ᐅ Floor plan design for our single-family home Single-family home in Schleswig-Holstein
Created on: 21 Aug 2018 17:54
O
opalau
Hello everyone,
After successfully finding and purchasing a plot in Schleswig-Holstein a few months ago, we are currently planning our single-family house. On one hand, we are evaluating general contractors for potential collaboration, and on the other hand, we are refining the floor plan.
Originally, a basement was planned (see cross-section), but we cannot avoid a waterproof concrete shell (“white tank”) as recommended by the soil survey for the foundation. Furthermore, the requirements of the energy saving ordinance make basements more expensive. The narrow plot (15m (49 feet)) also complicates slope construction. All these factors have led us to plan without a basement, instead allocating more space above ground.
We’re now fairly satisfied with the preliminary result but aren’t attached to it—at least I hope not... Overall, we planned generously, but I’m still a bit surprised that the ground floor area is about 230 sq m (2,475 sq ft). I’m also somewhat worried that we might have a biased tunnel vision as amateurs, which is why I’m sharing this here.
Please excuse the duplicate floor plans. I find the interior visualization in Sweet Home 3D so poor that I can’t use it for interior design. Hence the separate versions. I hope that’s not too confusing.
At this point, many thanks to the forum; just from reading along, we’ve already learned a lot, which is fantastic!
Size of plot: 1150 sq m (15m x approx. 77m (49 feet x approx. 253 feet))
Slope: No
Land use parameters (floor area ratio, plot ratio, etc.): §34
Restrictions: Eave height 5.5m (18 feet), ridge height 8.14m (27 feet) (pre-application regarding volume)
Owner’s requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Simple, gable roof
Basement, floors: No basement, 2 full stories
Number and age of people: 32, 39, 3, 0
Space requirements on ground floor: Cooking/eating/living, pantry, study, utility room, guest WC, entrance area, hallway
Space requirements on upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s shower bath, master bedroom, dressing room, master bath, storage room, utility room, hallway
Office: Home office, hobby (used often)
Overnight guests per year: 0
Open or closed architecture: Open
Traditional or modern construction: Probably modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open with kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: No
Music/stereo wall: No (What is a stereo wall anyway? )
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: Double carport with shed as boundary structure
House design
Who created the design: Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Generously sized rooms
- Good separation between master and children’s areas
- Children’s rooms face the private garden
- Master bedroom faces sunrise
- High knee wall on upper floor
- Adequate storage space
What do you dislike? Why?
- Master bath above study
- Storage room on upper floor on south side (but a neighbor is only 6m (20 feet) away here)
- Is the entrance area cramped?
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: 500,000 EUR plus additional construction costs, landscaping, carport
Preferred heating technology: Gas
If you had to do without something, which details/upgrades could you skip: No individual room as such, more a reduction of overall generosity, possibly consolidating the many storage areas (pantry, utility room, HAR, storage closet).
Why did the design turn out this way? Many iterations, balancing wishes, conversations with general contractors, visits to model parks, etc.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters? Is the floor plan basically reasonable? Have we missed anything crucial due to tunnel vision?
After successfully finding and purchasing a plot in Schleswig-Holstein a few months ago, we are currently planning our single-family house. On one hand, we are evaluating general contractors for potential collaboration, and on the other hand, we are refining the floor plan.
Originally, a basement was planned (see cross-section), but we cannot avoid a waterproof concrete shell (“white tank”) as recommended by the soil survey for the foundation. Furthermore, the requirements of the energy saving ordinance make basements more expensive. The narrow plot (15m (49 feet)) also complicates slope construction. All these factors have led us to plan without a basement, instead allocating more space above ground.
We’re now fairly satisfied with the preliminary result but aren’t attached to it—at least I hope not... Overall, we planned generously, but I’m still a bit surprised that the ground floor area is about 230 sq m (2,475 sq ft). I’m also somewhat worried that we might have a biased tunnel vision as amateurs, which is why I’m sharing this here.
Please excuse the duplicate floor plans. I find the interior visualization in Sweet Home 3D so poor that I can’t use it for interior design. Hence the separate versions. I hope that’s not too confusing.
At this point, many thanks to the forum; just from reading along, we’ve already learned a lot, which is fantastic!
Size of plot: 1150 sq m (15m x approx. 77m (49 feet x approx. 253 feet))
Slope: No
Land use parameters (floor area ratio, plot ratio, etc.): §34
Restrictions: Eave height 5.5m (18 feet), ridge height 8.14m (27 feet) (pre-application regarding volume)
Owner’s requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Simple, gable roof
Basement, floors: No basement, 2 full stories
Number and age of people: 32, 39, 3, 0
Space requirements on ground floor: Cooking/eating/living, pantry, study, utility room, guest WC, entrance area, hallway
Space requirements on upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s shower bath, master bedroom, dressing room, master bath, storage room, utility room, hallway
Office: Home office, hobby (used often)
Overnight guests per year: 0
Open or closed architecture: Open
Traditional or modern construction: Probably modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open with kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: No
Music/stereo wall: No (What is a stereo wall anyway? )
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: Double carport with shed as boundary structure
House design
Who created the design: Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Generously sized rooms
- Good separation between master and children’s areas
- Children’s rooms face the private garden
- Master bedroom faces sunrise
- High knee wall on upper floor
- Adequate storage space
What do you dislike? Why?
