ᐅ Optimizing the Floor Plan of a Detached Single-Family Home, 155 sqm
Created on: 1 Jan 2025 23:01
J
JoschNeubau24
Hello everyone,
I would like to share my floor plan here to get some feedback for optimization. We are already quite far along in the planning process and are generally satisfied. However, we can still make minor changes without any problems.
A brief introduction about us: a family with two children (2 and 4 years old). I work full-time without working from home, and my wife is currently not working but plans to return to part-time home office work in 1-2 years.
Mainly, my focus is on the window planning and the layout of the bedroom and bathroom. Regarding the windows, we wonder if there might be too many and whether that has significantly increased the costs.
Children’s rooms:
Do we still need windows facing east/west? This is probably a subjective question, but I’m happy to hear your opinions.
Bedroom:
Are windows facing north or west unnecessary? Alternatively, we could consider moving the partition wall so that the dressing room’s window also provides light to the bedroom.
Bathroom:
I’m wondering if the layout can still be improved, for example, by using a T-shaped design. We also have the issue of an extra window next to the toilet, primarily for ventilation. The window above the bathtub is not ideal for ventilation as it is hard to reach.
Any general comments are also welcome if something looks generally unfavorable.
I would like to share my floor plan here to get some feedback for optimization. We are already quite far along in the planning process and are generally satisfied. However, we can still make minor changes without any problems.
A brief introduction about us: a family with two children (2 and 4 years old). I work full-time without working from home, and my wife is currently not working but plans to return to part-time home office work in 1-2 years.
Mainly, my focus is on the window planning and the layout of the bedroom and bathroom. Regarding the windows, we wonder if there might be too many and whether that has significantly increased the costs.
Children’s rooms:
Do we still need windows facing east/west? This is probably a subjective question, but I’m happy to hear your opinions.
Bedroom:
Are windows facing north or west unnecessary? Alternatively, we could consider moving the partition wall so that the dressing room’s window also provides light to the bedroom.
Bathroom:
I’m wondering if the layout can still be improved, for example, by using a T-shaped design. We also have the issue of an extra window next to the toilet, primarily for ventilation. The window above the bathtub is not ideal for ventilation as it is hard to reach.
Any general comments are also welcome if something looks generally unfavorable.
J
JoschNeubau242 Jan 2025 21:10nordanney schrieb:
Ok. This was not planned that way.
However, 45cm (18 inches) is too little to sit comfortably. Apart from that, the dining table then has to be almost completely pushed against the wall (as shown in the photo).
The example in the photo is not suitable for the dining table. Here is the ground floor plan with the dining table drawn in. When positioned lengthwise, it should be easy to get in and out.
This is too vague. How long is the table with the six guests shown, and exactly how far is it from the outer edge of the 30cm (12 inches) deep window seat, so that one could sit there reasonably comfortably without having to move the table? How much space remains on the other side, for example, when the fridge or kitchen cabinet is open? This would be the only access to the kitchen!
J
JoschNeubau242 Jan 2025 21:45Arauki11 schrieb:
That’s too vague. How long is the table with the six guests shown, and exactly how far is it from the outer edge of the 30cm (12 inches) deep window seat, so that it’s comfortable to sit at without having to push the table? How much space remains on the other side, for example, when the fridge or kitchen cabinet is open? That’s the only access to the kitchen! I don’t remember the exact measurements, but the length should be around 1.80 m (5 feet 11 inches). If the window seat protrudes 30 cm (12 inches) and the distance to the table is 10 cm (4 inches), that adds up to about 2.20 m (7 feet 3 inches). The room is 4.75 m (15 feet 7 inches) long, so about 1.35 m (4 feet 5 inches) remains when the fridge door is open. This is a rough estimate, but it should actually work.
JoschNeubau24 schrieb:
Distance to the table 10cm (4 inches)Really, is that enough? I just noticed that the kitchen is 60cm (24 inches) deeper.
Again, I’m not trying to discourage you, but it definitely won’t be comfortable, and I don’t understand why anyone would narrow an already tight space even more—this also applies to the budget regarding a controlled residential ventilation system in a KfW40 new build.
I would carefully and honestly reconsider all the other points mentioned here BEFORE starting.
Above all, I would discuss with my wife what regularly ventilating by opening windows several times a day over the next 30 years really means.
At first, you wrote about the table that it “should” fit, but later you said it “does” fit. I would check that very carefully.
I am probably redundant here:
I. Since post #16, I have given the original poster (OP) the crucial hint about a well-founded suspicion of a fundamental design flaw, which he has not addressed even slightly;
II. In post #17, @Arauki11 points out the mistake of omitting a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (also a key observation, which I pick up on) and makes a side note about the potential to remove the small seating window, which I also take into account.
The following discussion, spanning three pages, primarily focuses on the (pseudo) seating window and at least argues its design flaw; the contradiction between the Efficiency House standard 40 (how is this actually fulfilled?) and the incompatible ventilation concept is treated almost as decoration. My follow-up question ...
... obviously does not refer to the punctuation mark “comma” but to the comma in the mathematical sense, meaning the complete dismissal of my main point (whereby – hopefully the readers have understood this – it is not about a polite response given to me, but about the OP addressing the content of the remark for the sake of saving the salvageable parts of the planning).
