ᐅ Floor plan design for an urban villa with basement – any suggestions for improvement?
Created on: 8 Oct 2019 21:00
C
canerol
Hello everyone,
We are currently planning a townhouse for the plot of land we purchased. We would appreciate your feedback, improvements, or suggestions regarding the floor plans.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 448m² (5409 ft²)
Slope: South-facing slope, within the building area approximately 1.6 m (5.25 ft) descending from street level
Building type: Single-family house, townhouse style
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.3
Plot ratio / floor space index: 0.6
Building area, building line, and boundary: Maximum building depth 14 m (46 ft), building length 10.5 m (34 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 1 in front of the garage entrance
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: Gable roof, 25-45 degrees; hip roof / tent roof 15-25 degrees
Architectural style: Modern
Orientation: South
Maximum height / limitations: No restrictions
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Townhouse style, hip/tent roof 25 degrees
Basement, floors: 2 full stories plus basement rooms and a separate apartment in the basement
Number and ages of occupants: 4 people, ages: 46, 47, children 20 and 16 years
Space requirements for basement (UG), ground floor (EG), upper floor (OG):
UG:[/B] Separate apartment for one child (20 years), WC & shower, 1 cellar/storage room, utility room
EG: Kitchen/dining/living, workspace
OG: Two children’s rooms (child 16 years), bathroom, master bedroom, storage room (washing machine, dryer)
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: conservative
Open kitchen with island: open kitchen
Number of dining places: 4
Fireplace: yes
Music/Stereo wall: no
Balcony: no
Terrace: yes, on the ground floor; according to the development plan, half the width of the house
Rainwater tank: no
Garage or carport: garage
House Design
Designed by:
- Structural engineer
Cost estimate according to structural engineer: 350,000€ including ancillary construction costs and utility connections
Personal budget limit for house including fittings: 370,000€
Heating system: Geothermal heating
Why does the design look like it does?
Since our children are older, we wanted to prioritize giving them large rooms. Due to the slight slope on the site, a basement with a separate apartment made sense. This is where our older son would have his own space. Our daughter would have her room on the upper floor. We wanted the living room to be large and open.
We have a family member (father-in-law) who runs a civil engineering company, so we expect to get the earthworks and landscaping done at a relatively low cost.
We are currently planning a townhouse for the plot of land we purchased. We would appreciate your feedback, improvements, or suggestions regarding the floor plans.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 448m² (5409 ft²)
Slope: South-facing slope, within the building area approximately 1.6 m (5.25 ft) descending from street level
Building type: Single-family house, townhouse style
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.3
Plot ratio / floor space index: 0.6
Building area, building line, and boundary: Maximum building depth 14 m (46 ft), building length 10.5 m (34 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 1 in front of the garage entrance
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: Gable roof, 25-45 degrees; hip roof / tent roof 15-25 degrees
Architectural style: Modern
Orientation: South
Maximum height / limitations: No restrictions
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Townhouse style, hip/tent roof 25 degrees
Basement, floors: 2 full stories plus basement rooms and a separate apartment in the basement
Number and ages of occupants: 4 people, ages: 46, 47, children 20 and 16 years
Space requirements for basement (UG), ground floor (EG), upper floor (OG):
UG:[/B] Separate apartment for one child (20 years), WC & shower, 1 cellar/storage room, utility room
EG: Kitchen/dining/living, workspace
OG: Two children’s rooms (child 16 years), bathroom, master bedroom, storage room (washing machine, dryer)
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: conservative
Open kitchen with island: open kitchen
Number of dining places: 4
Fireplace: yes
Music/Stereo wall: no
Balcony: no
Terrace: yes, on the ground floor; according to the development plan, half the width of the house
Rainwater tank: no
Garage or carport: garage
House Design
Designed by:
- Structural engineer
Cost estimate according to structural engineer: 350,000€ including ancillary construction costs and utility connections
Personal budget limit for house including fittings: 370,000€
Heating system: Geothermal heating
Why does the design look like it does?
Since our children are older, we wanted to prioritize giving them large rooms. Due to the slight slope on the site, a basement with a separate apartment made sense. This is where our older son would have his own space. Our daughter would have her room on the upper floor. We wanted the living room to be large and open.
We have a family member (father-in-law) who runs a civil engineering company, so we expect to get the earthworks and landscaping done at a relatively low cost.
No one stays in the children’s room. The basement (or, more recently, the lower ground floor) or the attic can be converted into a small apartment. The houses are large, and rental apartments are almost nonexistent. So what do you want to do?
Move away even though you don’t want to?
Turn your back on friends, work, etc., and follow the rental apartment?
Usually, people start building seriously in their mid-20s to early 30s.
Either new construction or extensions and renovations.
Move away even though you don’t want to?
Turn your back on friends, work, etc., and follow the rental apartment?
Usually, people start building seriously in their mid-20s to early 30s.
Either new construction or extensions and renovations.
In my opinion, Hampshire offers a better concept. If one of the children moves out, the unit can easily be rented to a suitable tenant, while still maintaining one’s own private space. Alternatively, one unit can serve as accommodation for care staff, and the other for guests, and so on.
That’s what I meant when I said it might be worth reconsidering.
Also, regarding how long the children are expected to stay, which is why I asked those questions.
