ᐅ House on a slope – approximately 200 square meters of living space
Created on: 1 Nov 2017 07:51
S
SupaCriz
Good morning everyone,
we are building a single-family house with approximately 200 sqm (2,150 sq ft) of living space on a beautiful sloped plot not far from the city center. We shared some initial drafts a few months ago. Since a lot has changed since then, we are posting the current planning status again and look forward to the discussions:
Development plan/restrictions: development plan
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,380 sq ft)
Slope: yes, about 6 m (20 ft) drop over 28 m (92 ft) plot length (southeast facing slope)
Floor area ratio: 0.2
Plot ratio: 0.3 (variations are expected to be approved if the floor area ratio is respected)
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: standard setback distances
Edge development: garage will be built on the boundary line, which is permitted
Number of parking spaces: 1 + garage driveway
Number of storeys: I + IS (meaning 1 full floor + basement level → basement on the slope)
Roof style: no specification
Architectural style: no specification
Orientation: ridge must run east-west
Maximum heights/limits: eaves max. 3.60 m (11.8 ft) above street level
Other requirements
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof with 48° pitch
Basement, floors: basement level – to be used as primary living space on the south slope with access to the terrace
Number of people, ages: parents just over 30, children 0 and 2 years old
Space requirements for ground floor and upper floor: ground floor: main living area and kitchen; upper floor: 3 bedrooms + bathroom; basement: summer living room/playroom with garden access, guest room
Office use: possibly a studio office under the roof (not a decisive factor)
Guests per year: long-term visits anticipated
Open or closed architecture: open
Traditional or modern construction: classic form with large, high windows
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with cold island and seating
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: probably yes, but as an external chimney
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: prefabricated garage with masonry undercroft
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why certain things should be included or excluded:
terrace access at ground level from the basement
photovoltaic system
House design
Who designed it:
- Planner from a construction company (civil engineer) / self-planned by homeowners
What do you particularly like? Why? Large basement room with terrace access. Comfortable overnight accommodation for guests.
What don’t you like? Why? The stair shape is very functional; it optimizes space usage on the upper floor and generally towards the south side of the house. A straight staircase would be preferred visually, though.
The current full storey definition according to the Bavarian Building Code of 1969 forbids, for example, raising the knee wall or adding a second dormer on the upper floor.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: €360,000
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures: 400,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up something, what details/finishes can you live without?
- Can give up: photovoltaic system
- Cannot give up: basement with living-quality standards
Why does the design look the way it does? For example:
Based on the plot conditions and the development plan, we have completely redesigned the first draft step by step, incorporating inspiration from this forum and new build areas (offline) / Pinterest and similar sources (online).
Currently, we are still considering the following questions:
- Floor-to-ceiling windows on the south side: single- or double-leaf? Originally double-leaf with 150 cm (60 inches) width planned. We prefer the look without the division, but then probably max. 120 cm (47 inches) wide would be possible.
- Fixed glazing as a large light strip on the southwest corner of the basement or rather two windows aligned with those above on the west facade?
- Omit the window in the small basement room on the northwest side to improve facade appearance?
- Add 2 extra roof windows next to the dormer on the upper floor to bring more light to the children’s rooms?
- Flooring on ground and basement floors: upper floor will have parquet; still undecided between parquet, continuous granite flooring, or exposed screed/smooth floor for the other two levels
We look forward to your comments!
