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.

Northwest elevation of a house as a technical drawing with roof and windows.


Southwest elevation of a modern house with side extension, large windows, and terrain cross-section.


Southeast elevation of a two-story house with gable roof, wooden facade, windows, door, and basement floor plan.


Northeast elevation of a modern two-story house with garage on the right and garden on the left.


Floor plan of a house with red interior walls; kitchen, dining, living, hallway, shower/WC, utility room, garage.


Floor plan of a basement with hobby room, guest room, technical room, and corridor.


Floor plan of a house: bedroom, study, children’s room, bathroom, hallway, stairs, red walls.
K
Karl-Jupp
11 Dec 2022 21:59
So, dear everyone, due to illness, I am only now able to respond. Next week, we will meet with the architect to discuss the various suggestions, ranging from the site topography and omitting the basement to alternative room layouts on the upper floor. I am curious to hear his thoughts on this.

Up to this point, I would like to thank you all for the constructive comments.
H
hanghaus2023
12 Dec 2022 10:52
If you want to pursue my suggestion further, you could also widen the living room and remove the landing staircase instead. That would cost you 4-6m2 (43-65 sq ft) of living space.
H
hanghaus2023
12 Dec 2022 13:14
Here is the proposal for the upper floor.

House floor plan: Bedroom, office, child 1, child 2, bathroom, walk-in closet, corridor


House floor plan: Bedroom, walk-in closet, master bathroom, children’s bathroom, office, corridor, child 1, child 2.

The office and child 2 rooms could be swapped if the children’s rooms need to be the same size.

Laundry chute behind the master bathroom door, accessible from the children’s bathroom.

Here is the version of the ground floor with a wider living room.

House floor plan: Garage on the left, kitchen, dining, living room, hallway, staircase, utility room.