ᐅ Floor plan design of an urban villa with 140–145 sqm living space on a 1200 sqm plot
Created on: 28 Nov 2025 07:55
D
Der-Dachs
Hello dear forum members, after being a silent reader for a long time, I would like to introduce myself and share our floor plan. It is currently in the planning stage and almost finalized. I have completed the questionnaire to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Urban villa, 140-145 sqm (1507-1562 sq ft)
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size – 1200 sqm (12917 sq ft)
Slope – no
Floor area ratio – unknown or according to §34 Building Code
Plot coverage ratio – §34 Building Code
Building line, building boundary – §34 Building Code
Edge development –
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of floors – 2 full floors
Roof type – hipped roof
Architectural style – modern
Orientation – main entrance south/southeast, terrace north/northwest
Maximum heights/limits –
Other requirements –
Homeowner requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type – urban villa with hipped roof, modern design
Basement, floors – 2 full floors without basement
Number of people, ages – 2 adults (33, 29), 1 child (1), 1 dog (3), one more child planned in the next years
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor – Ground floor: open living-dining area with open kitchen, pantry, utility room, office/guest room, guest toilet with shower
Office: family use or home office? – office for home office and family use
Guests per year – parents-in-law or other family about 3 times per year
Open or closed architecture – rather open
Traditional or modern construction – modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – open kitchen yes, kitchen island possibly
Number of dining seats – currently 3 daily, occasionally more up to 12
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – home theater if possible
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – in the future yes, carport next to the house, garage if possible at the back of the plot
Vegetable garden, greenhouse – vegetable garden yes, small area up to 100 sqm (1076 sq ft)
House design
Who designed the plan: planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you dislike? Why?
Estimated price according to architect/planner: 330,000€
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 370,000€
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you have to give up something, which features/expansions
- can you give up:
- can you not give up:
Why is the design as it is? For example:
The first draft from the planner included a winding staircase, but since we don’t like those and wanted uniform step depths, the final design features a straight staircase. We also tried a staircase with a landing, but it took up too much space.
The design was therefore partly based on our wishes and partly self-planned. We tried to fit everything as well as possible.
Regarding the design, there is a storage room on the upper floor which will still be modified. Instead of a storage room, this will become the entrance to the bedroom. The wall where the wardrobes will be placed will be extended forward so it almost aligns with the fireplace. The bed will be positioned facing the window.
The bathroom layout is provisional and will be changed. A major wish is to include a small sauna, but this is a low priority.
I hope I have provided enough information and will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Thank you in advance for your input.
Urban villa, 140-145 sqm (1507-1562 sq ft)
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size – 1200 sqm (12917 sq ft)
Slope – no
Floor area ratio – unknown or according to §34 Building Code
Plot coverage ratio – §34 Building Code
Building line, building boundary – §34 Building Code
Edge development –
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of floors – 2 full floors
Roof type – hipped roof
Architectural style – modern
Orientation – main entrance south/southeast, terrace north/northwest
Maximum heights/limits –
Other requirements –
Homeowner requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type – urban villa with hipped roof, modern design
Basement, floors – 2 full floors without basement
Number of people, ages – 2 adults (33, 29), 1 child (1), 1 dog (3), one more child planned in the next years
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor – Ground floor: open living-dining area with open kitchen, pantry, utility room, office/guest room, guest toilet with shower
Office: family use or home office? – office for home office and family use
Guests per year – parents-in-law or other family about 3 times per year
Open or closed architecture – rather open
Traditional or modern construction – modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – open kitchen yes, kitchen island possibly
Number of dining seats – currently 3 daily, occasionally more up to 12
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – home theater if possible
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – in the future yes, carport next to the house, garage if possible at the back of the plot
Vegetable garden, greenhouse – vegetable garden yes, small area up to 100 sqm (1076 sq ft)
House design
Who designed the plan: planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
What do you dislike? Why?
Estimated price according to architect/planner: 330,000€
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: 370,000€
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you have to give up something, which features/expansions
- can you give up:
- can you not give up:
Why is the design as it is? For example:
The first draft from the planner included a winding staircase, but since we don’t like those and wanted uniform step depths, the final design features a straight staircase. We also tried a staircase with a landing, but it took up too much space.
