ᐅ Single-family house of approximately 180 m² in the city with a view of a nature reserve
Created on: 28 Jun 2020 16:55
Z
Zylon
Hello dear forum members,
After the great fortune of being allowed to build on a beautiful family plot near the city, yet surrounded by nature with a view of the nature reserve, my partner and I are currently deep in the planning of our single-family home.
Construction is planned for spring 2022, with preliminary bid inquiries in Q2 and Q3 2021.
We would greatly appreciate any tips or opinions on the attached designs. Many thanks in advance.
(The dimensions on the attached plans may not be perfect, please excuse that.)
Zoning Plan / Restrictions:
Plot size: 850 m² (9,150 sq ft)
Slope: No (slightly sloping terrain, not yet precisely measured)
Building coverage ratio: No zoning plan
Floor area ratio: No zoning plan
Building envelope, building lines, boundaries: No zoning plan (--> according to Bavarian state building code)
Edge development: Double garage planned, 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)
Parking spaces: 2 parking spaces in front of the garage + 2 parking spaces inside the garage
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: Flat roof
Architectural style: Modern (inspired by Bauhaus style)
Orientation: North-south with entrance on the north and window front on the south
Maximum heights / limits: No zoning plan (neighboring buildings east: 3 full stories / west: 2 ½ full stories)
[U]Client Requirements[/U]
Style, roof type, building type: Modern single-family home in the city with flat roof in Bauhaus style
Basement, floors: 2 full stories, no basement (--> cost savings)
Number of occupants, ages: 2 people (33 + 32) + 1-2 children (in progress)
Space requirement on ground and upper floor: ~180 m² (1,938 sq ft) over both floors
Office: Combination of office (20-40% home office), guest room, and eventual elderly parents’ bedroom on ground floor
Guest sleepers per year: approximately 10-12
Open or closed architecture: Compromise
Conservative or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen connected to dining area with breakfast bar
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: No
Music / stereo wall: Yes
Balcony, roof terrace: No (--> cost savings)
Garage, carport: Solid garage (optional: prefabricated garage)
House Design
Planner: Self-designed with Sweet Home 3D based on forum information and discussions with other homeowners
What do you particularly like? Why?:
- Entrance area with view through living room windows into the garden
- full south orientation of all living and sleeping rooms with many windows and view of the nature reserve
- ground floor fully designed to be age-appropriate
- direct access between garage and house
- fixed roof over the outdoor seating area on the ground floor through the staggered upper floor (so no awning or similar needed, which would have to be added separately)
- all rooms with water connections or technical room located on the north side (short plumbing routes)
- open-plan living/dining area including kitchen in L-shape (no direct line of sight between kitchen and living room)
- separate parents’ wing on the upper floor with private bathroom and dressing area separated from sleeping area by a wall/visual divider
- using half of the space under the stairs for the technical room and half for a pantry possible
- separate laundry area with washer, dryer, laundry baskets (visually separated) in the upper floor children’s bathroom
- small cloakroom on ground floor can be dismantled if needed to relocate the washing machine from the upper floor there (water connection is planned)
- the wall between the two children’s rooms will only be added later, so initially there is one large room of about 31 m² (333 sq ft) for one child
What do you not like? Why?:
- Currently the living area is slightly above the planned 180 m², which is problematic for the budget calculation
Cost estimate according to own calculation: 400,000 € (house including windows, bathrooms, floor coverings, electrical work), 40,000 € garage, 30,000 € kitchen, 20,000 € exterior works (minimal effort - lawn only, with further improvements over coming decades), 20,000 € additional costs (site development, notary, soil survey, lawyer, etc.)
Personal budget limit for the house including fittings: 550,000 €
Preferred heating system: Gas condensing boiler + solar thermal (hot water)
If you had to cut back, on which features or expansions
- can you do without: Unfortunately we cannot think of anything else at the moment, as we have already cut many initial wishes and ideas during planning for cost reasons
Why did the design turn out this way?
The unusual architecture with staggered cubes resulted from our space requirements and fits our preferred style for residential buildings (inspired by Bauhaus style). Numerous adjustments and changes have been made in the past 6 weeks with consultations from friends, other homeowners, and family.
Additional questions:
1. We would like to commission a soil survey, clearing work, and surveying in advance at our own cost, to submit these documents along with our design and a rough draft construction description to different general contractors / construction managers for bidding. Does this make sense? What would be the best approach?
2. The plot cannot currently be (sensibly) transferred by notarial deed (from my parents to me) due to the tax exemption being used within the last 10 years. Could this lead to difficulties during construction or limit us regarding coordination appointments, land charge registration, etc.?
3. Where is there still potential for optimization in certain rooms or areas, possibly to save even more space?
4. We understand that the cubic staggered form results in larger exterior surface areas = higher heating costs + more insulation material. Does this form also lead to additional costs beyond that?
After the great fortune of being allowed to build on a beautiful family plot near the city, yet surrounded by nature with a view of the nature reserve, my partner and I are currently deep in the planning of our single-family home.
Construction is planned for spring 2022, with preliminary bid inquiries in Q2 and Q3 2021.
