Hello,
unfortunately, my post simply disappeared again yesterday, so I’ll try my luck once more.
A brief introduction: I am 48, female, single, and based in northern Baden-Württemberg.
I’m still at the very beginning of my house-building planning but already own a plot of land, for which I will sign the purchase contract in the coming weeks.
I want a small, single-story house without a basement, with a small, low-maintenance garden and nothing fancy.
It is unclear whether another person might move in ever, so I don’t want to plan for that at this point.
Basically, it would depend on the cost what 10-15 m² (100-160 sq ft) more would mean, as my budget is naturally limited.
Room plan
Kitchen + Dining + Living + Work approx. 40 m² (430 sq ft)
Bedroom approx. 14 m² (150 sq ft)
Dressing room -
Work/Guest/Child room approx. 10 m² (110 sq ft) optional
Bathroom + WC approx. 7 m² (75 sq ft)
Hallway approx. 5 m² (55 sq ft)
Utility room approx. 8 m² (85 sq ft)
Guest WC -
Storage room -
Total approx. 75 - 85 m² (810 - 915 sq ft)
Questionnaire regarding the floor plan:
Attached are a section of the development plan and a rough drawing of the house (green), carport (blue) and patio (yellow) on the screenshot from Boris BW.
I have also attached my first attempts at floor plans (once with the entrance in the north and once in the east). I probably used the wrong tool for drafting, but I hope something can still be understood or used.
I look forward to constructive feedback.
Thank you in advance for your time.
unfortunately, my post simply disappeared again yesterday, so I’ll try my luck once more.
A brief introduction: I am 48, female, single, and based in northern Baden-Württemberg.
I’m still at the very beginning of my house-building planning but already own a plot of land, for which I will sign the purchase contract in the coming weeks.
I want a small, single-story house without a basement, with a small, low-maintenance garden and nothing fancy.
It is unclear whether another person might move in ever, so I don’t want to plan for that at this point.
Basically, it would depend on the cost what 10-15 m² (100-160 sq ft) more would mean, as my budget is naturally limited.
Room plan
Kitchen + Dining + Living + Work approx. 40 m² (430 sq ft)
Bedroom approx. 14 m² (150 sq ft)
Dressing room -
Work/Guest/Child room approx. 10 m² (110 sq ft) optional
Bathroom + WC approx. 7 m² (75 sq ft)
Hallway approx. 5 m² (55 sq ft)
Utility room approx. 8 m² (85 sq ft)
Guest WC -
Storage room -
Total approx. 75 - 85 m² (810 - 915 sq ft)
Questionnaire regarding the floor plan:
| Development plan / restrictions | |
| Plot size | 392 m² (4,220 sq ft) |
| Slope | North-south gradient approx. 1.5 m on 21 m (5 ft on 69 ft) |
| Site coverage ratio | 0.4 |
| Floor area ratio | 0.8 |
| Building envelope, building line and boundary | see development plan |
| Edge development | Setbacks according to open construction style |
| Number of parking spaces | 1.5 (rounded up) per dwelling unit, so 2 |
| Number of stories | II (two stories) |
| Roof type | Pitch 38–43°, half-hip roof or double shed roof |
| Architectural style | ? |
| Orientation | East-West |
| Maximum heights / limits | 8.5 m (28 ft) |
| Further requirements | Cistern of 4.5 m³ (160 cu ft) recommended Garage: with gable roof or green flat roof, carports? Filling allowed up to 1.8 m (6 ft) |
| Builder’s requirements | |
| Style, roof form, building type | Exemption from gable roof at 30°? Bungalow |
| Basement, number of floors | One story without basement |
| Number of people, age | see introduction |
| Space requirements on ground and upper floors | Ground floor 75-80 m² (810 - 860 sq ft) |
| Office: family use or home office? | Home office, integrated in living-dining area |
| Number of overnight guests per year | 0–1 |
| Open or closed architecture | ? |
| Traditional or modern construction style | ? |
| Open kitchen, kitchen island | Kitchen island with depth like regular kitchen cabinets, followed by dining table |
| Number of dining seats | max 4 |
| Fireplace | Undecided |
| Music / stereo wall | No |
| Balcony, roof terrace | No |
| Garage, carport | 1 carport, 1 parking space |
| Vegetable garden, greenhouse | No |
