ᐅ Single-Family Home in the Allgäu Region – Presentation of Our Design Plans
Created on: 1 Feb 2016 10:17
A
allgäuer
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 516 sqm (5548 sq ft)
Slope: No
Floor plan: 157.5 sqm (1695 sq ft)
Gross floor area: 280 sqm (3014 sq ft)
Building envelope: approx. 14 x 10 m (46 x 33 ft)
Edge building: No (3 m / 10 ft distance)
Number of parking spaces: 1
Number of stories: 2 full stories
Roof style: Gable roof
Architectural style: not specified
Orientation: Eaves side (ridge runs East/West)
Maximum heights / limits: Wall height 5.2 – 5.7 m (17 – 19 ft) / Ridge height: 7.2 m (24 ft)
Additional requirements:
- The plot contains stumps from previous use (orchard).
- Acceptance of a children’s playground and border to agricultural land.
- Planting of a native fruit tree in the garden.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Modern, gable roof, family home
Basement, stories: Basement, two full stories
Number of persons and ages: Currently 4 persons (32, 32, 3, 1, -> + 2 more children planned)
Space requirements:
Ground floor: Master bedroom, living/dining area, entrance area
Upper floor: 4 children’s rooms, bathroom, open office – open, no attic.
Office use: hobby only (photography, photo editing)
Guest stays per year: 0
Open or closed architecture: Open
Conservative or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes
Number of dining seats: 10
Fireplace: conditional (depends)
Music/sound wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: No
Additional wishes:
- The basement should include a hobby workshop for bicycles and a Vespa scooter. Additionally, there should be a storage room for bicycles and everyday scooters, which should be accessible via a driveway excavation (open excavation, not too steep).
- Special features / daily routine:
The house is active throughout the day because I work shifts (early / late / night). Therefore, we have no “normal” daily routine. Our children attend kindergarten in the morning starting at age three, with no other external care. From midday onwards, we are usually all home.
House Design
Designer: Do-it-yourself
What do you especially like?
- The large, open family living area on the ground floor, fully south-facing = very bright, even in winter with the low sun angle, with no shadows cast by adjacent buildings or objects.
- Also morning and evening sunlight in the family area.
- Each children’s room has two windows, making the rooms very bright and well ventilated.
- The garden to the south is very usable due to the northern position of the house on the plot, especially for the children.
- The four almost equal-sized children’s rooms upstairs provide a retreat for the children, including their own bathroom.
- We also like the open, spacious, and bright entrance area, where guests can be welcomed comfortably.
- The incorporation of the Vespa workshop and collection inside the house, with driveway access from outside.
What do you not like?
- No direct view of the Alps
Firm price offer according to architect / builder: 351,000 €
Personal price limit for house and basement, including equipment: 400,000 €
Preferred heating technology: Natural gas heating
If you have to give up something, which details or expansions
- can you give up: –
- can you not give up: –
---------------
Greetings from the Allgäu region,
First of all, a big compliment and heartfelt thanks for all the helpful posts, advice, and insights in this forum! It’s a great achievement, and the active participation here is truly more than helpful! Thank you!
Now I would also like to take the opportunity to introduce our house construction project. The goal is to initiate an in-depth dialogue to learn from it. Nothing more, nothing less! Critical and questioning comments are warmly welcomed! (We ourselves are open to criticism and advice!)
A brief overview of our house construction, or rather our planning, which has accompanied us for about five years now:
In 2011, we applied to the city for a plot here in XXXXXXX in the Allgäu. The plan was to designate a new development area on a former orchard in 2013.
Due to delays related to animal protection discussions,* it wasn’t until mid-2015 that we received confirmation for a building plot. The development area comprises 36 building plots, and there were approximately 560 applicants. To choose a plot, we were invited to the town hall, and fortunately, our desired plot was still available! This made us very happy, as we were only informed which plots were still available at the appointment. Therefore, beforehand we discussed which plot we liked best and which could serve as a backup. Since mid-November, we have officially been registered as landowners.
Having thought about the house construction for five years, I now consider our planning and approach well thought out and grounded. Honestly, I’m quite glad that we had to endure those delays. A lot has changed in our lives in the past five years, with many unforeseen consequences:
- We have had two children and plan to have two more.
