ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home on a Sloped Site
Created on: 23 Nov 2020 16:56
J
JayneCobb
Hello everyone,
As I introduced myself here in the general forum, we have had several discussions with different general contractors, both for solid construction and timber frame.
We are now at the point where we have received some floor plan proposals.
I would like to present to you here (firstly?) the draft from the company Holz 1, which we particularly like because of the gallery and because it includes many of the features we communicated in advance.
I redrew this myself, so please forgive me if some elements appear a bit amateurish.
Most of the windows are not included in the drawing. What we would find extremely appealing is the (probably very expensive) idea of extending the eastern glass area at the southeast corner over two floors, but I couldn’t quickly find this option in the program.
I sketched in the larger bed on the ground floor to show proportions, as this room could potentially serve as a bedroom for us later.
From the linked thread above, it was already suggested by several forum members to locate the living/dining area on the garden level and the sleeping area upstairs.
Our reasons for planning it this way (though we are not yet entirely fixed):
- significantly shorter distances for carrying groceries, taking out trash, etc.
- nicer view from the living area into the greenery/mini-valley I described compared to the basement level
- more spacious feeling with an open ceiling/the gallery
- entering and being able to "just relax"
- simple accommodation of a frailty scenario (potentially living on one floor later, at least for a certain time)
We appreciate any further comments, ideas, etc. — thank you in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Lot size: 791 sqm (8505 sq ft)
Slope: yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2 (double garage planned)
Number of floors: 2 to 2.5 (garden floor, ground floor, and possibly half an attic as a gallery with open space above ground floor)
Roof type: gable roof (35-42° specified)
Orientation: still open
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in); eaves height 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Additional requirements: Distance from house to street approx. 4.50 m (15 ft), terrain slopes downward from street
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type:
Unfortunately, the development plan restricts us to a gable roof; if we had free choice, I would have opted for a clear Bauhaus style.
Basement, floors:
Garden floor 1/4 basement, 3/4 sleeping area. Above that, ground floor as living area, possibly a half open attic (gallery with open space + 1 room).
Number of people, ages:
3-4 people: 44 and 46 years old; son 1.5 years old, and husband’s 12-year-old daughter (she either spends every second weekend there or lives there permanently).
Space requirements on ground and upper floors:
Because the garage will likely need a basement due to the slope, we have planned the basement (storage, possibly workshop) there with access both from the garden side and from inside the house. On the garden/basement floor itself: technical room and laundry, three bedrooms, and main bathroom. On the ground floor (level with street, also accessible from garage) is the living area with kitchen, open living and dining area, pantry/utility room, an office/guest room, and a guest bathroom. An architect from a developer suggested the possibility of a half attic as a gallery with open space over the living area and a small room (guest room, office), which I really like.
Office: family use or home office?
There will definitely be some home office usage.
Number of guests per year:
Hard to say, but a small guest room is planned.
Open or closed architecture:
Rather open in the living area; above all, the view into the unbuildable, sloping green space (southeast) should be emphasized by high ceilings (no intermediate floor there) and large windows.
Open kitchen, kitchen island:
Kitchen can be separated by sliding door; no kitchen island needed.
Number of dining seats:
6
Fireplace:
Preferred (or wood stove), but not a must.
Music/Stereo wall:
Yes
Balcony, roof terrace:
Balcony on the ground floor facing southeast (preferably partly recessed into the house, but probably too little space), south side.
Garage, carport:
Garage preferred.
Productive garden, greenhouse:
Partly productive garden, partly digging/play area, partly nice to look at, partly play options for our son.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be:
We imagine a KfW55 standard house prepared for photovoltaic system installation.
I want the ground floor designed so that if mobility becomes limited in the future, we don’t have to move out immediately but can live on one level. Therefore, an additional room on the ground floor is a must, currently used as office/guest room and potentially convertible into a bedroom. For the same reason, the guest bathroom should already have a shower, and somewhere on the ground floor space for washing machine connections should be planned.
I personally lean toward spaciousness and many rooms but notice that the budget clearly limits this. My partner is more minimalist and wouldn’t mind if the house isn’t too large.
House Design
Planner:
Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
Gallery/open space (openness)
What do you not like? Why?
Less space (e.g. currently small bathroom, which can be adjusted) — budget-driven
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
520,000-550,000 euros gross (very rough estimate, no formal offer yet)
Personal price limit for house including fittings:
530,000 euros (but never say never)
Preferred heating technology:
Air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which details/extensions
- can you live without:
Garage can be shorter
- can you not live without:
Something open (some special feature/beautiful detail)
View of the biotope strip to the southeast
Why is the design the way it is now?
