ᐅ Collection of Ideas for Single-Family House Floor Plans, Open Construction Method
Created on: 1 Aug 2018 10:04
T
T7891
Hello,
until now I have only been reading along here. We have now "spontaneously" bought a plot in the Würzburg district where I would like to build a single-family house next year (I have already started a thread for the architect search). So far, I am open regarding the construction method and the planning/execution of the project. Houses of friends have inspired me to roughly plan my "own" floor plan. However, I am not completely satisfied with it and would like to share my "requirements specification" and designs here. Maybe you can give me some helpful advice.
The main "problem" is the ground floor; I am confident I can accommodate everything I imagine sensibly on the upper floor.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Plot size 642m² (7,016 sq ft)
Slope minimal
Site coverage ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio / Building envelope, building line and boundary legal 3m (10 ft) setbacks
Adjacent buildings
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys Ground floor + attic or Ground floor + intermediate + attic possible
Roof type Preferred: staggered shed roof, gable roof possible
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights / restrictions see development plan
Other requirements Noise protection
Homeowners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type modern / "not a house that looks like every other one," hence the desire for a shed roof
Basement, storeys basement + ground floor + intermediate floor
Number of residents, age two adults + 1 child + 1 additional child planned
Space requirements on ground floor: living/dining/kitchen (>70m² (750 sq ft)); pantry (5m² (54 sq ft)), WC (3m² (32 sq ft)), entrance area (10m² (108 sq ft)), office (12m² (129 sq ft)) , upper floor: bedroom (12-15m² (129-161 sq ft)), dressing room (10m² (108 sq ft)), bathroom (20m² (215 sq ft)), children’s bathroom (6-8m² (65-86 sq ft)), 2 x children’s rooms (>20m² (215 sq ft)), possibly storage room
Office: family use or home office? home office and sleeping option
Overnight guests per year estimated 10 overnight stays/year
Open-plan or closed layout open!
Conservative or modern construction modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island open kitchen with large kitchen island (approx. 3 x 1.2m (10 x 4 ft)) + at least an L-shape around the island
Number of dining seats a 2 x 1m (6.5 x 3.3 ft) table should fit with seating all around
Fireplace yes!
Music / stereo wall TV wall with surround system
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage, carport double garage, ideally with deep parking space
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why certain things should or should not be included: Piano space must be provided (take fireplace into account), a staircase from the living area would be nice (basement stairs possibly separate), a view from the upper stair landing into the ground floor would be nice, staircase only with straight steps (landing stairs or straight), terraces on the south and west sides (neighbors to be considered on south side), entrance area must be accessible both from the front door and the garage
House design
Who made the plans: own design
What do you particularly like? Why? room layout (design 002) (approx. 13 x 11m (43 x 36 ft))
What do you not like? Why? space for the fireplace, hardly any south terrace, which can also be obstructed by neighbors
What do you particularly like? Why? larger south terrace possible (elongated design) (approx. 15 x 10m (49 x 33 ft)) (question is how large the room can be without support)
What do you not like? Why? space for the fireplace, where should the staircase go, kitchen island possibly too large as drawn
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house including features: around 450,000€ (about 450k euros)
Preferred heating system: not yet specified, no gas, preferably autonomous (solar, photovoltaic, possibly heat pump,...) not a zero-energy or plus-energy house!
If you have to give up something, which details/expansions
-can you do without: tbd
-can you not do without: tbd
Maybe you can give me some additional ideas.
until now I have only been reading along here. We have now "spontaneously" bought a plot in the Würzburg district where I would like to build a single-family house next year (I have already started a thread for the architect search). So far, I am open regarding the construction method and the planning/execution of the project. Houses of friends have inspired me to roughly plan my "own" floor plan. However, I am not completely satisfied with it and would like to share my "requirements specification" and designs here. Maybe you can give me some helpful advice.
The main "problem" is the ground floor; I am confident I can accommodate everything I imagine sensibly on the upper floor.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Plot size 642m² (7,016 sq ft)
Slope minimal
Site coverage ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio / Building envelope, building line and boundary legal 3m (10 ft) setbacks
Adjacent buildings
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys Ground floor + attic or Ground floor + intermediate + attic possible
Roof type Preferred: staggered shed roof, gable roof possible
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights / restrictions see development plan
Other requirements Noise protection
Homeowners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type modern / "not a house that looks like every other one," hence the desire for a shed roof
Basement, storeys basement + ground floor + intermediate floor
Number of residents, age two adults + 1 child + 1 additional child planned
Space requirements on ground floor: living/dining/kitchen (>70m² (750 sq ft)); pantry (5m² (54 sq ft)), WC (3m² (32 sq ft)), entrance area (10m² (108 sq ft)), office (12m² (129 sq ft)) , upper floor: bedroom (12-15m² (129-161 sq ft)), dressing room (10m² (108 sq ft)), bathroom (20m² (215 sq ft)), children’s bathroom (6-8m² (65-86 sq ft)), 2 x children’s rooms (>20m² (215 sq ft)), possibly storage room
Office: family use or home office? home office and sleeping option
Overnight guests per year estimated 10 overnight stays/year
Open-plan or closed layout open!
