ᐅ Preliminary floor plan design for a 220 m² single-family house
Created on: 20 Jun 2017 22:41
R
R.Hotzenplotz
Hello!
We have already gone through several plans with our architect and I think we are almost there, about to start the detailed planning phase. Before that, I’m looking forward to getting feedback from other users.
Development plan/restrictions: §34 – two full stories
Plot size: 1,085m² (1,1679 yd²)
Basement, floors – 2 full stories plus partial basement
Number of people, ages – 3 people (37, 34, 1, second child planned)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor – the requirement was that bedrooms and the study should be about 17m² (183 ft²) each; the entire house should be approximately 220m² (2,368 ft²)
Office: family use
Guests per year: 1
Open or closed architecture: closed
Traditional or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – no open kitchen, but yes to a kitchen island
Number of dining seats – 6
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace – balcony
Garage, carport – large garage
Additional wishes/special features/daily routines, preferably with reasons why certain things should or should not be included – everyone should be able to sleep as undisturbed as possible in their bedrooms, even if other family members are awake. The husband is sometimes up as early as 4 a.m. Otherwise, watching TV in the evening should be possible without disturbing those sleeping upstairs.
House design
Who created the design:
- Architect (freelancer for a general contractor)
What do you like most? Why?
The upper floor with well-sized rooms and the location of the rooms exactly where they should be (only the washroom area we would still like to move to the outer right corner so that you don’t have to pass it every time you use the toilet). On the ground floor, the access through an airlock, the kitchen, and the dining area with the study next to it are especially liked.
Also appreciated is that after adjustments, the study now faces the garden instead of the street.
What don’t you like? Why?
We originally wanted the distance from wall to wall where the sofa and TV stand is to be about 6.40m (21 ft) (large screen & surround system), but so far only 5.69m (19 ft) has been realized.
Laundry room as described.
Kitchen larger in square meters than needed; the approx. 3m² (32 ft²) could theoretically be used well in the living area.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
720,000 euros (including construction incidentals)
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
800,000 euros
Preferred heating technology:
Gas
If you have to give up on something, which details/features can you do without?
- Can do without:
Technical systems like controlled residential ventilation
- Cannot do without:
Space (except for the kitchen)
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Is this a standard design from the planner?
The architect has largely implemented our wishes; the only issue is the living room situation.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Patient, quick to implement, has already gotten to know us well.
No negative points.
Do you notice any other points that might not fit or that we should consider, which we might have overlooked?
In the basement, the room currently labeled as home cinema might possibly be used as one medium- to long-term. For the foreseeable future, it will be a storage room.
We have already gone through several plans with our architect and I think we are almost there, about to start the detailed planning phase. Before that, I’m looking forward to getting feedback from other users.
Development plan/restrictions: §34 – two full stories
Plot size: 1,085m² (1,1679 yd²)
Basement, floors – 2 full stories plus partial basement
Number of people, ages – 3 people (37, 34, 1, second child planned)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor – the requirement was that bedrooms and the study should be about 17m² (183 ft²) each; the entire house should be approximately 220m² (2,368 ft²)
Office: family use
Guests per year: 1
Open or closed architecture: closed
Traditional or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island – no open kitchen, but yes to a kitchen island
Number of dining seats – 6
Fireplace – yes
Music/stereo wall – TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace – balcony
Garage, carport – large garage
Additional wishes/special features/daily routines, preferably with reasons why certain things should or should not be included – everyone should be able to sleep as undisturbed as possible in their bedrooms, even if other family members are awake. The husband is sometimes up as early as 4 a.m. Otherwise, watching TV in the evening should be possible without disturbing those sleeping upstairs.
House design
Who created the design:
- Architect (freelancer for a general contractor)
What do you like most? Why?
The upper floor with well-sized rooms and the location of the rooms exactly where they should be (only the washroom area we would still like to move to the outer right corner so that you don’t have to pass it every time you use the toilet). On the ground floor, the access through an airlock, the kitchen, and the dining area with the study next to it are especially liked.
Also appreciated is that after adjustments, the study now faces the garden instead of the street.
What don’t you like? Why?
We originally wanted the distance from wall to wall where the sofa and TV stand is to be about 6.40m (21 ft) (large screen & surround system), but so far only 5.69m (19 ft) has been realized.
Laundry room as described.
Kitchen larger in square meters than needed; the approx. 3m² (32 ft²) could theoretically be used well in the living area.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
720,000 euros (including construction incidentals)
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
800,000 euros
Preferred heating technology:
Gas
If you have to give up on something, which details/features can you do without?
- Can do without:
Technical systems like controlled residential ventilation
- Cannot do without:
Space (except for the kitchen)
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Is this a standard design from the planner?
The architect has largely implemented our wishes; the only issue is the living room situation.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
Patient, quick to implement, has already gotten to know us well.
No negative points.
Do you notice any other points that might not fit or that we should consider, which we might have overlooked?
In the basement, the room currently labeled as home cinema might possibly be used as one medium- to long-term. For the foreseeable future, it will be a storage room.
R
R.Hotzenplotz20 Jul 2017 23:18It’s not even Cologne yet. After three years of searching, we gave up in frustration when it came to Cologne itself. It simply wasn’t feasible within our budget. Now we have a great location just outside of Cologne.
Things like controlled residential ventilation, a ground source heat pump, and so on are already factored in.
Still expensive. But from what I hear, no general contractor or skilled tradesperson is currently lacking work. So there won’t really be much room for negotiation. I am requesting a comparative quote, but I’m not expecting much potential for savings.
Things like controlled residential ventilation, a ground source heat pump, and so on are already factored in.
