ᐅ Planning the Location of the House and Garage Within the Building Envelope *Preliminary Planning*
Created on: 9 Aug 2016 10:52
H
Häuslebau3r
Hello everyone,
I have been following the forum for quite some time now and am gradually approaching the “house building” project step by step, trying to learn as much as possible in advance.
Thanks to the many experts here, this has truly been an enjoyable experience in the way the community contributes. (end of flattery mode) 🙂
As I already mentioned in my first major thread, we are currently working on preliminary planning and considering the house design and its orientation on the plot, even before our first meetings with potential builders.
Taking several factors into account regarding the plot, such as price and an undeveloped east-facing location (sloping gently down to the east), we found a micro-location that we really like. We weren’t able to get our ideal size, but with 770m² (8300 sq ft), I think it’s more than sufficient. The main advantage for us is that the land can be fully paid for from our own funds, so until construction starts in early 2018, we will continue saving equity and paying off any remaining debts.
Source: Excerpts from the development plan / self-created images
A building permit inquiry (building permit / planning permission) has already been submitted regarding the desired architectural style, and I have received approval to expand the building envelope up to 8 meters (26 feet) along the eastern boundary.
At the moment, we are leaning toward a rather classic city villa style (2 full floors with a hipped roof at 25° and a double garage).
Source: Weberhaus
Based on the budget we have personally set, we are initially planning without a basement. If it turns out to be feasible later on, we can still include it.
We have already visited model homes that appealed to us in terms of external design and even traveled from Bavaria to the Rhineland, and from there to Wuppertal for inspiration.
Right now, before the first planning meetings, we want to focus on finding the best possible orientation for the house and garage on the property, for example:
Source: Excerpts from the development plan
For me, one thing is already decided: the staircase, which I want to have exactly like this due to the fantastic light conditions. It captivated me at first sight.
Source: Weberhaus
Furthermore, we want to keep as much space as possible on the west and south sides to create what I consider an ideal sunny aspect and garden atmosphere.
This is also the tricky part, as the arrangement between house and garage is causing us some headaches.
Many questions arise, such as whether the garage should be placed in front of the house to free up more space on the south side, or rather beside the house (which would include a covered entrance area). A passage from the garage directly into the house is also under consideration. Or should the main entrance be on the west side instead, which might mean it would be uncovered?
Source for covered entrance: Weberhaus
I will post further key data throughout the thread as needed, in case I have forgotten anything important.
However, these points above need to be clarified first before we can continue planning the positioning of the dining, living, and kitchen areas, etc. (Of course, with a preference for south/west orientation).
I would appreciate any information and lively discussions.
Best regards, Andreas, and thank you in advance!
I have been following the forum for quite some time now and am gradually approaching the “house building” project step by step, trying to learn as much as possible in advance.
Thanks to the many experts here, this has truly been an enjoyable experience in the way the community contributes. (end of flattery mode) 🙂
As I already mentioned in my first major thread, we are currently working on preliminary planning and considering the house design and its orientation on the plot, even before our first meetings with potential builders.
Taking several factors into account regarding the plot, such as price and an undeveloped east-facing location (sloping gently down to the east), we found a micro-location that we really like. We weren’t able to get our ideal size, but with 770m² (8300 sq ft), I think it’s more than sufficient. The main advantage for us is that the land can be fully paid for from our own funds, so until construction starts in early 2018, we will continue saving equity and paying off any remaining debts.
Source: Excerpts from the development plan / self-created images
A building permit inquiry (building permit / planning permission) has already been submitted regarding the desired architectural style, and I have received approval to expand the building envelope up to 8 meters (26 feet) along the eastern boundary.
At the moment, we are leaning toward a rather classic city villa style (2 full floors with a hipped roof at 25° and a double garage).
Source: Weberhaus
Based on the budget we have personally set, we are initially planning without a basement. If it turns out to be feasible later on, we can still include it.
We have already visited model homes that appealed to us in terms of external design and even traveled from Bavaria to the Rhineland, and from there to Wuppertal for inspiration.
