ᐅ Floor plan and elevations of a single-family house with approximately 1,700 sq ft on a sloped site
Created on: 6 Dec 2022 21:01
K
Karl-Jupp
Dear forum members, today we would like to present our floor plan and hope for positive feedback and suggestions on possible improvements. Our basic wish is for a bright house with 4 bedrooms on the upper floor and a living-level basement designed to accommodate 2 offices. We see the basement as necessary, especially due to the sloping site. The ground floor will then provide a spacious living and kitchen area. We have now received the first plans from the architect and would like to optimize them as much as possible with your help. The furniture layouts are only examples and still need to be finalized. Note: The room labeled as an office on the upper floor is intended to become Child 3’s bedroom. The guest room in the basement will be a combined guest/office room. The design of the outdoor areas, such as the terrace and the shape of the new property boundary, still needs to be planned in more detail.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 702 sqm (7,555 sq ft)
Slope: yes, approximately 1.7 m (5.6 ft) higher at the street than at the rear of the property
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: none
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: garage minimum 5 m (16 ft) from street, house minimum 3.5 m (11.5 ft)
Number of parking spaces: no requirement
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: gable, hip, or pyramid roof with pitch between 22° and 43°
Orientation: southwest
Owner requirements
Roof type: preferably gable roof
Basement, floors: basement yes, preferably 2 full stories
Number of occupants, ages: 4 (35, 33, 4, and 2)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors: preferably 3 children’s bedrooms on the upper floor
Office: 2 home office spaces desired
Guest stays per year: about 10 times per year from grandparents, hence a guest room
Conservative or modern design: rather modern, I would say
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island
Fireplace: desirable
Balcony, roof terrace: possibly convert the garage roof later into a balcony
Garage, carport: garage for 1 car with sufficient storage space for bicycles
Additional wishes/details/daily routine, including reasons for choices:
We wanted the 3 children's bedrooms and the master bedroom on the upper floor. Additionally, a small bathroom for the parents there. The basement made sense to us because of the sloping site. It should provide one dedicated office and one combined office/guest room, both with daylight windows. Additionally, a large hobby room for versatile use is desired. On the ground floor, a pantry and laundry room connected to the garage were requested. Later on, it should be possible to convert the garage roof into a terrace.
House design
Origin of the design: Architect based on our detailed requirements (see above).
What do you particularly like? Why?
Our room layout wishes have been implemented.
What do you not like? Why?
The bathrooms on the upper floor and the living area on the ground floor may be too small.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: not available yet. Probably around 650,000 - 700,000 € (including additional building costs)
Preferred heating technology: air or ground-source heat pump
If you had to give up some details/extras
- Could give up: fireplace, possibly 2nd bathroom on upper floor, walkable garage roof
- Could not give up: 4 bedrooms on upper floor, basement with 2 offices
Why is the design the way it is now?
Our basic considerations were passed on directly to the architect. He has largely implemented our specifications and added some minor touches.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
We find the existing floor plan generally well done and hope to receive constructive criticism and further suggestions from you to optimize it.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 702 sqm (7,555 sq ft)
Slope: yes, approximately 1.7 m (5.6 ft) higher at the street than at the rear of the property
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: none
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: garage minimum 5 m (16 ft) from street, house minimum 3.5 m (11.5 ft)
Number of parking spaces: no requirement
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: gable, hip, or pyramid roof with pitch between 22° and 43°
Orientation: southwest
Owner requirements
Roof type: preferably gable roof
Basement, floors: basement yes, preferably 2 full stories
Number of occupants, ages: 4 (35, 33, 4, and 2)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors: preferably 3 children’s bedrooms on the upper floor
Office: 2 home office spaces desired
Guest stays per year: about 10 times per year from grandparents, hence a guest room
Conservative or modern design: rather modern, I would say
Open kitchen, kitchen island: kitchen island
Fireplace: desirable
Balcony, roof terrace: possibly convert the garage roof later into a balcony
Garage, carport: garage for 1 car with sufficient storage space for bicycles
Additional wishes/details/daily routine, including reasons for choices:
We wanted the 3 children's bedrooms and the master bedroom on the upper floor. Additionally, a small bathroom for the parents there. The basement made sense to us because of the sloping site. It should provide one dedicated office and one combined office/guest room, both with daylight windows. Additionally, a large hobby room for versatile use is desired. On the ground floor, a pantry and laundry room connected to the garage were requested. Later on, it should be possible to convert the garage roof into a terrace.
