Dear forum members,
we would like to ask for your advice regarding the planning of a townhouse. We have already signed a house construction contract with free floor plan design. We will soon have a meeting with the architect. Beforehand, we wanted to carefully consider everything and have created a FIRST draft. Since we are complete beginners in this field, it is not easy for us to keep track of all the important aspects of such a planning process. We hope you can provide us with some helpful tips. Thank you in advance. Please note that the dimensions in the floor plan are sometimes not exact. The staircase is also not correctly placed. Unfortunately, I could not do better with the software (Architect 3D).
Development plan/restrictions/plot details
Plot size: 1000 sqm (28 m (92 feet) wide x 36 m (118 feet) deep)
Slope: slight, at the rear, from west to east
Floor area ratio: 0.2 according to regulations
Building regulations: otherwise according to building code §34
West: quiet street with low traffic, no sidewalk
South and North: neighboring plots
East: meadow, forest
Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: townhouse, approx. 168 sqm (1,808 sqft) according to DIN standard, hipped roof, 25% pitch, faced exterior, 11 m x 9.50 m (36 feet x 31 feet) external dimensions
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories, each with a clear ceiling height of 2.745 m (9 feet)
Number of occupants, age: 3 persons (37, 37, 1), no further children planned
Overnight guests per year: 5
Office: commercial use
Open kitchen
Number of dining seats: 6
Carport
House design
Origin of the plan: self-designed
Preferred heating system and other details: gas heating with solar panels, underfloor heating, shutters on all windows, central ventilation system with heat recovery
What we like especially: large room for our daughter, terraces on the east and south sides, many windows, symmetry of the exterior on the west and south sides, upper corridor with window (natural light) and additional storage space
Important to us:
Room layout and arrangement should roughly remain as follows: utility room on the east side facing the garden, living room to the south, kitchen with access to the terrace on the east side, large children’s room to the south, bedroom should not adjoin the bathroom or the children’s room (can be exchanged with the office later if necessary)
What we don’t like / issues:
What we can do without: everything not shown in the plan (e.g. fireplace, walk-in closet, kitchen window, large bathroom)
we would like to ask for your advice regarding the planning of a townhouse. We have already signed a house construction contract with free floor plan design. We will soon have a meeting with the architect. Beforehand, we wanted to carefully consider everything and have created a FIRST draft. Since we are complete beginners in this field, it is not easy for us to keep track of all the important aspects of such a planning process. We hope you can provide us with some helpful tips. Thank you in advance. Please note that the dimensions in the floor plan are sometimes not exact. The staircase is also not correctly placed. Unfortunately, I could not do better with the software (Architect 3D).
Development plan/restrictions/plot details
Plot size: 1000 sqm (28 m (92 feet) wide x 36 m (118 feet) deep)
Slope: slight, at the rear, from west to east
Floor area ratio: 0.2 according to regulations
Building regulations: otherwise according to building code §34
West: quiet street with low traffic, no sidewalk
South and North: neighboring plots
East: meadow, forest
Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: townhouse, approx. 168 sqm (1,808 sqft) according to DIN standard, hipped roof, 25% pitch, faced exterior, 11 m x 9.50 m (36 feet x 31 feet) external dimensions
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories, each with a clear ceiling height of 2.745 m (9 feet)
Number of occupants, age: 3 persons (37, 37, 1), no further children planned
Overnight guests per year: 5
Office: commercial use
Open kitchen
Number of dining seats: 6
Carport
House design
Origin of the plan: self-designed
Preferred heating system and other details: gas heating with solar panels, underfloor heating, shutters on all windows, central ventilation system with heat recovery
What we like especially: large room for our daughter, terraces on the east and south sides, many windows, symmetry of the exterior on the west and south sides, upper corridor with window (natural light) and additional storage space
Important to us:
Room layout and arrangement should roughly remain as follows: utility room on the east side facing the garden, living room to the south, kitchen with access to the terrace on the east side, large children’s room to the south, bedroom should not adjoin the bathroom or the children’s room (can be exchanged with the office later if necessary)
What we don’t like / issues:
- Entrance hall: I am not sure if the staircase fits here; view of a wall upon entering; niche and doors to utility room, guest room, and WC
- Bathroom upstairs: no further considerations yet about where fixtures could be placed
- Living room: dead space in the middle; quite narrow width of about 3.70 m (12 feet) in the TV corner; entrance to the living room (possibly sliding door?)
