Hello everyone,
At our developer, a customer who had reserved a plot of land dropped out. Since the other plot faces south / southwest, we didn’t hesitate long and switched to that plot. The new plot is smaller, so we gave up on our bungalow dream. The plot number is 5.
To remind you: The plot is tied to the developer.
I have been thinking over the past few days about the arrangement and design of the rooms and the plot, and I would first like to know if the concept is okay. I am not concerned with details inside the rooms such as windows, doors, or bathroom design. That’s not possible anyway since I created the floor plan myself based on Gussek Haus floor plans. However, I tried to design it as well as possible. For this reason, I want to share the floor plan here for discussion. I’m mainly looking for feedback on the layout and room arrangement, as well as ideas, suggestions, or tips. Maybe you’ll also spot things that “just don’t work” or are not practical for everyday living.
I created the floor plan with RoomSketcher, but only used the free version, so many features are limited. Please ignore the room dimensions on the upper floor. There is a dormer in the area of the home office.
A few more details about the house.
Roof pitch 38°
Knee wall (Drempel) 100cm (39 inches)
External dimensions 12.85 x 9.60 m (42.2 x 31.5 feet) (enlarged, original dimensions of Gussek Haus models are smaller)
Unfortunately, I cannot show internal room dimensions because RoomSketcher does not allow it.
Attached again is the completed questionnaire.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 676m²
Slope: NO
Site coverage ratio: 0.4 (allowed exceedance 25 out of 100)
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: On the north side / south side approx. 20.5 m (67 feet) wide, west and east sides approx. 33 m (108 feet) wide, 3 m (10 feet) building setback on each side, rectangular plot, clearly visible in the pictures
Edge construction setback: 3 m (10 feet)
Number of parking spaces: no requirement
Number of stories: maximum 2 full stories
Roof style: Gable roof, hipped roof
Other requirements: Garage must be 5 m (16 feet) from the property boundary. Garage on the west side because the curb is lowered there.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Doesn’t matter, initially considered a house with a gable roof, there is a dormer in the home office area
Basement, number of floors: No basement due to high groundwater level
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people aged 36 (female), 37 (male), 3 (child), 1 (child)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor: Living/dining/kitchen area, utility room, guest WC with shower, hallway with coat area and stairs to upper floor, guest room / playroom
Upper floor: Master bedroom, 2 children’s rooms, bathroom, storage room, office
Office use: Family use or home office? Home office combined with family use
Guests per year: 1–2 times
Open or closed architecture: Closed architecture?
Conservative or modern style: A mix of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Closed kitchen with island would be nice but not a must; open kitchen is also an option
Number of dining seats: 4, with the option for 6
Fireplace: No
Music / stereo wall: Sound system in the living room
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: Space for 2 cars is required, preferably 3 to 4. Currently considering a garage (3 x 6 m / 9.8 x 19.7 feet) with a carport (3.6 m / 12 feet) in front, not sure if that works. Plus 2 parking spaces in front of the house.
Utility garden, greenhouse: No
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things should or shouldn’t be:
House Design
Who created the design:
- DIY - copy and combination of Gussek Haus models Lindenallee, Kiefernallee variant 1, and Buchenallee variant 2
What do you especially like? Why?
- Large closed kitchen with island and direct / short access to the terrace
- Living room close to the terrace
- Guest / playroom on the ground floor
- Storage room on the upper floor with washing machine and dryer
- Utility room with washing machine and dryer (yes, twice)
- 6 rooms
- Layout of rooms on the upper floor
What do you not like? Why?
- Location of the home office on the upper floor is not ideal in my view, but I could live with it
Price estimate from architect/planner: No new estimate so far
Personal price limit for house including features: 400,000
Preferred heating system: Heat pump
Why does the design look like it does now? For example:
Copy-paste of Gussek Haus models Lindenallee, Kiefernallee variant 1, and Buchenallee variant 2
What is the most important fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Is the room layout okay?
