ᐅ Optimize the ground floor layout for functional use within a limited space
Created on: 15 Dec 2022 17:06
F
fyaylmf
Hello everyone,
We are about to receive a building permit for our small plot. Overall, we are quite satisfied with our floor plan, but I’m still unsure if the layout of the ground floor is optimal. Essentially, our project can be described as an apartment within our own house. Since our building directly borders a public space and we won’t have a basement, the ground floor will be used purely as a functional space. The first floor will contain the children’s rooms and bedrooms, and the attic will have the kitchen, dining, living area, and gallery. We also plan to install a small goods lift in the stairwell.
Before finalizing the detailed construction plans, I want to review the floor plan carefully and make any necessary adjustments, provided these do not affect the building permit. The house can be accessed from the front via a walkway and at the back through an inner courtyard. One parking space will be relinquished, and one parking space needs to be included within the building.
Do you have any suggestions for the ground floor? I’ve attached a plan. The furniture shown is only a rough guide and won’t be the final layout, but the intended use should be clear. Here are the requirements I have for the ground floor, and I’m currently considering which layout suits these best. I’m also uncertain about the 16cm (6 inch) raised floor slab. I would prefer to avoid this and instead use that height in the attic. I also find step-free access more comfortable.
Ground Floor Requirements:
Entrance with cloakroom
Back entrance
Bicycle parking space
1 car parking space
Waste bins
Laundry
Utility room (house connection)
Meter box
Guest room/office (not a home office)
Storage space to replace a basement
Best regards, Martin
We are about to receive a building permit for our small plot. Overall, we are quite satisfied with our floor plan, but I’m still unsure if the layout of the ground floor is optimal. Essentially, our project can be described as an apartment within our own house. Since our building directly borders a public space and we won’t have a basement, the ground floor will be used purely as a functional space. The first floor will contain the children’s rooms and bedrooms, and the attic will have the kitchen, dining, living area, and gallery. We also plan to install a small goods lift in the stairwell.
Before finalizing the detailed construction plans, I want to review the floor plan carefully and make any necessary adjustments, provided these do not affect the building permit. The house can be accessed from the front via a walkway and at the back through an inner courtyard. One parking space will be relinquished, and one parking space needs to be included within the building.
Do you have any suggestions for the ground floor? I’ve attached a plan. The furniture shown is only a rough guide and won’t be the final layout, but the intended use should be clear. Here are the requirements I have for the ground floor, and I’m currently considering which layout suits these best. I’m also uncertain about the 16cm (6 inch) raised floor slab. I would prefer to avoid this and instead use that height in the attic. I also find step-free access more comfortable.
Ground Floor Requirements:
Entrance with cloakroom
Back entrance
Bicycle parking space
1 car parking space
Waste bins
Laundry
Utility room (house connection)
Meter box
Guest room/office (not a home office)
Storage space to replace a basement
Best regards, Martin
This 3.8m² (41 sq ft) utility room — what exactly is inside besides the shaft? The architect apparently placed the heating system next to the washing machine. That makes sense, but then it shouldn’t be labeled as guest or office space.
Unfortunately, I can’t get used to living in the attic. No matter how unattractive the backyard might be now, even the smallest outdoor access on the ground floor is more appealing than a rooftop terrace. But this realization will probably only come after construction.
If it were mine...
... I would probably design the ground floor similar to Yvonne’s plan.
On the upper floor, I would create an open void connecting the living area via a gallery. The parents’ suite would also be located there. The attic would be reserved for the children’s rooms, technical installations, and the children’s bathroom.
The very top would be kept for Christmas decorations and such. I can’t show this because my software only supports a maximum of three stories. You’ll have to imagine it yourself. For the stairs, I’ve now simply assumed a floor height of 275cm (9 ft), with a ceiling height of 240cm (7 ft 10 in).
Unfortunately, I can’t get used to living in the attic. No matter how unattractive the backyard might be now, even the smallest outdoor access on the ground floor is more appealing than a rooftop terrace. But this realization will probably only come after construction.
If it were mine...
... I would probably design the ground floor similar to Yvonne’s plan.
On the upper floor, I would create an open void connecting the living area via a gallery. The parents’ suite would also be located there. The attic would be reserved for the children’s rooms, technical installations, and the children’s bathroom.
The very top would be kept for Christmas decorations and such. I can’t show this because my software only supports a maximum of three stories. You’ll have to imagine it yourself. For the stairs, I’ve now simply assumed a floor height of 275cm (9 ft), with a ceiling height of 240cm (7 ft 10 in).
S
Sunshine38718 Dec 2022 19:43I believe that having a separate kitchen and living area is not very spacious or practical. Also, such a small air space is, in my opinion, over 20,000 euros of wasted money. Therefore, your current floor plan is already good. A rooftop terrace, especially in the city, is definitely more enjoyable than sitting in a darker courtyard in the evening, where the sun probably won’t reach anymore. Many people here tend to think too much from the perspective of a detached single-family house.
Sunshine387 schrieb:
Many people here tend to think too much from a single-family house perspective.That’s possible, but most of the time it’s the other way around. Apartment renters finally build their own house and think the balcony will be the best spot—just like before. Gradually, the first grill appears in the backyard. Then you realize it would be nice to have some chairs or a bench there. The children get a sandbox, and you like to sit nearby. To avoid running all the way upstairs every time, you put a crate of drinks in the “office.” Snacks follow, and over the years you suddenly have a small kitchen down there. And at some point, you ask yourself, why on earth did I put my living room and kitchen in the attic?
