ᐅ Floor Plan for a 150 m² Corner Bungalow with Expansion Options
Created on: 5 Feb 2022 01:31
R
Ramona13
Hello 🙂
After what felt like hundreds of crumpled drafts in the recycle bin, we finally have a floor plan that we like and that fits our size requirements. Initially, we planned way too large, sometimes over 250m² (2700 sq ft) of living space... oops... Now we have settled on a nice 150m² (1600 sq ft) 🙂
We mainly reduced the number of rooms. Originally, we planned 2 offices and 2 future children’s rooms, but now only 2 offices remain, with at least one definitely convertible into a children’s room. This makes more sense since we don’t want to seriously consider having children before at least 5 years from now. We also initially planned a small wellness area with a sauna, loungers, and a hot tub inside the house, but this will now be a separate building in the garden.
More generally, I have already written here https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/vereinigung-zweier-Grundstücke-baufenster-neu-legen.42280/ about our plots. The request for merging them is still in progress, so we don’t have a definitive location for the house yet. Ideally, we’d like it centered on the current boundary line or, alternatively, on the rear building plot with border development facing the neighboring property.
Fortunately, regarding the development plan/planning restrictions, we will have quite a bit of flexibility. We can submit a preliminary building inquiry to check if everything is acceptable. The last house built here in the village about 4 years ago had 2 full floors, a different roof pitch, and presumably got some exceptions approved without problems. The community is generally happy that we want to fill a building gap 😉
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 1500m² (0.37 acres)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio & plot ratio... very confusing 🤨
Building window, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces
Number of floors: 1
Roof shape: gable roof, half-hip roof
Style
Ridge orientation parallel to street
Maximum heights/limits
Additional requirements: knee wall 0-50cm (0-20 inches)
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
Corner bungalow with gable roof, modern with Japanese elements
Timber construction by local carpentry with the possibility of contributing a lot of own work.
Basement, floors
No basement, 1 floor
Number of people, age
25 (female) and 28 (male) + 2 cats
Children not planned initially, earliest in 5 years
Space needs ground floor / upper floor
Office: family use or home office?
Separate offices for home office
Guest bedrooms per year
Very few
Open or closed layout
Open living area
Conservative or modern design
Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island
Kitchen island facing the garden, pantry as a separate room behind the kitchen
Number of dining seats
4-6
Fireplace
No
Music / stereo wall
No
Balcony, roof terrace
No
Garage, carport
Probably carport, but not decided yet
Utility garden, greenhouse
Vegetable garden with large greenhouse definitely planned on the property
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why some things are or are not desired
- A gallery in the roof, open to the living area, would be a big dream of mine, but only if financially feasible. Otherwise, this part of the roof will be storage space or intended for later expansion.
- Smart home with KNX installed by ourselves (all electrical work will be DIY in cooperation with a certified electrician who will inspect and approve)
- Controlled mechanical ventilation and a separate split air conditioning system
- Photovoltaic system on the roof facing south and east
- Garden must be cat-proof fenced since our cats are not outdoor cats (currently strictly indoor cats)
- Exposed beam ceiling in the open living area
House Design
Designer:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
The open living area with the possibility to use both the south and north terraces.
Small “reading nook” at the end of the hallway with a large seat window (-> if there is a gallery, the staircase will lead upstairs here and the reading nook will be located there)
What don’t you like? Why?
Maybe the hallway is too long...
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: none yet, appointment with architect next week.
Personal price limit for the house including equipment: we hope to stay under €500,000 (approx. $540,000)
Preferred heating technology: air-water heat pump with underfloor heating
If you had to give up, which details / expansions
- could you do without:
- Gallery would be nice but is not essential
- Wellness area in the garden can be built later
- Reading nook
- could you not do without:
- Air conditioning
- KNX system
- Separate offices
- Cat-proof garden
Why did the design turn out this way? e.g.
Standard draft from planner?
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad?
Our design developed step by step from many sketches, floor plans, and photos found online.
The interior furnishing in the 3D images is only a placeholder; the detailed interior design is still being planned.
Finally, this design gives us a satisfied feeling in terms of size and room layout 🙂
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
In your opinion, is our project achievable for a maximum of €500,000 (approx. $540,000), and is it sensible to plan smaller first and then expand by adding a loft conversion?
