ᐅ Initial floor plan draft on graph paper: hillside, basement, plus two stories.
Created on: 2 Jan 2021 13:09
M
majuhenema
Disclaimer:
After a long search, we have finally found a plot of land. It is not easy to build on because of a steep slope, but it also has a unique appeal since the north and south sides are undeveloped and should remain so at least in the medium term (both adjacent plots belong to the neighbors uphill). Additionally, we have views of the river and the vineyards beyond to the north, east, and southeast. Therefore, we plan to build two floors above the basement, to reach higher elevation and to have ground-level access to the garden from the first floor.
The shown design is our “dream concept.” We noted our spatial ideas and wishes and sketched them on graph paper. Each square corresponds to 1 meter (3 feet). Our budget excluding the land and landscaping is set at 500,000 euros.
Zoning and Restrictions
Plot size: 682 sqm (approximately 7,338 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, about 6 m (20 feet) downhill from west to east
Gap in an old residential area, no formal zoning plan available, similar houses already built
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building category: open, modern, clearly structured, roof form depending on practicality (height, appearance, photovoltaic panels)
Basement, floors: Basement/entrance level + 2 upper floors
Number of occupants: 2 adults, both 31 years old, no children yet, 2 children’s rooms planned
Space requirements:
Basement: entrance area, office, garage, storage room, technical room
1st floor: living room, dining area, kitchen, utility room, guest toilet, pantry
2nd floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s bathroom, master bathroom, master bedroom, walk-in closet
Occasional guest sleeping: 4 per year (sofa bed in office or utility room)
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern building style: modern
Open kitchen with island: open, large + island
Seating capacity for dining table: large table (2.40 m x 1 m (8 ft x 3 ft)), seats 6–8 people
Fireplace: optional (not planned due to cost-benefit consideration)
Music/stereo wall: turntable in living/dining area
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony on the east side on the 2nd floor would be great for the location and views
Garage, carport: double garage in the basement, 2 parking spaces in front
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine:
The north and south sides of the plot will remain undeveloped in the short and medium term. To the east is a quiet street (cul-de-sac, with 3 houses beyond us). From north through east to south, there is a river view, so we would like to have access to at least a narrow balcony on the 1st and 2nd floors in those directions. The garden is planned on the south side of the property.
The cooking, dining, and living areas should be as spacious and bright as possible. The other rooms should be practical.
House Design
Who designed it: clients themselves – do-it-yourself
What do you like most? And why?
Clear layout, large living area, children’s bathroom included
What do you dislike? And why?
Staircase preference is a half-landing staircase, but it would be too large for the current plan
Price estimation?
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures and fittings: 500,000 euros excluding landscaping, preferably through a general contractor
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to compromise, on which details or features
-can you give up:
fireplace, possibly the balcony on the 2nd floor (reluctantly), smaller living/dining area
-can you not give up:
children’s bathroom, open and spacious design, office, utility room
Why has the design developed the way it is?
The design is based on the spatial concept and orientation on the plot. The house should be placed as far northeast as possible to maximize garden space on the south and west sides.
Note: The basement’s red-shaded area is planned so the house does not appear like a tower. The basement is designed to be wider for aesthetic reasons. Additionally, the basement ceiling is planned to project about 2 m (6.5 ft) to create a canopy and serve as a terrace for the 1st floor.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
1. Is the floor plan suitable as a planning basis for builders/architects?
2. What works well/less well/not at all?
After a long search, we have finally found a plot of land. It is not easy to build on because of a steep slope, but it also has a unique appeal since the north and south sides are undeveloped and should remain so at least in the medium term (both adjacent plots belong to the neighbors uphill). Additionally, we have views of the river and the vineyards beyond to the north, east, and southeast. Therefore, we plan to build two floors above the basement, to reach higher elevation and to have ground-level access to the garden from the first floor.
The shown design is our “dream concept.” We noted our spatial ideas and wishes and sketched them on graph paper. Each square corresponds to 1 meter (3 feet). Our budget excluding the land and landscaping is set at 500,000 euros.
Zoning and Restrictions
Plot size: 682 sqm (approximately 7,338 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, about 6 m (20 feet) downhill from west to east
Gap in an old residential area, no formal zoning plan available, similar houses already built
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building category: open, modern, clearly structured, roof form depending on practicality (height, appearance, photovoltaic panels)
Basement, floors: Basement/entrance level + 2 upper floors
Number of occupants: 2 adults, both 31 years old, no children yet, 2 children’s rooms planned
Space requirements:
Basement: entrance area, office, garage, storage room, technical room
1st floor: living room, dining area, kitchen, utility room, guest toilet, pantry
2nd floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, children’s bathroom, master bathroom, master bedroom, walk-in closet
Occasional guest sleeping: 4 per year (sofa bed in office or utility room)
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern building style: modern
Open kitchen with island: open, large + island
Seating capacity for dining table: large table (2.40 m x 1 m (8 ft x 3 ft)), seats 6–8 people
Fireplace: optional (not planned due to cost-benefit consideration)
Music/stereo wall: turntable in living/dining area
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony on the east side on the 2nd floor would be great for the location and views
Garage, carport: double garage in the basement, 2 parking spaces in front
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine:
The north and south sides of the plot will remain undeveloped in the short and medium term. To the east is a quiet street (cul-de-sac, with 3 houses beyond us). From north through east to south, there is a river view, so we would like to have access to at least a narrow balcony on the 1st and 2nd floors in those directions. The garden is planned on the south side of the property.
