ᐅ Single-family house floor plan, 2 stories with basement, approximately 190 m² living space, plot size approximately 440 m²
Created on: 11 Oct 2021 12:39
T
Tortuga123
Hello everyone,
we are still in the planning phase of our single-family house and have been experimenting a bit with a freeware floor plan program. We would like to get your feedback.
But first, the questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 440m² (4,736 sq ft)
Slope: approx. 2m (6.6 ft) over 20m (66 ft) to the east and approx. 2m (6.6 ft) over 20m (66 ft) to the south
Floor area ratio: no development plan available, building according to §34 Baugesetzbuch (German federal building code), so floor area ratio 0.4
Floor space index: see above: 1.2
Buildable area boundaries: north (toward street): approx. 2m (6.6 ft), west: 3m (10 ft), south: 3m (10 ft), east: 6m (20 ft) to the immediately adjacent neighbor’s building, otherwise 3m (10 ft)
Edge development: yes, neighbor to the east
Parking spaces: 2 in garage and 2 in front of garage for guests
Stories: 2 full floors
Roof type: hipped roof (all types are permitted)
Architectural style: modern (all styles are permitted)
Orientation: garden facing south
Maximum heights/limits: same as neighboring buildings, tall enough
Other requirements: none
Street: very narrow, dead-end
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: urban villa with hipped or gabled roof, with at least 2.00m (6.6 ft) knee wall height
Basement, floors: basement, ground floor, and upper floor
Number of occupants, age: currently 2, planned 4
Space requirement ground floor, upper floor: about 60-70 m² (650-750 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? Both, but mostly private use
Overnight guests per year: a few, possibly longer stays in a few years
Open or closed layout: open
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: open kitchen with counter or island
Number of dining places: 4-6
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage with one door
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: standard
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why some things are wanted or not: guest room and guest bathroom in basement, laundry room on the upper floor
House design
Who planned it: DIY
What do you especially like? Why?: upper floor bathroom and bedroom facing the garden (near the forest edge), separate entrance area with cloakroom so cats can’t run outside the front door, laundry room on the upper floor
What do you dislike? Why?: bathrooms are not stacked vertically, so the drains are under the living room, but we accept that
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump with or without ventilation system
If you had to give up something, which features or extensions
- can you give up: basically nothing 🙂
Why did the design turn out this way?
We sketched out our specific wishes and then made sure they fit within the built-up space.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? I hope it will be comfortable to live in.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
How do you like the floor plan? I’m happy to explain our thinking behind particular features if you have questions.
Would the drains under the living room be very noticeable? I think they might be hidden with furniture (possibly DIY). Those black squares in the drawings indicate drains or ventilation shafts.
I plan to present this design to various general contractors. An architect is not an option for various reasons. Please avoid discussions about why we chose general contractors over an architect.
Due to the neighbor’s building on the boundary and the building authority’s instruction that we keep 6m (20 ft) distance from their house wall, we want to place the garage adjacent to their wall (with appropriate foundations, of course, so no pressure is exerted on their basement wall). The garage is about 1m (3.3 ft) lower than the house to reduce the slope from the street to the garage. That’s why I integrated this corner into the ground floor and basement so one can walk down a few steps from the front door to the garage. Possibly, a passage to the garage could be made at the stairs if the height levels work out. The staircase will be a half-landing staircase, but the program cannot display this. From the front door to the street, no steps are necessary; a ramp should suffice.
In the basement, the utility room and hobby room will have light wells, and the guest room/office and bathroom will have a light court. Guest room and office can be combined; it only needs space for a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.
We look forward to your suggestions!
Good luck Tortuga123
we are still in the planning phase of our single-family house and have been experimenting a bit with a freeware floor plan program. We would like to get your feedback.
