ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home of Approximately 240 sqm with a Double Garage and a Basement Granny Flat / Secondary Apartment
Created on: 14 Jun 2021 16:04
G
Grandioos
Dear house-building community,
I have already read several plans and posts here in the forum and am always grateful for the different ideas and especially the comments. About our project: We already own a serviced plot of land in an established residential area (gap in the building line) in southern Germany (BW). We plan to build a solid masonry house (stone) probably to KfW 55 standard.
Many thanks in advance for your ideas and comments.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 967 sqm (10,406 sq ft)
Slope: Approx. 1.5 meters (5 feet) drop over 45 m (148 feet) plot length
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Site occupancy index: 0.5
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: according to development plan / see photo "Site plan" – blue lines
Edge development: 10 m (33 feet) building setback from road (west side). No development yet at the south boundary.
Number of parking spaces: no requirements
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: Gable roof – 38° to 48°
Architectural style: open design
Orientation: no specifications
Maximum heights/limits: uphill ground floor slab height above natural terrain: 1 m (3.3 feet)
Maximum ridge height: 9.25 m (30 feet)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Classic detached house with gable roof, no dormers but with overhanging eaves on the gable sides. High knee wall on the south side of the upper floor (>2 m (6.6 feet))
Basement, floors: Basement with separate apartment (approx. 50 sqm (538 sq ft)). Living spaces on ground floor and upper floor with high clear ceiling height (approx. 2.80 m (9.2 feet)) – because I am 1.99 m (6’6”) tall
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults (32 & 31), 1 toddler (<1), up to 3 children desired in total.
Space requirements:
Basement: separate apartment with independent entrance (west side), separated from our areas; cellar room; technical room; guest/hobby room
Ground floor: open living area with spacious open kitchen including island, pantry, guest WC with barrier-free shower, home office/guest room, wardrobe, utility room including laundry and drying
Upper floor: parents’ bathroom with bathtub, parents’ bedroom, walk-in closet, 2 children’s bedrooms, second study (teacher)
Office: 1 person working 60–80% from home, 1 person employed as teacher (incl. grading)
Annual overnight guests: many (>15), large family and wide circle of distant friends
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern style: My wife prefers a cozy country house style, I also prefer some modern elements and clear lines → it will certainly be a mix
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen (L-shaped with island facing dining area)
Number of dining seats: at least 8
Fireplace: yes, ideally as a room divider in the “living corridor”
Music/stereo wall: rather secondary, we rarely watch TV, when we do, it’s hidden behind a cabinet somewhere in the living room
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace very important, balcony rather not. Southeast-facing terrace to enjoy the sun’s benefits and escape it when it becomes too intense. The separate apartment should also have a small terrace facing west.
Garage, carport: double garage for us, parking space for separate apartment
Utility garden, greenhouse: utility garden on the east side
Other wishes/particulars/daily routine:
Open access from kitchen and dining room to terrace/garden
Dry/covered access from garage to house
House design
Planner: Architect, including our input after two meetings
What do you particularly like? Why: Separate entrance for the apartment; 1 office on the ground floor; large utility room; large terrace; high knee wall on the south upper floor; space found for piano; lots of light at the half-landing staircase on the north side
What do you dislike? Why? Overall simply too large and therefore prospectively too expensive, we actually wanted an open roof structure
Price estimate according to architect/designer: total 300+400 gross including double garage after federal correction factor: €725,000 (without landscaping and additional costs)
Personal price limit for house including fittings: €600,000 without additional costs
Preferred heating system: hybrid heating, air-to-water heat pump combined with gas condensing boiler, photovoltaic system on south roof
If you had to give up on which details/extensions
- Can give up: second study on the upper floor, smaller multipurpose room, smaller office 1/guest room, reluctantly even the shower bathroom on the upper floor, south-facing windows in the living room
- Cannot give up: shower bathroom on the ground floor, utility room with laundry on the ground floor, separate entrance and outdoor area for the separate apartment
Why is the design the way it is now?
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can this or a slightly reduced floor plan be planned more efficiently? Have we overlooked major design mistakes?
I have already read several plans and posts here in the forum and am always grateful for the different ideas and especially the comments. About our project: We already own a serviced plot of land in an established residential area (gap in the building line) in southern Germany (BW). We plan to build a solid masonry house (stone) probably to KfW 55 standard.
Many thanks in advance for your ideas and comments.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 967 sqm (10,406 sq ft)
Slope: Approx. 1.5 meters (5 feet) drop over 45 m (148 feet) plot length
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Site occupancy index: 0.5
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: according to development plan / see photo "Site plan" – blue lines
Edge development: 10 m (33 feet) building setback from road (west side). No development yet at the south boundary.
Number of parking spaces: no requirements
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: Gable roof – 38° to 48°
Architectural style: open design
Orientation: no specifications
Maximum heights/limits: uphill ground floor slab height above natural terrain: 1 m (3.3 feet)
Maximum ridge height: 9.25 m (30 feet)
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Classic detached house with gable roof, no dormers but with overhanging eaves on the gable sides. High knee wall on the south side of the upper floor (>2 m (6.6 feet))
Basement, floors: Basement with separate apartment (approx. 50 sqm (538 sq ft)). Living spaces on ground floor and upper floor with high clear ceiling height (approx. 2.80 m (9.2 feet)) – because I am 1.99 m (6’6”) tall
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults (32 & 31), 1 toddler (<1), up to 3 children desired in total.
