ᐅ Our proposed floor plan – feedback welcome

If we decide to go ahead with a current purchase option for a plot of land, this house type with the floor plans attached below would currently be our first choice. It represents a compromise between the required rooms and the price. However, we wouldn’t want to fully adopt the floor plan 100% as is – the extent to which changes are actually possible will depend on the budget, especially considering the already quite high price per square meter here. Our room for upgrades will therefore not be very generous...

Zoning plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 550 sqm (5920 sq ft)
Slope: minimal
Site coverage ratio
Floor area ratio
Building window, building line, and building boundary: the house could definitely be realised within these
Perimeter development
Number of parking spaces
Number of floors: all options possible
Roof shape: no specifications
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights/restrictions
Other requirements

Homeowners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: single-family house, initially aiming for a gable roof
Basement, floors: basement still uncertain, 2 full floors would obviously be great
Number of occupants, age: 2 adults, 1 child + 1 baby, possibly 1 more maximum
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: at least 2 children’s rooms, office absolutely necessary
Office: family use or home office? Professionally required office, potential use as guest room under consideration
Guests per year: quite a few visits expected
Open or closed architecture: want a closed kitchen!
Conservative or modern construction: hmmm
Open kitchen, kitchen island: closed kitchen
Number of dining seats: table in kitchen with 4 chairs, dining table with 6 chairs
Fireplace: no
Music/sound wall: not very important
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: garage to be integrated into the basement if there is one
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine:

House design
Who planned it:
- Planner from a construction company, part of a general contractor’s series
- Architect
- DIY by you
What do you like most? An eventual third child suddenly possible
What don’t you like? Kitchen is too small for me, too few windows?
Estimated price according to architect/planner: expected to cost around 227,000 euros without painter and flooring work
Personal budget limit for house including fittings:
Preferred heating technology: definitely no ground source heat pump

If you have to give up something, which details/extensions:
- Can you do without: upper bathroom could be smaller, guest room not absolutely necessary
- Can you not do without: we need 2 bathrooms with showers, I want to have the option of placing a small table in the kitchen

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Perhaps you can give us your assessment on the following points:

1. At 152 sqm (1635 sq ft) of floor area, the house is not “small” – but we have also heard opinions that the children’s rooms are too small, the living-dining area is rather small, there is hardly any space for a play corner, and that the kitchen is too small; also the entrance area might be too small for a family of four with corresponding coats, shoes, cupboards. Does that also seem true to you at first glance?

2. I definitely want a closed kitchen and according to the general contractor, this is feasible here. But I also want a small table with 4 chairs in the kitchen. I don’t want to mess up the living room dining area every morning having breakfast with the children; I want to be able to quickly sweep the kitchen instead. I’m open for kitchen layout ideas. I’m not a master cook and it’s not a hobby for me, so I definitely don’t need a luxury kitchen with all the bells and whistles. But I really want this small table with 4 seats. Is that even possible in just under 11 sqm (118 sq ft)?

3. Since I fear the kitchen is too small for this, we had the idea to turn the 12 sqm (129 sq ft) guest room into the living room by removing the wall. The kitchen would then be extended towards the living room. Does that make sense?

4. Some comments on the floor plan mentioned that there are too few windows and that the house will not be very bright. Brightness is important to me though. Architecturally, it should be possible to add another window in the kitchen and also add skylights to the children’s rooms, right? But do you have any idea what such additional windows would cost? Are we talking around 500 euros (about 550 US dollars) or closer to 5,000 euros (about 5,500 US dollars) per window or something completely different?

Thanks for every opinion!

Mizit schrieb:

1. With a floor area of 152 sqm (1,635 sq ft), the house is not exactly "small"—yet we have already heard comments that the children’s rooms are too small, the living-dining area is rather compact with hardly any space for a play corner, and the kitchen is too small; also, the entrance area is considered too small for a family of four with their jackets, shoes, and storage needs. Does this impression also come across to you at first glance?

