ᐅ Floor plan design for a single-family house, 165 sqm, without a basement, on a 400 sqm plot
Created on: 10 Aug 2023 09:33
M
Maulwurfbau
At the request of 11ant, here is a post with the completed list ;-) Unfortunately, he still doesn’t have a crystal ball.
Providing all information possible/available at this point in time.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 400 sqm (4300 sq ft)
Slope: No, and no means no!
Floor space index (FSI): 0.4
Floor area ratio (FAR): ?
Building envelope, building line and boundary: Yes, available.
Edge development: Possible with garage.
Number of parking spaces: at least 1, preferably 2
Number of storeys: 1-2
Roof type: Gable roof (pitch minimum 31°, maximum 45°)
Architectural style: ??
Orientation: Gable end facing
Maximum heights / limits: Roof ridge 6-7 m (20-23 ft), eaves 9-12 m (30-39 ft)
Other requirements: No brick facades allowed. Driveway or space in front of garage at least 6 m (20 ft). Red roof tiles mandatory, light facade.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Gable roof, fixed
Basement, storeys: 2 full storeys without basement
Number of occupants, age: 4 people (2 toddlers)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: Family use or home office? Office of approx. 12 sqm (130 sq ft) is a must.
Guest bedrooms per year: Few
Open or closed architecture: ? Whatever that means.
Conservative or modern construction style: rather modern construction.
Open kitchen, cooking island: Open kitchen, possibly with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: NO
Music / stereo wall: Not planned, TV location is quite important.
Balcony, roof terrace: NO
Garage, carport: Garage desired. Carport with storage box also conceivable.
Utility garden, greenhouse: NO
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, preferably with reasons for choices:
Laundry room on the upper floor. They want to do laundry where it is generated and where it must be returned clean. Anything else is a hassle, at least for us.
House Design
Who designed the plan: Architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
Everything we provided as basic information and what our daily life requires has been implemented.
We like the clear lines/structure.
The open space in the hallway.
The connection/proximity of all rooms on ground and upper floors that need water/sewage. So no funny business with the bathroom upstairs in one corner and the utility room diagonally opposite on the ground floor. Personally, I like that.
No bay windows or other awkward extensions.
Laundry room upstairs where the washer and dryer are planned.
What don’t you like? Why?
The living room might be a bit too exposed for us. It could also be a cozy nook with TV without direct view of the kitchen. Cooking and eating together openly is liked; the living room could be a bit more separate. Currently, the floor plan shows it like a narrow, rather shadowy corner.
The somewhat narrow bedroom upstairs is not a dealbreaker but not 100% pleasing.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
-
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures and fittings:
500-575k
Preferred heating system:
Predefined, ground source heat pump with collector. Cold local heating network.
If you have to give up, which details/extras
-can you do without:
The small additional room for the father upstairs.
Garage, as mentioned carport also conceivable.
-can you not do without:
Office.
Storage box at garage or carport.
Children’s rooms.
Why is the design the way it is now? e.g.
The design turned out this way because the architect implemented our wishes and requirements almost 1:1. This preliminary layout resulted in this first version.
What do you consider particularly good or bad?
See what we like and what not. We don’t find anything particularly bad. Rather, not entirely optimal.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Position garage flush with house or set back?
43.5 sqm (468 sq ft) + 4 sqm (43 sq ft) pantry sufficient as “all-purpose room”?
Same floor plan possibly mirrored? Then office on south side, sun all day, blinds always down. Same issue upstairs with bedroom in summer at least. Entrance farther from parking space.
The building method will be timber frame construction with a local timber builder.
This is a first sketch after clarifying needs/wishes with the architect.
Providing all information possible/available at this point in time.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 400 sqm (4300 sq ft)
Slope: No, and no means no!
Floor space index (FSI): 0.4
Floor area ratio (FAR): ?
Building envelope, building line and boundary: Yes, available.
Edge development: Possible with garage.
Number of parking spaces: at least 1, preferably 2
Number of storeys: 1-2
Roof type: Gable roof (pitch minimum 31°, maximum 45°)
Architectural style: ??
Orientation: Gable end facing
Maximum heights / limits: Roof ridge 6-7 m (20-23 ft), eaves 9-12 m (30-39 ft)
Other requirements: No brick facades allowed. Driveway or space in front of garage at least 6 m (20 ft). Red roof tiles mandatory, light facade.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Gable roof, fixed
Basement, storeys: 2 full storeys without basement
Number of occupants, age: 4 people (2 toddlers)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: Family use or home office? Office of approx. 12 sqm (130 sq ft) is a must.