we are building a single-family house with approximately 200 sqm (2,150 sq ft) of living space on a beautiful sloped plot not far from the city center. We shared some initial drafts a few months ago. Since a lot has changed since then, we are posting the current planning status again and look forward to the discussions:
Development plan/restrictions: development plan
Plot size: 500 sqm (5,380 sq ft)
Slope: yes, about 6 m (20 ft) drop over 28 m (92 ft) plot length (southeast facing slope)
Floor area ratio: 0.2
Plot ratio: 0.3 (variations are expected to be approved if the floor area ratio is respected)
Building envelope, building line and boundaries: standard setback distances
Edge development: garage will be built on the boundary line, which is permitted
Number of parking spaces: 1 + garage driveway
Number of storeys: I + IS (meaning 1 full floor + basement level → basement on the slope)
Roof style: no specification
Architectural style: no specification
Orientation: ridge must run east-west
Maximum heights/limits: eaves max. 3.60 m (11.8 ft) above street level
Other requirements
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof with 48° pitch
Basement, floors: basement level – to be used as primary living space on the south slope with access to the terrace
Number of people, ages: parents just over 30, children 0 and 2 years old
Space requirements for ground floor and upper floor: ground floor: main living area and kitchen; upper floor: 3 bedrooms + bathroom; basement: summer living room/playroom with garden access, guest room
Office use: possibly a studio office under the roof (not a decisive factor)
Guests per year: long-term visits anticipated
Open or closed architecture: open
Traditional or modern construction: classic form with large, high windows
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen with cold island and seating
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: probably yes, but as an external chimney
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: prefabricated garage with masonry undercroft
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why certain things should be included or excluded:
terrace access at ground level from the basement
photovoltaic system
House design
Who designed it:
- Planner from a construction company (civil engineer) / self-planned by homeowners
What do you particularly like? Why? Large basement room with terrace access. Comfortable overnight accommodation for guests.
What don’t you like? Why? The stair shape is very functional; it optimizes space usage on the upper floor and generally towards the south side of the house. A straight staircase would be preferred visually, though.
The current full storey definition according to the Bavarian Building Code of 1969 forbids, for example, raising the knee wall or adding a second dormer on the upper floor.
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: €360,000
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures: 400,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to give up something, what details/finishes can you live without?
- Can give up: photovoltaic system
- Cannot give up: basement with living-quality standards
Why does the design look the way it does? For example:
Based on the plot conditions and the development plan, we have completely redesigned the first draft step by step, incorporating inspiration from this forum and new build areas (offline) / Pinterest and similar sources (online).
Currently, we are still considering the following questions:
- Floor-to-ceiling windows on the south side: single- or double-leaf? Originally double-leaf with 150 cm (60 inches) width planned. We prefer the look without the division, but then probably max. 120 cm (47 inches) wide would be possible.
- Fixed glazing as a large light strip on the southwest corner of the basement or rather two windows aligned with those above on the west facade?
- Omit the window in the small basement room on the northwest side to improve facade appearance?
- Add 2 extra roof windows next to the dormer on the upper floor to bring more light to the children’s rooms?
- Flooring on ground and basement floors: upper floor will have parquet; still undecided between parquet, continuous granite flooring, or exposed screed/smooth floor for the other two levels
We look forward to your comments!
ypg schrieb:
Tinkering with a house design without any understanding of dimensions and proportions doesn’t help anyone here. You could have been a little kinder in praising the new courage, even if it might just be born out of desperation. In my opinion, what has come from the planners so far has certainly been encouragement to do it yourself.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
If my talent for house design were greater, I might have studied something different and would probably be working on an entry for an architectural competition instead of participating in the house building forum —> I am fully aware that this is not the ultimate solution.
That is precisely why I would appreciate it if the focus shifted more towards concrete suggestions for improvement rather than sharp but destructive criticism. Unfortunately, our planners – if anything – are only slightly more skilled than I am in house design, so we are grateful for any specific proposals.
That is precisely why I would appreciate it if the focus shifted more towards concrete suggestions for improvement rather than sharp but destructive criticism. Unfortunately, our planners – if anything – are only slightly more skilled than I am in house design, so we are grateful for any specific proposals.
SupaCriz schrieb:
Unfortunately, our planners—if they are planners at all—are only slightly more skilled than I am when it comes to house design. Well, isn’t that a “pointed but destructive critique”?
