ᐅ Floor Plan: Semi-Detached House 8x12 m – Feedback and Creative Ideas Welcome :)
Created on: 28 Apr 2020 13:37
J
Jucruzlo
Hello everyone,
I’ve also been experimenting a bit with floor plans for our plot.
Background: At the moment, we are in contact with a general contractor (GC) and a prefab home builder. It will probably end up being a combination of an independent architect and a GC (thanks for the tip @ant11). However, it is very difficult to find an architect right now – but of course, I couldn’t just sit still and had to try a little myself. I worked with the app MagicPlan. Although we have already received a floor plan from the prefab builder, it really didn’t suit us at all. So, here we go – thank you in advance to everyone who takes a look :-*
I’m also happy to take any tips on how to find an architect who doesn’t only work on projects over 1 million (dollars/pounds). :-P
A quick note on orientation: The balcony on the upper floor and the living room face southwest. It has to be that way. The rear side borders directly onto open fields.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 410m2 (4,410 sq ft)
Slope: no
Building window: 5m (16 ft) from the street, 12m (39 ft) house length, 8.1m (27 ft) width for the house, and 3m (10 ft) width for the garage. Plot dimensions 11.1m (36 ft) × 37m (121 ft)
Number of parking spaces: -
Number of floors: Max. 2 full floors, no knee walls allowed
Roof type: pitched roof with a 25–45 degree slope
Architectural style: any
Orientation: southwest
Maximum height / limits: ridge height 9m (30 ft), wall height max. 4.70m (15 ft)
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: nice :-P
Basement, floors: no basement, almost 2 full floors (slight slopes from 1.80m (5 ft 11 in) due to prescribed wall height)
Number of people, age: 3 people, including a toddler (2 years old) – another child planned
Space requirement ground floor, upper floor: 140–160m2 (1,500–1,720 sq ft)
Office: guest room on ground floor used as office
Guests per year: currently rarely – in older age, space for parents/in-laws desired
Open or closed layout: open floor plan
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony for drying laundry
Garage, carport: garage – carport would also be acceptable if advantages prevail
House design
Designed by: me (trained architect through various apps :-P – just kidding)
What do you like most? Why?
What don’t you like? Why?
Why did the design turn out as it is now?
We wanted an open floor plan because we have a lot of visitors, and I always find it a shame to disappear into the kitchen while everything is happening in the living area. It was also important for us to have a separate parents’ area for complete privacy and a balcony for drying laundry in summer. A guest shower on the ground floor was needed, and it is important to me to do laundry on the upper floor (where the laundry is generated).
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
Note:
The windows are just placed approximately. I also don’t know how to view the exterior – of course, we will position the windows accordingly.
I’ve also been experimenting a bit with floor plans for our plot.
Background: At the moment, we are in contact with a general contractor (GC) and a prefab home builder. It will probably end up being a combination of an independent architect and a GC (thanks for the tip @ant11). However, it is very difficult to find an architect right now – but of course, I couldn’t just sit still and had to try a little myself. I worked with the app MagicPlan. Although we have already received a floor plan from the prefab builder, it really didn’t suit us at all. So, here we go – thank you in advance to everyone who takes a look :-*
I’m also happy to take any tips on how to find an architect who doesn’t only work on projects over 1 million (dollars/pounds). :-P
A quick note on orientation: The balcony on the upper floor and the living room face southwest. It has to be that way. The rear side borders directly onto open fields.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 410m2 (4,410 sq ft)
Slope: no
Building window: 5m (16 ft) from the street, 12m (39 ft) house length, 8.1m (27 ft) width for the house, and 3m (10 ft) width for the garage. Plot dimensions 11.1m (36 ft) × 37m (121 ft)
Number of parking spaces: -
Number of floors: Max. 2 full floors, no knee walls allowed
Roof type: pitched roof with a 25–45 degree slope
Architectural style: any
Orientation: southwest
Maximum height / limits: ridge height 9m (30 ft), wall height max. 4.70m (15 ft)
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: nice :-P
Basement, floors: no basement, almost 2 full floors (slight slopes from 1.80m (5 ft 11 in) due to prescribed wall height)
Number of people, age: 3 people, including a toddler (2 years old) – another child planned
Space requirement ground floor, upper floor: 140–160m2 (1,500–1,720 sq ft)
Office: guest room on ground floor used as office
Guests per year: currently rarely – in older age, space for parents/in-laws desired
Open or closed layout: open floor plan
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony for drying laundry
Garage, carport: garage – carport would also be acceptable if advantages prevail
House design
Designed by: me (trained architect through various apps :-P – just kidding)
What do you like most? Why?
