ᐅ Floor Plan Silverager New Single-Family House with Option to Upgrade to a Two-Family House
Created on: 15 Nov 2025 20:20
U
UnderdogHello everyone,
As our planned construction project is gradually taking shape, I would like to share a first draft for discussion.
The plot is already secured, and we want to make full use of the space to maximize potential living area. Retirement is foreseeable for both of us, but after 28 years, we still want to build once more.
Our eldest daughter has made us grandparents twice over, and we often enjoy having the grandchildren stay during the day so their mother can go to work. Our younger daughter will be studying for about four more years and is planned to have her own space in the basement, which could later be converted into a guest room, office, etc. The plan includes a separate entrance via a generous lightwell, but with access to the ground floor (maximum of two living units).
The attic is not intended to be finished right away but will be designed for potential future development. Whether this will ever be implemented remains uncertain.
The ground floor should offer approximately 125 sqm (1,345 sq ft) within a 10x15m (33x49 ft) building envelope. The open kitchen/dining/living area should accommodate many guests, as we frequently host large family gatherings and groups of friends. The bathroom should be en suite, and the guest toilet should include a shower. A multipurpose room is planned as a utility/laundry room with direct access to the garden, serving as a mudroom with an integrated sink and/or washing machine. In emergencies, this room can also serve as a guest bedroom. This will be less necessary once the basement is available.
The ground floor is optimized for a couple without children but should also work well for families without needing to use the attic. The attic is designed to function as a fully independent living unit, which we consider important for maintaining property value.
Families with young children could use the utility room as a children's bedroom, while older children could occupy two bedrooms with a bathroom in the basement.
Our main request is constructive feedback on the draft. We like the ground floor layout so far but are open to improvements.
We haven’t spent much time on the attic plan yet; we find the concept acceptable for now. We do like the idea of accessing the attic via an external staircase, ensuring completely separate entrances for the attic and ground floor. If more information is needed, I am happy to provide it.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 677 sqm (7,284 sq ft)
Slope: 1m (3 ft) decline from sidewalk to field path
Floor area ratio:
Floor space index:
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: Exact building envelope for garage and house as shown in the draft
Adjacent buildings: Gap site with similar neighboring plots on left and right, development plan
Parking spaces: Double garage
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: Gable roof
Style: Modern
Orientation: Sketch shows southwest at the top
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge line max 8m (26 ft) above ground floor level, side exterior walls max 4m (13 ft)
Additional requirements
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type:
Basement, floors: Basement yes, attic planned but not to be finished
Number of occupants, ages: Couple nearing retirement on ground floor, daughter (with partner) in basement until end of studies in about 4 years
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: approx. 125 sqm (1,345 sq ft) ground floor, potential about 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft) upper floor, approx. 60 sqm (646 sq ft) finished basement
Office: Family use or home office?
Number of overnight guests per year: about 2–3 times per year
Open or closed architecture: Open
Conservative or modern building style: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes
Number of dining seats: Many, at least for 8, preferably 12
Fireplace: Somewhat
Music/sound system: Large TV, but not a priority
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony planned facing northwest, as this side overlooks open fields
Garage, carport: Double garage, wide covered side walkway to the main entrance, effectively functioning as a carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: Raised beds for herbs and various berries (for grandchildren)
Further wishes, special features, daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
As our planned construction project is gradually taking shape, I would like to share a first draft for discussion.
The plot is already secured, and we want to make full use of the space to maximize potential living area. Retirement is foreseeable for both of us, but after 28 years, we still want to build once more.
Our eldest daughter has made us grandparents twice over, and we often enjoy having the grandchildren stay during the day so their mother can go to work. Our younger daughter will be studying for about four more years and is planned to have her own space in the basement, which could later be converted into a guest room, office, etc. The plan includes a separate entrance via a generous lightwell, but with access to the ground floor (maximum of two living units).
The attic is not intended to be finished right away but will be designed for potential future development. Whether this will ever be implemented remains uncertain.
The ground floor should offer approximately 125 sqm (1,345 sq ft) within a 10x15m (33x49 ft) building envelope. The open kitchen/dining/living area should accommodate many guests, as we frequently host large family gatherings and groups of friends. The bathroom should be en suite, and the guest toilet should include a shower. A multipurpose room is planned as a utility/laundry room with direct access to the garden, serving as a mudroom with an integrated sink and/or washing machine. In emergencies, this room can also serve as a guest bedroom. This will be less necessary once the basement is available.
The ground floor is optimized for a couple without children but should also work well for families without needing to use the attic. The attic is designed to function as a fully independent living unit, which we consider important for maintaining property value.