Right now, before the first planning meetings, we want to focus on finding the best possible orientation for the house and garage on the property, for example:
Source: Excerpts from the development plan
For me, one thing is already decided: the staircase, which I want to have exactly like this due to the fantastic light conditions. It captivated me at first sight.
Source: Weberhaus
Furthermore, we want to keep as much space as possible on the west and south sides to create what I consider an ideal sunny aspect and garden atmosphere.
This is also the tricky part, as the arrangement between house and garage is causing us some headaches.
Many questions arise, such as whether the garage should be placed in front of the house to free up more space on the south side, or rather beside the house (which would include a covered entrance area). A passage from the garage directly into the house is also under consideration. Or should the main entrance be on the west side instead, which might mean it would be uncovered?
Source for covered entrance: Weberhaus
I will post further key data throughout the thread as needed, in case I have forgotten anything important.
However, these points above need to be clarified first before we can continue planning the positioning of the dining, living, and kitchen areas, etc. (Of course, with a preference for south/west orientation).
I would appreciate any information and lively discussions.
Best regards, Andreas, and thank you in advance!
Good morning Andreas,
at first glance, here are a few comments:
I would leave out the small hallway area leading to the kitchen/living space. It doesn’t add any value inside, and you won’t be able to use the hallway there effectively.
Since we’re already on that topic, I can tell you now that you won’t be happy with the stove placed there (dirt, radiant heat directly in the walking/doorway area). Also, there is no chimney flue on the upper floor.
A simple window is sufficient for the utility room. Otherwise, you will lose valuable wall space later. Furthermore, your workshop is not usable as designed. You can leave out the narrow corridor and just create a small workshop at the top of the plan. That should suffice and will save you a lot of money.
The garage has far too many windows. Especially since you can’t have windows on the boundary side if the building is right up to the property line. Regarding the window facing the front door, you should be aware that anyone going to the front door will first look into the garage.
The bedroom probably needs to be a bit wider. The closets in the walk-in closet area appear to be around 40cm (16 inches) wide at most. You should plan for closets about 60cm (24 inches) wide instead. A narrow window should be enough there. One option would be to move the wall between the walk-in closet and bathroom slightly downwards on the plan to create a recessed closet niche.
The storage room and the second bathroom on the upper floor seem to have disappeared because of the wall arrangements.
But that is already getting quite detailed.
at first glance, here are a few comments:
I would leave out the small hallway area leading to the kitchen/living space. It doesn’t add any value inside, and you won’t be able to use the hallway there effectively.
Since we’re already on that topic, I can tell you now that you won’t be happy with the stove placed there (dirt, radiant heat directly in the walking/doorway area). Also, there is no chimney flue on the upper floor.
A simple window is sufficient for the utility room. Otherwise, you will lose valuable wall space later. Furthermore, your workshop is not usable as designed. You can leave out the narrow corridor and just create a small workshop at the top of the plan. That should suffice and will save you a lot of money.
The garage has far too many windows. Especially since you can’t have windows on the boundary side if the building is right up to the property line. Regarding the window facing the front door, you should be aware that anyone going to the front door will first look into the garage.
The bedroom probably needs to be a bit wider. The closets in the walk-in closet area appear to be around 40cm (16 inches) wide at most. You should plan for closets about 60cm (24 inches) wide instead. A narrow window should be enough there. One option would be to move the wall between the walk-in closet and bathroom slightly downwards on the plan to create a recessed closet niche.
The storage room and the second bathroom on the upper floor seem to have disappeared because of the wall arrangements.
But that is already getting quite detailed.
Just my two cents
I fully agree with Jochen about the hallway – it won’t do you any good.
I would look for a different location for the fireplace. As already mentioned, consider placing it against an exterior wall.
I would leave out the window in that small wall recess.
Regarding the upper floor, nothing specific comes to mind right now... but it seems like a case of “worsened improvement.”
It could also get a bit tricky with the setback requirements (building permit / planning permission). Maybe a brief explanation of what I did with the model: I placed a 53cm (21 inches) wall between the garage sections (36cm (14 inches) exterior wall + 17cm (7 inches) prefabricated garage). You might need to do something similar with the technical room; otherwise, the small bedroom extension could be difficult to manage.