Thank you very much for the floor plan. Even though we will continue to focus on living in the attic, it’s very helpful and great to see alternatives.
Often, things tend to develop downwards. But you really have to look at it from an inner-city perspective. I rarely notice high-quality rooms on the ground floor. And of course, it’s not a classic single-family house. That might not suit many people. However, we are trying to adapt everything to the local conditions. For example, you simply can’t barbecue at this location. The point about the sun is also true. It reaches the rooftop terrace the longest. And at the front, by the large dormer window, there is basically an unobstructed view of a beautiful church square with trees, which the city plans to renovate at considerable expense in the coming years. We imagine equipping the dormers with folding doors to create something like an outdoor seating area 😉
For us, it will be an adjustment anyway. We currently have relatively little living space but a large garden. Later, it will be the opposite. However, I have to say that the garden tends to stress me out. There is always something to do there, and we never really used it properly. We also have a large terrace now, but we mostly use it for sweeping or weeding. Last year, I think, we ate outside twice. The children can play just as well in the courtyard. A covered and outdoor swimming pool is 300m (330 yards) away, and sports and recreational facilities are 500m (550 yards) from here. If you don’t like it anymore, you can consider what to do next. But even then, it’s better to have built a house that fits the surroundings. That is how we see it at the moment. Of course, if money and land size didn’t matter, I would choose a 1000 sqm (12,000 sq ft) plot in a great location with a large garden including a gardener, a big driveway, and a double garage—but of course, that’s not the case here 😉
In our area, the price per square meter for land is between 1,500 and 2,500 euros per sqm (about $140–230 per sq ft), or up to 8,000 euros per sqm (about $740 per sq ft) for living space.
Often, things tend to develop downwards. But you really have to look at it from an inner-city perspective. I rarely notice high-quality rooms on the ground floor. And of course, it’s not a classic single-family house. That might not suit many people. However, we are trying to adapt everything to the local conditions. For example, you simply can’t barbecue at this location. The point about the sun is also true. It reaches the rooftop terrace the longest. And at the front, by the large dormer window, there is basically an unobstructed view of a beautiful church square with trees, which the city plans to renovate at considerable expense in the coming years. We imagine equipping the dormers with folding doors to create something like an outdoor seating area 😉
For us, it will be an adjustment anyway. We currently have relatively little living space but a large garden. Later, it will be the opposite. However, I have to say that the garden tends to stress me out. There is always something to do there, and we never really used it properly. We also have a large terrace now, but we mostly use it for sweeping or weeding. Last year, I think, we ate outside twice. The children can play just as well in the courtyard. A covered and outdoor swimming pool is 300m (330 yards) away, and sports and recreational facilities are 500m (550 yards) from here. If you don’t like it anymore, you can consider what to do next. But even then, it’s better to have built a house that fits the surroundings. That is how we see it at the moment. Of course, if money and land size didn’t matter, I would choose a 1000 sqm (12,000 sq ft) plot in a great location with a large garden including a gardener, a big driveway, and a double garage—but of course, that’s not the case here 😉
In our area, the price per square meter for land is between 1,500 and 2,500 euros per sqm (about $140–230 per sq ft), or up to 8,000 euros per sqm (about $740 per sq ft) for living space.
fyaylmf schrieb:
But you really have to consider it as very inner-city. I rarely notice high-quality rooms on the ground floor.I do. The ground floor is often designed for living. This usually includes a terrace. And that applies even in the city center. If someone has an apartment on one of the upper floors, they carry their barbecue or iPods to the green courtyard… When starting a family and the budget allows, people look for something with more green space near their living area. Even home office workers are increasingly found outside, surrounded by nature 😉fyaylmf schrieb:
But if money and land didn’t matter, I would pick a 1000 sqm (12,000 sq ft) plot in a great location with a large garden including a gardener, a wide driveway, and a double garage, of course it’s not like that 😉Nope. You wouldn’t, if green space, nature, and gardening stress you out. Stress isn’t about the budget. Or maybe you convince yourself that it is—that’s something you have to figure out for yourself. You’re just trying to fool us.S
Sunshine38718 Dec 2022 22:39ypg schrieb:
For me, it’s clear. The ground floor is often planned for living. That includes the terrace, even in city centers. Those with apartments on upper floors carry their grill food or iPods to the green backyard… and when family planning starts and the budget allows, people look for living spaces with more greenery close to daily life. Even home office workers are increasingly found outside in green areas 😉 I stick to my point. In city centers, those who have to live on the ground floor do so. Especially since apartments with terraces and gardens in new residential developments are usually the last to be sold and are considerably cheaper than penthouse apartments in the city. This is partly because the risk of break-ins feels higher on the ground floor. You feel like you’re sitting right by the curb with no privacy. And by 4:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m.) in summer, the sun is gone. Someone in a penthouse apartment can enjoy the sun until late in the evening. It makes a lot of sense to plan utility rooms on the ground floor facing the street. And some people simply aren’t garden types. I’m one of them, actually. Mowing the lawn once a week is fine, but raking leaves or weeding every day is too much for me. You don’t have to be a slave to your own garden. That’s why I can easily imagine the thread starter being very happy with their roof terrace. And the trampoline can still be set up in the garden.
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