Dear forum members,
We bought a plot of land last autumn and are currently deep into the floor plan design. We would like to share our current draft with you and welcome any comments and opinions.
[F]irst some preliminary information about the plot and its buildability:[/F]
Best regards
We bought a plot of land last autumn and are currently deep into the floor plan design. We would like to share our current draft with you and welcome any comments and opinions.
[F]irst some preliminary information about the plot and its buildability:[/F]
- 1000 m² (10,764 sq ft) rear plot, southwest facing (so southwest is on the left side of the site plan)
- Building boundary up to approx. 16 m (52 ft) behind the property line (up to the dashed line on the site plan)
- No zoning plan (construction according to § 34 of the Building Code)
- Groundwater at surface level and peaty soil (exact geotechnical report pending), so piled foundation required and no basement
- Affordable! (Our maximum budget for the house including foundation slab is €230,000)
- Country house style
- Bright, large windows facing south/garden
- Open living/dining/kitchen area
- Family of four, 1 bedroom and 2 children’s rooms
- Not oversized, max 150 m² (1,615 sq ft), preferably less
- Solid construction using Ytong blocks (for us the most cost-effective option, although we would have liked to build with wood as well).
- Developed ourselves after studying various floor plans (including from the book "Affordable Building with a Small Budget" by Achim Linhardt) with support from architect friends and our planner (an independent civil engineer).
- Dimensions 12.50 x 7.50 m (41 x 25 ft) (the measurements shown on the site plan are from an earlier draft).
- What we like: open living area, all main rooms have large windows facing the garden, efficient size, although the children’s and bedroom could be smaller, sewing/work nook behind the stairs upstairs, plenty of wall space for large wardrobes in the upstairs bedroom and hallway on the ground floor, light shaft in the stairwell, staircase (we originally wanted a straight run staircase but it would have taken too much space; the one with three quarter turns is also fine with us).
- What we don’t like 100% yet: the height of the house from the outside. It is currently planned as a two-story house with an eaves height of 6.2 m (20 ft), with the ground floor 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in) high and the upper floor 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) high. The gable roof will be an uninsulated, unfinished cold roof, mainly because of the economical prefabricated truss construction method. This is a bit disappointing because I really like sloped ceilings and did not want the character of a townhouse. Lowering the roof with a knee wall of about 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) and an insulated roof with open sloped ceilings would probably be more expensive due to the rafter/beam construction. We would also lose the garden view through the floor-to-ceiling bedroom windows.
- Simple: What do you think about the floor plan?
- Can you still imagine the relatively tall two-story house having a country house character? Maybe it depends on the facade design and choice of materials? Do you think it looks too “blocky,” especially from the front entrance side? Or would a lower eaves height with an attic conversion including a knee wall be preferable?
- We are still unsure how to arrange the windows on the garden side. The drawing with the elevations shows two possible versions. We actually prefer it when the upper floor window is centered over the lower window front. However, this does not align the interior line of sight from the entrance door to the garden/patio door (see ground floor plan). This represents version two; for version one, the window front would have to be shifted about one window width to the right, so that the patio door is behind the dining table. With the window front shifted left, the interior looks better to us, but from the outside it looks strange if it is offset from the upper floor window, right? What do you think?
Best regards
la.schnute schrieb:
For those who want to discuss floor plans again: I have created a few new versions here, [...] we’re sometimes unsure whether the load-bearing walls will be 24 cm (9.5 inches) or 17.5 cm (7 inches) thick). Without looking at the details closely, just in principle, I am not convinced at all by the versions with the switchback stairs. Walls with a thickness of 24 cm (9.5 inches) would surprise me for the spans in this house.
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la.schnute6 Mar 2020 21:22Ah, thanks for the explanation. Now I understand a bit better that the building envelope is linked to the zoning plan or that the term might be used there. In our case, the development is limited, as mentioned, only by the 3m (10 feet) distance to neighboring plots and the approximately 35m (115 feet) setback at the rear from the nature reserve. Saying "only" is quite an understatement, as that is a significant restriction.
Why don’t you like the double-flight stairs? Is it just personal preference, or do you find them unsuitable because of the large space they require? I actually find them quite charming. A friend who is an architect basically designed floor plan 3 that way for a family in Hamburg (I can’t share links, but anyone interested can look up House Lokstedt by Groot Architects).
