ᐅ New Construction of a Semi-Detached House on a Slope in Hesse – Feedback on the Floor Plan
Created on: 1 May 2020 10:31
K
KundF_Hof
Hello everyone,
we have now reached the point where we are building a semi-detached house (both owners of the semi-detached) in Hesse. The plot is located in an established residential area with existing buildings that we will have demolished. The plot will be divided lengthwise in the middle.
We are currently working on a near-final version of our floor plan with our builder and would greatly appreciate any feedback. Perhaps we can still improve or optimize a few things.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: currently 783 sqm (8427 sq ft), to be split in the middle
Slope: yes, sloping down towards the street
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 18 meters (59 feet) length, width up to the setback area, approximately 13 meters (43 feet)
Edge development: no
Number of parking spaces: 1.75 for living area > 50 sqm (538 sq ft), 1 parking space for < 50 sqm (538 sq ft)
Number of floors: 2 full stories, plus 75% attic floor, plus basement
Roof type: flat roof
Architectural style: cubist, Bauhaus
Orientation: east-west
Maximum height / limits: 11 meters (36 feet) above natural ground level
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: minimalist, lots of light, possibly with color, flat roof, semi-detached house
Basement, floors: basement, half below street level, half above ground
Number and age of occupants: 2 adults, 2 kindergarten-aged children
Office: family use or home office: home office, not near children’s rooms
Guest bedrooms per year: grandparents weekly
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, with U-shaped layout or kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: plan for one to be added later if needed
Balcony, roof terrace: no balcony, 25% roof terrace
Garage, carport: 1 garage, 1 carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: child-friendly garden
House Design
Who designed the plan: discussions with several architects, best elements combined by us
What do you particularly like? Why?: the room layout and functions fit our needs, but is the space adequate for each?
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you had to give up on any details or expansions
- what could you do without: sauna (but prepared for in the attic)
- what could you not do without: 3 rooms plus master bedroom, study
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
The house is on a slope, and the basement will be half above ground facing the street. A separate entrance is needed for the granny flat. The house should be an eye-catcher, possibly (plastic windows) with wood appearance, front overhang covering kitchen and hallway above. Bay window not possible as it is too expensive according to the contractor.
we have now reached the point where we are building a semi-detached house (both owners of the semi-detached) in Hesse. The plot is located in an established residential area with existing buildings that we will have demolished. The plot will be divided lengthwise in the middle.
We are currently working on a near-final version of our floor plan with our builder and would greatly appreciate any feedback. Perhaps we can still improve or optimize a few things.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: currently 783 sqm (8427 sq ft), to be split in the middle
Slope: yes, sloping down towards the street
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line and boundary: 18 meters (59 feet) length, width up to the setback area, approximately 13 meters (43 feet)
Edge development: no
Number of parking spaces: 1.75 for living area > 50 sqm (538 sq ft), 1 parking space for < 50 sqm (538 sq ft)
Number of floors: 2 full stories, plus 75% attic floor, plus basement
Roof type: flat roof
Architectural style: cubist, Bauhaus
Orientation: east-west
Maximum height / limits: 11 meters (36 feet) above natural ground level
Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: minimalist, lots of light, possibly with color, flat roof, semi-detached house
Basement, floors: basement, half below street level, half above ground
Number and age of occupants: 2 adults, 2 kindergarten-aged children
Office: family use or home office: home office, not near children’s rooms
Guest bedrooms per year: grandparents weekly
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, with U-shaped layout or kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: plan for one to be added later if needed
Balcony, roof terrace: no balcony, 25% roof terrace
Garage, carport: 1 garage, 1 carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: child-friendly garden
House Design
Who designed the plan: discussions with several architects, best elements combined by us
What do you particularly like? Why?: the room layout and functions fit our needs, but is the space adequate for each?
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
If you had to give up on any details or expansions
- what could you do without: sauna (but prepared for in the attic)
- what could you not do without: 3 rooms plus master bedroom, study
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
The house is on a slope, and the basement will be half above ground facing the street. A separate entrance is needed for the granny flat. The house should be an eye-catcher, possibly (plastic windows) with wood appearance, front overhang covering kitchen and hallway above. Bay window not possible as it is too expensive according to the contractor.
K
KundF_Hof1 May 2020 14:30kaho674 schrieb:
Your general contractor must be joking?
In that case, I would strongly recommend finding an architect to create your plans. We initially thought the same, but after a first major mistake and a lot of money wasted, we decided to rely on ourselves again.
According to the HOAI fee structure, one-third of the fee or construction cost is allocated to the design phase, but this doesn’t seem reasonable to me if we are then continuing with a general contractor. Even an architect told me that they earn very well in the initial service phases and then lose out during site supervision (which we don’t need), so it balances out.
Dimensions do not “hurt”; it’s best to write down the house and plot measurements when fitting the ground floor into the cadastral plan.
We already knew that expression; many people here say “near-final.” It would be better if you were at this stage with your architect rather than with the builder.
If there’s an eye-catcher budget...
There are two misconceptions here: architects are not necessarily paid according to the fee schedule, and hiring a general contractor does not release you from the strong recommendation to have the architect supervise construction. Eye-catching design and lack of detailed planning are mutually exclusive.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
KundF_Hof schrieb:
We are at a near-final version of our floor plan with our builder
We already knew that expression; many people here say “near-final.” It would be better if you were at this stage with your architect rather than with the builder.
KundF_Hof schrieb:
The house should be an eye-catcher,
If there’s an eye-catcher budget...
KundF_Hof schrieb:
According to HOAI, one third of the fee/building cost is for the design phase, but that doesn’t seem reasonable to me if we then proceed with a general contractor.
There are two misconceptions here: architects are not necessarily paid according to the fee schedule, and hiring a general contractor does not release you from the strong recommendation to have the architect supervise construction. Eye-catching design and lack of detailed planning are mutually exclusive.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Do you really want to design a four-story semi-detached house on a slope yourselves as amateurs? That’s just madness!
I don’t want to ruin your holiday, but what you’ve put together so far is not acceptable. Yvonne has already pointed out some aspects that won’t work. And this doesn’t even take aesthetics into account yet.
If you plan to build the semi-detached house entirely by yourselves, what will happen to the other half? Are you planning to sell it? What will it look like? Simply mirror the design? That would make selling it extremely difficult.
I don’t want to ruin your holiday, but what you’ve put together so far is not acceptable. Yvonne has already pointed out some aspects that won’t work. And this doesn’t even take aesthetics into account yet.
If you plan to build the semi-detached house entirely by yourselves, what will happen to the other half? Are you planning to sell it? What will it look like? Simply mirror the design? That would make selling it extremely difficult.
kaho674 schrieb:
Do you really want to design a four-story duplex on a hillside as amateurs? That’s just crazy! Mild overconfidence is less enjoyable.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
K
KundF_Hof1 May 2020 15:27Ok, thank you. It’s pointless to continue this discussion at this point. We will reflect on it again and, if necessary, reconsider the planning.
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