- Currently no windows drawn on the north side in the office and bedroom (not sure if we really need them, see next point)
- View into the bedroom from outside (if shutter is down, it is dark); maybe still a window on the north side
What we can do without: everything not shown in the plan (e.g. fireplace, walk-in closet, kitchen window, large bathroom)
B
Bieber081514 Oct 2016 23:52Masipulami schrieb:
Why not? Why should the homeowners’ preference for a specific house type be questioned?1. If they want to build a townhouse, that’s fine by me (we have one ourselves).2. See below:
robert79 schrieb:
We have already signed for a townhouse. Why? We don’t want sloped walls. Then tell the architect that you don’t want sloped walls and wait for their proposal. That’s what they are there for.I don’t want to argue about the townhouse itself. It’s about the principle :P. You don’t want sloped walls → say so. You want space for cupboards → say so. But leave the planning to them.
Dear forum members,
I would like to share my new floor plan draft with you today. I have tried to take your suggestions to heart and have consulted an architect. Before this current draft, we had a roughly four-hour discussion. He reviewed my previous drafts (which was a mistake, I know) and went through them with me. After that, I incorporated his suggestions into a new draft and would like to hear your opinions. Although the architect put in effort, I wasn’t completely satisfied in the end. I think we sometimes talked past each other. I have made some changes:
Stairs: For example, I have now rotated the (open) staircase. My idea was to create more space at the house entrance, reduce dirt tracked onto the stairs, and improve access to the guest room. However, the children’s room entrance is now directly at the stair exit (my daughter was about 2.5 years old when moving in) and it requires a bit more walking to reach the bedroom and office.
Guest WC: I wanted to carve out some space for the utility room in the form of a niche, so I took a bit from the guest WC.
Kitchen: In the kitchen, I only added the appliances and a few cabinets for the first overview.
What do you think of the floor plan? What mistakes have I made? Is there anything you don’t like at all? What could be improved?
I would like to share my new floor plan draft with you today. I have tried to take your suggestions to heart and have consulted an architect. Before this current draft, we had a roughly four-hour discussion. He reviewed my previous drafts (which was a mistake, I know) and went through them with me. After that, I incorporated his suggestions into a new draft and would like to hear your opinions. Although the architect put in effort, I wasn’t completely satisfied in the end. I think we sometimes talked past each other. I have made some changes:
Stairs: For example, I have now rotated the (open) staircase. My idea was to create more space at the house entrance, reduce dirt tracked onto the stairs, and improve access to the guest room. However, the children’s room entrance is now directly at the stair exit (my daughter was about 2.5 years old when moving in) and it requires a bit more walking to reach the bedroom and office.
Guest WC: I wanted to carve out some space for the utility room in the form of a niche, so I took a bit from the guest WC.
Kitchen: In the kitchen, I only added the appliances and a few cabinets for the first overview.
What do you think of the floor plan? What mistakes have I made? Is there anything you don’t like at all? What could be improved?
I don’t think it’s that bad.
What I absolutely dislike is the missing zoning between the dining and living areas – the table intrudes too much into the relaxation space for my taste.
I would recess the kitchen more; for that, some space needs to be taken from the utility room and the restroom (there is enough space there) so the kitchen can extend toward the west.
There is definitely a lack of storage space on the upper floor, so I would place the walk-in closet in the eastern middle area, convert the current walk-in closet into a storage/laundry room, and have the child’s room and office share the south side (child’s room smaller!).
Has the architect not made a design specifically for you yet? Have you only had a consultation?
Best regards in brief
What I absolutely dislike is the missing zoning between the dining and living areas – the table intrudes too much into the relaxation space for my taste.
I would recess the kitchen more; for that, some space needs to be taken from the utility room and the restroom (there is enough space there) so the kitchen can extend toward the west.
