ᐅ Log Cabin with Half-Hipped Roof by the Forest – How to Improve the Design?
Created on: 11 Jun 2018 19:45
K
keychain
Hello 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!
I like it better.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the odors. I assume you are using a Bora system or something similar.
If you are planning to use a ventilation system, then you will also have exhaust air in the kitchen.
In my old apartment, even with a closed layout, the odors spread more and were stronger.
Make sure to draw all furniture to scale.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the odors. I assume you are using a Bora system or something similar.
If you are planning to use a ventilation system, then you will also have exhaust air in the kitchen.
In my old apartment, even with a closed layout, the odors spread more and were stronger.
Make sure to draw all furniture to scale.
I have my doubts about whether the staircase will work as planned. What is the headroom clearance before the second landing?
And so, you still have the drainage pipes in the living room.
A chimney at the roof edge is always a problem. It looks like a stalk.
Preferably no PDFs – most people can’t open them.
For everyone who can’t handle PDFs:
And so, you still have the drainage pipes in the living room.
A chimney at the roof edge is always a problem. It looks like a stalk.
Preferably no PDFs – most people can’t open them.
For everyone who can’t handle PDFs:
H
HausaufGrund14 Jun 2018 13:29Hi,
in our initial house design, we had exactly this staircase position with the front door to the right—just as you have planned—and we placed the stairs roughly as shown in my design on page 7. This allowed us to use sliding doors (running along both the north and south sides of the staircase, disappearing into the walls) to either include the staircase area as part of the entrance or to separate it and assign it to the living area.
This is also practical when children want to go upstairs while someone remains undisturbed in the living room, for example.
What bothered us most about the staircase location shown is that when going to bed—which for us also means "retreat"—you have to pass directly through the dirt area and, on the other hand, right by the front door through the entrance zone.
We personally found this very uncomfortable—it felt like we were "half outside" before going to sleep, and it gave the impression of separation between floors rather than connection. Also, from the living room, you always look through a glass sliding element directly at the front door—some might like that, others might not.
Personally, the staircase position reminded me (no offense intended) of a terraced house or model homes at prefab house exhibitions, where this arrangement is often necessary due to space constraints.
For a house with 300m² (3,229 sq ft) of space on the ground and upper floors, plus a 170m² (1,830 sq ft) partly finished basement area considered as living space, I find the upstairs layout still not entirely coherent.
Additionally, I don't find the access to the basement from the living area optimal.
But as I said, this is just my opinion and everyone has different needs, which is perfectly fine—please consider this only as my point of view and a suggestion. You might also want to reconsider the lighting in the upstairs hallway if you proceed with this layout—I’m not sure it would be particularly bright.
If I were you, I would really take this only as a suggestion and ask your architect to create several alternative designs. Drawing yourself is great to get a feel for whether you generally like something, but the architect can usually implement it much better.
Best regards
in our initial house design, we had exactly this staircase position with the front door to the right—just as you have planned—and we placed the stairs roughly as shown in my design on page 7. This allowed us to use sliding doors (running along both the north and south sides of the staircase, disappearing into the walls) to either include the staircase area as part of the entrance or to separate it and assign it to the living area.
This is also practical when children want to go upstairs while someone remains undisturbed in the living room, for example.
What bothered us most about the staircase location shown is that when going to bed—which for us also means "retreat"—you have to pass directly through the dirt area and, on the other hand, right by the front door through the entrance zone.
We personally found this very uncomfortable—it felt like we were "half outside" before going to sleep, and it gave the impression of separation between floors rather than connection. Also, from the living room, you always look through a glass sliding element directly at the front door—some might like that, others might not.
Personally, the staircase position reminded me (no offense intended) of a terraced house or model homes at prefab house exhibitions, where this arrangement is often necessary due to space constraints.
For a house with 300m² (3,229 sq ft) of space on the ground and upper floors, plus a 170m² (1,830 sq ft) partly finished basement area considered as living space, I find the upstairs layout still not entirely coherent.
Additionally, I don't find the access to the basement from the living area optimal.
