ᐅ Floor plan discussion of a medium-small single-family house with a pitched roof and a double garage
Created on: 9 Nov 2025 18:08
B
Baumweg32
Hello everyone,
we plan to build a single-family house in 2026/27. We are both 30 years old (and intend to stay that way), have no children, and work full-time in the office/from home. Below we have completed the questionnaire and look forward to you brutally roasting our current floor plan – what have we overlooked?
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – just under 400 m² (about 4300 sq ft), access and road to the south
Slope – no
Site coverage ratio – no zoning plan, according to §34, neighbors have between 0.3-0.4
Floor area ratio – no zoning plan, according to §34
Building envelope, building line and boundary – no zoning plan, according to §34
Edge development – no, the surrounding area consists of other semi-detached and single-family houses
Number of parking spaces – double garage + carport + theoretically two spaces in front of the garage in the courtyard
Number of floors – 2 full stories + basement
Roof type – gable roof
Style – modern
Orientation – south
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements – development according to §34
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type – gable roof with sufficient eaves, otherwise the house looks like a thumb
Basement, floors – basement yes, ground floor, upper floor
Number of people, age – 2, 30 years
Room requirements on ground and upper floor – Ground floor: entrance, shower, WC, kitchen, dining area, living room; Upper floor: 2 offices, bathroom with bathtub, bedroom, walk-in closet
Office: family use or home office? – home office
Number of overnight guests per year – 1
Open or closed layout – preferably closed
Conservative or modern building method – solid construction, modern, no porous clay bricks (Poroton)
Open kitchen, kitchen island – closed kitchen
Number of dining seats – 4-6
Fireplace – yes, sometime when budget allows
Music/sound wall – yes, living room
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – yes and yes (carport only if budget allows)
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be included – Ideally, when one person gets up, they leave the bedroom without having to go back in to get clothes, so the other can continue sleeping. Also, we work from home a lot. That means each person needs their own office so they don’t disturb each other during calls etc.
House Design
Who made the design: architect based on our initial PowerPoint sketches
What do you particularly like? Why? – We like the visual axes, from the staircase through the kitchen to the garden and from the hallway past the fireplace into the garden. A generous entrance area is important to avoid future frustration when entering the house and not knowing where to put groceries.
What don’t you like? Why? – The bedroom-walk-in closet situation is tight. We have thought and struggled with this a lot. Maybe we can expand the house by 50 cm (20 inches) to the south. Then a 1.5 m (59 inch) wide walk-in closet would fit.
Price estimate from architect/designer: 600,000 €
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 650,000 € (fittings? Kitchen and furniture on top)
Preferred heating technology: heat pump
If You Have to Give Up on which details/extensions
You can live without: laundry chute
You cannot live without: separate office rooms, walk-in closet, separate kitchen, staircase as straight as possible (in our case a half-landing staircase max?)
Why is the Design as It Is?
Standard design from the planner? – No, we came with a rough plan sketched in PowerPoint to the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? – All our wishes were implemented by the architect
What do you think is especially good or bad? – We actually like the floor plan very much. As mentioned, the walk-in closet is tight but so far we have not found a better alternative that still allows easy access around the bed. We would also like a T-shaped bathroom layout mainly to hide the WC. But probably there is no space for that, or maybe you have a sudden idea?
we plan to build a single-family house in 2026/27. We are both 30 years old (and intend to stay that way), have no children, and work full-time in the office/from home. Below we have completed the questionnaire and look forward to you brutally roasting our current floor plan – what have we overlooked?