| Further wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why some things should be included or not | - No separate office for home office because I don’t want to spend most of the day in a smaller room but rather in the living room with a view of the garden - Retractable staircase to the attic (additional storage space) - Wall in bedroom for wardrobe at least 2.75 m (9 ft) long - Wall in living room at least 2.45 m (8 ft) long for lowboard with TV - Bathtub – uncertain if necessary - Larger shower 90 x 120 cm (36 x 47 inches) with tiled partition wall (avoid glass wall) |
| House design | |
| Who designed the plan: | DIY, based on floor plans from Hanse Haus and various other small house providers |
| What do you like? Why? | Open living-dining-working area in the southern part of the house, utility room not directly next to the bedroom (noise from technical equipment) |
| What do you dislike? Why? | Possibly the hallway / entrance area is rather small |
| Cost estimate according to architect / planner: | ? |
| Personal price limit for the house, incl. equipment: | 250,000–270,000 Euros (approx. 270,000–290,000 USD) turnkey, excluding foundation slab, earthworks, secondary building costs, furnishings, and landscaping |
| Preferred heating system: | Not yet decided, possibly underfloor heating |
| Other considerations | Maximum house length 11.5 m (38 ft) because plot width approx. 18 m (59 ft) minus carport 3 m (10 ft) minus setback 2.5 m (8 ft) minus 1 m (3 ft) buffer in case plot is shorter than 18 m (measured on Boris BW) Carport position could also be on the west side To maximize green space and deal with the slope: house with long side parallel to the street No preference yet regarding solid construction or timber frame, KfW 55 or 40 or X standard |
| Outdoor facilities | - Patio approx. 15 m² (160 sq ft) level with the house - Lawn may have slope - Carport with parking space in front |
| Earthworks | Southern boundary: retaining wall needed to manage slope, neighbors (right and left) have done this with 1.4 m (4.5 ft) L-shaped concrete blocks or hollow blocks, rough offer from earthworks company is available (wall, grading, compacting and preparations for foundation slab, foundation slab, patio and carport [= crane location], graveling, drainage, grounding ring, multi-utility lines, site setup etc. all together approx. 60,000 Euros) |
Attached are a section of the development plan and a rough drawing of the house (green), carport (blue) and patio (yellow) on the screenshot from Boris BW.
I have also attached my first attempts at floor plans (once with the entrance in the north and once in the east). I probably used the wrong tool for drafting, but I hope something can still be understood or used.
I look forward to constructive feedback.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Arauki11 schrieb:
A first floor plan by @ypg has already been hinted at.Did I? Haha. Well, even the new members know me by now.
I would use the suggestions from @Newbee-BW as a basis. But let’s be honest: in the end, no wall will be exactly where it’s supposed to be. But what does it matter? The main thing is to get a great design, no matter how or by whom.
Regarding the main thread: first, set the technical stuff aside. Focus on finding a general contractor (GC) or main contractor (MC). Regional or big companies— I wouldn’t want to say anything about that here. I sometimes see things differently than 11ant, but that doesn’t have to mean anything.
Once a contractor is found or discussions start, the budget will become clearer. Then the floor plan can be adjusted again because it has to be buildable by the contractor.
Today, baking paw cookies for St. Nicholas’s Day takes priority for the dogs’ morning walk.
N
Newbee-BW4 Dec 2024 22:27Arauki11 schrieb:
I don’t believe that. I think the floor plan experts here can help you enough so that you eventually get the right layout. Any remaining issues or concerns can then be addressed by the chosen builder. Once the first papers are crumpled, it usually becomes clearer how things will basically turn out; it will work out. That would be my current preferred approach, but I am unsettled by the opposite opinion that it might be more beneficial to complete design phases 1 and 2 (Module A) with a separate architect. I guess more is probably needed than just a floor plan and a sketch on the site in order to obtain comparable offers. Or maybe I just haven’t fully understood the process yet. @11ant will probably be able to provide further clarification.
