ᐅ Single-family house floor plan, 200 sqm, wooden house in American style, concrete slab foundation
Created on: 22 Jun 2024 13:10
T
TRomz_y
Hi everyone,
we are planning to build a prefabricated timber-frame house in the American style.
Before choosing a supplier, we worked with an architect to develop a floor plan. The architect’s latest draft was acceptable, but we made some corrections and have now incorporated them into the floor plan via screenshots. I hope everything is still clear enough for evaluation despite that.
We are now entering the third round with the architect. After this, any further planning or changes will incur additional costs. Therefore, we are hoping for tips and constructive criticism.
Note: In the house visualizations, the carport roof is still very high (architect’s planning mistake, as the upper floor windows would have looked directly onto the carport roof...). The roof pitch will be lowered so that only a small roof remains.
Rear view: There is no railing on the back terrace, as the small roof at the carport should serve as a bicycle parking area, but this will be removed.
Thank you very much in advance for all your efforts.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 1000sqm (about 10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.28
Plot ratio / building coverage index: n.a.
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: see site plan
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: gable roof, hip roof, half-hipped roof, etc.
Style: n.a.
Orientation: S/SW
Maximum heights / limits: ridge height 9m (30 ft), eaves height 4.30m (14 ft)
Other requirements: none
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: American farmhouse, gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults, 1 child
Floor space required on ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF): approx. 160-170sqm (1,722-1,829 sq ft)
Office: family use or home office? Workspace for 2 people, both working from home, private use
Guests per year: 5
Open or closed layout: open kitchen-dining area
Conservative or modern style: farmhouse / modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: carport, 2 parking spaces required
Kitchen garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes / special features / daily routines, including reasons why some things are preferred or avoided:
- Because of the American style, we have covered terraces both at the front and back. We hope this means we won’t have the typical “mudroom” at the entrance (dirt settles on the terrace, shoes can possibly stay outside).
- No office on the upper floor due to sloping ceilings. The desks are height-adjustable, and we have bookshelves there... this would be difficult to accommodate.
- Laundry room on the upper floor with space for a drying rack is great – short distances.
- The living room should be separable to reduce noise from the kitchen (currently we have an open kitchen-dining-living area and it’s hard to watch TV when someone is cooking).
House design
Who designed the plan: Architect and our ideas
What do you like best? Why? Large kitchen-dining area
What do you dislike? Why?
The upper floor feels too big because we have – unfortunately – more rooms downstairs than upstairs. Does anyone see potential to save some floor space?
The wardrobe ended up there because the small room was still “left over.” It was originally the guest bathroom without a shower. We would like to have 2 showers in the house.
Estimated price according to architect/planner: 800,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 800k
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump, underfloor heating
If you had to give up any details or additional features:
- can give up: "all-purpose room" (see floor plan)
- cannot give up: mudroom
Why is the design as it is now? For example:
The floor plan ideas come from a collection of house tour videos and Pinterest inspirations.
Since the construction method places strong emphasis on symmetry and harmony in the façade, moving windows around is not “just possible” without causing visual chaos from the outside.
What do you think are its strong and weak points? Well, that’s the question. For us personally, everything is now taken into account, but is it also “logical”? Are there planning errors? What can be improved?
we are planning to build a prefabricated timber-frame house in the American style.
Before choosing a supplier, we worked with an architect to develop a floor plan. The architect’s latest draft was acceptable, but we made some corrections and have now incorporated them into the floor plan via screenshots. I hope everything is still clear enough for evaluation despite that.
We are now entering the third round with the architect. After this, any further planning or changes will incur additional costs. Therefore, we are hoping for tips and constructive criticism.
Note: In the house visualizations, the carport roof is still very high (architect’s planning mistake, as the upper floor windows would have looked directly onto the carport roof...). The roof pitch will be lowered so that only a small roof remains.
Rear view: There is no railing on the back terrace, as the small roof at the carport should serve as a bicycle parking area, but this will be removed.
Thank you very much in advance for all your efforts.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 1000sqm (about 10,764 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.28
Plot ratio / building coverage index: n.a.
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: see site plan
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1
Roof type: gable roof, hip roof, half-hipped roof, etc.
Style: n.a.
Orientation: S/SW
Maximum heights / limits: ridge height 9m (30 ft), eaves height 4.30m (14 ft)
Other requirements: none
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: American farmhouse, gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults, 1 child
Floor space required on ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF): approx. 160-170sqm (1,722-1,829 sq ft)
| Room | sqm |
| Ground floor |
| Living room, kitchen, and dining area | 55 |
| Entrance area | 10 |
| Utility room / mudroom | 10 |
| Technical room | 10 |
| Pantry | 4 |
| Office / private computer room | 15 |
| Guest bathroom | 4-6? |
| Upper floor | |
| Bedroom | 15 |
| Dressing room / walk-in closet | 10 |
| Child’s bedroom | 20 |
| Bathroom | 13 |
Office: family use or home office? Workspace for 2 people, both working from home, private use
Guests per year: 5
Open or closed layout: open kitchen-dining area
Conservative or modern style: farmhouse / modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: carport, 2 parking spaces required
Kitchen garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes / special features / daily routines, including reasons why some things are preferred or avoided:
- Because of the American style, we have covered terraces both at the front and back. We hope this means we won’t have the typical “mudroom” at the entrance (dirt settles on the terrace, shoes can possibly stay outside).
- No office on the upper floor due to sloping ceilings. The desks are height-adjustable, and we have bookshelves there... this would be difficult to accommodate.
- Laundry room on the upper floor with space for a drying rack is great – short distances.
- The living room should be separable to reduce noise from the kitchen (currently we have an open kitchen-dining-living area and it’s hard to watch TV when someone is cooking).