That’s what I meant when I said it might be worth reconsidering.
Also, regarding how long the children are expected to stay, which is why I asked those questions.
Just now @hampshire shared a suitable concept. It’s also not a big deal if the children are still living at home in 10 years.
That’s why I’m asking whether the apartment is intended for rental or if it’s just a byproduct. Hampshire’s concept of fitting everything onto a small plot within a town villa isn’t that easy.
Maybe he can help shift the mindset away from “bedroom, 2 kids’ rooms, bathroom.”
What about the future use of the children’s rooms? There was a user who planned in a way that the kids’ rooms could later be converted into a medical or other professional practice.
We stayed at a B&B in Canada that was designed so that the three children’s rooms could be used as guest rooms, or—for example—at Christmas the children could use their old rooms again. Very cleverly done.
That’s why I’m asking whether the apartment is intended for rental or if it’s just a byproduct. Hampshire’s concept of fitting everything onto a small plot within a town villa isn’t that easy.
Maybe he can help shift the mindset away from “bedroom, 2 kids’ rooms, bathroom.”
What about the future use of the children’s rooms? There was a user who planned in a way that the kids’ rooms could later be converted into a medical or other professional practice.
We stayed at a B&B in Canada that was designed so that the three children’s rooms could be used as guest rooms, or—for example—at Christmas the children could use their old rooms again. Very cleverly done.
Just a thought: since the children are already fairly grown and independent, it might make sense to include a children’s area with two "regular" rooms (16–20m² (170–215 sq ft)), a small kitchen, and a small bathroom. This space could later be used as an apartment for one of the children or, if necessary, as a separate granny flat. Perhaps this could be a suitable design for a multi-generational house?
The challenge is that you can probably get a basement relatively cheaply, but with the current house dimensions, the basement living area is too small for both children and the technical rooms.
For your purposes, it might be better to limit the design to just two floors, possibly raising the ground floor slightly so that the basement is truly at ground level on the south side, where there is a 1.6m (5 ft) slope.
The building area allows for a somewhat wider and deeper house, possibly including a basement garage. This way, the children could have their own basement level and the parents their own ground floor.
The challenge is that you can probably get a basement relatively cheaply, but with the current house dimensions, the basement living area is too small for both children and the technical rooms.
For your purposes, it might be better to limit the design to just two floors, possibly raising the ground floor slightly so that the basement is truly at ground level on the south side, where there is a 1.6m (5 ft) slope.
The building area allows for a somewhat wider and deeper house, possibly including a basement garage. This way, the children could have their own basement level and the parents their own ground floor.
Usually, the forum calculates it like this:
200 sqm (your basement is actually living space) * 2000 = 400k
Additional construction costs 25k (conservatively estimated since you can do the civil engineering yourselves)
Outdoor landscaping 15k (not much either, since you also have electrical installation)
Kitchen 15k
Miscellaneous, furniture, lighting, etc. 5k
Detached garage/carport 10-15k
Have you carefully considered geothermal heating and the solar system? Was the combination chosen out of conviction?
At first glance, the cost breakdown seems flawed in at least the following areas:
Electrical work (it’s a joke)
Tiling and all the flooring work
Sanitary fittings (is that the 10k? For 3 bathrooms?)
Thermal insulation work (what exactly is that—insulating the entire house? With ETICS or something else?)
Do you have no doors? Not even exterior doors?
200 sqm (your basement is actually living space) * 2000 = 400k
Additional construction costs 25k (conservatively estimated since you can do the civil engineering yourselves)
Outdoor landscaping 15k (not much either, since you also have electrical installation)
Kitchen 15k
Miscellaneous, furniture, lighting, etc. 5k
Detached garage/carport 10-15k
Have you carefully considered geothermal heating and the solar system? Was the combination chosen out of conviction?
At first glance, the cost breakdown seems flawed in at least the following areas:
Electrical work (it’s a joke)
Tiling and all the flooring work
Sanitary fittings (is that the 10k? For 3 bathrooms?)
Thermal insulation work (what exactly is that—insulating the entire house? With ETICS or something else?)
Do you have no doors? Not even exterior doors?
Regarding costs, I find flooring with parquet for
Electrical might be accurate. The standard is only 4 outlets per room and one light switch. In the hallway, a touch switch with a control point, etc. I think for this 1950s installation the price should be right, and that’s how the architect calculated it.
Doors are probably locksmith work? No idea.
And what are parquet or wood block floor works? That should rather fall under flooring work. But parquet for the large house at 1600€? If they finish at your place with that price, I would like to get a contact as well.
Crossy schrieb:
And at first glance, the cost breakdown is flawed in at least the following points:
Electrical work (is a joke)
Tiling work plus all the flooring work
Sanitary equipment (is that the 10k? for 3 bathrooms?)
Thermal and cold insulation work (what is that supposed to be, insulation of the whole house? with ETICS or what?)
No doors? Not even exterior doors?
Electrical might be accurate. The standard is only 4 outlets per room and one light switch. In the hallway, a touch switch with a control point, etc. I think for this 1950s installation the price should be right, and that’s how the architect calculated it.
Doors are probably locksmith work? No idea.
And what are parquet or wood block floor works? That should rather fall under flooring work. But parquet for the large house at 1600€? If they finish at your place with that price, I would like to get a contact as well.
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