But as I said, this is just my opinion and everyone has different needs, which is perfectly fine—please consider this only as my point of view and a suggestion. You might also want to reconsider the lighting in the upstairs hallway if you proceed with this layout—I’m not sure it would be particularly bright.
If I were you, I would really take this only as a suggestion and ask your architect to create several alternative designs. Drawing yourself is great to get a feel for whether you generally like something, but the architect can usually implement it much better.
Best regards
@kaho674
The clearance under the platform is 2.20m (7 ft 3 in), so it shouldn’t cause any issues. We can increase it to 2.35m (7 ft 9 in) if we add another stair step closer to the door. Do you think that would still be too low?
The drain pipes above the living room shouldn’t be a major concern. I will double-check this, but they are all within the insulation.
@HausaufGrund
We don’t have a mechanical ventilation system. I’m required to have one in my office, and it bothers me a lot—the air gets extremely dry. When ventilation is really needed, I can’t just open a window fully, or there isn’t enough window area that can be opened. I prefer the concept of relying on windows.
Currently, we favor the Berbel Skyline range hood over the island. At least it’s available in all widths and power levels, and it doesn’t require separate fresh air supply. The chimney will have its own dedicated external air supply.
I understand your point about retreating through the dirty or semi-external area. This was a major topic of discussion for us in recent days, inspired by your advice. The option to be able to close a door between the living, dining, kitchen, and sleeping areas was clearly the deciding factor. I’ll look at your design on page 7 again shortly so I don’t miss anything.
Except for that version, we don’t seem to get a good solution for an impressive entrance area, a nice staircase, and integration into the living space. In the end, we’re better off creating a small entrance area under the carport, which visually separates everything, and then fully opening the living room into the current entrance area. The staircase will always remain large due to the floor-to-floor height… hmm, that’s disappointing.
The clearance under the platform is 2.20m (7 ft 3 in), so it shouldn’t cause any issues. We can increase it to 2.35m (7 ft 9 in) if we add another stair step closer to the door. Do you think that would still be too low?
The drain pipes above the living room shouldn’t be a major concern. I will double-check this, but they are all within the insulation.
@HausaufGrund
We don’t have a mechanical ventilation system. I’m required to have one in my office, and it bothers me a lot—the air gets extremely dry. When ventilation is really needed, I can’t just open a window fully, or there isn’t enough window area that can be opened. I prefer the concept of relying on windows.
Currently, we favor the Berbel Skyline range hood over the island. At least it’s available in all widths and power levels, and it doesn’t require separate fresh air supply. The chimney will have its own dedicated external air supply.
I understand your point about retreating through the dirty or semi-external area. This was a major topic of discussion for us in recent days, inspired by your advice. The option to be able to close a door between the living, dining, kitchen, and sleeping areas was clearly the deciding factor. I’ll look at your design on page 7 again shortly so I don’t miss anything.
Except for that version, we don’t seem to get a good solution for an impressive entrance area, a nice staircase, and integration into the living space. In the end, we’re better off creating a small entrance area under the carport, which visually separates everything, and then fully opening the living room into the current entrance area. The staircase will always remain large due to the floor-to-floor height… hmm, that’s disappointing.
We have a Berbel Moveline and are very satisfied.
Ventilation systems do not reduce window areas or limit the ability to open windows—they only address the reasons for doing so and do not automatically produce dry air. I’m not trying to sell you one. They simply offer a certain level of comfort: no fogged-up windows, hardly any odors in the bathroom, no cooking smells, always fresh air, and thanks to an enthalpy heat exchanger, the air in winter is not quite as dry. Since spring, however, the windows have still been opened a lot. Something else is missing otherwise.
Ventilation systems do not reduce window areas or limit the ability to open windows—they only address the reasons for doing so and do not automatically produce dry air. I’m not trying to sell you one. They simply offer a certain level of comfort: no fogged-up windows, hardly any odors in the bathroom, no cooking smells, always fresh air, and thanks to an enthalpy heat exchanger, the air in winter is not quite as dry. Since spring, however, the windows have still been opened a lot. Something else is missing otherwise.
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