ᐅ Floor Plan Optimization – Design of a Semi-Detached House with Approximately 200 m² of Living Space
Created on: 19 Jan 2021 22:09
S
Stefan85
Hello everyone,
we are planning to build a new semi-detached house after demolishing the existing one and have already drafted some floor plans. We would be very interested in your opinions and any suggestions for improvement. We are particularly not yet fully satisfied with the layout of the upper floor.
Thank you in advance for your feedback and criticism!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – 640 m² (6889 sq ft)
Sloped terrain – no
Adjacent buildings: semi-detached house
Site coverage ratio – 0.4
Floor area ratio – no specification
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of storeys – no specification (to match neighboring semi-detached house – ground floor, upper floor, attic)
Roof type – gable roof, 38°
Architectural style – none
Orientation – south
Maximum heights / limits: gable roof eaves height 6.0 m (19.7 ft); gable roof ridge height 11.0 m (36.1 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof
Basement, storeys: ground floor, upper floor, attic, and basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 persons (35, 29, planning for children)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors – ground floor: living/dining area, open kitchen, toilet/bathroom; upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, bathroom with toilet (including bathtub); attic: master bedroom, bathroom with toilet
Office: family use or home office? – home office (1 person, approx. 3 days/week)
Guest overnight stays per year: 2 persons, once per month
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6 (option to expand to 8–10)
Fireplace: no
Music/sound system wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: yes, necessary on the upper floor facing south due to the adjacent semi-detached house. Possibly a balcony in the attic facing west (evening sun).
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
House Design
Planning done by: mostly self-designed so far, only minor coordination with a building company planner to date
What do you like most? Why?
- Layout of living and dining areas
What do you dislike? Why?
- Bathroom on the upper floor possibly too small?
- Floor plan on the upper floor ("compartmentalized rooms")
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approx. $480,000 (excluding earthworks and excavation) + $90,000 planned heated winter garden
Personal budget limit for the house, including fixtures: approx. $650,000
Preferred heating system: undecided, district heating vs. heat pump
If you had to give up, which features/upgrades?
- Could give up: shower on the ground floor
- Cannot give up: guest room, winter garden, open kitchen
Why is the design the way it is now?
Open spatial concept with spacious, open living/dining area on the ground floor desired. Restrictions due to neighboring semi-detached house (balcony on upper floor).
Standard design from planner? No
What is the main/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
How could the upper floor plan be redesigned to be less compartmentalized?
we are planning to build a new semi-detached house after demolishing the existing one and have already drafted some floor plans. We would be very interested in your opinions and any suggestions for improvement. We are particularly not yet fully satisfied with the layout of the upper floor.
Thank you in advance for your feedback and criticism!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size – 640 m² (6889 sq ft)
Sloped terrain – no
Adjacent buildings: semi-detached house
Site coverage ratio – 0.4
Floor area ratio – no specification
Number of parking spaces – 2
Number of storeys – no specification (to match neighboring semi-detached house – ground floor, upper floor, attic)
Roof type – gable roof, 38°
Architectural style – none
Orientation – south
Maximum heights / limits: gable roof eaves height 6.0 m (19.7 ft); gable roof ridge height 11.0 m (36.1 ft)
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof
Basement, storeys: ground floor, upper floor, attic, and basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 persons (35, 29, planning for children)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors – ground floor: living/dining area, open kitchen, toilet/bathroom; upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, bathroom with toilet (including bathtub); attic: master bedroom, bathroom with toilet
Office: family use or home office? – home office (1 person, approx. 3 days/week)
Guest overnight stays per year: 2 persons, once per month
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern design: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6 (option to expand to 8–10)
Fireplace: no
Music/sound system wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: yes, necessary on the upper floor facing south due to the adjacent semi-detached house. Possibly a balcony in the attic facing west (evening sun).
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
House Design
Planning done by: mostly self-designed so far, only minor coordination with a building company planner to date
What do you like most? Why?
- Layout of living and dining areas
What do you dislike? Why?
- Bathroom on the upper floor possibly too small?
- Floor plan on the upper floor ("compartmentalized rooms")
Price estimate according to architect/planner: approx. $480,000 (excluding earthworks and excavation) + $90,000 planned heated winter garden
Personal budget limit for the house, including fixtures: approx. $650,000
Preferred heating system: undecided, district heating vs. heat pump
If you had to give up, which features/upgrades?
- Could give up: shower on the ground floor
- Cannot give up: guest room, winter garden, open kitchen
Why is the design the way it is now?
Open spatial concept with spacious, open living/dining area on the ground floor desired. Restrictions due to neighboring semi-detached house (balcony on upper floor).
Standard design from planner? No
What is the main/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
How could the upper floor plan be redesigned to be less compartmentalized?
P
pagoni20208 Feb 2021 22:25How does the sliding door that is supposed to run inside the wall actually work? Where does it slide to, and how wide is it?
I find the living room layout quite poorly planned. The open-plan area is large but has a lot of wasted space, with very little usable room in the center. There are 8 dining seats—where are these 8 people supposed to sit in the living room?
The bathroom upstairs is similar. Something is positioned on every wall, with the toilet directly opposite the door and a lot of empty space in between.
In the upstairs bedroom, you walk straight into the side wall of the wardrobe, which doesn’t seem very large. The bed is placed directly against the wall? Really? Having a desk in the bedroom is not a matter of personal preference; it’s simply unhealthy.
Again, without actual furniture dimensions for the entire house, the floor plan isn’t very useful.
The children’s room is way too large, and here as well, in my opinion, it lacks at least 60cm (24 inches) of clearance behind the door for possible future rearranging.
There is an abundance of space in the hallway on the ground floor, while the hallway upstairs is so narrow you can barely turn around.
In my opinion, the proportions of the rooms and spaces do not fit well together.
I would really recommend using a pencil and squared paper...
I find the living room layout quite poorly planned. The open-plan area is large but has a lot of wasted space, with very little usable room in the center. There are 8 dining seats—where are these 8 people supposed to sit in the living room?
The bathroom upstairs is similar. Something is positioned on every wall, with the toilet directly opposite the door and a lot of empty space in between.
In the upstairs bedroom, you walk straight into the side wall of the wardrobe, which doesn’t seem very large. The bed is placed directly against the wall? Really? Having a desk in the bedroom is not a matter of personal preference; it’s simply unhealthy.
Again, without actual furniture dimensions for the entire house, the floor plan isn’t very useful.
The children’s room is way too large, and here as well, in my opinion, it lacks at least 60cm (24 inches) of clearance behind the door for possible future rearranging.
There is an abundance of space in the hallway on the ground floor, while the hallway upstairs is so narrow you can barely turn around.
In my opinion, the proportions of the rooms and spaces do not fit well together.
I would really recommend using a pencil and squared paper...
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