ᐅ Floor plan single-family house on south-facing slope Remodeling upper floor can wait
Created on: 29 Apr 2015 10:27
A
Abbygale
Hello everyone,
I have been following this forum for some time and would now like to get your input for our planning.
A brief overview of the situation: We plan to build the house brick by brick, doing a lot of the work ourselves since almost the entire family consists of various tradespeople. The plans are the first draft from our architect, but there are several things we don’t like or mandatory requirements that haven’t been implemented yet.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 518m² (approx. 18m x approx. 29m (59ft x 95ft))
Slope: South-facing slope, 2m (6.6ft) drop over the 29m (95ft), access only from the south
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio:
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: 18m x 14.5m (see file for detailed info)
Border development: Garage
Number of parking spaces: 2 & double garage
Number of stories:
Roof type: Gable roof, 30-38°
Architectural style: Classic
Orientation: East-West
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge height uphill 3.5m (11.5ft) / downhill 8.5m (28ft) / eaves height 7.5m (25ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: Classic, gable roof, rectangular footprint (no bay windows)
Basement, number of floors: Because of the slope, a basement is basically necessary (?), otherwise prefer none.
"UG" (basement level), ground floor (GF), attic (only shell)
Number of occupants, ages: She 26, he 27, planning for 2 children
Space requirements on GF, upper floor (UF):
UG/basement: 2 children’s bedrooms, bathroom, utility/technical room, storage, office with space for 2 desks and a sofa bed
GF: Living/dining room, kitchen with pantry, bathroom, guest WC, bedroom, walk-in closet, laundry room
UF: Only prepared for possible future finishing
Office: Family use, occasionally home office (5-10 times per year)
Overnight guests per year: Negligible
Open or closed layout: Rather closed, but kitchen / living / dining open-plan
Conservative or modern design: Open to both, probably leaning more conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen with bar counter for visual separation
Number of dining seats: Standard 6, optional up to 12
Fireplace: Water-bearing tiled stove
Music / stereo wall
Balcony, roof terrace: Terrace preferably on top of the double garage, small terrace in front of the children’s rooms in the basement
Garage, carport: Double garage with direct access to the house
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
Other requests / special features: Essential requirement: Main entrance must be on the same level as the living room (ground floor), not in the basement
House Design
Who created the plans:
- Planner from a building company
- Architect: Architect
- DIY by us
What do you particularly like?
What do you dislike?
Cost estimate by architect/planner: To follow
Personal price limit for the house: $320,000 - $350,000
Preferred heating type: Still open, definitely underfloor heating supported by tiled stove
What I don’t like about the architect’s plan:
Ground floor:
Utility room in basement -> must be on ground floor
Tiled stove not included
Kitchen a bit small
Pantry poorly designed (freezer also needs to fit)
Walk-in closet too small for two people (?)
Basement:
Hallway from the entrance - must be accessible from the garage
Children’s rooms and office too narrow and corridor-like
Both children’s rooms a bit too small
Office too large
Bathroom on north side with only a light well - would complete excavation be possible here? Otherwise placement to the east on the external wall?
I have not drawn any plans myself yet, as I find the slope quite challenging. I would like to bring concrete suggestions to the next meeting with the architect on what I want to solve differently and how. We do not want to finish the attic for now (actually never), as we do not like sloped ceilings and with the options in the basement, we would like to save costs on attic finishing.
Can you help me with new ideas or input on what we might have completely overlooked?
Thank you very much in advance for your feedback.
I have been following this forum for some time and would now like to get your input for our planning.
A brief overview of the situation: We plan to build the house brick by brick, doing a lot of the work ourselves since almost the entire family consists of various tradespeople. The plans are the first draft from our architect, but there are several things we don’t like or mandatory requirements that haven’t been implemented yet.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 518m² (approx. 18m x approx. 29m (59ft x 95ft))
Slope: South-facing slope, 2m (6.6ft) drop over the 29m (95ft), access only from the south
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio:
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: 18m x 14.5m (see file for detailed info)
Border development: Garage
Number of parking spaces: 2 & double garage
Number of stories:
Roof type: Gable roof, 30-38°
Architectural style: Classic
Orientation: East-West
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge height uphill 3.5m (11.5ft) / downhill 8.5m (28ft) / eaves height 7.5m (25ft)
Additional requirements
Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: Classic, gable roof, rectangular footprint (no bay windows)
Basement, number of floors: Because of the slope, a basement is basically necessary (?), otherwise prefer none.