I am very grateful for your opinions, ideas, and suggestions for improvement! 🙂
After what felt like hundreds of crumpled drafts in the recycle bin, we finally have a floor plan that we like and that fits our size requirements. Initially, we planned way too large, sometimes over 250m² (2700 sq ft) of living space... oops... Now we have settled on a nice 150m² (1600 sq ft) 🙂
We mainly reduced the number of rooms. Originally, we planned 2 offices and 2 future children’s rooms, but now only 2 offices remain, with at least one definitely convertible into a children’s room. This makes more sense since we don’t want to seriously consider having children before at least 5 years from now. We also initially planned a small wellness area with a sauna, loungers, and a hot tub inside the house, but this will now be a separate building in the garden.
More generally, I have already written here https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/vereinigung-zweier-Grundstücke-baufenster-neu-legen.42280/ about our plots. The request for merging them is still in progress, so we don’t have a definitive location for the house yet. Ideally, we’d like it centered on the current boundary line or, alternatively, on the rear building plot with border development facing the neighboring property.
Fortunately, regarding the development plan/planning restrictions, we will have quite a bit of flexibility. We can submit a preliminary building inquiry to check if everything is acceptable. The last house built here in the village about 4 years ago had 2 full floors, a different roof pitch, and presumably got some exceptions approved without problems. The community is generally happy that we want to fill a building gap 😉
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 1500m² (0.37 acres)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio & plot ratio... very confusing 🤨
Building window, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces
Number of floors: 1
Roof shape: gable roof, half-hip roof
Style
Ridge orientation parallel to street
Maximum heights/limits
Additional requirements: knee wall 0-50cm (0-20 inches)
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
Corner bungalow with gable roof, modern with Japanese elements
Timber construction by local carpentry with the possibility of contributing a lot of own work.
Basement, floors
No basement, 1 floor
Number of people, age
25 (female) and 28 (male) + 2 cats
Children not planned initially, earliest in 5 years
Space needs ground floor / upper floor
Office: family use or home office?
Separate offices for home office
Guest bedrooms per year
Very few
Open or closed layout
Open living area
Conservative or modern design
Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island
Kitchen island facing the garden, pantry as a separate room behind the kitchen
Number of dining seats
4-6
Fireplace
No
Music / stereo wall
No
Balcony, roof terrace
No
Garage, carport
Probably carport, but not decided yet
Utility garden, greenhouse
Vegetable garden with large greenhouse definitely planned on the property
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why some things are or are not desired
- A gallery in the roof, open to the living area, would be a big dream of mine, but only if financially feasible. Otherwise, this part of the roof will be storage space or intended for later expansion.
- Smart home with KNX installed by ourselves (all electrical work will be DIY in cooperation with a certified electrician who will inspect and approve)
- Controlled mechanical ventilation and a separate split air conditioning system
- Photovoltaic system on the roof facing south and east
- Garden must be cat-proof fenced since our cats are not outdoor cats (currently strictly indoor cats)
- Exposed beam ceiling in the open living area
House Design
Designer:
- Do-it-Yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
The open living area with the possibility to use both the south and north terraces.
Small “reading nook” at the end of the hallway with a large seat window (-> if there is a gallery, the staircase will lead upstairs here and the reading nook will be located there)
What don’t you like? Why?
Maybe the hallway is too long...
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: none yet, appointment with architect next week.
Personal price limit for the house including equipment: we hope to stay under €500,000 (approx. $540,000)
Preferred heating technology: air-water heat pump with underfloor heating
If you had to give up, which details / expansions
- could you do without:
- Gallery would be nice but is not essential
- Wellness area in the garden can be built later
- Reading nook
- could you not do without:
- Air conditioning
- KNX system
- Separate offices
- Cat-proof garden
Why did the design turn out this way? e.g.
Standard draft from planner?
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad?
Our design developed step by step from many sketches, floor plans, and photos found online.
The interior furnishing in the 3D images is only a placeholder; the detailed interior design is still being planned.
Finally, this design gives us a satisfied feeling in terms of size and room layout 🙂
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
In your opinion, is our project achievable for a maximum of €500,000 (approx. $540,000), and is it sensible to plan smaller first and then expand by adding a loft conversion?
I am very grateful for your opinions, ideas, and suggestions for improvement! 🙂
K
Kreisrund7 Feb 2022 12:51cryptoki schrieb:
The comparison with a car is flawed! This is about living space, which everyone defines for themselves. It’s about walking routes, habits, wishes, and preferences. This is not about assembling an engine to get more horsepower or efficiency, but about usage. A layperson does not need to know (although it would be better if they did) exactly how a house is constructed in detail. What homeowners can and should know is what they want and why. Most probably don’t, but I find the generalization that the “design god” will take care of everything simply unacceptable. Period! To narrow down the comparison: a homeowner can definitely design a kitchen if they know exactly how they function, what their routes are, and why they perform certain actions. In that case, the design can, but does not have to, be better than that of a professional.
