ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Semi-Detached House for a Single Family (4 People) on a Small Plot
Created on: 1 Aug 2024 00:05
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philipp013
Hello,
we will be building next year. We have found and purchased a small plot and have already chosen a house provider (we are still waiting for funding, so progress is currently on hold). Regarding the planning, the initial draft from the prefab house consultant is, in my opinion, just a suggestion and far from optimal, so I hope to benefit from the collective knowledge and experience here in the forum. I have attached anonymized floor plans as images.
My main topics right now are the following:
How should we arrange the children’s and parents’ bedrooms?
Where should the home office be located?
How can we fit two nice bathrooms into a small space, one focused on the children, the other more for us?
What alternatives are there for the kitchen-living-dining area, possibly not fully open plan?
Here is more information:
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 270m² (approximately 2900 sq ft) – 27 x 10 m (89 x 33 ft)
Slope: no, but a slope bank; the street is about 1.4 m (4.6 ft) higher than the rest of the lot.
Floor space index: 0.4
Building window, building line and boundary: 12 x 10 m (39 x 33 ft) building window, 3 m (10 ft) from the street, sketch attached
Edge development mandatory, as it is a semi-detached house (see plan)
Parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2.5 (2 full floors required, 6.5 m (21 ft) eaves height mandatory, also a maximum building height of 10 m (33 ft) from street level)
Roof type: 35° pitched roof
Style: classic?
Orientation: north-south
Maximum heights / limits: see above, 10 m (33 ft) max, exactly 6.5 m (21 ft) eaves height
Homeowners’ requirements
Basement, floors: Due to the slope and small area, we want a usable basement. We also want to finish the attic (now or later).
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, late 30s, 2 children (0 and 3 years old)
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Basement: laundry and utility room, hobby room, possibly with a separate outdoor staircase; Ground floor: living, dining, kitchen, guest WC, possibly home office; Upper floor: 2 children’s rooms (ideally about 14–15 m² (150–160 sq ft) each), bathroom, possibly home office or guest room or parents’ bedroom (I think that might be too tight but open to suggestions!), Attic: an additional bathroom (unclear whether a bathroom with bathtub should be in the upper or attic floor), parents’ bedroom, possibly home office (we don’t actually need a huge bedroom, hence the considerations). Because of the children’s ages, we would prefer to live on one floor with them, but I am struggling to create a good layout that fits three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Office: family use or home office? A home office is essential, at least a small one.
Open or closed architecture? It can be open, but for example, despite an open living-kitchen-dining area, we want the staircase separated to reduce noise (from children, for example) or cooking smells. Open to suggestions!
Conservative or modern architecture: I’d say rather modern but simple.
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen preferred; thinking of an L-shape with a small breakfast bar. We like cooking a lot, so this area is important.
Number of dining seats: 6–8 seats, one dining table. If kitchen and living-dining area are separated, then probably a second eating area in the kitchen.
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: not needed
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Carport planned, possibly with a storage room.
Utility garden, greenhouse: not planned
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not preferred:
Since the second child is not yet born, we are not 100% sure about the daily routine. We currently live in a 4-room apartment. Ideally, we would like all bedrooms on one floor (maybe we would move then, so we might live on one floor for the first years and then move to the attic?). My wife definitely wants a WC or, preferably, a shower bathroom on the sleeping floor. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and dining area; we rarely sit on the sofa, so the kitchen-dining area feels more central to us than the living room seating.
I often work from home, so the office must be more than just a small closet, but only needs a desk and some storage for files, etc. It should also allow me to retreat (e.g., working in the evening on the computer). My wife also occasionally works from home (she is a teacher), so two desks would be ideal; we know this might be tight.
House design
Who designed the plan: House seller/"planner" prefab house company
What do you particularly like and why? The fairly large children’s rooms, as they are more important for us than the parents’ bedroom (only bed and wardrobe needed there).
An office with good lighting so that working is enjoyable.
Lots of windows (especially on the ground floor), hopefully providing enough natural light.
Lots of space on the ground floor since much family life will happen there in the coming years.
What do you not like and why?
The "large" bathroom on the upper floor if we live in the attic, because we would prefer the comfort of a bathtub, which the children probably wouldn’t care about.