"UG" (basement level), ground floor (GF), attic (only shell)
Number of occupants, ages: She 26, he 27, planning for 2 children
Space requirements on GF, upper floor (UF):
UG/basement: 2 children’s bedrooms, bathroom, utility/technical room, storage, office with space for 2 desks and a sofa bed
GF: Living/dining room, kitchen with pantry, bathroom, guest WC, bedroom, walk-in closet, laundry room
UF: Only prepared for possible future finishing
Office: Family use, occasionally home office (5-10 times per year)
Overnight guests per year: Negligible
Open or closed layout: Rather closed, but kitchen / living / dining open-plan
Conservative or modern design: Open to both, probably leaning more conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen with bar counter for visual separation
Number of dining seats: Standard 6, optional up to 12
Fireplace: Water-bearing tiled stove
Music / stereo wall
Balcony, roof terrace: Terrace preferably on top of the double garage, small terrace in front of the children’s rooms in the basement
Garage, carport: Double garage with direct access to the house
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
Other requests / special features: Essential requirement: Main entrance must be on the same level as the living room (ground floor), not in the basement
House Design
Who created the plans:
- Planner from a building company
- Architect: Architect
- DIY by us
What do you particularly like?
What do you dislike?
Cost estimate by architect/planner: To follow
Personal price limit for the house: $320,000 - $350,000
Preferred heating type: Still open, definitely underfloor heating supported by tiled stove
What I don’t like about the architect’s plan:
Ground floor:
Utility room in basement -> must be on ground floor
Tiled stove not included
Kitchen a bit small
Pantry poorly designed (freezer also needs to fit)
Walk-in closet too small for two people (?)
Basement:
Hallway from the entrance - must be accessible from the garage
Children’s rooms and office too narrow and corridor-like
Both children’s rooms a bit too small
Office too large
Bathroom on north side with only a light well - would complete excavation be possible here? Otherwise placement to the east on the external wall?
I have not drawn any plans myself yet, as I find the slope quite challenging. I would like to bring concrete suggestions to the next meeting with the architect on what I want to solve differently and how. We do not want to finish the attic for now (actually never), as we do not like sloped ceilings and with the options in the basement, we would like to save costs on attic finishing.
Can you help me with new ideas or input on what we might have completely overlooked?
Thank you very much in advance for your feedback.
The main entrance, through which my visitors enter—and where I come in when I’m not using the car—should, in my opinion, be on the same level as the living room. Of course, this is a matter of preference and maybe “just how one is used to it,” but I don’t want my guests to have to walk through the entire house, passing the children’s rooms and so on, then go upstairs before reaching the living room. As I said, it’s a matter of taste, but for us it was clear: the main entrance on the living level, and a back entrance from the garage directly into the house.
@milkie Wow, I really like your design at first glance! I’ll have to take a closer look at it at home. We will definitely need at least one more room upstairs (I want to have the utility room with the washer and dryer upstairs, where I spend most of my day, so laundry can run in the background. I had this setup in my old apartment but don’t anymore and find it terrible to always have to go downstairs—and then the dryer still isn’t finished, etc.)
Does anyone know about the legal aspects: Can a zoning plan (building plan / development plan) prohibit digging around the house? For example, if we simply create a generous, floor-to-ceiling light well that exposes one half of the back of the house? I couldn’t find anything about this in the zoning plan, but honestly, I don’t fully understand all the details.
@milkie Wow, I really like your design at first glance! I’ll have to take a closer look at it at home. We will definitely need at least one more room upstairs (I want to have the utility room with the washer and dryer upstairs, where I spend most of my day, so laundry can run in the background. I had this setup in my old apartment but don’t anymore and find it terrible to always have to go downstairs—and then the dryer still isn’t finished, etc.)
Does anyone know about the legal aspects: Can a zoning plan (building plan / development plan) prohibit digging around the house? For example, if we simply create a generous, floor-to-ceiling light well that exposes one half of the back of the house? I couldn’t find anything about this in the zoning plan, but honestly, I don’t fully understand all the details.
