Hello everyone,
Attached is our floor plan. Our designer has now set almost all the windows at a sill height of 100cm (40 inches) and made them 126cm (50 inches) tall. Somehow, I don’t really like these windows. I often see these continuous bands of windows in new builds, which I find very appealing. What are the standard sill heights for those, and what height do those windows typically have?
How would you position the windows in my floor plan? The south side of the living room is almost certain—that means a 3-meter (10-foot) sliding door plus a double window in the kitchen (sill height 125cm (49 inches), 201cm x 101cm (79 inches x 40 inches)). But I’m totally unsure about the west side—what sill heights, window widths, and window heights would you choose there?
Attached is our floor plan. Our designer has now set almost all the windows at a sill height of 100cm (40 inches) and made them 126cm (50 inches) tall. Somehow, I don’t really like these windows. I often see these continuous bands of windows in new builds, which I find very appealing. What are the standard sill heights for those, and what height do those windows typically have?
How would you position the windows in my floor plan? The south side of the living room is almost certain—that means a 3-meter (10-foot) sliding door plus a double window in the kitchen (sill height 125cm (49 inches), 201cm x 101cm (79 inches x 40 inches)). But I’m totally unsure about the west side—what sill heights, window widths, and window heights would you choose there?
Take a look at your emergency plans:
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-zu-efh-erwuenscht-versetztes-Pultdach.9871/
At the moment, I see more potential there...
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/Grundriss-zu-efh-erwuenscht-versetztes-Pultdach.9871/
At the moment, I see more potential there...
@ Wanderdüne
I don’t understand the issue with the staircase – why is it considered risky or uncomfortable?
And access to the basement is simply via a quarter-turn staircase.
In my opinion, that would definitely work. Whether it is "beautiful" or "good" is up to the client to decide.
@ zovima15
We roughly worked on a floor plan that you then modified according to your preferences (and it was quite good). Why are you now presenting completely changed floor plans for discussion that contain the exact same “errors” as before? The same weaknesses have reappeared, and a solution was already provided!
@ all home builders
It’s unfortunate that sometimes architects or planners (whether inside or outside of construction companies) don’t have good ideas on how to solve complicated floor plans. Maybe they simply don’t have enough time. But if you use this forum to gather ideas and suggestions to compensate for a lack of expertise, and you receive many responses leading to clear solutions, eventually you have to make a decision. Why is this so difficult nowadays?
A solution is finally on the table, and then the planner’s drama starts again – over-improving and asking whether it might still work differently... Just settle on a solution, make your decision, and start building! Inner peace and excitement come with the decision! You can’t avoid this, and the sooner you trust your gut feeling in such matters, the better!
Enjoy your new home.
I don’t understand the issue with the staircase – why is it considered risky or uncomfortable?
And access to the basement is simply via a quarter-turn staircase.
In my opinion, that would definitely work. Whether it is "beautiful" or "good" is up to the client to decide.
@ zovima15
We roughly worked on a floor plan that you then modified according to your preferences (and it was quite good). Why are you now presenting completely changed floor plans for discussion that contain the exact same “errors” as before? The same weaknesses have reappeared, and a solution was already provided!
@ all home builders
It’s unfortunate that sometimes architects or planners (whether inside or outside of construction companies) don’t have good ideas on how to solve complicated floor plans. Maybe they simply don’t have enough time. But if you use this forum to gather ideas and suggestions to compensate for a lack of expertise, and you receive many responses leading to clear solutions, eventually you have to make a decision. Why is this so difficult nowadays?
A solution is finally on the table, and then the planner’s drama starts again – over-improving and asking whether it might still work differently... Just settle on a solution, make your decision, and start building! Inner peace and excitement come with the decision! You can’t avoid this, and the sooner you trust your gut feeling in such matters, the better!
Enjoy your new home.
W
Wanderdüne25 Jun 2014 09:30Elchitekt schrieb:
@ Wanderdüne
I don’t understand the issue with the staircase – why is it considered risky or uncomfortable?
And the basement is accessed via a quarter-turn staircase.
In my opinion, that would definitely work. Whether it is "nice" or "good" is up to the homeowner to decide. The staircase is drawn straight, but if the turning happens entirely within the straight section, I see that more as a makeshift solution, and I find such a staircase uncomfortable to use. Having to negotiate two of these staircases to reach the basement... I don’t think that should be necessary in a new build. (Not to mention the impracticality of bringing laundry down to the basement, doing the laundry there, and then carrying it back up to the ground floor or attic.)