- Living without debt enabled me to take a year off work to attend full-time training. This now brings great career advantages and improved income.
- A new hobby has developed that I no longer want to miss.
- …
In summary, we would have needed a very different house in 2011, and we would have approached financing very differently: inexperienced and unaware of family life financial needs. In other words, this externally caused delay has been a great blessing for us!
Now about our planning and the attached floor plan:
We have assessed our budget and found that we can realize our “dream home” – a house that fits our current needs and ideal ideas regarding room layout and size. This is a very positive thought, and we are very happy about it. We have designed a house that we need NOW and for the next 20 years – for the prime of our life! How we will use the four children’s rooms upstairs if the children move out later is unknown and honestly not important right now.
The floor plan focuses largely on a bright living space for the family. The children should also have spaces to retreat, and we want to place a large dining table. Additionally, we want a generous entrance area. I also need a small office space for my hobby (photography) with a computer desk, which we plan to locate in the “hall” on the upper floor (= corner desk where a chair is currently shown).
Many aspects have ultimately been subordinated to these requirements, and we are very satisfied with the attached floor plan.
Regarding the plot planning / layout, the following things are not yet accounted for:
- We currently have one car and have planned one parking space. The goal is to keep it to one car! However, if it becomes necessary, we will have to add a second parking space.
- I plan to pursue another hobby in the coming years: astronomy – for which I may need a suitable spot for a telescope, ideally a pavilion in the garden.
We look forward to your opinions and input!
Thank you very much in advance for your participation!
Best regards,
Family Allgäuer
PS:
Current status: The building contract is now ready to be signed. It was important to me to discuss and include every detail BEFORE signing the contract. These details included materials for water pipes (stainless steel), stair step height (17.5 cm / 7 inches), etc. This process has now taken another four weeks in total but was very important to me personally. Trust in the architect and builder = 100%!
* Specifically, it concerned a species of toad that regularly migrates through the development area. A pond adjacent to the site is a nature reserve.
Plot size: 516 sqm (5548 sq ft)
Slope: No
Floor plan: 157.5 sqm (1695 sq ft)
Gross floor area: 280 sqm (3014 sq ft)
Building envelope: approx. 14 x 10 m (46 x 33 ft)
Edge building: No (3 m / 10 ft distance)
Number of parking spaces: 1
Number of stories: 2 full stories
Roof style: Gable roof
Architectural style: not specified
Orientation: Eaves side (ridge runs East/West)
Maximum heights / limits: Wall height 5.2 – 5.7 m (17 – 19 ft) / Ridge height: 7.2 m (24 ft)
Additional requirements:
- The plot contains stumps from previous use (orchard).
- Acceptance of a children’s playground and border to agricultural land.
- Planting of a native fruit tree in the garden.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Modern, gable roof, family home
Basement, stories: Basement, two full stories
Number of persons and ages: Currently 4 persons (32, 32, 3, 1, -> + 2 more children planned)
Space requirements:
Ground floor: Master bedroom, living/dining area, entrance area
Upper floor: 4 children’s rooms, bathroom, open office – open, no attic.
Office use: hobby only (photography, photo editing)
Guest stays per year: 0
Open or closed architecture: Open
Conservative or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes
Number of dining seats: 10
Fireplace: conditional (depends)
Music/sound wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: No
Additional wishes:
- The basement should include a hobby workshop for bicycles and a Vespa scooter. Additionally, there should be a storage room for bicycles and everyday scooters, which should be accessible via a driveway excavation (open excavation, not too steep).
- Special features / daily routine:
The house is active throughout the day because I work shifts (early / late / night). Therefore, we have no “normal” daily routine. Our children attend kindergarten in the morning starting at age three, with no other external care. From midday onwards, we are usually all home.
House Design
Designer: Do-it-yourself
What do you especially like?
- The large, open family living area on the ground floor, fully south-facing = very bright, even in winter with the low sun angle, with no shadows cast by adjacent buildings or objects.
- Also morning and evening sunlight in the family area.
- Each children’s room has two windows, making the rooms very bright and well ventilated.
- The garden to the south is very usable due to the northern position of the house on the plot, especially for the children.
- The four almost equal-sized children’s rooms upstairs provide a retreat for the children, including their own bathroom.
- We also like the open, spacious, and bright entrance area, where guests can be welcomed comfortably.