Were the corresponding/which wishes implemented by the architect?
Yes.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
Airy, sufficient number of rooms
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the layout of the house suitable to meet our requirements?
As I introduced myself here in the general forum, we have had several discussions with different general contractors, both for solid construction and timber frame.
We are now at the point where we have received some floor plan proposals.
I would like to present to you here (firstly?) the draft from the company Holz 1, which we particularly like because of the gallery and because it includes many of the features we communicated in advance.
I redrew this myself, so please forgive me if some elements appear a bit amateurish.
Most of the windows are not included in the drawing. What we would find extremely appealing is the (probably very expensive) idea of extending the eastern glass area at the southeast corner over two floors, but I couldn’t quickly find this option in the program.
I sketched in the larger bed on the ground floor to show proportions, as this room could potentially serve as a bedroom for us later.
From the linked thread above, it was already suggested by several forum members to locate the living/dining area on the garden level and the sleeping area upstairs.
Our reasons for planning it this way (though we are not yet entirely fixed):
- significantly shorter distances for carrying groceries, taking out trash, etc.
- nicer view from the living area into the greenery/mini-valley I described compared to the basement level
- more spacious feeling with an open ceiling/the gallery
- entering and being able to "just relax"
- simple accommodation of a frailty scenario (potentially living on one floor later, at least for a certain time)
We appreciate any further comments, ideas, etc. — thank you in advance!
Development Plan / Restrictions
Lot size: 791 sqm (8505 sq ft)
Slope: yes
Site coverage ratio: 0.35
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line and boundary: see attachment
Number of parking spaces: 2 (double garage planned)
Number of floors: 2 to 2.5 (garden floor, ground floor, and possibly half an attic as a gallery with open space above ground floor)
Roof type: gable roof (35-42° specified)
Orientation: still open
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in); eaves height 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Additional requirements: Distance from house to street approx. 4.50 m (15 ft), terrain slopes downward from street
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof form, building type:
Unfortunately, the development plan restricts us to a gable roof; if we had free choice, I would have opted for a clear Bauhaus style.
Basement, floors:
Garden floor 1/4 basement, 3/4 sleeping area. Above that, ground floor as living area, possibly a half open attic (gallery with open space + 1 room).
Number of people, ages:
3-4 people: 44 and 46 years old; son 1.5 years old, and husband’s 12-year-old daughter (she either spends every second weekend there or lives there permanently).
Space requirements on ground and upper floors:
Because the garage will likely need a basement due to the slope, we have planned the basement (storage, possibly workshop) there with access both from the garden side and from inside the house. On the garden/basement floor itself: technical room and laundry, three bedrooms, and main bathroom. On the ground floor (level with street, also accessible from garage) is the living area with kitchen, open living and dining area, pantry/utility room, an office/guest room, and a guest bathroom. An architect from a developer suggested the possibility of a half attic as a gallery with open space over the living area and a small room (guest room, office), which I really like.
Office: family use or home office?
There will definitely be some home office usage.
Number of guests per year:
Hard to say, but a small guest room is planned.
Open or closed architecture:
Rather open in the living area; above all, the view into the unbuildable, sloping green space (southeast) should be emphasized by high ceilings (no intermediate floor there) and large windows.
Open kitchen, kitchen island:
Kitchen can be separated by sliding door; no kitchen island needed.
Number of dining seats:
6
Fireplace:
Preferred (or wood stove), but not a must.
Music/Stereo wall:
Yes
Balcony, roof terrace:
Balcony on the ground floor facing southeast (preferably partly recessed into the house, but probably too little space), south side.
Garage, carport:
Garage preferred.
Productive garden, greenhouse:
Partly productive garden, partly digging/play area, partly nice to look at, partly play options for our son.
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be:
We imagine a KfW55 standard house prepared for photovoltaic system installation.
I want the ground floor designed so that if mobility becomes limited in the future, we don’t have to move out immediately but can live on one level. Therefore, an additional room on the ground floor is a must, currently used as office/guest room and potentially convertible into a bedroom. For the same reason, the guest bathroom should already have a shower, and somewhere on the ground floor space for washing machine connections should be planned.
I personally lean toward spaciousness and many rooms but notice that the budget clearly limits this. My partner is more minimalist and wouldn’t mind if the house isn’t too large.
House Design
Planner:
Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
Gallery/open space (openness)
What do you not like? Why?