At our developer, a customer who had reserved a plot of land dropped out. Since the other plot faces south / southwest, we didn’t hesitate long and switched to that plot. The new plot is smaller, so we gave up on our bungalow dream. The plot number is 5.
To remind you: The plot is tied to the developer.
I have been thinking over the past few days about the arrangement and design of the rooms and the plot, and I would first like to know if the concept is okay. I am not concerned with details inside the rooms such as windows, doors, or bathroom design. That’s not possible anyway since I created the floor plan myself based on Gussek Haus floor plans. However, I tried to design it as well as possible. For this reason, I want to share the floor plan here for discussion. I’m mainly looking for feedback on the layout and room arrangement, as well as ideas, suggestions, or tips. Maybe you’ll also spot things that “just don’t work” or are not practical for everyday living.
I created the floor plan with RoomSketcher, but only used the free version, so many features are limited. Please ignore the room dimensions on the upper floor. There is a dormer in the area of the home office.
A few more details about the house.
Roof pitch 38°
Knee wall (Drempel) 100cm (39 inches)
External dimensions 12.85 x 9.60 m (42.2 x 31.5 feet) (enlarged, original dimensions of Gussek Haus models are smaller)
Unfortunately, I cannot show internal room dimensions because RoomSketcher does not allow it.
Attached again is the completed questionnaire.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 676m²
Slope: NO
Site coverage ratio: 0.4 (allowed exceedance 25 out of 100)
Floor area ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: On the north side / south side approx. 20.5 m (67 feet) wide, west and east sides approx. 33 m (108 feet) wide, 3 m (10 feet) building setback on each side, rectangular plot, clearly visible in the pictures
Edge construction setback: 3 m (10 feet)
Number of parking spaces: no requirement
Number of stories: maximum 2 full stories
Roof style: Gable roof, hipped roof
Other requirements: Garage must be 5 m (16 feet) from the property boundary. Garage on the west side because the curb is lowered there.
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Doesn’t matter, initially considered a house with a gable roof, there is a dormer in the home office area
Basement, number of floors: No basement due to high groundwater level
Number of occupants, ages: 4 people aged 36 (female), 37 (male), 3 (child), 1 (child)
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor: Living/dining/kitchen area, utility room, guest WC with shower, hallway with coat area and stairs to upper floor, guest room / playroom
Upper floor: Master bedroom, 2 children’s rooms, bathroom, storage room, office
Office use: Family use or home office? Home office combined with family use
Guests per year: 1–2 times
Open or closed architecture: Closed architecture?
Conservative or modern style: A mix of both
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Closed kitchen with island would be nice but not a must; open kitchen is also an option
Number of dining seats: 4, with the option for 6
Fireplace: No
Music / stereo wall: Sound system in the living room
Balcony, roof terrace: No
Garage, carport: Space for 2 cars is required, preferably 3 to 4. Currently considering a garage (3 x 6 m / 9.8 x 19.7 feet) with a carport (3.6 m / 12 feet) in front, not sure if that works. Plus 2 parking spaces in front of the house.
Utility garden, greenhouse: No
Additional wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things should or shouldn’t be:
House Design
Who created the design:
- DIY - copy and combination of Gussek Haus models Lindenallee, Kiefernallee variant 1, and Buchenallee variant 2
What do you especially like? Why?
- Large closed kitchen with island and direct / short access to the terrace
- Living room close to the terrace
- Guest / playroom on the ground floor
- Storage room on the upper floor with washing machine and dryer
- Utility room with washing machine and dryer (yes, twice)
- 6 rooms
- Layout of rooms on the upper floor
What do you not like? Why?
- Location of the home office on the upper floor is not ideal in my view, but I could live with it
Price estimate from architect/planner: No new estimate so far
Personal price limit for house including features: 400,000
Preferred heating system: Heat pump
Why does the design look like it does now? For example:
Copy-paste of Gussek Haus models Lindenallee, Kiefernallee variant 1, and Buchenallee variant 2
What is the most important fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Is the room layout okay?