The attic window on the south side should be removed, so the bathroom should be moved to the north side – the south side should be fully covered with photovoltaic panels. Currently, because of the staircase position, everything would be shifted, and I don’t understand how the rooms would look then or how else to solve this.
Possibly the office on the upper floor, if the children get noisy and I have appointments…
The feeling that the spacious ground floor wastes space and may not offer any retreat areas or similar.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approx. 415,000 euros
Personal budget limit for the house including equipment: approx. 425,000 euros
Preferred heating technology: heat pump, air-to-air, indoor installation, underfloor heating
If you have to give up items / expansions
- What you can do without: guest room, significantly larger bathroom, huge office, huge parents’ bedroom
- What you cannot do without: two children’s bedrooms with at least about 14 m² (150 sq ft), two bathrooms (shower or bathtub), guest WC
Why is the current design like it is?
It is strongly based on the standard with a few wishes, such as larger children’s rooms. Overall, there hasn’t really been much thought given yet to what makes sense and what will feel comfortable to live in.
we will be building next year. We have found and purchased a small plot and have already chosen a house provider (we are still waiting for funding, so progress is currently on hold). Regarding the planning, the initial draft from the prefab house consultant is, in my opinion, just a suggestion and far from optimal, so I hope to benefit from the collective knowledge and experience here in the forum. I have attached anonymized floor plans as images.
My main topics right now are the following:
How should we arrange the children’s and parents’ bedrooms?
Where should the home office be located?
How can we fit two nice bathrooms into a small space, one focused on the children, the other more for us?
What alternatives are there for the kitchen-living-dining area, possibly not fully open plan?
Here is more information:
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 270m² (approximately 2900 sq ft) – 27 x 10 m (89 x 33 ft)
Slope: no, but a slope bank; the street is about 1.4 m (4.6 ft) higher than the rest of the lot.
Floor space index: 0.4
Building window, building line and boundary: 12 x 10 m (39 x 33 ft) building window, 3 m (10 ft) from the street, sketch attached
Edge development mandatory, as it is a semi-detached house (see plan)
Parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2.5 (2 full floors required, 6.5 m (21 ft) eaves height mandatory, also a maximum building height of 10 m (33 ft) from street level)
Roof type: 35° pitched roof
Style: classic?
Orientation: north-south
Maximum heights / limits: see above, 10 m (33 ft) max, exactly 6.5 m (21 ft) eaves height
Homeowners’ requirements
Basement, floors: Due to the slope and small area, we want a usable basement. We also want to finish the attic (now or later).
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, late 30s, 2 children (0 and 3 years old)
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Basement: laundry and utility room, hobby room, possibly with a separate outdoor staircase; Ground floor: living, dining, kitchen, guest WC, possibly home office; Upper floor: 2 children’s rooms (ideally about 14–15 m² (150–160 sq ft) each), bathroom, possibly home office or guest room or parents’ bedroom (I think that might be too tight but open to suggestions!), Attic: an additional bathroom (unclear whether a bathroom with bathtub should be in the upper or attic floor), parents’ bedroom, possibly home office (we don’t actually need a huge bedroom, hence the considerations). Because of the children’s ages, we would prefer to live on one floor with them, but I am struggling to create a good layout that fits three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Office: family use or home office? A home office is essential, at least a small one.
Open or closed architecture? It can be open, but for example, despite an open living-kitchen-dining area, we want the staircase separated to reduce noise (from children, for example) or cooking smells. Open to suggestions!
Conservative or modern architecture: I’d say rather modern but simple.
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen preferred; thinking of an L-shape with a small breakfast bar. We like cooking a lot, so this area is important.
Number of dining seats: 6–8 seats, one dining table. If kitchen and living-dining area are separated, then probably a second eating area in the kitchen.
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: not needed
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: Carport planned, possibly with a storage room.
Utility garden, greenhouse: not planned
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not preferred:
Since the second child is not yet born, we are not 100% sure about the daily routine. We currently live in a 4-room apartment. Ideally, we would like all bedrooms on one floor (maybe we would move then, so we might live on one floor for the first years and then move to the attic?). My wife definitely wants a WC or, preferably, a shower bathroom on the sleeping floor. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and dining area; we rarely sit on the sofa, so the kitchen-dining area feels more central to us than the living room seating.
