ᐅ Floor Plan Design for New Single-Family Home, Narrow Plot, Initial Architect Draft
Created on: 10 Nov 2025 22:30
I
Ian_Mer
Hello everyone,
we are currently planning our single-family home. We now have the first draft of our floor plan, but it is not perfect yet. So I thought I’d ask for your advice on what we could still change or improve. Everything is still possible at this stage.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 450 m² (4,844 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.3
Site coverage ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge development: not yet present, as the building area is currently being developed
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of full stories: 2
Roof type: flat roof with mandatory green roofing
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: south
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in) maximum height, Hessian building regulations (Hesse, Germany), new: 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) setback from neighboring property.
Client Requirements
Modern house for 2 adults and two children aged 4 and 6, including basement, 2 full floors.
Space requirements on the ground floor: office, kitchen, pantry, dining area, living room, guest bathroom with shower. Upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, master bedroom with walk-in closet, bathroom with bathtub and double sinks. Basement: technical room, utility room, second office, creativity room for crafts, playing, or making music.
Office use: family use or home office? Home office; both parents work three days per week from home.
Number of overnight guests per year: 6, regular overnight visitors.
Open or closed layout:
Conventional or modern construction:
Open kitchen with cooking island: yes
Number of dining places: usually 4, more for guests, birthdays, etc.
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: only TV wall
Balcony or roof terrace: no
Garage or carport: garage plus bike storage
Vegetable garden or greenhouse: yes, vegetable garden
Other wishes / special features / daily routine preferences, including reasons why something should or should not be included: built-in closet in the entrance hall, lots of storage space.
House Design
Planner: (interior) architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
Window seat in the kitchen, living room somewhat separated in the bay window, space for an outdoor kitchen on the covered terrace.
What don’t you like? Why?
Location of the shed, we would prefer the staircase as a platform staircase or with straight steps, we wonder if the kitchen is large enough and provides enough storage space. The utility room is too small. Instead of the skylight, we would rather plan a window in the stairwell.
Cost estimate according to the architect/planner: unknown
Personal budget for the house including fittings: 650,000
Preferred heating system: heat pump
Why was the design developed this way? Needs analysis with the architect, after which she created the first draft.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? From the sofa, there should be a view of the garden, lots of storage, master bed 1.60 m x 2 m (5 ft 3 in x 6 ft 7 in) (no need for 2 m x 2 m bed), walk-in closet accessible from the bedroom, covered terrace, covered entrance gate.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? We find the layout basically good but not yet perfect.
[ATTACH type="full" width="500px" alt="2D floor plan of a house with living area, kitchen, dining area, bedroom, and garage">
we are currently planning our single-family home. We now have the first draft of our floor plan, but it is not perfect yet. So I thought I’d ask for your advice on what we could still change or improve. Everything is still possible at this stage.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 450 m² (4,844 sq ft)
Slope: no
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.3
Site coverage ratio: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see plan
Edge development: not yet present, as the building area is currently being developed
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of full stories: 2
Roof type: flat roof with mandatory green roofing
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: south
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in) maximum height, Hessian building regulations (Hesse, Germany), new: 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) setback from neighboring property.
Client Requirements
Modern house for 2 adults and two children aged 4 and 6, including basement, 2 full floors.
Space requirements on the ground floor: office, kitchen, pantry, dining area, living room, guest bathroom with shower. Upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms, master bedroom with walk-in closet, bathroom with bathtub and double sinks. Basement: technical room, utility room, second office, creativity room for crafts, playing, or making music.
Office use: family use or home office? Home office; both parents work three days per week from home.
Number of overnight guests per year: 6, regular overnight visitors.
Open or closed layout:
Conventional or modern construction:
Open kitchen with cooking island: yes
Number of dining places: usually 4, more for guests, birthdays, etc.
Fireplace: no
Music / stereo wall: only TV wall
Balcony or roof terrace: no
Garage or carport: garage plus bike storage
Vegetable garden or greenhouse: yes, vegetable garden
Other wishes / special features / daily routine preferences, including reasons why something should or should not be included: built-in closet in the entrance hall, lots of storage space.
House Design
Planner: (interior) architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
Window seat in the kitchen, living room somewhat separated in the bay window, space for an outdoor kitchen on the covered terrace.
What don’t you like? Why?
Location of the shed, we would prefer the staircase as a platform staircase or with straight steps, we wonder if the kitchen is large enough and provides enough storage space. The utility room is too small. Instead of the skylight, we would rather plan a window in the stairwell.
Cost estimate according to the architect/planner: unknown
Personal budget for the house including fittings: 650,000
Preferred heating system: heat pump
Why was the design developed this way? Needs analysis with the architect, after which she created the first draft.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? From the sofa, there should be a view of the garden, lots of storage, master bed 1.60 m x 2 m (5 ft 3 in x 6 ft 7 in) (no need for 2 m x 2 m bed), walk-in closet accessible from the bedroom, covered terrace, covered entrance gate.
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad? We find the layout basically good but not yet perfect.
H
hanghaus202312 Nov 2025 09:53Ian_Mer schrieb:
That would make the house even bigger, I have not changed any of the dimensions.
Ian_Mer schrieb:
What do the blue areas on the terrace represent? Seating windows with an interior and exterior table and bench. This saves a lot of space.
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
I haven’t changed any of the dimensions.
Window seat inside, with a table and bench outside. That saves a lot of space. Okay, now I understand. That’s a good idea as well.
So you would move the kitchen slightly because of the wardrobe and extend the kitchen around the corner with a hidden door to the pantry, correct?
And is the white box near the dining table a fixed window?
H
hanghaus202312 Nov 2025 10:12Your planner is probably only suitable for interior use. They didn't even follow something like that.
"In Hesse, when developing plots of land, setback distances must be observed according to § 6 of the Hessian Building Code (HBO) to ensure the required distances to neighboring property boundaries. The minimum distance to the property line is 3 meters (10 feet)."
I am in favor of a building that has no extension on the south side. So, the house is 13 by 8 meters (43 by 26 feet).
"In Hesse, when developing plots of land, setback distances must be observed according to § 6 of the Hessian Building Code (HBO) to ensure the required distances to neighboring property boundaries. The minimum distance to the property line is 3 meters (10 feet)."
I am in favor of a building that has no extension on the south side. So, the house is 13 by 8 meters (43 by 26 feet).
hanghaus2023 schrieb:
Your planner is probably only suitable for interior use. They didn’t even comply with something like this.
"In Hesse, when developing land, setback distances must be observed according to § 6 of the Hessian Building Code (HBO) to ensure the necessary distances to neighboring property lines. The minimum setback from the property boundary is 3 meters (10 feet)."
I am in favor of a building volume without an extension on the south side. So the house would be 13 x 8 meters (43 x 26 feet). This is no longer up to date. The Hessian Building Code was amended in October. One key point is that it is now permitted to build at 2.50 meters (8 feet) instead of 3 meters (10 feet) from the property boundary.
H
hanghaus202312 Nov 2025 10:50In my opinion, this is how you can orient it on the plot.
H
hanghaus202312 Nov 2025 10:55Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, I am primarily located in BY.
I would still plan it as suggested. A rectangular building shape is easier to design, and without a basement, you need the space for the technical equipment.
On the upper floor, you need the space for the second office.
I would still plan it as suggested. A rectangular building shape is easier to design, and without a basement, you need the space for the technical equipment.
On the upper floor, you need the space for the second office.
Similar topics