Conservative or modern construction modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island open kitchen with large kitchen island (approx. 3 x 1.2m (10 x 4 ft)) + at least an L-shape around the island
Number of dining seats a 2 x 1m (6.5 x 3.3 ft) table should fit with seating all around
Fireplace yes!
Music / stereo wall TV wall with surround system
Balcony, roof terrace no
Garage, carport double garage, ideally with deep parking space
Utility garden, greenhouse no
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why certain things should or should not be included: Piano space must be provided (take fireplace into account), a staircase from the living area would be nice (basement stairs possibly separate), a view from the upper stair landing into the ground floor would be nice, staircase only with straight steps (landing stairs or straight), terraces on the south and west sides (neighbors to be considered on south side), entrance area must be accessible both from the front door and the garage
House design
Who made the plans: own design
What do you particularly like? Why? room layout (design 002) (approx. 13 x 11m (43 x 36 ft))
What do you not like? Why? space for the fireplace, hardly any south terrace, which can also be obstructed by neighbors
What do you particularly like? Why? larger south terrace possible (elongated design) (approx. 15 x 10m (49 x 33 ft)) (question is how large the room can be without support)
What do you not like? Why? space for the fireplace, where should the staircase go, kitchen island possibly too large as drawn
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house including features: around 450,000€ (about 450k euros)
Preferred heating system: not yet specified, no gas, preferably autonomous (solar, photovoltaic, possibly heat pump,...) not a zero-energy or plus-energy house!
If you have to give up something, which details/expansions
-can you do without: tbd
-can you not do without: tbd
Maybe you can give me some additional ideas.
Even if this is not the answer you were aiming for: I said mostly, meaning there were certainly positive aspects or light spots, which we also felt, and these resembled our designs. To be clear: I do not see the problems with us!
In general, it seems that currently no one really needs to build a house (except the builders themselves), which certainly affects the quality and effort some companies put in. It is clear that those companies will not make the shortlist.
There are still two (up to three) companies on the shortlist with whom we could imagine building. All three offer the floor plan shown above. None of these companies raised any concerns regarding the floor plan, nor did various friends, acquaintances, or family members who reviewed it. Therefore, I wanted to ask here for additional advice.
We conducted the discussions openly and especially with the companies started from a blank slate, not presenting our design right away. Rather, after their initial proposal, we actively compared it with our floor plan and discussed the pros and cons of each.
An alternative floor plan with about 12sqm (130sqft) less area per floor is available and could possibly be expanded to 20sqm (215sqft) less per floor if needed, in case the budget becomes tight.
However, it is all based on the same principle. If you find any major mistakes, we will have to revisit it. Likewise, you might be able to point out less obvious cost drivers.
In general, it seems that currently no one really needs to build a house (except the builders themselves), which certainly affects the quality and effort some companies put in. It is clear that those companies will not make the shortlist.
There are still two (up to three) companies on the shortlist with whom we could imagine building. All three offer the floor plan shown above. None of these companies raised any concerns regarding the floor plan, nor did various friends, acquaintances, or family members who reviewed it. Therefore, I wanted to ask here for additional advice.
We conducted the discussions openly and especially with the companies started from a blank slate, not presenting our design right away. Rather, after their initial proposal, we actively compared it with our floor plan and discussed the pros and cons of each.
An alternative floor plan with about 12sqm (130sqft) less area per floor is available and could possibly be expanded to 20sqm (215sqft) less per floor if needed, in case the budget becomes tight.
However, it is all based on the same principle. If you find any major mistakes, we will have to revisit it. Likewise, you might be able to point out less obvious cost drivers.
To me, this is not a fully clear floor plan at all. Sure, you can guess some things, but there are missing doors, windows, and room names – I don’t even know where the entrance is. The furnishing is also quite questionable in parts – so many niches and corners that no one understands the purpose of. Sorry, it’s too confusing for me.
I have now labeled the rooms and drawn in the doors. This doesn’t necessarily make the layout clearer but might help with understanding.