There is definitely a lack of storage space on the upper floor, so I would place the walk-in closet in the eastern middle area, convert the current walk-in closet into a storage/laundry room, and have the child’s room and office share the south side (child’s room smaller!).
Has the architect not made a design specifically for you yet? Have you only had a consultation?
Best regards in brief
I completely understand the question of whether it really has to be a townhouse-style villa. Right now, everyone seems to be building some version of this type of house, which leads to uniform housing developments that are more than boring. That’s why I think the question is justified. I often wish for a bit more architectural flair and individuality when walking through new neighborhoods. Most houses are interchangeable and, sorry, dull. Personally, I’ve long since lost interest in these “townhouse villas.”
But I gather that this is already settled here, if I’m not mistaken? The contract is signed, so the house will be built by a developer and therefore will most likely follow a standard floor plan with minor personal adjustments. Otherwise, deciding between two fixed square meter figures wouldn’t have even been necessary, since a custom-designed house only has to comply with the allowable building footprint and the planning permission, leaving much more flexibility for individual designs and, most importantly, ideas!
Personally, it pains me when everything is built so standardized, and the opportunity to create something truly creative isn’t taken, even though the necessary financial resources obviously seem to be available. What a shame!
A few thoughts on the current floor plan from my side:
I occasionally work from home, and right now, our office is NOT on the same level as the kitchen/living area. I don’t recommend that. At least I like to grab a tea/coffee/water/snack from time to time and every time I have to go up and down the stairs. Then the mail carrier arrives, I have to go up and down again, etc. I would therefore use the guest room on the ground floor more as a multifunctional space. With only about five overnight guests per year, that shouldn’t be a problem. And if my memory serves me right, there was also talk of a home business. Could it be that clients or other visitors might have to come to the office? In that case, for me personally, having the office in the private area is a complete no-go (just imagine the partner being sick and lying in bed, while there’s a client in the office next door and the sick person has to walk through the hallway to the bathroom… no way!).
I agree that if you have the space, it should be made available primarily to family members. So a large children’s room is definitely nice. However, you do need to ask yourself how much it will actually be used. When we were kids, we mainly played in the children’s room. Maybe sometimes on weekends in the living room, but then the toys were tidied up nicely back in the children’s room in the evening. Rarely were we allowed to leave anything out overnight in the living room. Our main activity space was the children’s room, which at 16sqm (about 170 sq ft) was comfortably sized for that time.
Nowadays, I see more and more that most children take over the living room, with most toys stored there, and children spend most of their time playing in the living room. This could spark a broader debate about whether that’s okay and whether adults’ interests (like orderliness?) should take priority, but just think about how it is at your place. If the little one will mainly spend time in the living room, then such a huge suite as you’re planning here doesn’t really make sense. It would be a ballroom where a small child could feel almost lost in the evenings when it’s dark and they’re alone in the room.
As the child grows into a teenager, a larger room certainly becomes appropriate, but even then, better planning is possible: How about designing a small independent living unit on the upper floor for your daughter? Two rooms and a small bathroom in between. Now, as a toddler, she can use one room as a bedroom and perhaps the other as a playroom, if that won’t be the living room. Or you could use this room with the small adjacent bathroom as a guest room until your daughter needs it. (Meanwhile, the office on the ground floor remains a pure office and later becomes the multifunctional room).
And here’s another point to consider: The bathroom upstairs is nice but nothing special. For three people, I find it rather tight, especially since there aren’t even two washbasins planned. That will cause bottlenecks, if not already with a toddler, then certainly with an expected teenager! I would therefore clearly plan two separate zones here: one side for the parents, one side for the daughter (with two rooms—sleeping and living—and a small bathroom). The daughter won’t fully use her side right now, but as a teenager, she will be happy to have her own little space. It might even be worth considering installing hookups for a small kitchenette in the daughter’s future living room. I had a friend whose parents built a house with such a small kitchen area for her. I thought that was fantastic and very enviable! And having a teenager who spends extended time in the bathroom out of your way really contributes to your well-being!
I’m also not completely sold on the dressing room solution, because the one who gets up earlier will always disturb the one who can still sleep. Maybe you can soften that a bit in the design.