The design was therefore partly based on our wishes and partly self-planned. We tried to fit everything as well as possible.
Regarding the design, there is a storage room on the upper floor which will still be modified. Instead of a storage room, this will become the entrance to the bedroom. The wall where the wardrobes will be placed will be extended forward so it almost aligns with the fireplace. The bed will be positioned facing the window.
The bathroom layout is provisional and will be changed. A major wish is to include a small sauna, but this is a low priority.
I hope I have provided enough information and will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Thank you in advance for your input.
D
Der-Dachs1 Dec 2025 05:10ypg schrieb:
ETICS and plaster.. Silicone resin plaster // Mineral plasterThank you, I will look into this further!Please reconsider the floor plan. We bought an existing property and, for example, have rather limited wardrobe space. With the goal of having two children plus a dog, you really need a lot of space. After returning from walking the dog in wet clothes, you walk past the guest bathroom and the stairs, making everything wet and dirty, so where exactly do you plan to put your things?
Half the hallway ends up wet and dirty, but you often have to pass through it to get to the toilet, for example.
You’re certainly not the first person to want a pantry with exactly your reasons. Those are not new here. But it doesn’t help if it’s not functional.
Even I, who usually have nothing to do with floor plans, can see that. So my appeal to you is to review your arguments once again and be open to reconsidering them.
Half the hallway ends up wet and dirty, but you often have to pass through it to get to the toilet, for example.
You’re certainly not the first person to want a pantry with exactly your reasons. Those are not new here. But it doesn’t help if it’s not functional.
Even I, who usually have nothing to do with floor plans, can see that. So my appeal to you is to review your arguments once again and be open to reconsidering them.
@ypg "Darling," as Monaco-Franze already said, I do understand your point and you are right with your statement! Of course, I wouldn’t demand anything unreasonable or problematic. Whether or not this is the case here, I didn’t know or just overlooked it because in my busy life I have to decide so many things every day (Nutella or minced pork sausage...).
I don’t doubt that either, yet as a client I would simply ask about the options within this framework (and also within my budget), that was all I was aiming for. Ultimately, it leads to more clarity than just assuming things. So my statement does not contradict yours at all.
Okay, that’s a completely different matter; this example is of course an absolute worst-case scenario, which I would then have to contrast with my own. A completely sloppy general contractor, extremely cheap, sometimes with top craftsmen, but also some who fall drunk from the scaffolding (general contractor remote diagnosis: suspected stroke, my clear counter-diagnosis: grain allergy). This construction company here should also be viewed in a differentiated way and its possibilities should be allowed to be asked about; personally, I would do that but I can just as well live with not doing so. Both options are possible; I see no problem with either.
That’s what I meant. Objectively checked for itself, financially as well, and decided against it. Perfect.
Just as understandable, yet there might also be people who are satisfied with a standard bathroom. For you, it was checked and the upgrade decided on. That fits as well. My point is simply about the very individual and personal clarification of needs and possibilities, far from standard statements. Perhaps a standard statement will be confirmed anyway, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to question it at least. I’ve gotten the impression here that you can communicate quite well and clearly with this general contractor, and that alone is a big advantage.
ypg schrieb:
Certainly, they might have controlled residential ventilation or something like that, but the builder isn’t cheap for no reason. He must have contractors who work straightforwardly, simply, and well.
I don’t doubt that either, yet as a client I would simply ask about the options within this framework (and also within my budget), that was all I was aiming for. Ultimately, it leads to more clarity than just assuming things. So my statement does not contradict yours at all.
ypg schrieb:
The user “Hotzenplotz” wanted to build a million-euro house with a basic general contractor. Unfortunately, he approved everything and had to give in on all the extras. That user then left the forum while the house still looked like a small ruin and he had no strength left.
Okay, that’s a completely different matter; this example is of course an absolute worst-case scenario, which I would then have to contrast with my own. A completely sloppy general contractor, extremely cheap, sometimes with top craftsmen, but also some who fall drunk from the scaffolding (general contractor remote diagnosis: suspected stroke, my clear counter-diagnosis: grain allergy). This construction company here should also be viewed in a differentiated way and its possibilities should be allowed to be asked about; personally, I would do that but I can just as well live with not doing so. Both options are possible; I see no problem with either.
