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

Created on: 22 Jul 2024 08:21
K
klabauter8614
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.

Floor plan ground floor with kitchen, living/dining, garage, terrace and garden.

Floor plan upper floor: bedroom, bathroom, hallway, dressing room, child 1, child 2, office.

Two house views: northwest with gable roof; northeast with garage and modern facade.

Two house views: southeast and southwest with garden, trees and windows.

Attic: storage 26.92 m² (289 sq ft), stairs, two roof windows, continuous roof edge.

Detailed plan of street layout with red roadway, sidewalks, parking spaces and green areas.
K
klabauter8614
3 Aug 2024 09:44
Ok, I don’t have any experience with conservatories, but it’s good to know what the options are.

Speaking of options, if I don’t want to bother the guest in the evening with the TV program, where would the guest room fit? Probably only to the left of the entrance instead of the storage room, or to the left of the kitchen, right?
K a t j a3 Aug 2024 11:33
klabauter8614 schrieb:

By the way, if I don’t want to bother the guest with the TV program in the evening, where would the guest room fit? Probably only to the left of the entrance, instead of the utility room, or to the left of the kitchen?

You mean your walls are so thin and you regularly turn up the horror movie of the month at full volume at night? I would simply make the walls thicker or improve the sound insulation, especially if the grandmother would otherwise be woken up.
K
klabauter8614
3 Aug 2024 15:00
Also an option, that would probably be a 20 cm (8 inch) wall or so.
K a t j a15 Aug 2024 18:18
Floor plan of a house: master bedroom, office, kitchen, bathroom, staircase and corridors.

Floor plan of a residential house with kitchen/dining area, living room, conservatory, guest room, hallway and utility room.

Two-story house with open carport; red and blue cars parked in the carport.

3D model of a single-family house with terrace, dining table, chairs and grill area.

Floor plan of a house with purple outline around interior areas, doors and stairs.

Floor plan of one level with bedroom, office, bathroom, kitchen, staircase, terrace and garage.

Floor plan of a house with carport, terrace, living/dining area, kitchen, guest room, utility.
K
klabauter8614
17 Aug 2024 20:39
Oh, the second option also offers some interesting possibilities. I hope the new draft will arrive next week, maybe including details about the roof, so we can compare. It would be great to finalize the floor plan with no more than two updates.
K
klabauter8614
19 Aug 2024 16:55
Here is the latest design. We had initially decided to keep the upper floor as it was before, but okay. As for the ground floor, I’m not quite sure.
Architectural house cross-section with attic, guest room, living area, Child 1 and Child 2 rooms, stairs.

House floor plan: garage, heating room, utility room, hallway, kitchen/dining, living area, guest room, terrace.

Attic floor plan: bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, corridor, office, and two children’s rooms.