Overall, the draft is nice but far from innovative.
How’s your timeline? Do you need to build quickly, or can you take your time with the planning? Speaking from experience: we initially wanted to start building quickly and had a fairly good draft. Due to some hassle with the building permit/planning authority and previous architects, everything got delayed considerably, and by now I’m VERY glad about that delay. We have been working on the project for almost a year now, and that has really been good for the design. You gather so much more input when you allow yourself time, and many inconsistencies only become apparent over time. So, if you have the time, take it! Be open to new suggestions, even ideas you initially think are crazy. Don’t cling to the ideas you have in your head right now—be flexible!
I believe that way you will ultimately find a better and more individually tailored solution for your situation. This draft here is still rather “mainstream” with a few modifications. You can do better!
But I gather that this is already settled here, if I’m not mistaken? The contract is signed, so the house will be built by a developer and therefore will most likely follow a standard floor plan with minor personal adjustments. Otherwise, deciding between two fixed square meter figures wouldn’t have even been necessary, since a custom-designed house only has to comply with the allowable building footprint and the planning permission, leaving much more flexibility for individual designs and, most importantly, ideas!
Personally, it pains me when everything is built so standardized, and the opportunity to create something truly creative isn’t taken, even though the necessary financial resources obviously seem to be available. What a shame!
A few thoughts on the current floor plan from my side:
I occasionally work from home, and right now, our office is NOT on the same level as the kitchen/living area. I don’t recommend that. At least I like to grab a tea/coffee/water/snack from time to time and every time I have to go up and down the stairs. Then the mail carrier arrives, I have to go up and down again, etc. I would therefore use the guest room on the ground floor more as a multifunctional space. With only about five overnight guests per year, that shouldn’t be a problem. And if my memory serves me right, there was also talk of a home business. Could it be that clients or other visitors might have to come to the office? In that case, for me personally, having the office in the private area is a complete no-go (just imagine the partner being sick and lying in bed, while there’s a client in the office next door and the sick person has to walk through the hallway to the bathroom… no way!).
I agree that if you have the space, it should be made available primarily to family members. So a large children’s room is definitely nice. However, you do need to ask yourself how much it will actually be used. When we were kids, we mainly played in the children’s room. Maybe sometimes on weekends in the living room, but then the toys were tidied up nicely back in the children’s room in the evening. Rarely were we allowed to leave anything out overnight in the living room. Our main activity space was the children’s room, which at 16sqm (about 170 sq ft) was comfortably sized for that time.
Nowadays, I see more and more that most children take over the living room, with most toys stored there, and children spend most of their time playing in the living room. This could spark a broader debate about whether that’s okay and whether adults’ interests (like orderliness?) should take priority, but just think about how it is at your place. If the little one will mainly spend time in the living room, then such a huge suite as you’re planning here doesn’t really make sense. It would be a ballroom where a small child could feel almost lost in the evenings when it’s dark and they’re alone in the room.
As the child grows into a teenager, a larger room certainly becomes appropriate, but even then, better planning is possible: How about designing a small independent living unit on the upper floor for your daughter? Two rooms and a small bathroom in between. Now, as a toddler, she can use one room as a bedroom and perhaps the other as a playroom, if that won’t be the living room. Or you could use this room with the small adjacent bathroom as a guest room until your daughter needs it. (Meanwhile, the office on the ground floor remains a pure office and later becomes the multifunctional room).
And here’s another point to consider: The bathroom upstairs is nice but nothing special. For three people, I find it rather tight, especially since there aren’t even two washbasins planned. That will cause bottlenecks, if not already with a toddler, then certainly with an expected teenager! I would therefore clearly plan two separate zones here: one side for the parents, one side for the daughter (with two rooms—sleeping and living—and a small bathroom). The daughter won’t fully use her side right now, but as a teenager, she will be happy to have her own little space. It might even be worth considering installing hookups for a small kitchenette in the daughter’s future living room. I had a friend whose parents built a house with such a small kitchen area for her. I thought that was fantastic and very enviable! And having a teenager who spends extended time in the bathroom out of your way really contributes to your well-being!