I often work from home, so the office must be more than just a small closet, but only needs a desk and some storage for files, etc. It should also allow me to retreat (e.g., working in the evening on the computer). My wife also occasionally works from home (she is a teacher), so two desks would be ideal; we know this might be tight.
House design
Who designed the plan: House seller/"planner" prefab house company
What do you particularly like and why? The fairly large children’s rooms, as they are more important for us than the parents’ bedroom (only bed and wardrobe needed there).
An office with good lighting so that working is enjoyable.
Lots of windows (especially on the ground floor), hopefully providing enough natural light.
Lots of space on the ground floor since much family life will happen there in the coming years.
What do you not like and why?
The "large" bathroom on the upper floor if we live in the attic, because we would prefer the comfort of a bathtub, which the children probably wouldn’t care about.
The attic window on the south side should be removed, so the bathroom should be moved to the north side – the south side should be fully covered with photovoltaic panels. Currently, because of the staircase position, everything would be shifted, and I don’t understand how the rooms would look then or how else to solve this.
Possibly the office on the upper floor, if the children get noisy and I have appointments…
The feeling that the spacious ground floor wastes space and may not offer any retreat areas or similar.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approx. 415,000 euros
Personal budget limit for the house including equipment: approx. 425,000 euros
Preferred heating technology: heat pump, air-to-air, indoor installation, underfloor heating
If you have to give up items / expansions
- What you can do without: guest room, significantly larger bathroom, huge office, huge parents’ bedroom
- What you cannot do without: two children’s bedrooms with at least about 14 m² (150 sq ft), two bathrooms (shower or bathtub), guest WC
Why is the current design like it is?
It is strongly based on the standard with a few wishes, such as larger children’s rooms. Overall, there hasn’t really been much thought given yet to what makes sense and what will feel comfortable to live in.
P
philipp01311 Oct 2024 16:43Thanks for the advice. I will first discuss these points with the planner and the neighbor.
not.
Is the neighbor building with them as well?
Why a usable basement? Especially due to the “slope,” it would make sense to create one or two living rooms, at least pseudo-living rooms for offices!
It also makes little sense to create 60sqm (645 sq ft) of utility space at high cost while desired living spaces are not realized or planned for later. I also don’t see the necessity to finish the attic if there are already four rooms next to the common room. It’s very likely that the expansion will never happen. From what I understand, family planning basically just started, leaving hardly any time or necessity for that.
The only explanation for my comment back in August is that the basement was simply overlooked. Kerstin @kbt09 felt the same way.
So: if you want added value, you also have to get it, work for it, read up on it, study it, however.
And that is precisely so there is enough depth for a sofa in the retreat area (right side of the plan, i.e. northeast).
Don’t get tangled up with your twisted drafts.
Also, removing the closet is not an option.
But if I can write, then a simple text program or pencil and paper is enough. Scribbling and crossing out is faster than mark and delete.
Here is the difference between a well-designed bedroom of about 12sqm (130 sq ft) and yours:
If the images are not enough for self-explanation, I don’t know what else to say.
philipp013 schrieb:
Who is responsible for the planning: house seller/"planner"
philipp013 schrieb:
I have to say, we are not particularly satisfied with the planner either.
philipp013 schrieb:
As far as the planning goes, it is the "preliminary planning" by the building advisor.
philipp013 schrieb:
Very little feedback from the planner.
philipp013 schrieb:And you have to build with them? Or why are you building with them? Is this a developer’s plot?
We receive neither support with our wishes nor clear statements about what possibly might simply not work.
Is the neighbor building with them as well?
philipp013 schrieb:Do you plan to fill the entire plot then?
Because of the slope and the small plot, we want a usable basement, and we would like to develop the attic.
Why a usable basement? Especially due to the “slope,” it would make sense to create one or two living rooms, at least pseudo-living rooms for offices!
philipp013 schrieb:I think this big thinking for the basement doesn’t match the budget. Also, the shared idea with the expandable attic results in a house that can only be half satisfying, because you will never really finish it, at the expense of the basement, which is way too large for the budget and additional wishes.