- Garage access through utility room
- Few hallway areas but still with a wardrobe
- Open living concept and straight staircase (platform stairs couldn’t be depicted)
- Separate bathroom for kids
- Spacious walk-in closet
- Laundry room on upper floor
- Access through bedroom/bath to walk-in closet
What don’t you like? Why?
- No pantry on the ground floor
- Kids’ rooms on the north side
- Having to enter the parents’ walk-in closet first – would prefer two wall closets like houses in America
- Upper floor hallway very narrow and access to kids’ room 1 hardly feasible – on the other hand, I don’t like wasted space and enlarging the hallway would reduce kids’ room sizes. Any solutions?
- I find the garage quite practical but it takes away window area – will the ground floor be too dark, and should we rather go with a carport?
Why did the design turn out as it is now?
We wanted an open floor plan because we have a lot of visitors, and I always find it a shame to disappear into the kitchen while everything is happening in the living area. It was also important for us to have a separate parents’ area for complete privacy and a balcony for drying laundry in summer. A guest shower on the ground floor was needed, and it is important to me to do laundry on the upper floor (where the laundry is generated).
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
- General opinion on the floor plan
- See “what I don’t like” – suggestions for improvements welcome
Note:
The windows are just placed approximately. I also don’t know how to view the exterior – of course, we will position the windows accordingly.
S
saralina871 May 2020 13:23Well, in the end, these are of course all personal preferences – if you say it works for you, then it will! I’m just sharing how it appears to me. I actually don’t see any space for ironing in your bedroom. The wall is 3.85m (approximately 12.6 feet) long, and your bed is probably at least 1.80m (about 5.9 feet). That leaves about one meter (around 3.3 feet) of space on each side. The iron would then always have to be squeezed in there (where exactly would it be stored? In your walk-in closet?). It would be much more convenient downstairs. The washer and dryer could also be stacked and relocated downstairs together. But of course, you’re right, the utility room would suffer from that.
So, if the washing machine absolutely has to go upstairs, I would definitely consider cutting out one of the closets to create a proper laundry room.
The children’s bathroom might be sufficient, but for daily use by two children... well, that’s for you to decide. Personally, I wouldn’t consider this “backup solution” worth the space and additional cost because I would fear the bathroom would quickly end up being used only in emergencies. But yes, that is just a personal opinion.
So, if the washing machine absolutely has to go upstairs, I would definitely consider cutting out one of the closets to create a proper laundry room.
The children’s bathroom might be sufficient, but for daily use by two children... well, that’s for you to decide. Personally, I wouldn’t consider this “backup solution” worth the space and additional cost because I would fear the bathroom would quickly end up being used only in emergencies. But yes, that is just a personal opinion.
Jucruzlo schrieb:
Or better: can you recommend an app?I just recommended an app to you: the analog doodle app, always up to date with version 1.0https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Jucruzlo schrieb:
We had planned the (for us) perfect ground floor, but the upper floor doesn't work out quite as perfectly... it will probably mean some compromises. No, see https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-efh-schmaler-möglich-erste-Ideen.34803/page-4#post-402521
I see justified hope on the horizon to start from the top.
By the way, did I end up in your spam folder again? I emailed you before the May holiday.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Did I end up in your spam folder again? I emailed you before the May Day holiday. oh wait, I’ll check that right now.
11ant schrieb:
No, see https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-efh-schmaler-möglich-erste-Ideen.34803/page-4#post-402521
I see justified hope on the horizon to start at the top. I’m really incredibly happy with the layout and atmosphere of the ground floor... and I’m also very satisfied with the first floor as it is – the only (but quite significant) critique is that the kids’ rooms are in the northeast and the bathroom/parents’ bedroom are in the southwest. Everything else is great.
I still need to upload the current first floor version – the last one was quite complicated in layout.
So, dear all, I made a few adjustments.
@saralina87 got me thinking, and we discussed it again... The kids’ bathroom will definitely be dropped for now. However, the plumbing and so on will still be prepared. But who knows if we’ll have a second child, and even if so, the bathroom probably won’t be needed for the first ones for at least 10 years. That would really be a shame considering 1) the space, 2) it would have to be cleaned, and 3) in 10 years it will probably already look outdated, so we could make the kids happy by renovating it then when it’s actually needed. The cost saving is obviously a plus for now as well. And I have my dream laundry room where I can actually hang clothes to dry and, if needed, iron as well.