Abbygale, we have the main entrance downstairs in the "basement" as well, just next to the garage, similar to Kisska. You can also take a look at my thread with the plans if you’re interested.
We are currently in the shell construction phase, and I actually like it. It gives us a “huge” hallway, and I think it looks really inviting.
But of course, that’s a matter of personal taste, so you should think it over carefully.
And a general tip: Make sure your architect clearly marks the heights, and maybe measure them yourself directly on the site. Have them mark exactly at what height the base slab would be, for example.
In our case, it was an unpleasant surprise afterwards, and we had to support the slope behind the house, which led to some unplanned additional costs.
We are currently in the shell construction phase, and I actually like it. It gives us a “huge” hallway, and I think it looks really inviting.
But of course, that’s a matter of personal taste, so you should think it over carefully.
And a general tip: Make sure your architect clearly marks the heights, and maybe measure them yourself directly on the site. Have them mark exactly at what height the base slab would be, for example.
In our case, it was an unpleasant surprise afterwards, and we had to support the slope behind the house, which led to some unplanned additional costs.
Hmm, that's one approach. But don’t the pantry (dry storage) and the utility room – drying laundry (indoors during winter) – contradict each other?
This is really not so easy.. We originally planned a different house for a different plot. When that’s still lingering in the back of your mind, it doesn’t get any easier..
@WildThing Thanks for the tip! Did you then have issues because of the slope, or because of the maximum allowed heights? I will definitely take a closer look at your and Kisska’s plans, thanks for the advice!
This is really not so easy.. We originally planned a different house for a different plot. When that’s still lingering in the back of your mind, it doesn’t get any easier..
@WildThing Thanks for the tip! Did you then have issues because of the slope, or because of the maximum allowed heights? I will definitely take a closer look at your and Kisska’s plans, thanks for the advice!
Personally, I wouldn’t want the pantry and utility room combined either. We have a laundry chute and the utility room in the basement. However, I also think it’s elegant to have the utility room on the ground floor or upper floor. For that, though, you need enough floor space on those levels to accommodate everything.
We had issues because of the slope. According to the approved plan, our ground floor (GF) would have been roughly level at the back. (In the approved plan, the house’s eave height was set based on the street level.)
During actual construction, it turned out that our slope is much higher than initially assumed. Raising the house would have required an entirely new building permit / planning permission, which we wanted to avoid. Our GF is now 1.5 m (5 feet) lower than expected, so we supported this 1.5 m (5 feet) difference with gabion walls... (You might be able to see this slightly in the profile picture.)
It’s best to have the house stakes surveyed on your plot and then mark the level on the slope where the foundation slab starts... (or more sensibly, where the ground floor level would be!)
We had issues because of the slope. According to the approved plan, our ground floor (GF) would have been roughly level at the back. (In the approved plan, the house’s eave height was set based on the street level.)
During actual construction, it turned out that our slope is much higher than initially assumed. Raising the house would have required an entirely new building permit / planning permission, which we wanted to avoid. Our GF is now 1.5 m (5 feet) lower than expected, so we supported this 1.5 m (5 feet) difference with gabion walls... (You might be able to see this slightly in the profile picture.)
It’s best to have the house stakes surveyed on your plot and then mark the level on the slope where the foundation slab starts... (or more sensibly, where the ground floor level would be!)
Abbygale schrieb:
Hmm, that’s one approach. But don’t pantry (dry storage) and utility room – drying laundry indoors in winter – contradict each other?Drying laundry indoors in winter... please only with good ventilation or by airing out regularly: otherwise, I would put the risk of mold above the storage issue.
The question of whether to separate pantry and laundry: how do people manage this in an apartment? How is it handled in a house with one utility room? Either a shared drying area or a dryer.
Opened or partially used pantry items should be stored in the kitchen for soon consumption.
We have them separated too, since we do laundry upstairs, but I still prefer a larger room combining both on one level rather than two small storage closets.
If you can afford to add living space without worrying about costs in addition to your basement: fine, but that’s not obvious here.
Still, I have to admit that even with a dryer, some air drying is needed (wool, synthetic fibers), so you need a room that can be well ventilated. That’s why I would create access to the terrace.
Just see how the new design fits with your requirements.
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