ᐅ Sloped Site: Initial Floor Plan Idea & Request for Feedback

Created on: 18 Mar 2021 22:01
G
GaertM1
Hello everyone,
we have now started the first "internal" draft planning and I would be very grateful for any feedback – especially if there are any of our “ideas” that are completely off the mark...

Development Plan / Restrictions:
"Facts"
no development plan, last plot at the edge of a village area
Plot size: 330m² (approx. 21.8m x 14.8m / 71.5ft x 48.5ft)
Slope: about 7°
Clay-loam soil, limestone at shallow depth

Information according to building permit inquiry
Site coverage ratio: 0.6
Floor area ratio: 1.2
Street = building line
2 parking spaces
Number of storeys: max. 2 full storeys
Roof style: any
Eaves height 6m (20ft)
Ridge height 10m (33ft)

Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type: flat roof preferred, but e.g., also “modern barn” style
Basement with daylight from the slope as a lower ground floor, above that a “real” storey
2 persons (35, 36 years old)
Space requirement ground floor and upper floor: approx. 200m² (2,150 sq ft) total
Office: 2x home offices
Guest stays per year: none
Open architecture
Modern construction method
Open kitchen with kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 4
Fireplace: no
Garage, carport: not essential, 2 parking spaces sufficient
Utility garden, greenhouse: as little garden as possible
Other wishes: KNX system, air conditioning for main rooms

House design
Designer: do-it-yourself
What do you like most? Why?: main living areas all on one level
What do you dislike? Why?: bathroom and dressing room borderline “small”
Personal budget for the house, including fixtures: approx. 500,000 to max. 700,000 euros
Preferred heating system: we don’t really care

If you had to cut back, on which details or extensions
- Can be omitted: lounge on ground floor, pantry
- Cannot be omitted: guest WC on upper floor, dressing room, minimum clear ceiling height on upper floor 2.70m (better 3m / 9ft 10in)

Why has the design turned out as it is now?, for example:
“Optimizing” the eaves height while maximizing the use of setback distances
Minimize earthworks as much as possible (considering the soil...)

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Have I completely misjudged any fundamental aspect? Is any detail of the design “absurdly expensive”?

Note 1: Views are just for a general idea of the plot situation at this stage – windows and so on still look pretty rough…
Note 2: Plan is drawn roughly to scale (5mm grid = 50cm / 20 inches), numbers in () are m²; north is bottom left on ground floor and upper floor plans, the beautiful view to the south is top right :-)

Already now: many thanks for all your feedback!!!

Modern two-story 3D house model with large window fronts on green area.


Modern white cube villa on raised base with carport ramp and garden


Floor plan of a building section with wine cellar, technical room, office, hallway, lounge, WC; terrace and parking spaces.


Hand-drawn floor plan of an apartment with living, cooking, dining, sleeping, bathroom, corridor.


Technical drawing on graph paper: cross-section of a building with upper and ground floor, length 2150.


Satellite image with orange, red-bordered plot on cadastral map.
rick201819 Mar 2021 14:01
Clearly, an independent architect. Who actually builds the project is a separate matter. But with the details involved, and especially with KNX... General contractors and prefab house suppliers are basically out of the question.
H
haydee
19 Mar 2021 14:42
Uh, that looks almost steeper than stated.
There are general contractors (GCs) who can handle sloped sites and custom builds, but they are rare. An architect will probably be the better choice initially.
Timber frame construction can sometimes struggle on slopes.

Really think about what you need and want. Your walk-in closet can only fit about 4 meters (13 feet) of wardrobe space, which is quite limited for the area.
The ground floor could also be used more efficiently. At the moment, it feels like a rather bland add-on.
And open the house to the outside. A terrace at the back of the house overlooking the vineyard will likely be cooler in summer than a south-facing terrace. Plan for different outdoor “rooms.” The landscaping professional (landscape architect) can finalize the exact layout with you later.

Browse the internet for ideas. With your budget and two people, quite a lot is possible.
Is it certain that you will remain just the two of you?
I
icandoit
19 Mar 2021 14:56
haydee schrieb:

Are you sure you’re only staying with two people?
It was on the tip of my tongue, but then I saw there are 2 offices. So somehow it also works with 3-4 people.
G
GaertM1
19 Mar 2021 15:04
It therefore appears a bit steeper because the terrain level on the plot rises more sharply than the street itself ("about 10cm (4 inches) at the lower end up to about 60cm (24 inches) at the higher end). However, the street has a slope of 7° (I measured it with a laser distance meter). Yes, we are certain that it will just be the two of us. In an "emergency" (for example, a child or a visit), the solution would be to remodel one of the offices.
Yaso2.019 Mar 2021 16:11
If you find an architect, at least have them handle the entire planning process.

We had a general contractor plan a similar plot for us, but unfortunately, the lack of experience with small sloped plots is showing. 🙄
rick201819 Mar 2021 17:04
A sloped site is great for people with a solid budget and an architect who can think "outside the box." Find a good one and let them brainstorm freely before you share your ideas.