Der-Dachs schrieb:
We probably would have chosen external venetian blinds (venetian blinds / slatted blinds) for the living-dining area if it faced south. Since it faces exactly the opposite direction, we decided against it. But the bathroom will definitely cost us some extra money; there will be nothing high-end installed there. For the staircase, a reinforced concrete staircase is offered with a 5000€ buffer already included in the price. I have already addressed the walls and floors, which will be done by a friend. We will be building in the Berlin suburbs/Brandenburg.
That’s what I meant. Objectively checked for itself, financially as well, and decided against it. Perfect.
Der-Dachs schrieb:
We probably would have chosen external venetian blinds (venetian blinds / slatted blinds) for the living-dining area if it faced south. Since it faces exactly the opposite direction, we decided against it. But the bathroom will definitely cost us some extra money; there will be nothing high-end installed there. For the staircase, a reinforced concrete staircase is offered with a 5000€ buffer already included in the price. I have already addressed the walls and floors, which will be done by a friend. We will be building in the Berlin suburbs/Brandenburg.
Just as understandable, yet there might also be people who are satisfied with a standard bathroom. For you, it was checked and the upgrade decided on. That fits as well. My point is simply about the very individual and personal clarification of needs and possibilities, far from standard statements. Perhaps a standard statement will be confirmed anyway, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to question it at least. I’ve gotten the impression here that you can communicate quite well and clearly with this general contractor, and that alone is a big advantage.
ypg schrieb:
The user "Hotzenplotz" wanted to build a million-euro house with a basic general contractor. Unfortunately, the contractor approved everything and then had to give in to all the extras. The user then logged off here when the house still looked like a small ruin and he had no more energy. You remember that wrong: he wanted a futuristic custom design with a gold-frame light switch and a run-of-the-mill general contractor. The problem wasn’t so much the extras (apart from the construction priority "home theater screen distance," there were hardly any) but the document management with confusing releases of detailed planning, and the thoughtlessness (on the part of the client when it came to the exit threshold to the roof terrace and on the part of both the client and the contractor regarding the building height of the rear garage door, as well as the conflict between the pass-through mailbox and energy-saving regulations), and so on. Also, you should never call in an accompanying expert only after the damage has been done. As far as I remember, the contractor also tried a new structural builder – so there were some parallels with "Olli is building."
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D
Der-Dachs1 Dec 2025 22:05Joedreck schrieb:
Please reconsider the floor plan. We bought an existing property and, for example, have quite limited wardrobe space. With the plan to have two children plus a dog, you really need a lot of room. And where exactly will you put your wet clothes after walking the dog when you pass by the guest bathroom and the staircase, making everything wet and dirty?
You’re also not the first person wanting a pantry with exactly your reasons. These arguments are not new here. But it won’t help if it’s not functional.
Wet and dirty items can be stored directly in the guest bathroom, for example in the shower. That’s our approach. A short distance from the entrance door.
A staircase that ends in the entrance area is unfortunately not ideal, but so far we haven’t found a better alternative. We had to reject staircases in the living room or switchback stairs because we simply don’t like them. We cannot build larger; there is no budget for that.
You criticize the pantry by saying it’s not functional but don’t offer any suggestions for improvement. The pantry provides enough space to place shelves along one wall for storing dry food, canned goods, drinks, and kitchen appliances so they aren’t cluttering the kitchen or occupying drawers. There is still enough room to move around inside.
Arauki11 schrieb:
I have the impression that you can communicate quite well and clearly with this general contractor, and that’s already a big advantage. I definitely share that feeling at the moment. Whether it will hold true remains to be seen.
I know the floor plan isn’t perfect. It was created based on our wishes and ideas. We’ve given up on certain things; some others are definitely desired and indispensable. We have to compromise in other areas for that.
Der-Dachs schrieb:
You criticize the pantry here, saying it is not functional, but you do not offer any suggestions on how it could be improved.With a rough dimension of only 120 cm (47 inches) deep, the room will not actually be 120 cm deep. This is a structural measurement, so plaster and other finishes will reduce the usable depth. This means that no freezer or similar appliance will fit in this pantry, as the space won’t be deep enough to open the cabinet door properly. Pantries like this should always be planned to be at least 130 cm (51 inches) deep.
Just a note.
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