Now to the question, “Why are the kids’ rooms on the east or partly northeast side?” – yes, that’s really the question. This is the ONLY thing, truly the absolute only thing, that still “bothers” me about the floor plan.
The reasons why the kids’ rooms cannot be on the other side are:
1) We (the man ) really want the balcony to be connected to the bedroom and facing the field edge to the southwest. The balcony should also be accessible from the bathroom so the kids can use it later, but I don’t want to have to constantly go through their rooms to get onto the balcony – that will definitely annoy them as teenagers.
2) We absolutely do not want the master bedroom to share a wall with the kids’ rooms.
3) Even if we said one child’s room would be next to us instead of the bathroom, the other one would still be on the east side. Besides, the kids will probably want to be as far away from us as possible sometime in the future.
4) When we have guests over in summer, we usually sit outside, which means the kids would have to deal with those noises while sleeping, something to keep in mind.
5) It can get quite hot, especially in summer, and depending on the season you might actually appreciate cooler rooms.
Currently, the kids’ room is in the northwest. It is actually quite bright, even though one of the windows is not very large. If I imagine adding a dormer or something similar, I think it would be really great. (Yes, I’m trying to see it positively...)
Anyway, as I said, the rest really suits OUR needs perfectly, and nothing else bothers us anymore. As long as the exterior looks right – the upper floor windows, as mentioned, are not yet fixed – we would be more than happy.
Oh, and regarding the walk-in closet: it might be possible to access it through the dressing room, but if we consider that carefully, I have to say that right now it doesn’t bother us at all, and we’d prefer more space rather than an extra door there. But it wouldn’t be a major change if we decided otherwise.
@saralina87 got me thinking, and we discussed it again... The kids’ bathroom will definitely be dropped for now. However, the plumbing and so on will still be prepared. But who knows if we’ll have a second child, and even if so, the bathroom probably won’t be needed for the first ones for at least 10 years. That would really be a shame considering 1) the space, 2) it would have to be cleaned, and 3) in 10 years it will probably already look outdated, so we could make the kids happy by renovating it then when it’s actually needed. The cost saving is obviously a plus for now as well. And I have my dream laundry room where I can actually hang clothes to dry and, if needed, iron as well.
Now to the question, “Why are the kids’ rooms on the east or partly northeast side?” – yes, that’s really the question. This is the ONLY thing, truly the absolute only thing, that still “bothers” me about the floor plan.
The reasons why the kids’ rooms cannot be on the other side are:
1) We (the man ) really want the balcony to be connected to the bedroom and facing the field edge to the southwest. The balcony should also be accessible from the bathroom so the kids can use it later, but I don’t want to have to constantly go through their rooms to get onto the balcony – that will definitely annoy them as teenagers.
2) We absolutely do not want the master bedroom to share a wall with the kids’ rooms.
3) Even if we said one child’s room would be next to us instead of the bathroom, the other one would still be on the east side. Besides, the kids will probably want to be as far away from us as possible sometime in the future.
4) When we have guests over in summer, we usually sit outside, which means the kids would have to deal with those noises while sleeping, something to keep in mind.
5) It can get quite hot, especially in summer, and depending on the season you might actually appreciate cooler rooms.
Currently, the kids’ room is in the northwest. It is actually quite bright, even though one of the windows is not very large. If I imagine adding a dormer or something similar, I think it would be really great. (Yes, I’m trying to see it positively...)
Anyway, as I said, the rest really suits OUR needs perfectly, and nothing else bothers us anymore. As long as the exterior looks right – the upper floor windows, as mentioned, are not yet fixed – we would be more than happy.
Oh, and regarding the walk-in closet: it might be possible to access it through the dressing room, but if we consider that carefully, I have to say that right now it doesn’t bother us at all, and we’d prefer more space rather than an extra door there. But it wouldn’t be a major change if we decided otherwise.
S
saralina8712 May 2020 19:43I think it’s pretty great now.
You’ve really planned out the kitchen carefully and checked if it works like this, right?
Although you could still work out the details later.
Personally, I don’t find the kids’ rooms facing north problematic. My childhood bedroom was also on the north side, and it never bothered me. Of course, ideally, they would face south, but that wouldn’t have been my top priority either.
You’ve really planned out the kitchen carefully and checked if it works like this, right?
Although you could still work out the details later.
Personally, I don’t find the kids’ rooms facing north problematic. My childhood bedroom was also on the north side, and it never bothered me. Of course, ideally, they would face south, but that wouldn’t have been my top priority either.
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