Families with young children could use the utility room as a children's bedroom, while older children could occupy two bedrooms with a bathroom in the basement.
Our main request is constructive feedback on the draft. We like the ground floor layout so far but are open to improvements.
We haven’t spent much time on the attic plan yet; we find the concept acceptable for now. We do like the idea of accessing the attic via an external staircase, ensuring completely separate entrances for the attic and ground floor. If more information is needed, I am happy to provide it.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 677 sqm (7,284 sq ft)
Slope: 1m (3 ft) decline from sidewalk to field path
Floor area ratio:
Floor space index:
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: Exact building envelope for garage and house as shown in the draft
Adjacent buildings: Gap site with similar neighboring plots on left and right, development plan
Parking spaces: Double garage
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: Gable roof
Style: Modern
Orientation: Sketch shows southwest at the top
Maximum heights/limits: Ridge line max 8m (26 ft) above ground floor level, side exterior walls max 4m (13 ft)
Additional requirements
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type:
Basement, floors: Basement yes, attic planned but not to be finished
Number of occupants, ages: Couple nearing retirement on ground floor, daughter (with partner) in basement until end of studies in about 4 years
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: approx. 125 sqm (1,345 sq ft) ground floor, potential about 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft) upper floor, approx. 60 sqm (646 sq ft) finished basement
Office: Family use or home office?
Number of overnight guests per year: about 2–3 times per year
Open or closed architecture: Open
Conservative or modern building style: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes
Number of dining seats: Many, at least for 8, preferably 12
Fireplace: Somewhat
Music/sound system: Large TV, but not a priority
Balcony, roof terrace: Balcony planned facing northwest, as this side overlooks open fields
Garage, carport: Double garage, wide covered side walkway to the main entrance, effectively functioning as a carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: Raised beds for herbs and various berries (for grandchildren)
Further wishes, special features, daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
H
hanghaus202315 Nov 2025 22:18Is this a DIY plan? I somehow miss elevations and sections.
Is there a building permit / planning permission?
A site plan with contours or levels would also be quite helpful.
Is it possible to know the budget?
Is there a building permit / planning permission?
A site plan with contours or levels would also be quite helpful.
Is it possible to know the budget?
To the left on the plan appears to be the street. Let’s leave the attic aside for now, as it lacks supporting posts. This simply won’t work as shown.
And is the sketch with the two huge children’s bedrooms actually the basement? Why are the rooms there so disproportionately large? How will the basement rooms get natural light? I do see many stairs in the garden on the ground floor, but which way do they go? Up or down? I don’t see any light wells at the ground floor. Does the basement project out so far that you can’t access the garden barrier-free from the ground floor?
Where is the entrance to the basement? The stairs are at the bottom left on the plan, the hallway at the right. There’s also no wall that really supports the ground floor, is there?
Ah, on the right side, that’s supposed to be a terrace shaft for the basement? And why is it located where the open-plan living area is on the ground floor? No one will want to use that if they feel like they’re on display. That confused me in the attic with the balcony as well.
So, a lot of this isn’t really consistent when viewed in this tool.
Does the long row with the obvious refrigerator belong to the kitchen? Are those supposed to be tall cabinets? A workspace? Why isn’t it placed in front of the window? Why is the refrigerator in the middle?
Why does the bathroom in the basement have no window, and the guest toilet on the ground floor has a window in the shower? Where is the faucet supposed to go? To the side? Then the walk-in shower doesn’t need to be that long, right? The toilet and washbasin won’t get any natural light for guests.
Before I find more details that the tool or you can’t clearly present, I’ll just say this: at this stage, the design lacks accessibility and the option of having two bedrooms without one of the rooms having to give up its use as a utility room. Two rooms with a bathroom in the middle without a barrier-free T-shaped layout – either you need the second bathroom or not. Possibly provisionally for grandchildren.
Yes, sigh, I really don’t like this “maximize the square meters, whatever fits on this plot” approach. The main living unit isn’t the focus here, but generating a lot of space “for whatever might happen.” I’m also unclear about the site coverage ratio: with 677 square meters (7,286 square feet) and so much impermeable surface, this can’t be legitimate.
Congratulations, by the way, on becoming grandparents. It’s great that you’re supporting your daughter. From what I can tell in the planning, this is not going to stop here, right? You’re currently on cloud nine as the happiest grandparents and want to plan for every eventuality, like advanced nest-building, in case everyone needs a fallback place?