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor: basement: laundry and utility room, hobby room, possibly with stairs leading outside;
It also makes little sense to create 60sqm (645 sq ft) of utility space at high cost while desired living spaces are not realized or planned for later. I also don’t see the necessity to finish the attic if there are already four rooms next to the common room. It’s very likely that the expansion will never happen. From what I understand, family planning basically just started, leaving hardly any time or necessity for that.
The only explanation for my comment back in August is that the basement was simply overlooked. Kerstin @kbt09 felt the same way.
philipp013 schrieb:By the way, I find it quite disappointing that you ask this question when she has already given you and uploaded a good example. It may be that you’re a bit forum-lazy. But it’s still your responsibility to read up on your discussions if you want to gain any value. And I wonder if you have even read any floor plan threads at all about semi-detached houses. It feels like this year we have only discussed semi-detached houses. Or goalkeeper’s thread... You need it if you’re not satisfied with the planning from your house builder. Because you cannot be happy with your plan, either. There are so many planning mistakes in it.
Do you happen to have an example floor plan or something?
So: if you want added value, you also have to get it, work for it, read up on it, study it, however.
philipp013 schrieb:Even then, the basement is exactly the right place for that.
to retreat (for example, sometimes in the evening at the PC or so), my wife also works partly from home (teacher), so two desks would be great, but we know that space will be tight..
philipp013 schrieb:Why then plan a room over 17 sqm (183 sq ft) in a semi-detached house?
Children’s bedroom (preferably 14-15 sqm (150-160 sq ft)
philipp013 schrieb:I dare to doubt that you will use the bathtub “for comfort” during the first years – more likely for aching bones. And of course, children can enjoy bathtubs. I still remember kids being washed in the tub and teenagers having their own preferences. You don’t always have to meet them, but the idea of having a bathtub is not unrealistic for everyday life.
The "large" bathroom upstairs if we live in the attic and would actually like the comfort of a bathtub, which the kids probably won’t mind..
philipp013 schrieb:As a layperson, I would also assume if I want two bathrooms in a semi-detached house that barely has 55-60sqm (592-645 sq ft) per level that there will be compromises in the other rooms.
Two shower or bathtub bathrooms in total, guest toilet,
philipp013 schrieb:No, that’s not correct.
Now a home office has been added, I think it’s in the spot where you saw the cloakroom, right?
ypg schrieb:Means to the left side of the plan. Originally, north was at the top, so left of the hallway is between the hallway and the guest WC.
Cloakroom to the left side of the plan
And that is precisely so there is enough depth for a sofa in the retreat area (right side of the plan, i.e. northeast).
Don’t get tangled up with your twisted drafts.
Also, removing the closet is not an option.
philipp013 schrieb:
Ground floor layout: I "came up with it" and don’t know if it can be implemented well..
philipp013 schrieb:You didn’t communicate that, though.
House dimensions, location, roof pitch, basement, etc. are already clarified with the neighbors.
philipp013 schrieb:But you’re not moving into a tool. A tool is just a tool doing what you put into it. It doesn’t say “Error” when something is simply poorly designed. Those who know about housebuilding can use a tool. Those with a deeper understanding can even manage with pencil and paper. It’s like with Word, LibreOffice, or simply a text file: just because I can type, my novel is not a book worth reading more than three pages or a bestseller.
I managed to get the furniture in the tool.
But if I can write, then a simple text program or pencil and paper is enough. Scribbling and crossing out is faster than mark and delete.
philipp013 schrieb:That is probably also allowed. However, the parking space area won’t change if you instead simply elongate the house rather than consider how to be happy with the yard on the plot. Because all the grandeur in the house is useless if you (to put it bluntly) cannot access the plot by vehicle.
except with an enclosed parking space (probably without a bay window)
philipp013 schrieb:No. You just calculated square meters or living area. Your WC doesn’t even have a door.
I don’t understand this, we based the small office and the small guest WC on plans from existing standard house types.
philipp013 schrieb:What applies below for the bedroom also applies to your office.
The office itself is actually just the right size for me because I don’t need more.
philipp013 schrieb:Tool or not:
So I managed to get the furniture in the tool, a 2m (6 ft 7 in) wardrobe just fits, a 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) bed too, but of course there isn’t much space around it, we’re aware of that.
