Hello everyone,
We are now in contact with several home builders and have a first floor plan that we like overall, with only a few minor details to adjust. Some changes have already been discussed with the designer. Unfortunately, I don’t have updated plans yet, so I have marked the changes in red on the current plans. I’m looking forward to your opinions and input on the floor plan.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1,300 sqm (0.32 acres)
Slope: yes, 6 m (20 ft) incline — rising from street level
Site coverage ratio: unknown
Floor area ratio: unknown
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: only Section 34 applicable
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: basement + upper floor
Roof style: not yet decided (no hipped roof; rather modern like staggered shed roof, flat roof, or simple gable roof)
Style: rather modern
Orientation: see site plan, plot 488/5
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: not finalized, we are deciding between flat roof or staggered shed roof with an open double-height living room
Basement, floors: basement due to sloped site, south and east sides are at ground level, west and north sides partially below ground + one upper floor
Number of occupants, ages: she 32, he 33, plus two children aged 0 and 2, with one more child planned
Space requirements on the ground floor: this is basically the basement level for us, including entrance area, hallway, 3 children’s rooms each 15–17 sqm (160–183 sq ft), bathroom, plus space for technical and utility rooms, if possible a small cloakroom
Space requirements on the upper floor: living/dining/kitchen in L-shape, small pantry, guest toilet, master bedroom with bath, small office
Office use: family use
Overnight guests per year: 1–2
Open or closed layout: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes, possibly with a large sliding door for separation
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes
Garage or carport: yes, double garage
Additional wishes/particulars/daily routine, including reasons why some options are preferred or rejected:
Due to the plot conditions, building with a basement is necessary, and we want to use this space as much as possible as living area. We like having the entrance in the basement, as this eliminates the need for a large exterior staircase.
The following changes have already been discussed with the designer (marked in red):
- The partition wall between kitchen and dining area will be removed,
- Pantry and guest toilet will be extended,
- Fireplace position adjusted,
- Flat roof of the garage will be used as a second terrace,
- 3 m (10 ft) sliding element will connect the kitchen to the second terrace on the garage roof,
- Sliding element behind the sofa will be removed and replaced with a normal full-height window,
- Guest toilet will get a window
House Design
Designer: planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: room orientation
What do you dislike? Why?: pantry and master bathroom are too small, partition wall between kitchen and dining room will be removed, garage will be larger with direct access to the technical room in the basement
Cost estimate according to the architect/planner: 350,000 EUR + 80,000 EUR ancillary costs (some work will be done by ourselves, such as laying floors, tiling including bathroom, building the garage walls ourselves, painting, possibly also installing doors and windows)
Personal budget limit for the house including fixtures: 480,000 EUR including kitchen
Preferred heating system: underfloor heating with geothermal borehole
If you had to give up something, which details or additional features
- Can give up: garage, cloakroom, maybe guest toilet
- Cannot give up: children’s rooms not smaller than 15 sqm (better 17 sqm), generous living/dining area
Why does the design look the way it does? For example, which requirements from the architect were implemented?
The room program was specified by us; as much floor space as possible in the basement should be finished to make best use of it.
We are now in contact with several home builders and have a first floor plan that we like overall, with only a few minor details to adjust. Some changes have already been discussed with the designer. Unfortunately, I don’t have updated plans yet, so I have marked the changes in red on the current plans. I’m looking forward to your opinions and input on the floor plan.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 1,300 sqm (0.32 acres)
Slope: yes, 6 m (20 ft) incline — rising from street level
Site coverage ratio: unknown
Floor area ratio: unknown
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: only Section 34 applicable
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: basement + upper floor
Roof style: not yet decided (no hipped roof; rather modern like staggered shed roof, flat roof, or simple gable roof)
Style: rather modern
Orientation: see site plan, plot 488/5
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: not finalized, we are deciding between flat roof or staggered shed roof with an open double-height living room
Basement, floors: basement due to sloped site, south and east sides are at ground level, west and north sides partially below ground + one upper floor
Number of occupants, ages: she 32, he 33, plus two children aged 0 and 2, with one more child planned
Space requirements on the ground floor: this is basically the basement level for us, including entrance area, hallway, 3 children’s rooms each 15–17 sqm (160–183 sq ft), bathroom, plus space for technical and utility rooms, if possible a small cloakroom
Space requirements on the upper floor: living/dining/kitchen in L-shape, small pantry, guest toilet, master bedroom with bath, small office
Office use: family use
Overnight guests per year: 1–2
Open or closed layout: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: rather modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes, possibly with a large sliding door for separation
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes
Garage or carport: yes, double garage
Additional wishes/particulars/daily routine, including reasons why some options are preferred or rejected:
Due to the plot conditions, building with a basement is necessary, and we want to use this space as much as possible as living area. We like having the entrance in the basement, as this eliminates the need for a large exterior staircase.