I fully agree with Jochen about the hallway – it won’t do you any good.
I would look for a different location for the fireplace. As already mentioned, consider placing it against an exterior wall.
I would leave out the window in that small wall recess.
Regarding the upper floor, nothing specific comes to mind right now... but it seems like a case of “worsened improvement.”
It could also get a bit tricky with the setback requirements (building permit / planning permission). Maybe a brief explanation of what I did with the model: I placed a 53cm (21 inches) wall between the garage sections (36cm (14 inches) exterior wall + 17cm (7 inches) prefabricated garage). You might need to do something similar with the technical room; otherwise, the small bedroom extension could be difficult to manage.
Oh yes, wall thicknesses. For realistic estimates, use 40cm (16 inches) for exterior walls (36.5cm (14.5 inches) block + 2cm (0.8 inches) exterior plaster + 1.5cm (0.6 inches) interior plaster), 27cm (11 inches) for load-bearing interior walls (24cm (9.5 inches) block + 1.5cm (0.6 inches) plaster each side), and 14cm (5.5 inches) for non-load-bearing interior walls (11cm (4.3 inches) block + 1.5cm (0.6 inches) plaster each side).
But these are details.
Regarding the garage, I only have the 36.5cm (14.5 inches) exterior wall from my house. The flat roof of the garage was poured together with the ground floor ceiling of the house (thermally separated), so I didn’t need to build a wall connecting the garage to the house.
But these are details.
Regarding the garage, I only have the 36.5cm (14.5 inches) exterior wall from my house. The flat roof of the garage was poured together with the ground floor ceiling of the house (thermally separated), so I didn’t need to build a wall connecting the garage to the house.
Häuslebau3r19 Aug 2016 08:14Hello Jochen,
thanks again in advance for your information and comments.
Regarding the plot stub, we also reconsidered that yesterday. However, it was already late in the evening and the wine was gone. But of course, everything you say is true. The idea was probably to somewhat preserve the L-shape that is meant to define the kitchen, dining, and living areas. In this design, I didn’t keep the step in the living room since there is actually enough space there, but I placed it in the dining room to create more space around the island (just as an aside).
About the famous stove, we should set that aside for now since I just placed it there quickly (I hadn’t really found an alternative spot at that moment). We were leaning towards a 180-degree fireplace, but the right location has not yet been found. Maybe you have some suggestions on where it could go, especially considering dirt, radiant heat, etc. I had actually thought about using it as a kind of room divider between the living and dining areas.
I wasn’t aware of the details regarding the utility room and the garage, so I can certainly include and adjust those now. The separation between the garage and workshop was mainly intended to keep dirt and moisture in winter under control. But I do see that the passage with a width of 1.60m (5 feet 3 inches) is not ideal. I will remove the window due to the boundary development (north side).
The bedroom, of course, could be extended somewhat toward the dressing room if it is structurally feasible and considering all other factors such as building stability, costs, etc. I had already included that small niche in the bathroom, but the bathroom design didn’t quite work out. I need to review that again. As you already said, the cabinets in the drawing have a depth of 45cm (18 inches).
Yes, the other two rooms have disappeared due to the walls. In the end, I would have preferred a storage room over a bathroom on the upper floor. Now, we need to see how else it can be done. If everything goes well, I will revise it again tonight and then upload a version with square meter (square feet) measurements here.
Best regards, Andreas
Yes Yvonne, I got it already ops:
thanks again in advance for your information and comments.
Regarding the plot stub, we also reconsidered that yesterday. However, it was already late in the evening and the wine was gone. But of course, everything you say is true. The idea was probably to somewhat preserve the L-shape that is meant to define the kitchen, dining, and living areas. In this design, I didn’t keep the step in the living room since there is actually enough space there, but I placed it in the dining room to create more space around the island (just as an aside).
About the famous stove, we should set that aside for now since I just placed it there quickly (I hadn’t really found an alternative spot at that moment). We were leaning towards a 180-degree fireplace, but the right location has not yet been found. Maybe you have some suggestions on where it could go, especially considering dirt, radiant heat, etc. I had actually thought about using it as a kind of room divider between the living and dining areas.