I have already contacted a few prefab home manufacturers (with the parameters known so far like living area, roof, room layout, photovoltaics, etc.) to find out whether it would fit within my budget, and almost all offered to customize the floor plan through “their” architect for me. I just don’t know how to identify the builder that fits me best. Nevertheless (I am not completely resistant to advice), I have scheduled an initial meeting with an architect next week. He offers design phases 1 through 9, so a full service, and has experience with both masonry construction and timber frame, as well as site supervision for timber prefab builds. He also suggested holding the initial meeting directly on the building site, which I am taking as a positive sign for now. Or is that just a tactic? We’ll see. It’s incredibly expensive compared to the fact that prefab home builders often include the architect as a flat rate in their offer. But is the service even comparable? Apparently, design phases 1 and 2 completed by a separate architect are usually not credited later by the prefab builder. If you award the contract to the local building contractor, you would continue with phases 3 and beyond with the same architect.
Arauki11 schrieb:
an option in kitchen planning Yes, I would prefer it if the dining area could be directly connected to the kitchen; that was how I tried to show it in the floor plans. But I’m sure there are other ideas as well.
N
Newbee-BW4 Dec 2024 22:28@ypg Paw biscuits definitely take priority, no question!
Newbee-BW schrieb:
how to identify the right home builder for me.I believe you can trust a healthy gut feeling combined with the wisdom of carefully reading the scope of work description.Newbee-BW schrieb:
Or is that just a trick?Yes, but a positive one.Newbee-BW schrieb:
But is the service even comparable?Hmm... honestly: for 70 to 90 sqm (750 to 970 sq ft) for one person with straightforward and realistic wishes and budget, as well as a standard plot and happily without any frills—things that could be saved on with individual contracting (gold-plated faucets, endless steps in the wellness area, etc.)—I think hiring an architect is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. But I tend to be more pragmatic anyway.N
Newbee-BW4 Dec 2024 23:04ypg schrieb:
I trust you have a good gut feeling combined with the wisdom of reading the construction specifications Thank you, but I have some doubts. My gut feeling is okay but not infallible, and the construction specifications vary so much. Even an Excel spreadsheet doesn’t help anymore.
ypg schrieb:
But I tend to be more pragmatic anyway We definitely share that.
Newbee-BW schrieb:
This would be my current preferred approach, but I’m unsettled by the opposing view that it might be more beneficial to have phases 1 and 2 (Module A) done by a separate architect. Presumably, more is needed than just a floor plan and a rough sketch on the plot to get comparable offers. Or maybe I just haven’t fully understood it yet. @11ant will probably be able to provide further clarification.This approach is absolutely possible and by no means wrong, but as in life, there are several ways to go about it. Looking for a suitable builder with a well-prepared floor plan and other points identified up to that stage, such as heating and more, seems feasible to me; this is more or less how we did it.Newbee-BW schrieb:
Presumably, more is needed than just a floor plan and a sketch on the plot.There definitely will be more than that, and not just any design that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, but one tailored to your needs. With that, you can very well start making initial contacts. What will also be important is that, gradually and inevitably, you gain more certainty and clarity about many things and thus understand them better.Newbee-BW schrieb:
I already contacted a few prefabricated house manufacturers (with the known basic parameters so far — living area, roof, room layout, photovoltaics, etc.) to find out if it’s possible within my budget, and almost all offered to customize the floor plan for me through “their” architect. I just don’t know how to recognize the right home builder for me.That wouldn’t be my approach in this case, unless I wanted to build the house exactly as it is offered. A small, regional (timber) construction company sounds more suitable to me than a nationwide provider with salespeople. That can also work, but it wouldn’t be my choice. Since this will take place in Baden-Württemberg, could you give a general idea of the location without getting too personal here in the wide, wide internet?Newbee-BW schrieb:
Nevertheless (I’m not completely resistant to advice) I have scheduled an initial meeting with an architect next week. Or is that just a tactic? We’ll see. It’s just insanely expensive for that.I would definitely skip that at this stage for this project and only pursue it after you have figured out your preferences here — including a clever floor plan. The next step, or even at the same time, would be to find a suitable builder in your region. If needed, you can cancel the appointment, nothing has happened yet. There will always be other opinions, many of which are valid because there are always multiple ways to get there. I have since completed three building projects, all following this approach. The question about the dining table will come up naturally in the discussions then.
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