Zoning Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – just under 400 m² (about 4300 sq ft), access and road to the south
Slope – no
Site coverage ratio – no zoning plan, according to §34, neighbors have between 0.3-0.4
Floor area ratio – no zoning plan, according to §34
Building envelope, building line and boundary – no zoning plan, according to §34
Edge development – no, the surrounding area consists of other semi-detached and single-family houses
Number of parking spaces – double garage + carport + theoretically two spaces in front of the garage in the courtyard
Number of floors – 2 full stories + basement
Roof type – gable roof
Style – modern
Orientation – south
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements – development according to §34
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type – gable roof with sufficient eaves, otherwise the house looks like a thumb
Basement, floors – basement yes, ground floor, upper floor
Number of people, age – 2, 30 years
Room requirements on ground and upper floor – Ground floor: entrance, shower, WC, kitchen, dining area, living room; Upper floor: 2 offices, bathroom with bathtub, bedroom, walk-in closet
Office: family use or home office? – home office
Number of overnight guests per year – 1
Open or closed layout – preferably closed
Conservative or modern building method – solid construction, modern, no porous clay bricks (Poroton)
Open kitchen, kitchen island – closed kitchen
Number of dining seats – 4-6
Fireplace – yes, sometime when budget allows
Music/sound wall – yes, living room
Balcony, roof terrace – no
Garage, carport – yes and yes (carport only if budget allows)
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be included – Ideally, when one person gets up, they leave the bedroom without having to go back in to get clothes, so the other can continue sleeping. Also, we work from home a lot. That means each person needs their own office so they don’t disturb each other during calls etc.
House Design
Who made the design: architect based on our initial PowerPoint sketches
What do you particularly like? Why? – We like the visual axes, from the staircase through the kitchen to the garden and from the hallway past the fireplace into the garden. A generous entrance area is important to avoid future frustration when entering the house and not knowing where to put groceries.
What don’t you like? Why? – The bedroom-walk-in closet situation is tight. We have thought and struggled with this a lot. Maybe we can expand the house by 50 cm (20 inches) to the south. Then a 1.5 m (59 inch) wide walk-in closet would fit.
Price estimate from architect/designer: 600,000 €
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 650,000 € (fittings? Kitchen and furniture on top)
Preferred heating technology: heat pump
If You Have to Give Up on which details/extensions
You can live without: laundry chute
You cannot live without: separate office rooms, walk-in closet, separate kitchen, staircase as straight as possible (in our case a half-landing staircase max?)
Why is the Design as It Is?
Standard design from the planner? – No, we came with a rough plan sketched in PowerPoint to the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? – All our wishes were implemented by the architect
What do you think is especially good or bad? – We actually like the floor plan very much. As mentioned, the walk-in closet is tight but so far we have not found a better alternative that still allows easy access around the bed. We would also like a T-shaped bathroom layout mainly to hide the WC. But probably there is no space for that, or maybe you have a sudden idea?
Baumweg32 schrieb:
A clothes dryer is only suitable for down comforters or jackets and occasionally towels. However, not for regular clothing. Out of pure curiosity, I would like to know why?
nordanney schrieb:
I also wish for so many things, but then reason wins out…
In #13, you mention a lot of things you find less than ideal. Honestly? “Mess” (no offense) won’t improve with just a few small changes. I would start completely fresh with a neutral approach. Let the architect design based on your room plan (which rooms you actually need and their desired sizes) and your lifestyle rhythm. Don’t try to work off the floor plan you brought with you. If possible, skip the basement, which is usually far too expensive compared to its usefulness (as mentioned, a garage with a workshop extension is a practical solution). Or you buy one drying rack across two floors instead of three racks occupying a space of 10m² (108 ft²). Then you could afford to buy new T-shirts rather than washing old ones. Think out of the box. Yeah, it was a learning experience that we shouldn’t have “vaccinated” the architect, as described earlier. We’re going to try again from scratch.
But new T-shirts instead of washing definitely won’t be an option, that’s clear 😉
ypg schrieb:
Well, what a client doesn’t consider a problem isn’t necessarily something an architect should ignore.
You’re presenting him with ideas based on “not a big deal” or “little knowledge,” and his role is to explain why these might not work and then improve them.
The usage plan seems rather forced now, without wanting to suggest that you don’t know what you want or need.
The questionnaire is filled out, but it doesn’t mention a workshop or a passion for sports.
If you plan a laundry room of over 8 sqm (86 sq ft) in the basement, you should also allocate space for a drying rack there.
The basement will be a utility basement, not a living basement. That means there’s no living room there. Who would sleep in a room without heating or controlled ventilation? The window is a light well. Once the terrace is set up, there will probably be an outdoor sofa on the grate, and the basement room will be dark.
Honestly, I don’t see what needs debating here—unless the tax office cares. If you let a guest sleep one night a year in either of those rooms, it shouldn’t be an issue. You can lock away files.