I’m also not completely sold on the dressing room solution, because the one who gets up earlier will always disturb the one who can still sleep. Maybe you can soften that a bit in the design.
Overall, the draft is nice but far from innovative.
How’s your timeline? Do you need to build quickly, or can you take your time with the planning? Speaking from experience: we initially wanted to start building quickly and had a fairly good draft. Due to some hassle with the building permit/planning authority and previous architects, everything got delayed considerably, and by now I’m VERY glad about that delay. We have been working on the project for almost a year now, and that has really been good for the design. You gather so much more input when you allow yourself time, and many inconsistencies only become apparent over time. So, if you have the time, take it! Be open to new suggestions, even ideas you initially think are crazy. Don’t cling to the ideas you have in your head right now—be flexible!
I believe that way you will ultimately find a better and more individually tailored solution for your situation. This draft here is still rather “mainstream” with a few modifications. You can do better!
Climbee wow, would you really build all that just for your child?
I can only really speak from my own experience.
Bathroom: we have a bathroom of just under 8 square meters (about 86 square feet). That works perfectly well for a teenager, a toddler, and the two of us adults. The older one usually uses the bathroom after we’ve been up for a couple of hours anyway. I’ve seen the same with myself and my brother when we lived at home. I regularly appreciate having a guest toilet.
By the way, my ex also had a bathroom of his own... but you had to be worried about using it. In other words, he only used the parents’ bathroom.
Children’s room size: 15 square meters (about 160 square feet) is more than enough for any age (depending on the layout, 20 square meters (215 square feet) could be nice if it’s quite irregular). As ypg already said, as a teenager you’re glad to have fewer square meters to clean up and carry around, and as a small child, 15 square meters (160 square feet) feels huge. Our youngest (2 years old) moved from an 8 square meter (86 square feet) room with difficult sloping ceilings into the large 24 square meter (260 square feet) room. He effectively uses about 5 square meters (54 square feet) for playing but prefers to be downstairs with us. We have a play corner for him in the living room that will also be set up throughout the house. That way I can keep an eye on him and we get to spend time together. Later, when friends come over, he can still play in his room. I spent my childhood in rooms under 11 square meters (about 120 square feet) with bulky furniture. That was perfectly fine—I never felt like I was missing anything.
Children in the living room: Our living room is where the kids play. When our little one is older and brings friends over, 12 square meters (130 square feet) will have to be enough. Thanks to great multifunctional furniture, that works really well. In other words, I sacrifice tidiness ( ) and encourage sociability. I love watching my child play. It always makes me smile.
I can only really speak from my own experience.
Bathroom: we have a bathroom of just under 8 square meters (about 86 square feet). That works perfectly well for a teenager, a toddler, and the two of us adults. The older one usually uses the bathroom after we’ve been up for a couple of hours anyway. I’ve seen the same with myself and my brother when we lived at home. I regularly appreciate having a guest toilet.
By the way, my ex also had a bathroom of his own... but you had to be worried about using it. In other words, he only used the parents’ bathroom.
Children’s room size: 15 square meters (about 160 square feet) is more than enough for any age (depending on the layout, 20 square meters (215 square feet) could be nice if it’s quite irregular). As ypg already said, as a teenager you’re glad to have fewer square meters to clean up and carry around, and as a small child, 15 square meters (160 square feet) feels huge. Our youngest (2 years old) moved from an 8 square meter (86 square feet) room with difficult sloping ceilings into the large 24 square meter (260 square feet) room. He effectively uses about 5 square meters (54 square feet) for playing but prefers to be downstairs with us. We have a play corner for him in the living room that will also be set up throughout the house. That way I can keep an eye on him and we get to spend time together. Later, when friends come over, he can still play in his room. I spent my childhood in rooms under 11 square meters (about 120 square feet) with bulky furniture. That was perfectly fine—I never felt like I was missing anything.
Children in the living room: Our living room is where the kids play. When our little one is older and brings friends over, 12 square meters (130 square feet) will have to be enough. Thanks to great multifunctional furniture, that works really well. In other words, I sacrifice tidiness ( ) and encourage sociability. I love watching my child play. It always makes me smile.
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