ᐅ Log Cabin with Half-Hipped Roof by the Forest – How to Improve the Design?
Created on: 11 Jun 2018 19:45
K
keychainHello everyone,
We have been planning and actively reading for over a year now. As our plans become more concrete, we would like to present our design and get your feedback.
First of all: Yes, the house is big. It is our dream, we are doing a lot of the work ourselves, and we know that we cannot extend it further — the situation here is a bit unusual, as strictly speaking this is only officially buildable land for a short time window.
A brief introduction: I am 36 years old and co-owner of an IT company. My partner is 31 and works as a lecturer. About two years ago, we found our dream plot — a little over 2800sqm (about 0.7 acres), with direct forest access and located in the third row. All neighboring plots are, as far as possible, already built on, mostly with former weekend houses or residential homes.
First, the questionnaire:
Building plan / restrictions?
No, there is no building plan, so we are following common local building standards. The neighboring house has two full stories, which we are using as a reference.
Plot size
2800sqm (about 0.7 acres)
Slope
Slight slope; we are on a ridge of the Ore Mountains. The building site has a height difference of max. 60cm (about 2 feet) from northeast to southwest. The entire plot slopes about 1.80m (6 feet) downward to the south along the west boundary. Rocky ground starting at 2.5m (8 feet) depth.
Plot ratio / floor area ratio
No exact figures known; according to the lawyer from the building permit office, we are well within limits.
Building envelope, building line and boundary
None
Boundary setbacks
Do you mean setback distances and boundary construction? If so: 3m (10 feet) all around; boundary construction for sheds and garages is theoretically permitted.
Number of parking spaces
1–2 under the porch + double garage.
Number of floors
2
Roof type
Half-hipped roof (Dutch hip roof).
Architectural style
Hmm... not sure?
Orientation
South-southwest
Maximum height/limits
None
Other requirements
Homeowners’ needs
We want our house to welcome us. Warm wood, natural building materials, lots of light and air — high ceilings, large beams. It should blend well with the environment, be warm and cozy.
Style, roof type, building type
Log house made from glue-laminated beams (probably Finnlog).
Basement, floors
Fully basemented with two full floors.
Number of residents, age
Currently 2 people. Children may come, parents as well.
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Currently about 300sqm (about 3200 sqft). This seems quite large, but looking at individual rooms (living/dining area) I don’t know where else to put the sound system. Maybe the planning is off or our space expectations are. We don’t have a TV; the fireplace is the central element.
Office: family use or home office?
An office is planned, but only as a fallback. I don’t want to work from home and only need space for private files and a desk.
Guest bedrooms per year
Variable, currently very few. Hopefully many more with the house — then we can accommodate them.
Open or closed architecture
Mixed. I prefer open, but an open void above the living area is not possible if you don’t want all cooking smells in the bedroom.
Traditional or modern construction
Hmm... solid wood house? Traditional.
Open kitchen, cooking island
An open, large kitchen with a big island where more than two people can cook comfortably. No seating in the kitchen, but a huge workspace.
Number of dining seats
10
Fireplace
Yes, a large soapstone stove.
Music / stereo wall
I am considering installating a Sonos system with a music room in the basement.
Balcony, roof terrace
No; we have a garden for that.
Garage, carport
Both; at least the entrance canopy is large enough for one car.
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
We want a greenhouse, a swimming pond, and a fire pit.
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why or why not
House design
Who designed it:
The design was created with an architect, based on our drafts.
What do you particularly like? Why?
High ceilings and visible ceiling beams on the upper floor, separated area upstairs for us, the fireplace room as a second retreat, the single-story “extension” for the dining room, the large kitchen, the fireplaces... and especially the abundant wood.
What don’t you like? Why?
The gable windows should get an added triangular top to maximize light. The current window layout feels a bit outdated. We actually wanted an open void, but this can’t be sensibly integrated. Heating is a constant issue and never fully resolved.
The worst: the master bathroom fixtures. We want a large bathtub and a double shower. Either the bathroom is too small or we lack imagination. It doesn’t look cozy...
Preferred heating system: currently unfortunately natural gas. Solid fuel heating is out for various reasons: a wood gasifier is too expensive and labor-intensive; pellet or woodchip stoves are not economical, plus we can’t reliably get deliveries in winter when the road is snowed in. Natural gas is about 100m (330 feet) away; we are still waiting for connection cost estimates. Heat pumps only make financial sense with geothermal; however, installation and technology would then be more expensive than a current compact car. We do not want oil heating or liquefied gas tanks.
If you have to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you omit:
-can you not omit:
Why is the design like it is now? For example:
The architect received a draft from us, every room was discussed beforehand (use, size, contents), and the design was revised multiple times. We like that it implements nearly everything we wanted and that the house does not look too bulky — due to the half-hipped roof and the gables, it does not seem so on the plans at least.