We would greatly appreciate any tips or opinions on the attached designs. Many thanks in advance.
(The dimensions on the attached plans may not be perfect, please excuse that.)
Zoning Plan / Restrictions:
Plot size: 850 m² (9,150 sq ft)
Slope: No (slightly sloping terrain, not yet precisely measured)
Building coverage ratio: No zoning plan
Floor area ratio: No zoning plan
Building envelope, building lines, boundaries: No zoning plan (--> according to Bavarian state building code)
Edge development: Double garage planned, 6 x 9 m (20 x 30 ft)
Parking spaces: 2 parking spaces in front of the garage + 2 parking spaces inside the garage
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: Flat roof
Architectural style: Modern (inspired by Bauhaus style)
Orientation: North-south with entrance on the north and window front on the south
Maximum heights / limits: No zoning plan (neighboring buildings east: 3 full stories / west: 2 ½ full stories)
[U]Client Requirements[/U]
Style, roof type, building type: Modern single-family home in the city with flat roof in Bauhaus style
Basement, floors: 2 full stories, no basement (--> cost savings)
Number of occupants, ages: 2 people (33 + 32) + 1-2 children (in progress)
Space requirement on ground and upper floor: ~180 m² (1,938 sq ft) over both floors
Office: Combination of office (20-40% home office), guest room, and eventual elderly parents’ bedroom on ground floor
Guest sleepers per year: approximately 10-12
Open or closed architecture: Compromise
Conservative or modern construction: Modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Open kitchen connected to dining area with breakfast bar
Number of dining seats: 6-8
Fireplace: No
Music / stereo wall: Yes
Balcony, roof terrace: No (--> cost savings)
Garage, carport: Solid garage (optional: prefabricated garage)
House Design
Planner: Self-designed with Sweet Home 3D based on forum information and discussions with other homeowners
What do you particularly like? Why?:
- Entrance area with view through living room windows into the garden
- full south orientation of all living and sleeping rooms with many windows and view of the nature reserve
- ground floor fully designed to be age-appropriate
- direct access between garage and house
- fixed roof over the outdoor seating area on the ground floor through the staggered upper floor (so no awning or similar needed, which would have to be added separately)
- all rooms with water connections or technical room located on the north side (short plumbing routes)
- open-plan living/dining area including kitchen in L-shape (no direct line of sight between kitchen and living room)
- separate parents’ wing on the upper floor with private bathroom and dressing area separated from sleeping area by a wall/visual divider
- using half of the space under the stairs for the technical room and half for a pantry possible
- separate laundry area with washer, dryer, laundry baskets (visually separated) in the upper floor children’s bathroom
- small cloakroom on ground floor can be dismantled if needed to relocate the washing machine from the upper floor there (water connection is planned)
- the wall between the two children’s rooms will only be added later, so initially there is one large room of about 31 m² (333 sq ft) for one child
What do you not like? Why?:
- Currently the living area is slightly above the planned 180 m², which is problematic for the budget calculation
Cost estimate according to own calculation: 400,000 € (house including windows, bathrooms, floor coverings, electrical work), 40,000 € garage, 30,000 € kitchen, 20,000 € exterior works (minimal effort - lawn only, with further improvements over coming decades), 20,000 € additional costs (site development, notary, soil survey, lawyer, etc.)
Personal budget limit for the house including fittings: 550,000 €
Preferred heating system: Gas condensing boiler + solar thermal (hot water)
If you had to cut back, on which features or expansions
- can you do without: Unfortunately we cannot think of anything else at the moment, as we have already cut many initial wishes and ideas during planning for cost reasons
Why did the design turn out this way?
The unusual architecture with staggered cubes resulted from our space requirements and fits our preferred style for residential buildings (inspired by Bauhaus style). Numerous adjustments and changes have been made in the past 6 weeks with consultations from friends, other homeowners, and family.
Additional questions:
1. We would like to commission a soil survey, clearing work, and surveying in advance at our own cost, to submit these documents along with our design and a rough draft construction description to different general contractors / construction managers for bidding. Does this make sense? What would be the best approach?
2. The plot cannot currently be (sensibly) transferred by notarial deed (from my parents to me) due to the tax exemption being used within the last 10 years. Could this lead to difficulties during construction or limit us regarding coordination appointments, land charge registration, etc.?
3. Where is there still potential for optimization in certain rooms or areas, possibly to save even more space?
4. We understand that the cubic staggered form results in larger exterior surface areas = higher heating costs + more insulation material. Does this form also lead to additional costs beyond that?
I find your house design refreshing because it’s something different and unique. I generally like a cantilevered upper floor, but not the long extension with the bedroom. That feels a bit overwhelming to me, and I can also imagine it might feel intimidating when sitting underneath it, while it also blocks the nice view of the trees and sky from inside.
Perhaps consider a solution where you have an indentation in the living-dining area (only on the ground floor) so that the upper floor naturally forms a covered area. Additionally, you might think about placing the guest room where the kitchen currently is and moving the living room to the lower left of the plan, possibly separated by a sliding door or room divider. This way, you could enjoy the view from the living room, dining area, and kitchen, whereas the home office usually doesn’t need a view as much.