Guest bedrooms per year: Few
Open or closed architecture: ? Whatever that means.
Conservative or modern construction style: rather modern construction.
Open kitchen, cooking island: Open kitchen, possibly with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: NO
Music / stereo wall: Not planned, TV location is quite important.
Balcony, roof terrace: NO
Garage, carport: Garage desired. Carport with storage box also conceivable.
Utility garden, greenhouse: NO
Further wishes / special features / daily routine, preferably with reasons for choices:
Laundry room on the upper floor. They want to do laundry where it is generated and where it must be returned clean. Anything else is a hassle, at least for us.
House Design
Who designed the plan: Architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
Everything we provided as basic information and what our daily life requires has been implemented.
We like the clear lines/structure.
The open space in the hallway.
The connection/proximity of all rooms on ground and upper floors that need water/sewage. So no funny business with the bathroom upstairs in one corner and the utility room diagonally opposite on the ground floor. Personally, I like that.
No bay windows or other awkward extensions.
Laundry room upstairs where the washer and dryer are planned.
What don’t you like? Why?
The living room might be a bit too exposed for us. It could also be a cozy nook with TV without direct view of the kitchen. Cooking and eating together openly is liked; the living room could be a bit more separate. Currently, the floor plan shows it like a narrow, rather shadowy corner.
The somewhat narrow bedroom upstairs is not a dealbreaker but not 100% pleasing.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
-
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures and fittings:
500-575k
Preferred heating system:
Predefined, ground source heat pump with collector. Cold local heating network.
If you have to give up, which details/extras
-can you do without:
The small additional room for the father upstairs.
Garage, as mentioned carport also conceivable.
-can you not do without:
Office.
Storage box at garage or carport.
Children’s rooms.
Why is the design the way it is now? e.g.
The design turned out this way because the architect implemented our wishes and requirements almost 1:1. This preliminary layout resulted in this first version.
What do you consider particularly good or bad?
See what we like and what not. We don’t find anything particularly bad. Rather, not entirely optimal.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Position garage flush with house or set back?
43.5 sqm (468 sq ft) + 4 sqm (43 sq ft) pantry sufficient as “all-purpose room”?
Same floor plan possibly mirrored? Then office on south side, sun all day, blinds always down. Same issue upstairs with bedroom in summer at least. Entrance farther from parking space.
The building method will be timber frame construction with a local timber builder.
This is a first sketch after clarifying needs/wishes with the architect.
M
Maulwurfbau11 Aug 2023 15:31ypg schrieb:
What do you think about this idea? Well, the living, dining, and kitchen concept here is quite compact, arranged in a line, with a block next to the neighbor’s garage right behind the dining table. And even less of the house area is dedicated to this purpose compared to my current design, where just over half of the space is used for that.
As for the layout, yeah, maybe with a platform staircase. I don’t like the upper floor. There is no walk-in closet, the bathroom is too small, and there’s no laundry area where the laundry is generated and can be put away clean again. We are really tired of carrying mountains of laundry down from the upper floor to wash it, and then back up to put it away and wear again. That cycle needs to stop. So a few key things are missing on the upper floor that we have listed in our requirements.
Otherwise, it’s not bad, but as it is now, without changes, it doesn’t suit us. Also, the plot extends another meter (3 feet) to the back.
H
hanghaus202311 Aug 2023 16:00Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Also the length still needs an extra meter of land towards the back.No. It’s exactly 12 m (39 feet), just like your designs.That has to be respected if it’s not yours.
But a few objections/questions.
You don’t have to build right up against the neighbor’s property and still have enough space left for a hedge so you don’t see the neighbor.
Which purpose?
Think about the thousands of steps… and please don’t overcomplicate your house planning – you’ll do yourself a favor by staying realistic.
But a few objections/questions.
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
with block on neighbor’s garage next to the dining table.
You don’t have to build right up against the neighbor’s property and still have enough space left for a hedge so you don’t see the neighbor.
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
this purpose
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
for this purpose
Which purpose?
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
We are so tired of carrying piles of laundry down from the upper floor to wash them,
Think about the thousands of steps… and please don’t overcomplicate your house planning – you’ll do yourself a favor by staying realistic.
M
Maulwurfbau11 Aug 2023 17:07Oh wow, that sounds quite pessimistic. I really hope it’s not too unrealistic to want a laundry room on the upper floor. If it is, then you might as well give up on everything else. That would be even more unrealistic. 😳 😱 😀
Before we get any misunderstandings…
Regarding your questions
this is clarified by the following requirement:
I don’t find the interior of the house particularly modern. An open space and, as people like to say here on the forum (not me), an aircraft carrier don’t necessarily make the interior modern.
