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.
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.
K
klabauter861426 Jul 2024 09:03Thanks for the feedback so far. So let me summarize for us:
- Current design, especially the ground floor --> dead end
- Mudroom should follow the floor plan, not dictate it. Can, but does not have to.
- Staircase close to the entrance to allow natural light and create a visible axis from the entrance
- Current design, especially the ground floor --> dead end
- Mudroom should follow the floor plan, not dictate it. Can, but does not have to.
- Staircase close to the entrance to allow natural light and create a visible axis from the entrance
K
klabauter861426 Jul 2024 09:06ypg schrieb:
A room layout is best defined with phrases like: “Living room preferably quiet but still very bright,” or “Dining area sunny with a bit more space for the kids to play on the ground floor, visible from the kitchen during daily activities.”
Yes, it’s a very poor synergy if the homeowner doesn’t allow themselves to be guided. That is a very valuable tip for me, I will keep that in mind. Thank you
K
klabauter861426 Jul 2024 09:08Speaking of following up: We could start again with the architect’s first draft since we basically provided the questionnaire as input without including our own floor plans. Would that be a better starting point? Or should we start completely from scratch?
A no-go is the TV wall, and the office is missing upstairs. The utility room is also too small here. Clarifying questions were/are (without making changes right away):
- @@ Is this the designated sightline at the entrance? So that means there is no vestibule, right?
- The staircase at the very front, in 18/28 or 17/28.5 or something like that, would need to be larger—would the staircase still fit there?
- Entrance cloakroom behind the stairs—I can’t quite imagine how that would look. Do you have experience with this?
- Is the kitchen just feeling small? From what I know and have read, 15 m² (160 sq ft) with an island is already tight. Even without an island, it might still be cramped.
- The bedroom allows for a 3 m (10 ft) closet within the room, but then a walk-in closet isn’t needed anymore. Either one or the other, right?
A no-go is the TV wall, and the office is missing upstairs. The utility room is also too small here. Clarifying questions were/are (without making changes right away):
- @@ Is this the designated sightline at the entrance? So that means there is no vestibule, right?
- The staircase at the very front, in 18/28 or 17/28.5 or something like that, would need to be larger—would the staircase still fit there?
- Entrance cloakroom behind the stairs—I can’t quite imagine how that would look. Do you have experience with this?
- Is the kitchen just feeling small? From what I know and have read, 15 m² (160 sq ft) with an island is already tight. Even without an island, it might still be cramped.
- The bedroom allows for a 3 m (10 ft) closet within the room, but then a walk-in closet isn’t needed anymore. Either one or the other, right?
klabauter8614 schrieb:
One could start again with the architect’s first draft,He created that based on your sketch as well?!klabauter8614 schrieb:
The TV wall is a no-go here,May I ask what exactly makes a TV wall a “no-go”?K
klabauter861426 Jul 2024 11:32ypg schrieb:
He made it according to your sketch as well?!No, without influence from my own floor plans as described. Only based on discussions that include the same space requirements as those filled out in the questionnaire.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
Speaking of follow-up: We could go back to the architect’s first draft, since we basically gave the questionnaire as input without influencing it with our own floor plans. So far, that still looked quite reasonable.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
Would that be a better starting point? Or start completely from scratch? Not necessarily, unless you want to state what doesn’t work.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
The TV wall is a no-go here, What exactly is the problem with that?
klabauter8614 schrieb:
- @@ Is that the designated sightline at the entrance? Yes, although it’s not mandatory. The hallway should guide and draw visitors into the main rooms, ideally bright and welcoming.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
That’s without a vestibule, right? That’s unnecessary in modern homes. They are so well sealed that no drafts come inside anymore.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
- Staircase right at the front with dimensions around 18/28 or 17/28.5 (cm) (7/11 or 6.7/11.2 inches) would need to be bigger then; will the stairs still fit there? It will be tight, but then the guest room has to give way and the child’s room would move upstairs.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
- Entrance to the guest room behind the staircase—I can’t imagine what that looks like. Have you had experience with that? Not an issue. It’s just a door that you walk through.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
- Is the kitchen only seemingly small? From what I know and have read, 15m² (160 ft²) with an island is common. Even without one, it might be tight. No, 8-9m² (86-97 ft²) is actually quite small.
klabauter8614 schrieb:
- The bedroom allows placing a 3m (10 ft) wardrobe in the room, but then there is no need for a walk-in closet anymore. Either or, right? If 3m is enough, maybe the office could go there instead.
Basically, I’d say that a second staircase access to the attic, not aligned above the main staircase, is always a waste of space in my opinion. That’s where I’d start.
Similar topics