ᐅ Single-family home with 200 m² of living space in Mecklenburg, near the Baltic Sea
Created on: 24 Jan 2020 13:30
A
airlinerDevelopment Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 915m² (9839 ft²)
Slope: No
Site coverage ratio: 0.5
Floor area ratio: N/A
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2 (plus 2-3 for guests and trailer in the front yard)
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: Gable roof
Architectural style: Classic single-family house with a captain’s gable
Orientation: South-facing garden
Maximum height / limits: No maximum specifications
Additional requirements: §34 Federal Building Code (Baugesetzbuch)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Captain’s gable on the garden side (not permitted on the street side by building authority) with a 130cm (51 inches) masonry knee wall
Basement, floors: No basement, 1 full floor
Number of occupants, age: Currently three (30, 30, 3), planning for a second child
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: Own office mandatory
Overnight guests per year: Uncertain, potentially frequently in pairs
Open or closed architecture: Open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern design: Classic, straightforward
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes, both
Number of dining seats: Minimum 10, preferably 12 (we like to host larger gatherings)
Fireplace: Yes, planned at the corner of dining/living area
Music / stereo wall: Not intended
Balcony, roof terrace: No, possibly green roof on the garage
Garage, carport: Adjoining double garage with passage to the utility room
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: Already on site (3m x 12m (10 ft x 39 ft))
Additional wishes/particulars/routine, including reasons why some things are desired or not
House Design
Planner:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
The overall layout and the available space in the living area, the large children’s bedrooms
The view axis from the front door through the living/dining room door into the garden
What do you dislike? Why?
Space consumption in the hallway, the office/guest room might be slightly small? Concern about the bathroom door on the upper floor
Price estimate from architect/planner: Not yet available
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 480,000€ (without consideration of possible KfW subsidies)
Preferred heating technology: Ground-source heat pump with trench collectors (alternative flat collectors if cheaper)
If you have to give up, which details / expansions
-Can you do without: Fireplace, photovoltaic system, home automation (however, preparations for these are a must)
-Can you not do without: Straight staircase
Why is the design the way it is now?
In the past, we visited many show houses, spoke with various builders, and spent many nights working on the floor plan. Ultimately, we chose this design from three or four options because it represents a good compromise. We insisted on a straight staircase and to reuse our current sofas (a bulky three-seater and similarly bulky L-shaped model from IKEA), but also wanted a fireplace at the transition between living and dining areas. As a result, the office was moved upstairs into the captain’s gable instead of being where the guest bathroom would have been.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
The hallways upstairs and downstairs might be somewhat too spacious. I am also uncertain about the bathroom door on the upper floor. A 130cm (51 inches) knee wall should be sufficient, but we can go up to 150cm (59 inches) if needed. There is no standardized height limit, as neighboring buildings include a 1.5-story house and a 2.5-story multi-family building. Opposite are semi-detached houses.
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
I want to avoid overextending ourselves so the project doesn’t grow beyond our means (budget and effort). The plot width on the street side is 27m (89 ft). At a right angle, it extends 23.5m (77 ft) toward the back, where the plot bends slightly.
All area measurements exclude sloping ceilings (upper floor), so the upper floor area will be slightly smaller.
Plot size: 915m² (9839 ft²)
Slope: No
Site coverage ratio: 0.5
Floor area ratio: N/A
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries
Edge development: No
Number of parking spaces: 2 (plus 2-3 for guests and trailer in the front yard)
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: Gable roof
Architectural style: Classic single-family house with a captain’s gable
Orientation: South-facing garden
Maximum height / limits: No maximum specifications
Additional requirements: §34 Federal Building Code (Baugesetzbuch)
Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: Captain’s gable on the garden side (not permitted on the street side by building authority) with a 130cm (51 inches) masonry knee wall
Basement, floors: No basement, 1 full floor
Number of occupants, age: Currently three (30, 30, 3), planning for a second child
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: Own office mandatory
Overnight guests per year: Uncertain, potentially frequently in pairs
Open or closed architecture: Open living/dining/kitchen area
Conservative or modern design: Classic, straightforward
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes, both
Number of dining seats: Minimum 10, preferably 12 (we like to host larger gatherings)
Fireplace: Yes, planned at the corner of dining/living area
Music / stereo wall: Not intended
Balcony, roof terrace: No, possibly green roof on the garage
Garage, carport: Adjoining double garage with passage to the utility room
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: Already on site (3m x 12m (10 ft x 39 ft))
Additional wishes/particulars/routine, including reasons why some things are desired or not
House Design
Planner:
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
The overall layout and the available space in the living area, the large children’s bedrooms
The view axis from the front door through the living/dining room door into the garden
What do you dislike? Why?