But first, the questionnaire:
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 440m² (4,736 sq ft)
Slope: approx. 2m (6.6 ft) over 20m (66 ft) to the east and approx. 2m (6.6 ft) over 20m (66 ft) to the south
Floor area ratio: no development plan available, building according to §34 Baugesetzbuch (German federal building code), so floor area ratio 0.4
Floor space index: see above: 1.2
Buildable area boundaries: north (toward street): approx. 2m (6.6 ft), west: 3m (10 ft), south: 3m (10 ft), east: 6m (20 ft) to the immediately adjacent neighbor’s building, otherwise 3m (10 ft)
Edge development: yes, neighbor to the east
Parking spaces: 2 in garage and 2 in front of garage for guests
Stories: 2 full floors
Roof type: hipped roof (all types are permitted)
Architectural style: modern (all styles are permitted)
Orientation: garden facing south
Maximum heights/limits: same as neighboring buildings, tall enough
Other requirements: none
Street: very narrow, dead-end
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: urban villa with hipped or gabled roof, with at least 2.00m (6.6 ft) knee wall height
Basement, floors: basement, ground floor, and upper floor
Number of occupants, age: currently 2, planned 4
Space requirement ground floor, upper floor: about 60-70 m² (650-750 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? Both, but mostly private use
Overnight guests per year: a few, possibly longer stays in a few years
Open or closed layout: open
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: open kitchen with counter or island
Number of dining places: 4-6
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall: standard TV wall
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: double garage with one door
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: standard
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why some things are wanted or not: guest room and guest bathroom in basement, laundry room on the upper floor
House design
Who planned it: DIY
What do you especially like? Why?: upper floor bathroom and bedroom facing the garden (near the forest edge), separate entrance area with cloakroom so cats can’t run outside the front door, laundry room on the upper floor
What do you dislike? Why?: bathrooms are not stacked vertically, so the drains are under the living room, but we accept that
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump with or without ventilation system
If you had to give up something, which features or extensions
- can you give up: basically nothing 🙂
Why did the design turn out this way?
We sketched out our specific wishes and then made sure they fit within the built-up space.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? I hope it will be comfortable to live in.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
How do you like the floor plan? I’m happy to explain our thinking behind particular features if you have questions.
Would the drains under the living room be very noticeable? I think they might be hidden with furniture (possibly DIY). Those black squares in the drawings indicate drains or ventilation shafts.
I plan to present this design to various general contractors. An architect is not an option for various reasons. Please avoid discussions about why we chose general contractors over an architect.
Due to the neighbor’s building on the boundary and the building authority’s instruction that we keep 6m (20 ft) distance from their house wall, we want to place the garage adjacent to their wall (with appropriate foundations, of course, so no pressure is exerted on their basement wall). The garage is about 1m (3.3 ft) lower than the house to reduce the slope from the street to the garage. That’s why I integrated this corner into the ground floor and basement so one can walk down a few steps from the front door to the garage. Possibly, a passage to the garage could be made at the stairs if the height levels work out. The staircase will be a half-landing staircase, but the program cannot display this. From the front door to the street, no steps are necessary; a ramp should suffice.
In the basement, the utility room and hobby room will have light wells, and the guest room/office and bathroom will have a light court. Guest room and office can be combined; it only needs space for a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.
We look forward to your suggestions!
Good luck Tortuga123
G
GeradeSchräg11 Oct 2021 20:58Would you be willing to share your construction specifications? That way, it would be easier to point out any possible issues related to the very low offer.
Otherwise, I also don’t find the floor plan particularly successful...
Otherwise, I also don’t find the floor plan particularly successful...
Tortuga123 schrieb:
He said it that way, and we accept it as such and plan accordingly. Honestly, I don’t understand the problem. Oh, that amount of generous lot width is rare here. In the current design, you’re using the width for the garage, but in the earlier discussion, you wanted to place the garage on the other side. Whether I have to maintain a single or double setback at any point would matter to me personally.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
T
Tortuga12312 Oct 2021 00:10Yes, a few months ago we considered moving the garage to the other side because we thought it wasn’t a good idea to place the garage against the neighbor’s wall and block their window. Since then, a lot has changed.
The advantage is that we have a meadow with evening sun on the left side of the house. The downside is that the garage needs to be set 1 meter (about 3 feet) lower, which means there will be steps leading up to the house. However, this way the width of the house is less restricted. So, it’s really a matter of perspective and weighing the options.
If we had a dream plot, everything would be simpler, but unfortunately, that’s not the reality. Still, we believe this is a good compromise.
The advantage is that we have a meadow with evening sun on the left side of the house. The downside is that the garage needs to be set 1 meter (about 3 feet) lower, which means there will be steps leading up to the house. However, this way the width of the house is less restricted. So, it’s really a matter of perspective and weighing the options.
If we had a dream plot, everything would be simpler, but unfortunately, that’s not the reality. Still, we believe this is a good compromise.
