ᐅ Floor plan design for a single-family house of 200 sqm with a pitched roof and a two-car garage with full-height ceilings

Hello dear forum members,

We are fortunate to own an undeveloped inherited plot of approximately 1100 m² (12,000 sq ft). The lot has southern access and is located on the edge of town – to the north, it borders directly on farmland. We plan to develop the property in a way that allows for the possibility of building a second, smaller house later.

Since we have three children (5, 6, and 9 years old), we are considering dividing the house into two residential units to remain flexible in the long term. A double garage with direct access to the house would also be desirable. We also plan to include a basement under the house.

Plot: Area: approx. 1100 m² (12,000 sq ft)
Topography: Very flat, maximum height difference about 70 cm (28 inches)
Location: Edge of town, adjacent farmland to the north

Floors & Building:
2 full stories plus basement

Building setback:
5 m (16 ft) from the street, otherwise 3 m (10 ft) except for a 9 m (30 ft) boundary setback for the garage.
Parking spaces:
4 total, since the driveway in front of the double garage allows for 2 additional parking spots according to regulations.
Roof type:
Cold roof, as a gable roof with 20 – 25° pitch.
Orientation:
In our current designs, the garage and house are placed on the east side to maximize the southwest-facing garden area. Kitchen/dining/living areas currently face southwest to west-southwest.
Maximum heights / restrictions:
2 full stories, no direct height limitations.

Homeowners’ requirements
Preferably modern and practical with an open kitchen and cooking island.
The office should also function as a home office, as both of us alternate working from home.
As mentioned, the children are 5, 6, and 9 years old, and we are both 36 years old.
We are not early risers, so we lean towards western exposure.

House design:
Planner: A draftsman, not an architect, based on our hand-drawn sketch.

Design decisions:

• Kitchen, dining, and living areas face the garden, while the toilet and bathroom face north
• Direct access from the garage to the house is planned
• The staircase is located near the entrance – a spiral staircase was not desired (with the option to separate the upper floor)
• The garage should be on the east side to blend harmoniously with the street row

Criticism of the current design:

• Overall size of the house
• Access through the garage leads to a very long hallway

I look forward to your constructive feedback and suggestions for further optimizing the design.

Best regards,
Teo