Space consumption in the hallway, the office/guest room might be slightly small? Concern about the bathroom door on the upper floor
Price estimate from architect/planner: Not yet available
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 480,000€ (without consideration of possible KfW subsidies)
Preferred heating technology: Ground-source heat pump with trench collectors (alternative flat collectors if cheaper)
If you have to give up, which details / expansions
-Can you do without: Fireplace, photovoltaic system, home automation (however, preparations for these are a must)
-Can you not do without: Straight staircase
Why is the design the way it is now?
In the past, we visited many show houses, spoke with various builders, and spent many nights working on the floor plan. Ultimately, we chose this design from three or four options because it represents a good compromise. We insisted on a straight staircase and to reuse our current sofas (a bulky three-seater and similarly bulky L-shaped model from IKEA), but also wanted a fireplace at the transition between living and dining areas. As a result, the office was moved upstairs into the captain’s gable instead of being where the guest bathroom would have been.
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion?
The hallways upstairs and downstairs might be somewhat too spacious. I am also uncertain about the bathroom door on the upper floor. A 130cm (51 inches) knee wall should be sufficient, but we can go up to 150cm (59 inches) if needed. There is no standardized height limit, as neighboring buildings include a 1.5-story house and a 2.5-story multi-family building. Opposite are semi-detached houses.
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
I want to avoid overextending ourselves so the project doesn’t grow beyond our means (budget and effort). The plot width on the street side is 27m (89 ft). At a right angle, it extends 23.5m (77 ft) toward the back, where the plot bends slightly.
All area measurements exclude sloping ceilings (upper floor), so the upper floor area will be slightly smaller.
I’m afraid the staircase might be a bit short… what ceiling height (clear height) or floor-to-floor height do you have in mind?
For a floor-to-floor height of 280 cm (9 ft 2 in) = about 250 cm (8 ft 2 in) finished ceiling height, the drawn staircase length of just over 4 m (13 ft) is comfortable; maybe 360 cm (12 ft) could also work. However, if I calculate based on your plan, it’s a maximum of 340 cm (11 ft 2 in).
This is where the room layout runs into problems.
It’s also always a good idea to include your planned furniture, especially bulky sofas, fireplaces, dining tables for 12 people, etc., so we can understand your vision better.
Upstairs, a walk-in closet with only 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) raw construction depth… what is supposed to fit in there?
Is the garage supposed to have a roof terrace? If so, why on the east side? Maybe use a site plan with the house position marked.
The window planning is obviously not finalized yet, right? Otherwise, the upper floor will be quite dark. It would also be helpful if the intended window sill heights were marked for the windows shown in the plan.
And a note: when planning niches for kitchen tall units, for example, 4 units each 60 cm (24 inches) wide, you should always add 5 cm (2 inches) during the shell construction. The same applies to wardrobe niches, etc. Since plaster will be added, and building walls isn’t a precise craft, deviations of up to 1 cm (0.4 inches) can happen.
A general suggestion: the home office/guest room might be better placed on the ground floor near the guest bathroom, and then splitting the technical/laundry room so laundry can be taken upstairs.
Also consider whether the attic space (which seems to be planned as storage with a roof staircase from the upper floor) might be more efficiently accessed by extending the regular staircase, which could also save a few square meters (square feet) of floor space.
Given the plot width, it might also be worth thinking about separating the garage from the house to allow windows on the west side and potentially create a small sheltered garden corner.
For a floor-to-floor height of 280 cm (9 ft 2 in) = about 250 cm (8 ft 2 in) finished ceiling height, the drawn staircase length of just over 4 m (13 ft) is comfortable; maybe 360 cm (12 ft) could also work. However, if I calculate based on your plan, it’s a maximum of 340 cm (11 ft 2 in).
This is where the room layout runs into problems.