You can’t really say that in principle, since the layout plays a role.
43 sqm (468 sq ft) can be enough, but please then not with an oversized island taking up 60 sqm (645 sq ft) of space. At least the kitchen should allow a flow that fits daily activities. Here, it is positioned exactly where you would prefer to enter the kitchen via a short route. The kitchen forms a loop with a bottleneck leading to a room that should be reachable quickly (from the entrance or hallway).
Regarding the dining area: 3 meters (10 feet) width is a must. Also, you need to ensure that you can reach the patio door without a slalom. The living room should have a TV spot that is important to you. I don’t see that here—it’s too narrow and too long.
I would therefore design the all-purpose room more in an L shape: dining in the southwest, kitchen in the south, relaxing area in the northwest. Ideally, the bedroom above that.
No, the floor plan has too many flaws for that. Even if your wishes are met, they remain. And you’re here so that people point out those flaws to you.
Well, in winter you’ll appreciate having enough daylight there. Guests probably prefer sunny rooms as well. Just to mention: your dad’s room is also in the south, even if small in area!
I would always try to assign secondary rooms to the darker side when possible, and living areas to the brighter side. Shading is a topic anyway, and if you’re aware, you can plan windows smartly to avoid overheating.
Upstairs, I would try to put the narrower half of the house on the side of the secondary rooms, since they can handle it. Bathroom, laundry, and dressing room can fit well there. The northwest would be for the bedrooms. The children’s rooms then in the bright south with the roughly 3-meter (10 feet) width. We’ll have to see.
Of course, not everything can be implemented as theoretically ideal, but this is how I would at least initially arrange the rooms.
Regarding your questions
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Placement of garage flush with the house or set back?
this is clarified by the following requirement:
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Driveway or space in front of the garage at least 6 m (20 feet).
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Rather a modern building style.
I don’t find the interior of the house particularly modern. An open space and, as people like to say here on the forum (not me), an aircraft carrier don’t necessarily make the interior modern.
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
43.5 sqm (468 sq ft) + 4 sqm (43 sq ft) pantry enough as an “all-purpose room”?
You can’t really say that in principle, since the layout plays a role.
43 sqm (468 sq ft) can be enough, but please then not with an oversized island taking up 60 sqm (645 sq ft) of space. At least the kitchen should allow a flow that fits daily activities. Here, it is positioned exactly where you would prefer to enter the kitchen via a short route. The kitchen forms a loop with a bottleneck leading to a room that should be reachable quickly (from the entrance or hallway).
Regarding the dining area: 3 meters (10 feet) width is a must. Also, you need to ensure that you can reach the patio door without a slalom. The living room should have a TV spot that is important to you. I don’t see that here—it’s too narrow and too long.
I would therefore design the all-purpose room more in an L shape: dining in the southwest, kitchen in the south, relaxing area in the northwest. Ideally, the bedroom above that.
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Same floor plan, possibly mirrored?
No, the floor plan has too many flaws for that. Even if your wishes are met, they remain. And you’re here so that people point out those flaws to you.
Maulwurfbau schrieb:
Then the office on the south side, with sun all day, blinds always down. Same situation upstairs with the bedroom, at least in summer.
Well, in winter you’ll appreciate having enough daylight there. Guests probably prefer sunny rooms as well. Just to mention: your dad’s room is also in the south, even if small in area!
I would always try to assign secondary rooms to the darker side when possible, and living areas to the brighter side. Shading is a topic anyway, and if you’re aware, you can plan windows smartly to avoid overheating.
Upstairs, I would try to put the narrower half of the house on the side of the secondary rooms, since they can handle it. Bathroom, laundry, and dressing room can fit well there. The northwest would be for the bedrooms. The children’s rooms then in the bright south with the roughly 3-meter (10 feet) width. We’ll have to see.
Of course, not everything can be implemented as theoretically ideal, but this is how I would at least initially arrange the rooms.
M
Maulwurfbau11 Aug 2023 19:14Yes, thanks a lot for the detailed analysis.
I generally agree with it. It all sounds plausible.
It also sounds a bit like, if you want to keep the straight staircase anyway, then keep it, but arrange the rest differently.
One thing I am curious about, though.
What would be considered modern then?
I generally agree with it. It all sounds plausible.
It also sounds a bit like, if you want to keep the straight staircase anyway, then keep it, but arrange the rest differently.
One thing I am curious about, though.
What would be considered modern then?
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