ᐅ Plot size: 1,250 m², living area: 200 m², household of 4 people

Dear readers,
we have purchased a plot of land in a rural area of the Eifel region and plan to build a house there next year. We would like to discuss our floor plan with you and already have some questions:

The location of the house on the plot is shown in the site plan: this would be parcel 74. The house marked in red belongs to my brother.

How can the site be leveled (retaining walls etc., approximate costs)? The land has not yet been surveyed by us, so we don’t have exact measurements, especially regarding the elevation difference. Roughly estimated, there is a difference of 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) between the highest and lowest points of the plot. We are quite in the dark about the additional construction costs, particularly earthworks.

So much for the plot and the planned position of the house. However, the main focus of this thread is the floor plan itself, and we would like to hear your feedback!

Here are our initial questions:

Zoning plan/restrictions
Plot size	1249 m2 (13440 sq ft)
Slope	Yes, about 3-4 m (10-13 ft) difference between highest and lowest point
Site coverage ratio	Only setback to the road: 3 m (10 feet)
Floor area ratio	No restrictions
Building line, building boundary	-
Boundary development	-
Number of parking spaces	2 cars in garage + 2 cars possible in front of garage
Number of floors	2 full floors, no basement
Roof type	Hipped roof
Style	Urban villa
Orientation	Living room facing southwest
Maximum height/limits	None
Other requirements	None
Homeowner requirements
Style, roof type, building type	Urban villa, hipped roof, single-family house
Basement, number of floors	0, 2
Number of occupants, ages	Currently 2 people (24 & 28 years), later 2 children
Space requirements on ground and upper floors	Approximately 100 m2 (1076 sq ft) living area per floor
Office: family use or home office?	A "leisure" office for 2 people to share
Guests per year	About 30, sometimes 4-8 at the same time
Open or closed architecture	Open living/dining area including kitchen (separated from rest by a door); open space above entrance
Conservative or modern construction	Modern (prefabricated house)
Open kitchen, cooking island	Yes, yes
Number of dining seats	6 permanent, table extends to 10
Fireplace	Pre-drilled hole in the wall to allow for a fireplace option later, but no fireplace initially
Music/stereo wall	No
Balcony, roof terrace	No
Garage, carport	Double garage with storage room (about 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft))
Utility garden, greenhouse	Possibly later (raised) garden bed and tomato house
Other wishes, special features, daily routine, also reasons why certain things should or should not be included	We want to be able to look into the garden from the living area, office, and bedroom On the ground floor, next to the guest room there should be a shower bathroom Dog flap – location unclear Enough storage space? (there is quite a bit of space in the attic and storage under the stairs)
House design
Who designed the plan:	Ourselves and prefabricated house company
- Planner from a construction company	Yes
- Architect	/
- Do-it-yourself	Possibly soft soil, wallpapering, door frames. Definitely: insulate attic and install floor
What do you particularly like? Why?	Lots of space, room layout, orientation towards the garden, large kitchen
What do you not like? Why?	Enough storage? Window sizes unclear (e.g. are they floor-to-ceiling; who can see inside?) Where to put the electric dog flap? Is some type of wood-look flooring in the living area feasible (we want a dog later), or is that a bad idea? Children’s bathroom quite large Possibly a different staircase?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:	400,000
Personal price limit for the house including fittings:	550,000 (including additional construction costs), excluding landscaping
Preferred heating technology:	Air source heat pump + photovoltaics
If you have to give up on anything, which details/extensions would that be?
- Can you live without:	Pre-drilled fireplace hole, open space above entrance, bathtub, direct access from kitchen to storage room (still under consideration)
- Cannot give up:	Many windows facing the garden, open living area, separate walk-in closet
Why is the design as it is now? For example
Standard plan from the planner?	All room sizes and layouts have been planned according to our wishes.
Which wishes have been implemented by the architect?	(We have not reached that stage yet)
A mix of many examples from various magazines…	Instagram inspired, and various prefab house catalogs
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad?	We find it hard to imagine the floor plan in reality; we would prefer to see it in 3D.
What is the most important fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?	Is the room layout functional, with enough storage, while still providing an open living/dining feel?

Further considerations:
Could the room layout be optimized for use after the children have left home?

How and where can a canopy for sun protection be added on a terrace in front of the house without blocking natural light inside?

Attached are the ground floor and upper floor plans, as well as a photo of the plot and the site plan.

Many thanks in advance for your effort and input!