ᐅ Floor Plan Single-Family Home with Granny Flat as a Three-Unit Residence

Created on: 5 Jul 2021 06:50
F
florian93
Hello everyone,

I have been a quiet reader here for a long time and have gained a lot of information and ideas from this forum. Many thanks for that!

Since the end of last year, we have been looking into building a house. Initially, we spoke with a few turnkey construction companies. We moved forward with planning more concretely with one company. However, we were never completely satisfied with the results, as we felt the flexibility and individuality were always limited beyond a certain point. Meanwhile, we have turned to an architect from the neighboring village who will support us from planning to the finished house (phases 1-8). We have now reached the point of a "final" draft including a cost estimate.

Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 709 sqm (7,630 sq ft)
Slope: No
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Floor space index (FSI): 0.8
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge construction: garage
Number of parking spaces: 1.5 per residential unit (= 5)
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: 38-47° (100-116°F) gable or half-hipped roof
Style: No specification
Orientation: No specification
Maximum height/restrictions: None
Other requirements: None

Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Classic-modern, gable roof
Basement, floors: 2 full floors (according to development plan only 1.5 => however, neighbors in the immediate area have been granted permission for 2 as long as the overall height does not exceed 1.5, which requires a lower roof pitch)
Number of people, age:
  • Currently: 3 (Dad 27, Mom 25, son 1)
  • Future: 4-5 (Dad, Mom, 2-3 children) + 2 in granny flat (parents, in about 5-10 years)

Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
  • Ground floor + upper floor:
    • Size: approx. 160-180 sqm (1,722-1,938 sq ft); inspired by the new build of an acquaintance
    • Rooms ground floor: open kitchen/dining/living area + small pantry, office, utility/technical room, guest WC
    • Rooms upper floor: large bathroom, master bedroom, 3 children’s rooms
  • Granny flat:
    • Size: approx. 50 sqm (538 sq ft); based on our old 2-room apartment
    • Rooms: open kitchen/dining/living area, bathroom, bedroom


Office: home office
Overnight guests per year: can sleep on the sofa
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open, kitchen island maybe
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: provision for future installation
Music/stereo wall: No
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: garage, but also open to a carport (depending on savings)
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: No, possibly a small utility area in the garden
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions: None

House design
Who designed the plan: architect
What do you especially like? Why?
  • Use as a single-family house plus granny flat, with the option to separate into 3 units later, e.g., when children grow older or if renting is desired
  • Separate garden areas for the main house and granny flat
  • Large windows facing south => lots of daylight (neighbor to the south is quite far away + good privacy to the east thanks to granny flat)
  • Garden/terraces on the south side
  • Direct access to the garage from inside
  • Direct access to the granny flat for times of sole family use

What do you dislike? Why?
  • Very dark entrance area
  • Concern that the kitchen/dining/living area might be too small or cramped

Cost estimate according to architect/planner:
  • Note: everything calculated very generously based on current raw material prices
  • All-in: 778k (we already own the serviced land)
  • of which 40k are additional construction costs
  • of which 35k already planned for furnishings
  • of which 50k already planned for outdoor facilities and open spaces
  • Resulting in:
    • after deductions for subsidies: 662k (3x KfW 40 Plus + energy consultant = 116k)
    • after deductions for assured DIY work: 642k
    • after deduction of approx. 160k for granny flat (financed by parents): 482k


Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: Is it even possible to define this nowadays?
Preferred heating system: heat pump

If you had to give up something, which features/extensions
- you can live without: fireplace (or just fireplace preparation), smart home (I’m an IT professional and can retrofit it myself later)
- you cannot live without: none

Why does the design look as it does now? For example:
Standard design from the planner? Basic idea is ours + several discussions with the architect
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
  • Almost all of our wishes
  • Staircase with straight steps

What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
  • Good: not a run-of-the-mill standard design, visually very appealing (in our opinion)
  • Bad: nothing


What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summed up in 130 characters?
  • We would simply like some unbiased opinions/optimizations from third parties
  • How can the entrance area be improved in terms of natural light?


Cadastral map with parcels marked in pink, buildings, and blue pin.


Satellite image of a residential area with yellow property boundaries and blue marker.


Architectural plan with floor plans, cross-sections, and elevations for a new residential house with garage.
Y
Ysop***
5 Jul 2021 17:36
I believe the original poster understood the situation with the granny flat ;-)

In my opinion, it is definitely possible to start planning the kitchen before everything else is finalized. There are even people who design the entire house around the kitchen. However, I understand that in this project, which needs to address several different aspects, the kitchen probably cannot be the top priority.

Still, here is a quick sketch to show what I meant by the aircraft carrier (as you can see, I’m not much of an artist :P).

Alternatively, you could rotate the island 90 degrees if you want to keep the rest of the layout as is. That would probably be easier.



Floor plan of a house with a garage (2 parking spaces), living room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, hallway.
K
kbt09
5 Jul 2021 18:56
@ysop .. at least a starting point ... the storage area is generally narrower, as it is more of a utility closet for the vacuum cleaner etc., and possibly access from the hallway.

And, very briefly about the granny flat ... I find the kitchenette absolutely terrible. It matches the 280 cm (110 inches) kitchen unit from the DIY store.
11ant5 Jul 2021 19:06
ypg schrieb:

There is no reason to see a psychologist if you want to feel comfortable and active in your longtime home for another 15 to 20 years,
Not in the sense that it would be a condition requiring help. But simply because I believe that the older generation doesn’t want to offend the younger ones with their charming idea of including them in building plans; yet in reality, when Dad retires, they don’t move there because Mom finds the distance to her bridge club too far. Or the two then spend half the year traveling with the motorhome across La Gomera or through Tibet. “Old age” (beyond the seven mountains, with the seven dwarfs) is something completely different than real retirement when it actually arrives. Tomorrow, tomorrow, just not today—that’s the day most people quit smoking. Why would moving in with the children be any different? — you can’t keep a farmer in bed until 7 a.m. just because he’s retired; he’s just not used to that. It definitely makes sense to professionally separate dreams from realistic expectations. Otherwise, I foresee that in about ten years, the homeowners will change their plans as this realization develops alongside my pessimistic warnings ;-)
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
M
Myrna_Loy
5 Jul 2021 19:11
Or the two additional units are simply there to receive more subsidies and, if necessary, so that a single parent left behind can move in later.
Y
Ysop***
5 Jul 2021 19:32
But I don’t see any subsidy for the third unit. It is only possible to divide it at a later time. Currently, it is a residential building with a granny flat. Or am I mistaken?
Y
ypg
5 Jul 2021 20:24
Ysop*** schrieb:

But I don’t see any funding for the third unit. It’s only possible to split it at some point. Currently, it’s a residential building with a granny flat. Or am I wrong?

I think it hasn’t been fully considered yet. I already mentioned it or asked how the granny flat financed by the parents fits into this.

I believe the OP is a bit shocked 😳