It’s also always a good idea to include your planned furniture, especially bulky sofas, fireplaces, dining tables for 12 people, etc., so we can understand your vision better.
Upstairs, a walk-in closet with only 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) raw construction depth… what is supposed to fit in there?
Is the garage supposed to have a roof terrace? If so, why on the east side? Maybe use a site plan with the house position marked.
The window planning is obviously not finalized yet, right? Otherwise, the upper floor will be quite dark. It would also be helpful if the intended window sill heights were marked for the windows shown in the plan.
And a note: when planning niches for kitchen tall units, for example, 4 units each 60 cm (24 inches) wide, you should always add 5 cm (2 inches) during the shell construction. The same applies to wardrobe niches, etc. Since plaster will be added, and building walls isn’t a precise craft, deviations of up to 1 cm (0.4 inches) can happen.
A general suggestion: the home office/guest room might be better placed on the ground floor near the guest bathroom, and then splitting the technical/laundry room so laundry can be taken upstairs.
Also consider whether the attic space (which seems to be planned as storage with a roof staircase from the upper floor) might be more efficiently accessed by extending the regular staircase, which could also save a few square meters (square feet) of floor space.
Given the plot width, it might also be worth thinking about separating the garage from the house to allow windows on the west side and potentially create a small sheltered garden corner.
Thank you, kbt09, for the initial assessment.
Unfortunately, this is not clear from the drawings, but we are planning for a floor-to-ceiling height of 280cm (110 inches), possibly slightly more in raw dimensions, as I would like to have a central ventilation system installed in the ceiling (I really dislike floor air vents). We will discuss the staircase planning with our chosen stair builder next week (I prefer to carry out as many trades as possible with local craftsmen). Hopefully, things will become clearer then.
The windows are indeed not final yet. On the west side, we are considering floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as on the south side (there even three double casement windows, allowing access to the garden at any time), and also in the captain’s gable. The currently drawn windows are only to give an idea of what the exterior _could_ look like. We will need to finalize the exact dimensions with an architect.
Basically, the current furniture fits the rooms. However, we did this in a traditional analog way (we transferred the floor plan to A3 paper and placed furniture cutouts made of cardboard at the appropriate scale).
The garage will at most have a green roof. At the moment, we don’t expect the roof terrace to be used very frequently. Among other reasons, this is because it is located on the east side. Another advantage is the direct access to the utility room, which will make it easier to put away heavy groceries quickly. The passage from the utility room to the kitchen is currently shown as a sliding door. However, I can also well imagine using a swing door there, which might allow for a wider opening.
The tip regarding the niches is helpful, and we will take that into account. Generally, I have to say that the measurements are also partly due to the tool and my amateurish handling of it. We will need to finalize the exact dimensions with the architect, as we will also do with the windows.
Regarding the attic, I am still unsure where a possible continuation of the stairs should go without “compromising” the bathroom door. Won’t they be a little too close together then?
Unfortunately, this is not clear from the drawings, but we are planning for a floor-to-ceiling height of 280cm (110 inches), possibly slightly more in raw dimensions, as I would like to have a central ventilation system installed in the ceiling (I really dislike floor air vents). We will discuss the staircase planning with our chosen stair builder next week (I prefer to carry out as many trades as possible with local craftsmen). Hopefully, things will become clearer then.
The windows are indeed not final yet. On the west side, we are considering floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as on the south side (there even three double casement windows, allowing access to the garden at any time), and also in the captain’s gable. The currently drawn windows are only to give an idea of what the exterior _could_ look like. We will need to finalize the exact dimensions with an architect.
Basically, the current furniture fits the rooms. However, we did this in a traditional analog way (we transferred the floor plan to A3 paper and placed furniture cutouts made of cardboard at the appropriate scale).
The garage will at most have a green roof. At the moment, we don’t expect the roof terrace to be used very frequently. Among other reasons, this is because it is located on the east side. Another advantage is the direct access to the utility room, which will make it easier to put away heavy groceries quickly. The passage from the utility room to the kitchen is currently shown as a sliding door. However, I can also well imagine using a swing door there, which might allow for a wider opening.
