ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home on a Large Plot
Created on: 8 Nov 2017 21:16
H
Hausbauer1
Hello everyone,
We have been searching for a house or a plot of land to build on for some time now. Recently, relatives approached us and offered the possibility to build on the plot next to their house. The entire property is nearly 2,000 m² (21,500 sq ft) in size. The portion that might be available to us would be about one-third of that. The building area is quite large. The existing house is about 20 m (66 ft) wide and 10 m (33 ft) deep. However, the building area has a depth of approximately 20 m (66 ft). So, the house could be set forward (towards the street) or backward (towards the garden).
We’ve started to brainstorm and made some sketches on how building there could work. However, I am still not sure if this is really a good idea. The location is basically very good – close to the city center yet quiet, residential single-family home area, lots of greenery… but it is actually not in our preferred city, although it would be feasible. Also, I am uncertain whether it’s appropriate to accept such an offer from relatives. We would appreciate your opinions on this as well.
Zoning/Restrictions
Plot size: just under 2,000 m² (21,500 sq ft); about 700–800 m² (7,540–8,610 sq ft) for us
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio (GFA): 1.2
Building area, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge development: see plan
Number of parking spaces: at least 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof shape: not specified
Architectural style: -
Orientation: -
Maximum height/limits: -
Other requirements: -
Client requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: Shed roof
Basement, floors: 2.5 floors with a raised basement
Number of occupants, age: currently 3 (2 adults, 1 toddler)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? At least two workspaces
Annual guest stays: 100
Open or closed layout: -
Traditional or modern design: -
Kitchen type, island: closed, uncertain
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: preferred
Music/sound system wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: yes, at the master bedroom and the attic
Garage, carport: garage, location unclear
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/particulars/daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included:
House design
Planner:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you like most? Why? Large, open living room with four zones; roof terrace; south-facing garden is perfect
What do you dislike? Why? -
Estimated price according to architect/planner: -
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 600,000 euros
Preferred heating system: geothermal heating
If you had to give up something, which details/extensions:
- You could give up:
- You could not give up:
Why is the design as it currently is? We took our wishes and tried to realize as much as possible; of course, we know that not everything will be possible in the end.
What do you consider particularly good or bad about it?
What is the key/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
- Should the house be set forward or backward, or aligned with the existing building?
- Where should the garage go? Near the property boundary or possibly even in front of the house?
- Does the floor plan make any sense at all or is it nonsense?
- Does it make sense to accept the offer from the relatives?
Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
We have been searching for a house or a plot of land to build on for some time now. Recently, relatives approached us and offered the possibility to build on the plot next to their house. The entire property is nearly 2,000 m² (21,500 sq ft) in size. The portion that might be available to us would be about one-third of that. The building area is quite large. The existing house is about 20 m (66 ft) wide and 10 m (33 ft) deep. However, the building area has a depth of approximately 20 m (66 ft). So, the house could be set forward (towards the street) or backward (towards the garden).
We’ve started to brainstorm and made some sketches on how building there could work. However, I am still not sure if this is really a good idea. The location is basically very good – close to the city center yet quiet, residential single-family home area, lots of greenery… but it is actually not in our preferred city, although it would be feasible. Also, I am uncertain whether it’s appropriate to accept such an offer from relatives. We would appreciate your opinions on this as well.
Zoning/Restrictions
Plot size: just under 2,000 m² (21,500 sq ft); about 700–800 m² (7,540–8,610 sq ft) for us
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio (GFA): 1.2
Building area, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge development: see plan
Number of parking spaces: at least 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof shape: not specified
Architectural style: -
Orientation: -
Maximum height/limits: -
Other requirements: -
Client requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: Shed roof
Basement, floors: 2.5 floors with a raised basement
Number of occupants, age: currently 3 (2 adults, 1 toddler)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? At least two workspaces
Annual guest stays: 100
Open or closed layout: -
Traditional or modern design: -
Kitchen type, island: closed, uncertain
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: preferred
Music/sound system wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: yes, at the master bedroom and the attic
Garage, carport: garage, location unclear
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/particulars/daily routine, also reasons why something should or should not be included:
House design
Planner:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you like most? Why? Large, open living room with four zones; roof terrace; south-facing garden is perfect
What do you dislike? Why? -
Estimated price according to architect/planner: -
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 600,000 euros
Preferred heating system: geothermal heating
If you had to give up something, which details/extensions:
- You could give up:
- You could not give up:
Why is the design as it currently is? We took our wishes and tried to realize as much as possible; of course, we know that not everything will be possible in the end.
What do you consider particularly good or bad about it?
What is the key/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
- Should the house be set forward or backward, or aligned with the existing building?
- Where should the garage go? Near the property boundary or possibly even in front of the house?
- Does the floor plan make any sense at all or is it nonsense?
- Does it make sense to accept the offer from the relatives?
Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
You should try placing your planned house on the plot first 😉
I meant the area marked in blue now:
The house plan roughly placed in the site plan oriented to the north (which is usually easier).
And then it would be good if you
then you could draw it roughly to scale onto the site plan. That way, you can get an idea, which you obviously already have in mind, but we don’t 😉.
kbt09 schrieb:
The way you are positioning your house, the 5 m (16 ft) wide terrace corner would be directly on the boundary of the existing building.
I meant the area marked in blue now:
The house plan roughly placed in the site plan oriented to the north (which is usually easier).