As for whether using this staircase is actually riskier than other types of stairs, I have no data to support that—just a feeling, which could be wrong.
I can only evaluate the drawings provided by the original poster, and I’m sure your design was better.
In general, I don’t understand the original poster either, since their approach seems economically unwise and significantly reduces the achievable quality of life in the house.
Best regards,
Wanderdüne
Wanderdüne schrieb:
if the spiral happens entirely in the straight section, I see that more as a makeshift solution, In that respect, I agree with you.
Wanderdüne schrieb:
But I can only evaluate the drawings from the original poster, and I’m sure your design was better. I don’t know and can hardly judge that myself. I only offered my assistance and proposed an architecturally feasible solution that was different from the newly presented options here.
@ elchitekt: Unlike the design I sent you earlier, I only made some changes in the bathroom / cloakroom area. I don’t understand where your change of opinion is coming from.
Here’s the design I sent you again:
@ Wanderdüne: I agree with you about the staircase—it’s not drawn correctly and wouldn’t work as is. However, there is still room to install a proper quarter-turn staircase. That said, I don’t accept the objection that we have to go to the basement for laundry. Even though a utility room on the ground floor is common nowadays, not everyone has a suitable plot for that.
@ all: I know the floor plan isn’t ideal regarding cost and functionality. But you shouldn’t compare apples to oranges; the boundary conditions always need to be kept in mind.
1. The staircase only makes sense there because otherwise, the upper floor would have too much hallway space and the rooms would be too small. You simply need to have a central exit at the top.
2. Having the entrance on the east side is a must for us, so that as much garden space as possible remains on the south side.
There are many great designs like this online with the staircase located in the north part of the house, which is where I also think it belongs. Of course, you can compensate somewhat by enlarging the southern area, but that drives costs up significantly.
I think under these conditions, there won’t be a perfect floor plan—only one where you have to overlook a few drawbacks.
Here’s the design I sent you again:
@ Wanderdüne: I agree with you about the staircase—it’s not drawn correctly and wouldn’t work as is. However, there is still room to install a proper quarter-turn staircase. That said, I don’t accept the objection that we have to go to the basement for laundry. Even though a utility room on the ground floor is common nowadays, not everyone has a suitable plot for that.
@ all: I know the floor plan isn’t ideal regarding cost and functionality. But you shouldn’t compare apples to oranges; the boundary conditions always need to be kept in mind.
1. The staircase only makes sense there because otherwise, the upper floor would have too much hallway space and the rooms would be too small. You simply need to have a central exit at the top.
2. Having the entrance on the east side is a must for us, so that as much garden space as possible remains on the south side.
There are many great designs like this online with the staircase located in the north part of the house, which is where I also think it belongs. Of course, you can compensate somewhat by enlarging the southern area, but that drives costs up significantly.
I think under these conditions, there won’t be a perfect floor plan—only one where you have to overlook a few drawbacks.
Compromises always have to be made, that’s true. The question is just where to make them, because you don’t want to lose too much living quality.
In my opinion, the last design you showed is still the best: The slanted wall in the cloakroom makes the bathroom awkward and hard to use. That’s why this one is already better.
“Optimal” floor plans are always a matter of personal preference for the future user. For example, I personally thought the position of the home office I suggested—and the resulting change in the kitchen/cloakroom layout—was a bit better, otherwise I wouldn’t have proposed it. But of course, I’m not the one who has to decide.
The “problem” with forums like this is that you will always find supporters and opponents of any design. There will always be someone who would do something differently or really dislikes an idea. Whether critics have a better solution is another question. Beyond a certain point, open discussion no longer helps—in fact, it only creates more uncertainty. That’s when you should make your own decision.
I (and many others) am still happy to support you if you want to move forward.
Best regards
In my opinion, the last design you showed is still the best: The slanted wall in the cloakroom makes the bathroom awkward and hard to use. That’s why this one is already better.
“Optimal” floor plans are always a matter of personal preference for the future user. For example, I personally thought the position of the home office I suggested—and the resulting change in the kitchen/cloakroom layout—was a bit better, otherwise I wouldn’t have proposed it. But of course, I’m not the one who has to decide.
The “problem” with forums like this is that you will always find supporters and opponents of any design. There will always be someone who would do something differently or really dislikes an idea. Whether critics have a better solution is another question. Beyond a certain point, open discussion no longer helps—in fact, it only creates more uncertainty. That’s when you should make your own decision.
I (and many others) am still happy to support you if you want to move forward.
Best regards
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