ᐅ New construction, 166 sqm / 1.5 stories / floor plan for a family of five

Good day and hello dear forum community!

As a family of five, we have planned to build a house ourselves—or rather have it built—by summer/autumn 2021.

We already purchased a plot of land in 2019, the construction contract with Gussek Haus is signed, and the financing is largely arranged. So now we are about to enter the critical planning phase with the architect, where all details will be thoroughly reviewed, adjusted back and forth, and the building permit (planning permission) application will be prepared.

Since the attached drawings represent only a "rough draft" and can and should still be adjusted, I would greatly appreciate your assessments, advice, or criticism. Especially the latter, as long as it remains constructive, is very welcome.

About our situation, requirements, and wishes:
(Thanks to ypg for the template )

Development Plan / Restrictions

Plot size	550 sqm (5920 sq ft)
Slope	no
Site coverage ratio	0.4
Floor area ratio	166 sqm (1786 sq ft)
Building envelope, building line and boundary	14 m (46 ft), see attachment
Number of parking spaces	/
Number of stories	1.5
Roof style	40° - 45° (gable roof)</TD>
Maximum height/limits	4.5 m eave height (14.8 ft)</TD>

Owners’ Requirements

Basement, floors	no basement; 1.5 floors
Number of occupants, ages	2 adults, 3 children (15, 9, 4)
Space needed on ground floor and upper floor	see floor plan
Office: family use or home office?	part-time home office; otherwise a multifunctional room for computer work, ironing, etc.
Overnight guests per year	20-30
Number of dining seats	5 daily; at least 12 otherwise
Garage, carport	1 garage (next to the entrance on the north side), later 1 carport (on the south side)

House Design

Who designed the plan?	Gussek Haus; a model house served as a base with our own modifications
What do you particularly like? Why?	"Square, practical, good" for everyday family life without unnecessary frills
What do you not like? Why?	At first we saw the east orientation as unfavorable, but now we also see some advantages. The ground floor WC does not yet have a suitable solution for the shower. The bathroom on the upper floor is not optimal yet and feels a bit too small.
Preferred heating system:	Air-to-water heat pump + controlled mechanical ventilation

If you have to give up something, which details/fixtures

You can live without:	good question
You cannot live without:	Bedroom/guest room + shower on the ground floor

Why is the design as it is now?

We want to make the best possible use of the available space and design it to be practical.

The plot drawing is oriented to true north, the floor plans are not. The top is south, the bottom is north. This means the garage, entrance, and utility room are deliberately placed on the north side. The kitchen and dining/living room should have access to the garden on the east side. Possibly, we would like to design the terrace wrapping around the corner to the east/south.

We do not want or cannot give up the number of rooms at the moment. However, if it makes sense to shift walls here and there or change rooms, we welcome suggestions.

The utility room is a bit small, but should be acceptable since the water tank marked in red does not fit in after all.

What is your most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?

Valuable advice is welcome! Many thanks in advance!

How do you plan to fit 12 dining seats in the living room?
Our living room is similarly sized, and it's not practical to arrange a table with more than 6 seats there.

Hello Flo,

thanks for your opinion!
Well, you just move the sofa aside, and theoretically, it should be possible to accommodate 15 people if needed, right?
The living room is wide and long enough, isn’t it?

The kitchen will not work due to insufficient counter space and too many openings in the walls. A 100cm (39 inch) patio door and an attached island would be feasible.

The wardrobe is too small for five people.

You need to rotate the table by 90° for it to fit. It’s tight, but it works.
Otherwise, I think the floor plan is very good!

evelinoz schrieb:

The kitchen won’t work, there is not enough counter space and too many “gaps” in the walls. A 100cm (39 inches) patio door and an attached island would work.

The wardrobe is too small for 5 people.

Thanks to both of you!

Actually, I forgot to mention that my focus is purely on evaluating the floor plans, not the furniture layouts shown. Of course, I’m open to opinions or advice if the floor plan itself is fundamentally suboptimal in relation to furnishing, but the furniture shown in the drawings are just examples and not finalized.

For instance, the table position in the dining room and the kitchen layout.
The furniture in the bedroom also doesn’t fit properly, as mentioned, it was only a placeholder.

We are still uncertain about the following points:

1. Whether to keep the large kitchen window (door) or replace it with a narrower one!?

2. Whether the kitchen should remain open or “semi-open” as shown in the drawing with sliding doors.

3. The staircase is currently planned to be enclosed to create a small storage room/pantry underneath.
Here, the cost-benefit ratio is key: Is the likely small gain in space worth an extra 2,000 EUR (approx. 2,000 USD)?

The wardrobe space is intended only for hooks and shoe storage. That’s why it’s around the corner—to keep all clutter out of immediate view from the entrance area.

If the staircase stays enclosed, we would also like to place a “discreet wardrobe” or closed closet (with mirror) for clothes in front of it.
That should be fine, right?