What is your most important / basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Apart from the effort for plastering: is the floor plan practical? For example: washing machine on the first floor where laundry occurs, bathroom for the children...
Now some free text — our notes:
Some things are already different from the plans:
We have also been thinking about other things:
I think that’s it. Thanks for your opinions!
We have been planning and actively reading for over a year now. As our plans become more concrete, we would like to present our design and get your feedback.
First of all: Yes, the house is big. It is our dream, we are doing a lot of the work ourselves, and we know that we cannot extend it further — the situation here is a bit unusual, as strictly speaking this is only officially buildable land for a short time window.
A brief introduction: I am 36 years old and co-owner of an IT company. My partner is 31 and works as a lecturer. About two years ago, we found our dream plot — a little over 2800sqm (about 0.7 acres), with direct forest access and located in the third row. All neighboring plots are, as far as possible, already built on, mostly with former weekend houses or residential homes.
First, the questionnaire:
Building plan / restrictions?
No, there is no building plan, so we are following common local building standards. The neighboring house has two full stories, which we are using as a reference.
Plot size
2800sqm (about 0.7 acres)
Slope
Slight slope; we are on a ridge of the Ore Mountains. The building site has a height difference of max. 60cm (about 2 feet) from northeast to southwest. The entire plot slopes about 1.80m (6 feet) downward to the south along the west boundary. Rocky ground starting at 2.5m (8 feet) depth.
Plot ratio / floor area ratio
No exact figures known; according to the lawyer from the building permit office, we are well within limits.
Building envelope, building line and boundary
None
Boundary setbacks
Do you mean setback distances and boundary construction? If so: 3m (10 feet) all around; boundary construction for sheds and garages is theoretically permitted.
Number of parking spaces
1–2 under the porch + double garage.
Number of floors
2
Roof type
Half-hipped roof (Dutch hip roof).
Architectural style
Hmm... not sure?
Orientation
South-southwest
Maximum height/limits
None
Other requirements
Homeowners’ needs
We want our house to welcome us. Warm wood, natural building materials, lots of light and air — high ceilings, large beams. It should blend well with the environment, be warm and cozy.
Style, roof type, building type
Log house made from glue-laminated beams (probably Finnlog).
Basement, floors
Fully basemented with two full floors.
Number of residents, age
Currently 2 people. Children may come, parents as well.
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Currently about 300sqm (about 3200 sqft). This seems quite large, but looking at individual rooms (living/dining area) I don’t know where else to put the sound system. Maybe the planning is off or our space expectations are. We don’t have a TV; the fireplace is the central element.
Office: family use or home office?
An office is planned, but only as a fallback. I don’t want to work from home and only need space for private files and a desk.
Guest bedrooms per year
Variable, currently very few. Hopefully many more with the house — then we can accommodate them.
Open or closed architecture
Mixed. I prefer open, but an open void above the living area is not possible if you don’t want all cooking smells in the bedroom.
Traditional or modern construction
Hmm... solid wood house? Traditional.
Open kitchen, cooking island
An open, large kitchen with a big island where more than two people can cook comfortably. No seating in the kitchen, but a huge workspace.
Number of dining seats
10
Fireplace
Yes, a large soapstone stove.
Music / stereo wall
I am considering installating a Sonos system with a music room in the basement.
Balcony, roof terrace
No; we have a garden for that.
Garage, carport
Both; at least the entrance canopy is large enough for one car.
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
We want a greenhouse, a swimming pond, and a fire pit.
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why or why not
House design
Who designed it:
The design was created with an architect, based on our drafts.
What do you particularly like? Why?
High ceilings and visible ceiling beams on the upper floor, separated area upstairs for us, the fireplace room as a second retreat, the single-story “extension” for the dining room, the large kitchen, the fireplaces... and especially the abundant wood.
What don’t you like? Why?
The gable windows should get an added triangular top to maximize light. The current window layout feels a bit outdated. We actually wanted an open void, but this can’t be sensibly integrated. Heating is a constant issue and never fully resolved.
The worst: the master bathroom fixtures. We want a large bathtub and a double shower. Either the bathroom is too small or we lack imagination. It doesn’t look cozy...
Preferred heating system: currently unfortunately natural gas. Solid fuel heating is out for various reasons: a wood gasifier is too expensive and labor-intensive; pellet or woodchip stoves are not economical, plus we can’t reliably get deliveries in winter when the road is snowed in. Natural gas is about 100m (330 feet) away; we are still waiting for connection cost estimates. Heat pumps only make financial sense with geothermal; however, installation and technology would then be more expensive than a current compact car. We do not want oil heating or liquefied gas tanks.