I think the garage needs to be set back further, as it currently has only 4.50 m (15 feet) to the street, whereas the standard requirement is often 5 m (16.5 feet). A typical car won’t fit in 4.50 m (15 feet).
The exterior view doesn’t feel quite balanced to me yet; there are still too many different window shapes. I would suggest larger windows or glass façades facing south.
Perhaps consider a solution where you have an indentation in the living-dining area (only on the ground floor) so that the upper floor naturally forms a covered area. Additionally, you might think about placing the guest room where the kitchen currently is and moving the living room to the lower left of the plan, possibly separated by a sliding door or room divider. This way, you could enjoy the view from the living room, dining area, and kitchen, whereas the home office usually doesn’t need a view as much.
I think the garage needs to be set back further, as it currently has only 4.50 m (15 feet) to the street, whereas the standard requirement is often 5 m (16.5 feet). A typical car won’t fit in 4.50 m (15 feet).
The exterior view doesn’t feel quite balanced to me yet; there are still too many different window shapes. I would suggest larger windows or glass façades facing south.
Zylon schrieb:
Based on this experience, I want to first put my own brain to work when replanning.At the moment, you are looking at 200 sqm (2,153 sq ft) with a cost of over 500,000 just for the house. Pure construction costs. The problem is, as you already mentioned at the beginning:
Zylon schrieb:
If you have to give up, which details/finishes
-can you give up: Unfortunately, we currently cannot think of anything else because we have already removed many of our original wishes/ideas during the planning phase for cost reasonsUnfortunately, with many planning mistakes and not exactly functional. Every builder here could use a design software to create their dream house with a lot of space and include everything they wish for – but it’s not about playing around; it’s the most expensive purchase of your life and it has to be buildable and affordable.
An architect can certainly incorporate your wishes into a great design.
Good evening everyone,
we are already working hard on revising our plan and hope to be able to present a new layout of the rooms and the exterior design later this week, incorporating some of the suggestions from the feedback. I still have to ask for a little patience for those who are very eager.
@Würfel*: It is very refreshing and nice to hear a positive comment for a change. In the new design, we have already abandoned the upper structure. Even though it pains me deeply to gradually let go of all our creative ideas and wishes and still end up heavily in debt. The 4.50m (15 feet) actually comes directly from the (to scale?!) site plan, taken from the driveway of the eastern neighbor. I have even parked my car there myself...
@ypg: I don't want to completely rule out working with an architect, but not yet. It will be much easier for me to approach an architect as an equal and with concrete (feasible) ideas once I have worked everything through myself. Otherwise, it will be up to the architect to talk me out of all my wishes and dreams because of the costs. That definitely won’t help the relationship.
@Wickie: That thought has crossed our minds as well. So, in two weeks we plan to visit the building center in Poing. That should give us some good ideas and a better sense of the space.
we are already working hard on revising our plan and hope to be able to present a new layout of the rooms and the exterior design later this week, incorporating some of the suggestions from the feedback. I still have to ask for a little patience for those who are very eager.
@Würfel*: It is very refreshing and nice to hear a positive comment for a change. In the new design, we have already abandoned the upper structure. Even though it pains me deeply to gradually let go of all our creative ideas and wishes and still end up heavily in debt. The 4.50m (15 feet) actually comes directly from the (to scale?!) site plan, taken from the driveway of the eastern neighbor. I have even parked my car there myself...
@ypg: I don't want to completely rule out working with an architect, but not yet. It will be much easier for me to approach an architect as an equal and with concrete (feasible) ideas once I have worked everything through myself. Otherwise, it will be up to the architect to talk me out of all my wishes and dreams because of the costs. That definitely won’t help the relationship.
@Wickie: That thought has crossed our minds as well. So, in two weeks we plan to visit the building center in Poing. That should give us some good ideas and a better sense of the space.
Of course, it is entirely up to you how you want to proceed, but I strongly advise against simply presenting an architect with your finished floor plan. In my experience, most architects will just redraw what you provide, which prevents you from benefiting from the core skills of an architect (as opposed to a drafter). Once you start like this, it can be really difficult to shift towards a creative design.
Oh, I have to disagree with you twice here:
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
K1300S schrieb:For a freelance architect to do that, the original plans must already be extremely well done.
In practice, almost every architect will simply trace the plans and be done with it,
K1300S schrieb:With this, you’re promoting the naive and popular view that an architect’s main skill is design creativity. Or, seen from the opposite perspective: you contribute to underestimating detailed planning, tendering, and construction supervision.
which deprives you of the opportunity to benefit from the core skills of an architect (as opposed to a draftsman).
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
We are not at that stage yet. I do not want to downplay the more technical aspects of an architect’s work, but here we are primarily talking about the overall design, where creativity plays a key role in distinguishing a good architect from a bad one. What separates a good architect from a very good one is the ability to move away from a “completed” design that the client insists on, while still meeting the project requirements. Such architects do exist, but I am gradually getting the impression they are even rarer than unicorns.
Unfortunately, the category an architect belongs to usually only becomes clear during the course of the collaboration.
Unfortunately, the category an architect belongs to usually only becomes clear during the course of the collaboration.
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