Hello house building forum,
First of all, a word of apology is in order. Some of you may remember my previous thread with an almost finished design. Unfortunately, it was never realized for various reasons that I won’t go into here. I apologize for not updating that thread anymore, but I also don’t want to bump it now with a new post. I have learned a lot from your comments. The good news: your support was not in vain, and much of your feedback has been incorporated into a new design!
We are now planning a square-shaped single-family house on a somewhat smaller plot. The detailed construction plans will be completed in the next few weeks, so there is certainty that this design will be implemented. I want to make up for it with new pictures/designs and am, of course, looking forward to constructive feedback again!
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size | 364 sqm (3,918 sq ft), corner plot, corner at street intersection facing directly south
Number of parking spaces | 1
Roof type | hipped roof
Maximum heights/limits | 2 floors, building boundaries, fully utilized in the current design
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type | Single-family house with hipped roof and dormers
Basement, floors | Ground floor, upper floor, finished attic, habitable basement
Number of people, age | Target size: 2 parents, 2 children
Room requirements on GF, AG, UF | Approximately 150-160 sqm (1,615-1,722 sq ft)
Office | 1.5 offices needed for home office
Guest sleepers per year | Some family abroad, so relevant
Open or closed architecture | Rather open, but with appropriate sound insulation for bedrooms (chamber music downstairs in the evening while children sleep upstairs)
Conservative or modern construction | In between, should be a bit special
Open kitchen, cooking island | Large open kitchen
Number of dining seats | Table 2x3 m (6.5x10 ft) available, extendable to 2x4 m (6.5x13 ft)
Fireplace | No
Music/stereo wall | No
Balcony, roof terrace | No
Garage, carport | Garage with wood workshop and storage space for lawnmower or bicycles
Utility garden, greenhouse | Replacement planting of 3-5 class 2 trees required
House design
Who designed it? | Architect’s design in its nth iteration with many own ideas
What do you particularly like? Why? | Staircase separated from living area (acoustics), large living room with bay window seating, terrace as extension of dining area (for warm summer evenings), parents’ area on upper floor and possibly later in the attic, no external heat pump (out of respect), laundry chute in stairwell, window reveals
What do you not like? Why? | Basement layout not ideal yet (usage for hobbies and guests, pantry, storage), little natural light in the staircase
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: pure house costs approx. 700,000 EUR (about USD 770,000), open upwards
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump installed indoors
If you have to give up anything, which details/extensions
- Can be omitted: much has already been cut (fireplace, outdoor kitchen)
- Cannot be omitted: additional garden area, since it is already rather small
Why did the design turn out the way it did?
A spacious family home with privacy, meaning large children’s rooms and a retreat area for parents, focusing on the west and southeast gardens. Indoors, a lot of window area faces southeast. This will be enclosed by privacy hedges; the streets to the south/east are lightly trafficked, so this results in a nice and quiet garden on the south side.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
First of all, a word of apology is in order. Some of you may remember my previous thread with an almost finished design. Unfortunately, it was never realized for various reasons that I won’t go into here. I apologize for not updating that thread anymore, but I also don’t want to bump it now with a new post. I have learned a lot from your comments. The good news: your support was not in vain, and much of your feedback has been incorporated into a new design!
We are now planning a square-shaped single-family house on a somewhat smaller plot. The detailed construction plans will be completed in the next few weeks, so there is certainty that this design will be implemented. I want to make up for it with new pictures/designs and am, of course, looking forward to constructive feedback again!
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size | 364 sqm (3,918 sq ft), corner plot, corner at street intersection facing directly south
Number of parking spaces | 1
Roof type | hipped roof
Maximum heights/limits | 2 floors, building boundaries, fully utilized in the current design
Homeowners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type | Single-family house with hipped roof and dormers
Basement, floors | Ground floor, upper floor, finished attic, habitable basement
Number of people, age | Target size: 2 parents, 2 children
Room requirements on GF, AG, UF | Approximately 150-160 sqm (1,615-1,722 sq ft)
Office | 1.5 offices needed for home office
Guest sleepers per year | Some family abroad, so relevant
Open or closed architecture | Rather open, but with appropriate sound insulation for bedrooms (chamber music downstairs in the evening while children sleep upstairs)
Conservative or modern construction | In between, should be a bit special
Open kitchen, cooking island | Large open kitchen
Number of dining seats | Table 2x3 m (6.5x10 ft) available, extendable to 2x4 m (6.5x13 ft)
Fireplace | No
Music/stereo wall | No
Balcony, roof terrace | No
Garage, carport | Garage with wood workshop and storage space for lawnmower or bicycles
Utility garden, greenhouse | Replacement planting of 3-5 class 2 trees required
House design
Who designed it? | Architect’s design in its nth iteration with many own ideas
What do you particularly like? Why? | Staircase separated from living area (acoustics), large living room with bay window seating, terrace as extension of dining area (for warm summer evenings), parents’ area on upper floor and possibly later in the attic, no external heat pump (out of respect), laundry chute in stairwell, window reveals
What do you not like? Why? | Basement layout not ideal yet (usage for hobbies and guests, pantry, storage), little natural light in the staircase
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: pure house costs approx. 700,000 EUR (about USD 770,000), open upwards
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump installed indoors
If you have to give up anything, which details/extensions
- Can be omitted: much has already been cut (fireplace, outdoor kitchen)
- Cannot be omitted: additional garden area, since it is already rather small
Why did the design turn out the way it did?
A spacious family home with privacy, meaning large children’s rooms and a retreat area for parents, focusing on the west and southeast gardens. Indoors, a lot of window area faces southeast. This will be enclosed by privacy hedges; the streets to the south/east are lightly trafficked, so this results in a nice and quiet garden on the south side.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
- Especially ideas regarding the exterior appearance: We want to build a "beautiful house" from the outside, not just a functional one.
- Do you see any no-gos including reasons and suggestions?
Mucuc18 schrieb:
Also important: do you have a dimensioned section through the staircase in the attic? I can hardly imagine that with a 45-degree roof pitch there is enough headroom in the attic to comfortably use the stairs – even if it looks that way in the undimensioned section. I take that back, is the knee wall about 70-80cm (28-31 inches)? Then it should just about work with over 2.1m (6 ft 11 in) clearance height at the stairs.
Alfredlima schrieb:
Personally, I always find it unfortunate that so much importance is given to the TV.
The couch faces inward, and the TV is mounted on the interior wall. This way, you look from the couch into your home, not towards your property. Also, the window will always remain closed, otherwise the sun would shine directly on the device. I completely agree! We don’t have a television, so we will arrange the living room furniture differently.
Mucuc18 schrieb:
Are you sure it’s 2H? That would be wall height times 2. Maybe 1/2H? Which federal state is it? You are absolutely right, H/2 in Bavaria. Thanks for the correction!
fabreit schrieb:
You are absolutely right, H/2 in Bavaria. Thanks for the correction! Major city in Bavaria, so the spacing requirements naturally fit.