If you have to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you omit:
-can you not omit:
Why is the design like it is now? For example:
The architect received a draft from us, every room was discussed beforehand (use, size, contents), and the design was revised multiple times. We like that it implements nearly everything we wanted and that the house does not look too bulky — due to the half-hipped roof and the gables, it does not seem so on the plans at least.
What is your most important / basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Apart from the effort for plastering: is the floor plan practical? For example: washing machine on the first floor where laundry occurs, bathroom for the children...
Now some free text — our notes:
Some things are already different from the plans:
- All windows can be opened.
- Sliding doors open outwards, not inwards.
- All dormer windows will not be rectangular but have added triangular tops.
- Between the hallway and living area there is no central post; instead, a large double door is planned.
- The basement has a technical room beside the stairs, designed as a through room. In my opinion, this is a poor solution; we probably also need to plan a separate boiler room.
- Where the embankment is drawn, doors will be installed. This will allow the large rooms to get natural daylight and be usable living space.
- The stair step projecting into the hallway is bad and will definitely be removed.
We have also been thinking about other things:
- The hallway upstairs is planned as a “library.” To bring in light, we intend to use two light wells with diameters of 30–35cm (12–14 inches). The advantage: it will never be completely dark at night when someone needs to use the bathroom.
- The fireplace will be a soapstone stove; no plan exists yet. Strictly speaking, it will not stand against a wall but form the wall itself. We also planned a second connection in the fireplace room; originally we wanted a tunnel fireplace but were convinced it’s not a good idea as a room divider.
- The children’s rooms are not ideal — one faces north, the other south. We could make two narrow, elongated rooms and a corridor so both face south, but we consider that clearly suboptimal.
- All doors on the ground floor will be 1m (3.3 feet) wide to at least accommodate wheelchair access reasonably.
I think that’s it. Thanks for your opinions!
The first question that naturally comes up is the budget. For this size, you’re only really talking from around 650,000 euros onward.
With such huge spaces, an architect can hardly go wrong. On the other hand, you wouldn’t expect to find coziness in front of the fireplace. Normally, you’d expect the dining table here to keep the distance from the kitchen short. But in this house, the distances probably won’t be short anywhere. It’s going to be a constant run-around. More than 30m² (320 square feet) of hallway on the upper floor—seriously? Have you already included a cleaning service in the plan?
There are castles where you immediately say, yes, 300m² (3,230 square feet) may be pure luxury, but they fit the house and the floor plan. Here, everything is just big. And yet, you still stumble over the first step of the stairs when you come around the corner on the ground floor.
My conclusion: you can build like this. But for me, it feels way too uncomfortably large—like a longhouse of Native Americans. You need to plan ahead just to have a conversation. Who wants that?
With such huge spaces, an architect can hardly go wrong. On the other hand, you wouldn’t expect to find coziness in front of the fireplace. Normally, you’d expect the dining table here to keep the distance from the kitchen short. But in this house, the distances probably won’t be short anywhere. It’s going to be a constant run-around. More than 30m² (320 square feet) of hallway on the upper floor—seriously? Have you already included a cleaning service in the plan?
There are castles where you immediately say, yes, 300m² (3,230 square feet) may be pure luxury, but they fit the house and the floor plan. Here, everything is just big. And yet, you still stumble over the first step of the stairs when you come around the corner on the ground floor.
My conclusion: you can build like this. But for me, it feels way too uncomfortably large—like a longhouse of Native Americans. You need to plan ahead just to have a conversation. Who wants that?
Respect: A huge house with plenty of living space, extremely spacious ... I like it.
The ground floor looks really cool. I would swap the study and the guest room. Upstairs, the hallway is too dark, you need more light there. What are you doing with the basement? So many rooms. Turn it into living space, definitely add a bathroom (for a sauna?), and if possible, include an external entrance.
The ground floor looks really cool. I would swap the study and the guest room. Upstairs, the hallway is too dark, you need more light there. What are you doing with the basement? So many rooms. Turn it into living space, definitely add a bathroom (for a sauna?), and if possible, include an external entrance.
Thanks in advance for the responses. I believe some of the criticisms have already been addressed in the post itself:
@kaho674
A 30m² (323 sq ft) hallway on the upper floor is being used as a library. I have more than 1,000 books and have always wanted a dedicated space for them. If necessary, this area could even be divided into a separate room, although I’m not sure what for.
The light is provided by large light wells (available from various manufacturers including Velux), which have significant advantages for us (at least in our opinion): thanks to the diffuser and the round dome, dirt is not visible—it’s just brighter. We don’t want to clean skylights. Also, moonlight comes in, so there’s no complete darkness at night. LEDs will also be integrated for artificial lighting when sunlight isn’t available.
The stairs are still based on an old plan; there will be no steps protruding into the hallway, though I don’t understand how that was planned initially.