I wasn’t aware of the details regarding the utility room and the garage, so I can certainly include and adjust those now. The separation between the garage and workshop was mainly intended to keep dirt and moisture in winter under control. But I do see that the passage with a width of 1.60m (5 feet 3 inches) is not ideal. I will remove the window due to the boundary development (north side).
The bedroom, of course, could be extended somewhat toward the dressing room if it is structurally feasible and considering all other factors such as building stability, costs, etc. I had already included that small niche in the bathroom, but the bathroom design didn’t quite work out. I need to review that again. As you already said, the cabinets in the drawing have a depth of 45cm (18 inches).
Yes, the other two rooms have disappeared due to the walls. In the end, I would have preferred a storage room over a bathroom on the upper floor. Now, we need to see how else it can be done. If everything goes well, I will revise it again tonight and then upload a version with square meter (square feet) measurements here.
Best regards, Andreas
ypg schrieb:
@Jochen104 goes into detail, @RobsonMKK speaks frankly: a notorious downgrade
I agree and repeat myself: leave the sketch at home
Yes Yvonne, I got it already ops:
I just can’t make sense of all these corners and angles in the design...
There’s always some niche, corner, or bend somewhere. Why? Aside from the fact that this significantly increases costs, think about the future: this kind of layout is a nightmare to clean!
Why is there this recessed corner in the combined garage/workshop/utility room? Make it rectangular! That way, you’d have the garage at the front and two equally sized rooms at the back—one workshop and one utility room. Which one needs to be bigger depends on your plans and how you intend to use the rooms. Is it possible if one is a walk-through room, or would you have to sacrifice more space for a hallway?
I understand the desire to have a second shower, but as it is now, it’s just not working. You have this protrusion in the hallway for the shower, but no space in the hallway itself to fit a coat rack or similar. Maybe shrink the kitchen area, skip the island, or rearrange the dining area, and give the hallway enough room to at least hang a coat and store outdoor shoes without anyone tripping over them.
Upstairs feels too complicated as well, and the bathtub placed in the middle of the bathroom isn’t really clever… it could be done better! (Maybe move the door more toward the center and put the bathtub against the wall?)
None of this quite fits for me yet. I would also recommend going to the architect with a list of requirements instead of a sketch, and see what suggestions they come up with. You can always incorporate your ideas later, but maybe they’ll steer you in a different direction. Especially regarding the floor plan in general—I don’t find it ideal yet.
And be sure to check with the building authority about the garage that’s integrated into the living area beforehand. Or the architect should be able to answer whether that’s feasible or not. I wouldn’t be sure about it myself.
There’s always some niche, corner, or bend somewhere. Why? Aside from the fact that this significantly increases costs, think about the future: this kind of layout is a nightmare to clean!
Why is there this recessed corner in the combined garage/workshop/utility room? Make it rectangular! That way, you’d have the garage at the front and two equally sized rooms at the back—one workshop and one utility room. Which one needs to be bigger depends on your plans and how you intend to use the rooms. Is it possible if one is a walk-through room, or would you have to sacrifice more space for a hallway?
I understand the desire to have a second shower, but as it is now, it’s just not working. You have this protrusion in the hallway for the shower, but no space in the hallway itself to fit a coat rack or similar. Maybe shrink the kitchen area, skip the island, or rearrange the dining area, and give the hallway enough room to at least hang a coat and store outdoor shoes without anyone tripping over them.
Upstairs feels too complicated as well, and the bathtub placed in the middle of the bathroom isn’t really clever… it could be done better! (Maybe move the door more toward the center and put the bathtub against the wall?)
None of this quite fits for me yet. I would also recommend going to the architect with a list of requirements instead of a sketch, and see what suggestions they come up with. You can always incorporate your ideas later, but maybe they’ll steer you in a different direction. Especially regarding the floor plan in general—I don’t find it ideal yet.
And be sure to check with the building authority about the garage that’s integrated into the living area beforehand. Or the architect should be able to answer whether that’s feasible or not. I wouldn’t be sure about it myself.
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