- The incorporation of the Vespa workshop and collection inside the house, with driveway access from outside.
What do you not like?
- No direct view of the Alps
Firm price offer according to architect / builder: 351,000 €
Personal price limit for house and basement, including equipment: 400,000 €
Preferred heating technology: Natural gas heating
If you have to give up something, which details or expansions
- can you give up: –
- can you not give up: –
---------------
Greetings from the Allgäu region,
First of all, a big compliment and heartfelt thanks for all the helpful posts, advice, and insights in this forum! It’s a great achievement, and the active participation here is truly more than helpful! Thank you!
Now I would also like to take the opportunity to introduce our house construction project. The goal is to initiate an in-depth dialogue to learn from it. Nothing more, nothing less! Critical and questioning comments are warmly welcomed! (We ourselves are open to criticism and advice!)
A brief overview of our house construction, or rather our planning, which has accompanied us for about five years now:
In 2011, we applied to the city for a plot here in XXXXXXX in the Allgäu. The plan was to designate a new development area on a former orchard in 2013.
Due to delays related to animal protection discussions,* it wasn’t until mid-2015 that we received confirmation for a building plot. The development area comprises 36 building plots, and there were approximately 560 applicants. To choose a plot, we were invited to the town hall, and fortunately, our desired plot was still available! This made us very happy, as we were only informed which plots were still available at the appointment. Therefore, beforehand we discussed which plot we liked best and which could serve as a backup. Since mid-November, we have officially been registered as landowners.
Having thought about the house construction for five years, I now consider our planning and approach well thought out and grounded. Honestly, I’m quite glad that we had to endure those delays. A lot has changed in our lives in the past five years, with many unforeseen consequences:
- We have had two children and plan to have two more.
- Living without debt enabled me to take a year off work to attend full-time training. This now brings great career advantages and improved income.
- A new hobby has developed that I no longer want to miss.
- …
In summary, we would have needed a very different house in 2011, and we would have approached financing very differently: inexperienced and unaware of family life financial needs. In other words, this externally caused delay has been a great blessing for us!
Now about our planning and the attached floor plan:
We have assessed our budget and found that we can realize our “dream home” – a house that fits our current needs and ideal ideas regarding room layout and size. This is a very positive thought, and we are very happy about it. We have designed a house that we need NOW and for the next 20 years – for the prime of our life! How we will use the four children’s rooms upstairs if the children move out later is unknown and honestly not important right now.
The floor plan focuses largely on a bright living space for the family. The children should also have spaces to retreat, and we want to place a large dining table. Additionally, we want a generous entrance area. I also need a small office space for my hobby (photography) with a computer desk, which we plan to locate in the “hall” on the upper floor (= corner desk where a chair is currently shown).
Many aspects have ultimately been subordinated to these requirements, and we are very satisfied with the attached floor plan.
Regarding the plot planning / layout, the following things are not yet accounted for:
- We currently have one car and have planned one parking space. The goal is to keep it to one car! However, if it becomes necessary, we will have to add a second parking space.
- I plan to pursue another hobby in the coming years: astronomy – for which I may need a suitable spot for a telescope, ideally a pavilion in the garden.
We look forward to your opinions and input!
Thank you very much in advance for your participation!
Best regards,
Family Allgäuer
PS:
Current status: The building contract is now ready to be signed. It was important to me to discuss and include every detail BEFORE signing the contract. These details included materials for water pipes (stainless steel), stair step height (17.5 cm / 7 inches), etc. This process has now taken another four weeks in total but was very important to me personally. Trust in the architect and builder = 100%!
* Specifically, it concerned a species of toad that regularly migrates through the development area. A pond adjacent to the site is a nature reserve.
N
nightdancer1 Feb 2016 12:37What a modest design. A tight 45 m² (485 sq ft) for six people (excluding guests) to eat, live, and cook in, yet 40 m² (430 sq ft) of circulation/empty space – that’s a complete waste. How often do you actually welcome guests and spend time in the hallway? How often do you stay in the kitchen/living/dining areas?
Four children are supposed to share a tiny bathroom? Okay, so they can greet their friends in the ground floor hall and wait in line there until the bathroom is free...