But honestly, let’s be frank: if you review the situation, which of our countless objections would you no longer defend against the current drafts of your house? (In many areas, we were at a disadvantage against their Merkel-esque sense of no alternative.)
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
SupaCriz schrieb:
If I had more talent for house planning, I might have studied something else and would now probably be working on an entry for an architectural competition rather than participating in a house building forum —> I am fully aware that this is not the ultimate wisdom.
That’s precisely why I would appreciate if the focus could shift more towards concrete improvement suggestions instead of pointed but destructive criticism. Unfortunately, our planners – if they are planners at all – are only slightly more skilled than I am when it comes to house planning, so we are grateful for every specific proposal.
Tell me about it – none of us have an architectural degree to fall back on.
That’s why a forum can’t simply provide you with a full design.
You can get ideas, improvements, open your eyes, identify mistakes, correct tunnel vision... but you first need a foundational design that can then be optimized.
These are designs that should (in theory) be made by professionals, or designs created by laypersons but already quite optimized regarding room sizes, layout, relationships between spaces… then there is the text that corresponds to what you see drawn.
What I see here – and I don’t want to apologize for speaking frankly – is nothing but one-day sketches where the important rooms are somehow carelessly pushed against the shaded outside wall, so the living area or hobby room can be as large as possible. If you want to use the bathroom, you can barely turn around inside.
At some point, this stops being taken seriously.
From the beginning, I waved my “red flag” and recommended seeing an architect.
I also don’t understand the financial squeeze here, especially since you want around 200 square meters (2,150 square feet). If an architect does the planning, a trained professional will design your house for you and save you about 30 square meters (320 square feet).
You don’t pull your own teeth or build a crown out of epoxy resin yourself.
What’s also missing for improvements is communication from your side: You receive many answers and a lot of feedback. But everyone has also asked you questions about why or how... You don’t answer at all, and instead you ask further questions about issues that at that stage have become completely irrelevant.
Almost everyone urges you to take action, but you don’t respond.
For example, Maria asked you to add furniture to the plan: we’re all waiting for that, because it is a way for you to understand that the layout is problematic.
If communication with the architect was similar, it’s no surprise that nothing came of it.
And honestly: it doesn’t seem like you really want to refine the design. Taking a clueless hour every few months to put something on paper so there is a basis for discussion here is not enough. And it won’t work outside the forum either.
You have, as you say, a nice sloped site. Please put it in experienced hands so that your money is well invested and you will enjoy living in your house.
Ultimately, you are right to want direct access from the living room to the garden. This supports having a combined living, kitchen, and dining area in the basement level. Also, on closer consideration, you don’t necessarily need two living rooms. That’s why we simply tried to follow ypg’s advice from the old thread: “Put the main living floor in the basement, skip the cellar, and spread the rest over the ground floor and attic.”
Since the “layman to the third power” tried it themselves first, it was unfortunately not sufficient. As mentioned, we are open to suggestions. Nothing is without alternatives.
The other points were and still are secondary for us, even though we were also not satisfied with the layout of the auxiliary rooms on the old ground floor...
Since the “layman to the third power” tried it themselves first, it was unfortunately not sufficient. As mentioned, we are open to suggestions. Nothing is without alternatives.
The other points were and still are secondary for us, even though we were also not satisfied with the layout of the auxiliary rooms on the old ground floor...
Please clarify what you mean by "other points" that would be secondary?
If, for example, that includes drawing furniture into the basement, then really no one can help you anymore. You are building a house to live in. Living includes furniture. At least a somewhat reasonable space must be found for it. If you don’t think it’s worth your time to consider where you have space for the kitchen area and dining table, I don’t know what else to say. :-(
If, for example, that includes drawing furniture into the basement, then really no one can help you anymore. You are building a house to live in. Living includes furniture. At least a somewhat reasonable space must be found for it. If you don’t think it’s worth your time to consider where you have space for the kitchen area and dining table, I don’t know what else to say. :-(
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