The cooking, dining, and living areas should be as spacious and bright as possible. The other rooms should be practical.
House Design
Who designed it: clients themselves – do-it-yourself
What do you like most? And why?
Clear layout, large living area, children’s bathroom included
What do you dislike? And why?
Staircase preference is a half-landing staircase, but it would be too large for the current plan
Price estimation?
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures and fittings: 500,000 euros excluding landscaping, preferably through a general contractor
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you have to compromise, on which details or features
-can you give up:
fireplace, possibly the balcony on the 2nd floor (reluctantly), smaller living/dining area
-can you not give up:
children’s bathroom, open and spacious design, office, utility room
Why has the design developed the way it is?
The design is based on the spatial concept and orientation on the plot. The house should be placed as far northeast as possible to maximize garden space on the south and west sides.
Note: The basement’s red-shaded area is planned so the house does not appear like a tower. The basement is designed to be wider for aesthetic reasons. Additionally, the basement ceiling is planned to project about 2 m (6.5 ft) to create a canopy and serve as a terrace for the 1st floor.
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
1. Is the floor plan suitable as a planning basis for builders/architects?
2. What works well/less well/not at all?
I see a problem with finalizing the design (not even considering the practical aspects). The sketches do not show wall thicknesses. The floors are supposed to be roughly aligned vertically, but here the kitchen is shown with 6 meters (20 feet) in length—which I personally find way too long. More is not better here; the length just makes it unnecessarily cumbersome and showroom-like. At the back, the walk-in closet will end up much too narrow with just one and a half small units, and the bathroom also has tiny fixtures without any bulkheads. On the other hand, the pathway from the entrance to the stairs is again quite long. Will the utility room actually fit the required technical equipment?
When you properly finalize the plans, this will inevitably result either in a multi-million-dollar project or a very small build. There isn’t much room for compromise, since the offset is already planned.
If you argue that the kitchen size will be reduced by subtracting the exterior wall thickness, then the bedroom ends up quite small with 4 meters (13 feet) in width. The children's rooms are also relatively small at around 12 square meters (130 square feet). If you plan them larger, then a budget of $550,000 will no longer be realistic. The separated hallway area on the ground floor is a good example: it looks nice but requires exactly that extra space in the house, which is actually unnecessary, since normally you can do without this corridor—yet you are paying for this area as living space.
Building on a slope is already quite expensive, so adding extra spatial features like this is, in my opinion, a luxury cost driver.
What kind of kitchen budget are you imagining? You are planning double the cabinet space of a typical 160 square meter (1,720 square feet) house... I think you need to take a closer look at the measurements—rounding to full meters only does not provide meaningful information.
When you properly finalize the plans, this will inevitably result either in a multi-million-dollar project or a very small build. There isn’t much room for compromise, since the offset is already planned.
If you argue that the kitchen size will be reduced by subtracting the exterior wall thickness, then the bedroom ends up quite small with 4 meters (13 feet) in width. The children's rooms are also relatively small at around 12 square meters (130 square feet). If you plan them larger, then a budget of $550,000 will no longer be realistic. The separated hallway area on the ground floor is a good example: it looks nice but requires exactly that extra space in the house, which is actually unnecessary, since normally you can do without this corridor—yet you are paying for this area as living space.
Building on a slope is already quite expensive, so adding extra spatial features like this is, in my opinion, a luxury cost driver.
What kind of kitchen budget are you imagining? You are planning double the cabinet space of a typical 160 square meter (1,720 square feet) house... I think you need to take a closer look at the measurements—rounding to full meters only does not provide meaningful information.
H
hampshire7 Jan 2021 00:31“Surface features” – wonderful. Indeed, there is a powerful lever in this. Minimizing circulation space creates room in the budget. A direct one-to-one implementation is not possible, of course. The principle becomes clear, and the architect can work with that. Shortening the kitchen, improving proportions, adjusting room sizes – all of that will come together.
M
majuhenema7 Jan 2021 00:31Bang. That hit the spot. 😉 Thanks!
majuhenema schrieb:
That hit the mark.No. Or did I miss an interim answer to the "gross or net" question? – so: are the drawn wall positions meant to represent wall centers, or should they be room dimensions, and should the exterior dimensions of the house be mentally increased by about 1.20m (4 feet) in length and width?https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
We are currently in the final stages of completing a construction project similar to the one you are aiming for. Our move-in date is in 2 weeks. The house measures approximately 10 x 12 meters (33 x 39 feet), and the slope has an incline of 21%. We are working with 2019 prices and end up with a total of around 750,000 for the house, additional construction costs, and the kitchen (excluding exterior landscaping). You can deduct about 100,000 for unnecessary luxury features in our case. You should plan for around 650,000 to build a move-in ready house of this size without sleepless nights.
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