ᐅ Initial Floor Plan Draft – Backyard Development – 1.5 Stories

Created on: 15 Oct 2025 14:31

Hello everyone,

we would like to present our first floor plan draft and kindly ask for your honest feedback.
The house is designed for 2 adults plus potentially 2 children in the future and will be built on a rural plot of land. We are currently in the design phase and welcome all constructive comments and suggestions for improvement.
The plot is a backyard development, which means there are some restrictions. For example, we are not allowed to exceed a length of 7.0 m (23 feet) and an eave height of 3.7 m (12 feet). In addition, the assigned plots are not yet developed, so we will need to build a road access here.
On the site plan we were allocated plot number 4.
More details are included in the notes..

Building Plan / Restrictions

Plot size: approximately 27.5 m (90 feet) wide × 41 m (135 feet) deep (~1,100 m² (12,000 sq ft))
Terrain: flat, no slope
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): 0.4
Floor space index (floor area ratio): 0.4
Building envelope / setbacks: 3 m (10 feet) boundary setback, house positioned on the right side, garage may be built on the boundary
Number of floors: 1.5 stories (maximum ridge height 7 m (23 feet), eave height approx. 3.7 m (12 feet))
Roof type: gable roof, minimum 25° pitch
Architectural style: modern country house style
Orientation: south is at the top of the plan
Maximum heights: 7 m (23 feet) ridge, 3.7 m (12 feet) eave
Additional requirements: the plot must be accessed via a new road. The style must blend with the neighborhood.

Homeowner Requirements

Building type: single-family home, 1.5 stories, no basement
Occupants: 2 adults, later 2 children
Ground floor needs: parents’ area fully on the ground floor (bedroom, dressing room, bathroom), living/dining/kitchen area (living area preferably separate), utility room with access to the garage, guest toilet
Upper floor needs: 2 children’s bedrooms, 1 office, 1 bathroom, storage room
Office: for home office and flexible use
Guest accommodation: rare (max. 2–3 times per year)
Architecture: open, welcoming, with clear sightlines
Construction method: rather conservative-modern (no flat roof, but light materials, clean lines)
Kitchen: open kitchen with island
Dining area: spacious, table for 6–8 people
Fireplace: optional, mainly for design/coziness, probably no
Music/stereo: no specific plans yet
Balcony/roof terrace: no
Garage/carport: double garage, direct access to utility room, cars might be parked under a covered entrance to keep the garage space free since there will be no attic
Garden: usable garden area, south-facing terrace → I would like to plan a conservatory here for the future or optionally build it right away. Since we will have a south-facing garden with farmland behind, a conservatory is desired as a separated area to be used all year round.
Special features:

Smart home planned
Parents’ area deliberately on the ground floor
Conservatory desired either in the future or built-in from the start

House Design

Designed by: architect
What we particularly like:

South orientation with bright rooms
Functional floor plan and parents’ area

What we don’t like (yet):

Children’s bathroom upstairs might be too large
Bedroom too small
Pantry/storage room has a door to the utility room; maybe reduce utility room size to enlarge pantry
Children’s bedroom closets block windows and might reduce lighting
Driveway to garage is not ideal. The garage may need to be moved further back

Price estimate from architect: not available yet
Personal price limit (house + fittings): around 500,000 € (approximately), completely self-built, land already purchased
Heating system: ground source heat pump with borehole, underfloor heating, technical room probably in the garage equipment room

Why the design looks like this

We wanted a home that is family-friendly, functional, and suitable for aging in place, while complying with the building plan.
The basic idea: parents live fully on the ground floor, children live upstairs.

We are still optimizing and would appreciate feedback on:

Room layout on the ground floor (hallway, sleeping area)
Living/dining/kitchen area: solution with an adjacent conservatory. Living area preferably separate, so children or adults can use different paths when guests visit.
Garage size
Children’s bathroom: size and whether the storage room could be bigger and the bathroom smaller. Possibly separate the toilet from the children’s bathroom?

We look forward to your honest feedback!
What would you improve or arrange differently?
Thank you very much in advance for your time and suggestions.

Attic floor plan of a house with office, two children’s bedrooms, corridor and bathroom

Two 3D renderings of a modern brick house with garage and garden.

Modern brick house 3D render with extension, flat roof and garden area

3D rendering of a modern brick house with garage and flat roof extension

Site plan of a plot with parcels, paths and building areas

Site plan of a building plot with blue floor plan lines and dimension markings

wiltshire17 Oct 2025 10:29

#25

haydee schrieb:

I really can’t get used to the look. Somehow it feels like a 1950s suburban house that has just been poorly extended multiple times..

I can understand the comparison and would approach the roofing and facade design differently. I would highlight the feature of the projecting living space in another way and try to bring some natural light from above into the potentially dark dining area.

haydee schrieb:

Is there a specific reason why you want to sleep on the ground floor?

Of course, I don’t know the original poster’s reason, but I can share that it’s great to be able to step directly from the sleeping area and bathroom into nature. Not having to walk through the house is, for me, less about laziness or the number of steps, and more about allowing myself to start the day with movement, without passing anything that reminds me of tasks or duties. I get up, go out into the garden or forest, smell the fresh scent, listen to the birds, and take some time. Sometimes before, sometimes after the shower. I wouldn’t want to miss this occasional ritual anymore.

haydee17 Oct 2025 10:39

#26

@wiltshire The plot is located in a somewhat more densely populated area than yours, and the original poster is at a different stage in life. You have your private woodland, no immediate neighbors, and your children have left home.

Steiger17 Oct 2025 11:20

#27

ypg schrieb:

I am currently the only one left here who is still working on the plans – if you can be patient for a few days.. at the moment I’m trying to develop an idea for a parallel thread.

Gladly. I find your point about blending ideas very interesting.. We have time, and I would be very excited to see a new idea.

Steiger17 Oct 2025 12:20

#28

hanghaus2023 schrieb:

In my opinion, the garage should be on the north side and the sleeping area as well. The entrance then on the west.

We had originally considered that too. But doing so would take more space from the backyard. Our architect also experimented a bit with placing the garage on the north side, but he found the arrangement towards the west to be more practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Teimo198817 Oct 2025 13:43

#29

I just have one comment regarding the heating system. When it comes to geothermal heat pumps, I would suggest looking into the slinky ground loop collector. It is definitely feasible on your property, and you can save quite a bit compared to deep boreholes while also being able to contribute your own labor.

ypg17 Oct 2025 15:02

#30

Steiger schrieb:

But then we lose more garden space at the back.

I don’t quite understand that: The garage is 7 meters (23 feet) away from the north side.

If you move it to the north as an edge development, you do get a slightly larger driveway and lose about a meter (3 feet) of garden space on the south side, but honestly, it’s definitely worth giving that up for a bright, light-filled house with the possibility to open it to the west. The west side is much more important in summer, while the south side is more crucial for indoor spaces during the colder months. Also, a garden feels larger when you can view it diagonally. In the end, when looking at the “backyard development,” having a bit more courtyard space can’t be a bad thing. Visually, a right angle always has a positive effect (this strategy was also applied for the terrace).

ᐅ Initial Floor Plan Draft – Backyard Development – 1.5 Stories

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