ᐅ Initial Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home, 190 m²

Hello,

we have already had several discussions with construction companies and have now arrived at a floor plan we are quite satisfied with. However, we are finding it difficult to choose the right builder and are not entirely sure if the floor plan is truly optimal. Also, we have not yet decided whether to build a prefabricated house or a solid (conventional) house.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 765 sqm (8,236 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: 0.5
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 9.5 x 20 m (31 x 66 ft). The plot is 15.5 m (51 ft) wide and a setback of half the eave height (at least 3 m (10 ft)) must be maintained.
Boundary construction: possible for the garage
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full stories (or a high knee wall > 2 m (6.5 ft) to keep the eave height under 6 m (20 ft))
Roof type: no specification known
Architectural style: no specification known
Orientation: see site plan
Maximum heights / limits: eave height max. 6 m (20 ft) or accordingly higher setback distance
Other requirements: none

Builders’ Requirements
Architectural style: modern
Roof shape: gable or hip roof
Building type: urban villa
Basement: no
Number of floors: 2 full stories (or a high knee wall > 2 m (6.5 ft) to keep the eave height under 6 m (20 ft))
Number of occupants, age: two people (28), potentially two children in the future
Space requirement for ground floor and upper floor: approx. 180 sqm (1,938 sq ft) total
Office: two offices (both for home office use); one of them also as a guest room
Overnight guests per year: unclear
Open or closed architecture: neither – a compromise
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen: no, but with a sliding door that is mostly left open
Kitchen island: yes, at least a peninsula
Number of dining seats: 6 to 10
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: 5.1 sound system with TV, so space needed behind the sofa
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: garage 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)
Utility garden, greenhouse: no

House Design
Who designed it: do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
All the required rooms were included; minimal circulation areas; no wasted space; utility room directly next to the bathroom on the upper floor
What do you not like? Why?
We don’t like the bathroom layout because there is little natural light in the room
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: about €450,000 - 500,000 (about $490,000 - 545,000) according to various offers
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: €500,000 (about $545,000)
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump + underfloor heating

If you have to give up something, which details/expansions
-can you do without:
-cannot do without:
all rooms (especially the two offices) are important and must be retained

Why did the design turn out as it is now?
A mix of many examples from various magazines, own ideas, and drawings from different sales consultants/building advisors

What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
- Do you see any fundamental issues with the floor plan? Do you have better ideas?
- Can the desired rooms be arranged more efficiently on less space?
- How do we find the right builder for our project? We have already had many discussions and received offers but are struggling to decide.
- Prefabricated house or solid house?

Thank you very much and best regards
Rapha811

I think your budget will not be sufficient for 180 sqm (1,937 sq ft). €2,700 per sqm (about $250 per sq ft) is more of a lower limit given the increased construction costs, depending on where you are building.

Yes, I also think your budget is too low for 180 sqm (1938 sq ft).

You want to avoid wasted space (which I understand), but I think your floor plan suffers because of it. You have to walk through the kitchen to get to the living/dining room, right? And if you go to bed in the evening, you have to walk through the kitchen again? I find that odd. Also, upstairs I find it impractical that the laundry room is only accessible through the bathroom.

Well, the kitchen appears to be located in a hallway. From there, there is a closed staircase, the freezer room, the living room, the hallway, and the pantry. That seems like quite a few rooms you have to pass through. Would anyone feel like cooking there?

The 180sqm (1937 sq ft) feel more like 130sqm (1400 sq ft) due to the many interior walls and the impractical as well as uncomfortable room layout.

I've seen this quite often now, that houses are planned to be quite large at a relatively young age. Two offices and two children's rooms, even though there aren't any children yet? I would rather plan with just one office because as long as there are no children who each need their own room, the office can serve as a guest room.
But the question clearly states that every room must be kept.

Are the garage and outdoor areas included in the 500,000, or is that amount just for the house?