Apparently not, see the opening post:
So he already works full-time from home now, and soon both will, without disturbing each other. Of three key aspects (data protection, privacy, concentration), each alone is, in my opinion, sufficient reason not to share the guest room resource between two home workers.
Whether one can comfortably pass the table corner to enjoy the cozy chill from the glass backrest during meals seems, with all due respect, secondary.
1. If the spatial concept leaves essential needs unmet, this does not improve by placing walls and windows on a precision scale (or even planning ceiling spotlights in a follow-up thread).
2. If you removed electric window lifters from a modern car, you might still be able to find aftermarket crank attachments or at least live with manually cranking the windows at the parking garage entrance like grandpa. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in a new build is something quite different and especially nonsense in an Efficiency House 40 new build.
No, decentralized ventilation is a retrofit solution, and omitting the main system – which will soon be regretted – is absolutely the top contender in the category “stupidest ways to try to save 13,000 Euros.”
3. With all due respect to the wife and her must-have, which appears notably short on the wish list, and a size 32/34 perfectly calculated cat window with extra benefit as an alibi (and it costs too little to be considered a war-deciding detail) – I doubt this will really bring the anticipated quality-of-life joy.
My impression is this: the OP has tinkered – God knows for how long – and now admires his masterpiece. His expectation (and idea of helpful comments) is roughly that we would praise it like the chef in the Frosta commercial: “Delicious! – but just a little more turmeric.” Encouraged by various offers suggesting he can afford this masterpiece (and mistakenly regarding mechanical ventilation as an unknown-cost item), he ignores every “event card: go back to start” comment with selective hearing. A grateful optimization suggestion he would probably only consider something like “move the light switch in the dressing room to the other side.” Unfortunately, I cannot help with that kind of comment.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
I. Since post #16, I have given the original poster (OP) the crucial hint about a well-founded suspicion of a fundamental design flaw, which he has not addressed even slightly;
II. In post #17, @Arauki11 points out the mistake of omitting a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (also a key observation, which I pick up on) and makes a side note about the potential to remove the small seating window, which I also take into account.
The following discussion, spanning three pages, primarily focuses on the (pseudo) seating window and at least argues its design flaw; the contradiction between the Efficiency House standard 40 (how is this actually fulfilled?) and the incompatible ventilation concept is treated almost as decoration. My follow-up question ...
11ant schrieb:
Why do you only respond to the part of my design criticism after the comma?
... obviously does not refer to the punctuation mark “comma” but to the comma in the mathematical sense, meaning the complete dismissal of my main point (whereby – hopefully the readers have understood this – it is not about a polite response given to me, but about the OP addressing the content of the remark for the sake of saving the salvageable parts of the planning).
ypg schrieb:
Only one home office space is needed.
Apparently not, see the opening post:
JoschNeubau24 schrieb:
I work full-time without home office, and my wife currently does not, but plans to work part-time from home again in 1-2 years.
So he already works full-time from home now, and soon both will, without disturbing each other. Of three key aspects (data protection, privacy, concentration), each alone is, in my opinion, sufficient reason not to share the guest room resource between two home workers.
Whether one can comfortably pass the table corner to enjoy the cozy chill from the glass backrest during meals seems, with all due respect, secondary.
1. If the spatial concept leaves essential needs unmet, this does not improve by placing walls and windows on a precision scale (or even planning ceiling spotlights in a follow-up thread).
2. If you removed electric window lifters from a modern car, you might still be able to find aftermarket crank attachments or at least live with manually cranking the windows at the parking garage entrance like grandpa. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in a new build is something quite different and especially nonsense in an Efficiency House 40 new build.
nordanney schrieb:
And if it’s only decentralized because building the house is already too expensive for the income.
No, decentralized ventilation is a retrofit solution, and omitting the main system – which will soon be regretted – is absolutely the top contender in the category “stupidest ways to try to save 13,000 Euros.”
3. With all due respect to the wife and her must-have, which appears notably short on the wish list, and a size 32/34 perfectly calculated cat window with extra benefit as an alibi (and it costs too little to be considered a war-deciding detail) – I doubt this will really bring the anticipated quality-of-life joy.
My impression is this: the OP has tinkered – God knows for how long – and now admires his masterpiece. His expectation (and idea of helpful comments) is roughly that we would praise it like the chef in the Frosta commercial: “Delicious! – but just a little more turmeric.” Encouraged by various offers suggesting he can afford this masterpiece (and mistakenly regarding mechanical ventilation as an unknown-cost item), he ignores every “event card: go back to start” comment with selective hearing. A grateful optimization suggestion he would probably only consider something like “move the light switch in the dressing room to the other side.” Unfortunately, I cannot help with that kind of comment.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
I am probably redundant here:
I. since post #16, I have given the original poster the important indication of a well-founded suspicion of a significant design flaw from the very beginning, which he has not even acknowledged to the slightest degree;
Maybe you should just be straightforward instead of always sounding arrogant, condescending, and beating around the bush. Your sentences are often very long without adding any real value.
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