ᐅ Floor Plan Discussion: Single-Family House with Separate Living Units
Created on: 20 Nov 2023 14:45
B
burnhard
Dear community,
I would like to share our planning with you and invite discussion. We are open to criticism, as we have been working on this project for some time. A particularly important aspect for us is the potential future division into separate living units. Among our friends, we often see conversions, and we aim to achieve this without major renovations such as adding external staircases or demolishing the existing staircase. Your opinions and suggestions are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: ~700m² (8,400 sq ft)
Slope: Height difference street to rear property boundary 50cm (20 inches)
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Building area, building line and boundary:
Building line 5m (16 ft), setback 3/4 of eaves height,
Edge development: garage 1m (3 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Roof type: Gable roof 30°
Orientation: Roof: NW-SE
Maximum heights / limits:
Eaves height max. 6.5m (21 ft), ridge height 9.5m (31 ft)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors: Basement, ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF), attic
Number of people, age: A couple (27 & 30), 2 children planned
Space requirement on GF and UF: ~each 90m² (970 sq ft)
Office: For family use and home office possible
Annual overnight guests: 5–10
Closed architecture
Conservative construction style
Open kitchen
Number of dining seats: 6–10
Fireplace
Balcony
Garage
Utility garden
House Design
Self-designed, with architect consultation
What do you particularly like? Why?
Living room – cozy
Hallway – bright
Entrance area – spacious
Corner windows
What do you not like? Why?
Lighting in the bathrooms on the ground floor
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 600,000€
Preferred heating system:
Geothermal with horizontal trench collector
Controlled mechanical ventilation, later with suspended ceiling in the hallway
Why did the design turn out as it is?
We want to keep the floor plan flexible during planning, to potentially separate it later into 2–3 apartments without major renovation work.
For this reason, the staircase (basement to attic) was positioned at the edge, so it can later be used as a separate entrance.
Our room program:
Basement:
Utility room, technical room, workshop, hobby/party room, possibly sauna & shower
Ground Floor (GF):
Dining kitchen & living room, separable with sliding door.
We gave up on a pantry in this version because, based on our experience, large cabinets suffice, and there is enough storage space for drinks etc. in the basement
Tiled stove, heatable from the hallway
Guest room
Small bathroom and toilet
Upper Floor (UF):
2 children’s rooms
Master bedroom with dressing room
Office
Bathroom & toilet
Attic:
Possible future expansion
Garage:
2 vehicles, storage space
Entrance area:
Glass element outside between garage and canopy
Thank you very much!
I would like to share our planning with you and invite discussion. We are open to criticism, as we have been working on this project for some time. A particularly important aspect for us is the potential future division into separate living units. Among our friends, we often see conversions, and we aim to achieve this without major renovations such as adding external staircases or demolishing the existing staircase. Your opinions and suggestions are very welcome.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: ~700m² (8,400 sq ft)
Slope: Height difference street to rear property boundary 50cm (20 inches)
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Building area, building line and boundary:
Building line 5m (16 ft), setback 3/4 of eaves height,
Edge development: garage 1m (3 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Roof type: Gable roof 30°
Orientation: Roof: NW-SE
Maximum heights / limits:
Eaves height max. 6.5m (21 ft), ridge height 9.5m (31 ft)
Client Requirements
Basement, floors: Basement, ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF), attic
Number of people, age: A couple (27 & 30), 2 children planned
Space requirement on GF and UF: ~each 90m² (970 sq ft)
Office: For family use and home office possible
Annual overnight guests: 5–10
Closed architecture
Conservative construction style
Open kitchen
Number of dining seats: 6–10
Fireplace
Balcony
Garage
Utility garden
House Design
Self-designed, with architect consultation
What do you particularly like? Why?
Living room – cozy
Hallway – bright
Entrance area – spacious
Corner windows
What do you not like? Why?
Lighting in the bathrooms on the ground floor
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 600,000€
Preferred heating system:
Geothermal with horizontal trench collector
Controlled mechanical ventilation, later with suspended ceiling in the hallway
Why did the design turn out as it is?
We want to keep the floor plan flexible during planning, to potentially separate it later into 2–3 apartments without major renovation work.