I have also marked the windows but deliberately did not provide dimensions. Firstly, I want to stick to available/standard sizes, which I am not familiar with, and secondly, especially on the upper floor, the sizes are not really fixed.
I don’t see too many alcoves or corners, but if anything is unclear, please ask specifically, and I can try to clarify.
Regarding the upper floor, it should be noted that the dressing room and bedroom will probably be swapped.
I have also marked the windows but deliberately did not provide dimensions. Firstly, I want to stick to available/standard sizes, which I am not familiar with, and secondly, especially on the upper floor, the sizes are not really fixed.
I don’t see too many alcoves or corners, but if anything is unclear, please ask specifically, and I can try to clarify.
Regarding the upper floor, it should be noted that the dressing room and bedroom will probably be swapped.
Cost savings: Removing a few corners from the exterior walls
Entrance: Like furnishing
Pantry: What should go into this tiny corner?
WC: 1.2m (4 feet) structural dimension, very cramped
Living room: Where should a TV go?
I find the layout of the upper floor terrible, especially the hallway and one of the children's bedrooms.
The bedroom has very little space between the bed and the wall.
Entrance: Like furnishing
Pantry: What should go into this tiny corner?
WC: 1.2m (4 feet) structural dimension, very cramped
Living room: Where should a TV go?
I find the layout of the upper floor terrible, especially the hallway and one of the children's bedrooms.
The bedroom has very little space between the bed and the wall.
montessalet20 Sep 2018 11:44I find the upper floor quite awkward. The overall large floor area is not used optimally. The one children's room with that angled section is hardly practical as it is. There should be a way to make the room a more regular shape. In my opinion, the question is also whether the layout of the ground floor really has to be fixed as it is (meaning: first you should determine the bottleneck, i.e., whether it’s the ground floor or the upper floor). Then you design the bottleneck floor first, and only afterwards the other floor. So, in this case, I would develop the upper floor first, then the ground floor.
@ haydee:
- The furnishings for the entrance area have not been finalized yet. Jackets and shoes should be stored there. I was thinking of cabinets along the top and bottom walls of the plan.
- Pantry: The niche accessible from the kitchen is intended for a side-by-side refrigerator. The inner corner has not been decided yet; it resulted from external requirements. It might be possible to adjust the pantry by moving the walls. However, the current size should already be sufficient.
- The toilet is just a toilet; dimensions are known (from other toilets), but good point, we will see if we can make it a bit wider. My dimensions should be finished dimensions.
- Living room: TV on the bottom wall of the plan (south wall).
@ haydee, @ montesalet:
What you say about the upper floor sounds quite awful
Regarding the bedroom: There is 1m (3.3 ft) of space around the bed, which I think is definitely enough. (The bed is drawn to scale, 2.3x2.2m (7.5x7.2 ft))
Please explain in more detail what you don’t like about the hallway.
The children’s rooms both have almost identical floor areas, hence the kink. You should consider that the room is still 3m (9.8 ft) wide here, which is about the size of “standard” children’s bedrooms, usually around 3x4m (9.8x13.1 ft). It’s just elongated. Personally, I think this is better than a square room because it makes it easy to define different zones later on.
Of course, you are welcome to give me alternative suggestions (also for the ground floor).
P.S. So far, I saw the ground floor as the bottleneck. That is why it was planned first in detail.
- The furnishings for the entrance area have not been finalized yet. Jackets and shoes should be stored there. I was thinking of cabinets along the top and bottom walls of the plan.
- Pantry: The niche accessible from the kitchen is intended for a side-by-side refrigerator. The inner corner has not been decided yet; it resulted from external requirements. It might be possible to adjust the pantry by moving the walls. However, the current size should already be sufficient.
- The toilet is just a toilet; dimensions are known (from other toilets), but good point, we will see if we can make it a bit wider. My dimensions should be finished dimensions.
- Living room: TV on the bottom wall of the plan (south wall).
@ haydee, @ montesalet:
What you say about the upper floor sounds quite awful
Regarding the bedroom: There is 1m (3.3 ft) of space around the bed, which I think is definitely enough. (The bed is drawn to scale, 2.3x2.2m (7.5x7.2 ft))
Please explain in more detail what you don’t like about the hallway.
The children’s rooms both have almost identical floor areas, hence the kink. You should consider that the room is still 3m (9.8 ft) wide here, which is about the size of “standard” children’s bedrooms, usually around 3x4m (9.8x13.1 ft). It’s just elongated. Personally, I think this is better than a square room because it makes it easy to define different zones later on.
Of course, you are welcome to give me alternative suggestions (also for the ground floor).
P.S. So far, I saw the ground floor as the bottleneck. That is why it was planned first in detail.
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