The following changes have already been discussed with the designer (marked in red):
- The partition wall between kitchen and dining area will be removed,
- Pantry and guest toilet will be extended,
- Fireplace position adjusted,
- Flat roof of the garage will be used as a second terrace,
- 3 m (10 ft) sliding element will connect the kitchen to the second terrace on the garage roof,
- Sliding element behind the sofa will be removed and replaced with a normal full-height window,
- Guest toilet will get a window
House Design
Designer: planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: room orientation
What do you dislike? Why?: pantry and master bathroom are too small, partition wall between kitchen and dining room will be removed, garage will be larger with direct access to the technical room in the basement
Cost estimate according to the architect/planner: 350,000 EUR + 80,000 EUR ancillary costs (some work will be done by ourselves, such as laying floors, tiling including bathroom, building the garage walls ourselves, painting, possibly also installing doors and windows)
Personal budget limit for the house including fixtures: 480,000 EUR including kitchen
Preferred heating system: underfloor heating with geothermal borehole
If you had to give up something, which details or additional features
- Can give up: garage, cloakroom, maybe guest toilet
- Cannot give up: children’s rooms not smaller than 15 sqm (better 17 sqm), generous living/dining area
Why does the design look the way it does? For example, which requirements from the architect were implemented?
The room program was specified by us; as much floor space as possible in the basement should be finished to make best use of it.
Who is positioned where and at what elevation? Is there a site plan with height levels / contour lines (and/or a photo)?
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
New General Contractor, New Hope!
This is an initial draft that still requires several changes.
We have already noted quite a few points, but you will surely find more issues.
House Design
Who created the plan:
- Planner from a construction company
What do we dislike? Why?:
The pantry will be removed, large double door to the living room, door to the dining room, 3m (10 feet) lift-and-slide door in the dining room leading to the terrace,
access to the master suite will be changed or the "hallway stub" eliminated,
we want to move the entrance area forward,
we are considering relocating the children’s bathroom downstairs to the current utility/storage room (which would then get a window strip),
and use the current children’s bathroom for a cloakroom niche and storage room
What do we particularly like?:
The living room is somewhat separated from the kitchen/dining area, additional office upstairs
What don’t we like:
Three children’s bedrooms downstairs are also difficult to realize here; we doubt the orientation and lighting of bedroom 2. No space for a wardrobe.
This is an initial draft that still requires several changes.
We have already noted quite a few points, but you will surely find more issues.
House Design
Who created the plan:
- Planner from a construction company
What do we dislike? Why?:
The pantry will be removed, large double door to the living room, door to the dining room, 3m (10 feet) lift-and-slide door in the dining room leading to the terrace,
access to the master suite will be changed or the "hallway stub" eliminated,
we want to move the entrance area forward,
we are considering relocating the children’s bathroom downstairs to the current utility/storage room (which would then get a window strip),
and use the current children’s bathroom for a cloakroom niche and storage room
What do we particularly like?:
The living room is somewhat separated from the kitchen/dining area, additional office upstairs
What don’t we like:
Three children’s bedrooms downstairs are also difficult to realize here; we doubt the orientation and lighting of bedroom 2. No space for a wardrobe.
And is it confirmed that the pantry, which is still marked on the plan, will actually be removed? Okay, then I'll leave it as is.
The bathroom can be narrowed to make room for a wardrobe. It can handle that well. For three people, a width of 2.50 m (8 feet 2 inches) is sufficient (there are plenty of bathrooms where the standard fittings, as shown on the plan, work perfectly).
So I would allocate 60 cm (24 inches) for a wardrobe cabinet across the full width.
I don’t understand the guest toilet: why isn’t it given double the width?
And the office door could be placed on the other wall, directly “next to” the toilet door.
The bathroom can be narrowed to make room for a wardrobe. It can handle that well. For three people, a width of 2.50 m (8 feet 2 inches) is sufficient (there are plenty of bathrooms where the standard fittings, as shown on the plan, work perfectly).
So I would allocate 60 cm (24 inches) for a wardrobe cabinet across the full width.
I don’t understand the guest toilet: why isn’t it given double the width?
And the office door could be placed on the other wall, directly “next to” the toilet door.
The pantry will definitely be removed. It ruins the large, beautiful room. The planner just tried to fit in everything we mentioned during our first meeting. However, I believe that with the kitchen size, everything can still be accommodated, and a vacuum cleaner can be stored in the office closet.
The guest toilet is so narrow (too narrow?) that it’s not possible to create a natural light source for the upper hallway.
In general, the windows are used quite sparingly.
The guest toilet is so narrow (too narrow?) that it’s not possible to create a natural light source for the upper hallway.
In general, the windows are used quite sparingly.
What kind of roof is that supposed to be?
It looks like a shed roof to me, and even if it’s not, a skylight could brighten up the hallway. Transom windows above the doors would also be an option. These were commonly used in the past, and I’m not really sure why they aren’t anymore. Or they have been/are used in apartments.
You could even consider placing the pantry where the guest toilet is and use the upstairs area as a WC.
I would rather skip the window in the WC and go with this combination.
Just something to think about.
It looks like a shed roof to me, and even if it’s not, a skylight could brighten up the hallway. Transom windows above the doors would also be an option. These were commonly used in the past, and I’m not really sure why they aren’t anymore. Or they have been/are used in apartments.
You could even consider placing the pantry where the guest toilet is and use the upstairs area as a WC.
I would rather skip the window in the WC and go with this combination.
Just something to think about.
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