The tip regarding the niches is helpful, and we will take that into account. Generally, I have to say that the measurements are also partly due to the tool and my amateurish handling of it. We will need to finalize the exact dimensions with the architect, as we will also do with the windows.
Regarding the attic, I am still unsure where a possible continuation of the stairs should go without “compromising” the bathroom door. Won’t they be a little too close together then?
airliner schrieb:
Classic analog method (transferring the floor plan onto A3 and placing furniture cut out of cardboard to scale).You can take a photo of it... you want our assessment, but without the requested furniture layout, it won’t be complete.airliner schrieb:
Drawings available, but we are calculating with 280cm (110 inches) floor-to-floor height, possibly a bit more as a raw measurement,A 280cm (110 inches) floor-to-floor height already results in a maximum clear ceiling height of about 254cm (100 inches) without significant floor construction. If more needs to go into the ceiling—making it potentially thicker—you should first define the exact clear finished height. Besides that, the straight staircase you have planned is quite steep. The rest of the floor plan depends heavily on the staircase design.Mecklenburg may not be an expensive building area, but in terms of scale and proportions, you don’t seem to have it quite right. Many things are slightly larger than necessary. The utility room is oversized.
I assume you gradually increased the size of the house during planning to fit your sofas, then moved the office upstairs... it kind of got out of hand, right?
With your wishes, I don’t see that working. Or are landscaping, additional construction costs, and the garage counted extra?
Yes, definitely.
All that has to be included within this price?!
A cold storage room takes about 6 sqm (65 sq ft), storage space on the ground floor preferably 4-6 sqm (43-65 sq ft), and upstairs a utility room of 6-8 sqm (65-86 sq ft)... all of this INSIDE the house, plus around 10 sqm (108 sq ft) outdoors next to the garage... those would be reasonable figures for a family of 4-5.
To keep the house affordable, you can certainly make some adjustments. My suggestion: reduce everything a bit, especially hallway sizes (you’re running a lot!), move the office downstairs instead of the utility room, have a cold storage room of adequate size, and place the utility room upstairs.
Children’s rooms cannot be cut in half, but 15-16 sqm (161-172 sq ft) is already quite large. Ok, floor area here is not the same as living area, but overall there is a lot that can be done if the hallway is planned properly.
Many who build here actually have less living space than you have hallway on the upper floor.
Garage: no idea if this is still a minor point for you, but the house would definitely look better if the garage was slightly recessed and shorter than the house is wide.
I assume you gradually increased the size of the house during planning to fit your sofas, then moved the office upstairs... it kind of got out of hand, right?
airliner schrieb:
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €480,000 (without
With your wishes, I don’t see that working. Or are landscaping, additional construction costs, and the garage counted extra?
airliner schrieb:
Space use in the hallway, work/guest room possibly a bit small? Unsure
Yes, definitely.
airliner schrieb:
You can do without: fireplace, photovoltaic system, home automation (each
All that has to be included within this price?!
airliner schrieb:
I want to avoid us "overstretching" un
A cold storage room takes about 6 sqm (65 sq ft), storage space on the ground floor preferably 4-6 sqm (43-65 sq ft), and upstairs a utility room of 6-8 sqm (65-86 sq ft)... all of this INSIDE the house, plus around 10 sqm (108 sq ft) outdoors next to the garage... those would be reasonable figures for a family of 4-5.
To keep the house affordable, you can certainly make some adjustments. My suggestion: reduce everything a bit, especially hallway sizes (you’re running a lot!), move the office downstairs instead of the utility room, have a cold storage room of adequate size, and place the utility room upstairs.
Children’s rooms cannot be cut in half, but 15-16 sqm (161-172 sq ft) is already quite large. Ok, floor area here is not the same as living area, but overall there is a lot that can be done if the hallway is planned properly.
Many who build here actually have less living space than you have hallway on the upper floor.
Garage: no idea if this is still a minor point for you, but the house would definitely look better if the garage was slightly recessed and shorter than the house is wide.
In our house, the staircase also goes quite close to the bathroom door. It’s not disturbing. However, a comfortable staircase is invaluable. Larger items do end up being stored in the storage room (attic).
Please share the floor plan with furniture included. You could definitely reduce some sizes and optimize the walking paths.
Please share the floor plan with furniture included. You could definitely reduce some sizes and optimize the walking paths.
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