House design
Origin of the design: Architect based on our detailed requirements (see above).
What do you particularly like? Why?
Our room layout wishes have been implemented.
What do you not like? Why?
The bathrooms on the upper floor and the living area on the ground floor may be too small.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: not available yet. Probably around 650,000 - 700,000 € (including additional building costs)
Preferred heating technology: air or ground-source heat pump
If you had to give up some details/extras
- Could give up: fireplace, possibly 2nd bathroom on upper floor, walkable garage roof
- Could not give up: 4 bedrooms on upper floor, basement with 2 offices
Why is the design the way it is now?
Our basic considerations were passed on directly to the architect. He has largely implemented our specifications and added some minor touches.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
We find the existing floor plan generally well done and hope to receive constructive criticism and further suggestions from you to optimize it.
H
hanghaus20238 Dec 2022 10:01Here is a suggestion for the ground floor.
Another room will be added here, possibly as an office, guest room, or media room.
Another room will be added here, possibly as an office, guest room, or media room.
M
Myrna_Loy8 Dec 2022 10:05I am absolutely against these long open-plan rooms. They are like furnishing shoeboxes. There is little usable space, poor acoustics, hardly any zoning, no quiet areas, and everything always ends up looking cluttered. Especially with children, this is a recipe for chaos—unless you tidy up every single minute.
H
hanghaus20238 Dec 2022 10:05haydee schrieb:
I’m not sure if your current three-story design is the most cost-effective solution. In my opinion, it certainly is not.
H
hanghaus20238 Dec 2022 10:06Myrna_Loy schrieb:
I am definitely opposed to these long open-plan spaces. They are like decorating a shoebox. Limited space for furniture, poor acoustics, hardly any zoning, no quiet area, and everything always feels cluttered. Especially with children, this is a recipe for chaos—unless you tidy up every single minute. I completely agree with you. Maybe I only like it because my children are already grown up. Having only two living areas seems even worse to me.
When it comes to floor plans, there are better contributors here.
S
Sunshine3878 Dec 2022 10:13I also share the idea of a hillside house—adding an extra room below to avoid a basement and thereby increasing the floor area on the ground floor and upper floor. And regarding additional costs, don’t forget the following items:
These can add up to a mid five-figure amount.
- Property transfer tax
- Building application / planning permission
- Building permit
- Surveying
- Soil analysis report
- Possible demolition of existing buildings
- Tree removal work
- Construction access road setup
- Removal of excavated soil or soil replacement
- Utility connection fees (electricity, water, sewage, telephone, etc.)
- Temporary construction water and electricity supply
- Insurances
These can add up to a mid five-figure amount.
M
Myrna_Loy8 Dec 2022 10:20I’m reluctant to suggest changes to the floor plan because, like ypg, I get the impression that the homeowners are very attached to their design, as it includes almost everything that’s considered essential nowadays.
I rather feel that the floor plan only gets seriously reconsidered once the first complete and detailed quotes come in and it turns out that the budget is short by around 100,000 euros.
I would recommend revising the house on the left side, shortening it, and giving up the ideal utility room with garage access, realigning the kitchen, and removing the third shower from the guest restroom. With a basement larger than 80 sqm (860 sq ft) and a sizable garage, I don’t see the need for a lot of additional storage space. Personally, I would skip the basement altogether and try to organize the space above ground more efficiently. If the development plan permits, I would even consider increasing the building footprint to around 110 sqm (1,185 sq ft) per floor if necessary.
I rather feel that the floor plan only gets seriously reconsidered once the first complete and detailed quotes come in and it turns out that the budget is short by around 100,000 euros.
I would recommend revising the house on the left side, shortening it, and giving up the ideal utility room with garage access, realigning the kitchen, and removing the third shower from the guest restroom. With a basement larger than 80 sqm (860 sq ft) and a sizable garage, I don’t see the need for a lot of additional storage space. Personally, I would skip the basement altogether and try to organize the space above ground more efficiently. If the development plan permits, I would even consider increasing the building footprint to around 110 sqm (1,185 sq ft) per floor if necessary.
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