Chrisi1906 schrieb:
Planned kitchen layout Chrisi1906 schrieb:
The distance between the cooking island and the kitchen counter is indeed a bit tight at 86cm (34 inches) No, that distance is actually fine.
The two passageways are too narrow: only a very slim person could get behind the island.
And even worse: you won’t be able to get a vacuum cleaner or ladder out of the utility room. The route from the hallway to the utility room should be considered a main access way, but the plan shows two narrow pinch points.
C
Chrisi19068 Jun 2020 20:3311ant schrieb:
I find room dimensions much more helpful in floor plan discussions than those of the windows and the wall sections between them. I don’t understand the roof windows that are drawn overlapping into the exterior walls. I also don’t understand why the roof windows overlap into the exterior walls. I’ll ask about it.
ypg schrieb:
No, no... that spacing is fine.
The two openings are too narrow: only someone very slim can get behind the island.
And what’s even worse: you won’t be able to get a vacuum cleaner or ladder out of the utility room. The path from the hallway to the utility room should be considered a main route, but there are two narrowings marked here. Oh sorry, you are right. So we would need to either move the kitchen island further toward the patio window and/or make it smaller. I agree about the ladder, but the vacuum cleaner issue seems exaggerated — or is yours really that big?
Chrisi1906 schrieb:
but isn’t that vacuum cleaner a bit oversized, or is yours really that big?No, it’s not big. But the household and daily routines have to run smoothly. I don’t want to have to carefully watch 10cm (5 inches) around to see if something has been missed. Our vacuum is ideally carried on the right, with the hose on the left. Now tell me how you would have to turn yourself around like that. If I had to take 10 seconds to pause and juggle for every single thing from the utility room, I definitely built it wrong—and I would have gray hair too early, and even worse: bruises. This might sound a bit silly to read, but this island would actually be a real source of frustration without any positive aspect.C
Chrisi19068 Jun 2020 20:55ypg schrieb:
No, not large. But the household and daily routine have to run smoothly. I don’t want to have to check every 10cm (4 inches) to see if something is out of place. Our vacuum cleaner is ideally carried on the right, the hose on the left. Now tell me how you have to turn around. If I have to pause and juggle for 10 seconds every time I take something out of the utility room, I definitely built it wrong and got gray hair too early—and even worse: bruises. This might sound a bit silly, but this island would really be a hated spot without any positive aspects at all. I should vacuum more. I understand your point and it makes sense. We only have a Dyson V11 now, but something needs to be done!
C
Chrisi19068 Jun 2020 21:13Chrisi1906 schrieb:
Attached is the latest floor plan. From my perspective, we have reached a good stage where we could say the floor plan is final. What do you think?
The changes in the floor plan are:
- Finished ceiling height back to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
- As a result, adjusted terrace door heights/front door height and window heights to standard dimensions
- Included kitchen layout
- Two-panel sliding door in the kitchen
- Revised layout of plumbing fixtures in the guest WC
- 20 cm (8 inches) wall offset in bedroom and bathroom to fit a 3-meter (10 ft) closet in the bedroom
- Stair tread width 100 cm (39 inches); adjusted stair opening
Note on the stairs: The planner set the stair opening width near the roof window area to 110 cm (43 inches) to improve access to the roof window. This does not affect headroom regarding the clearance height of the stairs. The rest of the stair opening is 110 cm (43 inches) wide. Does that make sense to you, or is there any reason against it?
Note on the 20 cm (8 inches) wall offset: Instead of the wall offset, a smaller bedroom door could be used to accommodate a 3-meter (10 ft) closet. What do you think? Should I leave it as is or change it to a smaller bedroom door or do something else entirely? I will now make two more changes to the floor plan and then ask the builder to send us an updated quote.
- Stair opening width at the stairway entrance 110 cm (43 inches) instead of 100 cm (39 inches)
- Set back the office by 20 cm (8 inches) so the corner twists and we get more space for bed, closet, and passage
The kitchen is not perfect yet, but we will adjust that during the final selections.
If there are any other issues that just won’t work for you, please let me know.
Thank you very much!
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