Of course, the comparison with a car is flawed, but not entirely. The difference between a car and a house is that a layperson usually understands they have no knowledge of engine technology and does not even attempt to engage with it. When it comes to drawing floor plans, apparently many believe it isn’t that difficult—and I disagree with that.
As a homeowner, I naturally know how I want to live and dwell. But I don’t know how to reconcile the many, sometimes conflicting individual wishes that make up “living and dwelling” into a functional house that is also technically sound and fits within the budget. With comfortable, well-proportioned, and well-lit rooms. That is an extremely complex task.
Kreisrund schrieb:
Of course, the comparison with a car is not perfect, but not entirely off either. The difference between a car and a house is that most laypeople usually realize they know nothing about engine technology and don’t even try to learn it. When it comes to drawing floor plans, many seem to think it’s not so difficult, and I disagree with that.
As a client, of course I know how I want to live and dwell. But I don’t know how to combine the many, sometimes conflicting individual wishes that make up “living and dwelling” into a functional house that is also technically sound and within budget. With comfortable, well-proportioned, and well-lit rooms. This is a highly complex task.I strongly disagree with that. When it comes to floor plans, it’s not about “designing a new engine,” but about visualizing one’s own wishes and experiences. That has a completely different depth. It should be clear to everyone that these won’t be drawings created in ArchiCAD or Autodesk REVIT. It should also be clear that many rules, including essential and obvious ones, are often broken in the process. So far, I have not seen any drawings from people who intend to submit a building permit / planning permission application. Currently, there are hardly any architects involved, and when one does step in, it doesn’t mean that their drawings are better than those from laypeople. I have personally experienced an architect sketching a master bathroom on the upper floor under a sloped ceiling with only 6 square meters (65 square feet) of floor space. That resulted in a toilet with a lowered head clearance, not to mention the shower experience. Aside from that, the fact that an architect possibly doesn’t listen to the client, maybe because of low profit margins, is often the case. What use is a functional floor plan if it doesn’t meet the client’s needs? The current times are bringing change to this area and maybe one day a transformation will occur. Digitalization, modern and intelligent programs, even floor plans at a 1:1 scale, will, in my opinion, change the market. This won’t replace architects but may assist with visualization (and I don’t mean the drawing itself, but closing your eyes and simply imagining your house) of one’s own wishes, which can then be finalized. Whether by an independent architect, the architect for the general contractor, or the home building company.
cryptoki schrieb:
I strongly disagree with that.I do not get the impression that you are contradicting each other. It seems to me more like a broad agreement expressed in opposing terms.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Thank you for all your tips and thoughts here. Tomorrow evening we have an appointment with the architect.
I have now written down my “wish list,” including priorities, gathered some photos of specific things I like (terrace, windows, etc.), and compiled my most important questions. The zoning plan and data about the plot are also included… but of course, I’m leaving my hand-drawn floor plans at home. 😉
Is this a good way to prepare?
I have now written down my “wish list,” including priorities, gathered some photos of specific things I like (terrace, windows, etc.), and compiled my most important questions. The zoning plan and data about the plot are also included… but of course, I’m leaving my hand-drawn floor plans at home. 😉
Is this a good way to prepare?
Yes, that’s correct.
Let the professionals do their work. Gather input, even if some of it turns out to be useless. You still have to consider all of it. From my plan, only the position on the plot, garage attached to the house, and two full floors remain. Everything else is different and honestly better. You need to state your requirements clearly, and the professional should turn them into an affordable, livable floor plan. Or they should tell you right away if it’s not possible within your budget and that you will need to reduce your expectations.
Let the professionals do their work. Gather input, even if some of it turns out to be useless. You still have to consider all of it. From my plan, only the position on the plot, garage attached to the house, and two full floors remain. Everything else is different and honestly better. You need to state your requirements clearly, and the professional should turn them into an affordable, livable floor plan. Or they should tell you right away if it’s not possible within your budget and that you will need to reduce your expectations.
After the meeting with the architect, I’m feeling torn. On a personal level, she’s very likeable and we really clicked. She is transparent about costs and thoroughly explained the different project phases as well as how her fees are calculated. The creative aspect is also promising — it’s clear she’s passionate, and I believe she could design a great floor plan. Now, the big but… She exclusively builds solid masonry houses with bricks, for example Poroton, and without additional external insulation; that’s simply her conviction. Well, and we actually want a wooden house…
For now, we will keep looking around. What is your opinion on bricks versus wood?
For now, we will keep looking around. What is your opinion on bricks versus wood?
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