And you said it yourself:
The armchair can also be a sleeper chair, yoga mats fit anywhere. For the power rack, I have to give up on space alternatives, but if you have a garden, people generally don’t do strength training in the basement anymore—they do it in the garden instead.
There isn’t much to say about the house itself 😉 Some things don’t justify the fact that many parts of the house are not well designed. You don’t have to convince yourself that the shower is nice. Even if you come home dirty, you’ll probably take the stairs quickly to get naked than use a small shower-WC. And if the main bathroom is nice and “spacious,” it works for two people as a couple. I speak from experience.
What else was it… the landing: it should be deep enough to stand comfortably—one step, minimum 90 cm (35 inches), larger as you prefer. This is about reducing accidents.
Most of what you like can also be found in a standard, off-the-shelf house. I think it’s fine if you play around with walls yourself, but what’s play eventually becomes reality—and that’s when you need to pull the emergency brake. Now your house plan from the architect has been turned into reality, where the upper floor doesn’t work, the ground floor doesn’t work, but at least, in your eyes, the basement does.
Do you have a usage plan for the other floors as well?
Without knowing the exact dimensions of the plot and assuming the ridge direction is flexible: I would orient the narrow side of the house to the south or build a square plan. I’m not exactly sure because I rarely design houses with closed kitchens. In this case, orientation and plot size are a bit more challenging. I would pull the garage forward and place it in that corner. Behind the garage, I would put the workshop/storage room and create a connection to the utility room here. As I said: I would focus more on living, daytime activities, and staying areas than overemphasizing the basement and trying to make it better than it is. I would rather prepare an attic for nice-to-have items.
The kitchen could have a southeast corner window, the dining area enough space to move around it, and a cozier lounge corner. The landing staircase doesn’t fit the current house dimensions and is more a staircase type for larger homes. It dominates both floors because of its bulk. It takes up almost 3 meters (10 feet) in depth. With 8 meters (26 feet) of width, there isn’t much left for “room.”
The upper floor probably can be adapted to your needs, but not with these house dimensions.
Here’s an example of an upper floor with a less dominant staircase, a building footprint of 8 x 11 meters (26 x 36 feet): bedrooms (or offices) facing south, spacious dressing room and bathroom (originally with a sauna, but here I just sketched a walk-in shower).
Without children, I would plan more freely than within a family-home framework.
As I said, going to the architect with the plan was a learning experience. The completed questionnaire wasn’t intended to be completely comprehensive. We had already considered a room program early on, but I didn’t copy it here exactly.
Thanks for the quick draft. The dressing room between two rooms on the longer side of the house definitely makes sense. We will reconsider this idea!
ypg schrieb:
This is actually a minor issue when it comes to land use...
...if a double garage is an absolute must.
The plot isn’t exactly large, and with the cut-off corner, the house and yard are pushed toward the garden because of the desired double garage.
I understand hoping the house with a basement turns out compact.
But clinging so much to the basement and garage that everything else doesn’t matter (I have the feeling this forum is supposed to improve the walk-in closet and the T-layout, but then a mess will be built) is incomprehensible to me.
Last week, there was a housing feature in NRW: they stood in a new-build basement, and the contractor explained that basements are the most expensive square meters to build.
Whatever...
Here’s the thing:
Set priorities! Yes to the double garage, yes to a smaller garden as a result.
Yes to everyday practicality, and since the budget is quite decent but the house is tight all around due to the dimensions, no to the basement.
That’s it. Good luck with the house build. Yes, basement square meters are the most expensive to build. However, where we are building, the cost per square meter of land is also extremely high. Therefore, as you said, we desire a compact floor plan. For our taste, the garden doesn’t need to be very large, but of course we have to comply with the floor area ratio and setback requirements.
Originally, the main request here was indeed to improve the walk-in closet and the T-layout. However, we appreciate any input provided. We recognize much of it.
Tolentino schrieb:
Just out of curiosity, I would like to know why?For us, this is due to reasons of sustainability 🙂
Baumweg32 schrieb:
For us, this applies for reasons of sustainability 🙂Try googling drying laundry on a drying rack indoors 🙂Similar topics