious it gets, the more uncertain I feel about how coherent the planning is.
I have been following the forum for some time and look forward to your honest feedback, hoping not to be torn apart too harshly in the "lion’s den."
P.S. The site plan is not 100% accurate since we slightly enlarged the ground floor in the last round.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 777m² (8,361 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.8
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Building setback lines / building line and boundary: 3m (10 ft) towards (play) street, BayBO
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: hipped roof
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: garden faces southwest
Maximum heights / limits
Additional requirements: play street
Client requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: modern, urban villa
Basement, number of floors: yes
Number of residents, age: 4, 37+36+1+expecting
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Overnight guests per year: 10
Open or closed layout: open
Conservative or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island + open
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: yes
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double masonry garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
House design
Origin of the design:
- Draftsperson from a general contractor, based on do-it-yourself plans
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you dislike? Why?
I see potential for improvement in the upper floor bathroom and the northeast house facade.
Estimated price according to architect/planner: €550,000 (without additional construction costs and furnishings)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump + photovoltaic system
If you have to give up certain details or extensions
- Can give up: direct access from garage to house, seating window behind dining table
- Cannot give up:
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example,
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
KfW55 standard, open kitchen/living area with glass front facing the garden, office on the ground floor, walk-in closet in master bedroom, approximately two equally sized children’s rooms facing the garden, possible guest space (later possibly children’s rooms) planned in the basement
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
See above.
For several months now, we have proudly owned a plot with an existing building and plan to start construction next year.
After several rounds with architects and general contractors (GCs), two are still in the running, and we want to decide by next month at the latest who we will build with.
The design mostly incorporates my sketches, and the more serious it gets, the more uncertain I feel about how coherent the planning is.
I have been following the forum for some time and look forward to your honest feedback, hoping not to be torn apart too harshly in the "lion’s den."
P.S. The site plan is not 100% accurate since we slightly enlarged the ground floor in the last round.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 777m² (8,361 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.8
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Building setback lines / building line and boundary: 3m (10 ft) towards (play) street, BayBO
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: hipped roof
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: garden faces southwest
Maximum heights / limits
Additional requirements: play street
Client requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: modern, urban villa
Basement, number of floors: yes
Number of residents, age: 4, 37+36+1+expecting
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Overnight guests per year: 10
Open or closed layout: open
Conservative or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island + open
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: yes
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double masonry garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
House design
Origin of the design:
- Draftsperson from a general contractor, based on do-it-yourself plans
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you dislike? Why?
I see potential for improvement in the upper floor bathroom and the northeast house facade.
Estimated price according to architect/planner: €550,000 (without additional construction costs and furnishings)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump + photovoltaic system
If you have to give up certain details or extensions
- Can give up: direct access from garage to house, seating window behind dining table
- Cannot give up:
Why did the design turn out the way it is? For example,
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
KfW55 standard, open kitchen/living area with glass front facing the garden, office on the ground floor, walk-in closet in master bedroom, approximately two equally sized children’s rooms facing the garden, possible guest space (later possibly children’s rooms) planned in the basement
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
See above.
Regarding aerated concrete with a 40cm (16 inch) wall thickness, I have to quote Konrad Andenauer with surprise: "you know more about this than I do" and the kitchen bay window, well, unfortunately it really spoils the appearance.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Thanks for the note about the standard sizes; I will bring this up with the general contractor (GC) in the next round. I had hoped that at the latest during the energy consultation as part of the KfW 55 program, an unnecessarily thick wall thickness would be identified and adjusted if needed.
I have given it some more thought and come up with two options. Since revising through the GC seems too complicated, I took some time this evening to do a little DIY session.
Both Option A and B include a sofa, TV, TV stand, and an extendable dining table drawn to real size. Both options now have a house width of 12 meters (39 feet), and the kitchen bay has been removed. I moved the office/home office to the basement. I am still thinking about how to create a separation between the hallway (underneath the platform staircase) and the living/dining area.
I imagine a single glass sliding door almost 2 meters (6 feet 6 inches) wide might be too heavy. One possibility would be two panels of 90 cm (35 inches) each running on two track systems and then sliding into pockets in the wall on the left side. Or maybe two swing doors, but then one door might be intrusive in the room when open. Perhaps someone has another idea… My gut feeling is that this door would mostly remain open, but not always. Still, I don’t want to miss having it.
In Option A, I swapped the living room and kitchen and thought about having low windows in the living room so we are not fully exposed to views from the top side or the street. In Option B, I kept the living room in its original place and enlarged it by including the space from the previous office.
I’m curious to hear your opinions, although I already suspect which option will be more popular. I would appreciate further suggestions for improvement, especially regarding the windows, as I’m struggling with that.
I have given it some more thought and come up with two options. Since revising through the GC seems too complicated, I took some time this evening to do a little DIY session.
Both Option A and B include a sofa, TV, TV stand, and an extendable dining table drawn to real size. Both options now have a house width of 12 meters (39 feet), and the kitchen bay has been removed. I moved the office/home office to the basement. I am still thinking about how to create a separation between the hallway (underneath the platform staircase) and the living/dining area.
I imagine a single glass sliding door almost 2 meters (6 feet 6 inches) wide might be too heavy. One possibility would be two panels of 90 cm (35 inches) each running on two track systems and then sliding into pockets in the wall on the left side. Or maybe two swing doors, but then one door might be intrusive in the room when open. Perhaps someone has another idea… My gut feeling is that this door would mostly remain open, but not always. Still, I don’t want to miss having it.
In Option A, I swapped the living room and kitchen and thought about having low windows in the living room so we are not fully exposed to views from the top side or the street. In Option B, I kept the living room in its original place and enlarged it by including the space from the previous office.
I’m curious to hear your opinions, although I already suspect which option will be more popular. I would appreciate further suggestions for improvement, especially regarding the windows, as I’m struggling with that.
Option a seems more appealing at first glance because this corner is better utilized by the cloakroom vestibule, and the space is more efficiently covered overall. In option b, you have unused expensive space in the middle (although I would rotate the dining table in each case).
Question: How large do you want the kitchen to be? In option a, it is already quite large and will certainly not be cheap.
Question: How large do you want the kitchen to be? In option a, it is already quite large and will certainly not be cheap.
Both options are definitely an improvement. Contrary to the large group of people who would always plan the kitchen facing the terrace, I consider everyday habits to be the decisive factor.
For example, my living room and sofa would always be oriented more towards the garden/view and only secondarily towards the TV, as I prefer a nice view (while reading, playing, or with guests) and would certainly spend more time there than in the kitchen. We also really enjoy sitting at the dining table for long periods. The 3 meters (10 feet) extra distance from the kitchen to the terrace would not bother me.
Therefore, option b would be more my choice. (A fireplace as a room divider between living and dining areas would work perfectly here, but you don’t want that, of course.)
For example, my living room and sofa would always be oriented more towards the garden/view and only secondarily towards the TV, as I prefer a nice view (while reading, playing, or with guests) and would certainly spend more time there than in the kitchen. We also really enjoy sitting at the dining table for long periods. The 3 meters (10 feet) extra distance from the kitchen to the terrace would not bother me.
Therefore, option b would be more my choice. (A fireplace as a room divider between living and dining areas would work perfectly here, but you don’t want that, of course.)
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