Here is the difference between a well-designed bedroom of about 12sqm (130 sq ft) and yours:
If the images are not enough for self-explanation, I don’t know what else to say.
11ant schrieb:He built the ground floor very traditionally.
To my recollection, he has stayed quite true to himself, though.
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philipp01311 Oct 2024 17:53I am going to delete my account now. Most of the advice has been of little help, and the tone is sometimes completely off (messages like "I won’t waste time responding" – yet there is time for such a pointless message), and sometimes you come across as patronizing, assuming you know what others need and what they don’t (for example, regarding the toilet, the office, or whether there is a need for converting the attic or even if it will be done at all).
I really find it unfortunate that some individuals seem more focused on their ego than on helping. To those who have genuinely helped or tried to help, I am grateful.
I really find it unfortunate that some individuals seem more focused on their ego than on helping. To those who have genuinely helped or tried to help, I am grateful.
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hanghaus202311 Oct 2024 18:23philipp013 schrieb:
I am going to delete my account now. Good luck.
And the same for building your house.
philipp013 schrieb:
As the future owner, I see it differently. That is why this thread exists — to specifically clarify this question that concerns us a lot, as we need to answer it soon. In the overall context of both threads, you have presented yourself as being in a situation where only honest communication can help — a situation full of contradictions. The impression formed, but not clarified, is as follows:
1. The budget cap is actually too low. You want to postpone the attic conversion in order to afford a basement, but you have not yet explained why having a basement here would not be a luxury.
2. This is especially noteworthy because the decision about having a basement or not in a semi-detached house cannot be made independently — it also affects your neighbor.
3. You have been shown several suitable designs, including ones from Goalkeeper, from Kerstin for Goalkeeper, and from your planner. You are at least dissatisfied enough with them to want to take matters into your own hands. However, the readers need to guess why you find all these designs unsatisfactory.
philipp013 schrieb:
Most of the advice has been unhelpful, and the tone is sometimes completely inappropriate (messages like "I won’t waste time replying" — ironically enough, there’s still time for that stupid message). Sometimes you are patronizing and assume you know what others need. Oh, come on. Helpful contributors are used to being met with criticism (though they don’t appreciate it). We have explained to you why you could use the available scope for extending the house more cleverly. However, this means you should be more open to the designs for a 7 by 10-meter (23 by 33-foot) frame. Especially if you drop the basement, you will no longer have the "untouched reserve" or surplus space for the next five years.
philipp013 schrieb:
I really find it unfortunate that some individuals seem more concerned with their ego than helping. I appreciate those who have genuinely helped or wanted to help. The supposedly ego-driven serious helpers are one and the same. The ingratitude of some original posters does not reduce the value for other readers (otherwise even more helpers would have left).
Why not invite your neighbor to join the discussion — at least initially as a silent observer (and then ask if he also finds us so harsh)? We welcome every successful semi-detached house project. The fact that you are communicating with each other is a good start. That is something we wished had happened between Goalkeepers and Deppers/Neodeppers as well.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
@philipp013 .. you are missing out on a basically priceless opportunity. You are already unhappy with the planner from the main contractor. Friends and acquaintances often have moral reservations about giving open and completely honest feedback on plans from friends or acquaintances. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, and they may simply not be as passionate or interested in planning as the forum users here, and so on.
Users like @ypg, @hanghaus2023, @11ant, @K a t j a, @Schorsch_baut, @nordanney will give you honest answers from a wide range of perspectives (this list is not exhaustive). Of course, their feedback is sometimes influenced by their individual preferences, but that is usually made clear. You don’t have to address every criticism or point mentioned. But here applies
So reconsider your goal.
Users like @ypg, @hanghaus2023, @11ant, @K a t j a, @Schorsch_baut, @nordanney will give you honest answers from a wide range of perspectives (this list is not exhaustive). Of course, their feedback is sometimes influenced by their individual preferences, but that is usually made clear. You don’t have to address every criticism or point mentioned. But here applies
ypg schrieb:
And I’m wondering whether you’ve even read a floor plan thread, even remotely, dealing with a semi-detached house. It feels like we’ve only discussed semi-detached houses this year. Or the thread from goalkeeper... You need this if you are not satisfied with the planning by your house-building company. Because you cannot be satisfied with your planning as it stands.
So reconsider your goal.
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