- Master bath above study
- Storage room on upper floor on south side (but a neighbor is only 6m (20 feet) away here)
- Is the entrance area cramped?
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: 500,000 EUR plus additional construction costs, landscaping, carport
Preferred heating technology: Gas
If you had to do without something, which details/upgrades could you skip: No individual room as such, more a reduction of overall generosity, possibly consolidating the many storage areas (pantry, utility room, HAR, storage closet).
Why did the design turn out this way? Many iterations, balancing wishes, conversations with general contractors, visits to model parks, etc.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters? Is the floor plan basically reasonable? Have we missed anything crucial due to tunnel vision?
In the meantime, here is another draft where I have undone some changes from the previous version and tried new ideas.
- No partition wall in the living room anymore; instead, the corner has been slightly reduced to allow for different furniture arrangements.
- Kitchen oriented crosswise again because it works and we agreed it looks better.
- Niche added near the “pantry” to create space for tall cabinets with fridge/oven.
- Due to the slight upward shift of the staircase, the bathroom upstairs has now become quite large. I wonder if it might be too big (approx. 3 x 5 meters (10 x 16 feet)).
- Utility/technical room still enclosed for now.
- Children’s bathroom moved back to the north, partly due to plumbing issues that I suspect are hard to solve above the dining room, and partly because this way the distance from the children’s bedrooms to their bathroom is nice and short.
Definitely an improvement. I would slightly reduce the size of the unnamed—let’s call it—“storage closet” a bit more in favor of the sofa.
Then you could consider removing the storage room and rearranging the three rooms: the children's bathroom becomes the utility room (removing the partition to the utility area, allowing space for a cupboard where there are currently two doors), the storage room becomes the children's bathroom, and the utility room moves to the study.
Make the downstairs WC longer and narrower. That could work. Although you would lose a storage room, you’d gain a large study, perfect for tandem trapeze swings.
Then you could consider removing the storage room and rearranging the three rooms: the children's bathroom becomes the utility room (removing the partition to the utility area, allowing space for a cupboard where there are currently two doors), the storage room becomes the children's bathroom, and the utility room moves to the study.
Make the downstairs WC longer and narrower. That could work. Although you would lose a storage room, you’d gain a large study, perfect for tandem trapeze swings.
The living room shouldn’t be too large either, to avoid the distance to the TV becoming uncomfortable or impractical. Currently, it’s 4.2 meters (13.8 feet), which is already more than we have now. Alternatively, we could plan for a larger TV to balance that out.
I consider calling it a storage closet an unfair assumption! The trapezoidal turns as well.
I will think through and test the airflow. However, this raises issues like the children’s bathroom being located above the kitchen and the related piping layout.
I’m gradually becoming concerned about the amount of storage space...
I consider calling it a storage closet an unfair assumption! The trapezoidal turns as well.
I will think through and test the airflow. However, this raises issues like the children’s bathroom being located above the kitchen and the related piping layout.
I’m gradually becoming concerned about the amount of storage space...
opalau schrieb:
Or we could just plan for a larger TV to balance it out. So, 4.20m (13 feet 9 inches) is quite optimal. But of course, a bigger TV is always nicer.
opalau schrieb:
However, that creates a problem, for example, with the kids’ bathroom above the kitchen and the associated plumbing routes. In the kitchen, you already have plumbing where water might drip or make noise, due to the sink and dishwasher. So having a wall with pipes is something you have to accept.
opalau schrieb:
I’m starting to worry about the amount of storage space... Yes, that’s the question whether you really need that much workspace. If yes, fine; otherwise, having a utility or storage room is always useful.
opalau schrieb:
In the meantime, here is another draft where I have reversed some changes from the previous version and tried new ideas.
- No partition wall in the living room anymore; instead, the corner has been slightly reduced to allow rearranging the furniture layout.
- Kitchen oriented horizontally again, since it works and we agreed it looks better.
- Niche added in the "pantry" area to allow space for tall cabinet units with refrigerator/oven.
- By shifting the staircase slightly upwards on the plan, the upstairs bathroom has now become quite large. Wondering if it might be too big (about 3x5m (10x16 feet)).
- Utility room (HAR) remains enclosed for now.
- Children's bathroom moved back to the north side, partly due to piping concerns that would be difficult to resolve over the dining area, and also because it keeps the route from the kids' bedrooms to their bathroom short.
I would enlarge the sliding window to the left of the dining area, but otherwise I think this draft is the best.
Climbee schrieb:
I would enlarge the sliding window to the left of the dining area; other than that, I think this design is the best.Good point. The windows had not really been planned yet in this area.
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