For this reason, the staircase (basement to attic) was positioned at the edge, so it can later be used as a separate entrance.
Our room program:
Basement:
Utility room, technical room, workshop, hobby/party room, possibly sauna & shower
Ground Floor (GF):
Dining kitchen & living room, separable with sliding door.
We gave up on a pantry in this version because, based on our experience, large cabinets suffice, and there is enough storage space for drinks etc. in the basement
Tiled stove, heatable from the hallway
Guest room
Small bathroom and toilet
Upper Floor (UF):
2 children’s rooms
Master bedroom with dressing room
Office
Bathroom & toilet
Attic:
Possible future expansion
Garage:
2 vehicles, storage space
Entrance area:
Glass element outside between garage and canopy
Thank you very much!
I am surprised by the level of passive-aggressiveness and condescending tone in some of the communication here. I did not expect that.
Thanks anyway for some sensible comments, but I am out.
ypg schrieb:Who would want their bathroom to smell like sh... when taking a shower if it were possible to combine the toilet and bathroom? Load-bearing walls are a matter for structural engineers, not architects, and I dare say I know about that.
....
11ant schrieb:What you don’t understand is that the exact opposite is true. I see how great it is when the floor plan is already divided in a way that it can easily be separated into individual living units. I also see how this is used among friends and acquaintances.
... but in one’s own family or among friends or acquaintances, examples of elderly residents in single-family homes not designed to be subdivided.
... the decision to want to do it better is practically already "made."
Thanks anyway for some sensible comments, but I am out.
@burnhard ... sorry, that’s childish. Some people here have put real thought into this.
The choice of having a toilet is simply a matter of personal preference. I personally like my toilet in the bathroom because I often need to use it right before showering... and at that point, I’m already naked 😉. Comments on the spatial proportions of the rooms and how usable that space is are helpful. Also, if you’re planning a two-part layout, it makes sense to consider the potential future use of certain rooms... for example, the ground floor guest room could become a couple’s bedroom in a two-part setup.
No one here is going to just repeat what you want to hear, which unfortunately happens too often in real life. Usually because the person opposite you wants to avoid conflict and similar issues.
The choice of having a toilet is simply a matter of personal preference. I personally like my toilet in the bathroom because I often need to use it right before showering... and at that point, I’m already naked 😉. Comments on the spatial proportions of the rooms and how usable that space is are helpful. Also, if you’re planning a two-part layout, it makes sense to consider the potential future use of certain rooms... for example, the ground floor guest room could become a couple’s bedroom in a two-part setup.
No one here is going to just repeat what you want to hear, which unfortunately happens too often in real life. Usually because the person opposite you wants to avoid conflict and similar issues.
Oops, I actually wanted to ask where the north is, and now there is sulking happening here!
I also found this unsent post on my phone: "… besides, you usually need the upper floors, meaning the now free former children's rooms, to finally realize yourself and set up a hobby space there (sewing machine, reading room, craft or music room, gaming den, or gym).
Eventually, it’s no longer just friends staying overnight, but your own children with grandchildren. They’ll want a place to sleep or even a playroom. The upper floor would be ideal to use for this once the kids have moved out, before renting out the property. I keep reminding myself about the missing money for the basement."
Yes, criticism is often an unwelcome guest.
I also found this unsent post on my phone: "… besides, you usually need the upper floors, meaning the now free former children's rooms, to finally realize yourself and set up a hobby space there (sewing machine, reading room, craft or music room, gaming den, or gym).
Eventually, it’s no longer just friends staying overnight, but your own children with grandchildren. They’ll want a place to sleep or even a playroom. The upper floor would be ideal to use for this once the kids have moved out, before renting out the property. I keep reminding myself about the missing money for the basement."
Yes, criticism is often an unwelcome guest.
W
WilderSueden22 Nov 2023 22:02Having a separate toilet like that is possible. However, four toilets in a two-story single-family house is a bit excessive. Even just having a bathroom on the ground floor is already a luxury that is hardly used in practice (we have one too). Adding an additional separate toilet on top of that is, again, a waste of space. I understand that for you, this is a way to prepare for old age if you want to turn it into a multi-family house, but these are the extra costs involved. It’s not just a second electrical panel on the upper floor.
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