Less space (e.g. currently small bathroom, which can be adjusted) — budget-driven
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
520,000-550,000 euros gross (very rough estimate, no formal offer yet)
Personal price limit for house including fittings:
530,000 euros (but never say never)
Preferred heating technology:
Air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up, on which details/extensions
- can you live without:
Garage can be shorter
- can you not live without:
Something open (some special feature/beautiful detail)
View of the biotope strip to the southeast
Why is the design the way it is now?
Were the corresponding/which wishes implemented by the architect?
Yes.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your eyes?
Airy, sufficient number of rooms
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Is the layout of the house suitable to meet our requirements?
JayneCobb schrieb:
This design is the first one created, it is from the provider Massiv 1.This design is terrible. It’s complicated, has a lot of hallway space, and a very small kitchen.JayneCobb schrieb:
The first one is from Massiv 2; this house has already been built by them, and I have seen it from the outside.Unfortunately, the basement is missing here, but as far as I can see, it looks much more appealing.The plot is very nice! How do you plan to model it? The neighbor has done quite a bit of filling and leveling.
In post #26, both pictures seem to show the same thing to me, which is apparently just a mirrored and otherwise unchanged plan of a reference customer house. In post #27, the office has a sentimental touch for me—I also had a window like that overlooking the production hall ;-)
At the next photo session, it would be best to place a marker (a tow rope will do) on the lawn where the 4.5 or 5.0 meters (15 ft or 16 ft 5 in) distance from the street would be reached.
Even so, the overall impression of the pictures has already somewhat strengthened my preference for the basement garage—I am still undecided about the living floor.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
At the next photo session, it would be best to place a marker (a tow rope will do) on the lawn where the 4.5 or 5.0 meters (15 ft or 16 ft 5 in) distance from the street would be reached.
Even so, the overall impression of the pictures has already somewhat strengthened my preference for the basement garage—I am still undecided about the living floor.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
J
JayneCobb27 Nov 2020 01:58JayneCobb schrieb:
I have two more designs in store; just photographed, I hope they are clear enough.
The first one is from Massiv 2; this house has already been built by them, and I have seen it from the outside.
By the way, the living areas are on the ground floor and the bedrooms are in the basement. 😉
To better suit our plot, it was mirrored.
The house is very narrow, due to the long, narrow shape of the plot. We wouldn’t necessarily need that.
We actually liked it quite well (this is where we got the idea for the basement garage with direct access to the pantry, which we found great).
What I don’t like is that the kitchen is completely open (I think it’s nice to be able to just close a door after a cooking marathon), and you always have to walk through it to get to the living room.
I think the spot is too narrow to add a wall.
We wouldn’t need the second bathroom downstairs (just saying at this point). Hello everyone,
You’re right, I had saved the ground floor twice.
This time I added the basement floor.
J
JayneCobb27 Nov 2020 02:05icandoit schrieb:
There is an office on the ground floor anyway, so why even have the upper floor? Because I would like to have more rooms (for hobbies, as a guest room, ...) and a sense of spaciousness. Whether that is feasible is another matter.
icandoit schrieb:
It looks nice on the plans and in photos. But it’s different when it comes to feeling like a home. There was a program on WDR about this. The homeowner there also built a very beautiful house with a huge open space. When the acoustics didn’t work out, the architect just shrugged. Well, I currently live in a loft apartment, and I really like it.
icandoit schrieb:
3. Passage to the garage. It’s nice but also adds costs. Fire-rated door, possibly double wall, and don’t forget the increased development costs. I had a similar issue when suddenly the garage counted as living area. Oh, thanks for the tip! I wasn’t aware of that.
J
JayneCobb27 Nov 2020 02:15Elokine schrieb:
The plot is very nice! How do you plan to shape it? The neighbor has built up and leveled their land quite a bit. Thank you! 🙂
Hm, we haven’t thought much about the details yet.
A flat garden would, of course, be practical.
On the side of the house, there will be a path that leads directly down into the garden—probably more gently sloping rather than steep.
The southern part of the plot’s slope is very steep (although the southernmost tip is no longer part of the property, and no construction will happen there), so I was already thinking about staggered planting rings or retaining walls. We’re open to ideas and both enjoy working in the garden (yes, that probably also speaks in favor of having a living area on the lower level … 😉).
JayneCobb schrieb:
Hello everyone,
you’re right, I saved the ground floor twice.
This time I have added the basement. I really like this design—except for the passage to the garage. And you could swap the staircase and the study if you want to integrate the staircase into the living area (I’m not a fan of the typical hallways, but that’s a matter of personal taste).
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