2. I really want a closed kitchen, which according to the main contractor would be no problem here. I also want a small table with four chairs in the kitchen. I don’t want to mess up the living room dining area every morning with the kids; I’d rather be able to quickly sweep the kitchen. I’m still open regarding kitchen planning. Cooking is not my main hobby or specialty, so I definitely don’t need a luxury kitchen with all the extras. But I absolutely want that small table with seating for four. Is it realistic to fit this into roughly 11 sqm (118 sq ft)?

3. Since I fear the kitchen might be too small for this, we considered the following: turning the 12 sqm (129 sq ft) guest room into the living room, meaning the wall would be removed. Then we would extend the kitchen towards the living room. Does that make sense?

The children’s rooms are small (ours are about the same), but not TOO small. Approximately 14 sqm (150 sq ft) is probably the minimum for a children’s bedroom. Adding 2-3 sqm (20-30 sq ft) would definitely help, especially since you don’t have additional storage rooms. Placing actual beds of 1.2 to 1.6 m (4 to 5.2 ft) length in the kids’ rooms consumes quite a bit of space.

The living-dining area seems almost large enough to me, although the sofa is in a spot where you have to walk straight into it. To allow some maneuvering space, the sofa corner would have to be placed more tightly, which could then feel cramped.

Do your children need a dedicated play area?

The kitchen has enough space without the table. If you want to include a small table with seating, you’ll need an additional 2-3 sqm (20-30 sq ft), preferably in width rather than extending towards the living room.

The entrance area really offers limited options for coats and storage. Practically, there is only some space under the stairs, which isn’t much.

If you can do without the guest room, you might consider that. It would create more room to address the mentioned tight spots on the ground floor.

To be honest, I’m curious to see how Kern-Haus manages the separation between the land and the house, or if you will have to pay taxes on the entire project.

DragonyxXL schrieb:
The children's bedrooms are small (ours will be just as small), but not TOO small. About 14m² (150 sq ft) seems to be the minimum for a child's bedroom.

Oh please... if that were true, entire generations before you would have been permanently affected for life.

What does the size of a child's bedroom have to do with the development of a growing person? Just because rooms nowadays are supposedly "supposed to be" larger, parents still miss what really matters...

Best regards, Bauexperte

Children's rooms larger than 16 sqm (172 sq ft) are rarely found in 1.5-story houses. Our room is about 15 sqm (161 sq ft) and is sufficient for what needs to fit inside as well as for the necessary space.

Mizit schrieb:
?..
Cost estimate according to the architect/planner: should be around 227,000 euros excluding painting and flooring work...

4. Some comments about the floor plan said there are too few windows and that the house might not be very bright. Brightness is quite important to me. Architecturally, it should be possible to add another window in the kitchen and also add a skylight in the children’s rooms, right? But do you have an idea of the cost for such additional windows? Are we talking about around 500 euros or rather 5,000 euros per window, or something completely different?

Thanks for any feedback!

Have you actually scheduled a binding appointment with Kern?
The information you have or mention sounds like a non-binding phone conversation.
The price you quote is a base price listed in the catalog.
You certainly won’t remain with just the few electrical outlets, although I don’t know if Kern offers more than the typical basic standard. Then you add this, that... These don’t even have to be premium options, but I promise the price won’t stay the same.
However, that wasn’t your question; it just seems to me that this is already your budget limit.
How much changes cost, Kern has to tell you. With us, we could widen all windows free of charge. Adding 3 extra windows was also within budget, but that is very different with other home builders: whether 300 or 3,000 euros, it could be anywhere in between.
According to their website, Kern builds custom homes, so they should plan your house with a fully usable kitchen.
And yes, there are shortcomings in window widths and lack of space in the bedroom upstairs, with the bathroom being too large.
By the way, roof windows are not the cheapest option.

Is this the only home builder you are considering?