The living/dining area might really need to be rearranged. Instinctively, we thought the dining area was well situated where it is—overlooking the pond or the forest with plenty of light. But maybe that assumption is wrong. Thanks for the suggestion.
Cleaning: yes, a cleaning service is planned. We know we won’t keep it clean ourselves or enjoy it otherwise.
@munger71
As mentioned by Kaho, light comes through the light wells, so it will be nicely bright. I’m reluctant to swap the study and guest room because I don’t need much space in the study, and the guest room might later become our bedroom if our life shifts to the ground floor only. If necessary, we also plan to bring our parents to live with us; they would then have a large bedroom on the ground floor. A granny flat could only be integrated in the basement, which would be difficult in terms of lighting and would no longer be wheelchair accessible; the ground floor is already marginal in this regard.
The basement bathroom will be located next to the stairs, in a room that is currently a passageway. This will be redesigned as a bathroom, possibly somewhat larger. I wanted to place a sauna outside by the pond. One room will definitely have a bar and a pool table. I brew beer occasionally, so it needs to be served somewhere as well.
@kaho674
A 30m² (323 sq ft) hallway on the upper floor is being used as a library. I have more than 1,000 books and have always wanted a dedicated space for them. If necessary, this area could even be divided into a separate room, although I’m not sure what for.
The light is provided by large light wells (available from various manufacturers including Velux), which have significant advantages for us (at least in our opinion): thanks to the diffuser and the round dome, dirt is not visible—it’s just brighter. We don’t want to clean skylights. Also, moonlight comes in, so there’s no complete darkness at night. LEDs will also be integrated for artificial lighting when sunlight isn’t available.
The stairs are still based on an old plan; there will be no steps protruding into the hallway, though I don’t understand how that was planned initially.
The living/dining area might really need to be rearranged. Instinctively, we thought the dining area was well situated where it is—overlooking the pond or the forest with plenty of light. But maybe that assumption is wrong. Thanks for the suggestion.
Cleaning: yes, a cleaning service is planned. We know we won’t keep it clean ourselves or enjoy it otherwise.
@munger71
As mentioned by Kaho, light comes through the light wells, so it will be nicely bright. I’m reluctant to swap the study and guest room because I don’t need much space in the study, and the guest room might later become our bedroom if our life shifts to the ground floor only. If necessary, we also plan to bring our parents to live with us; they would then have a large bedroom on the ground floor. A granny flat could only be integrated in the basement, which would be difficult in terms of lighting and would no longer be wheelchair accessible; the ground floor is already marginal in this regard.
The basement bathroom will be located next to the stairs, in a room that is currently a passageway. This will be redesigned as a bathroom, possibly somewhat larger. I wanted to place a sauna outside by the pond. One room will definitely have a bar and a pool table. I brew beer occasionally, so it needs to be served somewhere as well.
If a library is planned for the upper floor, I would recommend sketching in the cabinets first. Often, the enthusiastic cabinet maker is surprised to find a window that would end up blocked or discover sloping ceilings and chimneys in the way...
Your enthusiasm for light wells puzzles me. These are usually installed only when no other way to bring light into the house is possible. A simple window, however, is much better and more efficient. The key advantage: it can be opened.
What does this lighting feature look like on the half-hipped roof wooden house? With modern flat-roof Bauhaus-style houses, skylights are well known and can be quite appropriate. But with a wooden cabin featuring a half-hipped roof, I can hardly imagine that. The architect should draft it so we can get an idea of the potential culture shock.
Since the budget question was conveniently left out again, the discussion will likely remain limited due to lack of credibility.
Your enthusiasm for light wells puzzles me. These are usually installed only when no other way to bring light into the house is possible. A simple window, however, is much better and more efficient. The key advantage: it can be opened.
What does this lighting feature look like on the half-hipped roof wooden house? With modern flat-roof Bauhaus-style houses, skylights are well known and can be quite appropriate. But with a wooden cabin featuring a half-hipped roof, I can hardly imagine that. The architect should draft it so we can get an idea of the potential culture shock.
Since the budget question was conveniently left out again, the discussion will likely remain limited due to lack of credibility.
kaho674 schrieb:
Since the budget question was conveniently left out again, the discussion will probably remain sparse due to lack of credibility. He doesn’t want to talk about money here; I assume that won’t be an issue.
In general, floor plans for very large houses tend to receive little support and little constructive discussion here.
I would definitely include a basement apartment, since not everyone ends up in a wheelchair in old age. I would also convert a basement room into a home theater, even if you don’t have a TV at the moment—it might change when you have children. If you, as parents, move your bedroom to the ground floor and the kids get the upper floor, you might want a larger bathroom on the ground floor. The outdoor sauna is great… I would make sure you can walk sweaty directly into the basement wellness area, so you don’t have to go through the living room to get to the shower on the ground floor.
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