ᐅ Floor plan for a spacious, accessible single-family home

Created on: 30 Jun 2024 19:29
I
IMOliver
We would like to present the plans for our "retirement home."
Now that most of the children have moved out, we wanted a house just for the two of us without many compromises.
It will surely attract some controversial comments, but that’s exactly what makes it interesting.

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size 660m2 (7100 sq ft)
No slope
Located in village center, no formal development plan / zoning restrictions
Triple garage
2 full stories
Roof type: gable
Style: traditional / classic
Orientation: south
No height limits / restrictions – "adapted to the surroundings"

Homeowners' Requirements
Style, roof type, building type
No basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 people, 50+
Important features:
- a large wellness room on the upper floor
- spacious kitchen and pantry
- generous bedroom with dressing area
- generally large, open rooms
- low-barrier design (you’re not getting any younger)

House Design
Planning developed by:
- 90% do-it-yourself
Two-story house with gable roof and extension; views from north, south, east, west.

Detailed building plan: floor plan with rooms, dimensions, and red walls.

Floor plan of living/upper floor with bedroom, child’s room, bathroom, corridor, utility room, and garage; red exterior walls.
S
Schorsch_baut
30 Jun 2024 23:05
How old is the homeowner? Late 40s? Then you can dream of a spacious house without serious accessibility features. By your late 50s, you should have experienced enough of life to realistically understand what living conditions will be like in old age. And plan more wisely accordingly. As a widower or widow, such a large house can become just a block with many empty rooms. As someone with mobility impairments, you’ll wish you had prioritized accessibility over spaciousness. My parents are in their late 60s and late 70s, and we are currently remodeling the house for the second time, planning a retirement home for when only one of them is left and needs assistance.
Y
ypg
30 Jun 2024 23:32
There is almost nothing accessible.
If the elevator is installed as planned, it still won’t be possible to move from the hallway into the living area with walking aids, a walker, or a wheelchair.
Pantry through a kitchen cabinet: not accessible. T-bar partition in the bathroom: not accessible. And so on.
Unfortunately, I can’t identify the plot. But if the garage covers more than 80cm² (860 sq ft), then the plot is probably compromised in some way.
Space is generally great. And if you can afford it, it’s also practical in old age. We built more living area than others when we were over 50. We love it. That way, no chair needs to be moved while cleaning. But a large living room alone does not create spaciousness. The visual lines are missing. Here, the sightlines are counterproductive, only facing walls without any view to the garden.
Living space used as a passageway can work if there are no children—then no one gets disturbed. But the distance between sofa and TV is too great (this is also an age-related issue. No one needs distances as large as those found at the eye doctor). The kitchen is too far from the entrance for me (despite the supposed “accessible” 75cm (30 inch) step-door).
The building services generate noise, so having the technical room and a door to the freezer room right next to the seating area is avoided.
From the outside, it looks quite middle-class and resembles a two-family house. The DIY approach is very obvious. But inside, it somehow doesn’t feel well-thought-out; it seems designed with a narrow focus. That’s just my opinion.
H
hanghaus2023
3 Jul 2024 15:37
Has the planner ever heard of setback requirements? It seems a bit tight in the west. Why build a 12.5m x 14m (41 ft x 46 ft) house and then have barely 1m (3 ft) of space at the property line?

I can only recommend consulting an architect here.
H
hanghaus2023
3 Jul 2024 15:46
Where is the driveway? There is an existing building there.

Did I miss the budget information?

A stairlift doesn’t require extra space. It’s not that expensive either.