And then it would be good if you
Hausbauer1 schrieb:
The house has a parking space at the front on the east side, then a garage, and behind that is a lawn with some trees. The house on the plot initially has a path leading from the terrace down into the garden, followed by normal grass, flower beds, and a few trees. The existing house is set back 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 ft) from the street. A garage is located on the east side of the house, shifted towards the south. That would be demolished for our house. In front of it are double-row parking spaces, room for up to four vehicles.
Yes, correct. On the east side, it’s about 15 meters (49 ft) to the property boundary. There will be another house plot with a garage on the boundary, a parking space in front, and a garden behind it.
then you could draw it roughly to scale onto the site plan. That way, you can get an idea, which you obviously already have in mind, but we don’t 😉.
Hausbauer1 schrieb:
Well, the location is really good, central yet quiet. The area consists almost entirely of well-maintained single-family houses with nice front gardens. The problem is that the plot is in the wrong town, about 30-40 km (20-25 miles) away from the actual target destination. 40 km (25 miles) away from what? Work? Family, friends, or all of the above?
If it’s “just” work, you can always find a new job if needed. It’s different with family and friends. You can’t just drop by quickly anymore.
We also chose a building plot quite far from my family. However, it is close to my husband’s family and near the workplace. But if everything is just a compromise, I wouldn’t do it.
A few more questions and comments:
- Roof terrace practically on the 2nd floor... what do you expect from that? Carrying an evening glass of red wine up two flights? How does the roof terrace look in relation to the neighboring house?
- The three seating areas in the large open-plan space... what do you expect from the separation between couch/TV, fireplace, and conservatory area? For the conservatory, is it intended to be a real conservatory, meaning an extension, or more of a glazed corner of the house? If so, the floor above would also have an area similar to the roof terrace—how should that be covered? I could imagine the couch/TV area being somewhat more separated so it doesn’t disturb the others and isn’t disturbed by activities like playing games.
- Kitchen
Hausbauer1 schrieb:
open kitchen, cooking island: closed, unclear Number of seats: 6–8 - How high will the raised basement be? In other words, how much will it protrude above ground level?
- Guest room:
Hausbauer1 schrieb:
Overnights per year: 100 Really 100? It seems counterproductive if the guest room is in the basement and the nearest bathroom for showering is two floors up, in the kids’ bathroom. - Home office... do two people really need to work remotely occasionally or full time? There were originally at least two workspaces requested, but now there’s only one, which could be in the guest room or accommodate two people in one office. I would plan a space that can easily be divided with a partition wall into two separate offices.
What about the layout below: conservatory on the ground floor, then two floors, then the roof terrace, and finally a shed roof on the remaining part—how does that all fit beside the existing house?
Regarding closed kitchens... are you thinking of a separate kitchen or a dining area? If there’s an island, I recommend considering how the kitchen space will be arranged.
Maybe consider placing a kitchen and large dining area near the terrace, separate from the seating islands with armchairs.
Will guests stay for longer periods? Then it might be better to accommodate them in the attic with a bathroom. That might also make the terrace more useful, following the principle that guest and host have some separation at times.
The multipurpose room is designed for about 20 people, plus or minus. For a family of four, seating areas will likely remain unused in everyday life.
I also find it hard to accept the idea of having to look all the way from the far end of the house into the cloakroom or bathroom. Or having the mail carrier able to see me sitting on the sofa.
If industrial buildings with their mandatory large halls are taken as a model, more money will probably be spent on metal mesh and concrete than in a typical residential building. Using plants as room dividers is more reminiscent of a restaurant.
The planned fireplace flue on the upper floor is located directly in front of the bathroom.
And if I’m not mistaken, a roof terrace is at least partially included in the calculation of living space. So, if the knee wall is supposed to be over 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and the basement is designed as a raised basement, we are basically looking at a four-story building – it’s not as if a “basement” doesn’t count as a floor if it is built with ceiling height suitable for living space.
One probably does not even want to argue about the “aesthetics” of the house to be built here.
This plan is approached quite naively. At present, it can only be called a plaything, which certainly has its fun reason to exist, but is not suitable at all for detailed and realistic planning proposals.
Setback requirements and other regulations are not taken into account at all. While a high floor area ratio might allow some flexibility, there are still many considerations in the case of a two-part division.
It would be helpful if a site plan of the property with neutral measurements were provided.
Your image is only an interpretation, which is hard to understand.
I also find it hard to accept the idea of having to look all the way from the far end of the house into the cloakroom or bathroom. Or having the mail carrier able to see me sitting on the sofa.
If industrial buildings with their mandatory large halls are taken as a model, more money will probably be spent on metal mesh and concrete than in a typical residential building. Using plants as room dividers is more reminiscent of a restaurant.
The planned fireplace flue on the upper floor is located directly in front of the bathroom.
And if I’m not mistaken, a roof terrace is at least partially included in the calculation of living space. So, if the knee wall is supposed to be over 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and the basement is designed as a raised basement, we are basically looking at a four-story building – it’s not as if a “basement” doesn’t count as a floor if it is built with ceiling height suitable for living space.
One probably does not even want to argue about the “aesthetics” of the house to be built here.
This plan is approached quite naively. At present, it can only be called a plaything, which certainly has its fun reason to exist, but is not suitable at all for detailed and realistic planning proposals.
Setback requirements and other regulations are not taken into account at all. While a high floor area ratio might allow some flexibility, there are still many considerations in the case of a two-part division.
It would be helpful if a site plan of the property with neutral measurements were provided.
Your image is only an interpretation, which is hard to understand.
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