Space requirements:
Basement: separate apartment with independent entrance (west side), separated from our areas; cellar room; technical room; guest/hobby room
Ground floor: open living area with spacious open kitchen including island, pantry, guest WC with barrier-free shower, home office/guest room, wardrobe, utility room including laundry and drying
Upper floor: parents’ bathroom with bathtub, parents’ bedroom, walk-in closet, 2 children’s bedrooms, second study (teacher)
Office: 1 person working 60–80% from home, 1 person employed as teacher (incl. grading)
Annual overnight guests: many (>15), large family and wide circle of distant friends
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern style: My wife prefers a cozy country house style, I also prefer some modern elements and clear lines → it will certainly be a mix
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen (L-shaped with island facing dining area)
Number of dining seats: at least 8
Fireplace: yes, ideally as a room divider in the “living corridor”
Music/stereo wall: rather secondary, we rarely watch TV, when we do, it’s hidden behind a cabinet somewhere in the living room
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace very important, balcony rather not. Southeast-facing terrace to enjoy the sun’s benefits and escape it when it becomes too intense. The separate apartment should also have a small terrace facing west.
Garage, carport: double garage for us, parking space for separate apartment
Utility garden, greenhouse: utility garden on the east side
Other wishes/particulars/daily routine:
Open access from kitchen and dining room to terrace/garden
Dry/covered access from garage to house
House design
Planner: Architect, including our input after two meetings
What do you particularly like? Why: Separate entrance for the apartment; 1 office on the ground floor; large utility room; large terrace; high knee wall on the south upper floor; space found for piano; lots of light at the half-landing staircase on the north side
What do you dislike? Why? Overall simply too large and therefore prospectively too expensive, we actually wanted an open roof structure
Price estimate according to architect/designer: total 300+400 gross including double garage after federal correction factor: €725,000 (without landscaping and additional costs)
Personal price limit for house including fittings: €600,000 without additional costs
Preferred heating system: hybrid heating, air-to-water heat pump combined with gas condensing boiler, photovoltaic system on south roof
If you had to give up on which details/extensions
- Can give up: second study on the upper floor, smaller multipurpose room, smaller office 1/guest room, reluctantly even the shower bathroom on the upper floor, south-facing windows in the living room
- Cannot give up: shower bathroom on the ground floor, utility room with laundry on the ground floor, separate entrance and outdoor area for the separate apartment
Why is the design the way it is now?
- Limited options due to a relatively narrow and elongated plot (length 44 m (144 feet) x width 22 m (72 feet)) and small building envelope (10 m (33 feet) setback on west side as well as road on west side)
- Architect prefers “narrow houses”
- Terraces and garden area optimized to the south – “living facing south”. House positioned as far north as possible
- This plan allows spacious living and working with large windows and terrace areas facing south and east with maximum separation from the street
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can this or a slightly reduced floor plan be planned more efficiently? Have we overlooked major design mistakes?
Could it be that BOTH clients are humanities scholars, and the architect is from their circle of friends and not much older either?
I don't see any tea in the world being able to smooth over the gap between the wish list and the budget.
A professional needs to step in here and first do some serious homework.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I don't see any tea in the world being able to smooth over the gap between the wish list and the budget.
A professional needs to step in here and first do some serious homework.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Additionally, the outdoor area does not look particularly favorable, with a long driveway and paths leading to the entrance, and a small courtyard for the secondary apartment with L-shaped retaining walls (?).
I find the secondary apartment as a "home for retirement" very dark and also impractical due to all the stairs, with access only possible from the outside.
Currently, you have 4 "offices," of which 2 would later be for children, plus a large basement of 35m² (375 sq ft), as well as the entire secondary apartment, all of which are areas that are not directly or only partially used, considering a good but not unlimited budget. Additionally, there is storage space for technical equipment, a utility room on the ground floor, and in my opinion, a very narrow but spacious pantry in terms of square meters. The (too?) narrow walk-in closet has already been mentioned; a width of more than 2.2m (7 feet) is recommended. The coat area in the hallway is quite tight with only one closet; I assume it would be extended in the utility room?
I find the secondary apartment as a "home for retirement" very dark and also impractical due to all the stairs, with access only possible from the outside.
Currently, you have 4 "offices," of which 2 would later be for children, plus a large basement of 35m² (375 sq ft), as well as the entire secondary apartment, all of which are areas that are not directly or only partially used, considering a good but not unlimited budget. Additionally, there is storage space for technical equipment, a utility room on the ground floor, and in my opinion, a very narrow but spacious pantry in terms of square meters. The (too?) narrow walk-in closet has already been mentioned; a width of more than 2.2m (7 feet) is recommended. The coat area in the hallway is quite tight with only one closet; I assume it would be extended in the utility room?
I am also in favor of painting the basement. Financially not feasible. Condominium is highly inconvenient for caring for a parent. Steps and a separate living unit. The ground floor study will probably be used for that instead. With 2-3 children plus caregiving, one will have to give up their job anyway.
Move the house a good distance toward the street.
Move the house a good distance toward the street.
Hello,
thank you for the many constructive questions and suggestions that made us think 🙂
I was a bit surprised by the tone in some posts, but that seems to be common here in the forum. We were able to revise our plans with the following result: basement apartment removed, upper floor rooms removed, and instead of a full basement, only a partial basement. Plus a clear budget directive to the architect.
Thank you
thank you for the many constructive questions and suggestions that made us think 🙂
I was a bit surprised by the tone in some posts, but that seems to be common here in the forum. We were able to revise our plans with the following result: basement apartment removed, upper floor rooms removed, and instead of a full basement, only a partial basement. Plus a clear budget directive to the architect.
Thank you
Grandioos schrieb:
and instead of a full basement, only a partial basement.It is better to include a separate office or guest room instead of a granny flat; partial basements are often, and usually, economically disappointing.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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