The furniture layout doesn’t match the stated dimensions. A 10-person dining table with only 50 cm (20 inches) clearance on both sides – that’s really cramped. A mini kitchen island (where grease will happily splash onto the dining table) also with 50 cm (20 inches) clearance – none of this works. Complete failure multiplied by three.
Four children are supposed to share a tiny bathroom? Okay, so they can greet their friends in the ground floor hall and wait in line there until the bathroom is free...
The furniture layout doesn’t match the stated dimensions. A 10-person dining table with only 50 cm (20 inches) clearance on both sides – that’s really cramped. A mini kitchen island (where grease will happily splash onto the dining table) also with 50 cm (20 inches) clearance – none of this works. Complete failure multiplied by three.
S
Steffen801 Feb 2016 13:38This is indeed a rarely bad floor plan. Throw it away and start over.
@BeHaElJa
4 meters (13 feet) might be okay. But two 50 cm (20 inch) passages to the kitchen?!!! And a kitchen island measuring 1 meter x 0.5 meter (3.3 feet x 1.6 feet)? What is this nonsense supposed to be?
@BeHaElJa
4 meters (13 feet) might be okay. But two 50 cm (20 inch) passages to the kitchen?!!! And a kitchen island measuring 1 meter x 0.5 meter (3.3 feet x 1.6 feet)? What is this nonsense supposed to be?
How do you get that result? 4.07 - 1.2 = 2.87 - 2*80cm (2.6 feet) = 1.27 m (4.2 feet) island.
BEF, just to check if I’m really that far off – as I said, I don’t find the floor plan that bad. Of course, an open space is not necessary and the entrance hall might be a bit too large (although 6 sqm (65 sq ft) of the 21 are already taken up by the wardrobe alone).
BEF, just to check if I’m really that far off – as I said, I don’t find the floor plan that bad. Of course, an open space is not necessary and the entrance hall might be a bit too large (although 6 sqm (65 sq ft) of the 21 are already taken up by the wardrobe alone).
S
Sebastian791 Feb 2016 13:45You write at the top "own planning," but then you mention the architect, and there are architect stamps visible. Is the architect employed by the home builder, or did they just copy your plans?
Without meaning to offend you, I find it a bit "sad" that after more than four years you have produced only such a poorly thought-out waste. Although some of the requests are new, so hopefully the planning is not that old after all.
Without meaning to offend you, I find it a bit "sad" that after more than four years you have produced only such a poorly thought-out waste. Although some of the requests are new, so hopefully the planning is not that old after all.
I don’t think the design is bad for the intended requirements. I imagine the hallway when all six family members are going on an outing or coming back; by the time all the children have put on or taken off their shoes and jackets, I think you’d be glad to have a bit of space.
I can’t really judge this since I don’t have children myself, but perhaps I would plan the downstairs toilet as a shower room. I’m not sure if all six people might need to shower at the same time (for example, after a birthday visit to grandma or other celebrations), but I imagine having only two showers/bathrooms could be a bit stressful. Unless, of course, you have four boys—that might make it easier.
I can’t really judge this since I don’t have children myself, but perhaps I would plan the downstairs toilet as a shower room. I’m not sure if all six people might need to shower at the same time (for example, after a birthday visit to grandma or other celebrations), but I imagine having only two showers/bathrooms could be a bit stressful. Unless, of course, you have four boys—that might make it easier.
S
Sebastian791 Feb 2016 14:13There is a fine line between having a bit of extra space and pure waste. I tend to feel that certain rooms were necessary, and then there was simply some extra space to allocate.
We were seven people and had a rather small entrance area – oddly enough, that worked out fine. In our house, we deliberately made it larger because I found my parents’ entryway really too small (around 12 square meters (130 square feet), nearly 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) wide at the door area). But that is definitely over the top in terms of cost versus benefit...
By the way, we were seven people (five women) with only one main bathroom plus a guest toilet with a toilet – that worked very well too. Although later on, an extra bathroom was added in the basement...
We were seven people and had a rather small entrance area – oddly enough, that worked out fine. In our house, we deliberately made it larger because I found my parents’ entryway really too small (around 12 square meters (130 square feet), nearly 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) wide at the door area). But that is definitely over the top in terms of cost versus benefit...
By the way, we were seven people (five women) with only one main bathroom plus a guest toilet with a toilet – that worked very well too. Although later on, an extra bathroom was added in the basement...
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