The first floor plan, which we had in a slightly larger version so far, was calculated by the planner with a 24cm (9.5 inches) wall in the middle (opposite the stairs).
Why don’t you like the double-flight stairs? Is it just personal preference, or do you find them unsuitable because of the large space they require? I actually find them quite charming. A friend who is an architect basically designed floor plan 3 that way for a family in Hamburg (I can’t share links, but anyone interested can look up House Lokstedt by Groot Architects).
The first floor plan, which we had in a slightly larger version so far, was calculated by the planner with a 24cm (9.5 inches) wall in the middle (opposite the stairs).
Without measurements, it is hardly possible to assess. At least include the exterior dimensions.
Otherwise:
Regarding straight: A proper cloakroom is missing (deal-breaker), the sewing machine is missing, and the route to the laundry area feels like a maze.
Regarding PodestWohn: Having the stairs behind your back is uncomfortable. Or is a wall supposed to be added there? Otherwise, it’s interesting.
Regarding Podest: I like it.
Regarding quarter-turn stairs: Kitchen is too small.
Overall, I would not build any of the presented designs, as they all seem too busy for my taste. But that doesn’t bother you. How much or what exactly are you saving compared to the original design?
Otherwise:
Regarding straight: A proper cloakroom is missing (deal-breaker), the sewing machine is missing, and the route to the laundry area feels like a maze.
Regarding PodestWohn: Having the stairs behind your back is uncomfortable. Or is a wall supposed to be added there? Otherwise, it’s interesting.
Regarding Podest: I like it.
Regarding quarter-turn stairs: Kitchen is too small.
Overall, I would not build any of the presented designs, as they all seem too busy for my taste. But that doesn’t bother you. How much or what exactly are you saving compared to the original design?
la.schnute6 Mar 2020 21:45Oh yes, I had all of them in a PDF before, with the exterior dimensions listed, until I realized that I apparently can’t upload PDFs. Right now, PodestWohn has 12 x 7 m (39 x 23 feet), and the other two are 11.5 x 7.5 m (38 x 25 feet).
I also find the layout with the wardrobe and the route to the utility room inconvenient with the straight staircase... The sewing corner is located behind the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom, separated by a sliding door.
I’m saving 12-15 m2 (130-160 sq ft); my calculations show roughly a €10,000 saving on masonry, floors, and ceiling, but I haven’t adjusted the plastering surfaces or roof yet.
I also find the layout with the wardrobe and the route to the utility room inconvenient with the straight staircase... The sewing corner is located behind the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom, separated by a sliding door.
I’m saving 12-15 m2 (130-160 sq ft); my calculations show roughly a €10,000 saving on masonry, floors, and ceiling, but I haven’t adjusted the plastering surfaces or roof yet.
I would separate the sewing machine area from the hallway with a wall. I can imagine that the noise might eventually bother housemates in the children's rooms and living room. Alternatively, proper soundproof doors would need to be installed to the children's rooms. A spatial separation (e.g., a thin drywall partition) should generally be provided for work equipment that generates noise.
la.schnute schrieb:
Thanks for saying I don’t come across as arrogant. But your (second to last) comment does seem a tiny bit condescending to me, which I find a bit disappointing. No, it was really just meant as a quick thought directed at you.
la.schnute schrieb:
Statements like “if you don’t know that, it’s not going to work anyway” (that’s how your comment reads a bit) Not at all. But I often see here in the forum that people planning to build act quite presumptuously despite being laypersons. And often the forum is right about that.
Since I somehow believe in your project, it would be a shame if it fails for the reasons mentioned. I would be disappointed if you end up among those who are not aiming realistically.
la.schnute schrieb:
all.property.boundary.length.must.not.exceed.. 15.m. That’s good then. In some federal states, only 9 meters (30 feet) are allowed.
la.schnute schrieb:
Why I think we can manage it is explained in some detail in my second post, I believe. It’s also still possible that we receive additional financial support from parents/in-laws. That’s good too; it helps to reduce the risk a bit.
kaho674 schrieb:
Overall, I wouldn’t build any of the designs shown, as they all seem way too noisy to me. I’m reminded of the initial sentence along the lines of “we are TV addicts, and the stereo system is sacred.”
Regarding the wardrobe: even the initial designs apparently only have 30cm (12 inches) wide cabinets instead of the more practical 60cm (24 inches) ones...
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