House design
Who designed the plan: Architect and our ideas
What do you like best? Why? Large kitchen-dining area
What do you dislike? Why?
The upper floor feels too big because we have – unfortunately – more rooms downstairs than upstairs. Does anyone see potential to save some floor space?
The wardrobe ended up there because the small room was still “left over.” It was originally the guest bathroom without a shower. We would like to have 2 showers in the house.
Estimated price according to architect/planner: 800,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 800k
Preferred heating system: air-to-water heat pump, underfloor heating
If you had to give up any details or additional features:
- can give up: "all-purpose room" (see floor plan)
- cannot give up: mudroom
Why is the design as it is now? For example:
The floor plan ideas come from a collection of house tour videos and Pinterest inspirations.
Since the construction method places strong emphasis on symmetry and harmony in the façade, moving windows around is not “just possible” without causing visual chaos from the outside.
What do you think are its strong and weak points? Well, that’s the question. For us personally, everything is now taken into account, but is it also “logical”? Are there planning errors? What can be improved?
TRomz_y schrieb:
The floor plan actually originated from a description of everyday life. Then, after your changes, it would have been said that you like long and complicated routes. Instead of tidy, rectangular rooms, niches and partitions. Long distances (cloakroom).. Distributed across two corners of the house (airlock and upper right corner).
TRomz_y schrieb:
I know enough normal cloakrooms in houses that overflow and always seem untidy. Yes, and it will be the same in your case. Because I don’t see a generous cloakroom at the entrance area.
TRomz_y schrieb:
Putting a regular cloakroom inside the mudroom also contradicts the actual philosophy of the mudroom. Actually, it does not.
TRomz_y schrieb:
What exactly do you mean by "airlock and pantry somehow obstruct each other"? Well, there are small corridors instead of one clear, open room.
TRomz_y schrieb:
Why doesn’t the pantry work? You are only planning tall cabinets for storage. No shelving or counters. You will end up in your own way. You can’t temporarily put down a baking tray with cake anywhere except in the “airlock.” What a word.. I thought that only exists on farms..
TRomz_y schrieb:
The rest of the kitchen (4-5 m) is pure work surface. I’m talking about storage surface. The work island is clear. But you don’t want to place lots of everyday items there, right?!
TRomz_y schrieb:
Could you explain more precisely why the toilet doesn’t work? See for yourself. The toilet is 35cm (14 inches) wide, you yourself are over 50cm (20 inches) wide. You’ll be scraping against the wall. A toilet needs at least about 90cm (35 inches) in width. Same for the washbasin. Your right elbow hits the wall.
TRomz_y schrieb:
A technical room smaller than 10 sqm is a no-go. Numbers are more like smoke and mirrors. The real no-go could be that the technical room can’t be accessed from inside the house. I’ve been told that many people check or visit their technical rooms daily for monitoring, especially with today’s modern systems.
As said before: everything is very disjointed and fragmented. I must also add that I get the impression you are clinging to certain rooms rather than looking at their function, which is the real reason for setting them up.
It doesn’t matter what you call the rooms—as long as the house works well for daily living and routines. With your design, you don’t even know where you put your shoes: in the mudroom, sorry, airlock, or in the cloakroom.
You basically patched things up, and patching is never good.
S
Schorsch_baut24 Jun 2024 07:17You will need to open at least two, preferably three doors when carrying shopping into tight spaces. This applies to a specific scenario: bad weather. You install dirt-trapping areas throughout the house to keep it clean. However, this creates numerous corners where clutter will accumulate.
We have a back entrance to the house from the garden. That is our laundry room. And a front entrance that is mainly used. As a result, we actually have two separate sets of clothing: garden, horse, and dog gear at the back, and everything else at the front. Your front entrance reminds me of my grandmother’s parlor, which was never used. For a hidden main entrance, storage, and passageway, it is too narrow.
We have a back entrance to the house from the garden. That is our laundry room. And a front entrance that is mainly used. As a result, we actually have two separate sets of clothing: garden, horse, and dog gear at the back, and everything else at the front. Your front entrance reminds me of my grandmother’s parlor, which was never used. For a hidden main entrance, storage, and passageway, it is too narrow.
S
Schorsch_baut24 Jun 2024 09:06The more I look at the floor plan, the more it seems pointless. It’s clear that you are trying to force a traditional German room layout into a pseudo-American floor plan, which is dictated by the external shape and a few gimmicks.
I don’t see any skilled or engaged architect involved here.
You have an excessive amount of walking distance and wasted space, while everything ends up cramped into corners. It’s spacious in terms of area, yes, but not generous. You always have to go around corners, through doors, and back and forth. The utility room is located at the complete opposite end of the house when you are standing in the mudroom with dirty items. I recommend either fully committing to American-style floor plans or redesigning completely. This design is worthless.
I don’t see any skilled or engaged architect involved here.
You have an excessive amount of walking distance and wasted space, while everything ends up cramped into corners. It’s spacious in terms of area, yes, but not generous. You always have to go around corners, through doors, and back and forth. The utility room is located at the complete opposite end of the house when you are standing in the mudroom with dirty items. I recommend either fully committing to American-style floor plans or redesigning completely. This design is worthless.
S
Schorsch_baut24 Jun 2024 09:20The staircase is also very poorly planned. The top exit is narrow, dark, and awkward. You won't be able to get any large furniture up there. The path to the bed is long and turns around corners three times. Bathtub, double bed, wardrobes—how are these supposed to be carried through the corridors? The only way to get them in is by lifting them through the windows, and considering that most of the furnishings are planned to be from Ikea, I don’t see the budget for that. I’m really sorry, but this is a pipe dream.
S
Schorsch_baut24 Jun 2024 09:32I just misread the direction arrow of the staircase. Although the path to the bed is shorter this way, the problem of the narrow corridors remains.
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