Still expensive. But from what I hear, no general contractor or skilled tradesperson is currently lacking work. So there won’t really be much room for negotiation. I am requesting a comparative quote, but I’m not expecting much potential for savings.
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
In the end, the whole thing with everything included costs about 1.4 million. For that much money, I would also expect it to look good. You don’t build an "architect-designed house" just to end up with a "suboptimal" result.
Apart from that, I still believe a clever architect would first have taken a positive approach to the existing structure and developed two or three renovation proposals. They might not have been immediate "winning designs," but they would have at least provided alternatives—both economical and aesthetic.
I just forgot which wise person supposedly said (paraphrased) that throughout history, more foolishness has failed because of money than anything else.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
For that amount of money, you could really have something much nicer...
My statement might be a bit sobering, but 1.4 million... sorry, I’d expect a dream house, not some compromise bunker.
My advice: fire the architect, find a new one (make sure you like their style, ask people who have worked with them, find out how they negotiate with the building authorities/planning office—very, very important!!!) and have an introductory meeting. Do this with 1 to 3 candidates.
Man, you could build something really amazing with that! But you need a capable and innovative architect. I can’t understand many of your requirements at all (kitchen layout, and I’m not the only one), but if that’s what you want, a good architect will turn it into a coherent overall concept (and then there won’t just be a 1m (3 feet) passage from the kitchen to the dining area, but that’s a side note).
A good architect will also have enough knowledge of the structural requirements, so the final design won’t get torn apart by the structural engineer later on, which is also annoying.
Regarding timing: yes, delays are frustrating, but you’re spending a lot of money, and making ugly compromises just to speed things up now is the completely wrong approach. You’ll live there for more than 3 years, so take your time with the planning. You won’t regret it.
My statement might be a bit sobering, but 1.4 million... sorry, I’d expect a dream house, not some compromise bunker.
My advice: fire the architect, find a new one (make sure you like their style, ask people who have worked with them, find out how they negotiate with the building authorities/planning office—very, very important!!!) and have an introductory meeting. Do this with 1 to 3 candidates.
Man, you could build something really amazing with that! But you need a capable and innovative architect. I can’t understand many of your requirements at all (kitchen layout, and I’m not the only one), but if that’s what you want, a good architect will turn it into a coherent overall concept (and then there won’t just be a 1m (3 feet) passage from the kitchen to the dining area, but that’s a side note).
A good architect will also have enough knowledge of the structural requirements, so the final design won’t get torn apart by the structural engineer later on, which is also annoying.
Regarding timing: yes, delays are frustrating, but you’re spending a lot of money, and making ugly compromises just to speed things up now is the completely wrong approach. You’ll live there for more than 3 years, so take your time with the planning. You won’t regret it.
I see it similarly.
I wouldn’t be very willing to compromise on the total amount. And from what I understand, you would have to live with some compromises.
Even though it’s difficult, I would probably choose to end it now and start looking for a really good architect.
With that budget, so much can be achieved.
It’s best to state a budget of 1.2 million instead of 1.4 million; the remaining 200,000 will likely be needed for unexpected costs, whether additional expenses or upgrades.
I wouldn’t be very willing to compromise on the total amount. And from what I understand, you would have to live with some compromises.
Even though it’s difficult, I would probably choose to end it now and start looking for a really good architect.
With that budget, so much can be achieved.
It’s best to state a budget of 1.2 million instead of 1.4 million; the remaining 200,000 will likely be needed for unexpected costs, whether additional expenses or upgrades.
R
R.Hotzenplotz21 Jul 2017 10:43I have an architect contract with the company.
The costs will be charged if I build with them. Otherwise, I can take the planning elsewhere. But I can’t do another architectural plan elsewhere right now. It wouldn’t make sense, since no one would know whether the initial positive impression would be confirmed.
I visited several house building companies beforehand. Everywhere, they indicated that the budget is tight and that various compromises will have to be made. That’s just how it is. Construction costs are what they are.
I also consulted two architects who did not suggest lower construction costs either. Only that with them, there is no fixed-price guarantee.
We will make the best of it now.
For better drainage planning, one idea was to swap the bedroom with the bathroom. I like that. Especially since it separates the master bedroom from the children’s room. I find that perfect. The building is now slightly smaller. There is still some potential on the left side with the bathroom, children’s room, kitchen... then it will probably be only a partial basement with no home theater.
Theoretically, the building could also be shortened from the right side. The wardrobe and guest bathroom downstairs would have to be redesigned; the children’s bathroom upstairs is already somewhat too large anyway. The laundry room would be a problem, as it can’t be any smaller in my view. It still needs to fit an ironing board.
The costs will be charged if I build with them. Otherwise, I can take the planning elsewhere. But I can’t do another architectural plan elsewhere right now. It wouldn’t make sense, since no one would know whether the initial positive impression would be confirmed.
I visited several house building companies beforehand. Everywhere, they indicated that the budget is tight and that various compromises will have to be made. That’s just how it is. Construction costs are what they are.
I also consulted two architects who did not suggest lower construction costs either. Only that with them, there is no fixed-price guarantee.
We will make the best of it now.
For better drainage planning, one idea was to swap the bedroom with the bathroom. I like that. Especially since it separates the master bedroom from the children’s room. I find that perfect. The building is now slightly smaller. There is still some potential on the left side with the bathroom, children’s room, kitchen... then it will probably be only a partial basement with no home theater.
Theoretically, the building could also be shortened from the right side. The wardrobe and guest bathroom downstairs would have to be redesigned; the children’s bathroom upstairs is already somewhat too large anyway. The laundry room would be a problem, as it can’t be any smaller in my view. It still needs to fit an ironing board.
R.Hotzenplotz schrieb:
Still need to add an ironing board. Is there really anyone who would stand in this chamber and iron?
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