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
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
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!
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
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
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!
Thanks for your feedback!
I don’t think it’s ideal to combine the cooking and dining areas into one space. It would mean having to stay in the cluttered and messy kitchen even when guests are over, which doesn’t appeal to me.
Regarding the kitchen, the only option I currently see is to make the house wider. That would actually suit us better overall.
I do believe that 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft) can be quite large. With this floor plan, which initially appealed to us, the problem seems to be that too many rooms are squeezed into not that many square meters. Especially on the ground floor, it feels quite tight with the kitchen, living room, guest room, utility room, and shower bathroom all packed in, and if the entrance area isn’t very spacious either... I think that might be too cramped for us after all.
Now I’m unsure whether we should stick with this design and just revise it or start again completely from scratch...
I don’t think it’s ideal to combine the cooking and dining areas into one space. It would mean having to stay in the cluttered and messy kitchen even when guests are over, which doesn’t appeal to me.
Regarding the kitchen, the only option I currently see is to make the house wider. That would actually suit us better overall.
I do believe that 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft) can be quite large. With this floor plan, which initially appealed to us, the problem seems to be that too many rooms are squeezed into not that many square meters. Especially on the ground floor, it feels quite tight with the kitchen, living room, guest room, utility room, and shower bathroom all packed in, and if the entrance area isn’t very spacious either... I think that might be too cramped for us after all.
Now I’m unsure whether we should stick with this design and just revise it or start again completely from scratch...
When I read something like a "dirty" kitchen, I always wonder what actually goes on in these kitchens. Most parties I know end up in the kitchen anyway, and if there is a small dining area there, it often comes with comments like, "It's a shame we can’t all fit here, it’s so cozy." It just seems pointless to reserve a spot for "official" guests on such occasions, especially if it’s supposed to accommodate 6 to 10 people.
And, as someone already mentioned here, when children are school-aged, it’s quite common for friends to come over, etc. In those cases, you really don’t want to stay in the "formal" dining area. The kitchen area might not be enough either.
Ideally, the main terrace should be located next to the kitchen, because in summer you will almost always prefer that connection rather than going through the "clean/well-kept" living room.
And, as someone already mentioned here, when children are school-aged, it’s quite common for friends to come over, etc. In those cases, you really don’t want to stay in the "formal" dining area. The kitchen area might not be enough either.
Ideally, the main terrace should be located next to the kitchen, because in summer you will almost always prefer that connection rather than going through the "clean/well-kept" living room.
Mo Nique schrieb:
...I would recommend visiting model homes. It helps you develop a sense of space and you quickly notice where you feel comfortable. ...Certainly a good idea... for example, in Frechen. But always keep in mind that the companies usually present nice “bunkers” there. Mostly with 200 square meters (2150 square feet) or more. It’s impressive, but often not realistic for your own situation.
We have now also received a potential floor plan from the second provider we are in talks with. In terms of living area, there is practically no difference, and financially we are in a comparable range overall.
We would now like to hear your opinions.
This option definitely includes a basement, with the utility room and technical installations planned for the basement level.
What we really like about this design is that the kitchen is larger, and I think we could realize my dream of having a table there. It is also worth considering that the guest room is just under 13 m² (140 sq ft), but since we do not have guests very often, it might be possible to allocate 2 m² (22 sq ft) from this room to the kitchen if the building structure allows.
A storage room of about 3 m² (32 sq ft) on the ground floor is certainly practical, but we are not sure if we necessarily need it on the main level if there is a basement. This also raises the question of whether this space could be better organized in another way, for example by enlarging the entrance hallway.
The hallway is measured at 10 m² (108 sq ft), which seems quite small to us.
Regarding the upper floor: the room sizes and the bathroom size are basically acceptable. However, the office seems very small to me, with knee wall height (kniestock) at 1.40 m (4.6 ft) in this option. As a teacher, I spend a considerable amount of time in the office and have quite a bit of equipment that needs space. A floor-to-ceiling shelf, a large desk, and a proper chair are essential. I wonder if this is feasible in this size?
We would now like to hear your opinions.
This option definitely includes a basement, with the utility room and technical installations planned for the basement level.
What we really like about this design is that the kitchen is larger, and I think we could realize my dream of having a table there. It is also worth considering that the guest room is just under 13 m² (140 sq ft), but since we do not have guests very often, it might be possible to allocate 2 m² (22 sq ft) from this room to the kitchen if the building structure allows.
A storage room of about 3 m² (32 sq ft) on the ground floor is certainly practical, but we are not sure if we necessarily need it on the main level if there is a basement. This also raises the question of whether this space could be better organized in another way, for example by enlarging the entrance hallway.
The hallway is measured at 10 m² (108 sq ft), which seems quite small to us.
Regarding the upper floor: the room sizes and the bathroom size are basically acceptable. However, the office seems very small to me, with knee wall height (kniestock) at 1.40 m (4.6 ft) in this option. As a teacher, I spend a considerable amount of time in the office and have quite a bit of equipment that needs space. A floor-to-ceiling shelf, a large desk, and a proper chair are essential. I wonder if this is feasible in this size?
Mizit schrieb:
A storage room of just under 3 m² (32 ft²) on the ground floor is certainly practical, but we are not sure whether we really need it on the ground floor if there is a basement.It is not very practical to have no storage space on the ground floor or the upper floor.
A broom is needed several times a day, laundry should be done where it occurs, and beverage crates are rarely carried down to the basement since people drink liquids regularly throughout the day.
I don’t see a space for a coat rack at all.
I don’t find the floor plan bad, but if I were you, I would think more about your other habits instead of planning everything just around the kitchen table. Often, extra rooms—such as guest rooms and offices—end up being converted into storage rooms, and then only miscellaneous items are stored in the basement, unless it is also used for hobbies or similar purposes.
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