B
Billyfred12 Oct 2021 09:40Tortuga123 schrieb:
@Billyfred: We actually have 2 bathrooms plus 1 WC. And for now, there are just 2 of us. When that will change is still uncertain.
The utility room is a HAR (household utility room). Heating, connection, and storage room. The laundry room with washing machine, dryer, and space for a drying rack is on the upper floor. We put most laundry in the dryer, so we don’t hang up much.
The missing dimension in the cloakroom is exactly the same as in the pantry (1.77m (5 feet 10 inches)), so I left it out there. In general, wherever no dimensions are given, the measurements are exactly the same as in the other room. Hello Tortuga,
You’re right, I did read that carelessly. However, when I mentioned the two bathrooms, I meant something else. You’re planning for 4 people (which is also our household size), and looking at your bathroom situation, there is only one bathroom upstairs with currently just one sink, which I find insufficient for a 190m² (2045 sq ft) house. I now also see the difference between HAR (utility room) and household utility space, but it doesn’t change my (and others’) opinion. The floor plan is a step in the wrong direction — the reasons were already explained to you. It doesn’t make sense to keep tweaking or debating this — simply start anew. As 11ant already said: be glad to receive harsh criticism upfront rather than wasting money later.
Regarding the costs again: there are “two” advisory “parties”: your general contractor (GC) and the forum members here. What motivation would forum members have to mislead you? None! What motivation does your GC have to give you an unrealistically low price, only to hit you with add-ons and creatively worded scopes of work after you sign the contract, bringing you down to the expensive and harsh reality? Plenty!
This is not meant to be harsh, but to help and protect you. And based on how you write so far (e.g., “this and that won’t be that expensive” or your comments on Ytong blocks), you clearly show one thing: you lack knowledge! And that makes you a perfect target for any builder, regardless if it’s a general contractor, sub-contractor, or building company. That means you need expertise on YOUR side — someone independent from the builders. You need an architect, construction engineer, or an expert (usually one of the two) whom YOU pay and who protects YOU from trouble. From your current stance, you’re set up to lose against any GC. This is not meant personally or harshly.
Best regards,
Billyfred
B
Billyfred12 Oct 2021 10:31Tortuga123 schrieb:
One general contractor explained the price to me like this: He said it doesn't matter to the masons whether they are building 2 or 3 stories. Interior finishing is basically the same for the upper floors. The price of 342,000 is a fixed price. Without the extra costs already mentioned in previous posts. They have a contractually agreed start date, fixed price guarantee, agreed construction period, all the usual insurances... Maybe ytong blocks are just that cheap and quick to build, which is why the costs are low?
But as I said, we will get other offers as well. Let’s see where we stand. Just these statements alone scream unrealistic pricing. Do you seriously believe the mason doesn’t care how many stories he has to build? Basically, 2 for the price of 1 (and material costs nothing)? I’m a bit stunned that anyone would accept such statements from the seller...
Regarding the fixed price: yes, the price is fixed for what’s offered – what is deliberately left out will hit you with expensive change orders. On top of that come your extra requests.
Billyfred schrieb:
And as 11ant already said: be glad to receive direct harsh criticism before you lose money. I was not referring to harsh criticism (which would likely address ideas or features of a design), but rather to two unwise decisions made unnecessarily together: the unwise choice to do without an architect, which could be made on its own; and the decision in favor of a general contractor (GC) is not inherently unwise, but the timing of that decision—before any tendering process has taken place—is.
The “planning” by a GC puppy has only two phases, which I’ll call “Karl” and “Heinz.” I chose these names because they are compound names (where the hyphen in Karl-Heinz would be, here stands the building permit) and because they don’t correspond exactly to the architect’s project phases: Karl takes place on the planning timeline between phases 3 and 4, while Heinz, roughly speaking, falls somewhere between 4 and 5. A GC does not determine the fundamentals, only quantities and volumes. For example ...
Billyfred schrieb:
I also now noticed the difference “HAR” “utility room,” ... I would be curious whether the GC bidding on this has even noticed at the keyword “HAR” that the utilities come from two directions here: I haven’t seen telephone yet, I suspect gas is present without mandatory connection, but water comes from below and electricity apparently from above. GCs do not plan this—they “solve” it by improvising with a Hilti and drywall once the facts are in front of them. The “planning” by a GC is more accurately described as “cost estimate construction” and “logistics.”
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Similar topics