And is the sketch with the two huge children’s bedrooms actually the basement? Why are the rooms there so disproportionately large? How will the basement rooms get natural light? I do see many stairs in the garden on the ground floor, but which way do they go? Up or down? I don’t see any light wells at the ground floor. Does the basement project out so far that you can’t access the garden barrier-free from the ground floor?
Where is the entrance to the basement? The stairs are at the bottom left on the plan, the hallway at the right. There’s also no wall that really supports the ground floor, is there?
Ah, on the right side, that’s supposed to be a terrace shaft for the basement? And why is it located where the open-plan living area is on the ground floor? No one will want to use that if they feel like they’re on display. That confused me in the attic with the balcony as well.
So, a lot of this isn’t really consistent when viewed in this tool.
Does the long row with the obvious refrigerator belong to the kitchen? Are those supposed to be tall cabinets? A workspace? Why isn’t it placed in front of the window? Why is the refrigerator in the middle?
Why does the bathroom in the basement have no window, and the guest toilet on the ground floor has a window in the shower? Where is the faucet supposed to go? To the side? Then the walk-in shower doesn’t need to be that long, right? The toilet and washbasin won’t get any natural light for guests.
Before I find more details that the tool or you can’t clearly present, I’ll just say this: at this stage, the design lacks accessibility and the option of having two bedrooms without one of the rooms having to give up its use as a utility room. Two rooms with a bathroom in the middle without a barrier-free T-shaped layout – either you need the second bathroom or not. Possibly provisionally for grandchildren.
Yes, sigh, I really don’t like this “maximize the square meters, whatever fits on this plot” approach. The main living unit isn’t the focus here, but generating a lot of space “for whatever might happen.” I’m also unclear about the site coverage ratio: with 677 square meters (7,286 square feet) and so much impermeable surface, this can’t be legitimate.
Congratulations, by the way, on becoming grandparents. It’s great that you’re supporting your daughter. From what I can tell in the planning, this is not going to stop here, right? You’re currently on cloud nine as the happiest grandparents and want to plan for every eventuality, like advanced nest-building, in case everyone needs a fallback place?
There is an initial preliminary draft from the architect, but we did not like it at all.
To better communicate our ideas, I created the DIY plan.
However, I still kept some elements, such as the access to the attic via an external staircase.
The development plan is attached. I don’t have an elevation plan.
In general, the sidewalk (left) is level, and the plot slopes evenly about 1 meter (3 feet) down to the also level field path (right).
Cross-sections do not exist yet, but the ground floor is supposed to be about three steps above the sidewalk, so that the light well at the back of the house will be approximately 1.30 meters (4 feet 3 inches) deep.
Budget target: remain in the six-figure range
To better communicate our ideas, I created the DIY plan.
However, I still kept some elements, such as the access to the attic via an external staircase.
The development plan is attached. I don’t have an elevation plan.
In general, the sidewalk (left) is level, and the plot slopes evenly about 1 meter (3 feet) down to the also level field path (right).
Cross-sections do not exist yet, but the ground floor is supposed to be about three steps above the sidewalk, so that the light well at the back of the house will be approximately 1.30 meters (4 feet 3 inches) deep.
Budget target: remain in the six-figure range
It will take two years to complete the construction, and shortly after that, your daughter will finally leave the family home. You want to plan the entire house around this short period, intending to live there alone as a couple in this multifunctional flexible quadrant as you grow older and weaker?
We built a house at a similar stage in life and have children and grandchildren, so we are familiar with this model.
Is there no consideration for a multi-generational concept that could also provide some security for you while giving the younger generation opportunities they wouldn’t have on their own?
At the moment, this seems like an attempt at a so-called all-in-one solution, but it is full of flaws and does not provide a truly coherent floor plan.
Please share that draft and explain why you don’t like it. That way, it might be possible to see how you could be helped.
We built a house at a similar stage in life and have children and grandchildren, so we are familiar with this model.
Is there no consideration for a multi-generational concept that could also provide some security for you while giving the younger generation opportunities they wouldn’t have on their own?
At the moment, this seems like an attempt at a so-called all-in-one solution, but it is full of flaws and does not provide a truly coherent floor plan.
Underdog schrieb:
There is a preliminary draft from the architect, but we didn’t like it at all.
Please share that draft and explain why you don’t like it. That way, it might be possible to see how you could be helped.
Underdog schrieb:
There is an initial draft from the architect, but we didn’t like it at all.
To better communicate our ideas, I created the DIY plan.
Nevertheless, I kept some elements, such as the access to the attic via an external staircase. You should post it here, and please black out any personal details for privacy.
That might explain some things your tool cannot implement.
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