ᐅ Single-family house floor plan, 1 full story, utilities and natural lighting

Hello, I would like to gather feedback on the floor plan in order to finalize the design. We don’t have sections or elevations yet, but all other drawings are attached (house shown schematically on the site plan). Thanks.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 473m² (5,089 ft²)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio
Building envelope, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: maximum 2 without garage
Number of floors: 1 full floor
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style
Orientation: Roof facing NNE - SSW
Maximum heights / limits: eave height 4.2m (13.8 ft), ridge height 9.5m (31.2 ft)
Further requirements: only renewable energy sources, infiltration trench for stormwater

Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
Basement, floors: no basement (groundwater level at 1m (3.3 ft) depth), 1 full floor
Number of occupants, ages: 4, aged 40-40-7-2 years
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: Guesst room on the ground floor, office upstairs
Office use: family use or home office? Home office
Number of guest stays per year: 2 nights per week by one parent (also for coming years), parents-in-law stay several weeks annually
Open or closed layout
Traditional or modern construction
Open kitchen, kitchen island: semi-open (sliding door), kitchen island
Number of fixed dining seats: 6 fixed, expandable
Fireplace: no
Music/speaker wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: herb garden
Additional wishes/special points/daily routine, including reasons for preferences or exclusions

House Design
Planner: synergy between architect and client, now 4th draft
What do you particularly like? Why? Guest room and WC + shower, similar existing layout already working (although a bed is drawn, it is actually a sofa bed), office on the north side, guest room size more than sufficient, wardrobe by the entrance, living room bright, washing machine + dryer upstairs.
What don’t you like? Why?
- Utility room is half unusable due to wardrobe protrusion (which is actually sensible) so it is too small. Attic storage needs to be moved from the garage into the thermal envelope inside the utility room, indoor unit could stay there. The mechanical ventilation system would also need to be installed in the utility room. Possible solution: enlarge kitchen to the rear and expand utility room accordingly. This would make the house larger though. No other solutions discussed yet.
- Stairs are too steep; architect now proposes a rise/run of 17.2cm/26cm (6.8"/10.2"), which may be borderline regarding comfortable step depth.
- Daylight in children’s rooms might be low due to west-facing windows and roughly 12.5% window-to-floor area ratio; simulation might be needed. Skylights wouldn’t significantly improve this; only a dormer and smaller gable windows would.
- As drawn, the kitchen island layout is not suitable for me; passage from utility room too narrow, should be moved to the opposite side, with sink and window to the left.
- Air conditioning would still be needed in the bedroom and children’s rooms, but with the current window and furniture arrangement this looks impractical.
- Shower upstairs located under sloped ceiling, not necessary but a minor point.
- Skylight in guest WC is not at head height, should be slightly higher, also a minor detail.
- Bathroom door upstairs should open outwards.
- Storage under the stairs is still missing.
- Partition wall in garage is unnecessary.

Cost estimate from architect/planner: unknown
Personal price limit for house including fixtures: 650,000
Preferred heating technology: air-source heat pump

If you must give up something, which features or extensions
- Can you give up: walk-in closet
- Cannot give up: office, guest room

Why is the design like it is now?
Own design developed based on space requirements plus architect’s counter proposal

What do you consider especially good or problematic?
Main issues to resolve are utility room + technical space and daylight.

klabauter8614 schrieb:

Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 650k

Reconsider the budget. That is a very large house with a garage for a very low price.

Others are responsible for the floor plans.

klabauter8614 schrieb:

The utility room is half unusable due to the insertion of the wardrobe (which actually makes sense) and is therefore too small.

No, the utility room is unusable because of the two doors.
What is supposed to go in there?
And why a door when the front door is right next to it?

The more I look at it, the more complicated I find the access to the open-plan living area. However, the sofa then feels a bit too far away for my taste.
The utility/storage room is far too small for your multifunctional needs. And the open-plan living area is too elongated.
Here is my suggestion, but please consider it only as a rough sketch. The staircase would need to be enlarged and reversed, and the partition walls adjusted.

ypg schrieb:

The more I look at it, the more complicated I find the access to the open-plan living area. The sofa then also feels too far away for my liking.
The storage room is far too small for your multifunctional use. And the open-plan area feels too elongated.
Here’s my suggestion, but please consider it only as a rough sketch. The staircase would need to be enlarged and mirrored, and the temporary walls adjusted.

I completely agree with you. What bothers me most about the original design is this uninviting entrance hall. You come in and step into a dark space with a staircase. The exit lies tucked away, narrow and inconspicuous around the corner.

Your sketch is already better in comparison. I would rotate and mirror it further until the entrance is again on the left side of the plan. Possibly also replace the staircase to allow easier access to all rooms on the ground floor.

K a t j a schrieb:

I would rotate and flip it until the entrance is back on the left side.

This is how I started.
However, there is only a small window above for the staircase. This also helps to avoid confusing corridors upstairs.
The staircase on the ground floor was always in the way.